Ning Tian nodded, drew her short knife, and came to the Tyrant Dragon's side.
"I know this sounds a little hypocritical, but I'm sorry."
Ning Tian pressed her palms together and apologized to the Tyrant Dragon, then plunged her knife into the back of its head, ending its life.
"Master, since the Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda Martial Soul improves by about the same amount with each rank, why did Ning Tian still choose a Tyrant Dragon for her Soul Ring?"
Watching Ning Tian sit cross-legged and begin absorbing her Soul Ring, Lin Yuan couldn't help asking Cao Xin, who had been chatting with him.
Cao Xin didn't answer Lin Yuan's question right away. Instead, he walked over to the roots of a massive tree and sat down.
"Come over first and stabilize your cultivation," Cao Xin said, beckoning Lin Yuan over.
Lin Yuan immediately hurried over, sat cross-legged beside him on the tree trunk, and calmed the restless Soul Power left over from his recent breakthrough.
"Because the Sect Master has high hopes for Ning Tian," Cao Xin began to explain.
"Ordinary Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda disciples might do as you said and absorb the easiest Soul Ring they can find. Those with better talent might challenge themselves a little more, but they'd still lean toward the safer option."
"But Ning Tian is different. Ning Rongrong left the Nine Treasures Glazed Sect no descendants. That means we still have to start from scratch and slowly find a way to advance."
"So even though bloodlines like Ning Tian's are precious, the Nine Treasures Glazed Sect is still willing to let them take risks."
Lin Yuan nodded, understanding. That was indeed the reality.
No matter how talented Ning Tian was, if her Martial Soul didn't advance into the Eight Treasures Glazed Pagoda, she would be stuck at the Soul Saint level for the rest of her life.
But since he'd come to this world, he'd do more than just find the Eight Treasures Glazed Pagoda. He'd drain even the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well dry for Buddha.
As the two waited, Cao Xin's eyes suddenly narrowed.
Noticing Cao Xin's change in expression, Lin Yuan grew serious too.
He stopped circulating his Soul Power and braced himself, watching the direction Cao Xin was staring.
Before long, two figures, one large and one small, pushed through the plants and entered Lin Yuan and Cao Xin's view.
They were a mother and daughter, both with pink hair, one tall and one short.
If this world had been the novel or anime version, Lin Yuan wouldn't have recognized them. But he had transmigrated into the manhua version, and the two before him were unmistakably Nan Shuishui and her daughter, Nan Qiuqiu, of the Earth Dragon Sect.
Nan Shuishui, a familiar and elegant beauty, was also rather surprised to see Cao Xin and the others.
Since Lin Yuan and Ning Tian's cultivation was so low, Nan Shuishui ignored the fluctuations of Soul Power coming from them.
As for Cao Xin, she couldn't sense any Soul Power emanating from the old man at all.
There was no way two children would be wandering around the Star Dou Great Forest with an ordinary old man. So there was only one possibility—
A Titled Douluo.
Nan Qiuqiu looked surprised as well, but when she saw the corpses of the two Tyrant Dragon Soul Beasts lying nearby, she understood what had happened.
These three had actually killed the Soul Beasts that were supposed to become her First Soul Ring!
How could the Earth Dragon Sect's little princess stomach that? She angrily pointed at Cao Xin and Lin Yuan and demanded, "Hey! You actually stole my Soul Beast!"
"Heh." Cao Xin chuckled, glancing up at her.
Nan Shuishui immediately sensed danger. She scooped Nan Qiuqiu into her arms and covered the girl's mouth.
"Please don't take offense, senior. I'm Nan Shuishui of the Earth Dragon Sect. My child doesn't understand the rules of the Soul Master World. I hope you'll be magnanimous and not take a child's words to heart," Nan Shuishui apologized to Cao Xin.
Although her Rouge Dragon Martial Soul was reputed to let her fight above her level, that was only in theory.
Besides, she had only recently broken through level eighty. At most, she could hold her own against a Titled Douluo for a while.
And now she had Nan Qiuqiu with her. If they fought, Nan Qiuqiu would certainly die if she got caught in the crossfire.
Starting a conflict with a Titled Douluo over a four-hundred-year-old Soul Beast would be foolish.
"It's fine, it's fine. Children are lively and adorable. It's no big deal. I'm not so petty as to take offense," Cao Xin said with a smile, stroking his beard.
Nan Shuishui felt as though a heavy burden had been lifted from her shoulders. She set Nan Qiuqiu down and cupped her hands toward Cao Xin. "Then I thank you for your understanding, senior."
But Nan Qiuqiu, standing beside her, still hadn't grasped the situation. She seemed to think they were back at the Earth Dragon Sect.
"Mom, why are you apologizing to these people? They stole my Soul Beast! We found it a week ago!"
A week ago...
Lin Yuan thought back. Hadn't the Nine Treasures Glazed Sect's records said that their scouts had found these two Soul Beasts a month ago?
Nan Shuishui realized she'd spoiled her daughter too much. A sapling wouldn't grow straight if you didn't prune it.
"You're not convinced?" Cao Xin chuckled.
"Senior, she didn't mean it. I've been lax in disciplining her. Once we're home, I'll make sure she learns her manners," Nan Shuishui said, looking rather embarrassed.
She reached out to grab Nan Qiuqiu, but the girl nimbly dodged her.
A shadow passed through Nan Shuishui's rueful expression. Lin Yuan recognized that look.
It was the look Blue Star parents often got when they were thinking, Don't make me smack you right here.
Clearly, Nan Qiuqiu hadn't realized she was in danger of getting her butt handed to her. She pointed at Lin Yuan and the others and snapped, "Absorbing that Soul Ring would be a complete waste! My Martial Soul is the Rouge Dragon. Only a Martial Soul like mine deserves to absorb the Soul Ring of a powerful dragon Soul Beast. Do you have a Martial Soul that strong?"
"The Rouge Dragon Martial Soul." Cao Xin's eyes showed surprise. He finally understood who the two were.
"That's right, the Rouge Dragon Martial Soul!" Nan Qiuqiu proudly puffed out her chest.
"Please don't take offense, senior. Her childhood is about to be made complete," Nan Shuishui said with an awkward smile.
"It's fine, it's fine." Cao Xin smiled at Nan Shuishui, then turned to face Lin Yuan, who was watching the scene unfold.
He sent a mental transmission: "Xiao Yuan, how well have you learned to restrain your destructive attribute?"
What does he mean?
Lin Yuan understood. This was the old guys' favorite little-youngster Pokémon battle.
Once two old guys who each had a little-youngster Pokémon exchanged looks, it was time for a match.
Cao Xin was asking how well Lin Yuan could control his attribute. He wanted Lin Yuan to suppress his cultivation and spar with Nan Qiuqiu.
"Without revealing what I can do, I can beat her," Lin Yuan replied helplessly.
"Good."
Cao Xin's answer came so readily that Lin Yuan's guess was confirmed.
"Since you're unhappy that we took your Soul Beast, little girl, why don't you two have a match?" Cao Xin said to Nan Qiuqiu.
"A match? Sure! I'll beat him until he's flat on his back!" Nan Qiuqiu pointed at Lin Yuan, who wore a helpless expression.
Nan Qiuqiu was confident she could beat any of her peers. She had trained for combat since childhood, and there was no one her age within a hundred li who could beat her.
Seeing this, Nan Shuishui became interested too.
But when she sensed the Soul Power fluctuations coming from Lin Yuan, she couldn't help frowning.
"Senior, this doesn't seem right. This child has already reached the first rank, while my Qiuqiu is only at level ten."