Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect

The next day, outside the Crown Prince's Residence.

The carriage slowly set off.

Inside, Xue Qinghe handed over an invitation.

"The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect just sent this. Ning Fengzhi wishes to meet you."

Leaning against the soft cushion, Su Chen casually glanced over the writing on the invitation.

"News from Heaven Dou Royal Academy spread quickly enough."

At the side, Xue Qinghe picked up the tea set and poured two cups of clear tea.

"One person suppressing all the academy's elite students—that kind of commotion has already shaken the upper ranks of the imperial capital. Ning Fengzhi is not only the sect master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, but also nominally the Crown Prince's Grand Tutor. His instincts are naturally sharp. This invitation is aimed at you. Are you going or not?"

"I'm going. Sooner or later, I'll have to test the waters with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."

Xue Qinghe lowered his gaze slightly.

"Ning Fengzhi is deeply calculating, and Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo stand behind him. There will probably be probing during this visit."

A faint curve appeared on Su Chen's lips.

"Probing? Since I've already made my move, why should I fear being tested?"

The carriage stopped before the magnificent mountain gate of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

Two rows of guards bowed respectfully.

Su Chen and Xue Qinghe entered the sect's main hall side by side.

Dressed in white, Ning Fengzhi possessed an elegant and approachable air. He had been waiting in the hall for some time.

Beside him sat an old man—Chen Xin. Clad in white robes, with snow-white hair and beard, he held a long sword in his arms. His eyes were half-closed, and not the slightest trace of soul power emanated from him, yet he gave off a suffocating sharpness.

Having heard of Su Chen, Ning Fengzhi had invited him as a guest. Today, he finally met the person himself.

His gaze immediately locked onto Su Chen.

"Meeting you today, I see that heroes truly emerge from the young. To subdue so many young geniuses at the Royal Academy by your own strength alone—this cultivation is worthy of Ning's admiration."

Su Chen found a seat and sat down, his expression calm.

"Sect Master Ning did not send an invitation merely to discuss the Royal Academy, did he?"

Ning Fengzhi smiled, waved for the maidservants to withdraw, then personally poured a cup of tea and handed it over.

"Some time ago, Spirit Hall released a book called Treatise on the Truth of Martial Souls. Ning was fortunate enough to read it, and its analysis of the origins of martial souls was truly enlightening. Looking at things now, could it be that you were the one who wrote such a remarkable work, young man?"

Su Chen accepted the teacup and took a sip.

"Since Sect Master Ning has read it, I assume you have already drawn the connection."

Su Chen neither admitted nor denied it.

Ning Fengzhi's gaze tightened slightly as he took a seat nearby.

"The book mentions that the pinnacle of tool martial souls lies in their capacity to bear their origin. As the number one support martial soul in the world, the Seven Treasure Glazed Pagoda has brought Ning's cultivation to rank seventy-nine, yet I have never been able to advance further. In the view of Treatise on the Truth of Martial Souls, what is the root of this problem?"

Before Ning Fengzhi and Sword Douluo, Su Chen spoke freely about Treatise on the Truth of Martial Souls.

He set the teacup back on the table.

"The problem is not with your cultivation method, but with the incompleteness of your martial soul's origin."

With a single sentence, he exposed the martial soul flaw of the Seven Treasure Glazed Pagoda.

Ning Fengzhi's hands tightened slightly.

Chen Xin, who had kept his eyes closed the entire time, opened them at that moment. His gaze pierced forth like a sword.

"The Seven Treasure Glazed Pagoda appears unmatched in support abilities, but in truth, it trades away the martial soul's own room for growth in exchange for amplification effects. The laws of heaven and earth value balance. No power comes from nothing. An ordinary support martial soul consumes one portion to grant one portion of amplification. Yet the Seven Treasure Glazed Pagoda grants several portions of amplification. What does it rely on?"

Ning Fengzhi frowned deeply.

"What does it rely on?"

Su Chen tapped his fingers against the table.

"It relies on forcibly extracting its origin."

"With every additional Soul Ring, the pagoda's origin is squeezed harder. Seven Soul Rings are already the limit that this pagoda can withstand. If you forcibly add an eighth Soul Ring, its origin will collapse, the pagoda will shatter, and the soul master will die."

Ning Fengzhi's face turned pale.

"Successive sect masters believed that our accumulated soul power was insufficient, or that the Soul Rings were not old enough. So the flaw lay in the martial soul's structure itself."

Su Chen chuckled softly.

"If the direction is wrong, no matter how far you go, it is all in vain."

Ning Fengzhi drew a deep breath and suppressed the turmoil in his heart.

"Is there a way to resolve it?"

"Since the origin is incomplete, replenish it. Wash away the dust of the mortal world, and let seven treasures become nine. Once the origin is complete, the eighth and ninth rings will come naturally."

