Grand Martial Academy, spacious, bright, and elegantly furnished—a living room brimming with atmosphere. The Grand Elder sat quietly in the main seat, dressed in increasingly inscrutable dark robes. To his left, the Second Elder and Chen Yi were seated. Opposite them sat three important guests: Ning Fengzhi, Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect; Sword Douluo Chen Xin; and Prince Xue Qinghe of the Heaven Dou Empire.
On the surface, the atmosphere seemed harmonious, but undercurrents ran deep. Ning Fengzhi wore a warm smile like a spring breeze, his words sincere as he warmly exchanged greetings with the Grand Elder. From Grand Martial Academy's grandeur to the future landscape of the mainland soul master world, his words were laced with respect and deference toward the Body Sect.
The Grand Elder returned the courtesy with a formulaic smile, neither overly enthusiastic nor cold—responding with measured politeness. Yet, most of his attention wasn't on Ning Fengzhi at all. His vast spiritual power quietly enveloped the entire living room, focusing especially on Prince Xue Qinghe, who maintained a gentle and humble demeanor.
The opening ceremony had lasted only a moment, but even then, the Grand Elder had felt an inexplicable sense of disharmony from Xue Qinghe. At the time, the guests were many and the situation complex, so he hadn't probed deeply. Today, however, with the Crown Prince sent directly to their doors, that strange sense of unease grew ever clearer under his sharp spiritual perception.
Strangely, no matter how carefully the Grand Elder explored with his spiritual power or attempted to probe the martial soul fluctuations, the "Xue Qinghe" before him checked every box for the Heaven Dou prince's Swan martial soul—flawless, with not a single discrepancy. It felt like a perfect work of art; yet, the highest-level appraiser would instinctively sense the lack of a true "soul" or "divinity."
"How interesting..."
A flash of barely perceptible curiosity flickered deep within the Grand Elder's eyes. With his current spiritual cultivation, he stood above the mundane and was not far from the Divine Realm. He could not claim to see through all falsehoods in the world, but it was rare for any disguise to slip past him.
This Xue Qinghe was truly unusual.
At that moment, Ning Fengzhi's words subtly shifted. With perfect timing, an apologetic look appeared on his face as he said:
"Under the wise guidance of the Grand Elder, Sect Young Master Chen, regarding the matter of exchange, there may have been misunderstandings between the Bone Douluo and your sect back in Heaven Dou City. However, Uncle Gu was later shocked by some seniors of the Body Sect, so there was no real conflict—one could say we simply passed each other by, never clashing."
"Fengzhi is here today, and the sect will compensate the two of you accordingly."
As he spoke, Ning Fengzhi rose, bowing his head deeply to the Grand Elder and Chen Yi—lowering himself considerably.
But the moment his body inclined forward, a gentle yet immensely dignified soul power quietly spread out, supporting his movement like an invisible wall so he could not complete the bow of worship.
The Grand Elder waved his hand slightly, his tone calm:
"Sect Master Ning, there's no need for such ceremony. The incident that day was a mere friction between juniors. It's long since passed, and need not be mentioned again."
Ning Fengzhi, feeling the irresistible soul power, could only sit back down, his heart chilled. But his smile remained unchanged as he repeated:
"The Grand Elder is indeed magnanimous."
The three elders and Chen Yi watched the exchange, secretly entertained.
This Ning Fengzhi was indeed worthy of leading the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect—his ability to bend and stretch was truly extraordinary.
Ning Fengzhi then sighed lightly, concern showing on his face as his tone grew deeper:
"With the Grand Elder's wisdom, your sect's rise and the founding of Grand Martial Academy is a monumental and exciting event. However, this great movement will inevitably touch the core interests of the Spirit Hall. Judging by their past behavior, I fear your sect may face significant pressure from them in the future. Fengzhi is truly worried for your sect."
He lamented the strength and dominance of the Spirit Hall, then shifted tone again, solemn and sincere:
"Six years ago, the Clear Sky Sect suddenly sealed its mountains and withdrew from the world. The names of the Three Upper Sects became mere titles. Now, with your sect emerging, its strength surpasses all others. Is this not the will of Heaven?"
"I hope for the Seven Treasure Sect to become the new leader of the Upper Three Sects, to ally with your sect, watch over and support each other, and together resist the pressure from Spirit Hall."
His words sounded sincere, as if he spoke wholly from the perspective of the Body Sect.
But what kind of person was the Grand Elder? After a century of storms, he could see through the ghosts and shadows of the human heart. Ning Fengzhi's intention to use others to fight his battles was as clear as the lines in his palm.
