As the head of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and the owner of the Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda, no one understood better than Ning Fengzhi what it meant to go from seven tiers to nine.
It meant breaking the shackles of bloodline and shattering the limit of level seventy-nine Soul Power!
The Seven Killings Glazed Pagoda was already strange and powerful. Now that it had evolved to nine tiers, the power of its weakening curse would probably reach an even more horrifying level.
One strengthened allies, the other weakened enemies, and he had both... Ning Fengzhi could scarcely imagine what kind of storm Ning Xiaochun would unleash on the battlefield when his Soul Power had fully matured and he wielded both Martial Souls at once!
"Breaking the limits... twin pagodas ringing together... how terrifying!"
Ning Fengzhi murmured to himself, his elation nearly overflowing.
Then his gaze shifted to Shui Bing'er, standing quietly not far away.
The noble pressure of a top-tier Beast Martial Soul spoke volumes about her complete transformation.
A supreme Ice Phoenix! She had undoubtedly reached the highest echelon among top-tier Beast Martial Souls!
Ning Fengzhi could even sense that Shui Bing'er's ice attribute had become astonishingly pure and concentrated, seemingly touching the threshold of some kind of "ultimate" level.
This marriage alliance had been a windfall! No, an absolute jackpot! That boy Xiaochun might be useless at everything else, but his luck when it came to "living off a woman" was heaven-defying!
Just then, Dugu Bo stroked his dark green beard. He looked at the three children, whose auras had all surged and reached bottlenecks, and spoke thoughtfully:
"Fengzhi, Chen Xin, Gu Rong, look. These three youngsters have all reached the time to obtain Soul Rings: Yan Yan is at level thirty, Miss Bing'er is at level thirty, and Xiaochun is at level twenty.
"The Sunset Forest may not have as many kinds of Soul Beasts or as many high-year ones as the Star Dou Forest, but it has the advantage of being... well, relatively safe. There are also quite a few thousand-year Soul Beasts in the depths that would suit them.
"How about letting the three of them go into the forest together and test themselves in real combat, while obtaining their Soul Rings? It would also let us see how their evolved Martial Souls perform in practice."
He paused, then looked at Ning Fengzhi. "Of course, we old fellows will follow them in secret. Unless they face a danger they absolutely can't handle, we won't intervene. What do you think?"
Letting the three children hunt Soul Beasts on their own? Ning Fengzhi considered it.
Before, he would never have dared to let Ning Xiaochun out of the sight of himself and the two guardian Douluo, especially for something as "dangerous" as hunting Soul Beasts.
But now, Xiaochun's twin pagodas had evolved and his strength had greatly increased. He would be accompanied by Shui Bing'er, who was at level thirty, and Dugu Yan, who was also at level thirty and had an evolved Martial Soul... Most importantly,
three Titled Douluo would be protecting them from the shadows. As long as they didn't run into a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast or a pack of several Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts, they would be essentially safe.
It really was a good opportunity to gain experience, and it would also give Xiaochun and Bing'er more time together to grow closer.
Besides, he wanted to see for himself what kind of power the evolved Nine Treasures (Nine Killings) Glazed Pagoda possessed in actual combat.
"I think it's a good idea." Ning Fengzhi nodded and looked at Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo.
The two Douluo also nodded slightly in agreement. Secretly protecting the youngsters while they obtained their first few Soul Rings would be a piece of cake for them.
"I..."
Ning Xiaochun had just put away his Martial Souls, still basking in the joy of his soaring strength and his beautiful hopes of "steady growth" in the future. Then he suddenly heard the suggestion, and his little face fell. He instinctively wanted to refuse.
Go hunt Soul Beasts by himself? What kind of joke was that? No matter how "safe" the Sunset Forest was, it was still a forest full of Soul Beasts!
Thousand-year Soul Beasts were everywhere, and hundred-year Soul Beasts were like stray dogs! He was a squishy Support System, and even if he was now level twenty, even if his Martial Souls had evolved, he was still a squishy Support System!
His Soul Skills only weakened enemies. They couldn't kill Soul Beasts outright!
They wanted him to go into the forest and fight Soul Beasts hand-to-hand? No—more like have Soul Beasts chase him around? That was way too dangerous! It went against his life principle of "safety first"!
