"..."
As the murmur of "Nine Treasures Turn to Glazed" faded away, Ning Fengzhi remained fixated on the note on the ground, unable to snap out of his daze for a long time.
"Fengzhi, what's wrong?"
Sword Douluo was the first to sense something amiss. He shifted his feet from the bridge pier, his sword aura surging. As his feet left the ground, a sharp sword materialized beneath him, carrying him gracefully to Ning Fengzhi's side.
Standing atop the Seven Kill Sword, he glanced down at the note by Ning Fengzhi's feet, his pupils abruptly contracting.
"This is...!"
"Huh?"
Zhao Rong'er, who had been bickering with the roast duck, finally noticed the commotion over here.
"Husband, Uncle Sword, what's going on?"
Zhao Rong'er mumbled with the duck head in her mouth, clutching the duck neck and holding the headless roast duck as she hurried over to Ning Fengzhi's side.
Looking down at the note beneath Ning Fengzhi's cane, she immediately exclaimed in surprise.
"Eh? Husband, is the person who wrote you this letter illiterate? How could they write 'nine' instead of 'seven'?"
"..."
Hearing Zhao Rong'er's words, Ning Fengzhi finally shook his head with a grim expression.
"No, this isn't a mistake."
"Not a mistake?"
Zhao Rong'er looked puzzled, a flicker of recollection in her eyes.
In her memory,
Ning Fengzhi and those direct disciples of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School indeed chanted "Seven Treasures Turn to Have Glazed Tile" when using their Soul Skills.
But what was the deal with the extra "two treasures" on this note?
Some kind of special code?
"Fengzhi, it seems you have no choice but to make a trip to Spirit Hall City."
Sword Douluo's sword intent swirled around him, fearless.
As the Sect Guardian Elder of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, he naturally knew what "Nine Treasures Turn to Glazed" meant for the entire sect.
"It appears so now."
A helpless, mocking smile appeared on Ning Fengzhi's face.
How could he have imagined that the slap in the face would come so quickly?
No sooner had he declared he wouldn't go to Spirit Hall City than the invitation he opened afterward slapped him across the face several times, forcing him to change his mind.
"..."
Zhao Rong'er stood silently to the side, asking no further questions.
Seeing Ning Fengzhi like this, it indeed didn't seem like a typo but more like an established code.
"Hmph~ You two chat. Just remember what you promised me."
With a light snort,
Zhao Rong'er turned and returned to the table, roast duck in hand, and sat down.
She couldn't even grasp the petty schemes of two small villages. It was better not to recklessly involve herself in the struggles of such major sects.
She was no longer the village chief but a wealthy lady from a rich family!
Eating well, sleeping well,
and enjoying a few more years of wealth was what mattered most!
"Don't worry, Rong'er, I remember everything."
Ning Fengzhi glanced back at Zhao Rong'er with a smile, then bent down to pick up the note.
Unfolding it in his hand, he examined it casually. Looking at the somewhat careless and immature handwriting, Ning Fengzhi mused thoughtfully, "This handwriting doesn't look like something a high-ranking Pope would write at all. It seems more like that of a young child..."
"Nor does it look like it was written by a Titled Douluo."
Sword Douluo landed on his feet, standing beside Ning Fengzhi as he offered his assessment.
For an existence at the level of a Titled Douluo, their writing would naturally carry their unique aura, let alone Bi Bi Dong, the Rakshasa Douluo who emerged from Slaughter City as a God of Slaughter and had just wreaked havoc on the battlefield? The handwriting would certainly not be so immature and gentle.
"Perhaps someone wrote it on her behalf."
Ning Fengzhi smiled casually, allowing the note in his hand to drift away, his eyes revealing gravity.
"It seems now that the new Pope may be more capable and even more ambitious than the previous one. Under her leadership, the Spirit Hall might become even more formidable."
Hum—!
Sword Douluo remained silent, raising two fingers as strands of sword qi captured the drifting note. With a twist of his fingertips, the note shattered into countless fragments, scattering like mist over the water beneath the pavilion.
"Should we reorganize the sect?"
Sword Douluo frowned.
"No, there's no need for that."
Ning Fengzhi dismissed Sword Douluo's suggestion.
Upon seeing that note, Ning Fengzhi's first thought was that a traitor had emerged within the sect.
After all, the existence of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda was known only within the sect, and even then, only among the higher-ups. Beyond that, scarcely anyone in the vast Soul Master Realm was aware of it.
It was based on this assumption that Ye Tian had written that sentence.
After all, the more secretive something was, the more weight it carried.
Not to mention, he hadn't come across any mention of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda in the Spirit Hall City's archives.
Consider the original future Soul Master Competition.
With so many Titled Douluos, Soul Douluos, and Soul Saints present, and with Ning Rongrong even using her Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Martial Soul to assist the entire Shrek Academy in unleashing the Seven-in-One Fusion Skill!
Such a conspicuous display—
If others truly had any knowledge or even heard of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, surely someone would have noticed the difference between Ning Rongrong's Martial Soul and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda.
Thus, Ye Tian concluded,
The existence of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda was a significant secret of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School!
The tighter it was guarded, the more it signified its importance.
