Chapter 37: Ning Fengzhi

Shi Quan's wooden hut was not large; inside, there was only a bed, a desk, and a bookshelf, decorated simply and plainly.

The three of them sat down casually.

After sitting down, Ning Fengzhi went straight to the point: "Xiao Quan, I have actually come to visit today because I have a request."

Shi Quan's eyes flickered, and he hurriedly said, "Uncle Ning, please speak freely. No matter what it is, I will certainly do my utmost to fulfill it."

"With those words from you, I feel much more at ease." Ning Fengzhi gave a faint smile and continued, "I have heard of your Blue Silver Grass theory—that a martial soul can undergo a transformation after birth to enhance one's innate talent. Such a feat can be called unique in the world. I would like to know, can your Blue Silver Grass theory be applied to other martial souls?"

"As expected." Hearing Ning Fengzhi say this, Shi Quan understood his intent and said, "Uncle Ning, as of now, my Blue Silver Grass theory is only applicable to my own Blue Silver Grass martial soul. Whether it applies to other martial souls, I am not certain, because every martial soul has its own characteristics, and the characteristics of the Blue Silver Grass are almost unique. However, one thing is certain: regardless of the martial soul or one's own talent, besides innate awakening, one can also make up for innate deficiencies through acquired effort; it is just that the methods for doing so must be discovered through our own hard work."

Upon hearing the first part of Shi Quan's words, Ning Fengzhi's eyes dimmed significantly, but after hearing the latter part, the light in the depths of his eyes brightened again, and the look he gave Shi Quan held a bit more approval.

"Xiao Quan, you are right. I also believe that innate deficiencies can be made up for through acquired effort!" Ning Fengzhi nodded in deep agreement and asked, "Xiao Quan, how much do you know about the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda martial soul?"

"Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda?" Shi Quan shook his head gently and said, "Uncle Ning, isn't that your martial soul? I only know that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda is the world's number one support martial soul, possessing powerful support abilities far exceeding those of the same level."

Upon hearing Shi Quan's praise, Ning Fengzhi did not feel proud; instead, he sighed and said, "The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda is indeed the world's number one support martial soul, but the heavens are fair. Although the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda possesses the most powerful support abilities, it has also paid a huge price."

"Isn't it just that you can't advance to an eight-ring Spirit Douluo? Why put on such an act?" Looking at Ning Fengzhi's hesitant expression, Shi Quan muttered to himself, but on the surface, he had to pretend to be puzzled as he looked at Ning Fengzhi. "A price?"

"One can never advance to an eight-ring Spirit Douluo in one's lifetime." Speaking of this, Ning Fengzhi was filled with sorrow.

"Unable to reach a Breakthrough to the eighth ring? How can that be?" Shi Quan looked at Ning Fengzhi in shock.

"Xiao Quan, do you know why the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda can only be called the 'Seven Treasure'?"

After a light sigh, Ning Fengzhi summoned his martial soul. A glazed pagoda emitting seven-colored light appeared in his hand, and beneath him, seven soul rings—yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black—quietly emerged.

"Because the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda only has seven levels, and each level of the glazed pagoda can only bear one soul ring, so absorbing seven soul rings is the limit for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda."

Shi Quan looked at the brilliant and colorful Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda before him; if nothing else, this martial soul was truly beautiful.

"Uncle Ning, do you mean you want me to help you find a way to help the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda martial soul evolve and transform? To allow it to absorb more soul rings?"

Ning Fengzhi slowly retracted his right hand and nodded, saying, "That's right. In fact, records in the ancient books of my Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect mention that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda can evolve. Above the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, there exist the Eight Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda and the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda. Unfortunately, the ancient books do not specifically mention the exact method for martial soul evolution. Our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect has always been researching and searching for a way to evolve the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, but the results have been minimal."

At this point, a bitter smile could not help but appear at the corners of Ning Fengzhi's mouth, and his gaze toward Shi Quan carried a hint of expectation.

In order to pursue this method of evolving into the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect could be said to have exhausted all efforts, but as Ning Fengzhi said, the results were minimal; let alone the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, they couldn't even evolve an Eight Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda.

Therefore, now, when facing any opportunity, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect would grasp it tightly. Even though the person before them was only a ten-year-old boy, as the Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, one of the Three Upper Sects, he still set aside his status to come here specifically to visit, hoping to seek a glimmer of hope from this genius theoretical youth.

With a sincere expression, Ning Fengzhi looked at Shi Quan and said, "Xiao Quan, you were able to research the evolution method for the Blue Silver Grass martial soul, and it is this point that gave me hope. Therefore, I would like to ask you to help the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect research the evolution method for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda."

"The Eight Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda and the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda?" Shi Quan murmured softly, then said, "Uncle Ning, please rest assured. I am now aware of this matter, and I will do my best to help you research the evolution method for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda. However, you also know that my current research is mainly focused on Plant Spirits and extreme soul rings. Currently, I don't know much about gemstone-type martial souls, so I will have to trouble you to help me collect more information about gemstone-type martial souls. If possible, please also give me a copy of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's research data on the evolution methods of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda from past generations; that will facilitate my research."

