The Unconfident Sect Master

Once Ning Huan departed from the high platform alongside Ning Hao and the others, the Nine Treasures Glazed Sect, which had been bustling for days, seemed to have been suddenly set to fast-forward.

The previously crowded and noisy throngs dispersed in an instant under the orderly guidance of the sect elders.

Before long, only a few disciples remained in the martial arts arena to handle the aftermath, leaving behind a scene of utter disarray.

As for those who had departed, they split into two paths, some filled with joy and others with sorrow.

A small number of lucky ones who had been selected stopped at the mountainside, gazing into the distance at the horizon with expressions of excitement.

It was as if they were fantasizing about some non-existent future.

The deacons responsible for them were equally jubilant, meticulously calculating how to distribute the rewards they were about to receive.

In contrast, those disciples who had failed to catch the eyes of the higher-ups looked utterly haggard.

They continued their arduous trek down the mountain.

They knew full well that after this parting, unless they encountered a stroke of immense fortune, their lives would be nothing more than a predictable, dead-end path.

Cultivation...

Taking over sect industries from their predecessors...

Being granted a deacon position once their talent was completely exhausted and they could make no further progress...

And finally, passing the rest of their days under the envious gazes of commoner spirit masters.

In a daze, someone's soft muttering broke the silence of the twilight.

"That kind of brilliance... it truly is something to yearn for."

No one had imagined that the grand competition, which usually garnered so much attention, would conclude in such a dramatic fashion.

Ning Huan's sudden emergence had dealt a metaphorical elbow to everyone present.

The dreams of disciples who hoped to return to the sect through years of hard work were shattered.

Main sect disciples who had long considered themselves geniuses were beaten to the point of doubting their own lives.

Although Wind Douluo had intervened in time, and Chen Xin had been restricted by his level and spirit power, ultimately resulting in no casualties, there was no doubt that those nine giant Seven Kill swords hanging in the sky would inevitably become an indelible nightmare in the hearts of those disciples.

And the culprit behind all of this was currently gorging himself, completely indifferent to anyone's opinion.

"Good heavens, eight pounds of meat and three pounds of rice—no wonder this kid has so much spirit power!"

As he spoke, the dumbfounded Wind Douluo set down his wine cup and nudged the Sword Douluo beside him with his elbow.

"Old Sword, are you sure your little nest egg can afford to raise him?"

"Don't let it get to the point where you can't even afford to buy your own underwear."

"Get lost!"

Sword Douluo retorted irritably, yet a flicker of panic inadvertently appeared in his usually sharp eyes.

If the intelligence was correct, Ning Huan's food consumption seemed to increase significantly every year.

Given enough time, he might actually be unable to keep up.

On the other side, seemingly sensing the change in the atmosphere and feeling that the void within his body had been sufficiently filled, Ning Huan finally raised his head.

After scanning the playful or surprised gazes around him, he looked toward the main seat without changing his expression and bowed in salute.

"Uncle Ning, this disciple was too hungry; please forgive my rudeness."

"It is of no consequence. I have some guesses regarding your martial spirit talent."

"A large total volume of spirit power and a fast recovery speed—there must surely be some corresponding price to pay for that."

Ning Hao smiled and waved his hand, his words revealing not a hint of dissatisfaction.

"Moreover, you were able to withstand half of the ancestor Chen Xin's eighth spirit skill while only at the Soul Ancestor realm."

"Comparing the two, what does eating a little more matter?"

Upon hearing this, Ning Huan felt his heart relax significantly, and he gained a bit more respect for the sect master, who was well-versed in schemes.

No probing.

Deliberately blurring the details of his martial spirit talent.

And not a single mention of his experiences over the past six years.

At least for now, everything was proceeding according to his envisioned optimal solution.

However, Ning Huan had overlooked one thing.

With his half-baked emotional control, how could he possibly escape Ning Hao's notice?

As the sect master of the Nine Treasures Glazed Sect, the latter was inherently skilled in calculation and interpersonal dealings.

Dealing with a child like him, who had never seen the wider world, was undoubtedly like using a cannon to kill a mosquito.

