Ning Tian's Embarrassment

After quite a while, fine beads of sweat appeared on Wu Feng's forehead before the ice chair finally stopped giving off that bone-piercing chill.

She let out a long breath and rose to her feet.

"Sis Tian, you should be able to sit now."

"Thank you for your hard work, Feng."

Ning Tian smiled with pursed lips, gently smoothed the back of her short skirt, and sat down elegantly.

The icy sensation reached her. It was still somewhat cold, but within an acceptable range.

After sitting down, she did not immediately speak. Instead, she picked up her utensils and took small bites of the food on her plate, her movements calm and elegant, as though she had truly come only for lunch.

Ling Tianchen raised an eyebrow slightly. He had thought Ning Tian had gone to such lengths to sit down because she had something to say.

And this was it?

As he leisurely ate his lunch, he quietly observed the girl across from him.

Ning Tian's dining posture was impeccable. Every movement reflected her fine upbringing; she had clearly been steeped in noble etiquette from childhood.

As for Wu Feng beside her, she was still crouching on the ground, a wisp of flame burning in her palm as she carefully heated the ice chair, afraid the temperature would drop and leave Ning Tian cold.

What a good dog. Her master was up there eating with someone else, while she stayed below warming her master's seat. Judging by her expression, she even seemed to be enjoying it.

Only a good dog like this deserved to enter Qiankun Dog-Training Valley!

Naturally, Ning Tian had her own plans.

She had deliberately flaunted her identity as a member of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan and gone through all that trouble to sit here, all to make Ling Tianchen feel valued.

Then, by pretending she had truly come only to eat, she could wait until he could no longer resist asking first, allowing her to naturally seize the initiative in the conversation.

She had used this method many times in Nine Treasures City.

Those young soul masters with decent talent would often take the initiative to strike up a conversation, and she had used that opportunity to recruit quite a few talents for her clan.

If Ling Tianchen had known what she was plotting, he would probably have laughed on the spot.

A clan whose limit was locked at the Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda—even whether it had a Titled Douluo was questionable—and it actually wanted to take the initiative before him?

If you aren't in a hurry, then I'm even less in a hurry.

Ling Tianchen simply treated Ning Tian as air and continued savoring his lunch at an unhurried pace.

He was not some little boy who blushed just because he was sharing a table with a pretty girl.

Countless girls had surrounded him since childhood. He had long become immune to it.

Besides, Ning Tian was just a little girl who was flat in front and only barely curvy in back. Well, she still had plenty of room to grow.

Just then, the corners of Ling Tianchen's mouth suddenly lifted slightly. He could sense that under Wu Feng's continual heating, the surface of the ice chair—no longer reinforced by his soul power—had begun to melt.

Tiny droplets of water slowly seeped out over the chair's surface.

The amount was not much... but for Ning Tian, who was wearing a short skirt, it was enough to embarrass her.

Ling Tianchen could not help looking up at the girl across from him.

Ning Tian still maintained her elegant posture, but her large gray-gold eyes seemed to tremble faintly.

Hm? You noticed? You're not panicking, are you?

It's not like you have another little follower with an ice-element martial soul to help you, right?

Ning Tian lowered her head and whispered something to Wu Feng. After realizing something was wrong, Wu Feng hurriedly stopped and instead began drying Ning Tian's skirt.

But the skirt was stuck to the chair, and Ning Tian had to maintain proper etiquette and could not stand up, so Wu Feng ended up heating both the skirt and the ice chair together.

Clearly, Wu Feng's control over fire still had plenty of room for improvement. As if a domino chain had been set off, the ice chair's surface rapidly melted, and even more water soaked the entire back of Ning Tian's skirt beneath her.

"..."

Ning Tian's body immediately stiffened slightly. The strange mingling sensation of coldness and dampness nearly made her lose control of her expression.

Yet she could not stand up now. She had to maintain the elegant posture of a noblewoman dining.

Wu Feng at her side was nearly frantic enough to cry.

"Sis Tian, I..."

Ning Tian gently shook her head, signaling for her not to speak.

Suppressing his amusement, Ling Tianchen raised his head with feigned concern.

"Ning Tian, are you feeling unwell? If you can't handle the low temperature of the ice chair, you don't need to force yourself."

"Cough, I'm fine. I'm very well. Feng is just making trouble down there."

"Oh. As long as you're fine. As long as you're fine."

With that, he lowered his head again and continued eating.

His utterly serious manner made Ning Tian wonder whether he had done it on purpose after all.

Unable to endure it any longer, Ning Tian could no longer keep pretending to be calm while waiting for Ling Tianchen to speak first.

"By the way, I haven't asked your name yet. I'm Ning Tian from Class Nine. That red-haired girl just now is Wu Feng, also from Class Nine."

Ning Tian's voice sounded somewhat strange, occasionally rising sharply at places where her tone should have been normal.

"Ling Tianchen from Tianshui City, Class One."

On his way to the cafeteria, Ling Tianchen had glanced at the blackboard. Sure enough, Class One was taught by that perverted old hag, Zhou Yi.

Fortunately, he feared nothing and had already prepared himself mentally. From the moment he saw Dormitory 109, he had assumed he would be assigned to Class One.

"Tianshui City? You're from the Ling family of Tianshui City? Then your powerful control over ice makes perfect sense."

"I didn't know the Ling family was so famous. Even the young clan master of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan knows of us?"

"The Ling family is still a second-rate force on Douluo Continent, and it is located within the Tianhun Empire. How could I possibly not know?"

Ning Tian smiled faintly.

"My father once met the City Lord Ling as well. A few years ago, when the Nine Treasures Chamber of Commerce went to Tianshui City to handle some business, I went along too."

At this point, she paused.

"By the way, you and City Lord Ling are...?"

"I'm his son."

"Oh."

Ning Tian nodded lightly.

But an imperceptible trace of disappointment flashed through her eyes.

So he was the young master of the Ling family. That would make him difficult to recruit.

If he were a commoner genius, she could still find a way to bring him into the clan.

But as the city lord's son, he would most likely inherit the Ling family in the future.

Marrying into her family was naturally impossible as well.

No, what am I thinking? Wasn't I considering recruiting an outstanding talent? How did I start thinking about marrying into the family?

Ning Tian froze slightly and unconsciously looked up at the boy across from her.

Handsome features, an extraordinary temperament, unfathomable strength, and a family background not much inferior to her own.

Thinking about it carefully, he really did seem quite suitable as someone to date.

At that thought, Ning Tian's pretty face could not help flushing slightly.

She hurriedly lowered her head. What am I even thinking? This is clearly only our first meeting.

But the light in her eyes dimmed again the next moment.

As the young clan master of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, she had been instilled with the notion that the clan's interests came first from a young age.

Even freely falling in love was a luxury to her.

Whenever dating was mentioned, she always had to consider whether it aligned with the clan's interests.

That feeling was truly exhausting.

If only I were just an ordinary disciple of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan. Then I wouldn't have to bear the pressure of being the young clan master.

At that thought, Ning Tian let out a soft sigh.

"Ha..."

Seeing her like this, Ling Tianchen immediately grew alert.

Oh no.

He was far too familiar with this sort of development.

Next, isn't she going to tell me about her past, say something like no one has ever understood me and I'm actually not happy at all, then naturally develop into close friends before taking things even further?

He immediately began clearing away his dishes, preparing to make his escape first.

"Is there anything else you need? If not, I'll be leaving first."