Ning Xiaochun Wants to Make Soul Tools!

She recalled the moment in the Sunset Forest when that fireball had hurtled toward Ning Xiaochun, and the sudden, heart-stopping panic that had driven her to block it without a second thought.

She recalled the uncontrollable worry and heartache she felt when he collapsed in exhaustion after using "Ring Elevation," and the fleeting, lingering reluctance to part ways when she saw that small, smiling face of his...

And just now, after returning to the academy, that inexplicable, hollow feeling—as if something vital were missing...

Could it be... that this was... falling in love?

As soon as the thought surfaced, two distinct, crimson blushes instantly bloomed on Shui Bing'er's cheeks, and even her neck was stained with a faint pink hue.

This was bad.

Had she really... fallen for that little brat who was five years her junior, who called her "Sister Bing'er" all day long, who was both cowardly and calculating, yet always managed to step up at the most critical moments?

Shui Bing'er's heart was in turmoil.

Meanwhile, far away at the Seven Treasures Glazed Sect, Ning Xiaochun sat behind the massive desk in his study. A large sheet of white paper was spread out before him, covered in scribbled lines, arrows, and annotations made with charcoal.

He was planning for the future.

The trip to the Sunset Forest, especially the conflict with Spirit Hall's Golden Generation, had sounded an alarm. The power of Spirit Hall was even more vast and arrogant than he had imagined.

Someone like Yan, having suffered such a significant loss, would absolutely not let it go. While they wouldn't dare move directly against the Seven Treasures Glazed Sect in the open, their underhanded schemes would certainly increase.

More importantly, the "Soul Hunting Operation" targeting the Upper Three Sects, which he remembered from his past life, hung over his head like the Sword of Damocles, ready to fall at any moment. He had to strengthen himself and his sect as much as possible before then!

He already had the immortal herbs, and the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well was a secure logistical base, so he didn't need to worry about his own cultivation path for now. But one person's strength was ultimately limited; he needed to make the entire Seven Treasures Glazed Sect powerful!

"Knock, knock, knock."

At the sound of the knock, Ning Fengzhi entered carrying a cup of hot milk. Seeing his son hunched over in deep thought with a tense expression, he couldn't help but smile.

"What is it? Still thinking about today? You just broke through your soul power; you need to rest."

"Dad, I can't sleep." Ning Xiaochun took the milk, sipped it, then looked up at Ning Fengzhi and asked a question that caught his father off guard: "Dad, how much money does our Seven Treasures Glazed Sect... actually have?"

Ning Fengzhi was stunned, then a smile—the kind only the "world's richest man" could wear, tinged with a bit of humble-bragging—appeared on his face. He sat down opposite Ning Xiaochun, picked up his teacup, blew gently on the steam, and spoke slowly.

"Money? Haha... Xiaochun, let's put it this way. In the dozens of cities across the Heaven Dou Empire, of all the bustling commercial streets, at least four or five out of every ten shops are either directly owned by our Seven Treasures Glazed Sect or have shares held by our sect."

"We also hold a significant share in the trade of various precious minerals, medicinal herbs, and soul beast materials circulating on the continent. As for exactly how many Gold Soul Coins we have... honestly, I've never counted, but... I suppose it's an amount we could never spend, right?"

Ning Fengzhi said it nonchalantly, but the underlying confidence of "I am simply wealthy" was impossible to hide.

Ning Xiaochun's mouth twitched. He knew his family was rich, but he hadn't realized they were this rich! "Never spend"—those three words were truly domineering!

He took a deep breath, suppressed the shock in his heart, and voiced the idea he had been pondering for a long time: "Dad, since we're so wealthy, why don't we use this money to arm ourselves?"

"Arm ourselves?" Ning Fengzhi set down his teacup, looking puzzled.

"Xiaochun, although our Seven Treasures Glazed Sect isn't known for combat, we have our sect guards, affiliated families, and two Title Douluo, Uncle Sword and Uncle Bone, sitting in our ranks. Looking across the continent, the forces that can threaten us can be counted on one hand. Is there really a need to be so urgent about... arming ourselves?"

Ning Fengzhi wasn't being arrogant. The Seven Treasures Glazed Sect ranked second among the Upper Three Sects, second only to the Clear Sky Sect. With deep foundations, immense wealth, and numerous allies, he certainly had the right to say that.

Ning Xiaochun was anxious, but he couldn't reveal the future ambitions of Spirit Hall. He had to be vague and find an excuse.

"Dad, I just feel... it's better to be prepared! Besides, I'm very interested in those legendary Soul Devices! I read in ancient texts that in the ancient era, Soul Devices were once highly developed. Some powerful Soul Devices could even allow ordinary people to possess the power to fight against Soul Masters! If we could research some powerful Soul Devices and equip them to our sect's guard, wouldn't our strength increase by a huge margin?"

He grew more excited as he spoke, appearing just like a child full of curiosity about new things.

"Dad, give me a budget and let me do some research! I promise I won't waste the money! Who knows, I might actually invent something great!"

Ning Fengzhi looked at his son's sparkling eyes, filled with "thirst for knowledge" and "mischief," and hesitated. Soul Devices?

Were those things really useful? The mainstream was still Martial Souls and Soul Rings. Was it worth spending a fortune to research such impractical things?

But looking at his son's expectant gaze and remembering the various surprises he had brought recently—the twin Martial Soul evolution, the Martial Soul Fusion Skill, the immortal herbs, befriending the Poison Douluo... Ning Fengzhi's heart softened.

The sect had plenty of money anyway; letting the child play with it could be considered cultivating his interests. What if... he actually managed to come up with something?

"Alright." Ning Fengzhi finally nodded. "Since you like it, Dad will support you. How about this: I'll approve an initial budget of one hundred million Gold Soul Coins for you to establish a specialized 'Soul Device Research Department.' You can pick the personnel, the venue, and the materials from the sect's treasury, or recruit from outside. If it's not enough, just tell me."

One hundred million! Gold Soul Coins! Initial budget!

Ning Xiaochun nearly choked on his own saliva! He knew his father was generous, but he hadn't expected him to be this generous!

One hundred million Gold Soul Coins, given away just like that, without even blinking! Was this the confidence of "never being able to spend it all"?!

"Thank you, Dad! You're the best!" Ning Xiaochun was so excited he nearly jumped up, grabbing Ning Fengzhi's arm and shaking it.

"Don't worry! I won't let you down! I will definitely research the most powerful Soul Devices and arm our Seven Treasures Glazed Sect to the teeth!"

Ning Fengzhi smiled and ruffled his hair, his eyes filled with doting and anticipation.

He didn't quite understand why his son was so keen on Soul Devices, but as long as his son was happy and it didn't harm the sect, what was a little money?

Anyway, he had money to burn.

Ning Xiaochun, meanwhile, was silently calculating in his heart. With an initial budget of one hundred million Gold Soul Coins, combined with the Seven Treasures Glazed Sect's massive talent pool and supply channels, he was confident that before the "Soul Hunting Operation" arrived, he could build a "Soul Device Legion" of considerable scale!

By then, even if Spirit Hall really came knocking, he would make them lose every single tooth in their mouths!

Steady development didn't just rely on immortal herbs or powerful teammates; it also relied on... the power of technology!

In Ning Xiaochun's eyes, a light flickered—a light named "hope" and "mischief."