Therefore, the moment Ning Huan's shoulders relaxed, Ning Hao couldn't help but sigh inwardly:

'He is a child after all; even with schemes in mind, he is bound to reveal a few flaws once the deed is done.'

'But in a way, this actually makes one feel more at ease.'

At this moment, Ning Hao finally shed all his defenses and made the decision never to pry into the secrets Ning Huan was deliberately hiding.

The source of resources.

The origin of soul rings.

The reason for concealing his talent while intentionally revealing parts of it...

None of it mattered anymore.

As long as the person is here and his heart is in the right place, that is enough.

Secrets or whatever—as long as you know and I know, there is no need to speak them aloud.

Besides, there is always the excuse and dignity provided by the ancestor Chen Xin.

Once the words "the ancestor gave it, taught it, or allowed it" are spoken, who wouldn't believe it?

If it really comes down to it, he could just have Ning Huan push himself until his soul power is overdrawn to summon the ancestor again for a face-to-face confrontation.

He didn't believe the ancestor would ever undermine his own descendant.

Thinking of this, Ning Hao seemed to recall something, and his brows furrowed slightly.

[Uncle Feng, please take a trip to Tianluo City and the ruins of Jialing Pass. Erase Ning Huan's records from the past few years, just in case.]

Upon receiving the telepathic message, Wind Douluo froze for a moment, then gave an almost imperceptible nod.

He then acted as if nothing had happened, continuing to drink with Shield Defense Douluo.

Shortly after, seeing that Ning Huan was still lost in thought, Ning Hao had to speak up again to ease the slightly stiff atmosphere.

"Xiao Huan, although your uncle has some guesses about your abilities, I don't truly understand their depth."

"I wonder if you could tell us the parts that aren't so secret?"

"That way, it will be easier for the sect to help you hunt for soul rings in the future. What do you say?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the noisy dining hall fell instantly silent.

The three elders, who had been drinking and chatting, stopped their bickering.

Ning Tian and Wu Feng, who had been whispering about girl talk, also fell silent, their eyes filled with curiosity.

"Of course."

And so, under the expectant gazes of everyone, Ning Huan picked and chose his words.

He revealed all his abilities—excluding the Treasure Seeking Mouse—along with the limitations and the Spirit Body he already possessed.

It drew a chorus of gasps from the crowd.

"The Spirit Body continuously absorbs the soul master's soul power, which is equivalent to the soul master being in a special and relatively stable state of cultivation at all times..."

"No wonder you were able to become a Soul Ancestor ahead of your peers at such a young age."

Wind Douluo nodded after hearing this, grinding his teeth in envy.

A talent that allows one to cultivate while lying still—he wanted that too!

"Yes, but due to the limitations of mental power and soul power, as well as the existence of the ancestor Chen Xin, the number of Spirit Bodies I can form a Contract with is very limited."

"I am currently at a saturation point; if I want to form more, I will have to wait until I break through to become a Soul King."

This wasn't Ning Huan making things up.

After all, he really didn't have the spare capacity to form a Contract with any more soul beasts!

Chen Xin was a Super Douluo while he was alive, after all.

It was only natural that he would be a massive drain on soul power after turning into a Spirit Body.

If it weren't for the fact that Ning Huan's own total soul power was vast and recovered quickly, and that Chen Xin himself was intentionally reducing his intake, it would be a question of whether he could even stay alive, let alone summon spirits to fight.

"That's true, you can't have all the good things to yourself."

"Come, let us four old men put our heads together and figure out what other soul beasts in the Star Dou Forest are suitable for you."

Meanwhile, as the one youth and three elders exchanged questions and answers, Ning Hao felt a bit of a headache.

Genius is good, but the problems he carries are just too many!

These sudden little secrets always gave him the feeling that he couldn't quite get a handle on things.

'His upper limit is boundless, his lower limit is ridiculously low, his cultivation speed is rapid, and his strength relies entirely on the quality and quantity of his Spirit Bodies.'

'A perfectly good martial soul that defies all martial soul theories.'

'If those guys at Shrek found out, it would be considered polite if they didn't just tie you up and drag you back!'