Ning Fengzhi stared at Ning Rongrong in disbelief upon hearing this, then said to her,
"Rongrong, have you thought this through?"
As he spoke, Ning Fengzhi was still deeply consumed by self-reproach. He felt that not only had he failed in his duty as sect master, but he had also failed as a father. The sect's safety had to be bought with his own daughter.
Seeing her father remain silent, Ning Rongrong stepped forward and said to him,
"Dad, don't worry. Once I get to Spirit City, I'll behave myself and won't cause trouble for our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."
Then Ning Rongrong said to Qian Daoliu,
"Grand Pontiff, I'm willing to go to Spirit City to study, but I have one condition. I hope you'll agree to it."
Hearing this, Qian Daoliu wanted to see what Ning Rongrong was planning, so he said,
"Go ahead. Let's hear your condition."
Ning Rongrong pointed at Qian Renxue and Tai Yi, then said,
"Grand Pontiff, after I go to Spirit City, I hope I can cultivate alongside the Young Master and the young lord. Even if I can only stay by their sides and run errands for them, that would be fine."
Naturally, Ning Rongrong had her reasons for saying this. After returning from Shrek Academy, she had looked into Qian Renxue and Tai Yi's backgrounds. She learned that one was a twenty-one-year-old Soul Saint, while the other was a fifteen-year-old Soul Emperor. The proud Ning Rongrong had suffered another blow.
At the same time, Ning Rongrong understood why her father and two grandfathers had wanted to eliminate the two people before them. They were simply far too extraordinary.
However, Ning Rongrong also knew that while talent was certainly the most important factor behind such achievements, other external conditions mattered as well. Since she had already accepted that she would definitely be going to Spirit City, she wanted to follow Qian Renxue and Tai Yi directly.
First, staying beside two geniuses and learning their methods would help her improve. Moreover, Ning Rongrong knew that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect would become a subordinate sect of Spirit Hall in the future, and the two before her were clearly the pillars of Spirit Hall's next generation. Since she had to become one of Spirit Hall's people anyway, why not directly follow Spirit Hall's future leaders? If she built a good relationship with them, it would also help the sect in the future.
Upon hearing this, Qian Daoliu instantly understood Ning Rongrong's intentions and regarded her a little more highly. Then he thought that both his grandson and granddaughter were attack-type Soul Masters. Having an auxiliary Soul Master from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect by their side would not be bad.
Thus, Qian Daoliu was somewhat inclined to agree. As for Ning Rongrong being only a Soul Grandmaster, that was no issue for the Worship Hall. If the Worship Hall wished to, and once it was confirmed that Ning Rongrong and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had no intention of rebelling, they could place Ning Rongrong in the Worship Hall to be raised alongside Qian Renxue and Tai Yi. Tai Yi and Qian Renxue even had so many Immortal Herbs that they could give Ning Rongrong one. She was merely an auxiliary Soul Master; even if she grew stronger, she could not threaten his grandson or granddaughter.
Having reached this conclusion, Qian Daoliu said,
"Since you have such intentions, I can agree. Once you reach Spirit City, you may cultivate alongside Xiao Yi and Xiao Xue. However, there is one requirement: you may not disturb them, nor may you hold them back."
Hearing this, Ning Rongrong smiled and agreed.
When Ning Fengzhi heard his daughter Ning Rongrong's words, he understood her thoughts as well. At the same time, his heart ached, and he felt that he had been an unqualified father.
Once everything had been decided, Qian Daoliu smiled at Ning Fengzhi and said,
"Sect Master Ning, since our negotiations have concluded, let us proceed as agreed. From now on, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect will be Spirit Hall's Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. As for your daughter, so long as nothing goes wrong with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, she will be fine as well. Furthermore, Spirit Hall will nurture her."
Hearing those seemingly harmonious yet warning-filled words, Ning Fengzhi said,
"Grand Pontiff, rest assured. In the future, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect will closely follow Spirit Hall's lead and obey the Grand Pontiff's command."
After saying this, Ning Fengzhi handed over the three Spirit Bones that were more than eighty thousand years old, half of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's wealth, and Xiao Wu to Qian Daoliu.
This time, Qian Daoliu naturally did not refuse. He accepted everything, then turned and gave it all to Qian Renxue and Tai Yi, allowing them to use it to cultivate their own followers.
Qian Renxue and Tai Yi naturally accepted it all. Once they had put everything away, Qian Daoliu prepared to lead everyone out of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
Just as they were about to leave the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Tai Yi looked at Ning Fengzhi and said,
"Sect Master Ning, I hope the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect will cooperate well with Spirit Hall in the future. If you satisfy us, Spirit Hall also has ways to allow the Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda Martial Soul to evolve once more."
After saying that, Tai Yi said nothing further and left directly.
However, Tai Yi's words naturally fell upon the ears of Ning Fengzhi, Sword Douluo, Bone Douluo, and Ning Rongrong.
The first three were especially excited upon hearing this. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had always sought a way to allow the Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda Martial Soul to break through its limit and no longer be trapped at Rank 79, yet none of their efforts had succeeded.
However, the people of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had also known that Spirit Hall, the most powerful force on the Douluo Continent and a place rumored to have produced gods, might possess a solution. Yet they also understood the relationship between the two factions. Even if Spirit Hall had such a method, it would never share it with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
Now that Tai Yi of Spirit Hall had spoken of it, how could Ning Fengzhi not be excited? If Spirit Hall truly had a way, then making the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect a subordinate sect of Spirit Hall and sending Ning Rongrong to Spirit City as a hostage would no longer be so unacceptable.
Although he had made the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect a vassal of Spirit Hall, he could also allow the sect to break the Glazed Pagoda's limitation. When the time came, he would be able to answer to his ancestors.
Meanwhile, Ning Rongrong, who was leaving with Tai Yi and the others, had naturally heard Tai Yi's words as well. She was equally excited, and she understood that if the Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda's limitation could be resolved, then as a hostage in Spirit City and a little follower by Qian Renxue and Tai Yi's side, she would be the most likely person to resolve that problem first.
Thus, as they traveled toward Heaven Dou City, Ning Rongrong had actually wanted to ask Tai Yi about it. However, considering that they were not yet familiar with one another and that, in the eyes of Spirit Hall's people, her status was currently low, she never spoke.
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