Ning Fengzhi pressed on.

"How can the origin be replenished?"

"The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect cannot produce an opportunity capable of defying fate right now, and there is no need for me to reveal everything at this time."

Ning Fengzhi gave a bitter smile.

To see through the core flaw of the Seven Treasure Glazed Pagoda at a glance, and even point out a clear path for its evolution—

This youth's value could no longer be measured by ordinary standards.

Chen Xin lightly stroked his sword hilt, producing a faint sword cry.

"No matter how much theory you understand, what matters in the end is what you can do with your hands. Little one, I heard that at the Royal Academy, you broke the Blue Lightning Tyrannosaurus's Dragon Transformation with a tree branch?"

Su Chen looked at Chen Xin.

"That happened."

Chen Xin slowly rose to his feet, his white robes stirring without wind.

"This old man has practiced the sword all his life. Today, I would like to see for myself whether you are truly as formidable as you claim."

Su Chen remained seated in his chair.

"I am ready at any time."

Chen Xin did not draw his sword.

An incomparably fierce Seven Kill Sword Intent burst from his body.

The air throughout the hall became as cutting as blades.

The tea on the table rippled violently, and even several splashing droplets were sliced into mist by invisible sword qi.

The Seven Kill Sword Intent was made for slaughter.

Under pressure of this level, even a Soul Saint would instantly suffer a mental collapse and fall to their knees begging for mercy.

Ning Fengzhi did not stop him. It was the perfect chance to test Su Chen's true capabilities.

Su Chen did not move in the slightest.

His eyes narrowed slightly as his spiritual power reached straight into his sea of consciousness.

Great Sun Tathagata Sword Intent.

A thread of incomparably pure light emerged from between his brows.

An illusory golden sun appeared behind him.

There was no murderous aura, no exposed sharpness.

Only an overbearing presence, hanging high above the nine heavens and looking down upon all living beings.

The two sword intents collided violently in midair.

The instant the Great Sun Tathagata Sword Intent touched the Seven Kill Sword Intent, it was like the blazing sun melting snow.

The murderous aura contained within the Seven Kill Sword Intent crumbled before that pure light.

It was as though a mortal blade had encountered a god above the nine heavens.

Chen Xin's expression changed drastically.

He felt an inviolable, sacred pressure surge back at him.

The long sword in his hand let out a mournful cry, as if trembling.

Chen Xin's body suddenly tilted backward. He retreated two steps before barely steadying himself.

His eyes were filled with disbelief.

"Th-this... what kind of sword intent is this? It has no killing intent at all, yet it can suppress this old man's Seven Kill Art?"

Su Chen withdrew his aura, and the golden sun behind him slowly faded away.

"Slaughter is merely the surface of the sword. If you blindly pursue sharpness, your path will only grow narrower. At the end of the sword path, all laws return to emptiness. Using a mortal's killing aura to touch the laws of the Great Dao is no different from throwing an egg against a rock."

In that exchange, Su Chen had easily driven back Sword Douluo's Seven Kill Sword Intent with the Great Sun Tathagata Sword Intent!

Ning Fengzhi was stunned beyond belief.

Sword Douluo's strength was known throughout the world. Even if it had only been a test of sword intent, it was still sword intent at the level of a Title Douluo. Yet he had suffered a hidden loss before a mere youth, and even his sword had let out a submissive wail.

Unmatched in theory, astonishing in combat.

This could no longer be summed up with the word genius.

Ning Fengzhi strode forward, his eyes burning with eagerness. He intended to recruit Su Chen on the spot.

"Su Chen, whatever resources the Crown Prince's Residence can offer, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect can offer as well. We can even offer more."

Su Chen raised his eyes, his expression still calm.

"Sect Master Ning wants to use resources to win me over?"

"It is not about winning you over with wealth. It is about forming a bond between our two sides."

Ning Fengzhi's attitude was sincere, though his tone carried a trace of urgency.

"The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect has always cherished talent. If you are willing, Ning is prepared to offer you the position of deputy sect master, with the sect treasury open for you to choose from at will. Not only that, Ning has a daughter named Rongrong. She is extraordinarily gifted and has been treasured since childhood. She is close to you in age."

He even proposed marrying Ning Rongrong to him.

Xue Qinghe sat to the side, his hands hidden within his sleeves unconsciously clenching into fists.

Ning Fengzhi failed to notice the Crown Prince's unusual reaction and continued raising the stakes.

"If this marriage is settled, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect will devote all its strength to helping you reach the pinnacle of the continent. In the future Douluo Continent, there will surely be a place for the two of you."

Faced with terms enough to drive any soul master mad.

Su Chen glanced at Xue Qinghe.

Then he stood.

"This... I appreciate Sect Master Ning's goodwill."

"As for the marriage, forget it."