"I understand."
Zhou Qing replied, "You're worried the soul bone might still be in Notting City, which could lead to instability in the near future. That's why, Vice Lord, you want to send Romantina away to let things cool down."
"You really are clever—not like a six-year-old at all."
Romanyak realized that even setting aside martial soul resonance, innate full soul power, and other soul master attributes, Zhou Qing was someone worthy of entrusting his daughter to.
"I don't look like a six-year-old either," Zhou Qing stated honestly. "Besides, as a soul master, we must have the courage to face danger head-on."
More than anything, Zhou Qing had made up his mind for another reason:
He was a student of Notting City's primary soul master academy.
No matter how chaotic things became in Notting, it was unlikely to escalate into open conflict with Falling Star City. From his perspective, being a student at the primary academy meant he would likely be the least affected. There was no need to overthink it right now.
But—
Romantina was no longer a student of Notting Academy…
Wait a minute!
A spark of inspiration flashed across Zhou Qing's mind. He turned to Romanyak and said,
"Vice Lord, if you're worried about your daughter's safety, there's no need to send her out of the city. Making her a teacher at Notting Academy could be a better choice."
After all, if he, Tang San, and Xiao Wu were going to display their refined soul rings to the wider soul master world, they'd need a plausible explanation:
A published theory.
Romantina, with a brain-type martial soul and a mature figure, would be a perfect candidate.
Once Romantina became a teacher at Notting Academy, her professional identity would boost the legitimacy of any soul theory she presented.
Moreover, being a teacher would also give her the formal backing of the academy.
Though a teacher's status couldn't compare to that of a lord or vice lord, there was something it did provide that noble or political rank could not:
All formally recognized soul master academies—be they primary, intermediate, or advanced—were required to register with both the Spirit Hall and either the Heaven Dou Empire or the Star Luo Empire.
Only with dual registration could they operate officially.
So becoming a certified academy teacher essentially meant having backing from both the Spirit Hall and one of the major empires.
While it didn't grant actual noble rank or bureaucratic power, the implicit status was very real. Most soul masters wouldn't dare target a teacher.
Why?
Because the Douluo Continent had a long-standing tradition of honoring teachers. Even without formally taking a master, the average academy teacher was still afforded basic respect.
Also, since academy teachers were registered with both the empire and Spirit Hall, few soul masters would risk offending both powers simultaneously.
On top of that, Romantina was on good terms with Matthew Nuo from Notting City's Spirit Hall sub-branch, and could easily ask him to help with official paperwork—so why not go that route?
"Are you serious?"
Romanyak stared deeply at Zhou Qing, then glanced at Romantina. He couldn't help but wonder if making her a teacher would turn all of Notting Academy's students into deviants.
"Father, have a little faith in your daughter!" Romantina was clearly hurt by his suspicion. "I'm smart too, okay?"
Romanyak fell silent for a moment, then said with a sigh,
"Having a brain-type martial soul doesn't mean your brain is actually smart. You've been focusing on building muscles."
"Don't say it out loud!"
Romantina's face flushed red. She shouted, lowered her stance, stepped forward, and—with a fluid motion—punched Romanyak squarely in the cheek right in front of a stunned Zhou Qing.
What fatherly love, what filial piety?
Romanyak collapsed to the ground, covering his swollen cheek. His expression was full of grievance—tinged with shame—especially with Zhou Qing watching.
"Like father, like daughter," Zhou Qing thought.
Romantina's eccentricities clearly weren't baseless; they must've been influenced by Romanyak.
Zhou Qing felt as though he had seen through it all.
Romanyak, who just moments ago embodied the grace of nobility, now looked like a wronged little bottom.
People really are full of surprises.
Still, Zhou Qing was fairly sure Romanyak was in a better state than Romantina overall. After all, he was a vice lord and had to maintain public image.
As for Romantina's "beyond the master" eccentricity, it was probably due to her using the sensory sharpness of her brain-type martial soul to train her muscles and bones—pain stimulation triggering some overactivity in her actual brain, which led to her increasingly intense personality quirks.
"Sigh, daughters really are hard to keep at home once they grow up…"
Romanyak stood up holding his cheek. He suddenly remembered—Romantina was only twelve, and Zhou Qing merely six—and was alarmed by how disturbingly mature kids were these days.
"But since you've made your decision," he said, "I won't stop you. I'll pull some strings with the Notting Academy principal and help you become a teacher there."
Though Romantina was young, she could still teach basic survival skills and techniques.
She had learned these from other adventurers in Notting Guild, or through her own experience completing missions.
Passing these skills on to young students in the primary academy could prepare them to better handle similar challenges in the future.
Leaving the Romanyake residence, Zhou Qing felt a wave of relief—not because Romanyak agreed not to send Romantina away, but because he no longer had to deal with two weirdos at once, one old, one young.
"Zhou Qing, where are we going next? Want to take an adventure quest and go camping in the wild?" Romantina asked, cheeks flushed.
Zhou Qing's gaze immediately turned serious.
The younger weirdo is still following him.
"Can you not say it in such an ambiguous way? Our relationship is pure—don't make people misunderstand, okay?"
"How do you know I'm not just joking?"
Romantina pursed her lips, smiling mischievously.
"Uhh…"
Zhou Qing froze. So she was joking this whole time?
"Hahaha!"
Seeing Zhou Qing's expression, Romantina grinned like a bear that just raided a honey pot. Then she added seriously,
"Even though I often say shocking things, I'm actually a very traditional woman. I'm not really that promiscuous!"
[You and the word "traditional" don't even belong in the same dictionary.]
Zhou Qing had already gotten used to it. He ignored her and walked straight toward Notting Academy.
"Hey, hey! Don't ignore me!"
Romantina quickly caught up, calling out as she slipped into another daydream,
"Is this what they call playing hard to get? So cold~ But this feeling is kind of exciting. Boy, you've caught my attention! But I won't fall for you that easily! Just you wait!"