Night of the Seven Treasures

Late at night, beneath a bright moon.

Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda in Ning Rongrong's palm radiated seven-colored light.

At the top of its seventh tier stood an illusory eighth tier.

Though that phantom was nearly transparent, seeming as if it would disperse at once if it faded any further, it was truly there.

The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda was named for its seven treasures. With seven tiers, one treasure per tier, it could only hold seven Soul Rings.

Soul Saint was the highest realm that wielders of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda martial soul had ever been able to reach.

At the same time, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda's seven soul skills were fixed as follows:

Strength Amplification, Agility Amplification, Soul Power Amplification, Defense Amplification, Attack Amplification, Attribute Amplification, and Seven Treasures True Body.

Of these seven soul skills, aside from the fifth soul skill, Attack Amplification; the sixth soul skill, Attribute Amplification; and the seventh soul skill, Seven Treasures True Body—

The order of the other four soul skills was not fixed. Their order could be determined according to the martial soul wielder's preferences.

Although the quality of the Soul Rings could not alter the degree of amplification provided by the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda's soul skills, the higher the Soul Ring's quality, the lower the soul skill's consumption.

Therefore, there were generally clear targets when obtaining Soul Rings.

For Strength Amplification, the first choice was the Thousand Jun Ant.

For Agility Amplification, the first choice was the Sharp-tailed Swift.

For Soul Power Amplification, the first choice was Holy Soul Wood.

For Defense Amplification, the first choice was the Black Tortoise Turtle.

There was no preferred soul beast for Attack Amplification or Attribute Amplification, but the higher the quality, the better.

Furthermore, gem-type soul beasts were rare, and gem spirit beasts compatible with Attack Amplification and Attribute Amplification were rarer still.

As a result, no disciple of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had ever absorbed a Soul Ring from a gem-type soul beast.

Thus, over all these years, no one in the sect had discovered that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda could evolve by absorbing Soul Rings from gem spirit beasts.

"This time, we owe the Lin Family an enormous debt of gratitude. If Duke Lin Rong had been a figure of my generation, perhaps I could also have..."

Ning Fengzhi sighed.

Ever since seeing the phantom eighth tier of his daughter's Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda martial soul, his gaze had not left it for even a moment.

Even though he now knew the method for evolving the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda martial soul, Ning Fengzhi had already cultivated to rank seventy-nine, and all seven of his Soul Ring slots were full. Naturally, this method was useless to him.

"If Lin Rong were not the Lin Family's only heir, then his Innate Full Soul Power talent would be worthy of our Rongrong."

Hearing this, Ning Rongrong recalled what had happened in the valley during the day and immediately retorted:

"Dad, what nonsense are you talking about? How could that arrogant lunatic possibly be worthy of me?"

"Ah, you child." Ning Fengzhi smiled helplessly before continuing.

"Don't worry. The two of you can never be together."

"Because as the sect's heir, your future partner must marry into our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."

"And Lin Rong, as the Lin Family's sole heir, bears the responsibility of carrying on his family line. There is absolutely no chance of him marrying into another family."

"But in that case, finding a genius battle soul master whose talent matches our Rongrong's and who is also willing to marry into the sect will be harder than reaching the heavens!"

"The sect's... heir?" For some reason, Ning Rongrong suddenly had a bad feeling, and she hurriedly refused.

"Dad, I have so many older brothers. It isn't my turn to be the sect's heir, is it?"

But Ning Rongrong was disappointed. Ning Fengzhi shook his head slightly, his smile fading as he said solemnly:

"Rongrong, your Innate Soul Power is a full rank nine. In the entire history of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, you are the first."

"Absorbing gem-type Soul Rings can indeed evolve the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, but one's innate aptitude is also an indispensable key factor."

"Take Yu Xiaogang of Old Dragon's Family, for example. His martial soul should have been the Golden Sacred Dragon produced by the Golden Iron Triangle's three-in-one Martial Soul Fusion Skill."

"But because his innate aptitude was too poor, with only half a rank of Innate Soul Power, his martial soul failed to evolve completely, and he ultimately awakened a Pig."

"Perhaps an Innate Full Soul Power Glazed Tile Pagoda has more than just seven treasures to begin with, while rank nine Innate Soul Power is already the limit the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda can reach."

"Rongrong, your aptitude was already only one step away from martial soul evolution. That is why your martial soul showed signs of evolution after absorbing just one gem spirit beast Soul Ring."

"As long as you continue cultivating according to this method and absorb gem Soul Rings at every advancement stage of a soul master, then with your talent, Rongrong, you may be able to evolve the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda into the legendary Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda."

"When that time comes, only if you succeed to the position of sect leader can the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect be renamed the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."

At this point, Ning Fengzhi placed both hands on his daughter's shoulders. What he said next made Ning Rongrong feel as though the hands resting on her shoulders weighed a thousand jun.

"Rongrong, you carry the future of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, as well as Father's hopes."

"From today onward, you are the Young Sect Leader of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. You must take the revival of the sect as your own responsibility."

"You must diligently train your soul power, learn the Heart Separation Control method for wielding soul power, social etiquette, managing sect affairs, and much more. You will have no extra time to play anymore, understand?"

"I—I—I don't want to! Dad is the worst!"

Ning Rongrong broke free from her father's hands, tears streaming down her face against her will as she looked toward an elderly man beside them with crane-white hair and a youthful face.

"Grandpa Sword, you dote on Rongrong the most. Please put in a good word for Rongrong, okay?"

But this trick, which had worked every time before, failed this time.

Unable to bear watching Ning Rongrong cry, Sword Douluo Chen Xin turned his head away and remained silent.

Seeing this, Ning Rongrong turned to the other side, looking at an elderly man with a towering frame yet an exceedingly gaunt body.

"Grandpa Bone, Rongrong likes you the most. Rongrong doesn't want to have no time to play. Please persuade Daddy, okay?"

But this time, even Bone Douluo Gu Rong said:

"My little princess, it's not that Grandpa Bone won't help you, it's just..."

"You... you..."

Upon hearing this, Ning Rongrong felt as though she had been struck by lightning. Tears streamed down her face as she looked at her father and two grandfathers, retreating step by step while shouting with all her might:

"I hate you all! Sob, sob... sob sob..."

With a loud bang, Ning Rongrong rushed out the door. Tears scattered through the air, and her sobs echoed through the pitch-black night.

"Don't chase after her!" Ning Fengzhi stopped the two elders from going after Ning Rongrong, rubbing his head in exasperation.

"Uncle Sword, Uncle Bone, you indulged that girl too much in the past, which is why she developed such a temperament."

"I share the blame as well. If not for my tacit approval, no matter how unruly Rongrong was, she would never have become like this."

"But times are different now. Since Rongrong possesses such aptitude, and her martial soul has shown signs of evolving, she must shoulder the responsibilities that come with it."

"Let her cry. Once she has vented her emotions, she'll be fine."

"But from now on, the matter will no longer be up to her!"