The soft creak of the door shaft turning sounded extremely clear in the quiet of the private room.
Dugu Yan went to open the door. Outside stood three people, their figures backlit, their outlines starkly defined by the shifting light and shadow.
The young man at the front was neatly dressed, with golden hair and gentle features. A reserved smile hung at the corner of his lips, and his demeanor was far more composed than his age suggested. This was Heaven Dou's new Crown Prince, Xue Qinghe.
Beside him stood a middle-aged man, refined and approachable, holding a gem-inlaid staff. His gaze was warm yet fathomless. This was Ning Fengzhi, Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
The last person was an old man whose face looked shriveled, his entire body like a massive skeleton, radiating a gloomy aura that kept strangers at bay. This was Bone Douluo, Gu Rong, infamous for his unpredictability and treacherous temperament.
Chen Yi's eyes met those of the three at the door. Though he had never seen them with his own eyes in this life, memories from his previous one surged forth. Coupled with Gu Rong's iconic appearance, he immediately confirmed their identities.
His chest felt faintly cold, but his expression remained unchanged.
The moment the door opened, the atmosphere in the room abruptly chilled.
Almost at the same instant that Ning Fengzhi and Gu Rong were recognized, Ye Lingling—who had been quietly sitting in the corner with her usual calm and cool demeanor—suddenly emanated a cold sharpness that felt nearly tangible.
Her clear eyes locked onto Ning Fengzhi. The icy gaze was like a toxin-dipped ice pick.
Her parents' tragic deaths had a hazy yet undeniable connection to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. It was a wound in her heart that would never heal. Now, the "enemy" stood before her. Despite the disparity in strength, her hatred surged out of control.
As for what kind of person Ning Fengzhi was—Ye Lingling's faint fluctuations in soul power and the hostility she couldn't completely hide were like fireflies in the night beneath his vast spiritual perception.
His gaze shifted slightly onto Ye Lingling, and he smiled gently, as if greeting her.
To him, this was only a young girl's resentment. Even if she was a descendant of the Nine-Heart Begonia, in the eyes of the sect master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, she wasn't worth paying much attention to.
From the instant the door opened, his and Gu Rong's seemingly casual gazes had already swept over Chen Yi. The young man before them left no flaws in his bearing or breath—he was especially composed.
"Just now, we happened to be in the stands and witnessed the heroic demeanor of these three young friends, especially this little friend here."
Ning Fengzhi's voice was gentle and warm, like a spring breeze with a subtle magical charm. His gaze fell naturally on Chen Yi, his tone light and natural.
"I was delighted, so I brought a little disciple along, hoping to make friends with you. I hope we aren't disturbing your elegant gathering."
Dugu Yan, as the granddaughter of Poison Douluo Dugu Bo, naturally recognized these three big shots. Seeing Ye Lingling's icy expression and Chen Yi's clear lack of desire to get involved, she sighed inwardly, knowing this was a situation that couldn't be turned away.
She had no choice but to stand, forcing a social smile onto her face.
"Sect Master Ning, Your Highness the Crown Prince, Senior Bone Douluo—what an honor to have you here. Please, come in."
She stepped aside and invited the three into the room, arranging seats for them.
The space of the box wasn't large to begin with. Once these three titans entered, it felt even more cramped. The air took on a faintly solemn weight.
Ning Fengzhi sat down with practiced ease and naturally steered the conversation toward Dugu Yan. He exchanged pleasantries and in a tone like a kindly elder concerned for a younger generation, he asked after her grandfather Dugu Bo's recent situation.
Dugu Yan forced herself to respond, but half her mind remained on the silent Ye Lingling and the unreadable Chen Yi.
Ye Lingling pressed her lips into a thin line without saying a word. Her hands were slightly clenched; the joints of her pale fingers were faintly white, and the surrounding temperature dropped, forming an invisible field of cold that clashed with the warm atmosphere they had tried to build earlier.
Chen Yi, from the first polite greeting onward, shifted his focus mainly to the Heaven Dou Crown Prince.
