Bond Successfully Formed, Martial Soul Evolves into the Sky-Piercing Spear!

"Lin Ming!"

Ning Rongrong repeated the name, her eyes sparkling as though she had discovered some rare treasure.

She tilted her head and carefully examined the young man before her, from his deep black eyes to his high nose bridge, then to the faintly roguish smile at the corner of his lips. The longer she looked, the more satisfied she became, and two alluring blushes unconsciously appeared on her little face.

"Has anyone ever told you that you're very handsome?"

The moment those words left her mouth, the surroundings fell silent.

Lin Ming raised an eyebrow. Before he could speak, Zhang San beside him had already turned completely rigid.

His mouth hung open, his eyes wide, his expression as if he had seen a ghost. What was going on? What the hell was going on?!

Just moments ago, he had been bragging to Lin Ming about how he would pursue Ning Rongrong. Yet the young mistress had come right up, asked for Lin Ming's name, and praised him for being handsome in front of so many people?

This wasn't how the script was supposed to go! What happened to fair competition? What happened to first come, first served?

Ning Rongrong paid no attention to the complicated looks around her. She stepped even closer, nearly pressing herself against Lin Ming, then looked up at him with undisguised excitement and anticipation in her voice.

"Come with me! I'll take you somewhere nice! I guarantee you won't regret it!"

Now, not only Zhang San, but even the steward leading them was utterly dumbfounded.

The steward wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and hurriedly stepped forward. With a placating smile, he carefully said, "Young Mistress, this Lin Ming was only recruited today as a low-ranking servant, number 9527. He hasn't even been assigned work yet. Perhaps you should..."

"A low-ranking servant?" Ning Rongrong's brows immediately furrowed. Her little face darkened as she turned to the steward, her gaze carrying a pressure far beyond her age.

"Who told you to treat him as a low-ranking servant?"

More sweat appeared on the steward's forehead, and his back was soaked through with cold sweat. "Th-this is according to the rules. All new recruits have to start at the bottom..."

"To hell with your rules!" Ning Rongrong waved her little hand and pointed straight at the steward's nose without the slightest politeness. "Your pay is cut in half this year!"

The steward's face went dark, and he nearly lost his footing. "Huh?!"

"And," Ning Rongrong said, grabbing Lin Ming's arm as if declaring her ownership of him and lifting her chin high, "from now on, you are not allowed to call him by his number, nor are you allowed to call him a low-ranking servant."

She paused, swept her gaze over everyone present, and announced word by word, "Call him—my husband."

The entire place fell deathly silent.

A pin drop could have been heard.

Everyone's eyes widened, their mouths open wide enough to fit an egg. The newly arrived servants looked at one another, wondering whether they had misheard. The steward felt the world spinning and nearly collapsed onto the ground.

Her husband?

Had he heard correctly? The young mistress wanted a servant who had just entered the Sect and had barely found his footing to become her husband? If the Sect Master found out, would he even get to keep his job as steward? This was something that could cost him his head!

"Young Mistress, th-this isn't appropriate, is it..." The steward's voice trembled.

"If I say it's appropriate, then it's appropriate!" Ning Rongrong cut him off imperiously, hands on her hips like a little tyrant. "Whoever dares say another word, I'll make sure they regret it! Try me if you don't believe it!"

The steward shrank his neck and wisely shut his mouth. Who in the entire Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect didn't know that Ning Rongrong was a little devil?

Offending her truly meant being unable to bear the consequences. Last year, a disciple who had foolishly contradicted her a few times had been sent to the mines the next day. He still had not returned.

Zhang San stood amid the crowd, feeling utterly miserable.

He mechanically turned his head and looked at Lin Ming's calm, unruffled face, his mind buzzing.

Brother... are you serious? They had just been chatting and bragging together. He had confidently declared that he would look after Lin Ming and arrange a good job for him, but in the blink of an eye, Lin Ming had become the husband of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's young mistress?

And he was still a lowly servant who had not even received a proper glance from Ning Rongrong?

The gap was just too huge!

