Debate

The midday sun broke through the clouds and mist, shining through the glazed tiles and bathing the entire Nine Treasures Glazed Sect in a dreamlike glow.

"Truly worthy of being the wealthiest power on the continent. Everything here is so extravagantly lavish it's frightening."

Gazing at the magnificent mountain gate in the distance, Ning Huan wore an inscrutable expression, then couldn't help letting out a sigh of admiration.

Ning Zhen, who believed he already understood the young master's tastes, hurried forward a few steps and bowed slightly as he explained:

"You have a discerning eye, Young Master Ning!"

"The gate of our Nine Treasures Glazed Sect is carved from thousand-year-old timber."

"Every inch of its patterns was painstakingly carved by more than a hundred master woodworkers."

"Just this gate alone is worth as much as a Thousand-Year Soul Bone."

Ning Huan made no comment, but his understanding of the sect's predicament deepened all the same.

A gate worth a million Gold Soul Coins—who wouldn't want to sink their teeth into that?

"Let's go register. If I remember correctly, today's the deadline."

With that, Ning Huan set off, striding toward the registration office at the foot of the mountain.

Half an hour later...

"Branch, name, age?"

"Tianluo City, Ning Huan, twelve years old."

"Hold out your hand. We'll check your bone age."

Perhaps because of the grueling work he'd been doing for days on end, the middle-aged man in charge of registration sounded thoroughly impatient, making Ning Huan furrow his brows.

But when he saw the man's rather pronounced panda eyes, his faint irritation immediately faded.

He held out his right hand and said nothing.

He'd been a workhorse once himself. Why make things hard for another workhorse now?

"Mm, just turned twelve. No false claims."

"Next, we'll test your Soul Power Level."

The middle-aged man kept his head down as he wrote something down, then pushed the Soul Power-testing crystal ball on the desk over to Ning Huan.

At the sight of it, Ning Huan's lips curled slightly. His easygoing smile from before now looked strangely mischievous.

Ning Zhen, who had been watching from a short distance away, twitched violently at the brow and thought to himself:

Going by past experience, the normal approach would be to deliberately suppress his Soul Power and unleash it during the finals.

But this young master... he's probably going to ignore the usual playbook!

Sure enough, the thought had barely crossed his mind when his future master proved him right.

Ning Huan slowly raised his right hand and laid it on the crystal ball. The unhurried movement made the middle-aged man's anger flare.

"Kid, hurry up and—"

But just as his furious rebuke began, a dazzling white light suddenly burst forth.

It not only cut off every angry word he'd been about to say, but also silenced the once-clamorous, disorderly plaza in the blink of an eye.

In an instant, hundreds and thousands of gazes turned toward Ning Huan.

Fear, wariness, suspicion, bewilderment...

The place was filled with all of it.

"Hmm? What were you saying, senior?"

"The wind was strong just now. I couldn't hear you."

Gulp...

Accompanied by a barely audible swallow, the middle-aged man learned for the first time what it meant to be "on the verge of tears, yet unable to cry."

There was no doubt about it: if he could turn back time, he would treat the young man before him like an honored elder.

Instead of already wondering where he'd be buried.

"Senior, you should record my Soul Power Level and give me my entry token."

The teasing undertone in Ning Huan's words made the middle-aged man shudder.

Then he hastily snatched up the registration ledger, which had somehow fallen onto the desk, and instinctively called out at the top of his voice:

"Tianluo City, Ning Huan, level forty-two!"

The moment he said it, the whole plaza erupted.

The disciples who were still staring and doubting whether the Soul Power was genuine were instantly left reeling.

Except for a rare few Soul Masters with absolute confidence in their own talent, every other contestant gave up any hope of claiming first place.

"Thanks. Let's go."

Ning Huan took the exquisitely crafted jade token, thanked the man quietly, then gestured for Ning Zhen to follow.

Ning Zhen, on the other hand, put on an insufferably smug look, as if he had every reason to be proud. The sight made everyone grind their teeth.

Just wait till I get my hands on that bastard!

At the same time, the two Soul Emperors concealed in the shadows exchanged glances.

The next moment, they vanished, racing straight toward the mountaintop.

A twelve-year-old Soul Ancestor was almost unheard of. If he survived, he would be capable of stirring up the winds and clouds across the continent.

Crack!

The sharp sound of porcelain shattering rang leisurely through the main hall.

The blue-and-white teacup fragments scattered across the black jade floor showed just how unsettled their owner was.

"You two... really saw this with your own eyes?"

The two Soul Emperors were already on their knees. They nodded frantically, afraid the sword aura circling faintly around their necks might fall at any moment.

"This disciple wouldn't dare lie!"

"There were plenty of people in the plaza. Everyone saw it!"

"And we also had the elders of the Strange Craft Hall inspect the Soul Power crystal ball. It wasn't damaged at all!"

"Hiss..."

The white-haired elder, sword intent swirling around him, sucked in a sharp breath.

He then turned to look at the middle-aged man seated in the place of honor. The man's bearing seemed ordinary, yet his authority was immense.

Judging by his instinctive manner, the final say on a matter this important clearly rested with him.

The two elders beside him stood shoulder to shoulder, not having spoken a word from beginning to end.

Yet the three of them had, without exception, begun to scheme in their hearts.

No other reason was needed. They'd only ever heard of a twelve-year-old Soul Ancestor—they'd never seen one before!

If they could take him as a disciple, wouldn't that be something to boast about?

"You may leave for now. Remember to collect your reward from the Gold Wealth Hall."

"Thank you, Sect Master!"

The next moment, the two men sprang to their feet and hurried away without the slightest intention of lingering.

Only after their backs had vanished completely did the leading elder speak again.

"Sect Master, we absolutely mustn't let a talent like this slip away!"

"This old man has a feeling that Ning Huan will surely be the turning point that brings the Nine Treasures Glazed Sect back to its former glory!"

As soon as he finished, Wind Douluo, another honored elder, quickly chimed in, their coordination impeccable.

"Exactly, Sect Master!"

"If Ning Huan could cultivate himself into a Soul Ancestor in such a barren land, then his talent is probably even greater than we imagine!"

"What's more, he's a disciple of our own clan's collateral branch. We're naturally close."

However, Shield Defense Douluo, who had remained silent throughout the discussion, offered his own opinion instead.

"But in the end, he is still a collateral-branch disciple. He was sent to a border city, forced to hide his identity for six years, and left completely unattended."

"This old man can't be sure he's entirely trustworthy."

His excessively blunt words were like a basin of cold water, dousing the enthusiasm of Sword Douluo and Wind Douluo on the spot and leaving both their faces flushed.

"Then what do you suggest?!"

"I don't know."

Sword Douluo, Wind Douluo: ...

Ning Hao: This is getting interesting~

Unfortunately, to keep his own roof from being torn off in a fit of violence, Ning Hao, the current Sect Master of the Nine Treasures Glazed Sect, could only speak up and try to ease the tension.

"Enough, elders. Don't let a single genius come between you."

"Senior Shield Defender's concerns are reasonable, but I doubt any faction would send a twelve-year-old Soul Ancestor to infiltrate us."

After a few brief words had subdued the surging auras on both sides, a hint of a smile suddenly appeared on Ning Hao's placid face.

"And besides..."