Qian Renxue, standing to one side, very much wanted to say, "Shameless," after hearing that.
He was so eager to forge a connection that he had thrown all the dignity of a powerful expert away!
Her own grandfather would certainly never have acted like this!
Qian Renxue was sure of it!
And someone as thick-skinned as Yu Tianlong broke into a shameless grin as soon as he saw a powerful backer to cling to.
"Grandpa Sword, look at me, being so distant with you!"
Chen Xin had never expected the boy to be so quick on the uptake. Unbelievable!
But this straightforward, unpretentious temperament was very much to his taste!
"Good, good, good!!!"
"To think I would gain another fine grandson in my old age. Now I have both a grandson and a granddaughter!"
"Hahahaha!"
Seeing this harmonious scene, Ning Fengzhi began making his own little calculations.
How could a superficial connection like this be as solid as truly becoming family?
If his daughter and Yu Tianlong ended up together, it would at least ensure a hundred years free of worry for his Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect!
If he dared to think even bigger, given Yu Tianlong's potential for growth, becoming a god was not beyond hope!
Then it would not be a hundred years, but ten thousand years, or eternity!
The more Ning Fengzhi thought about it, the more promising it seemed. He decided that once he returned, he absolutely had to have a proper talk with his daughter Rongrong!
After all, he knew that Emperor Xue Ye had the same intention.
And the person he had chosen was his most beloved youngest daughter, Xue Ke!
So he had to strike first to seize the advantage!
Girls admired strength; boys yearned for beauty.
A promising prospect like Yu Tianlong would certainly have more than one woman in the future. After all, even Ning Fengzhi himself had no fewer than ten women.
He had to secure the position of principal wife for his daughter!
And so, beneath this conversation full of ulterior motives, both sides harbored their own schemes, but overall, things remained harmonious and pleasant!
The crown prince's residence was certainly conveniently located within the city. Right outside its gates was a broad street.
Heaven Dou City lived up to its status as the capital of the Heaven Dou Empire, with broad, clean streets lined with shops.
Bustling crowds streamed endlessly through the streets.
With Qian Renxue leading the way, the two soon spotted a domed building in the distance.
The building looked very unusual, its entire shape round, like half a ball placed over the ground.
There was no sign bearing any name on it, only the image of a hammer.
Seeing Yu Tianlong's curious gaze, Qian Renxue explained:
"That emblem is the auction gavel used specifically by auction houses!"
"And auction houses of this scale can only be found in the capitals of the two great empires. They even sell Soul Bones here!"
Soul Bones, of course, needed no introduction. Any Soul Master would like them.
They could even be called treasures that most Soul Masters dreamed of obtaining.
In a sense, as long as their Soul Power reached the required level, almost all Soul Masters could obtain Soul Rings; only their quality differed.
But Soul Bones were another matter entirely.
Their scarcity made Soul Bones the exclusive preserve of a small number of Soul Masters. Anyone who possessed one would go to great lengths to conceal it, lest others find out.
The bloodshed caused by Soul Bones was too numerous to count.
Even the most ordinary Soul Bone could sell for an astronomical price.
Although Spirit Hall expressly forbade Soul Masters from slaughtering Soul Beasts on a large scale to obtain Soul Bones, quite a few Soul Masters confident in their strength still took the risk.
Of course, few people were willing to sell their Soul Bones. Most exchanged them instead.
They traded for Soul Bones better suited to themselves, or for certain precious items.
Only when Yu Tianlong and Qian Renxue drew closer did Yu Tianlong discover just how magnificent this auction house was!
By Yu Tianlong's visual estimate, the half sphere resting on the ground was at least close to five hundred meters in diameter, with its highest point exceeding eighty meters.
Moreover, Heaven Dou City was the capital of the Heaven Dou Empire, where every inch of land was worth its weight in gold. This showed just how important the auction house's position was within the city.
It was nothing short of a massive money magnet!
Seeing Yu Tianlong's astonishment, Qian Renxue continued:
"There's more to the auction house than that. Many of the very best items are snapped up by the major top-tier powers as soon as they enter the auction house."
"But even so, the few things left over are still beyond the reach of most Soul Masters!"
With that explanation, Yu Tianlong understood. This place did not just draw in money; it was a basin brimming with treasures!
Not long after Yu Tianlong and Qian Renxue arrived, Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin also reached the auction house entrance with a little girl.
Seeing Ning Fengzhi and the others arrive, Yu Tianlong and Qian Renxue both greeted them.
"Teacher, Senior Sword, Rongrong!"
"Uncle Ning, Grandpa Sword, you're here!"
Hearing their voices, Ning Fengzhi smiled, then led the little girl beside him over to Yu Tianlong.
"Xiaolong, let me introduce you two. This is my daughter, Ning Rongrong. She's just a little younger than you."
Once Ning Fengzhi finished, he immediately turned to Ning Rongrong and said:
"Rongrong, this is the genius your father and Grandpa Sword think so highly of, Yu Tianlong. Remember to call him big brother from now on!"
Hearing her father's words, a trace of curiosity flashed through Ning Rongrong's eyes.
This was the first time she had heard of a genius whom even her father and Grandpa Sword praised endlessly.
"Hello, Brother Long!"
Looking at the girl's fair little hand reaching toward him, Yu Tianlong responded in kind, giving it a brief shake before letting go.
The girl wore a simple white dress that gave her a fresh, clean appearance. With neat, ear-length hair, skin as tender and dewy as lychee flesh, delicate features, and a noble, otherworldly air, she was like a warm spring breeze, her gentle smile touching everyone around her.
"Rongrong, may I call you that?"
"Mm!"
Looking at Ning Rongrong now, Yu Tianlong simply could not associate her with the Little Demoness she would later become.
But Ning Rongrong was a princess to begin with, so it was understandable for her to have a princess complex.
Had Flender not deliberately stirred up conflict, Ning Rongrong might not even have said much. After all, in his view, she had joined Shrek Academy to experience a different life in the first place.
But none of that was his concern. He only trusted his own eyes.
Besides, if her values and temperament differed from his, he could simply keep his distance.
There was no need to judge whether someone was good or bad based on a few memories from his previous life.
Seeing that the two children were getting along fairly harmoniously, Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin could not stop the corners of their mouths from rising.
Qian Renxue also smiled along from the side.
Ning Rongrong was very curious about the little boy before her, who was about her age, as she recalled what her father and Grandpa Sword had said.
In the end, she could not hold back.
"Brother Long, how did you become a rank thirty-four Soul Elder at just eight years old?"
"Rongrong is still only rank fifteen!"
Hearing this, Yu Tianlong did not know how to explain it to Ning Rongrong for a moment, so he could only smile and say:
"You can't rush cultivation. Who knows? Your rank might be higher than mine in the future!"
Ning Rongrong's eyes lit up at this answer!
"Really?"
"..."
"All right, Rongrong, let's go inside before we talk any more!"