Outside Heaven Dou City, mountain ranges rose and fell beneath a veil of clouds and mist.
The imposing grounds of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect were built along the mountainside, magnificent and grand, befitting one of the greatest sects in the world.
Ning Rongrong rode in a luxurious carriage bearing the emblem of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda. It raced at full speed toward the sect's main hall.
The moment she stepped down from the carriage, the little girl gathered up her skirt and charged inside, too furious to even let her maid help her.
Along the way, the sect disciples on guard all lowered their heads at the sight of her. Not one dared provoke the young miss while she was in such a temper.
Inside the sect's main hall, sandalwood incense curled through the air, and the atmosphere was quiet.
Ning Fengzhi sat in the seat of honor, poring over confidential reports from across the land.
Chen Xin and Gu Rong, the two Douluo who guarded the sect, sat in the lofty chairs on either side.
Both had their eyes closed, their auras calm and steady.
Ning Rongrong crossed the high threshold and ran toward the center of the hall, brimming with grievances.
"Dad!"
"Grandpa Sword, Grandpa Bone!"
"You have to stand up for me!"
The little girl's eyes were red, and her voice seethed with fury, though there was also a hint of childish pleading in it.
Ning Fengzhi set down the letter in his hand and looked up at his most beloved daughter, his eyes full of affection.
Chen Xin and Gu Rong opened their eyes as well, looking surprised.
Who would dare upset the sect's little princess?
Ning Rongrong hurried over to Ning Fengzhi, stamped her foot, and pointed toward Heaven Dou City as she cried out.
"That guy named Tang Yu!"
"He's about to come to our territory!"
"He's arrogant, lecherous, and completely lawless!"
"He forced my good friend Zhuqing to stay at Prince Wuyang Mansion, and he nearly made Grandmaster die of anger!"
As she spoke, Ning Rongrong clenched her fists, her face flushed with indignation.
"Dad, Grandpa Sword, Grandpa Bone, you have to teach him a good lesson."
"Show Tang Yu how powerful the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is!"
The hall fell silent for a moment.
Chen Xin and Gu Rong exchanged a glance, their brows drawing together slightly.
This involved the newly appointed Prince Wuyang. Things weren't that simple.
But Ning Fengzhi didn't immediately fly into a rage to indulge his daughter, as he usually would.
The Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect wore an exceptionally grave expression.
His fingers tapped a steady rhythm against the armrest, producing a measured tok, tok, tok.
His mind raced as he weighed the current situation.
After a while, Ning Fengzhi finally spoke, his tone even.
"Rongrong."
"On his way to the Northwest Three Provinces, Tang Yu will indeed pass through the territory controlled by our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."
"However, I have no intention of teaching him a lesson."
"On the contrary, when he arrives, I want you to become his disciple."
His words struck like a bolt from the blue.
Ning Rongrong froze, her eyes wide and round.
Her mouth fell open, and even her breathing stopped for a moment.
"What?"
"Dad, you're not joking, are you?"
The little girl jumped up and down in a panic, shaking her head over and over, her face full of refusal.
"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"
"I'm the young miss of the great Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. I'm supposed to become the disciple of a scoundrel who abducts women?"
"I'd rather jump off this mountain than call him Master!"
Seeing his daughter's fierce reaction, Ning Fengzhi sighed helplessly.
He rose to his feet and walked slowly to the center of the hall.
"Rongrong, don't let your emotions cloud your judgment."
"That Tang Yu is no ordinary man. He's a true force to be reckoned with."
"To fight his way through the Star Luo Empire and even force them to cede territory and pay compensation—someone like that would be of great benefit to you if you could befriend him."
"You must understand: there are no eternal enemies in this world, only eternal interests."
"If you become his disciple and learn even the tiniest bit from him, it could bring you great benefits in the future."
Ning Rongrong put her hands on her hips, her cheeks puffed up with anger.
Her eyes were full of confusion and resentment.
"Dad!"
"Are you afraid of Tang Yu?"
"Our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is one of the Upper Three Sects, with disciples and allies spread across the land."
"Why would we fear some upstart who came out of nowhere?"
Ning Fengzhi shook his head with a bitter smile.
