The silence that followed Song Qing's words was thick enough to cut with a knife. Ning Fengzhi's usually composed expression was replaced by one of utter astonishment. His teacup remained halfway to his lips, forgotten. Beside him, Bone Douluo's skeletal jaw seemed to drop a fraction, his hollow eyes widening almost imperceptibly.
Hidden in the shadows outside the office, Ghost Douluo's ghostly form flickered erratically, and even the usually composed Chrysanthemum Douluo nearly stumbled out of his carefully concealed position behind a potted plant.
'An Immortal Flower that can evolve the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda… into the Nine Treasure Glaze Tile Pagoda?' Ning Fengzhi thought, his mind racing. 'Is such a thing even possible? The legends… they speak of the Nine Treasure Glaze Tile Pagoda as the pinnacle, but no one in generations has ever achieved it.'
'Her Holiness hasn't said a word about any such flower,' Yue Guan thought, his flowery face etched with disbelief. 'And I pride myself on my knowledge of the botanical world! I've never heard of anything capable of such a miraculous feat!'
'Nine Treasure Glaze Tile Pagoda…' Gui Mei mused, his ghostly form swirling with intrigue. 'If such a thing exists… the implications for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan are unimaginable.'
Meanwhile, Song Qing, completely unfazed by the stunned silence he had created, happily reached for another delicate pastry, a wide, innocent smile on his face. He took a large bite, his cheeks puffing out adorably as he chewed with gusto.
"Mmm, these are really yummy, Master Ning Fengzhi!" he exclaimed between bites, crumbs dusting his chin. "This special flower… even in the Spirit Hall, only I have it." He swallowed, his eyes twinkling mischievously. "I can start providing them in a few years. They need a little more time to grow, you see." He took another bite of pastry, seemingly oblivious to the monumental revelation he had just dropped.
Ning Fengzhi finally managed to set his teacup down, his hand trembling slightly. "Holy Son… are you certain about this? A flower that can truly evolve our spirit?"
Song Qing nodded enthusiastically, his eyes shining with childlike certainty. "Absolutely! It's a very special flower. Once your clan members use it, every single one of them will be able to evolve their Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda into the Nine Treasure Glaze Tile Pagoda! Imagine the power!" He clapped his little hands together, clearly excited by the prospect.
'This child… he speaks with such conviction,' Ning Fengzhi thought, a flicker of hope igniting within him. The possibility, however remote, was intoxicating. The Nine Treasure Glaze Tile Pagoda was the dream of every member of his clan, a legendary state thought to be almost mythical.
"A few years…" Ning Fengzhi murmured, his mind already calculating the potential benefits and the timeframe. He looked at the adorable child in front of him, still happily munching on pastries, and a sense of profound wonder filled him.
Song Qing swallowed the last bite of his pastry and fixed Ning Fengzhi with a gaze that was both cunning and utterly endearing. "So, Master Ning Fengzhi," he said, tilting his head again, his dark eyes wide and seemingly innocent, "wouldn't you agree that forming a strong alliance with the Spirit Hall would be a very wise decision? Especially if it means acquiring this special flower for your entire clan?"
He paused, then added, his tone suddenly turning serious, a hint of steel entering his young voice, "But I wouldn't like it if your clan betrays the Spirit Hall after getting the flowers. I dislike despicable liars the most." His innocent facade momentarily dropped, revealing a glimpse of the ruthless glint that lay beneath.
Ning Fengzhi's breath hitched. The sudden shift in the child's demeanor, the unexpected sharpness in his tone, sent a shiver down his spine.
This was no ordinary eight-year-old. He was intelligent, perceptive, and possessed a cunning that belied his age.
'He's right,' Ning Fengzhi thought, his mind racing. The potential benefits were immense, but the risks were equally significant.
Betraying the Spirit Hall after receiving such a gift would be unthinkable, a move that would undoubtedly lead to the clan's utter destruction.
"Holy Son," Ning Fengzhi said, his voice now filled with a newfound respect, "your proposition is… extraordinary. The evolution of our spirit to the Nine Treasure Glaze Tile Pagoda has been our clan's greatest aspiration for generations. If what you say is true…" He paused, carefully choosing his words. "Then an alliance with the Spirit Hall would indeed be something we would need to consider very seriously."
'An alliance… with the Spirit Hall,' Ning Fengzhi mused, his mind already weighing the pros and cons. The Spirit Hall was a powerful force, their influence stretching across the continent. An alliance could offer his clan unprecedented protection and opportunities, but it would also mean aligning themselves with a power that many viewed with suspicion and even fear.
"Of course," Song Qing chimed in, his adorable smile returning as if the brief moment of seriousness had never occurred, "we can discuss the details later. I just wanted to let you know about this special flower." He reached for another pastry, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "More pastries, Master Ning Fengzhi?"
Ning Fengzhi chuckled, a genuine laugh escaping his lips. This child was truly something else. He had just proposed a potential alliance that could reshape the entire power structure of the continent, and now he was asking for more pastries. "Please, Holy Son, help yourself." He looked at Song Qing with a newfound appreciation and a touch of apprehension. The future, it seemed, had just become a great deal more interesting.
Hidden outside, Yue Guan and Gui Mei exchanged another bewildered glance.
'Did… did he just offer the evolution of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda in exchange for an alliance?' Yue Guan thought, his mind struggling to process the information.
'And he has the means to do it?' Gui Mei responded mentally, his ghostly form swirling with even greater agitation. 'This… this is beyond anything I could have imagined. Her Holiness needs to know about this!'
