The air throughout the hall dropped to freezing.
These two Titled Douluos, whose combined ages approached two hundred, cherished Ning Rongrong like a pearl in their palms.
Now, hearing that some pig from outside might have rooted up their precious little cabbage, they were ready to draw their swords and kill on the spot.
"Dad, Grandpa Sword, Grandpa Bone, what are you imagining?!"
Ning Rongrong saw her two grandfathers' speculations growing more and more outrageous.
Frightened, she hurriedly scrambled up from the floor.
Surely she couldn't announce in front of the entire sect that she wanted to go so she could torment that boy with the rabbit ears every day?
That would be far too embarrassing!
Ning Rongrong's eyes darted about before she immediately lifted her chin, assuming the knowing air of a miniature adult.
"Hmph, what do you know?"
"Doesn't Daddy always teach me that if the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect wants to flourish forever, we can't gaze at the sky from the bottom of a well?"
"The other disciples in the sect either bow and scrape whenever they see me or deliberately let me win. They don't help temper my character at all."
"I'm going to the junior academy to scout talented future guest retainers for our sect!"
Her lofty, high-sounding speech left Ning Fengzhi blinking in bewilderment.
Scouting talent? Understanding people's hardships?
Ning Fengzhi adjusted the gold-rimmed glasses on his nose and gave his daughter a peculiar look.
The scene he had witnessed in the rear garden of the Crown Prince's Residence a few days earlier suddenly surfaced in his mind.
That boy with the pair of golden rabbit ears who had risked his life to save Rongrong.
Xue Qinghe had mentioned it to him just two days ago.
He intended to send Meng Chen to study at the Heaven Dou Royal Junior Soul Master Academy...
At that thought, everything suddenly became clear to Ning Fengzhi.
If she really was doing this for Meng Chen, it might not be a bad thing.
That child was kindhearted and willing to sacrifice himself for others, with a sense of responsibility and an innocent sincerity in his bones that ordinary Soul Masters lacked.
Moreover, his mutant rabbit martial soul and his vast, powerful vitality were beyond anything an ordinary genius could match.
Even Xue Qinghe treated him like close family. In the future, Meng Chen would surely become a central pillar of the Crown Prince's faction.
With that thought, Ning Fengzhi closed his folding fan and smiled gently.
"Uncle Jian, Uncle Gu, since Rongrong has the ambition to improve herself and wants to leave the sect to see the wider world, we elders shouldn't simply keep stopping her."
"Fengzhi, you're agreeing to this?"
Gu Rong cried out, his face creased with worry.
"What if some blind fool bullies Rongrong?"
"Don't worry, Grandpa Gu."
Hearing her father relent, Ning Rongrong immediately beamed. She trotted over, hugged Gu Rong's arm, and shook it.
"Who would dare bully me?"
"I'm the young lady of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect!"
Watching Ning Rongrong's jubilant expression, Chen Xin shook his head helplessly.
"Very well. A fledgling eagle must leave its nest eventually."
"Since she's going, I'll pay the Heaven Dou Royal Junior Soul Master Academy a visit myself and tell their headmaster to look after her properly."
"If Rongrong suffers any mistreatment at the academy, I'll hold him accountable."
"Yay! Grandpa Sword is the best!"
Ning Rongrong cheered, planted a smacking kiss on Chen Xin's cheek, then scampered out with light, quick steps.
Meng Chen, did you think I wouldn't be able to catch you if you hid at the academy? Hmph, hmph~
Heaven Dou City, Heaven Dou Royal Junior Soul Master Academy.
Early that morning, traffic already thronged the academy's grand, spacious entrance.
As the finest junior academy directly under the Heaven Dou Empire, its students were all either wealthy or noble.
They were either direct descendants of influential imperial nobles or promising children carefully selected by the major sects.
At the very least, they were young prodigies whose exceptional talent had been identified in the various provinces.
Carriages of differing designs, emblazoned with splendid family crests, stood neatly arranged beside the square.
At that moment, an understated yet luxurious carriage came to a smooth stop at the academy entrance.
The curtain lifted, and Meng Chen took a deep breath, feeling utterly refreshed.
"This is great! I've finally escaped that sea of suffering!"
As soon as Meng Chen appeared, much of the clamor in the square subsided.
The finely dressed boys and girls passing nearby had their gazes drawn almost simultaneously to this soft, adorable blond little boy.
With every step he took, his soft rabbit ears swayed gently. He was simply unbearably cute.
"Heavens, whose young master is that? He's far too pretty!"
"What's with the ears on his head?"
"Is that martial soul possession, or an inborn trait from a mutated beast martial soul?"
"Judging by those ears, it must be a rabbit martial soul."
Nearby, several boys dressed in the attire of high-ranking nobility gathered together.
Their gazes took on a measure of scrutiny as they looked at Meng Chen.
"A rabbit martial soul? That weak martial soul at the very bottom of the ladder?"
"No way. How could someone who comes to the academy in a carriage like that have awakened a rabbit martial soul?"
"Maybe he only looks impressive. Rabbits have the least offensive power of all beast martial souls. Even if his innate soul power is a little higher, he won't amount to anything."
Hearing the chatter around him, Meng Chen couldn't be bothered to respond.
Weak? Won't amount to anything?
What did a bunch of sheltered young noblemen know?
His ears were indeed a mutation caused by the fusion of his Soft Bone Rabbit martial soul and Golden Dragon King bloodline.
But if they actually fought, he could send them flying with a single slap.
Following the directions on his enrollment token, Meng Chen headed straight for the classroom building for Class 1, Grade 1.
In the small square before the classroom building, Meng Chen's heart skipped a beat without warning!
Thump!
It was no ordinary flutter. The essence of the Golden Dragon King buried in the deepest recesses of his body had suddenly been stirred by some force!
"What's going on?!"
Meng Chen stopped abruptly, his entire body tensing as his hands instinctively pressed against his chest.
Then he raised his head and looked toward the source.
On the tree-lined path leading from the academy entrance, a small, slender figure was slowly approaching.
It was a little girl who likewise appeared to be only five or six years old.
She wore a long white cotton dress and stood on the green grass. Most striking of all was her long silver hair.
In the morning light, her hair shone with a sacred halo, cascading all the way down to her ankles.
As she drew closer, the wildly surging vitality within Meng Chen did not subside.
Instead, like a raging fire meeting dry kindling, it burned ever more fiercely!
A sense of closeness and familiarity welled up from deep within his body.
Who is she?
Why do I feel this way about her?
Just as Meng Chen was puzzling over it.
"Meng Chen! I've caught you!"
A shrill, imperious shout shattered the wondrous atmosphere, forcibly dragging Meng Chen out of that mysterious state!
Meng Chen jolted.
On the campus road not far away, an exceedingly luxurious carriage had stopped by the roadside.
At its door stood Ning Rongrong in a pale yellow short dress threaded with gold, her hands on her hips as she stared fixedly at Meng Chen.
Behind Ning Rongrong were two stewards from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
Loaded down with bags and bundles, both wore bitter smiles.
Ning Rongrong?!
Meng Chen's eyes nearly popped out of his head. His vision went black, and he almost fainted.
How had this little demoness, haunting him like a restless ghost... ended up here too?!
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