The God King's Voice Pack

A luxurious carriage pulled by two sturdy Soul Beasts rolled steadily onward.

Inside the carriage.

"Wen, this will be your home from now on."

Ning Fengzhi spoke gently.

Beside him, Sword Douluo smiled kindly too.

Ning Wen nodded in a daze, as though he were still dreaming.

A month ago, he had awakened the memories of his previous life and discovered that this life had dealt him a disastrous hand.

His father had died long ago, and his mother had passed away recently. He had barely scraped by doing odd jobs, never knowing when his next meal would be. His only hope had been the free martial soul awakening Spirit Hall would hold in a few days.

Yet today, he had learned that his father was a direct descendant of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, the wealthiest sect in the world!

[Hah. Pretty words.]

Just then, a cold voice boomed through Ning Wen's mind without warning!

Its detachment carried the lofty air of someone looking down on the mortal world.

Ning Wen's face froze.

The God King's Voice Pack.

It was the cheat he had received after crossing into this world.

As long as he kept the voice pack on, he had a chance of receiving all sorts of rewards at any moment.

But the thing barely managed a single line every two weeks, and so far, his only reward had been a can of cola.

Worse, it sounded absurdly overdramatic!

Even Rikka Takanashi would have been outdone.

Its very first line had been [I, the Spacetime God King, have returned! Tremble, mortals!]

Ning Wen had nearly died of embarrassment.

How was that a god king's voice? It was a cringe-inducing show-off voice pack!

Thankfully, Ning Wen had tested it every way he could, and no one else could hear it.

Otherwise, he might have died of shame on the spot.

It was just too embarrassing!

Even hearing it only in his own head made him want to dig a hole and crawl in.

But for some reason...

Ever since he had reunited with his family and met Ning Fengzhi and the others, the voice pack had been firing off one line after another.

[This is my home from now on? Hah. What hypocrisy.]

[They say my late father saved their lives, but to them, I'm nothing more than a stray dog they picked up by the roadside.]

[The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is so vast that they won't begrudge me a place at their table. But the moment their interests are truly at stake, they'll cast me aside!]

[Family ties among mortals. What a joke!]

The corner of Ning Wen's mouth twitched.

Seriously, man?

You're making all that up?

What could he say about Ning Fengzhi?

Despite his lofty position, the man was neither arrogant nor cold. He treated people gently and was always eager to find talent.

For the sake of his sect, he could resort to ruthless measures, even sacrificing his own daughter's happiness.

But Ning Wen had only just met him.

How could there already be talk of being abandoned?

[Ding! Congratulations, host. You have received an additional reward: constitution +3.]

"The reward finally came!"

Ning Wen's eyes lit up when he heard it.

He could clearly feel that his physical condition had improved a little.

After years of going hungry, his body had been thin and weak. Now he even had a little muscle.

As long as the system gave rewards, that was enough.

The voice pack might be embarrassing to listen to, but he could live with it if it paid out.

No one else could hear it anyway.

Just as he thought that...

The voice rang out again.

[In my previous life, after I awakened a god-level martial soul, you even arranged my engagement to that spoiled, willful, self-centered daughter of yours!]

[It was the one thing I regretted most in that life!]

[Do you think I'll fall for it again?]

"..."

Ning Wen was speechless.

The voice pack was getting more ridiculous by the minute.

Now it was talking about a "previous life"? It really knew how to invent a story!

Why didn't he remember anything like that happening in his previous life?

And how had Ning Rongrong gotten dragged into it?

As the little princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Ning Rongrong really was spoiled, willful, and self-centered. She was quick to throw a tantrum when things went wrong, too. She had a serious case of princess syndrome.

But she was beautiful!

And filthy rich!

Apart from a bit of a young lady's temper, she seemed perfectly fine.

If he could marry into that kind of wealth, he would be the one coming out ahead.

Good thing no one could hear the voice. Otherwise, how could he ever face Ning Fengzhi?

Ning Fengzhi had kindly taken in an orphan who had barely known if he would live to see the next day, while Ning Wen was badmouthing him behind his back.

[Ding! Congratulations, host. You have received an additional reward: intelligence +1.]

At that moment, Ning Wen felt his mind grow a little clearer.

That only made him more painfully self-conscious, and his face began to burn.

What Ning Wen failed to notice was...

Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin were watching him with complicated expressions.

Just moments ago, both men had been stunned to discover they could apparently hear the brat's thoughts.

At first, Ning Fengzhi had been baffled and suspected someone was playing tricks.

Then Chen Xin had quietly shaken his head, indicating that no one was interfering.

Ning Fengzhi trusted Sword Douluo Chen Xin completely.

After all, Chen Xin was a level ninety-six Super Douluo.

Across the entire world, fewer than five people could pull something off without Sword Douluo Chen Xin noticing.

And someone that powerful would have no reason to do such a thing.

For now, they would have to see how things unfolded.

But the more they heard, the more confused they became.

A god king?

Twin Martial Souls?

A previous life?

And they were supposed to arrange his engagement to Rongrong?

Where was all this coming from?

What troubled Ning Fengzhi even more was how deeply the boy seemed to misunderstand and resent both them and the entire Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

In Ning Wen's mind, Ning Fengzhi was apparently a two-faced villain.