However, even with suspicions,
Ning Fengzhi remained confident in the higher-ups, or rather, in his own ability to judge character.
Moreover, just because almost no one knew didn't mean absolutely no one knew.
Furthermore,
looking at it from another angle,
even if there were a traitor, so what?
The Spirit Hall sending this message undoubtedly carried an intent to negotiate. Before the negotiations concluded, any rash action could affect the outcome.
For now, it was best to remain unchanged to cope with the shifting situation.
"We can make a judgment after we return from Spirit Hall City."
Ning Fengzhi smiled gracefully.
Based on the information from the dropped note, he still meticulously unfolded the invitation in his hand, careful not to miss anything.
But when he saw the contents of the invitation,
surprise reappeared in Ning Fengzhi's eyes.
"What? Is there something else written in the invitation?"
Sword Douluo raised an eyebrow in question.
"It seems I only guessed part of what's in this invitation."
Ning Fengzhi's eyes held astonishment.
"I never expected the Spirit Hall to have already decided on the next Holy Son."
"Oh? Who is it?"
Sword Douluo was equally surprised.
The simultaneous appointment of a new Pope and a new Holy Son was an unprecedented event.
"A familiar name—Ye Tian."
"Ye Tian? How could it be!"
Hearing Ning Fengzhi's reply, disbelief flashed in Sword Douluo's eyes.
"If I'm not mistaken, Ye Tian should be the rumored disciple of Bi Bi Dong, that innate full spirit power support system genius. How could the Spirit Hall let a food-type become the Holy Son?"
"This is also what surprises me the most."
Ning Fengzhi shook his head.
His eyes also filled with curiosity, and he couldn't help but speculate, "Perhaps as the first innate full spirit power food-type soul master in history, he has his own special qualities. Pills, similar martial souls are not unheard of in my Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, but I've never seen one that naturally produces strange phenomena. Moreover, for so long, apart from the news of strange phenomena surrounding Ye Tian, we haven't been able to gather any information about his spirit ring configuration, soul skills, or even his cultivation level. That's strange, isn't it?"
Sword Douluo nodded in agreement, "It must be like that, otherwise the Spirit Hall wouldn't have any reason to let a food-type soul master become their Holy Son. The fact that he can command respect is enough to prove he must be extraordinary!"
"Indeed!"
Ning Fengzhi put away the invitation letter, clasped his hands behind his back, and watched the fish swimming in the water. Seeing the paper scraps they had swallowed, a faint glimmer flashed in his eyes.
Perhaps that note was personally written by the Spirit Hall Saint Child, Ye Tian.
"Such a strange matter makes me even more determined to visit Spirit Hall City. I've long wanted to see the true face of an innate full spirit power food-type soul master."
"I'll accompany you then."
Sword Douluo stood with his hands behind his back, his posture straight, already reserving the position of bodyguard.
"..."
Ning Fengzhi gave a slight nod.
His eyes held a trace of struggle, both hoping that Spirit Hall City truly possessed a method to evolve the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda martial soul, and hoping this was just a scam.
If it were true, the price the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School would have to pay would certainly not be small.
Perhaps even completely aligning with the Spirit Hall...
———————
Meanwhile.
After noon passed, having enjoyed a beautiful nap with her head resting on Ye Tian's lap.
Bi Bi Dong, the future Pope, finally regained her composure and prepared to bid farewell to Ye Tian, heading to the Papal Hall to make arrangements for the succession ceremony.
After dressing and emerging from behind the screen, she looked at Ye Tian sitting cross-legged on the bed and instructed, "Kid, you should also take the time to think carefully about how to make an impression in front of all the major factions on that day."
"I've already thought about the impression part."
Ye Tian wiped the fresh saliva from his face and said with some annoyance:
"Teacher, you should focus on yourself. No matter what, as the Pope, I can't overshadow you. I can only enter through the door behind you."
"Hmph! It's good that you understand. Wait here obediently for me to return."
Bi Bi Dong gave a light snort.
Casually waving her jade-like hand, she strolled toward the exit.
Ye Tian watched Bi Bi Dong's departing back and sighed.
He still didn't know what had happened with Bi Bi Dong's corruption by evil thoughts two days ago.
Could it be that the trial had already begun?
But if so, wouldn't this first trial be a bit too simple?
"I still hope you succeed."
Regardless, Ye Tian softly offered his blessing.
Though the success he spoke of was certainly not simply becoming a god, but rather preserving herself under the corruption of evil thoughts, becoming the true Rakshasa Goddess who masters malevolence!
——
Outside Wisteria Residence.
Bi Bi Dong had just stepped out when she stopped in her tracks.
The pleasure in those beautiful eyes gradually gave way to a cold gleam as they turned toward the figure standing like a spear beneath the tree at the entrance.
Yang Wushuang, under the tree, trembled all over from just one glance from Bi Bi Dong. He hurriedly bowed and said, "Your subordinate, Yang Wushuang, greets Your Holiness the Pope. I was directed here by Red Cardinal Xiao Dading to await the Holy Son and had no intention of disturbing Your Holiness's peace."
--Enjoying the story? Want more chapters? Check out my Patreon and support me for 40+ advance chapters.
Just search for "LegendaryTL" on Patreon!"
Thanks!