Seeing Lou Gao's longing gaze, Ning Rongrong paused slightly before saying:
"I'm fairly confident I can help you break through to Title Douluo, but Father hesitated. He said not to do it unless we can guarantee a hundred percent success, especially when it involves you."
"Sect Master, he…" Lou Gao opened his mouth, wanting to say something. The gentle face of Ning Fengzhi flashed in his mind, but he couldn't find the words.
"What about Shui Cangyue, then?" Suppressing his urge to break through to Title Douluo, Lou Gao asked about Shui Cangyue, who had used a special method to advance.
Ning Rongrong knew Lou Gao would ask about Shui Cangyue. She sighed and said:
"Her situation was quite special. Her martial soul underwent a second cleansing. While it didn't evolve, it came close to an ultimate martial soul. Plus, the Far North, that special place, was highly compatible with her martial soul, so she succeeded. Even then, she nearly died in the process."
Ning Rongrong and Tokisaki Kurumi had relied on multiple time rewinds to help Shui Cangyue successfully clear her meridians. Without time rewinds, Shui Cangyue would have been long gone several times over.
But Lou Gao was different!
Lou Gao was an auxiliary soul master, even though he had the hundred-thousand-year soul ring of the Evil Spirit Orca King as a foundation.
The gap was still significant.
If they accidentally caused Lou Gao to have a mental breakdown, that would be a big problem.
Although there was a seventy to eighty percent chance of success, Ning Fengzhi had firmly rejected Ning Rongrong's proposal.
Unless the success rate could be raised to ninety-five percent or higher, with no severe side effects in case of failure, it couldn't be used on Lou Gao.
Lou Gao was far more valuable than an average Title Douluo. The revenue from soul tools in recent years was nearly comparable to the pills sold by Dugu Bo's alchemy pavilion.
Ning Rongrong brought up this matter now only to give Lou Gao some mental preparation.
And to have him start looking for suitable soul beasts in advance, so they wouldn't be caught off guard later.
"So, I really can't break through?"
Though he had expected this, Lou Gao couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed.
As for the success rate Ning Rongrong mentioned, Lou Gao assumed it was below fifty percent.
"Senior Lou Gao, don't worry," Ning Rongrong said, noticing his regretful expression. "In one to two years at most, I'll have one hundred percent confidence to push you to the Title Douluo rank."
"Young Sect Master, you don't need to comfort me like this."
"No, it's true," Ning Rongrong said solemnly.
"Well…" Lou Gao was visibly stunned. "Then I'll look forward to your method, Young Sect Master."
After moving past this topic, the three chatted casually along the way.
Leisurely, Ning Rongrong and her group finally arrived at Vast Sea City.
Compared to a few years ago, Vast Sea City hadn't changed much.
"Nine Treasure Chamber of Commerce… let's see where it is?" Entering the city, Ning Rongrong looked around at the scenery, quickly locating a tower-shaped building with her powerful perception.
A building resembling the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda had replaced the original auction house in Vast Sea City.
The Nine Treasure Chamber of Commerce in Vast Sea City, supported by the Heaven Dou Empire and the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, had continued to thrive, becoming a magnificent landmark in the city.
"Oh, has Ning Yun made it this big?"
The Nine Treasure Chamber of Commerce in Vast Sea City integrated auctions, appraisals, and free trade. Backed by the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and the Heaven Dou Empire, even the people from Poseidon Island were reluctant to offend it.
And Ning Yun was the primary person in charge.
Ning Rongrong looked at the information about the Vast Sea City's Nine Treasure Chamber of Commerce that Ning Fengzhi had given her before she came.
"Primary person in charge, Ning Yun, level 54 Soul King; secondary person in charge, Zi Zhenzhu and her guard team."
"Zi Zhenzhu, level 69 Soul Emperor!?"
Ning Rongrong was stunned when she saw Zi Zhenzhu's strength.
If she remembered correctly, Zi Zhenzhu was only 32 years old this year!
Level 69 at 32 years old—wasn't that much stronger than that so-called hyped-up Qin Ming?
In the original story, when Tang San met Zi Zhenzhu, Tang San was 20 years old, and Zi Zhenzhu was 35 years old at level 68.
Now, Tang San was the same age as her, 17, three years behind the original timeline.
Zi Zhenzhu, at 32 years old, was one level higher than in the original story.
So… at 35, wouldn't she definitely be a Soul Sage?
A Soul Sage at 35 could definitely be considered exceptionally talented!
It seemed her useless father still knew how to invest!
"Big brother is so carefree—could he have taken a liking to Zi Zhenzhu?"
Hmm, the sour smell of love!
Ning Yun seemed to be 27 this year.
With the buff of "an older woman brings prosperity," Zi Zhenzhu, with her alluring figure, was only a few years older than Ning Yun.
As the Young Sect Master, approving this match wouldn't be out of the question.
With these thoughts, Ning Rongrong soon arrived at the entrance of the Nine Treasure Chamber of Commerce.
"Stop!" One of the two guards at the door stepped forward to block Ning Rongrong and her group. "The Nine Treasure Chamber of Commerce is closed today. The auction will be held in three days."
"I'm here to find someone," Ning Rongrong said, taking out her token and handing it to the guard.
As the little princess and Young Sect Master of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, she could easily have the two guards who stopped her removed, but that would be too willful. She wasn't a soft girl that everyone had to recognize.
Besides, they were just doing their job.
"This… this token!" The guard who took the token examined it for a moment, especially noticing the gilded Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda. His pupils suddenly shrank, and he looked at Ning Rongrong, who stood at the center, with some shock.
"Miss, you… you are…"
"My name is Ning Rongrong."
As she spoke, a Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda without any soul rings condensed in her palm.
"Nine… nine layers!"
"Ning Rongrong, you're the Young Sect Master!" The other guard reacted. As natives of Vast Sea City, though they had joined the Nine Treasure Chamber of Commerce and didn't know much about the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, they could still recognize the number of layers on the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda.
Besides, the name Ning Rongrong wasn't something just anyone would dare to impersonate.
"Young… Young Sect Master!"
"That's me. I doubt anyone would impersonate me!"
"I'm here on the Sect Master's orders to see Ning Yun."
"I won't make it difficult for you. Just go notify him. He'll come running when he knows it's me."
"Uh…" The two guards exchanged glances, and the sharper-looking one said, "I'll go get Manager Ning."
After the guard ran inside, a short while later.
The sound of hurried footsteps came from within the door. Soon, a young man bearing a six or seven-point resemblance to Ning Fengzhi appeared at the entrance of the Nine Treasure Chamber of Commerce.
"Pavilion Master Lou Gao!"
After coming out, Ning Yun first bowed to Lou Gao, fully displaying the etiquette of a junior.
Then, he turned his gaze to Ning Rongrong and Dugu Yan.
"Miss Dugu Yan, and Rongrong."
"Why are you two in Vast Sea City?" The surprise on Ning Yun's face wasn't feigned; he genuinely didn't know Ning Rongrong and Dugu Yan would come.
"Uh, didn't Dad tell you?" Ning Rongrong's voice carried a hint of doubt.
"Father's letter only mentioned Pavilion Master Lou Gao and escorts coming to Vast Sea City. It didn't say the escorts were you!"
"That old guy," Ning Rongrong said, covering her forehead.
Acting all mature and still pulling surprises like this.
"Sister Yan and I came here mainly because of Tai Tan and the Poseidon Island matter."