Shui Bing'er: "I will protect you!"

As the Sect Master of the Seven Treasures Glazed Sect and the owner of the Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda, no one knew better than him what the transition from seven to nine stories signified.

It meant breaking the shackles of bloodline and shattering the soul power limit of level seventy-nine!

The Seven Killings Glazed Pagoda was already bizarre and powerful; now that it had evolved to nine stories, the power of its weakening curse would likely reach a truly horrifying degree.

One buff, one debuff, both gathered in one person... Ning Fengzhi could hardly imagine what kind of storm Ning Xiaochun would stir up on the battlefield in the future when his soul power matured and he unleashed both martial souls simultaneously!

"Breaking the limits... the dual pagodas resonating together... terrifying indeed!"

Ning Fengzhi muttered to himself, the ecstasy in his heart nearly overflowing.

Immediately after, his gaze shifted to Shui Bing'er, who stood quietly not far away.

The noble pressure belonging to a top-tier beast martial soul signaled her complete transformation.

A supreme Ice Phoenix! This had absolutely reached the pinnacle of top-tier beast martial souls!

Ning Fengzhi could even faintly sense that Shui Bing'er's ice attribute had reached a startling level of purity and condensation, faintly touching the threshold of some kind of "ultimate" state.

This marriage alliance was a massive profit! No, it was a total windfall! This kid Xiaochun might be lacking in other areas, but his luck in "living off a woman" was truly heaven-defying!

At this moment, Dugu Bo stroked his ink-green beard. Looking at the three children whose auras had clearly surged to their respective bottlenecks, a thoughtful look flashed in his eyes as he spoke:

"Fengzhi, Chen Xin, Gu Rong, look at these three little ones. Yan Yan is at level thirty, Miss Bing'er is at level thirty, and Xiaochun is at level twenty. It is time for them to absorb their soul rings.

Although this Sunset Forest doesn't have as many species or as high-year soul beasts as the Star Dou Forest, it has the advantage of being... well, relatively safer, and there are plenty of thousand-year soul beasts in the depths suitable for them.

Why not let the three of them go together, venture into the forest themselves, and gain some practical experience while obtaining their soul rings? It would also be a good way to test the actual effects of their evolved martial souls."

He paused and looked at Ning Fengzhi: "Of course, we old fellows will follow in the shadows. Unless they encounter danger they absolutely cannot handle, we will not intervene. How about it?"

Let the three children go hunt soul beasts on their own? Ning Fengzhi pondered slightly.

In the past, he would never have dared to let Ning Xiaochun leave the sight of himself and the two guardian Douluos, especially for something as "dangerous" as hunting soul beasts.

But now, Xiaochun's dual pagodas had evolved and his strength had greatly increased. He would be accompanied by the level thirty Shui Bing'er and Dugu Yan, who was also level thirty and had an evolved martial soul... and most importantly.

With three Title Douluos protecting them from the shadows, this lineup was safe enough that, as long as they didn't run into a hundred-thousand-year soul beast or a siege by multiple ten-thousand-year soul beasts, there was basically nothing to worry about.

This was indeed a good opportunity for training, and it would allow Xiaochun and Bing'er to spend more time together and cultivate their relationship.

Moreover, he also wanted to see with his own eyes what kind of power the evolved Nine Treasures (Nine Killings) Glazed Pagoda possessed in actual combat.

"I think it's feasible." Ning Fengzhi nodded and looked at Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo.

The two Douluos also nodded slightly, indicating their agreement. Protecting the little ones from the shadows while they obtained their first few soul rings was an easy task for them.

"I..."

Ning Xiaochun had just retracted his martial soul and was still immersed in the joy of his surging strength and the beautiful prospect of "developing steadily" in the future. Suddenly hearing this proposal, his little face collapsed instantly, and he subconsciously wanted to refuse.

Go hunt soul beasts himself? Are you kidding me! Even if the Sunset Forest is "safe," it's still a soul beast forest!

Thousand-year soul beasts walk everywhere inside, and hundred-year soul beasts are as common as stray dogs! He was a squishy support; even if he reached level twenty and his martial soul evolved, he was still a squishy support!

His soul skills were for weakening enemies, not for directly killing soul beasts!

Make him go into the forest and engage in hand-to-hand combat with soul beasts? Ah no, make him run for his life while being chased by soul beasts? This was too dangerous! It didn't align with his life motto of "safety first"!