Whether it can actually be researched is one thing, but at the very least, the words must sound pleasant and sincere.

Seeing Shi Quan agree, a smile appeared on the corner of Ning Fengzhi's mouth. "Xiao Quan, then I will trouble you. I will have the things you need prepared. It is indeed troublesome to ask for your help upon our first meeting; please accept this."

As he spoke, Ning Fengzhi took off a silver-white bracelet from his hand and handed it to Shi Quan. The bracelet was inlaid with several snow-white gemstones, the whole body was silver with white patterns, and it looked very exquisite.

Shi Quan hurriedly waved his hand to refuse. "Uncle Ning, you are too polite. I cannot accept this gift; after all, I haven't helped with anything yet."

Ning Fengzhi's expression became solemn, and he said righteously, "Xiao Quan, you are being too distant. You already call me Uncle Ning; as an elder, how can I not give a greeting gift? It's nothing special, just take it. If you can help the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect research the evolution method for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda in the future, then you will be a benefactor to the entire Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. At that time, I will prepare a grand gift for you."

"Then thank you, Uncle Ning." Shi Quan did not push the matter further and took the bracelet from Ning Fengzhi's hand.

Ning Fengzhi introduced it: "Xiao Quan, this bracelet is called the Snow Jade Bracelet, and it is a Soul Guidance Device. Each gemstone on it provides ten square meters of Storage Space. You only need to inject soul power to put items in or take them out."

Shi Quan looked at the five snow-white, jade-like gemstones on the bracelet and thought to himself, "This Ning Fengzhi is truly generous."

Tang San's Twenty-Four Moonlit Bridges has twenty-four jade stones, each with a storage space of one cubic meter, totaling only twenty-four cubic meters of storage. Such a Soul Guidance Device already belongs to the top tier of Soul Guidance Devices.

And the Snow Jade Bracelet given by Ning Fengzhi provides ten cubic meters of storage space per stone; five stones make fifty cubic meters.

It is not just the size of the Storage Space.

A bracelet versus a belt—there is also a clear difference in the size of the Soul Guidance Device itself.

This Snow Jade Bracelet is definitely a top-tier Soul Guidance Device today, and its value is likely worth millions of Gold Soul Coins. Such an item was given away as a mere greeting gift, and even called "nothing special."

Humblebragging at its finest.

Although the Snow Jade Bracelet was of no use to Shi Quan, at the very least, it could serve as a cover for his Hundred Treasure Bag. Now he could use the Hundred Treasure Bag to store things at will without fear of being suspected.

Shi Quan put on a delighted expression and said excitedly, "In this world, I fear only you, Uncle Ning, would dare to call such a good thing 'nothing special'."

"Haha." Ning Fengzhi laughed heartily and said, "Xiao Quan, as long as you like it. We don't have other things, but our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is rich. Anything that can be bought with money is just that—truly precious things cannot be measured by money."

"Uncle Ning, you are right." Shi Quan responded with a smile, giving Ning Fengzhi a thumbs-up in his heart.

Rich and willful.

This is also a unique talent of gemstone-type martial souls: appraisal. Like Ning Fengzhi, a level 79 gemstone-type martial soul owner, his appraisal skills can now be called the best in the world. Even if he cannot recognize the specific origin of an item, he can roughly evaluate and identify the value and extraordinary nature of the item.

However, this "best" is only temporary; later, after Ning Rongrong's martial soul evolves into the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, her appraisal ability will surpass Ning Fengzhi's.

After finishing the serious business, the three chatted for a long time, and it was not until after lunch that Ning Fengzhi and Xue Qinghe took their leave.

That afternoon, people from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect came again, pulling a full carriage of books about gemstone-type martial souls.

The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect has been researching the evolution method of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda martial soul for years, so their data on gemstone-type martial souls is definitely the most complete on the continent. However, in terms of comprehensive Spirit Theory, the most complete is still the Spirit Hall.

If it weren't for the Snow Jade Bracelet, Shi Quan really wouldn't know how to handle so many books. Now, he could simply and directly store all the books into the Snow Jade Bracelet.

If one were to talk about the evolution method for the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, the simplest one is the Immortal Herb, the Tulip of Romance.

However, an Immortal Herb is almost a unique existence, and for the entire Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, it is merely treating the symptoms, not the root cause.

Regarding the Tulip of Romance, the original work describes it as being able to absorb the essence of heaven and earth and the radiance of the sun and moon.

If analyzed this way, the essence of heaven and earth and the radiance of the sun and moon are extremely compatible with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda martial soul. If one could use special means to condense the essence of heaven and earth and absorb the radiance of the sun and moon, transforming these two into a special energy to nourish the owner of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, then the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda might be able to transform and advance...

(End of chapter)