If This Matter Isn't Handled, It Will Surely Become a Heart Demon in the Future; Seven Treasures' Decision

Ning Rongrong's tone changed.

The lighthearted and carefree tone when recounting the special training experience gradually settled down, becoming somber and serious.

"On the way back, we encountered a group of bandits."

Her voice lowered slightly, and she clenched her fists on her knees. "After wiping out the bandits' den, in the deepest stone chamber..."

She didn't use much embellishment; she simply stated what she saw.

There were more than a dozen girls, the youngest of whom was no more than ten years old.

Dressed in rags, huddled in a corner, his eyes vacant and filled with fear.

The bandit leader arrogantly invoked the backing of a "big shot from Heaven Dou City".

Ye Qing's analysis was not about ordinary abduction of women, but about a complete human trafficking industry chain.

The bandits "purchased" the goods on the outskirts, while the powerful and wealthy within Heaven Dou City were responsible for "consuming" them.

At this point, Ning Rongrong's face unconsciously turned angry.

She wasn't giving a report.

She was confiding in the person she trusted most.

The council chamber fell silent.

Sword Douluo Chen Xin remained expressionless, but the light in his eyes dimmed.

Bone Douluo Gu Rong, twitched at the corner of his mouth, wanting to say something but swallowing it back.

Ning Fengzhi looked at his daughter.

She was a spoiled little princess when she left six months ago, but now she stands here telling him about the darkest corners of the world.

He felt a pang of heartache, but also a hidden sense of relief.

Because she didn't choose to turn away and pretend she didn't see it.

"Ning Rongrong."

Ning Fengzhi's voice was very gentle, so gentle that it left no room for doubt.

"Leave the rest to Dad and the two grandfathers."

"You've been traveling all day, go back and get some rest."

Ning Rongrong opened her mouth, as if she wanted to say something.

But when she met her father's gentle yet firm eyes, she swallowed the words that were on the tip of her tongue.

"... knew."

She stood up and walked towards the door.

The moment she pushed open the door, Ning Rongrong turned around and glanced at Ning Fengzhi.

There wasn't a single word in his eyes, but Ning Fengzhi understood it all: Dad, you must take care of this.

Ning Fengzhi nodded slightly.

The atmosphere in the council chamber changed the moment Ning Rongrong left.

The family conversation ended, and the high-level secret meeting began.

Sword Douluo spoke first, his tone direct. "Feng Zhi, which would you like to talk about first? Ye Qing, or that scumbag affair with the Heaven Dou nobles?"

He always speaks in this style—straight to the point, without uttering a single extra word.

Both are true.

Ning Fengzhi up his teacup and took a small sip.

"Let's start by talking about Ye Qing."

Because Ye Qing is a key figure.

No sooner had he finished speaking than Bone Douluo exploded.

"A mere brat, giving Ning Rongrong Ten Thousand Year Soul Bone for no reason? What's he up to!"

Gu Rong slammed his hand on the armrest. "I've seen too many tricks out of the world. This kind of unsolicited flattery is obviously not a good thing!"

"Old man, calm down for a bit."

Chen Xin glanced at him indifferently.

"Ye Qing gave the entire team's Soul Bone, not just Ning Rongrong."

"If he really went there for Ning Rongrong, would he have bothered giving gifts to everyone?"

The Gu Rong choked back a sob.

"What truly deserves attention is not the motive, but the method."

Chen Xin continued, his tone so calm it bordered on cold.

"Seven or eight ten-thousand-year-old Soul Bone in just six months."

"This young man's generosity is something that even we, let alone scions of noble families, might not be able to match."

Ning Fengzhi put down his teacup and added a second point, "Besides, Ye Qing is several years older than Ning Rongrong and has a fiancée like Dugu Yan by his side. He wouldn't have any serious ideas about a young girl."

He looked at Gu Rong, a meaningful smile appearing on his lips.

"Uncle Bone, let me ask you another way."

