Ning Fengzhi sank heavily back onto the sofa.
He closed his eyes, feeling cold all over, a sense of helplessness drowning him like a rising tide.
Ning Xuan's words seemed to grow ever more distant in his ears.
So distant that he was back more than a decade ago, when he had first taken that wailing baby girl from his wife's arms.
He had promised his wife.
He would let their daughter grow up healthy and happy.
That was why, over all these years, he had asked little of Ning Rongrong. As long as it made her happy, he granted her every wish.
But.
When had it started?
The daughter he had cherished in the palm of his hand had actually become like this.
His head kept buzzing, and Ning Fengzhi felt chilled to the bone, until Chen Xin's palm pressed firmly onto his shoulder.
"Sect master, pull yourself together."
Chen Xin spoke gravely,
"There's still time. Tell me quickly, how long has Old Bone been gone?"
"Two days."
Ning Fengzhi tilted his head back, his voice hoarse.
Then his eyes dropped heavily again, helplessly, his heart icy cold.
"Nothing will happen to him."
Ning Xuan's heart was filled with anger too, but seeing the state of his two elders, he could only patiently console them,
"Dad, Grandpa Sword, don't worry. He'll definitely be all right."
"Xiao Xuan."
Ning Fengzhi suddenly opened his eyes and said sorrowfully,
"Has Dad... been a complete failure?"
Ning Xuan abruptly fell silent.
Was Ning Fengzhi a failure?
Of course not!
Under his leadership, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had grown stronger by the day. If not for the issue of its highest-level combat strength, it could already have faintly surpassed the former greatest sect in the world in other respects.
But this had also led him to neglect his children's upbringing.
Especially after their mother passed away!
His indulgence of Ning Rongrong had almost reached the point of giving her everything he had.
Many in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect liked to call Ning Rongrong their little princess.
This was no exaggeration. In many cases, everything provided for Ning Rongrong truly surpassed even what an imperial princess received.
And now, this very darling daughter, raised in such indulgence, had left Ning Fengzhi utterly disheartened.
"Dad, you still have me."
Ning Xuan took two steps forward, held his hand, and crouched down,
"It'll be all right. Grandpa Bone will be all right."
"She... Rongrong will be all right too."
Then Ning Xuan turned to Chen Xin and said,
"Grandpa Sword, you don't need to worry either. We've recovered the immortal herb."
"As long as Yu Yuanzhen couldn't possibly break through to become a Super Douluo in these two days, even with the home-ground advantage, Grandpa Bone can easily get away."
Only upon hearing this did Chen Xin truly breathe a sigh of relief.
That was right.
As long as Yu Yuanzhen had not broken through to Super Douluo, Bone Douluo Gu Rong could easily escape even if he could not defeat him.
Besides, Ning Rongrong might not actually be that foolish.
"Xiao Xuan?"
Ning Fengzhi suddenly tightened his grip on Ning Xuan's hand. That steady, powerful feeling returned, making Ning Xuan look at him despite himself.
"Dad wants to..."
Ning Fengzhi said,
"Once this matter is over, I think it'll be time to retire."
Deeply shocked, Ning Xuan could not help exclaiming,
"Dad!"
"Don't rush to refuse. Hear me out first."
Ning Fengzhi raised his hand to interrupt him,
"This isn't a passing whim. It's a decision I made after thinking about it for a long time."
"You're already the young sect master. Now your Martial Soul has broken through the family's shackles again, and your Soul Power has reached the Soul Douluo level. No one would dare say a word against you taking this position!"
"You're steady by nature and handle things properly. I can trust you."
"And there's also your sister..."
"If I don't step down and teach her properly now, she really will be beyond saving."
"Xiao Xuan, I'll have to ask you to shoulder this burden."
Ning Xuan was shaken.
This was a possibility he had never considered.
Ning Fengzhi was only around fifty now, in the prime of his life, at the height of his powers. Even in the original story, he had only become disheartened after the Battle of Jialing Pass.
Why was he already thinking of retiring now?
"Dad, I..."
Ning Xuan spoke apprehensively.
"Don't worry. I'm not really going to wash my hands of everything. I've just been feeling a little tired lately and want to rest."
Ning Fengzhi said.
"Xiao Xuan, just accept."
Chen Xin also spoke up beside them,
"The sect master has already discussed this with me by letter. I believe you can handle it."
"Dad, let's wait until Grandpa Bone comes back before deciding anything."
Ning Xuan neither refused nor agreed.
Then he turned and called toward the outside of the Meeting Hall,
"Someone come in."
"Young sect master."
A member of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect hurried inside.
"Send people to Blue Lightning City. Make absolutely sure they find out where Miss Rongrong has gone. If they see her, bring her back to me, even if they have to knock her unconscious and carry her."
Ning Xuan gave his orders, revealing his decisive side,
"Also, send others to try to contact Elder Gu Rong. Tell him not to act yet and to wait for further arrangements from the sect."
The sect member instinctively looked at Ning Fengzhi.
"From now on, the young sect master's orders represent my wishes. Carry them out without concern."
Ning Fengzhi waved his hand as he spoke.
"Understood."
The sect member hurried back out.
Only after making all the arrangements did Ning Xuan continue speaking to Ning Fengzhi,
"Oh, right, Dad. We've also recovered the immortal herb from Liu Erlong, but there seems to have been a little trouble afterward."
He then recounted how they had reclaimed the immortal herb from Liu Erlong, and how he had dealt with Salas and Qian Renxue the following day, leaving Ning Fengzhi furious once more.
"Indeed, marrying a wife without virtue ruins three generations of a family."
Ning Fengzhi slammed his fist onto the sofa,
"The immortal herb is a matter of enormous importance, yet she actually dared to spread the news far and wide. Fortunately, we saw through him early. Otherwise, if she really married into the family in the future, there would be no end to the trouble."
"Dad."
"I don't think Salas will let this go easily. And there's the crown prince too."
Ning Xuan said, his eyes flickering.
"Salas?"
Ning Fengzhi sneered, brimming with murderous intent,
"He's merely the head of a Martial Soul Temple. I usually show him some respect for Spirit Hall's sake, but if he truly dares to press us too far, we can simply kill him."
"He's just a Platinum Bishop. If he dies, he dies. As long as we tie up the loose ends, would Spirit Hall really come to settle accounts with us over a dead man?"
Ning Xuan froze.
Sure enough, although his father looked refined and elegant, he was by no means softhearted. In fact, beneath that warm exterior, his heart was even blacker than Ning Xuan's.
Footsteps suddenly sounded outside the Meeting Hall again?
Then a disciple of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect walked in, bowed, and said,
"Sect master."
"Salas, the head of Heaven Dou City's Martial Soul Temple, is outside the castle requesting an audience."
At these words, the Meeting Hall instantly fell silent.
All three, including Ning Xuan and Ning Fengzhi, immediately frowned. A flash of killing intent even passed through Sword Douluo Chen Xin's eyes.
Speak of Cao Cao, and Cao Cao arrived.
Even someone delivering his own head to their doorstep should not do it like this!
"Go. Bring him in."
Ning Fengzhi spoke slowly, his expression cold.
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