Chapter 42: 42: Ning Fengzhi's Big Pie
Upon hearing Ning Fengzhi's words, Yang Xiong's face displayed a complicated mixture of emotions. Part of him felt surprised that so many of his carefully hidden secrets had been discovered by the sect master. At the same time, he experienced a sense of relief knowing that Ning Fengzhi appeared unaware of the immortal herbs he had obtained from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
The area surrounding the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well remained protected by Dugu Bo's lingering poison formation, making it virtually impossible for ordinary spirit masters to enter. Even someone as powerful as Ning Fengzhi would find it difficult to send a Titled Douluo to follow him there. This meant that, at least for the time being, everything that had transpired within the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well would remain his secret.
Ning Fengzhi watched the changing expressions cross Yang Xiong's face and believed he could read the young man's thoughts clearly.
"Little Xiong," Ning Fengzhi said with a gentle but serious tone, "your experience in the spirit master world is still far too limited. The spirit master world is much more cruel and dangerous than you can possibly imagine. Various sects stand like towering mountains across the land, and although my Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School is recognized as one of the Upper Three Sects in the spirit master world, we are certainly not without enemies and rivals."
He paused, allowing his words to sink in before continuing. "The major sects and forces are interconnected in complex ways, and many even have spies planted within each other's ranks. They pay especially close attention to talented disciples from opposing factions. If these promising young spirit masters cannot be recruited or won over to their cause, they are often secretly eliminated. The sect simply cannot allow disciples of your caliber to wander freely outside our protection. For instance, during your recent journey to Sunset Forest, numerous individuals wanted to launch secret attacks against you, but we managed to prevent them from doing so."
Yang Xiong's eyes widened in genuine surprise and gratitude. "Thank you, Sect Master. I clearly underestimated the true cruelty and dangers of the spirit master world."
Ning Fengzhi shook his head slowly. "This oversight is not your fault, Little Xiong. Although you have read countless books and mastered extensive spirit master knowledge, what is written in books remains fundamentally different from the harsh realities of our world. While you can certainly cultivate alone within the sect's safety and even become remarkably strong, when you truly reach the level of an advanced spirit master, you will need to undergo various trials and face numerous tribulations beyond your personal cultivation. You must experience real dangers and challenges firsthand. This understanding is one of the primary reasons why I want you and Rongrong to venture out and study together."
"Although the environment in Soto City may prove somewhat more challenging and less comfortable than life within our sect, the teaching staff there is quite exceptional. This experience should prove highly beneficial to your overall growth and development."
Yang Xiong considered these words carefully for several moments before responding. "Sect Master, I am willing to go to Soto City as you suggest, but I do have one small request that I hope you will consider granting."
Hearing this, Ning Fengzhi's interest was clearly piqued. "Please speak freely, Little Xiong. I have already told you that you can treat me as your elder and speak openly."
Yang Xiong took a deep breath before explaining his concerns. "Sect Master, you should be well aware that my spirit is quite unique and special. There are no successful cultivation cases similar to mine documented anywhere in the spirit master world. Because of this uniqueness, I have developed my own cultivation theories and methods. Even if I agree to go to Soto City, I do not want anyone to interfere with my personal cultivation approach, and I especially do not want others inquiring about my cultivation secrets. All spirit masters possess their own closely guarded secrets, and mine may be directly related to my future safety and survival. If such interference occurs, I would have no choice but to return to the sect immediately."
Ning Fengzhi nodded approvingly. "That request is entirely reasonable and will be respected. Not probing into other people's secrets and respecting their privacy is one of the most fundamental principles of the spirit master world. If such inappropriate behavior actually occurs during your time there, you should indeed return directly to the sect."
Yang Xiong finally released a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. He didn't particularly care about the various characters from the original storyline he might encounter. He had his own unique path to follow, and as long as they didn't interfere with his cultivation progress, he could coexist peacefully with them.
Ning Fengzhi appeared to think something over for a while before speaking again. "Little Xiong, there are two additional matters you need to pay careful attention to during your time away."
"Officially, only you and Rongrong will be going to Soto City together. When Rongrong begins attending school in the future, she will likely meet many new classmates and encounter numerous new experiences and situations. I do not want her to become too close or familiar with other boys her age."
Upon hearing this, Yang Xiong couldn't help but feel somewhat amused internally. Ning Fengzhi was clearly worried that his precious daughter might be swept away by some young troublemaker. Yang Xiong wondered why the sect master hadn't shown such protective caution in the original timeline, considering his daughter had ultimately been won over by a food-type spirit master.