Zhang San was bitter, so bitter that his teeth hurt and his stomach churned. Why?

He wasn't bad-looking either. His talent was better than Lin Ming's too. Why had Ning Rongrong taken a liking to Lin Ming at first sight? Was this the legendary love at first sight? This was far too unfair!

He was unwilling to accept it!

Just then, an aged yet authoritative voice sounded from behind them.

"Rongrong, what are you doing?"

Everyone turned around and saw a white-haired old man slowly approaching. He stood as straight as a pine, his features lean, his eyes bright and piercing as though they could see through every illusion in the world.

He wore a plain white robe without any unnecessary adornment, yet the sharp aura radiating from him made everyone present feel an almost suffocating pressure.

He was one of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's guardians, the level ninety-six Titled Douluo—Sword Douluo Chen Xin.

Upon seeing Sword Douluo, Ning Rongrong was not afraid at all. Instead, she ran over excitedly and threw herself beside him like a cheerful little bird, grabbing his sleeve and shaking it vigorously.

"Grandpa Sword, I'm not leaving the Sect anymore!"

Sword Douluo froze, somewhat surprised. "Oh? Weren't you making a fuss about going out just now? Why did you suddenly change your mind? Didn't you say you were going to find your destined husband?"

"Because I found him!" Ning Rongrong smiled until her eyes curved into crescents. She turned and pointed at Lin Ming, her voice filled with irrepressible delight.

"Grandpa Sword, look, it's him! He's my destined husband!"

Sword Douluo followed the direction of her finger, his gaze settling on Lin Ming.

He looked Lin Ming up and down, his brows faintly furrowing. This boy looked utterly ordinary. His soul power fluctuations were only around level sixteen, and he wore coarse cloth, clearly indicating a poor background.

Aside from being fairly handsome, there was truly nothing special about him. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had plenty of people like this. Why would Rongrong like him?

"Rongrong, stop fooling around." Sword Douluo's tone became more serious. "Marriage is no trivial matter. You're still so young. What do you know about a destined husband?"

"I'm not fooling around!" Ning Rongrong grew anxious and stomped her foot. "Grandpa Sword, I really am not joking! It was love at first sight! Do you know? The first moment I saw him, my heart started pounding, like... like we had known each other in a previous life!"

The more she spoke, the more agitated she became, until her eyes began to redden. "Those dreams I've had all these years... the person in them must have been him! Grandpa Sword, believe me, this is fate! Fate decreed by heaven! If I miss him, I'll regret it for the rest of my life!"

Sword Douluo's face darkened.

He adored Ning Rongrong, but he absolutely could not let her act recklessly in a matter like this.

Ning Rongrong was the young mistress of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and Ning Fengzhi's precious daughter. Her marriage concerned the Sect's entire future. How could she casually choose some servant of unknown origins? If word got out, where would the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's dignity go?

"Enough!" Sword Douluo said in a deep voice, with unquestionable authority. "Come back with me and explain this clearly to your father!"

As he spoke, he grabbed Ning Rongrong's wrist and prepared to take her away.

"I'm not leaving! Grandpa Sword, let go of me!" Ning Rongrong struggled desperately, but her little strength was not worth mentioning before a level ninety-six Titled Douluo. Like a chick caught by an eagle, no matter how she struggled, it was useless.

After being dragged several steps away, she turned back and shouted at Lin Ming, "Lin Ming! Wait for me! I'll definitely come back! You have to wait for me! I won't give up on you!"

Her voice grew more distant until it disappeared at the end of the corridor.

Lin Ming remained where he was. He said nothing and made no attempt to stop them.

Because his mind was completely elsewhere at that moment.

Just then, a long-awaited system notification rang out in his mind. It was clear and pleasant, like heavenly music.

[Ding—Congratulations, Host, on successfully forming a bond with the first female protagonist: Ning Rongrong!]

[Calculating rewards...]

[Martial Soul: Iron Spear—evolved into—Sky-Piercing Spear!]

[First soul ring age increased: hundred-year—thousand-year!]