Douluo Continent, Heaven Dou Empire, Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
In a resplendent square, a young man in a fitted martial outfit sat upright in a grand armchair.
Thousands of disciples of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect stood in orderly ranks, silently observing the ceremony. In front of them were the honored guests who had come to attend.
"Ning Rongrong, there are three commandments under my tutelage."
Ning Rongrong's little face was flushed with excitement. She was already kneeling on the ground, listening to Wang Qiye's admonitions.
"Do not oppress the innocent and virtuous. Can you uphold this?"
"This disciple can!"
"Do not steal or engage in sexual misconduct. Can you uphold this?"
"This disciple can!"
"Do not lightly pass on your martial arts. Can you uphold this?"
"This disciple can!"
Ning Rongrong kowtowed as she spoke. Though young, she performed the rites with utmost solemnity. Her head struck the ground with a crisp sound; she was clearly putting considerable force into it. Beside her, Bone Douluo bristled and glared in anger, but there was nothing he could do.
"Once you have learned my martial arts, if you commit crimes and break these commandments someday, then no matter where you flee, even to the ends of the earth, I will personally purge you from my school! If you wish to back out, this is your last chance."
"Enough, Qiye. That's about enough. She's still a child. Why say something so harsh?" Sword Douluo, standing nearby, could hardly bear to watch anymore. No sect anywhere on Douluo Continent imposed such stringent rules when accepting disciples.
Wang Qiye swept his tiger-like gaze over him, and Sword Douluo immediately dared not say another word. Ning Rongrong, however, was not frightened in the slightest. Instead, she eagerly performed a full bow.
"Master, please accept your disciple's bow!"
"Good, good. My dear disciple, get up."
Wang Qiye laughed heartily in satisfaction.
"Good! Wonderful!"
Ning Fengzhi's face was filled with satisfaction. This mighty figure was finally bound firmly to their Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Although it was not the engagement to Ning Rongrong that he had originally envisioned, becoming master and disciple was good too. After all, a master for a day was a father for life.
Just then, a sudden change swept through the sky, and a ranking abruptly appeared.
[The Douluo Continent Pride of Heaven Ranking will soon be announced.] [The Pride of Heaven Ranking includes only the most promising young prodigies across the continent. All those ranked will receive rewards.] [Tenth place: one ten thousand year soul bone.]
In an instant, the entire continent erupted. These were soul bones, after all-priceless treasures that could not be bought even with money, things even Titled Douluos pursued madly. Although this soul bone was somewhat lacking in age, it was still a ten thousand year soul bone. And this was merely the reward for tenth place. How enticing would the reward for first place be?
They dared not imagine it. They simply dared not imagine it!
At once, people across the continent began discussing it.
Spirit Hall.
Hu Liena waved her arms and danced with excitement. "Xie Yue, did you see that? Even tenth place gets a soul bone! We're going to get soul bones for free!"
Xie Yue glanced helplessly at his younger sister. "We don't even know if we'll make the ranking yet. Don't get so excited."
Hu Liena was unconcerned. "We're Spirit Hall's Golden Generation. If even we can't make the ranking, who else in the world could?"
Yan hurriedly nodded, but Hu Liena ignored him completely and looked straight behind her instead.
"Teacher, don't you think I'm right?"
Behind Hu Liena, a noblewoman dressed in papal robes wore a loving expression. "Little Na is right. As Spirit Hall's newly appointed Holy Maiden, you should have precisely that confidence!"
Shrek Academy.
Flender's face brimmed with excitement. "A ten thousand year soul bone! A ten thousand year soul bone! Wouldn't first place get a hundred thousand year soul bone? You're all little monsters I selected painstakingly. There must be a place for you among these ten prodigies! We're rich! We're rich! This time, we're really rich! We can bring back several soul bones without lifting a finger!"
Dai Mubai was equally elated, while Tang San was even more determined to win.
