Eighth Place: Ning Rongrong of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect

"Dad, how am I only in eighth place?"

At the aggrieved sound of his daughter's voice, Ning Fengzhi felt his headache grow worse.

That tone was unmistakably a warning that she was about to make a long list of demands.

He set down his teacup and looked at her.

Sure enough, though Ning Rongrong sounded miserable, her large eyes had already curved into smiling crescents.

"Go on. What do you want?"

Seeing his daughter hiding behind Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo, Ning Fengzhi sighed helplessly.

"I want to go out and explore, and join the strongest faction!"

The moment Ning Fengzhi gave in, Ning Rongrong jumped up.

"Our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is already one of the top factions on Douluo Continent. Why not stay here and take over your father's estate someday?"

"No! I'm sick of staying at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect!"

Before he could respond, Ning Rongrong hurriedly corrected herself:

"I mean, I'll never truly grow up under your protection, Dad. I need to go out, train, and improve myself!"

Hearing her words, Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo looked delighted:

"Rongrong really has grown up! Where do you want to go? Grandpa Jian and Grandpa Gu will take you there ourselves!"

"Uncle Jian, Uncle Gu, she just wants to go out and play!"

But after Ning Fengzhi spoke, he found the two Douluo still fussing over Ning Rongrong. They hadn't listened to a word he said.

"Fine, fine. I can't control you anymore. Go wherever you want."

Ning Fengzhi had no fight left in him.

Once her father agreed, Ning Rongrong instantly became his sweet, doting daughter:

"Thanks, Dad! You're the best. Mwah."

[Ning Rongrong's background: the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and its ally, the Heaven Dou Empire.

Her Martial Soul is the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, hailed as the world's finest support-type Martial Soul.]

[Reward: Soul Power Level increased by 5 levels, one Martial Soul Evolution, one Ten Thousand Year Soul Bone]

Though Ning Fengzhi had expected something like this, his heart still lurched when he saw the rewards.

"Martial Soul Evolution... Could it make up for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda's innate flaw and allow her to advance beyond Soul Saint?"

Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo reacted at once, realizing how much was at stake.

"Quick, Rongrong, get ready to receive your reward. If you want to go out, you can wait until your Martial Soul has evolved!"

When it came to something this important, Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo acted with astonishing speed.

Without giving Ning Rongrong a chance to react, they flew out of the room and took up guard.

Ning Fengzhi's expression turned grave. He immediately summoned every disciple in the sect and activated its defenses.

As Golden Light descended from the Sky Screen, it enveloped Ning Rongrong. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda appeared of its own accord and began to evolve.

"The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's records state clearly that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda can only evolve with the Immortal Herb Aromatic Silk Beauty."

Ning Fengzhi watched Ning Rongrong within the Golden Light, worry in his eyes.

"Rongrong, you have to succeed."

Unlike Yu Tianheng's Martial Soul Evolution, Ning Rongrong's caused an uproar the moment it began.

"The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda is already the continent's finest support-type Martial Soul. Once it evolves, it's bound to be even stronger."

A faction leader realized this and immediately issued an order:

"Send someone to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect at once and ask Sect Master Ning Fengzhi for an alliance. With their support, we'll grow much stronger!"

Inside Spirit Hall, Bibi Dong watched Ning Rongrong for a moment before addressing Qian Daoliu, who sat at the head of the hall:

"Great Enshrined, once the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's Martial Soul evolves, it may hinder our Soul Hunting Plan. When do we make our move?"

Qian Daoliu looked at the Sky Screen and shook his head:

"The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda's enhancements are impressive, but that girl is only a Soul Grandmaster. She won't affect our plans.

Keep moving forward steadily. There's no need to rush."

In the Heaven Dou Empire's palace, First Prince Xue Qinghe sat at a desk.

At the sight of Ning Rongrong's Martial Soul Evolution, Xue Qinghe's eyes flickered.

Her true identity was Qian Renxue, daughter of Qian Xunji and Bibi Dong, two successive popes of Spirit Hall.

During an operation, Qian Renxue had assassinated the real First Prince and taken his place.

For years, she had searched for a chance to overthrow the Heaven Dou Empire and help Spirit Hall unite Douluo Continent.

But as she watched the Sky Screen reveal the Background Ranking, an ominous feeling kept nagging at her.

I've been undercover in the Heaven Dou Empire for so many years. Will the Sky Screen put me on the ranking too?

My real identity is Spirit Hall's young master. If the Sky Screen exposes me, all my work will go up in smoke.

With that in mind, Qian Renxue summoned a trusted Spirit Hall subordinate and arranged an escape route out of the Heaven Dou Empire.

"The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and the Heaven Dou Empire are allies. Ning Rongrong's Martial Soul Evolution will help the empire too."

It looks like I'll need to find a chance to deal with Ning Rongrong.

Qian Renxue considered her plan and decided to use her position as Ning Fengzhi's disciple to visit the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

Within the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Ning Rongrong's Martial Soul had finished evolving.

A Nine-Story Small Pagoda spun ceaselessly above her right hand.

"That's... the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda. It really worked!"

Seeing the evolved Martial Soul in Ning Rongrong's hand, Ning Fengzhi felt his eyes grow wet.

Because of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda's innate flaw, Ning Rongrong would never have been able to advance beyond level 79.

What was more, the Sky Screen's appearance had made the situation across Douluo Continent even harder to read.

As sect master, Ning Fengzhi had already sensed the currents stirring beneath the surface.

At such a critical moment, Ning Rongrong's successful evolution meant that the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda's powerful support abilities would give her some means of protecting herself in these chaotic times.

After all, no faction would turn away a powerful support-type Soul Master.

The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect might even seize this chance to expand and gain more allies.

Once the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda had evolved, a Soul Bone descended as well.

The power contained within it was immense, approaching that of a hundred-thousand-year Soul Bone.

The Soul Bone drifted toward Ning Rongrong's head, flashed faintly, and fused perfectly with her skull.

"Wow! I can feel that all my Soul Skills have grown stronger. Dad, my Martial Soul is even stronger than yours now!"

Seeing his daughter so happy, Ning Fengzhi was delighted too.

"The Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda... Rongrong, you have a very good chance of becoming a Titled Douluo someday.

And with such a powerful support-type Martial Soul, you'll have no trouble building a faction of your own.

I won't have to worry about you anymore."

At Ning Fengzhi's words, Ning Rongrong ran over and gave him a huge hug.

"Dad, you're so good to me. I'm off to have some fun, then! Grandpa Gu will protect me."

"Wait, you—"

Ning Fengzhi had only just reached out to stop her when Ning Rongrong skipped out of the room.

"Sect Master, many factions have expressed interest in joining us. What should we do next?"

Ning Fengzhi looked at the report his trusted aide had brought, rubbed his brow, and took it with a long sigh.

"Forget it. Uncle Gu is with her, so she should be safe. A grown daughter really can't be kept at home..."