The Curtain Falls

Originally, Huyan Zhen had no intention of killing them and taking their valuables. The other party had been chatting pleasantly with Ning Fengzhi earlier, so to avoid unnecessary conflict, he had decided to hold back for now.

But his grandson, Huyan Li—a level 37 Soul Elder—had been utterly defeated by a level 19 Soul Master, shattering his fighting spirit.

No one knew a grandson better than his grandfather. Huyan Zhen could see that Huyan Li had developed a psychological shadow.

The girl before him had only one soul ring, yet Huyan Li could not defeat her even now. It would likely become even harder in the future, which would be extremely detrimental to his cultivation mindset.

Huyan Li was the most talented person in the Elephant Armor Sect. Huyan Zhen had hoped that he could break through to become a Titled Douluo. If his mindset went wrong, he might never have a chance at that title in his lifetime.

Thinking of this, Huyan Zhen decided that since he could not solve the problem, he would solve the person who had raised it.

Ending things once and for all was not necessarily a bad idea. That was why an level 89 expert had tried to forcefully kill a level 19 Soul Master.

By all reason, he had held an overwhelming advantage, but he had been far too careless.

Though he had not attacked with his full strength, having his attack slowed by a level 19 opponent—and then dodged—was utterly inconceivable.

On top of that, the target could fly through the air, leaving Huyan Zhen at a loss for what to do. Their relationship had already completely fallen apart.

And that was not even the worst of it.

You, the mighty Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, had been hiding at the side and watching. If you had not instructed this little brat, would she have dared act so recklessly?

The fact that Xu Qianqian's hundred-year soul ring had turned into a ten-thousand-year soul ring also left Huyan Zhen in disbelief.

Perhaps there was some method of concealing a soul ring's true age.

A level 19 Soul Master absorbing a ten-thousand-year soul ring was simply unheard of throughout history. His grandson had not lost unfairly!

"Sect Master Ning, what do you mean by this?" Huyan Zhen pulled his thoughts back and fixed Ning Fengzhi and the others with an icy stare.

"Nothing much. I was merely watching a fine show." A smile curled at Ning Fengzhi's lips.

"It truly opened my eyes! The dignified sect master of the Elephant Armor Sect, disregarding his dignity to attack a junior."

"If word of this gets out, I imagine Sect Master Huyan will become quite famous."

"You..." Huyan Zhen's face darkened terribly, the flesh on his face trembling with rage. How could he fail to hear Ning Fengzhi's sarcastic mockery?

After all, he really had attacked. Attacking was one thing, but he had even failed to solve the problem.

Was that not saying that the sect master of the Elephant Armor Sect was unworthy of his reputation?

"Ning Fengzhi, what exactly do you want?" Huyan Zhen suppressed the fury in his heart.

Just wait. Once Spirit Hall had arranged everything, the Upper Three Sects would have a hard time ahead of them.

"Heh." Ning Fengzhi lightly shook his head, his gaze turning toward Xu Qianqian in the sky. Even seeing it again, he was still astonished by the ten-thousand-year soul ring on Xu Qianqian's martial soul.

But now was not the time to think about that.

"Little friend, how do you think this matter should be handled?"

"Pay up."

The brief, straightforward answer even caught Ning Fengzhi off guard.

After coughing lightly twice, he turned and looked at Huyan Zhen again. "Sect Master Huyan, you do not want this matter to be exposed, do you?"

"Hmph! You can have money, but release my grandson, A-Li." Huyan Zhen's gaze was cold and sharp.

Xu Qianqian nodded. "Since Sect Master Ning is guaranteeing this, I naturally trust him."

"The integrity of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect differs from that of certain sects. Sect Master Huyan, wouldn't you agree?"

"Do not force me to kill you!" Huyan Zhen gritted his teeth in fury.

"Sure, if you can manage it." Xu Qianqian shrugged. "Besides, wasn't that exactly what you just tried to do?"

