Put-Upon Qian Renxue

"Chen Ling, if you are willing, you might consider taking an honorary elder position at my Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. You would not need to formally join the sect or be bound by its rules. You could live freely as you pleased, while the sect's stipend would still be paid in full. Not a bit less."

Ning Fengzhi had been chatting enthusiastically with Chen Ling. Seeing that he had laid enough groundwork, he finally extended this invitation.

The other party was a genuine Titled Douluo. For the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, this invitation was hardly a major bargaining chip—at most, it was icing on the cake.

He had merely mentioned it casually. So long as Ning Rongrong was there, he was not worried about Chen Ling getting away.

"Sure."

Chen Ling lifted his teacup and took a light sip, his gaze naturally falling on Ning Rongrong beside him, who was clinging tightly to him.

The pink-haired girl blinked her clear eyes and affectionately rubbed her head against his arm again and again. Her soft hair brushed against his sleeve, carrying a subtle hint of temptation.

An honorary elder sounded impressive, but put bluntly, it was just freeloading. Joining the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was out of the question, but Ning Fengzhi was so amiable that Chen Ling did not mind being a son-in-law with limited liability.

Their earlier conversation had already made Ning Fengzhi's attitude abundantly clear. Every word seemed to convey the same message: whatever my son-in-law wants, just ask. Don't stand on ceremony.

He looked as though he wanted to package up the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and Ning Rongrong together and hand them over. His enthusiasm was beyond measure.

There was no other reason. Chen Ling was simply far too young.

At first, Ning Fengzhi had secretly wondered whether he might be some old monster who had lived in seclusion for years and deliberately disguised himself as a youth.

But a powerful person's vitality could not be concealed. The vigorous, abundant life force surrounding Chen Ling, combined with that face that still carried youthful immaturity, was enough to settle it completely. The other party's age had to be astonishingly low.

At such a young age, he was already a Titled Douluo.

Such talent practically overturned all common sense.

More importantly, after several exchanges, Ning Fengzhi had gained a preliminary understanding of Chen Ling's character.

He possessed earth-shaking strength and heaven-defying talent, yet he did not have the arrogance or airs of a top genius. He treated others with gentleness and calm, so mild that he seemed exceptionally approachable.

"Excellent." Ning Fengzhi smiled at his words and raised a hand to offer an exquisite token engraved with the pattern of a seven-tiered pagoda. "This is the sect's elder token. With it, you may seek assistance from any Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect outpost."

However, it was not actually an elder token, but a secondary token of the sect master's command token.

"Then thank you, Uncle Ning." Chen Ling accepted it with a smile, his expression as humble as ever.

Xue Qinghe, watching from the side, was nearly anxious enough to cry.

Ning Fengzhi was satisfied, but how could she not be? Because of the gap in their cultivation, Qian Renxue could not see through Chen Ling's strength, but his age could not be faked.

After carefully calculating it, she was actually quite a bit older than the young man before her.

Qian Renxue, disguised as Xue Qinghe, quietly thought to herself that she seemed to be, perhaps, maybe, truly a useless good-for-nothing.

Her Innate Soul Power had been level twenty. Now, at twenty-two years old, she had only recently broken through to level fifty-nine. This speed could not be called slow—it could only be called extremely slow.

Especially compared to the young man before her, whose appearance looked even younger than her true face, she felt utterly ashamed.

Fine. Maybe she really was useless.

Xue Qinghe suppressed all her emotions and sat silently.

When Ning Fengzhi saw her despondent appearance, he merely assumed that she had voluntarily given up on trying to recruit Chen Ling.

He could not guess what she was thinking. After all, rumors outside claimed that Heaven Dou's Fourth Prince had insulted a Titled Douluo with money and been crippled as a result.

Could it be that Qinghe had come today to apologize on Xue Beng's behalf?

As for recruiting Chen Ling? Ning Fengzhi felt that was utterly impossible.

A mere Crown Prince of Heaven Dou did not have sufficient bargaining chips. What right did she have to recruit a Titled Douluo who stood above the secular world?

Moreover, Chen Ling's indifferent attitude throughout made it clear that he had no interest whatsoever in attaching himself to an empire.

Even when it came to using a beauty trap, Ning Fengzhi had put in the effort. He had practically handed over his own daughter.

Sword Douluo Chen Xin stood to the side, his gaze flickering slightly, but he ultimately said nothing.

He had watched Ning Rongrong grow up. When he first learned that the young girl had fallen for Chen Ling, he could not help feeling awkward and reluctant, as though someone had rooted up his own prized cabbage.

But now that he had seen things for himself, he had a very favorable impression of Chen Ling. Furthermore, the sharp aura unique to a swordsman radiating from Chen Ling had stirred Chen Xin's fighting spirit.

There was no need for their auras to clash, nor for their gazes to meet. By instinct alone, Chen Xin was certain.

The person before him was a genuine master of the sword. His strength was unfathomable and, most likely, no weaker than Chen Xin's own.

Seeing that Ning Fengzhi and Chen Ling had finished talking, Xue Qinghe's eyes lit up.

Was it finally her turn?

Although things had deviated somewhat from her original plan, it was not a major problem.

If he could take an idle post at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, then she might succeed as well.

Ning Fengzhi could offer Ning Rongrong, and she could offer Xue Ke. If that did not work, she could even offer herself.

For some reason, perhaps because the two people before her had spent so long chattering about Ning Rongrong and Chen Ling, that thought uncontrollably surfaced in her mind and lingered there for a long time, refusing to fade.

But a moment later, she hurriedly dismissed the thought.

Though... well, she really was a little tempted. But she, Qian Renxue, would never share a husband with other women.

"Your Excellency..."

She had just adjusted her mindset and prepared to strike up a conversation when Sword Douluo Chen Xin beside her spoke first.

Xue Qinghe's words caught in her throat, and she could only shut her mouth in frustration.

She looked exactly like someone being pushed around, though no one noticed her.

"The aura surrounding you—is it Sword Intent?"

Chen Xin's sharp gaze was like a sword, striking directly at the heart of the matter. Yet his tone was especially gentle, without the slightest oppressive aggression.

Geniuses and powerhouses were not the same. An ungrown genius was an investment; the other party was already a Titled Douluo, so this was called recruitment. Naturally, he could not put on airs.

Besides, the other party's strength seemed to be no weaker than his own. The difference in their Soul Power was unclear for the moment. After all, they were both Titled Douluos, and even direct probing would reveal nothing. Chen Xin had only judged from Chen Ling's martial soul that its quality was extremely high.

As his words fell, Chen Xin's gaze naturally landed on Xiao Wu at the side.

The girl was tightly hugging a longsword in her arms. It seemed to be Chen Ling's martial soul.

He could not help feeling somewhat puzzled, but he did not investigate further.

Top powerhouses often had a few peculiar little habits. Such a situation was already nothing unusual.

Noticing Chen Xin's strange gaze, Chen Ling coughed awkwardly twice. Could he say that Xiao Wu had requested it?

This girl was far too proactive about this now. Sometimes, if the sword was not sheathed, she could not even fall asleep.