Ning Fengzhi had found Ning Wen by chance and, remembering how the boy's father had once saved his life, decided to bring him into the sect and raise him well. He had never considered an engagement to Rongrong, much less using or sacrificing the boy.

After all, as a direct descendant of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Ning Wen would almost certainly awaken the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda.

Even if he did not, he would likely have another support-type martial soul.

The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had an unwritten rule: core disciples had to marry powerful Battle Soul Masters.

Ning Wen's father had broken that rule and eloped with the woman he loved, a fellow Auxiliary Soul Master. That was what had led to both their deaths.

Guilt washed over Ning Fengzhi.

If he had acted more decisively back then, perhaps Tian would still be alive, and his nephew would not feel so desperately insecure.

The boy even imagined he was some kind of god king?

That was absurd!

Ning Fengzhi did not believe for a moment that Ning Wen was the reincarnation of a god king.

No deity had appeared on this continent in over ten thousand years.

The most recent had been the Angel God, founder of Spirit Hall, twenty thousand years ago.

From now on, he would have to make it up to the boy twice over, help him let go of his prejudice, and make him truly accept the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect as his home.

Half an hour later, the luxurious carriage stopped at the gates of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

"Sect Master! Elder Sword! You've finally returned!"

An old man stood waiting anxiously at the gate. When he saw Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin, he cried, "The young miss is throwing a tantrum in her room. She hasn't eaten in a whole day and night!"

"What? She hasn't eaten all day?"

Ning Fengzhi's and Chen Xin's expressions changed at once.

Without thinking, they forgot Ning Wen, whom they had only just brought back to the sect, and prepared to hurry off to comfort the sulking little princess, Ning Rongrong.

Just then, the cold voice exploded again.

[Hmph! There it is again. Over something so trivial, they're going to leave me here alone.]

[Do you know how awkward that was for me back then?]

[Because of that, not a single person in the sect took me seriously!]

It was as though someone had dumped a bucket of ice water over Ning Fengzhi. He immediately calmed down.

Ning Wen was indeed a direct descendant of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, but people naturally gravitated toward power.

With Ning Wen's father long dead, whether the boy could find his footing in the sect depended on the attitude of its master: Ning Fengzhi himself.

If he walked away today and left Ning Wen standing here alone, things might well turn out exactly that way.

Ning Wen, meanwhile, paid the voice pack no mind. He merely marveled that Ning Rongrong really deserved her reputation as a little devil. A hunger strike? He wondered whether she had been sneaking food.

"Uncle Ning, Grandpa Sword, go ahead."

Ning Wen spoke considerately.

He had never imagined he mattered all that much to Ning Fengzhi, so he still needed to make a good impression.

Seeing how thoughtful and understanding Ning Wen was, Ning Fengzhi thought of his own willful, mischievous daughter and could not help shaking his head inwardly.

The comparison did Rongrong no favors.

Ning Fengzhi knew perfectly well why Ning Rongrong was sulking.

He and Uncle Sword had not been there to celebrate her birthday with her. That was all.

But the next instant...

The cold voice rang out once more.

[Go on, then! Once I awaken my martial soul and can protect myself, I'll leave this sect at once!]

[From then on, you go your way, and I'll go mine!]

Ning Wen: "???"

Seriously, man!

Awakening a martial soul means you can protect yourself? Where does that confidence come from?

Even with Innate Full Soul Power, how would I get my first soul ring?

You can't expect someone as scrawny as me to hunt a Soul Beast, can you?

Not everyone is a cheat like Tang San, with hidden weapons to defend himself!

And leave the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect?

That's never happening.

Not in this lifetime.

I've finally returned to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and gone from a penniless orphan to a wealthy young heir. I haven't even had a chance to experience the lavish life of a noble yet!

And you want me to pack up and run?

Which one of us is crazy here?

The pleased smiles that had just appeared on Ning Fengzhi's and Chen Xin's faces froze.

The boy could really put on an act!

On the outside, he was obedient, sensible, and considerate. Inside, he was planning to leave them sooner or later.

His expression and acting were flawless.

"Silly boy, what are you saying?"

Ning Fengzhi took a deep breath and forced down his churning emotions. "It's your first day back at the sect. How could I leave you here alone?" he said gently.

At those words, the old man beside them nearly thought he had misheard.

He knew all too well how much the sect master doted on the young miss.

He treated her as though she might break if he held her too tightly.

That was why the young miss had grown up afraid of nothing.

But today?

Even knowing the young miss was refusing to eat over a little tantrum.

The sect master had chosen to stay with this country boy who had only just been brought back to the sect?

The old man stole a glance at Ning Wen.

Was the kid the sect master's illegitimate son?

The outer disciples on guard quietly put aside their disdain for Ning Wen. Some even began thinking about how to curry favor with him.

For all they knew, he could be the next head of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

Ning Rongrong was a woman, after all. That gave an illegitimate son a chance to take her place.

Of course, the boy would have to be talented enough first.

"Uncle Ning, I don't—"

Ning Wen hadn't noticed the subtle shift in mood around him. All he felt was a warmth in his chest.

"Rongrong's gone too far lately. A little hunger will do her good!"

Before Ning Wen could finish, Ning Fengzhi waved a hand.

Chen Xin opened his mouth to say something, but Ning Fengzhi stopped him with a look.