Ning Fengzhi's request (1 / 2)

Inside the room, Li Tianyuan still sat at the long table, handsome and distinguished, with an unrivaled bearing.

"Mr. Li!"

Ning Fengzhi glanced over and cupped his hands in greeting to Li Tianyuan.

Ning Rongrong was much more respectful this time as well. She looked toward Li Tianyuan, respect showing on her little face, and said in a sweet, lilting voice, "Rongrong greets you, sir!"

Li Tianyuan looked at them and nodded slightly. "You're too kind, Sect Master Ning!"

Then he gave Ning Rongrong another long look and found that the girl was much better behaved than before.

Clearly, after her martial soul's upgrade, she had realized just how formidable he was.

Besides that, he noticed something different in her eyes, a hint of shyness that had not been there before.

Ning Fengzhi smiled. "Mr. Li, I have no way to repay your tremendous kindness to the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect. I've brought some gifts this time, along with the seven million Gold Soul Coins I owed you."

Having said that, Ning Fengzhi took out a soul tool storage pouch and offered it to him.

Li Tianyuan accepted it and lightly tapped it with his finger, determining the number of Gold Soul Coins inside. There were neither too many nor too few—exactly seven hundred million.

With a wave of his hand, he put the soul tool away.

"You're overstating things, Sect Master Ning."

Li Tianyuan spoke with a smile.

"Someone, bring in the gifts!"

Ning Fengzhi beckoned again.

Some disciples of the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect came in from outside, presenting all manner of gifts that filled nearly half the room.

"Sect Master Ning, this is far too many gifts!"

Looking at all those gifts, Li Tianyuan could not help marveling. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect truly had deep pockets and the swagger to match.

Ning Fengzhi said modestly, "Mr. Li, these gifts are merely a token of my sincerity. Please don't refuse them!"

Li Tianyuan considered it, then nodded slightly. "Then it would be discourteous of me to refuse!"

Seeing Li Tianyuan accept the gifts, Ning Fengzhi's smile grew a little wider.

"Mr. Li, I have a presumptuous request. Please consider it!"

Ning Fengzhi spoke again.

"What is it?"

Li Tianyuan asked.

"Mr. Li, may I ask whether you've joined a sect?"

Ning Fengzhi asked.

"I haven't."

Li Tianyuan had now escaped from Spirit Hall, so he was no longer under any faction's authority.

"Then would you consider joining our Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect as its Great Enshrined?"

Ning Fengzhi looked at Li Tianyuan with some anticipation.

On this trip to Sunset Forest, he had witnessed Li Tianyuan's prowess.

If Li Tianyuan joined the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect as its Great Enshrined, it would undoubtedly bring enormous benefits.

Without much thought, Li Tianyuan shook his head. "To be honest, Sect Master Ning, I'm accustomed to living like an idle cloud and a wild crane. I have no desire to be bound by any faction!"

"So please forgive me!"

Li Tianyuan declined politely but outright.

He had finally left Spirit Hall and escaped Bibi Dong's control. Now, on his own, he could roam freely between heaven and earth. He had not the slightest interest in these so-called sects and factions.

Ning Fengzhi's face filled with disappointment.

But he knew there was no use insisting, so he could only say, "In that case, should you ever need anything, Mr. Li, the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect's doors will always be open to you!"

After saying that, he glanced at Ning Rongrong beside him and asked with a broad smile, "Mr. Li, what do you think of my daughter?"

Now that her martial soul had upgraded, Ning Rongrong looked even more graceful and poised. Her bearing was gentle and refined, like a princess, with a distinctly noble air. She was even lovelier than before.

She stood to one side, her little face slightly flushed, eager to hear what Li Tianyuan thought of her.

Li Tianyuan glanced at Ning Rongrong and smiled. "Your daughter is quite fine, Sect Master Ning!"

He offered only a simple assessment, since he had yet to figure out what Ning Fengzhi meant.

Ning Fengzhi nodded slightly and agreed, "Rongrong is indeed quite fine. However, she's lively by nature and needs some discipline. I'd like her to become your disciple. What do you think?"

Ning Fengzhi felt rather hopeful.

He was doing this because he believed Ning Rongrong might still face considerable trouble in the future. With Li Tianyuan supporting her from behind, her path would be a little smoother.

Li Tianyuan froze for a moment. Well, well, Ning Fengzhi really knows how to forge connections.

Is he trying to entrust his daughter to me?

But I don't have that kind of spare time!

"Sect Master Ning, I'm not much older than Rongrong. Let's forget about taking her as a disciple!"

Li Tianyuan had no desire to become a nanny for nothing.

Unless Ning Rongrong gave him something in return in the future.

At those words, disappointment once again crossed Ning Fengzhi's face.

He had intended to push Ning Rongrong toward Li Tianyuan so the two could interact more and grow closer. Now it seemed that attempt had failed too.

Ning Rongrong's expression shifted as well. In truth, she did not want to become Li Tianyuan's disciple either. She merely wanted to have some contact with him.

A master-disciple relationship would be far too solemn.

"Mr. Li, how about this? Could I come help out here from now on?"

Ning Rongrong looked at Li Tianyuan expectantly.

"You want to help out here?"

Li Tianyuan looked at Ning Rongrong with some suspicion.

Ning Rongrong was a little princess who surely never did any work. If she came here, she would probably only cause trouble!

"Rongrong, all the work here is menial labor. I'm afraid it wouldn't suit you!"

Li Tianyuan shook his head gently.

"Not at all. I'm sure I can do it well!"

Ning Rongrong, however, was very serious.

"Are you certain?"

"I won't be paying you any wages, either!"

Li Tianyuan did not want to waste money on wages for nothing. In short, if Ning Rongrong wanted to help, he would not refuse, but he had to guard against her making things worse instead.

"That's fine. I'm not short of money."

Ning Rongrong did not care about money at all.

"All right. In that case, come if you want."

Li Tianyuan agreed.

Since the matter made little difference to him, he accepted.

"Thank you, Mr. Li!"

Ning Rongrong said happily.

Li Tianyuan merely smiled faintly.

"Mr. Li, there's one more thing. Could you release my teachers and classmates?"

Ning Rongrong looked at Li Tianyuan pleadingly.

"That's simple. Each of them can leave after paying ten Gold Soul Coins!"

Li Tianyuan said indifferently.

Ning Rongrong froze for a moment. So Mr. Li has burrowed right into the eye of a coin. He's demanding another great sum of money!

"Mr. Li, are you very short of money?"

Ning Rongrong asked.

"No."

Li Tianyuan shook his head. With the twelve million Gold Soul Coins the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect had given him, he certainly was not short of money now.

But releasing them without making them pay a price was impossible.

"Then why ask for so much?"

Ning Rongrong asked in confusion.

"Rongrong, don't be insolent!"

Ning Fengzhi hurriedly scolded her from beside her.

Li Tianyuan was already being very lenient by only asking for some money. Compared with other factions, he was considerably more merciful.

"Dad, can you help my classmates and teachers?"

Ning Rongrong asked, feeling a little wronged. After all, this had happened because of her.

"Very well, Rongrong. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect will pay this sum!"

Ning Fengzhi looked at Ning Rongrong and decided to put up the money to ransom the people from Shrek.

"Thank you, Dad!"

Ning Rongrong said joyfully.