Ignoring the blazing rage in Huyan Zhen's eyes, Xu Qianqian signaled for the three Gale Wolf Kings to release Huyan Li.

Once freed, Huyan Li hurried to his grandfather's side. He seemed even more dejected than before.

"Alright, pay up!"

Xu Qianqian's tone remained calm, without the slightest ripple.

"Hmph! I, Huyan Zhen, do not break my word." Huyan Zhen took out an unregistered Purple Gold Soul Card. Rather than throwing it to Xu Qianqian in the sky, he tossed it toward Ning Fengzhi.

"Sect Master Ning, are you truly not tempted by the method for absorbing a ten-thousand-year soul ring as one's first soul ring?"

After saying that, Huyan Zhen ignored whatever Ning Fengzhi and the other two might think, grabbed Huyan Li, and left directly.

Whether the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had any connection to that little girl, whether discord would arise between them, or even whether they would come to blows, none of it would benefit them. So why stay any longer?

The departure of Huyan Zhen and his grandson did not stir much of a reaction. Instead, a faintly tense atmosphere hung between Xu Qianqian and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

After all, Huyan Zhen had dug a pit for them before leaving.

It was impossible for Ning Fengzhi not to covet a method that allowed someone to absorb a ten-thousand-year soul ring as their first soul ring.

However, both he and Huyan Zhen had their reservations now.

The force behind Xu Qianqian—or whether there were others behind such a gifted little girl, perhaps beings even stronger than Bone Douluo—was also something Ning Fengzhi had to consider.

"Sect Master Ning, is this Purple Gold Soul Card fake? Why do you seem so troubled?" Xu Qianqian asked innocently.

"The Purple Gold Soul Card is real." Ning Fengzhi casually tossed the card into the sky.

In an instant, a light breeze gathered, lifting the Purple Gold Soul Coin Card into the air and carrying it before Xu Qianqian like a tray.

As expected...

A flash of shock crossed Ning Fengzhi's eyes, but it quickly vanished.

Casually putting away the Purple Gold Soul Card, Xu Qianqian cupped her hands in thanks. "What happened today was truly thanks to Sect Master Ning. Otherwise, I really wouldn't have known what to do."

"You flatter me, little friend Wendy." Ning Fengzhi shook his head. "Even if we hadn't appeared, I imagine Huyan Zhen still wouldn't have been able to do anything to you."

"I'm rather curious—which sect or family do you come from, little friend?"

"I'll tell Sect Master Ning when the opportunity arises." Xu Qianqian lightly brushed aside the subject. "I believe this won't be the only time I cooperate with Sect Master Ning."

"That's true."

Ning Fengzhi could tell that she did not wish to speak of it, so he did not press further.

"Then I'll be taking my leave." Xu Qianqian lightly snapped her fingers.

The bodies of the three Gale Wolf Kings began to disperse. Gusts of wild wind swirled around them, and in the end, they vanished without a trace.

Xu Qianqian's body also began to fade, then transformed into a wisp of breeze and disappeared completely.

A long while passed.

The breeze that had stirred their hair had already faded away.

"Uncle Bone, do you know how that child left?" Ning Fengzhi asked.

Bone Douluo shook his head. "I couldn't tell. That body of his might not have been his true body."

After all, he was a level 95 Soul Master, so he could vaguely judge Xu Qianqian's condition just now.

"Similar to the Gale Wolf King that captured Huyan Zhen earlier?" Ning Fengzhi fell into thought. "However, it probably wasn't a transformed soul beast."

"Mm, probably not." Bone Douluo had his own judgment as well. He glanced at Ning Fengzhi, noticed Xue Qinghe beside him, and swallowed the words that had reached his lips.

"Qinghe, what do you think?" Though Ning Fengzhi felt the question was somewhat unnecessary, considering Xue Qinghe's soul power was not high, it was normal for him not to have seen through it.