Oscar was positively beaming. As a genius food-type Soul Master with innate full soul power, he believed that as long as there were food-type Soul Masters on the ranking, he would definitely be among them.
Only Ma Hongjun looked dejected. Although his talent was also exceptional, his Martial Soul had a major flaw. If anyone at Shrek Academy might fail to make the ranking, it had to be him.
Yet someone was even more disheartened than he was. "Ah, damn it. If I were twenty years younger, I could compete with you lot for those soul bones too."
"Too bad this is only for young prodigies. When will they put out a ranking of the strongest?"
Those words made Flender roar with laughter. "Even if they did, there are more than a dozen Titled Douluos on the continent. How could it ever be your turn?"
Zhao Wuji refused to concede. "What if..."
Heaven Dou Royal Academy.
Yu Tianheng's face was alight with excitement. "We can get soul bones as long as our potential is strong enough. This is fantastic! The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon is the number one beast martial soul. I'll definitely make the ranking. Yanzi, if I get a soul bone, I'll give it to you."
"Who needs you to give me one? Can't I get a soul bone myself?" Dugu Yan shot back.
Yu Tianheng hurriedly smiled appeasingly. "Of course you can, of course you can. With your strength, Yanzi, getting a soul bone will be as easy as reaching out and taking it."
Their teacher Qin Ming, standing nearby, was also full of anticipation. Whatever might be said of the others, Yu Tianheng was one of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's twin stars of this generation. As the strongest genius possessing the strongest beast martial soul, surely it was not unreasonable for him to claim a spot!
The only question was what his rank would be.
He looked eagerly at the Pride of Heaven Ranking, waiting for it to announce the prize for ninth place.
Words continued to appear on the Pride of Heaven Ranking.
[Ninth place: one ten thousand year soul bone.] [Eighth place: one ten thousand year soul bone.] [Seventh place: one thirty thousand year soul bone, with a choice of body slot and Soul Skill.] [Sixth place: one thirty thousand year soul bone, with a choice of body slot and Soul Skill.]
"Sure enough, I knew it! The higher the rank, the older the soul bone. Could first place get a soul bone at least fifty thousand years old? That's something even Titled Douluos would fight over!!!"
He drew a sharp breath. "When the time comes, the whole world may descend into chaos."
Paying no heed to Qin Ming's worries, the Pride of Heaven Ranking continued.
[Fifth place: one thirty thousand year soul bone, with a choice of body slot and Soul Skill, and one piece of hundred-thousand-year whale glue.] [Fourth place: one thirty thousand year soul bone, with a choice of body slot and Soul Skill, and one piece of hundred-thousand-year whale glue.]
[Third place: one seventy thousand year soul bone, with a choice of body slot and Soul Skill, and one piece of million-year whale glue.] [Second place: one seventy thousand year soul bone, with a choice of body slot and Soul Skill, and one piece of million-year whale glue.] [First place: one hundred thousand year soul bone, with a choice of body slot and Soul Skill, and one piece of million-year whale glue.]
Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
"Qiye, what do you think we should do?" Ning Fengzhi asked.
Wang Qiye smiled faintly and pulled Ning Rongrong up from the ground. "My dear disciple, are you confident you can bring first place back for your master?"
Ning Rongrong looked proud. "Of course! With my talent, as long as I make the ranking, I'll definitely be first!"
"Hahahaha! Good, good, good." He turned back to Sect Master Ning Fengzhi. "Our Rongrong says she's going to be the world's number one young prodigy."
Ning Fengzhi waved his hands repeatedly. "You know that's not what I meant. The appearance of the Pride of Heaven Ranking is bound to stir up a storm on Douluo Continent. Our plans might even be exposed. And there's the matter of the whale rubber, too."
Wang Qiye waved a hand. "No matter. Everything proceeds as usual. I'm here to handle it all."
Lines of text appeared before Wang Qiye's eyes.
Martial Dao System of Divine Transcendence Disciples: 2,416 Copper skin realm: 98.5% Iron bone realm: deduction in progress...
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