...
"This is exactly the question I've been thinking about these past few days."
Ning Fengzhi put down his teacup. "Has the Spirit Hall changed its nature? Of course not."
"There is only one possibility why they did not use force."
"That is, they tried, but... failed."
"Failed?" Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo were both surprised.
"Do you remember what happened in Tiandou City a few months ago?"
Ning Fengzhi asked patiently.
Gu Rong pondered for a moment, then suddenly seemed to remember something and slapped his thigh:
"You mean... Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan and Ghost Douluo Gui Mei?!"
"That's right." Ning Fengzhi nodded.
"At that time, these two elders from the Spirit Hall suddenly descended upon Heaven Dou City, their whereabouts were mysterious, and they even sealed off part of the Cutting Domain at one point."
"At the time, our spies only knew that they had come, but they didn't know what they were doing there, nor did they see them fight with anyone.
Then the two of them left in a hurry."
"I was also wondering before, what exactly are these two Title Douluos here for?"
"But now, seeing Hu Liena appear beside Xuan Hao, I suddenly understand."
Is there any possibility...?
"The Spirit Hall had actually already taken action against Xuan Hao?"
"The secret visit of Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo that time might not have been for shopping at all.
They might have been ordered by the Pope to forcibly abduct Xuan Hao, or even... assassinate him!"
But what was the result?
"As it turns out, Xuanhao is still alive and kicking, and is even living a more comfortable life than anyone else!"
"But Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo slunk away, not daring to make the slightest noise in Heaven Dou City!"
At this moment, the hall fell into a deathly silence.
Everyone understands the meaning behind this.
If the Spirit Hall really did send two Title Douluos to target Xuan Hao, and Xuan Hao was completely unharmed...
What does this tell us?
This shows that the so-called "hidden family" behind Xuan Hao is so powerful that it can even make two titled Douluo retreat or return defeated!
"I see." Chen Xin nodded.
"The Spirit Hall initially tried to use force, but they ran into a brick wall and found that it was not tough enough, and they may have even suffered a hidden loss."
"Therefore, they had no choice but to change their strategy, shifting from coercion to enticement!"
"They sent Hu Liena, the Pope's personal disciple with stunning beauty and exceptional talent, in an attempt to use a policy of appeasement and a honey trap to repair the previous relationship and win Xuan Hao back!"
"That's right," Ning Fengzhi agreed.
"This also indirectly confirms Xuan Hao's identity."
"If he were just an ordinary genius who got lucky, the Spirit Hall would have made him disappear from this world long ago."
"Only by having a background that can truly rival the Spirit Hall can the arrogant Pope Bibi Dong be forced to swallow her pride and accept this loss, and even have to send her disciples to curry favor with her."
"I see…" Gu Rong sighed. "It seems that what this kid said before wasn't just bragging."
"Even the Spirit Hall can't do anything about him, so Heaven Dou City... is probably really going to change."
"It's not a complete upheaval, but the waters here are definitely muddied," Ning Fengzhi said.
"However, this is actually good news for our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School."
"Since the Spirit Hall has chosen to court them, it means they don't dare to completely break ties. Since it's fair competition..."
"In terms of financial resources, sincerity, and even the use of seduction..."
Seeing Ning Fengzhi's shrewd expression, as if he were even planning to include his own daughter in his "honey trap," Gu Rong, the Bone Douluo, finally couldn't hold back any longer.
"Charm!"
Gu Rong interrupted him with a dark expression, "What are you thinking?
Rongrong is only six years old! Six years old!"
"That kid surnamed Xuan may be a prodigy, but he's only nine years old!
You're sending two babies who haven't even been weaned yet... cough, haven't grown up yet, to use their beauty to pull off some kind of honey trap?
You're a really carefree father!"
"Uncle Bone, you've misunderstood."
Ning Fengzhi shook his head helplessly, picked up his teacup and took a sip, "Of course I know Rongrong is still young.
But it is precisely because she is young that we need to start getting to know her now."
"What's that phrase again? Childhood sweethearts, innocent and carefree."
"Feelings are the most solid when they are cultivated from childhood.
If Rongrong herself is willing and doesn't dislike that boy, then it's a win-win situation."
At this point, Ning Fengzhi put down his teacup, his expression gradually becoming serious:
"Moreover, you should have seen what kind of temper Xuan Hao has after spending time with him."
"Greedy, lustful, mercenary, and even somewhat shameless."
