"So, you came to me to rebuild the Spirit Hall?"
"No, of course not."
Pan Huai shook his head. Although his name was Huaiwu, what he cherished was never the Spirit Hall, but the Thousand Ancient Family during the Spirit Hall era.
"I want to invite you back to the Family, to revitalize my Thousand Ancient Family, and let the might of my Coiling Dragon Staff Spirit reappear on the Douluo Continent."
Wang Nan could sense that when Pan Huai spoke, he seemed to transform into a different person, with a clear trace of fanaticism in his eyes.
"I cannot agree to that." Wang Nan shook his head.
Given the reputation of the Spirit Hall, anything related to it would inevitably attract the attention of many people or forces. No one would want to see the Spirit Hall reemerge on the Douluo Continent.
Moreover, whether establishing a force or a Family, manpower and financial resources were indispensable.
Through his mental force perception, Wang Nan could sense that Pan Huai possessed spirit power, but at most, he was a Seven-Ring Spirit Saint.
Such cultivation might be enough to establish a small sect, but it was far from sufficient to rebuild the Thousand Ancient Family from ten thousand years ago.
Furthermore, this was Wang Nan's first time meeting Pan Huai, so it was impossible for him to truly become a member of the Thousand Ancient Family and lead its development based solely on these words.
Pan Huai wasn't too surprised by Wang Nan's response.
"If you are unwilling to return to the Family with me, could I ask for a favor? To help our Thousand Ancient Family retrieve our ancestors' relics?"
"Anything found within the ancestors' relics, I will split evenly with you. Even if we ultimately find nothing, I will still provide you with a reward."
Wang Nan looked at Pan Huai seriously again.
It must be said that Pan Huai understood the art of negotiation. First, he proposed a condition that Wang Nan would almost certainly not agree to. After Wang Nan's refusal, he retreated a step and then revealed his own chips.
Wang Nan suspected that Pan Huai's true purpose in coming to him was more about the ancestors' relics than having him join the Thousand Ancient Family as he claimed.
"Can you tell me what these ancestors' relics are, and why must it be me?"
Pan Huai nodded but glanced around.
"Alright, let's go to Shrek City and find a less crowded place to talk." Wang Nan also understood Pan Huai's meaning.
There were many people here, and it was Shrek Academy, which did not have a good relationship with the Spirit Hall. Pan Huai would naturally not speak easily about such matters.
They arrived in Shrek City, and Wang Nan led Pan Huai and Pan Yang into a private room in a teahouse. Looking out from the window of the private room, they could even see Shrek Academy Elder Lin Huiqun's property, Jubao Pavilion, across the street.
Most of the people who came here were not simply for tea. Shrek City did not belong to any major empire, and for this reason, many people used it to conduct business and the like.
This relatively private environment was the most suitable place for conversation.
"Now, can you tell me?" After the teahouse attendant served the tea and closed the private room door, Wang Nan finally spoke.
Pan Huai nodded. "Two of my Qian Family ancestors once lived in seclusion for a period before their deaths. To avoid further calamity and to allow their descendants to live anonymously, they left behind some things."
"These things were left in the place where they lived in seclusion, but only those who have awakened the Dragon Soul within the Coiling Dragon Staff can enter that place."
Fearing Wang Nan wouldn't believe him, Pan Huai revealed his spirit. Like Pan Yang, it was a green Coiling Dragon Staff with seven spirit rings—yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black—constantly pulsating.
Wang Nan looked at Pan Huai and spoke with some doubt. "According to what you said, has no one awakened the spirit within the Coiling Dragon Staff for ten thousand years?"
"Alas, actually, there have been," Pan Huai sighed. "Initially, almost everyone in the Family could awaken the Dragon Soul, but at that time, the Family members were still living in seclusion, and no one thought of seeking the ancestors' relics."
"And later, fewer and fewer people could awaken the Dragon Soul. Until now, even among our direct descendants, such people rarely appear. If I hadn't coincidentally met you, perhaps the story of the Thousand Ancient Family would only be passed down for a little longer."
"So, where is this place you speak of?"
It must be said that Wang Nan was somewhat moved.
The relics of two Titled Douluo, and both had the Coiling Dragon Staff Spirit like his own. The condition for opening it absolutely required a Dragon Soul. It made one quite curious about what exactly was inside.
Pan Huai understood from these words that Wang Nan was having some thoughts. "It's within the current Douling Empire. If you agree, we can go together."
Wang Nan understood that Pan Huai would not just tell him the exact location. After all, he came to him for the things inside, not to give him a gift.
"If it's empty inside…"
"If it's empty inside, I am willing to offer ten thousand gold coins as compensation for this trip."
Ten thousand gold coins, though it didn't sound like much, was already more than the price of hiring a Spirit Emperor to hunt for a spirit ring.
"Okay, what do I need to prepare to go there? Are there any other requirements?"
Wang Nan thought carefully for a while and finally did not refuse Pan Huai's proposal. He also wanted to know what the two Titled Douluo from ten thousand years ago had left behind. In addition, even if Pan Huai's spirit power rank surpassed his own, if he truly had other intentions, Wang Nan was not afraid of him.
Pan Huai seemed to become enthusiastic again. "Good, as long as you agree, we can depart at any time. There are no requirements for spirit power rank there; only the Dragon Soul is key."
"Speaking of the Dragon Soul, there's one more thing: my Dragon Soul might be different from what you imagine, so it might not meet your requirements at that time."
Upon hearing this, Pan Huai instead had an indifferent expression. "The Dragon Soul is inherently born from the combination of the Coiling Dragon Staff Spirit and the Spirit Master's will. The Dragon Soul awakened by each Coiling Dragon Staff Spirit Master is different."
"Even the same Dragon Soul will have slight differences and exhibit different abilities in different Spirit Masters."
Wang Nan nodded.
On these matters, Spirit Masters like Pan Huai, who had a legacy, indeed knew more than he did. Even if there was no gain from this trip, learning more about the Coiling Dragon Staff from Pan Huai would still be worthwhile.
…
In the evening, at the Inner Courtyard Soul Guidance System, Ye Xiaosheng stopped his work and looked up at Wang Nan, who had come to find him.
"Are you going to carry out a monitoring mission again?"
"This time, it's for some personal matters." Wang Nan shook his head.
"Is it very important? Do you want me to go with you?" Ye Xiaosheng stood up.
"Thank you, but no need. How is your research going recently?"
"I have to say, the Sun Moon Empire is indeed powerful. Their technologies are not easily understood. The Academy also has teachers researching Soul Guidance armor, but it is still far from reaching the level we have seen. It would be great if there was an opportunity to see it up close…"