Disembodied Martial Soul Korianba

Candace's combat style wasn't particularly flashy, yet it exuded a profound sense of security and raw power.

Furthermore, her heroic and spirited demeanor only added to her immense charm.

"Candace is as reassuring as ever; anyone who provokes her can only blame their own bad luck."

Tighnari nodded in agreement with Sethos, then turned his gaze toward Qian Renxue and asked, "And this is?"

"This Humble One is Xue Qinghe, the Crown Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire."

"A Crown Prince? That's perfect. The mission entrusted to us by the Grand Sage requires consultation with local figures of authority. Let's find a place to sit and talk."

"Then let's head to the Seven Treasure Hotel!"

Ning Rongrong didn't miss the chance to drum up business for her family, knowing that once Ning Fengzhi heard the news, he would certainly rush over.

Qian Renxue, Prince Xue Xing, Tighnari, and Sethos all agreed.

Upon arriving at the Seven Treasure Hotel, Collei cast a curious gaze around the establishment.

"Collei, why don't you chat with Miss Rongrong? Don't be nervous, just relax."

"Yes, Teacher!"

Ning Rongrong looked at Collei with curiosity, and Collei returned the gaze.

"H-hello, I'm Collei, a student of the Akademiya."

"My name is Ning Rongrong, but you can just call me Rongrong. Come, I'll take you to get something delicious."

Ning Rongrong took Collei's hand, acting as if they were old friends.

Tighnari smiled; he simply wanted to help Collei improve her interpersonal skills.

"Tighnari, what exactly was the mission the Grand Sage gave you? You can tell us now, right?"

"Sethos, no need to rush. The Grand Sage has tasked me with assisting you in establishing a branch of the Akademiya here in Heaven Dou City."

"Oh! Is this finally being fully implemented?"

"Indeed. After all, the Sky Screen has already exposed the Akademiya, and I'm sure you've already said quite a bit yourself."

Sethos offered an awkward laugh.

"The Grand Sage never told me to keep it a secret."

Tighnari then turned his attention back to Qian Renxue and Prince Xue Xing.

"One of you is a Prince, the other a Crown Prince; both of you hold real power, so it is only fitting to discuss this with you."

"The Akademiya opening a branch in Heaven Dou City is a good thing. I have no objections."

Prince Xue Xing stated his position immediately, but Qian Renxue considered the matter more deeply.

Although she had learned a bit more from Sethos, she still knew very little about the Akademiya.

Therefore, she intended to use this opportunity to learn more.

"Mr. Tighnari, I have a few questions regarding the Akademiya, if you don't mind."

"Of course, please, go ahead."

"Is the Akademiya merely an academy?"

"You could say that. The Akademiya is a gathering place for scholars of all disciplines; anyone who passes the examination can join to study."

"Does that include the aspects of martial souls and combat?"

"Although that field is just getting started, it is certainly included. The Grand Sage says the martial soul system is... well... quite unique."

"I wonder what kind of requirements you have? I will do my best to accommodate them."

Prince Xue Xing interjected, though he had indeed hit on the key point.

"We require official authorization and a plot of land."

"Is that all?"

"Yes. We will handle everything else ourselves once the Grand Sage arrives."

"No problem, this—"

"Imperial Uncle, this is not a matter we can decide on our own; it requires a ruling from Father Emperor, wouldn't you agree?"

Qian Renxue interrupted Prince Xue Xing, elevating the issue to Emperor Xue Ye and leaving him with no room to argue.

"Hmph, that is true, but I believe His Imperial Majesty will not object."

"Mr. Tighnari, my apologies. This matter requires my father's decision, so please forgive us."

Qian Renxue rose and bowed in apology, showing Tighnari the utmost respect.

"It is no trouble at all. Do we need to meet with the Emperor here?"

"That won't be necessary. I will report the situation to my father. Mr. Tighnari and Mr. Sethos, please just wait patiently."

On the other side, Ning Rongrong and Collei were chatting happily, and Ning Rongrong revealed her martial soul, the Seven Treasure Glazed Pagoda.

"How beautiful!"

The appearance of the Seven Treasure Glazed Pagoda was truly beyond reproach.

"Collei, what is your Martial Soul?"

"Come out, Korianba!"

Collei summoned Korianba, who hopped onto her shoulder, looking quite affectionate.

"This, this is an external Martial Soul!"

Ning Rongrong was extremely surprised; it was her first time seeing an external Martial Soul like the one Yu Xiaogang possessed.

"Korianba, say hello to Rongrong."

Korianba hopped onto Ning Rongrong's shoulder, bounced twice, and jumped back; that was its way of saying hello.

Ning Rongrong recalled that Yu Xiaogang was unable to break through level 30, so she cautiously asked Collei, "Collei, may I ask what your Soul Power Level is? If you don't want to say, it's fine."

"It's no problem. My strength isn't very high; according to the classifications here, I should be level 72."

"What! Level 72!"

Ning Rongrong opened her mouth wide in shock. The girl before her, who looked about the same age as herself, was actually a Soul Saint.

The Soul Elders at Shrek Academy thought they were monsters among geniuses, yet Collei was already a Soul Saint, and so humble and low-key at that.

Truly, comparing people only leads to frustration, and comparing goods only leads to discarding them.

This was a good thing, however; Collei had completely dispelled Ning Rongrong's illusions about Shrek Academy.

In reality, though, Collei was a few years older than Ning Rongrong, as people on the Douluo Continent tended to mature early.

The Sky Screen updated at this moment, drawing everyone's attention once again.

[Aaru Village is the final resting place for the descendants of the Scarlet King. The duty of the Aaru Village guardian is to protect this village until the last descendant of the Scarlet King passes away. This was the warning given to Candace by the previous guardian when she took on the role at the age of eight.]

[As Candace grew up, she steadfastly upheld her duties as the guardian of Aaru Village, but she also discovered that the village was hopelessly immersed in the past. She asked herself countless times if this was truly for the best, and in the end, she chose the answer within her own heart.]

[She used her own strength to open the gates of Aaru Village to the outside world, attracting merchant caravans. However, her efforts were met with condemnation from the older generation of guardians.]

[Facing the reproaches of the elders, Candace erupted in front of them for the first time: "I will not let the people of Aaru Village be shackled by the past. If you cannot move forward, then I alone will protect the future of Aaru Village."]

[Candace's firm stance stunned everyone. At the same time, because of this resolve, she received the gaze of a god.]

[If you harbor good intentions, Candace will be the best guide you could find in the desert. If you harbor malice, she will become your deepest nightmare. Summary: Never provoke her, unless your head is harder than steel.]

Although the text displayed on the Sky Screen was brief, it vividly portrayed the image of Candace as a resolute guardian.