Chapter 54: Ning Fengzhi's Arrival
Before Shi Yi could react, Ning Rongrong, standing nearby, heard the familiar voice and instantly turned her gaze.
"Dad!" Ning Rongrong smiled, quickly sheathing her spirit and running towards the newcomer.
An elegant middle-aged man, followed by two elders, knew their identities clearly at Ning Rongrong's call.
Ning Rongrong, oblivious to the fact she was still within Zhao Wuji's gravity field, stumbled forward.
Instantly, an elder appeared before Ning Rongrong and lifted her up.
"My little princess, have you missed Grandpa Bone all this time?" Gu Rong chuckled.
Ning Rongrong nodded delightedly, saying, "Of course, Grandpa Bone."
Zhao Wuji quickly dispelled the gravity field and, along with Shi Yi and Zhu Zhuqing, greeted them.
"Greetings, Sect Master Ning, and the two seniors," Zhao Wuji bowed to the three.
Jian Gu and the other two nodded in response. Ning Fengzhi, a warm smile on his face, said softly, "You're welcome, Teacher Zhao. My daughter has been so well cared for by the Shrek teachers, and I've come to see her."
Zhao Wuji also smiled brightly and said, "Since Sect Master Ning has come in person, and Rongrong has coincidentally reached level 30 a few days ago, it's a good opportunity to give Rongrong a break. Let's stay home for a while, and it'll save us teachers some trouble."
Ning Fengzhi and the other two smiled and nodded. Ning Rongrong had only been at Shrek for half a year, and this was a very good achievement. Reaching level three in half a year was much better than being in a sect.
Gu Rong, holding Ning Rongrong, noticed that the little princess in his arms was much stronger than before.
"To be precise, I broke through level 30 a month ago. Xiao Yi said my situation is special, so I can hold off on absorbing spirit rings for now," Ning Rongrong said proudly, playing with Gu Rong's beard.
Hearing this, the three of them looked even more surprised. Seeing their surprised expressions, Ning Rongrong smiled at Gu Rong and said, "Grandpa Guto, has Rongrong made great progress?"
Gu Rong also smiled and nodded, "Yes, yes, our little princess has grown up."
Shi Yi bowed slightly to Ning Fengzhi and said, "Hello, Uncle Ning, two grandpas."
A hint of surprise flashed in Chen Xin and Gu Rong's eyes. The two of them looked at Shi Yi with interest. No one had dared to claim kinship with them so directly.
Hearing Shi Yi's intimate address, Ning Fengzhi chuckled and nodded, saying, "You're welcome. You use the chaotic cloak very well. At this age, I'm afraid they are far inferior to the direct disciples of Haotian Sect. I wonder who your master is..."
Shi Yi also smiled and said, "Uncle Ning, you are too kind. I have nothing to do with Haotian Sect. As for the chaotic cloak, I got it by learning blacksmithing from my junior brother. His name is Tang San, and as for my master, it is Yu Xiaogang."
A gleam of light flashed in Ning Fengzhi's eyes, and he smiled and nodded. Yu and Tang, the answer is already very obvious. Haotian Sect is currently in a closed state, and the only disciple stranded outside is Tang Hao.
At that moment, Ning Rongrong leaped off the ancient banyan tree and ran to Ning Fengzhi, taking his arm. She said, "Dad, I'd like to invite Xiaoyi and Zhuqing to visit the sect. Is that okay?"
Ning Fengzhi smiled and nodded, "Of course, Rongrong."
Zhu Zhuqing seemed hesitant. She understood Ning Rongrong's invitation was well-intentioned, but right now, she wasn't in the mood to spend her time on such a thing.
Shi Yi, sensing Zhu Zhuqing's intention, leaned closer and whispered, "It would be nice to visit and encourage Rongrong's cultivation."
Zhu Zhuqing glanced at Shi Yi, a smile spreading across her pretty face. Ning Fengzhi and the other two, who had excellent hearing, also smiled.
Watching the two whispering, Ning Rongrong asked suspiciously, "Were you discussing something bad just now?"
"Nothing. I was just trying to persuade Zhuqing. And there are still some things I told you about that could be improved. Uncle Ning and the two seniors could offer some advice," Shi Yi chuckled.
"Oh?" Ning Fengzhi's eyes flashed.
Seeing this, Zhao Wuji felt it was almost time, so he said to the three of them, "The academy is busy, so I, Old Zhao, won't disturb Sect Master Ning and the two seniors from spending time with Rongrong."