'But he said he hasn't told her yet,' Yue Guan reminded him. 'This was his own initiative.' They both stared at the closed door of Ning Fengzhi's office, a sense of awe and a growing unease settling over them. Their little Holy Son was clearly far more than just a talented child. He was a force to be reckoned with.
~~
The conversation about the potential alliance and the miraculous Immortal Flower continued for a while longer, with Ning Fengzhi carefully probing Song Qing for more details while trying to maintain a facade of calm professionalism.
Song Qing, in his own childish way, answered some questions vaguely, sometimes giggling and saying it was a secret, further adding to the mystique surrounding the flower.
He did, however, reiterate his promise to provide the flowers in a few years, enough for every member of the Seven Treasure Glaze Tile Clan to evolve their spirits.
Eventually, the tray of pastries was empty, and Song Qing, having thoroughly enjoyed the treats, let out a small yawn. "Sitting with a bunch of old men sure is boring," he muttered, stretching his little arms above his head.
Ning Fengzhi and Bone Douluo exchanged amused glances and chuckled softly, neither taking offense at the child's bluntness. In fact, there was something rather endearing about his straightforwardness.
"Well, Holy Son," Ning Fengzhi said with a warm smile, "if you find our company so dull, perhaps you would prefer to play with someone closer to your age?"
Song Qing's ears perked up. "Play?"
"Yes," Ning Fengzhi replied, his smile widening. "I have a daughter, Ning Rongrong. She is around your age, just a little older. She is back at our clan right now, but I am certain she would be absolutely delighted to have someone to play with. She doesn't often get the chance to interact with children her own age and has very few friends her age."
Song Qing's eyes widened with interest. Ning Rongrong! He remembered her vividly from his fragmented memories – the spirited, talented daughter of Ning Fengzhi. He had wanted to establish a connection with her as well. "Really? She's my age? Where is she?"
"She is currently at our clan headquarters," Ning Fengzhi informed him, his smile gentle. "Would you perhaps like to visit the Seven Treasure Glaze Tile Clan? It's quite a beautiful place, and I'm sure Rongrong would love to meet you."
Song Qing contemplated for a moment, his brow furrowed in thought. Just then, as if summoned by his internal deliberations, two shadowy figures materialized silently beside him. It was Ghost Douluo and Chrysanthemum Douluo.
"Holy Son," Yue Guan said, his voice low and urgent, his gaze fixed on Ning Fengzhi with suspicion, "we must advise against this. Going to the Seven Treasure Glaze Tile Clan could be dangerous. We do not know what their intentions might be."
"Indeed," Gui Mei added, his ghostly form flickering with concern. "Master Ning Fengzhi's intentions are unclear. We cannot risk your safety."
Song Qing frowned slightly, his lower lip jutting out in a childish pout. "But… but even I don't get much of a chance to meet other kids my age who could become my friends! I really wanted to meet this Ning Rongrong." His reason was simple and heartfelt, spoken with the innocent longing of a child.
Ning Fengzhi and Bone Douluo chuckled again, finding his earnestness rather charming. "Rest assured, Holy Son," Ning Fengzhi said soothingly, "we would never dream of harming you. You are our honored guest."
However, the two Spirit Hall Super Douluo remained unconvinced, their worry etched on their faces. They knew their own strength, but infiltrating the heart of the Seven Treasure Glaze Tile Clan, a place undoubtedly filled with powerful Spirit Masters, was a risky proposition, especially with the safety of the Holy Son at stake. They exchanged a tense glance. They had to make Ning Fengzhi understand the gravity of the situation without revealing their secret orders.
Simultaneously, both Gui Mei and Yue Guan locked their gazes with Ning Fengzhi and Bone Douluo, their eyes radiating an intense, almost threatening aura. A silent, powerful spiritual message was transmitted between them.
'Master Ning Fengzhi, Bone Douluo,' Gui Mei's mental voice was cold and sharp. 'We are entrusting that you won't take any foolish actions against the Holy Son. You must understand this: if he has a single scratch while he is under your roof…'
'The Pope will not hesitate,' Yue Guan's mental voice continued, equally chilling, 'to unleash the entire might of the Spirit Hall upon your clan. Consequences will be irrelevant. The Seven Treasure Glaze Tile Clan will be flattened. Do you understand?'
Ning Fengzhi's eyes widened almost imperceptibly, and even the stoic Bone Douluo's brow twitched slightly. The sheer force of the spiritual pressure and the unwavering conviction in the Super Douluo's mental voices sent a jolt of shock through them.
They had known the Spirit Hall valued their Holy Son, but this level of absolute protection was beyond anything they had anticipated.
'Flatten the entire clan… for a single scratch?' Ning Fengzhi thought, a cold sweat breaking out on his forehead despite his composure. He glanced at the innocent-looking child happily fidgeting in his chair. The Spirit Hall's devotion to this boy was terrifying.
Bone Douluo's hollow eyes narrowed slightly as he processed the chilling message. He had faced countless powerful foes in his long life, but the sheer, unadulterated threat conveyed by the two Super Douluo was unlike anything he had experienced.
Ning Fengzhi quickly composed himself, a reassuring smile returning to his face. "Please, Elders," he said, addressing Yue Guan and Gui Mei with utmost sincerity, "you have my word. We would never even consider harming the Holy Son. He is our honored guest, and as he mentioned, he holds something of great value to our clan."
He emphasized the last part, a subtle reminder of the Immortal Flower, a trump card that ensured Song Qing's safety.