His gaze wasn't rude, but it held a sharp, probing quality, as if he wanted to see through the gentle, humble mask of the prince to the truth beneath.
If his guess was right, the "Xue Qinghe" before him had already been replaced by the terrifying young miss of Spirit Hall—Qian Renxue.
This realization made him pay meticulous attention to every subtle change in this "prince's" expression and every word he uttered.
Chen Yi's steady, unblinking gaze naturally drew Xue Qinghe's notice. The latter maintained his composure, keeping that perfect gentle smile as he turned toward Chen Yi. His voice was clear and pleasant.
"This friend, why do you keep looking at me? Have we met somewhere before?"
Hearing this, the corner of Chen Yi's lips curved with a hint of playful arc. Half-jokingly, he replied,
"Your Highness must be joking. I'm just a commoner who usually mingles in the marketplace. How could I possibly have the blessing or opportunity to know someone as noble as yourself?"
"It's just that Your Highness's extraordinary demeanor and bearing were a bit too dazzling. I couldn't help being momentarily fascinated. I hope Your Highness won't hold it against me."
His tone was relaxed, and the words were flawless, lightly revealing his own "humble" background.
Seeing Chen Yi and Xue Qinghe start talking, Ning Fengzhi's eyes brightened. Seizing the opening, he fully guided the conversation toward Chen Yi.
He exchanged a profound, wordless glance with Gu Rong. From the moment they stepped through the door, the two had been observing this youth.
This young man, facing three great figures, showed none of the nervousness or awe of ordinary soul masters. His composure was clearly no act.
When he talked with Dugu Yan, Ning Fengzhi and Gu Rong's eyes were like precise measuring tools, quietly evaluating his breathing and every minute movement.
"Young friend is too modest," Ning Fengzhi said with a smile, white steam curling from the teacup in his hand.
"Just now, I happened to witness your actions. You used only spiritual force to stun and injure the Fourth Prince, who is at the level of a Soul Grandmaster. That isn't something any nameless youth can casually accomplish."
Though his tone was calm, it carried an irrefutable certainty. "I do not know under which master you have studied, nor from which power you hail. In the world of soul masters, one so young with such cultivation and spiritual training is extremely rare. This Ning has never heard of such a person—so of course I am very interested."
Chen Yi inwardly sneered. So this old fox really did come to probe his origins.
Outwardly, however, he still wore a faintly amused smile. He spread his hands slightly.
"Sect Master Ning overpraises me. This junior truly has no great background, only a bit of luck and some opportunities that weren't on any official 'stage.' I've just practiced randomly on my own."
"As for earlier, I truly had no choice but to offend His Highness the Fourth Prince a little in my haste. And those little tricks of mine aren't even worth mentioning before you and Senior Bone Douluo."
It was both humble and evasive.
Ning Fengzhi obviously didn't believe this explanation. The smile on his face deepened, but there was a trace of sternness in his eyes.
He slowly rubbed the gem on his staff and spoke unhurriedly,
"Young friend need not belittle yourself. For a soul master, talent, luck, and inheritance are all indispensable. You are not that old, yet judging by your earlier usage of spiritual force, your control over soul power is exquisitely precise. Your foundation far surpasses your peers."
"If my judgment is not mistaken, your true soul power cultivation has at least reached the realm of Soul Elder… or perhaps even Soul Ancestor, correct?"
This was the point that most concerned him.
Back when Clear Sky Douluo Tang Hao was famous across the continent, he had only just broken through to the Soul Grandmaster realm at nine years old.
Chen Yi looked about ten, but already had the cultivation of a Soul Ancestor. Compared to the once-in-a-millennium genius Clear Sky Douluo at the same age, his talent was… even more monstrous.
When had such a shocking figure appeared in the world of soul masters—and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had heard nothing?
For a moment, the box fell silent. Everyone's eyes focused on Chen Yi, waiting for his response.
…
Bonus chapter at 100 PS