After waiting for Ning Fengzhi's nod, Zhao Wuji slowly left.
"Then I'll take you and the other children for a stroll around Tiandou City. Daddy finished all the sect's business yesterday so you could be with me." Ning Fengzhi patted Ning Rongrong's head and smiled.
Ning Rongrong's eyes lit up with joy. She had been wanting to explore the area for a while since returning, but with so much going on at the academy, she hadn't had the chance.
Ning Fengzhi and the others then left the academy with Shi Yi and the other two. Ning Rongrong held Ning Fengzhi's arm as they wandered through Tiandou City's commercial streets.
Shi Yi, Zhu Zhuqing, and Jian Gu followed silently behind.
Zhu Zhuqing watched Ning Rongrong skipping and jumping, holding her father's hand, a flicker of envy in her eyes. Born into such a family, Zhu Zhuqing was already fortunate. At least she had excellent talent and the opportunity to strive for it. As for family affection, it was too much of a luxury for them.
Shi Yi, observing this scene, was also deeply moved. Having been an orphan twice, he had never experienced such a feeling before. He then said softly, "Uncle Ning, as the head of a clan, still manages to find time to go shopping with Rongrong. It's truly rare."
Zhu Zhuqing nodded. Chen Xin, hearing this, also showed emotion, as if recalling something. Gu Rong, who had been secretly observing Zhu Zhuqing and Shi Yi, had a touch of emotion in his calm eyes. His years of experience had made him realize the specialness of these two children around him.
Soon, everyone arrived at a special place.
Ning Rongrong introduced Shi Yi and Zhu Zhuqing, saying, "This is the largest auction house in Tiandou. They often sell interesting items. Let's go check it out. Dad's treating today."
At the end, Ning Rongrong glanced at Shi Yi with amusement. She wondered if he would ask for as much in front of his father as he did with her.
Ning Fengzhi smiled and said, "Xiaoyi, Zhuqing, if there's anything you want, feel free to ask."
Zhu Zhuqing nodded, dismissing the remark. Shi Yi smiled at Ning Rongrong and said to Ning Fengzhi, "Thank you, Uncle Ning."
Zhu Zhuqing, standing next to Shi Yi, rolled her eyes and subconsciously moved closer to Ning Rongrong, as if to say Shi Yi was embarrassing himself.
Chen Xin and Gu Rong also watched Shi Yi with interest.
Led by the leader of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, the group approached when a sharp-eyed receptionist approached and ushered them in.
The scene upon entering dazzled Shi Yi. The waitresses were all women, with slender figures, dressed in white, sleeveless, open-front dresses. The short hems barely reached their waists, revealing their snow-white thighs. Combined with their white high heels, the scene before him was nothing short of captivating.
Shi Yi, looking at the coolly dressed waitresses, felt a surge of emotion, exclaiming, "Damn aristocrats! They really know how to have fun! I love it."
Zhu Zhuqing noticed Shi Yi's gaze drifting, followed his gaze, and saw the white patch. A blush spread across her pretty face, and she silently cursed Shi Yi for his vulgarity.
However, once inside the VIP room, the waitresses, noticing that Shi Yi and the others were still teenagers, tactfully withdrew.
While waiting for the auction to begin, Ning Fengzhi chatted with Ning Rongrong and the others about the interesting events of the past six months, most of which involved Shi Yi and Zhu Zhuqing.
"Don't you have other students in your academy? Apart from Xiaoyi and Zhuqing, isn't there anything interesting going on with the others?" Ning Fengzhi chuckled at Ning Rongrong.
Ning Rongrong curled her lips and said to Ning Fengzhi, "Dad, don't mention it. Apart from Xiaoyi and Zhuqing, the other students in the academy aren't normal."
Shi Yi smiled and said, "That's not true. It's just that I'm in charge of your training and have more contact with you. The others are all geniuses, but geniuses naturally have some unique qualities."
Ning Fengzhi and the other two glanced at Shi Yi in surprise. They had thought that Ning Rongrong's training was arranged by the Shrek teachers, but they had no idea that it was actually Shi Yi who arranged it.
Ning Rongrong rolled her eyes at Shi Yi and said, "That fat guy used to party every night, wasn't he the most unusual? I see he's perfectly healthy when he's training."
Shi Yi smiled and said nothing more. Judging Shrek's students by common sense, only Zhu Zhuqing would pass muster. Even Ning Rongrong had issues when she first arrived, and he himself had secretly murdered Xiao Wu.
"It seems Xiao Yi has potential as a teacher," Ning Fengzhi said, taking up the conversation.