"but..."
Ning Fengzhi abruptly changed the subject, his gaze becoming profound:
"Have you ever wondered why someone so full of flaws could have Dugu Yan, Ye Lingling, and even that arrogant Hu Liena all willingly staying by his side?"
"This is definitely not just because of his talent and strength."
Ning Fengzhi took a deep breath.
"Given Xuan Hao's cunning and ability to manipulate events at will in Tiandou City over the past half month, do you really think these apparent flaws he's displayed are flaws?"
"Or rather... this was a carefully planned camouflage?"
Upon hearing this, Gu Rong and Chen Xin were jolted, exchanged a glance, and saw the astonishment in each other's eyes.
"Feng Zhi, what do you mean..." Chen Xin asked, frowning.
"Uncle Jian, in this world, a perfect person will inevitably make people feel fear and alienation."
Ning Fengzhi slowly analyzed:
"Because you can't find his weaknesses, you don't know what he wants, so you can't control him, let alone deal with him."
"But Xuanhao is different."
"He portrayed himself as greedy and lustful, even somewhat mercenary and opportunistic.
He openly displayed his weaknesses, telling everyone: as long as the money is right and the benefits are sufficient, we can be friends."
"This is not only an extremely shrewd business mindset, but also an extremely sophisticated way of dealing with the world."
Ning Fengzhi stood up, walked to the window, looked at the distant sky, and sighed:
"A child with such terrifying talent, and even backed by a behemoth, should logically inspire a sense of threat and fear."
"But he doesn't give off a sense of aggression at all.
Even we old foxes find him cute and have the illusion that we can win him over as long as we pay him."
"This kind of worldly wisdom, which is both extremely smooth and perfectly balanced..."
Ning Fengzhi turned around, looking at the two Title Douluos with a wry smile:
"To be honest, even I'm a little scared."
"To be able to manipulate people's hearts and human nature to this extent at this age... this kid is simply a born strategist."
Hearing this analysis, Gu Rong and Chen Xin were completely dumbfounded.
Although they possessed extraordinary strength, they were indeed inferior to Ning Fengzhi in manipulating people's hearts.
But now, even Ning Fengzhi, the sect leader who is known as the "cunning old fox" in Douluo Continent... cough, the one with unparalleled wisdom, has given the evaluation of "being afraid" of a nine-year-old child?
"That...that won't work either!"
Gu Rong slammed his hand on the table, his reaction even more intense than before:
"Since this kid is so cunning and treacherous, Rongrong absolutely cannot be with him!"
"Although Rongrong is usually clever and mischievous, she's just a little white rabbit in front of someone who's more cunning than a honeycomb briquette!"
"No, no! Absolutely not!"
Chen Xin, who had been silent all along, nodded at this moment, "Old Bone is right. Rongrong can't beat him, she'll be bullied."
"If Rongrong is sold by him and is still counting money for him, we two old guys won't be able to close our eyes in peace even when we die."
Seeing the two Title Douluos looking so nervous, as if they were "guarding against fire, theft, and Xuan Hao," Ning Fengzhi couldn't help but laugh out loud.
"Uncle Jian, Uncle Gu, you're getting stuck on this point."
"Isn't it a good thing that we can't beat him?"
"Good news?!" Gu Rong's eyes widened.
"Feng Zhi, are you out of your mind?"
"I am perfectly sober."
Ning Fengzhi sat back down in his chair.
"You all know Rongrong's personality best. She's a real little devil, lawless and defiant of everyone."
"Furthermore, don't forget the foundation upon which our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School was founded."
"We are support-type Soul Masters."
"Even if Rongrong is highly talented and becomes a Title Douluo in the future, she will still be a support type."
"In this dog-eat-dog world, support-type Soul Masters are inherently fragile and need the protection of the strong."
Ning Fengzhi looked at the two elderly people and asked in return:
"What if Rongrong finds a man who listens to her in everything, who is completely manipulated by her, and who can't even outmaneuver her..."
"What if we encounter a real crisis in the future, or face an enemy of the same caliber as the Spirit Hall..."
Who will protect her?
Who will shelter her from the wind and rain?
"Who will uphold the future of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School?"
"Only by finding a man who is stronger than her, smarter than her, and even someone she can't outmaneuver, can you truly protect her for life."
"Being bullied by your own man... is better than being destroyed by an outside enemy, isn't it?"
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