"Grandpa Great Enshrined, I want to become your disciple!"
Her clear, resolute voice broke the courtyard's stillness. Qian Daoliu looked up to see Ning Rongrong standing before him, her little fists clenched tightly and her round face brimming with earnestness. The usual innocent playfulness had vanished from her clear eyes, leaving only an ardent desire to grow stronger.
A flicker of surprise crossed Qian Daoliu's eyes. He closed the book in his hands, a faint smile curling his lips as he spoke with a hint of amusement:
"Oh? Why the sudden change of heart? Is getting a soul spirit no longer your reason for wanting a master?"
Ning Rongrong's little face instantly turned as red as a ripe apple. She instinctively fiddled with the hem of her clothes, but still nodded firmly. Her voice rang out clearly, carrying a child's particular stubbornness:
"At first, I really did want a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Spirit like Sister Xue's. But these past few days, I watched Sister Xue train with you. Just a casual word of guidance from you could clear the thickets blocking her understanding, and she grew stronger every day. I also saw you teach them the secrets of cultivation. I want to become as powerful as Sister Xue and the others!"
She paused, then puffed out her little chest and added solemnly:
"And you even turned my brother's martial soul into the Eight Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda. You must be the best teacher on the continent! I mean it this time. Daddy didn't force me! I want to learn real skills from you so I can protect my family in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, and protect Daddy, Grandpa Sword, and Grandpa Bone!"
A pure light shone in the little girl's eyes. There was not a trace of self-serving calculation,