In the grand hall of the Soto Spirit Hall, a white-robed deacon named Ma Shan knelt before the black-robed bishop, Field.
"Oh? You're saying there's a genius youth in the Spirit Arena who is invincible among his peers?"
Ma Shan remained kneeling respectfully. The black-robed bishop was not only of high status but also an absolute powerhouse. Rumor had it that Field was just a step away from being promoted to red-robed bishop!
"Yes, Your Excellency. What's most remarkable is that his second soul ring is at the thousand-year level," Ma Shan said, his voice trembling slightly.
When Ma Shan learned that his nephew had been killed by Shen An, he had been plotting how to make Shen An suffer a miserable death.
But after the Spirit Arena promoted Shen An spread, Ma Shan decided to observe Shen An's strength firsthand. What he saw left him hopeless. Knowing Shen An's power, Ma Shan realized that as a Soul Elder, he stood no chance of avenging his nephew.
However, the murder of a relative couldn't go unpunished. So, Ma Shan decided to use someone else's hand to kill, leveraging the power of the Spirit Hall to exact his revenge.
Field's interest was piqued. There were countless geniuses with high combat prowess, but a second soul ring at the thousand-year level was unprecedented.
After a moment of contemplation, Field said, "Then go and recruit him. Such a gem shouldn't be left outside. The path of a soul master is fraught with challenges, and only our Spirit Hall can provide reliable protection."
"Otherwise, the soul master's path can be very dangerous. Since you discovered him, I'll leave this task to you." Field's words carried a hint.
Ma Shan suppressed his excitement. He had achieved the result he wanted. Field's meaning was clear: if recruitment failed, Shen An would meet with an "accident."
All Ma Shan needed to do was provoke a conflict between Shen An and the Spirit Hall. If recruitment failed, the black-robed bishop would swiftly eliminate Shen An, allowing Ma Shan to avenge his nephew.
"Understood, Your Excellency!" Ma Shan bowed deeply once more.
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"I think I've grasped the basics of Three Apertures Controlling the Heart," Shen An muttered excitedly.
After being crushed by Tom's terrifying talent, Shen An had been holding his breath in frustration. Finally, by nightfall, he had grasped the basics of Three Apertures Controlling the Heart.
According to Ning Rongrong, it had taken her over a month to master this. Shen An estimated that his ability to grasp it in an afternoon was due to his unusually strong mental power.
Before this, Shen An had already been able to multitask, simultaneously controlling the Nine-Leaf Sword Grass and its phantom sword in battle. However, sword flight required even more mental energy.
Shen An excitedly extended an invitation: "Rongrong, Tom, I think I've mastered sword flight. Want me to fly you back?"
Ning Rongrong's face stiffened, and she politely declined: "No thanks. You can take Tom. I value my life."
Tom, who had been shaking his head like a rattledrum, also froze. What do you mean, you value your life? Don't I value mine too?
Besides, even if I didn't die from falling, I'd still end up bruised all over.
Seeing the girl and cat so firmly reject his offer, Shen An could only reluctantly say, "Fine, I'll fly back alone. It's much faster anyway."
Shen An summoned the Nine-Leaf Sword Grass, stepped onto it, and after mastering Three Apertures Controlling the Heart, he could skillfully merge his soul power with the sword grass.
A green streak cut through the night sky, leaving trails of light. Shen An excitedly experienced the thrill of flying—a dream come true.
Unlike his cautious flight out of the city earlier, Shen An now felt like an experienced driver, performing various maneuvers in the sky.
The sword flight skill's power depended on Shen An's soul power output.
By controlling his output, Shen An could fly at the speed of a Soul Elder's full sprint for two hours.
Standing on the flying sword, Shen An breathed freely, letting the gentle breeze brush his face. This is amazing!
Ning Rongrong and Tom stood on the ground, dumbfounded as they watched the green streak fade into the night sky.
Ning Rongrong and Tom exchanged a glance, both shrugging helplessly. Well, guess we're walking back.
"Zhuqing, Zhuqing, come out! I've got something fun to show you."
Shen An's clear voice echoed outside the teahouse. Zhu Zhuqing, who had been meditating, immediately noticed and curiously wondered what fun thing Shen An had in store.
The sound came from the roof. Zhu Zhuqing gracefully made her way up and soon stood on the teahouse's rooftop.
There, under the moonlight, she saw Shen An standing on a flying sword.
Shen An reached out to Zhu Zhuqing with a smile. "Zhuqing, I've mastered sword flight, and I can take passengers. Want to give it a try?"
Zhu Zhuqing's eyes flickered, and she nodded slightly without a word, taking Shen An's hand and stepping onto the sword.
Shen An's lips curved into a smile. Ning Rongrong and Tom were too scared to join me. Zhuqing's the best.
"Hold on tight, Zhuqing. We're setting sail!"
Zhuqing's cool and beautiful face froze for a moment before she wrapped her arms around Shen An, holding him slightly tighter. All the minor grievances she had felt earlier vanished.
As Zhu Zhuqing embraced him, Shen An felt an overwhelming softness and warmth against his back, accompanied by a faint fragrance. His heart skipped a beat.
Shen An tried to act nonchalant, calmly saying, "Zhuqing, hold on tight. We're taking off." Yet, a strange feeling began to stir within him.
Behind Shen An, Zhu Zhuqing felt her face heat up, her heart racing.
Though she knew Ning Rongrong and Shen An were just friends, seeing them go out alone had left her feeling unhappy.
All day, she had been overthinking, unable to focus on her meditation.
Zhu Zhuqing was vaguely aware that she had developed a fondness for Shen An, even a sense of possessiveness.
When Shen An left her sight to spend time with another girl, even if it was for training, Zhu Zhuqing couldn't help but feel deeply unhappy.
It was as if someone she cherished was slipping away, heading toward someone else. This thought filled Zhu Zhuqing with panic.
So, when Shen An extended the invitation, Zhu Zhuqing didn't hesitate. She stepped onto the sword and even made such a bold move.
The green streak cut through the sky. Shen An tried to focus on controlling the sword, but he couldn't ignore the astonishing softness and warmth behind him.
"Shen An~" Zhu Zhuqing called softly.
"Hmm? What is it, Zhuqing?"
"Nothing. It's just… the moonlight is so beautiful tonight, and the wind feels so gentle."
"Yeah, it's comfortable," Shen An replied.
Zhu Zhuqing didn't say more, only tightening her embrace. Shen An fell silent as well, and the two enjoyed the serene night together.
"It's Tom and Rongrong. They're walking back too," Shen An said, his keen eyes spotting Ning Rongrong carrying Tom into the city.
Ning Rongrong wasn't exactly the most diligent person, but Tom's exaggerated performance—staggering after a few steps, even panting with its tongue out—had softened her heart. She had decided to carry Tom back.
Ning Rongrong muttered complaints: "Stupid Shen An, flying off without coming back for us. This long walk is exhausting."
Tom, hearing this, first tilted its head with a mischievous smile, then immediately straightened up and nodded obediently, as if in full agreement.
A cat pretending to be tired gets carried. Since Ning Rongrong's already carrying me, I might as well go along with it.
Zhu Zhuqing, hearing Shen An's words, flickered her eyes and said, "Shen An, maybe we should go down and meet them. Rongrong must be tired from carrying Tom."
Shen An didn't think much of it and immediately descended.
In an instant, they were in front of Ning Rongrong.
Ning Rongrong, seeing Zhu Zhuqing embracing Shen An on the flying sword, suddenly turned pale. Her heart trembled, and an indescribable feeling spread through her chest.