"No, no! That's too dangerous!" Ning Xiaochun shook his head like a rattling drum, his little face full of resistance.
"I'm still a child! I'm only six! I'm a level-twenty Support System! You want me to hunt Soul Beasts? That's like delivering takeout... I mean, delivering snacks!
"Grandpa Sword, Grandpa Bone, Grandpa Dugu, Dad, could one of you please go catch a few suitable Soul Beasts, knock them out, and bring them back? Like last time! Wouldn't that be much safer?"
He gazed imploringly at the mighty figures, trying to move them with his "I'm still a baby" look.
Just then, a cool voice rang out softly. It carried a hint of firmness that was hard to detect, and even sounded a little clumsy.
"It's okay..."
Everyone looked toward the voice and saw that Shui Bing'er had somehow come to stand beside Ning Xiaochun.
She turned her head slightly and looked at his little face, with "afraid of dying" written all over it. Her long eyelashes fluttered. She seemed unused to saying something like this. Her voice was quieter than usual, but each person there heard her clearly.
"I... I'll protect you."
As soon as she said it, as though she had used up some great reserve of courage, a faint blush spread across her fair cheeks at a speed visible to the naked eye, like rosy light reflected on snow.
She quickly turned her head away and stopped looking at Ning Xiaochun. But her straight back and slightly clenched fists showed how serious she was.
Ning Xiaochun froze.
He stared blankly at Shui Bing'er's blushing profile and watched her try to look composed despite her embarrassment. Her words echoed in his ears: "I'll protect you."
...For an instant, it felt as though something had gently bumped against his heart, leaving it tingling and warm.
Big Sister Bing'er... had said she would protect him?
And... she was blushing? Was it because she'd said she would protect him?
An inexplicable, strange warmth and sense of security surged into Ning Xiaochun's heart without warning.
Shui Bing'er was only five years older than him, still just a girl. But when she said those words, her cool yet resolute bearing made them feel different.
And then there was her supreme Ice Phoenix Martial Soul, which had just evolved... Ning Xiaochun suddenly felt that maybe... perhaps... going to wander around the outskirts of the Sunset Forest wasn't all that dangerous after all?
After all, the future Ice Phoenix who could freeze rivers was right there beside him!
And a supreme one at that! If he hid behind her and cast a few weakening skills, it seemed... pretty safe?
"Uh... well... all right, then." Ning Xiaochun hesitated, but in the end, he gave in to that inexplicable sense of "security" and the lovely blush on Shui Bing'er's face. He agreed in a small voice.
"But we're only looking for Soul Beasts under a thousand years old—preferably around seven or eight hundred years. And they have to be alone, and not look too fierce..."
A soft laugh rang out, carrying a hint of coquettishness and defiance.
Dugu Yan folded her arms. Her purple hair fluttered as she cast a sidelong glance at Ning Xiaochun and Shui Bing'er with her eerie green eyes, then pursed her lips.
"Ning Xiaochun, Shui Bing'er can be your big sister and protect you. Why can't I?"
She stepped forward to stand on Ning Xiaochun's other side and lifted her chin slightly. There was pride in her, as the heir to the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor Martial Soul, along with a hint of affection for Ning Xiaochun after what he had just done for her.
"My Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor has evolved, too. When it comes to offense and poison, it's no weaker than her Ice Phoenix! From today on, you have to call me Big Sister, too! I can protect you!"
Half of Dugu Yan's words came from gratitude toward Ning Xiaochun for helping evolve her Martial Soul. She wanted to repay him.
The other half came from that subtle competitive streak inherent in a young girl.
She had only just met Ning Xiaochun, but she already liked his cleverness, his uniqueness, and the unusual composure and charm he possessed for a child.
Seeing the unspoken understanding between Shui Bing'er and Ning Xiaochun, the kind that seemed impossible for anyone else to intrude upon, and seeing how Ning Xiaochun relied on Shui Bing'er by calling her "Big Sister Bing'er," made her feel inexplicably uncomfortable.
If Shui Bing'er could protect him, then Dugu Yan could, too! And she was older than Shui Bing'er, and his sworn big sister! Her claim was even more legitimate!
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