Barely Arrived, and Already They Were Fighting to Take Him as a Disciple

"Dad! Grandpa Sword! Grandpa Bone! I'm back!"

Inside the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Ning Rongrong rushed into the main hall like a pink whirlwind and threw herself straight into Ning Fengzhi's arms.

Her little face was flushed, and traces of tears still lingered at the corners of her eyes, yet her smile was especially bright.

"Oh my, what happened to our little princess?" Bone Douluo hurriedly crouched down, pulling out a handkerchief to wipe her face.

"Grandpa Bone, Grandpa Sword, you're mean!"

Ning Rongrong pouted and ducked away from Bone Douluo.

"Neither of you came out to help me! I almost got gored to death by a Horned Goat!"

Sword Douluo Chen Xin frowned. "What?"

"It's true!"

Ning Rongrong began gesturing wildly.

"I only picked a few flowers, and this huge Horned Goat chased me! If Lin Ye hadn't..."

As though suddenly remembering something, Ning Rongrong turned and pointed toward the hall's entrance.

"Oh, right! I brought back someone super amazing! He saved me!"

"Oh?"

All three of them turned their gazes toward the black-haired boy standing in the center of the hall.

Lin Ye stood with his hands at his sides and his brown eyes lowered, striking just the right balance between respect and self-possession.

He had already quickly assessed the three of them: the refined, black-haired man seated on the central throne had to be Ning Fengzhi; the silver-haired elder whose presence was as keen as a sword should be Sword Douluo; and the remaining black-robed elder, who was watching Ning Rongrong with worry written all over his face, was naturally Bone Douluo.

"And this young friend is...?" Ning Fengzhi asked gently.

Ning Rongrong rushed to answer. "Dad, his name is Lin Ye! He wants to join our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect! You have no idea, Dad! Just now, he used a sheet of paper to create a golden shield that blocked the Horned Goat's charge, then used a sword covered in purple lightning to finish it off in a single strike!"

A sharp gleam flashed in Ning Fengzhi's eyes. "Oh?"

Bone Douluo immediately stepped forward and asked, "Boy, where are you from? Who are your parents?"

Lin Ye replied, "My name is Lin Ye. I'm six years old and come from Silves City. I have no parents and grew up on the streets. I awakened my Martial Soul just a month ago."

Hearing his introduction, Ning Rongrong looked at Lin Ye, a little startled.

Lin Ye... didn't have a mom or dad?

After the three fell silent for a few seconds, Sword Douluo suddenly asked, "Was what you used earlier a Self-Created Soul Skill?"

"It wasn't self-created."

Lin Ye raised his right hand, and a sheet of White Paper slowly materialized.

"My Martial Soul is rather special. It helps me give physical form to my imagination. Those moves from earlier... were extensions of that characteristic."

At those words, the hall fell silent.

The three exchanged glances.

A Martial Soul that could give physical form to imagination? That was simply unheard of!

Ning Fengzhi gently set Ning Rongrong down, walked over to Lin Ye, and crouched before him. "Could you show us?"

Lin Ye nodded, and a golden glow spread across the White Paper.

Recalling the flow of energy when Zhongli used Dominus Lapidis, he gave a low cry. "Steady as a Rock!"

Golden Geo gathered in his palm. Lin Ye swiftly spread his arms, and a translucent shield instantly formed around him.

"This..."

Bone Douluo and Sword Douluo both widened their eyes in disbelief.

Although they had already seen it from a distance, watching it up close was still astonishing.

A six-year-old child at rank ten, who had only just awakened his Martial Soul, could actually manifest a defensive skill with the strength of a Soul Elder through imagination alone. He was an absolute monster.

And that was not all. The ability to give physical form to imagination offered absurd potential. With proper nurturing, he would undoubtedly become a peerless genius who would astound the continent.

Ning Rongrong squeezed to the front, her little face almost pressed against the shield. "Wow! That's amazing! Lin Ye, how did you think of that?"

"Quiet, Rongrong." Ning Fengzhi gently stopped his daughter, but his gaze grew more profound as he turned to Lin Ye. "Child, would you be willing to join the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect as a Core Disciple?"

Before Lin Ye could answer, Sword Douluo suddenly slapped the table and rose. "Fengzhi! Let this boy become my disciple directly! That sword technique of his showed the beginnings of man and sword becoming one. He's a born swordsman!"

"Bullshit!"

Seeing Sword Douluo trying to claim such a genius all for himself, Bone Douluo immediately objected. He turned to Lin Ye and asked:

"Boy, learn spatial Soul Skills from me. I guarantee they'll be ten times stronger than that teleportation of yours!"