"No, no! It's too dangerous!" Ning Xiaochun shook his head like a rattle, his little face filled with resistance.

"I'm still a child! I'm only six years old! A level twenty support type! You want me to hunt soul beasts? How is that any different from delivering takeout... ah no, delivering snacks?

Grandpa Sword, Grandpa Bone, Grandpa Dugu, and Dad, can't one of you just go through the trouble of catching a few suitable ones and bringing them back unconscious? Just like last time! How much safer that would be!"

He looked at the big shots with pleading eyes, trying to win them over with his "I'm still a baby" look.

Just then, a cold voice, carrying a trace of imperceptible firmness and even a hint of clumsiness, rang out softly:

"It's okay..."

Everyone turned to look and saw that Shui Bing'er had walked to Ning Xiaochun's side at some point.

She tilted her head slightly, her ice-blue eyes fixed on Ning Xiaochun's little face, which was written with the words "afraid of death." Her long eyelashes fluttered; she seemed unaccustomed to saying such things, and her voice was lower than usual, yet it reached everyone's ears clearly:

"I... I will protect you."

After saying this, as if she had exhausted some kind of courage, her fair cheeks were rapidly dyed with a faint, rosy flush, like clouds reflecting off snow.

She quickly turned her head away, no longer looking at Ning Xiaochun, but her straight back and slightly clenched fists revealed the sincerity in her words.

Ning Xiaochun froze.

He stared blankly at Shui Bing'er's blushing profile, at her appearance of forcing herself to be calm despite being shy, while her words, "I will protect you," echoed in his ears.

...In an instant, he felt as if his heart had been gently bumped by something, leaving him feeling tingly and itchy.

Sister Bing'er... said she would protect me?

And... she blushed? Did she blush because she said she would protect me?

An inexplicable, strange warmth and sense of security surged into Ning Xiaochun's heart, catching him off guard.

Even though Shui Bing'er was only five years older than him and still a young girl, hearing this from her, combined with her cold yet firm temperament.

And her supreme Ice Phoenix martial soul that had just evolved... Ning Xiaochun suddenly felt that, perhaps... maybe... probably... going to the outskirts of the Sunset Forest for a spin wasn't that dangerous after all?

After all, he had an Ice Phoenix by his side who would one day be able to freeze entire rivers!

And a top-tier one at that! Hiding behind her to cast debuffs... it actually seemed quite safe, didn't it?

"Uh... well... alright then." Ning Xiaochun hesitated for a moment, but ultimately succumbed to that inexplicable sense of "security" and the moving blush on Shui Bing'er's face, whispering his agreement.

"But we have a deal: we only look for those under a thousand years, preferably seven or eight hundred, and we have to pick ones that are alone and don't look too fierce..."

"Pfft..." A soft chuckle drifted over, carrying a hint of coquettishness and defiance.

Dugu Yan crossed her arms, her purple hair fluttering as her bewitching green eyes slanted toward Ning Xiaochun and Shui Bing'er, her lips curling in a pout.

"Ning Xiaochun, Shui Bing'er can be your big sister and protect you. Can't I, Dugu Yan, do the same?"

She stepped forward, moving to Ning Xiaochun's other side, and lifted her chin slightly, carrying the pride of a descendant of the Jade Phosphorus Serpent Emperor, as well as a touch of intimacy born from having just benefited from him.

"My Jade Phosphorus Serpent Emperor has evolved now; when it comes to offense and poison, it's no worse than her Ice Phoenix! From today on, you have to call me big sister too! I can protect you as well!"

Dugu Yan's words were half out of gratitude for Ning Xiaochun helping her evolve her martial soul, a desire to repay him.

The other half was that subtle, competitive nature inherent in a young girl.

She and Ning Xiaochun had only just met, but his intelligence, his uniqueness, and that composure and strange charm that didn't belong to a child had left her with a favorable impression.

Seeing the faint, impenetrable rapport between Shui Bing'er and Ning Xiaochun, and the way Ning Xiaochun relied on her with that "Sister Bing'er," she felt a strange, sour sensation in her heart for no apparent reason.

If you, Shui Bing'er, can protect him, then I, Dugu Yan, can too! Besides, I'm older than you, and I'll be his sworn sister! That makes it even more legitimate!