He wanted to push the Body Sect as a shield, drawing Spirit Hall's firepower, with his own sect safely in the rear.
The Grand Elder smiled as before, but spoke frankly. His voice was calm yet held an unquestionable resolve:
"Sect Master Ning, I appreciate your kindness, but my sect does not intend to ally with any power, nor does it care for the so-called 'Upper Three Sects' in name only."
These words directly blocked Ning Fengzhi's proposal—the meaning was clear: do not bother with these tricks.
A trace of disappointment flashed in Ning Fengzhi's eyes, but he quickly concealed it. Seeing the alliance fail, he immediately shifted the topic to Grand Martial Academy itself.
With a concerned expression, he said:
"Since the alliance is not on the table, let's discuss the academy. Grand Martial Academy is newly established, especially the auxiliary department, which is in ruins. Even with Senior Ye Cien supporting it, I worry it may not be enough and could impact student training."
"My Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect has several experienced Soul Saint-level auxiliary soul masters. If your sect does not object, Fengzhi would like to invite them to Grand Martial Academy to aid in its construction and contribute to training soul masters on the mainland."
Ning Fengzhi's words sounded noble, as if selflessly offering help, but in reality, held hidden malice. Sending Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect soul masters into Grand Martial Academy's core education was a means of infiltrating and seeking to control the auxiliary department in the future.
The Grand Elder's eyes flashed coldly upon hearing this, but he didn't respond immediately. Instead, the straightforward Second Elder broke the surface calm, unable to restrain a mocking laugh as he spoke with irony:
"Hah! After more than ten years, Sect Master Ning is as brilliant as ever… What a cunning calculation!"
Feigning surprise, Ning Fengzhi looked at the Second Elder and lowered his hands:
"Dean Hua, please forgive Fengzhi's clumsiness. Just now… I don't recall meeting you before?"
The Second Elder snorted coldly and replied directly:
"Fourteen years ago, under Glass City."
At the same time, a heavy aura radiated from the Second Elder—his unique and powerful soul power instantly awakening dusty memories. Sword Douluo Chen Xin, who had been quietly recovering, suddenly opened his eyes, sensing the formidable presence.
He immediately sent Ning Fengzhi a message.
After receiving Sword Douluo's message, Ning Fengzhi's surprise instantly shifted to a subdued panic—he realized the Second Elder of the Body Sect, who had guarded the Ye family and opposed the Seven Treasure Sect, was this mysterious powerhouse.
This added a major variable to his plans.
He wanted to explain further, but the Grand Elder had reached his limit. Before Ning Fengzhi could speak, he waved his hand directly, his tone still calm:
"Sect Master Ning, Grand Martial Academy's internal affairs are managed by our sect. We are not short on personnel, much less in need of outside interference."
"There's no need to mention this again."
He then picked up his tea bowl, lowered his head slightly, and gently blew on an imaginary tea leaf—a standard gesture to see off a guest.
Ning Fengzhi's prepared words stuck in his throat, his face turning pale. He knew staying would only embarrass himself further. Enduring the stifling and awkward atmosphere, he forced himself to stand, bowing to the two elders and Chen Yi:
"In that case, Fengzhi will take my leave."
Sword Douluo Chen Xin also stood, nodding lightly to the Grand Elder as a gesture of respect.
Prince Xue Qinghe, ever humble and polite, bowed toward the main seat and, with perfect posture, followed Ning Fengzhi and the others out of the living room.
As the three left, the Second Elder could no longer hold back, sneering contemptuously:
"This Ning Fengzhi—does he really see our Body Sect as some undeserved leader? The first among the three sects? All he wants is for us to bear the wrath of the Seven Treasure Sect while he profits in the shadows!"
"Face danger together? Does his Seven Treasure Sect even have the right to discuss retreat and advance with us?"
Chen Yi shook his head as well. If he were truly sincere about "sharing weal and woe," he would offer something tangible, not empty words.
The Grand Elder did not comment on this, but calmly eyed the spot where Ning Fengzhi had been sitting. There, a warm jade pendant lay quietly, engraved with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda insignia—clearly left "accidentally," a gesture for future friendship.
The Grand Elder didn't even touch it, but his heart stirred slightly. An invisible thread of spiritual power swept by.
Crack!
With a sharp sound, the precious jade pendant instantly shattered to dust.
An alliance? The Grand Elder's eyes were indifferent.
The Body Sect had always trusted only its own strength and recognized only true selves.
As for so-called "allies" full of calculation and self-interest—no, thank you.
…
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