"Old Bones, are you picking a fight?"

"You're the one picking a fight, you sword-wielding bastard!"

Seeing the two Titled Douluos arguing like children, Ning Fengzhi helplessly pressed a hand to his forehead, only to notice Lin Ye secretly winking at him. Those eyes hardly belonged to a six-year-old child; they were clearly those of an old fox who saw through everything.

"Honored seniors."

Lin Ye suddenly spoke, his voice carrying just the right touch of childishness.

"Could I... have both?"

At those words, the two Douluos abruptly stopped arguing.

Ning Fengzhi could not help chuckling. "Of course. Uncle Jian, Uncle Bone, do either of you object?"

Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo exchanged a glance and snorted in unison.

"No objections."

"None from me either."

But both were already making their own calculations.

I have to bring out every last one of my signature techniques and teach them all to Lin Ye. I absolutely cannot lose to him!

"Yay!"

Ning Rongrong cheered and bounced with excitement.

"Then can Lin Ye live next door to me, Dad? I'll show him around the sect in a bit!"

Ning Fengzhi rubbed his daughter's pink hair. "Then that's what we'll do. Rongrong, make sure you get along with Lin Ye."

"This is the Library Pavilion, that's the Training Ground, and over there is the Medicinal Herb Garden..."

Ning Rongrong pulled Lin Ye through the sect, chattering away as she introduced everything. Eventually, they reached the living quarters in the rear courtyard, where Ning Rongrong usually stayed.

"This is where you'll be living, right next door to me." Ning Rongrong pointed to a side room beside her own.

"All right, got it." Lin Ye nodded, committing the room's location to memory.

"Oh, right! Can you teach me that purple lightning thing? It's so cool!" Ning Rongrong suddenly asked.

Lin Ye gently withdrew his hand and said apologetically, "Sorry, only my Martial Soul can do that."

"Stingy!" Ning Rongrong puffed out her cheeks, but immediately brightened again. "Then can you show me again? Just once!"

"I need to go inside and rest first. I used up quite a bit of Soul Power earlier." Lin Ye made to leave.

"Wait!"

Ning Rongrong hurriedly caught his sleeve. "I—I could take you to the kitchen! They have Crystal Cake at this time of day!"

Looking at the little girl's expectant eyes, Lin Ye suddenly recalled the spoiled Little Demoness from the original story.

Although the current Ning Rongrong was somewhat pampered, she was mostly innocent and unfamiliar with the ways of the world.

Lin Ye smiled faintly and declined again. "Thank you, but I'd like to get my room in order first."

A little disappointed, Ning Rongrong could only let go. "Then... can I come find you later?"

"Sure."

Watching Lin Ye close his door, Ning Rongrong hopped a couple of times in the corridor.

This new friend seemed a little aloof, but he was much more interesting than those meek, yes-saying disciples in the sect!

And Grandpa Sword and Grandpa Bone had both chosen him as their disciple. He was simply amazing!

Inside the room, Lin Ye leaned against the door and let out a long breath.

"I'm still not very good at dealing with children."

In his previous life in Liyue Harbor, this had already given him headaches, whether it was Hu Tao as a child or Klee later on...

The only ones who had given him relatively little trouble were probably Qiqi and Yaoyao.

Shaking his head, Lin Ye slowly opened his palm and summoned his Martial Soul, a hint of amusement flashing through his brown eyes.

"That went even more smoothly than expected. I just didn't think both Titled Douluos would want me as their disciple."

Meanwhile, in a bamboo grove not far from the living quarters, the two Douluos stared at each other after following and observing Ning Rongrong and Lin Ye's first interactions.

"Looks like he's got Rongrong wrapped around his finger."

"Doesn't he just? You saw how that boy acted in the hall. He's as shrewd as they come."

"Old Bones, let me teach him first tomorrow morning."

"Bullshit! I should go first!"

"Let's play rock-paper-scissors!"

"Bring it on!"

After several rounds of hand gestures, Sword Douluo finally burst out laughing.

"I won! A bet's a bet, Old Bones. Come back the day after tomorrow."

Seeing this, Bone Douluo could only say, "Fine, you can go first. We're taking turns anyway. We'll see who teaches him better."

"Hahaha, it'll definitely be me, Old Bones."

"You sword-wielding bastard, you're speaking too soon. What if I'm better?"

"Then how about we make a bet?" Sword Douluo asked with a smile.

"A bet it is! Who's afraid of whom? Go on, tell me. What are we betting this time?" Bone Douluo asked eagerly.

"Let's bet..."