He turned to look at the vast sky beyond the hall, his gaze distant, his tone growing meaningful.
"It's not that I fear him."
"Do you know why Emperor Xue Ye granted him the Northwest Three Provinces?"
Ning Fengzhi's voice dropped low, carrying the wisdom of someone who understood the ways of the world.
"The Northwest Three Provinces border the very foundation of our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."
"Emperor Xue Ye is an old fox. He clearly fears how powerful Tang Yu has become."
"He deliberately placed Tang Yu right under our noses to provoke a clash between our two sides."
"If we really attack Tang Yu, win or lose, we'll weaken ourselves."
Ning Fengzhi turned around and looked at his daughter with a grave expression.
"Then Emperor Xue Ye can sit secure in his palace and reap the benefits as we fight."
"We mustn't give the royal family what they want."
"Better to show Tang Yu goodwill first, sound him out, and steer this trouble elsewhere."
"Having you become his disciple is just a move on the board, meant to build a connection."
Ning Rongrong understood only part of what he said, but her resentment hadn't diminished in the slightest.
The little girl flung her arms aside and turned her face away, looking as if she'd rather die than comply.
"I don't care about the royal family's schemes!"
"I absolutely will not become his disciple!"
"Everyone at Shrek is watching me. If I bow my head to him, how will I ever hold my head up at the academy again?"
Seeing that she couldn't convince her father, Ning Rongrong's eyes darted about.
She immediately turned and ran to Chen Xin, grabbing his arm and shaking it hard.
"Grandpa Sword!"
"Look at Dad! Not only won't he avenge me, he wants me to become that villain's disciple!"
"You're a Titled Douluo. You have to teach that Tang Yu a lesson for me, please?"
Looking at Ning Rongrong's aggrieved face, Chen Xin's eyes brimmed with affection.
He reached out his broad palm and gently patted the little girl's head.
"Don't worry, Rongrong."
"Grandpa Sword is here. No one will bully you."
"If he dares show you any disrespect, the Seven Kill Sword in my hand won't stand for it."
Chen Xin's voice wasn't loud, but it rang with absolute confidence.
Gu Rong, seated on the other side, let out a cold laugh as well.
His gaunt face took on an arrogant look, and his bones crackled sharply.
"He's just a brat who doesn't know the height of heaven or the depth of the earth."
"He won one battle and thinks he's invincible?"
"If he dares provoke us, we'll make sure he remembers the lesson!"
Seeing his two old companions defend her so fiercely, Ning Fengzhi grew even more helpless.
He raised a hand to rub his brow and advised them earnestly.
"Uncle Sword, Uncle Bone, don't underestimate him just because he's young."
"I already sent people to the Star Luo Empire to investigate."
"The truly formidable thing about Tang Yu isn't his personal strength."
"It's the Black Horse Iron Cavalry under his command."
Ning Fengzhi walked to the map and pointed at the territory of the Star Luo Empire.
"According to the intelligence, he has a strange ability that can bring his soldiers back from the dead."
"Those soldiers fear neither death nor pain on the battlefield. When they fall, they can rise again."
"Relying on those undying soldiers, he managed to trample his way through several cities in the Star Luo Empire."
"As for Tang Yu himself, he may not be all that powerful. At most, he relies on a divine weapon to show off."
After hearing this, Chen Xin and Gu Rong became a little more serious.
But the pride of being Titled Douluo still kept them from seeing Tang Yu as a true threat.
After all, in this world, individual peak strength was what decided everything.
Ning Rongrong lifted her chin and huffed.
"I knew it! He's just a hollow show-off!"
"Once Grandpa Sword makes a move, he'll beat him until he's crawling on the ground!"
A few days later, one quiet morning.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was peaceful and still.
Ning Fengzhi was in his study, handling the sect's documents.
Suddenly, hurried footsteps shattered the morning's silence.
A sect scout stumbled into the study, his face filled with alarm.
In his frantic rush, he had even knocked over the vase by the door, smashing it to pieces.
"Sect Master! Something terrible has happened!"
The scout dropped to one knee, gasping for breath, his voice trembling.
"An army is bearing down on us!"
"We've identified their banners. They're led by Prince Wuyang Tang Yu!"
"They're less than five miles from the foot of the mountain!"