The Ning Family Father and Son

Spirit City, Pope's Palace.

Ning Yuanshan stood within the great assembly hall, his son, Ning Fengzhi, standing by his side.

The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect would inevitably be passed down to Ning Fengzhi, and he would be the one to deal with the current and future Popes.

"Sect Master Ning, you have traveled a long way. This Seat has failed to welcome you properly."

Qian Xunji's voice echoed from behind. Dressed in solemn, opulent papal robes, he walked slowly toward the papal throne at the front.

After taking his seat, Qian Xunji swept his gaze over Ning Yuanshan and Ning Fengzhi, his brows lifting slightly.

While he might appear unreliable in front of Qian Daoliu and Huo Yuhao, in the eyes of outsiders, he was the embodiment of the majestic Pope.

"Your Holiness is too kind." Ning Yuanshan bowed slightly, a smile on his face. "The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect has come specifically to congratulate Your Holiness on your succession. A mere token of our respect, please do not take offense."

As Ning Yuanshan finished speaking, the disciples of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect who had been guarding the entrance carried several chests into the assembly hall.

Once they set the chests down, they opened the lids, revealing an array of jewelry and a vast quantity of medicinal herbs.

Qian Xunji glanced at them and nodded slightly. "Sect Master Ning is most thoughtful."

To Ning Yuanshan, these items were not even a drop in the ocean, and Spirit Hall was certainly not lacking in such things.

He had come this time simply to express a gesture of goodwill.

As the saying goes: I may not need it, but you cannot fail to offer it.

"This chest contains precious materials I have brought for the Holy Son, which should prove helpful for his meditation and cultivation."

Ning Yuanshan pointed to the massive chest placed at the very front, sighing with feigned regret.

"I heard that the previous Pope had taken on a disciple of peerless talent, and I had hoped to take this opportunity to catch a glimpse of the Holy Son's brilliance."

Qian Xunji shot Ning Yuanshan a look.

An old fox, he couldn't even wait.

"Sect Master Ning is certainly well-informed."

Whether it was Qian Daoliu taking a disciple or Spirit Hall conferring the title of Holy Son, neither had been widely publicized.

These sects acted as if they suffered from persecution mania, living in constant fear of Spirit Hall and keeping people on watch at all times.

He truly didn't know what they were so afraid of.

Ning Yuanshan did not mind the jab from Qian Xunji, his smile remaining unchanged.

"With Your Holiness's actions, I fear the name of the Holy Son will soon be known across the entire continent."

As the saying goes: fame is best achieved early.

Since Huo Yuhao intended to promote a new cultivation system in the future, it was naturally better to become famous sooner rather than later.

If an unknown person were to propose reforms, people would be suspicious, doubtful, and distrustful.

But if the person were famous, people would naturally be more inclined to trust them.

"With Yuhao's talent, even without the status of Holy Son, it is only a matter of time before he becomes famous across the continent."

Qian Xunji spoke with immense pride.

His junior brother, a level 27 spirit-type support Spirit Master, could now fight against Spirit Emperors and, without even using his second spirit, make them doubt their own lives.

The task of training Huo Yuhao had now been taken over by Golden Crocodile Douluo, who held even greater seniority than Qian Daoliu.

This elder, who usually spent his time in seclusion and was rarely seen even by the Pope, had acted like an adolescent boy meeting a peerless beauty once he discovered Huo Yuhao's talent—he was absolutely ecstatic.

And upon sensing the absolute suppression Huo Yuhao's second spirit exerted over his own, Golden Crocodile Douluo became even more thrilled.

After training Huo Yuhao, he would have the boy use his second spirit to spar with him.

In Golden Crocodile Douluo's own words, he hadn't felt such a soul-deep tremor in a very long time.

Facing the pressure of a powerful bloodline was, for Golden Crocodile Douluo—who had just broken through to level 98—a form of cultivation in itself.

Huo Yuhao was the disciple of his elder brother, Qian Daoliu?

The Great Elder had said that all elders in the Offering Hall were brothers.

His brother's disciple was his own disciple!

Besides, he was merely sharing the burden for his brother!

"Yuhao is currently in cultivation, but if Sect Master Ning is truly interested in him, you may wait at the Spirit Hall library. He usually goes there after three in the afternoon to read through some documents."

Ning Fengzhi looked at Qian Xunji in surprise.

"Your Holiness, are we truly permitted to enter the Spirit Hall library?"

Their Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect also had a library for their collection of books, but outsiders were strictly forbidden from entering, save for their own disciples.

Many areas were even restricted solely to disciples who had awakened the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda.

Was Spirit Hall truly so generous?

"Sect Master Ning is, after all, an honorary elder of our Spirit Hall; you certainly possess the qualifications to enter the library."

The Spirit Hall library held an even richer collection, filled with far more precious books and documents.

These books were all kept on the top floor, a place where entry was restricted.

Given Huo Yuhao's status as the Holy Son, he was free to enter and exit the top floor as he pleased.

The moment Huo Yuhao stepped into the library, he caught sight of the Ning father and son, whose attire was opulent and exuded an air of nobility.

The spirit masters of Spirit Hall were all from ordinary backgrounds; even if they possessed wealth, they would never dress in such an exaggerated manner.

Ning Yuanshan and Ning Fengzhi stood out in the library like cranes in a flock of chickens, making it impossible for anyone not to notice them.

Ning Yuanshan had been keeping an eye on the entrance, and when he saw a young boy with long black hair and delicate features walk in, he knew the person he was waiting for had arrived.

Few six or seven-year-old children were willing to come to a place like a library.

Ning Yuanshan walked up to Huo Yuhao and stopped a few paces away.

"Your Highness, Holy Son."

Huo Yuhao understood that they had come for him.

"Who are you?"

Huo Yuhao already had some guesses in his mind; given this attire and temperament, there was truly only one family he could recall that matched.

"I am Ning Yuanshan, Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. This is my son, Fengzhi."

Ning Yuanshan's temperament was scholarly and easygoing, devoid of any aggression.

Furthermore, his manners were impeccable; he did not slight Huo Yuhao in the least just because of his young age.

After his father spoke, Ning Fengzhi also greeted Huo Yuhao with a gentle smile and a bow, "Your Highness, Holy Son."

While offering his greeting, he was also carefully observing Huo Yuhao.

What exactly was so special about him that he could make Qian Xunji break the traditions of Spirit Hall and appoint an outsider as the Holy Son?

Huo Yuhao responded with equal politeness, "Sect Master Ning, Young Master Ning."

So they really were from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

This was Ning Fengzhi, the father of that little witch, Ning Rongrong.

The current Ning Fengzhi was only about twenty years old; he looked more like a refined young nobleman than a spirit master.

The point that left the deepest impression on Huo Yuhao regarding him was that he was an investor with an exceptionally poor eye for investments.

The Tang Sect hidden weapons he had spent a massive fortune to purchase were ordered to be destroyed once Tang San had sufficient funds and strength.

The two Titled Douluo who guarded the sect died trying to save Tang San.

Upon seeing the evolved Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, he had assumed the sect would flourish because of it, yet who could have known that his daughter would never pass down the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, nor would she care about the sect at all.

Ten thousand years later, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had fallen into such a sorry state; tracing it to the root, it was still the result of Ning Fengzhi's failed investments.

How could a sect with wealth rivaling a nation protect itself without the protection of powerhouses, relying only on their Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda which lacked offensive capabilities?

Just as Ning Fengzhi was pondering this, he suddenly noticed that the Holy Son before him was looking at him with a rather strange expression.