"Can you produce seven or eight decent Soul Bone within six months, or even several that are ten thousand years old? Can you really do that, sir, by exhausting all your resources?"

Gu Rong's expression twitched subtly.

It's impossible.

He couldn't bring himself to say those three words, but his expression said it all.

"Even that Old Poison master Dugu Bo might not have such a foundation."

Ning Fengzhi's gaze was deep and thoughtful. "This Ye Qing... is no ordinary person."

"So?" Gu Rong snorted defiantly.

"No conclusion will be drawn at this time."

Ning Fengzhi said, "But it must be listed as a key area of focus."

"It's not that we consider him an enemy, but rather that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect needs to maintain good relations with resource holders of this level, regardless of whether they are friend or foe."

Gu Rong was silent for a few seconds, then finally said in a low voice, "Hmph, I'm just worried about Ning Rongrong."

Chen Xin's lips twitched slightly.

That gesture clearly indicated she was trying to suppress a laugh.

"Let's get down to business."

Ning Fengzhi's tone turned serious, and the atmosphere changed accordingly.

"What do you think about the human slave trade, Uncle Jian?"

"If nobles are involved in human trafficking, and it's only the lower-ranking nobles, then wiping them out is fine."

Chen Xin was the first to analyze, her calmness almost devoid of emotion.

"But what if it involves the royal family..."

He paused for a moment. "The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect stands firm in the Heaven Dou Empire not through force, but through balance."

"To offend the entire upper echelons of Heaven Dou and lose an ally against the Spirit Hall for a group of complete strangers—it's a bad deal no matter how you look at it."

"What does the Heaven Dou Royal Family's own mess have to do with our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect School?" Gu Rong chimed in, his attitude even more direct.

"Mind your own business and you'll suffer the consequences. Do I need to teach you that?"

His logic is simple and straightforward.

They're not our people, and this isn't our territory, so why should they stand up for us?

Both Titled Douluo held the same attitude: they didn't really want to get involved.

Ning Fengzhi did not immediately refute.

He lowered his eyes, looking at the tea that was gently rippling in his cup.

There was a long silence.

Ning Fengzhi sighed, "If Ning Rongrong hadn't seen those girls with her own eyes... I could have ignored it."

"But Ning Rongrong saw it."

Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo were taken aback, their expressions turning serious.

Did you notice the look in her eyes when she left?

"That wasn't the look of a frightened child; it was the look of someone waiting for an answer from an elder."

Ning Fengzhi paused for a moment.

"If we choose to ignore it, this will leave a thorn in her heart."

"The pain may not come for ten years after the needle is inserted today."

"But by the time it hurts, it's too late."

"..."

Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo remained silent.

They naturally understood Ning Fengzhi's meaning.

To put it more simply, it's becoming a mental demon.

"Fengzhi... you're right."

Sword Douluo's voice remained calm, but it lacked the chilling sharpness it had displayed earlier.

"Swords can protect her for a time, but true character can protect her for a lifetime."

The Gu Rong remained silent.

He kept his head down, his withered fingers tapping rhythmically on the handrail.

After a long pause, he finally spoke in a muffled voice, "Hmph... It's not that I agreed."

"Since Ning Rongrong cares, let's reluctantly handle it."

The decision has been made.

Next comes the action.

The three of them discussed the implementation plan with surprising efficiency.

"Activate our covert network in Heaven Dou City."

Ning Fengzhi raised one finger.

"We need to conduct a comprehensive investigation of this entire industry chain, from upstream sourcing, midstream transportation, to downstream sales, identifying which families are involved, who their protectors are, and the scale of the operation."

"After that, I personally visited Qinghe."

Xue Qinghe – Crown Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire, disciple of Ning Fengzhi.

"Qinghe is my disciple. I'll use this relationship to sound out the royal family and hopefully make this matter seem legitimate."

Chen Xin and Gu Rong exchanged a glance, both expressing their agreement.