"Xiao Yi is a teacher at Shrek. Even the other teachers recognize Xiao Yi's theoretical knowledge. Even the Master isn't as good as Xiao Yi," Ning Rongrong blurted out.
"Oh? Xiao Yi truly surpasses his teacher," Ning Fengzhi said with a smile.
Shi Yi quickly said, "I wouldn't dare. If it weren't for my teacher, I wouldn't have been able to learn so much. As the saying goes, there's no first in literature, and no second in martial arts. It's simply that my research direction differs from yours. My research leans more towards practical applications, and many of my achievements are based on your theoretical foundations."
A flicker of admiration flashed in Gu Rong and Chen Xin's eyes. Shi Yi's information had long been on Ning Fengzhi's desk. Even the most clueless of them knew that Shi Yi's achievement, from the first level of Xiantian cultivation, was largely due to his own hard work. Yet, despite his achievements, Shi Yi remained unconceited, humbly giving credit to his teacher.
As they chatted, the auction gradually began. Shi Yi looked around but didn't see anything that piqued his interest. Ning Rongrong, however, bought quite a few.
Ning Rongrong looked at Shi Yi with amusement, "Why are you so polite today? I'm a little uncomfortable with your politeness."
Ning Fengzhi also smiled, "Little Yi doesn't seem interested in these things."
Shi Yi smiled, "Although the items sold at the auction are rare and precious, other than storage soul guides, these other items are not of much significance to soul masters. However, it has broadened my horizons."
Ning Rongrong nodded and said, "Indeed, there's really nothing to buy."
Just as Ning Rongrong was about to leave, the host on the stage, holding a megaphone and smiling at the bidders, announced, "Next, we will auction a rare and precious item. Interested parties, please pay attention. Especially male guests."
Shi Yi's attention was instantly drawn to the host's words. He could probably guess what was going to be auctioned next. Even if he couldn't buy it, it was good to take a look.
Ning Fengzhi couldn't help but smile at this. After all, he had been through the same youth. How could a family or a sect prosper without people?
Gu Rong Chenxin must be his elder, otherwise he wouldn't have transformed the Seven Killing Sword and the Bone Dragon into the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect's representative spirits.
The host gestured to the audience, and a graceful woman wheeled up a cart, bringing up a series of enormous plates. The plates were covered with red cloth, bulging so that the contents were invisible.
Shi Yi was surprised to see the irregular bulges of the red cloth. It wasn't what he'd expected, but besides a woman, what else could a man stop to see?
Ning Fengzhi smiled faintly. He'd attended auctions like this many times, and there were only so many items available.
Shi Yi watched the host with interest, quietly waiting for the answer.
The host said mysteriously, "Can anyone guess what this is? Let me reveal the reserve price to you, our distinguished guests. The starting price for this item is 100,000 Gold Soul Coins. Each bid must be no less than 10,000 Gold Soul Coins. This is the best of the best."
"Now, please take a closer look, distinguished guests," the host said, grabbing the red cloth and yanking it off.
On the cart's tray lay a massive black object.
"I'm sure everyone here knows what this is. Yes, it's whale glue..."
Shi Yi's face lit up with surprise when he heard the word whale glue. This was truly valuable. Shi Yi had been planning to use it to boost his spirit ring cap before breaking through level 40.
In the pre-Cultivation era of Dou Yi, whale glue's usefulness was unknown; most nobles still used it for sexual intercourse.
"This piece of whale glue was crafted from a whale spirit beast over 60,000 years old, by a Soul Douluo-level expert, from the empire's largest port city, Hanhai City. Distinguished guests, what are you waiting for? Let the women experience your true power!"
As the auctioneer, stimulating the atmosphere and the enthusiasm of the bidders was a must, and he clearly succeeded in igniting their passion.
Ning Rongrong was also playful: "You didn't see what you wanted to see, did you? By the way, you asked me for a piece of this thing before, what did you do with it?"
Shi Yi ignored Ning Rongrong's teasing and said to Ning Fengzhi: "Uncle Ning, I want this, take a look..."
Ning Fengzhi looked strange when he heard it, and said: "Xiao Yi, you are young and strong, so there are no hidden dangers in your body, right?"
Shi Yi shook his head slightly, and took out the piece of whale glue that Ning Rongrong had given him from his soul guide. He said: "This is a good thing, and it has a lot to do with Rongrong's absorption of the soul ring. Buy it first, and I will tell you in detail."
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(End of this chapter)