Chapter 152: The Path She Chose
When Ning Tian announced her intention to travel to the Sun Moon Empire, the shocked voice of the Nine Treasures Glazed Sect's leader rang out from the soul guide communicator.
"What did you say? You're going to the Sun Moon Empire as an exchange student?"
"Yes, Father," Ning Tian replied calmly. "I've been at Shrek for a long time, but not only have we failed to achieve our goal, Feng Mei also got into trouble. There's no longer any meaning in staying here. So I want to visit the Sun Moon Empire."
"Tian'er, it's because your father is incompetent…" the Sect Leader sighed. "But Shrek is the number one academy on the continent. Only there can you find the strongest soul masters—and most likely, a suitable partner."
His voice was earnest. As members of the auxiliary system, their strength didn't lie in direct combat. Their true potential could only be unlocked with a strong partner. For others, a powerful partner might be optional, but for auxiliary-type soul masters, it was essential.
Only by finding a powerful soulmate could their safety—and that of their offspring—be secured. That was why he had insisted on sending Ning Tian to Shrek Academy. Among its many geniuses, she was bound to find someone suitable.
"No, Father," Ning Tian said firmly. "I've already seen all that Shrek has to offer. The most talented person here is Xiao Xiao, but she's a girl and can't be considered. The most outstanding boys are Dai Huabin and Wang Dong. From the previous generation, there are Beibei, Xu Sanshi, and He Caitou. And before them, there was Dai Yueheng, one of the last Shrek Seven Devils."
"Dai Huabin already has Zhu Lu. Their martial souls are compatible and they can perform a fusion skill together. Wang Dong has no partner, but I've tried to get close to him. He avoids all women. It's like he dislikes them."
"Beibei and Xu Sanshi already have people they love, and Xu Sanshi belongs to another sect anyway. They're not options either. As for He Caitou…" she hesitated and shook her head. "For the sake of the sect, I could accept someone like He Caitou. But his talent isn't the strongest, maybe even a bit average. Even if I forced myself to accept him, he can't give me a strong sense of security."
"Shrek Academy's soul tools aren't as advanced. With enough resources, he may do fine until the seventh ring. But beyond that? Without high-level soul tools, his achievements will hit a ceiling—both as a soul master and a soul engineer."
"As for Dai Yueheng, he would have been the best candidate. But after the last All-Continent High-Level Soul Master Competition, he's been injured and recovering for months. He even dropped out of Shrek Academy."
She sighed. "There's no suitable partner left in Shrek. Staying here is pointless. That's why I want to take this opportunity to go to the Sun Moon Empire."
"Best case scenario, I'll establish a connection with one of their top geniuses. At worst, we might still manage to purchase advanced soul tools from the Sun Moon Empire to strengthen the sect's defenses."
The Sect Leader was silent for a moment, then asked thoughtfully, "The genius of the Sun Moon Empire? Do you already have someone in mind?"
"The best possibility would be to form a partnership with Xiao Qiang," Ning Tian said without hesitation. "At just fifteen, he's already a five-ring Soul King. He surpassed Dai Yueheng, who only reached level 64 at nineteen. The only other person with such overwhelming talent in history was Senior Tang San, ten thousand years ago."
"He didn't compete at the age he was supposed to—but when he did fight, he defeated Dai Yueheng, the continent's most recognized genius in his age group. All of this… it's too similar to what happened ten thousand years ago."
"How confident are you?" her father asked cautiously.
Ning Tian shook her head. "I'm not sure. We've never even met formally. There's no emotional foundation yet, and…"
She hesitated again. The words she didn't want to say were ones she could no longer avoid.
"Compared to me, Meng Hongchen, who is the same age as him, is clearly better. She's the granddaughter of the Mingde Hall Master. Their wealth and strength remind me of how powerful we were when we were still the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect. But Meng Hongchen is far less arrogant than our ancestor Ning Rongrong."
"There are things I don't want to admit, but I truly have no advantage over Meng Hongchen."
"Even so, you still want to go?" the Sect Leader asked softly.
"Some truths can only be found through experience," Ning Tian answered. "I can fail along the way, but I can't fail without trying. Besides… if he does hold any affection for me, I'm willing to be his concubine, if necessary."
"What did you say?" Her father's voice was filled with disbelief.
"Father, Sister Feng is gone. The Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect no longer has any real foundation. We're soul masters with auxiliary martial souls. We can't keep living in the glory of ten thousand years ago."
There was silence on the other end of the soul guide communicator.
"…Do you like him?" he finally asked.
"He has talent, strength, and he's good-looking," Ning Tian said honestly. "But to say I truly like him… I can't. We've hardly spoken. I don't even know what kind of person he really is."
"But based on his strength, potential, and presence, I'm drawn to him. He's worth investing in. If we can win him over, great. If not, being his concubine would still allow us to ensure his protection. If things go worse, I'll at least be able to bear his child and let that bloodline protect the Glazed Pagoda in the future."
"He beat Dai Yueheng because of that top-tier spirit bone. But if he didn't have the top-tier talent to match, he wouldn't have been given the bone in the first place. For Jing Hongchen to gift that bone to someone when he already has grandchildren—it shows just how terrifying Xiao Qiang's potential really is."
"…You've worked hard," her father finally said, voice low with mixed feelings.
He understood everything she was saying. As a sect leader, he was proud of her for putting the sect first. But as her father, it broke his heart.
"I understand. I'll inform Shrek," he said quietly.
In the Sea God Pavilion of Shrek Academy, Yan Shaozhe stood respectfully, handing a list of names to Elder Mu.
"Teacher, this is the list of those going on the exchange program. Ning Tian, Lan Susu, and Lan Luoluo have been added last. Please take a look…"
"Let them go," Elder Mu said after glancing at the list. "After going through such an ordeal, it's good for them to change their environment for a while."
"But Teacher," Yan Shaozhe hesitated, "after what happened, I'm worried they may hold resentment toward the academy."
"After all that, who wouldn't be dissatisfied?" Elder Mu said with a sigh. "Let them go. As long as they still want to be soul masters, they are Shrek's people. Besides…"
With their talents, even if only one of them reaches the level of Soul Douluo, it will still be a blessing for Shrek.