"Sect Master, please don't worry about this matter," Yang Xiong assured him earnestly. "I will do my absolute best to stay close to Miss Rongrong's side and prevent any ignorant or inappropriate individuals from getting too close to her."
Ning Fengzhi nodded with clear satisfaction. "Excellent. Oh yes, there is indeed one more important matter to discuss. Uncle Gu has actually been secretly observing and evaluating you for some time now, especially after you successfully cultivated the 'Way of Defense' technique. Uncle Gu has become very optimistic about your potential and future prospects. After you complete your graduation from the academy, I intend to ask Uncle Gu to formally accept you as his personal disciple."
"You should be fully aware of Uncle Gu's prestigious position and influence within my Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School. Having a Titled Douluo as your personal teacher will make your future cultivation efforts twice as effective and efficient. With such guidance, you may even eventually reach Uncle Gu's incredible level of strength."
Yang Xiong felt genuinely surprised by this revelation. He had indeed vaguely sensed that someone among the sect's higher leadership was paying special attention to his progress, especially based on the quality and quantity of cultivation resources he had been receiving. However, he had never suspected that this person was the legendary Bone Douluo himself.
In the vast Douluo World, Titled Douluos represented the absolute pinnacle of the spirit master world. Each Titled Douluo was considered a giant among mortals, possessing power that could shake nations. The Heaven Dou Empire suffered greatly because their imperial family lacked a Titled Douluo protector, while the Upper Three Sects could never be surpassed or challenged precisely because they had Titled Douluos standing guard over their interests.
"Thank you deeply, Sect Master, for this incredible kindness and opportunity," Yang Xiong said with sincere gratitude. "Thank you to the sect for your continued cultivation and investment in my development, and thank you to Senior Bone Douluo for his attention and consideration. I will work harder than ever to cultivate my abilities and will absolutely not disappoint the sect's expectations."
Ning Fengzhi smiled warmly. "Little Xiong, sometimes you really don't need to be quite so cautious and formal with us. Although the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School may not be completely invincible, we are certainly not an organization that anyone can easily provoke or threaten. A spirit bone is valuable, yes, but there's truly no need to hide such things from us. I simply don't believe that anyone would dare to directly challenge my Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School over a single spirit bone, no matter how precious."
"Always remember what I have told you today - the sect is your true home and family. As long as you never betray the sect's trust and loyalty, the sect will do everything in its power to obtain any resources you might want or need, even the highest quality spirit rings and spirit bones. Moreover, according to our sect's long-established rules and traditions, the sect will never covet or attempt to claim your personal opportunities and discoveries."
Yang Xiong quickly expressed his gratitude once more. "Thank you so much, Sect Master. I will definitely work harder than ever to cultivate my abilities and will do everything in my power to contribute meaningfully to the sect's continued success."
"Little Xiong, all the arrangements for your family's needs during your absence will be properly handled by the sect. Go back home now and prepare everything you'll need for the journey. You should plan to leave early tomorrow morning."
…
After their lengthy conversation concluded, Yang Xiong returned to his family home.
However, the moment Yang Xiong stepped through his front door, the polite smile that had been on his face during the meeting immediately transformed into a much more serious and contemplative expression.
Ning Fengzhi had proven to be far more perceptive and politically skilled than Yang Xiong had initially imagined. The sect master was quite masterful at playing the classic game of offering both rewards and subtle threats - the carrot and stick approach. If Yang Xiong had truly been an ordinary twelve-year-old child, he probably would have immediately bowed down in submission and pledged his complete loyalty after hearing such carefully crafted words.
However, Ning Fengzhi had clearly underestimated Yang Xiong's true nature and capabilities, particularly regarding the incredible secrets he actually possessed. If the sect master knew that Yang Xiong held numerous immortal herbs capable of fundamentally changing the entire balance of power across the Douluo Continent, would he still maintain such a calm and generous demeanor?
Despite these concerns, Yang Xiong had also witnessed firsthand the impressive foundation and thoroughness of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School's operations, especially the sect's genuine willingness to invest significant effort and resources in nurturing young geniuses and talents.
Yang Xiong thought carefully about the situation and realized that attending Shrek Academy would actually provide him with additional strategic benefits beyond just education.
Given Yang Xiong's personality and principles, going to Shrek Academy would very likely lead to conflicts and disagreements with those main characters from the original storyline. When such conflicts inevitably arose, he would be able to observe how Ning Fengzhi would choose to handle the situation and whether the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School would truly prove worthy of his greater effort and loyalty.
Yang Xiong briefly explained the sect's arrangements and plans to his parents, Yang Lin and Sun Yu. After hearing about the comprehensive preparations and protections that had been put in place, they no longer felt worried or concerned about their son going away to school in a distant city.
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