Maid?

Three hours later, Xia Ming emerged from the guest room and returned to the council hall.

At a glance, he could tell that Ning Tian's absorption of the immortal herb's medicinal power was nearing its end.

Before long, she would awaken.

And the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect's second Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda Soul Master in ten thousand years would appear once more.

But before that, they still had another matter to handle.

Wu Long dragged the unwilling Wu Feng before Xia Ming and said solemnly,

"I know, young friend, that you will be staying in Heaven Dou City for a month. During that month, I hope you can temper my granddaughter's temperament."

"What do you want me to do, Senior?" Xia Ming asked with a frown.

"I will have her serve as your maid. Please feel free to order this girl around," Wu Long said seriously.

At his words, everyone present changed expression.

Everyone knew just how much Wu Long doted on his granddaughter.

Yet now, he was actually having her serve another child as a maid?

One had to know that even Ning Tian, the young sect mistress, was only nominally above Wu Feng. In truth, the two were like sisters.

But from Wu Long's words, he truly intended to make this child serve as a maid for a month.

Xia Ming shook his head repeatedly. "Senior, your granddaughter is of such noble status. How could she be my maid?"

"It is precisely because I spoiled her too much that she became like this."

Wu Long sighed. "I hope you will not find my granddaughter objectionable."

Xia Ming's expression was somewhat complicated. In truth, he did find her a little objectionable.

Although she was fairly pretty, her personality truly left much to be desired.

But at Shrek Academy, what kind of beauties had he not seen?

Not to mention Zhang Lexuan, who was exceptional in every way and had a far better temperament.

Just as Xia Ming was about to refuse, Mu En's voice suddenly sounded in his ear.

"Agree to it."

"Teacher?" Doubt arose in his heart, but he still nodded and accepted this temporary maid.

"Good!" Wu Long clapped his hands and shouted. "From today until you leave Heaven Dou City, this girl will follow you."

Xia Ming gave a bitter smile and said nothing more.

Wu Feng, meanwhile, seemed to have received some sort of stern talking-to. Though she still looked thoroughly unwilling, she obediently stood beside him.

Just as the matter was settled, Ning Tian's aura gradually stabilized as well.

Before long, she opened her eyes, her face filled with excitement.

She directly summoned her Martial Soul, and everyone present counted its levels like children.

"One, two, three... nine!"

"It really has nine levels! Tian'er, you succeeded!"

Ning Yunche even abandoned the composure expected of a sect master, tears welling in his eyes.

After ten thousand years, the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect had finally produced another Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda Soul Master.

Ning Tian herself was even more ecstatic.

"I succeeded!"

Wu Feng, standing beside Xia Ming, looked even more excited than Ning Tian herself.

Even Mu En's eyes flashed with a trace of excitement.

Only after a long while did Ning Yunche barely calm himself. He wiped the moisture from the corners of his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Good."

His voice was slightly hoarse, yet brighter than ever.

"Today is a day of celebration for my Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect!"

Afterward, Ning Yunche and the sect elders remained in the hall with Mu En and Zhang Lexuan.

Now that the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda had been confirmed to have reappeared in the world, the matter they had previously promised—standing together with Shrek Academy through thick and thin—was formally placed on the agenda.

As for the three children, all only seven years old, they were naturally chased out of the hall.

Outside the hall, Wu Feng looked at Ning Tian. Her lips moved several times, but she could only force out a few halting syllables.

"Young Sect Mistress, I..."

"Little Feng, what's wrong?" Ning Tian blinked, feeling somewhat puzzled.

Normally, Wu Feng would have already rushed over to link arms with her and chatter endlessly.

Yet today, she was hesitating and stumbling over her words. It was truly unusual.

"Waaah—Young Sect Mistress, I'm sorry!" Wu Feng finally blurted out, her eyes reddening.

"Huh?"

Ning Tian became even more confused.

Seeing this, Xia Ming stepped forward slowly and calmly recounted how Wu Feng had blocked his path to provoke him, lost their exchange, and was then punished with becoming his maid.

After hearing him out, Ning Tian's gaze at Wu Feng gradually became complicated. "Little Feng, you..."

"Sorry." She sighed softly, then turned and gave Xia Ming a solemn bow. "I apologize to you on Little Feng's behalf."

Wu Feng opened her mouth, her face flushing crimson, but in the end, she did not dare argue.

"It's fine." Xia Ming shook his head. "She already apologized earlier."

But Ning Tian insisted on shaking her head. She took a pearly white card from her robes and offered it to Xia Ming.

"This happened because of me, so I must also take responsibility. This is a Gold Soul Coin card with one hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins in it. This is all the pocket money I have left."

One hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins as pocket money?

Xia Ming's expression became complicated. The resources he had consumed in the year since entering Shrek Academy had naturally far exceeded that amount.

But these were not resources. This was actual money!

Even as Shrek's future Xia Ming, he did not have anywhere near that many Gold Soul Coins on hand.

Seeing Xia Ming remain silent, Ning Tian thought he found it too little. She bit her lip, her eyes earnest.

"When I get my next allowance, I'll give you another fifty thousand! If that still isn't enough, wait a little longer and I'll gather another hundred thousand!"

Only then did Xia Ming recover his senses. He hurriedly waved his hands. "No, no. It's just that one hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins is truly too much."

"Huh? Too much?" Ning Tian's pretty face reddened as she felt a little embarrassed.

As the young sect mistress of the wealthiest sect on the continent, she truly had a rather poor grasp of money.

"Yes, it's too much." Xia Ming gently pushed the card back into her hand, his tone calm.

"Since this matter has already been resolved, there is no need to measure it in Gold Soul Coins. I accept your sincerity."

Ning Tian held the card she had regained and stared blankly at him, the tips of her ears gradually turning faintly red.

So there really were people in this world who thought they had too much money.

At the side, Wu Feng watched the natural exchange between them, and for some reason, her heart suddenly tightened.

She quietly clenched the corner of her clothes, yet did not dare interrupt their conversation.

As Xia Ming's maid, if she rashly spoke up again now, she would probably face another severe punishment upon returning.

Wu Feng understood better than anyone that her grandfather had truly been angered this time.

Moreover, the atmosphere between the two before her was far too natural and fitting. For the moment, no outsider could find an opening to insert themselves.

Wu Feng lowered her eyes and stood half a step away. She watched Xia Ming's profile as he leaned slightly toward Ning Tian to listen, then looked at Ning Tian's gently curved eyes and the faint smile on her lips.

In the end, she pressed her lips into a thin line and watched silently.

In such an atmosphere, Xia Ming and Ning Tian spoke more and more happily, until the hall doors opened and Mu En, Ning Yunche, and the others emerged with smiles.

"Next time, wait for me to come find you in Heaven Dou City," Ning Tian said softly.

"Alright." Xia Ming nodded with a slight smile.

There were no extra promises. It was merely such an ordinary sentence, yet it inexplicably made Wu Feng, waiting behind them, feel her heart catch.

She silently followed Xia Ming out of the sect and back to the Royal Hotel.