He looked at Su Yu, his eyes filled with even more gratitude. "I was too narrow-minded. Please don't blame me, Xiao Yu."
"Uncle Ning, you're too kind."
Su Yu smiled and turned his gaze to Ning Rongrong, who was curiously examining the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda.
"Rongrong was able to obtain this opportunity because of her own efforts. If she focuses on cultivation in the future, she will surely bring glory to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School."
Ning Fengzhi followed his gaze to his daughter, his eyes full of relief. The previous disappointment had long since vanished.
After absorbing the Fairy Qi Luo Tulip, Ning Rongrong's Soul Power had reached level ten, allowing her to absorb a Soul Ring and break through to become a Soul Master.
Su Yu stayed at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School for a few days to accompany Ning Rongrong in her cultivation before leaving.
Upon his departure, he and Ning Rongrong made a decision: she would train her body for a month, after which he would return to take her to obtain a Soul Ring.
Su Yu stood outside the mountain gate of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, the mountain breeze rustling his robes. Behind him, Ning Rongrong waved her small hand.
The clear voice calling "Brother Husband, come back soon!" drifted over with the wind.
He smiled and waved back until the small figure was no longer visible, then turned and descended the mountain.
Not long after he set out, a scorching aura approached from his side. Amid a halo of intertwined flames and lightning, a woman in crimson robes appeared.
Her features were delicate, but her eyes held a sharp intensity. Faint traces of thunder and fire energy surrounded her—this was the Crimson Flame Douluo of the Spirit Hall.
"Your Highness, the Holy Son!"
Su Yu looked at her and spoke calmly, "Crimson Flame, return to the Holy City first."
Crimson Flame Douluo frowned slightly, hesitating for a moment. "The Pope has ordered me to—"
"I have my own arrangements!"
Su Yu interrupted her, his tone calm yet leaving no room for argument.
"I'm just handling some personal matters. I will return to the Holy City in a few days. Your presence here would only be inconvenient."
Crimson Flame Douluo fell silent for a moment before finally bowing in acknowledgment.
"As you command, Your Highness. I will await your return in the Holy City."
With those words, a flash of thunder and fire light enveloped her, and her figure transformed into a crimson streak, vanishing into the sky in an instant.
Crimson Flame Douluo's Martial Soul was the Thunderflame Phoenix. As a ninety-third rank Titled Douluo, she was one of the few female Titled Douluos in the Papal Hall.
The mountains returned to silence, with only the rustling of leaves in the wind.
Su Yu gazed in the direction Crimson Flame Douluo had departed, his eyes deepening with thought.
He then turned and walked in the opposite direction of the Spirit Hall's Holy City.
Ning Rongrong was already six years old, and Tang San was also six. The plot was about to begin!
Three days later, Su Yu stepped into Nuoding City.
The streets of Nuoding City were not particularly bustling, the bluestone pavement worn smooth by pedestrians.
Su Yu walked slowly through the city gate, his Kagura Mind's Eye quietly spreading out. Every movement in the city became clearly perceptible to him.
The smoke from household chimneys, the calls of street vendors, the playful laughter of children...
Even the faint Soul Power fluctuations from the Spirit Sub-Hall could not escape his detection.
"Tang San hasn't arrived yet. That saves some trouble."
A faint smile tugged at Su Yu's lips as he sensed the stable presence of a forty-third rank Soul Ancestor deep within the Spirit Sub-Hall.
He headed straight for the city's modest Spirit Sub-Hall. The vermilion hall doors stood open, with two young attendants stationed at the entrance.
As soon as he stepped inside, a faint aura of Soul Power washed over him.
A young man with delicate features immediately stepped forward, dressed in the standard gray robe of the Spirit Hall, his demeanor gentle:
"Greetings, how may I assist you?"
Without wasting words, Su Yu raised his hand and retrieved a token from his Storage Soul Tool.
The token was entirely black, with a spread-winged Six-Winged Angel carved on the front and the character "Holy" on the back, edged with a faint golden glow.
The moment the man clearly saw the token, his expression changed drastically. He abruptly bowed low in salute, his voice trembling slightly:
"The Holy Son Token! Your subordinate pays respects to the Holy Son! I did not know of Your Highness's arrival and failed to welcome you properly. I beg for your forgiveness!"
The surrounding attendants and several commoners who had come to register their Martial Souls were startled by the commotion and turned to look.
Seeing the man bowing so deeply to Su Yu and hearing the words "Holy Son," they all showed astonishment and instinctively held their breath.
Su Yu put away the token and said in a calm tone, "No need for such formalities. Summon your Hall Master."
"Yes! Yes! Your Highness, please wait a moment. I will go and inform him right away!"
The man did not dare delay. He bowed and quickly retreated, hurrying toward the inner depths of the hall, his steps somewhat flustered.
Su Yu stood in place, his gaze sweeping over the hall's furnishings.
The Spirit Hall's emblem hung on the wall, and stones and crystal balls used for awakening Martial Souls were placed in the corners—everything appeared orderly and proper.
He nodded slightly. It seemed this branch hall in Notting City was fairly well-maintained.
A short while later, hurried footsteps were heard as a lean, gray-haired man quickly emerged.
The man wore a deep blue robe with a Soul Ancestor-level emblem embroidered on his chest, a respectful smile on his face:
"Your subordinate, Niu Ma, Hall Master of the Notting City branch hall, pays respects to the Holy Son! Your Highness's presence truly brings great honor to our humble hall!"
Su Yu raised his hand to signal Hall Master Niu to rise, his gaze calm as it rested on him:
"No need for formalities."
Hall Master Niu quickly straightened up, his face still wearing a respectful smile as he stood attentively to the side.
"Has the Martial Soul awakening ceremony for all the villages around Notting City this year been conducted?" Su Yu got straight to the point, his tone indifferent.
Hall Master Niu immediately replied, "Your Highness, not all have been completed yet."
"According to the schedule, early tomorrow morning, the hall's stewards will head out to the surrounding villages to conduct Martial Soul awakenings for children of the appropriate age."
He paused, then added, "Does Your Highness have any instructions?"
"If arrangements need to be made in advance, I will notify the stewards to prepare immediately."
Su Yu nodded slightly, a faint, almost imperceptible glimmer in his eyes:
"No need to change the schedule. Proceed as planned."
He looked at Hall Master Niu. "However, I need a list of all the villages awaiting awakening, along with the names of the stewards responsible for each."
"Yes, I will fetch it right away!"
Hall Master Niu did not dare delay. He promptly acknowledged the order, turned, and hurried toward the inner hall. Shortly after, he returned with a bamboo scroll and presented it to Su Yu with both hands.
"Your Highness, this is the detailed list. The location of each village, the number of children of the appropriate age, and the information of the responsible stewards are all recorded here."
Su Yu took the bamboo scroll, unrolled it, and glanced over it. His gaze lingered for a moment on the village of Holy Soul Village and the name of the corresponding steward before he closed the scroll.
"Excellent. I have reviewed it. I will personally go to Holy Soul Village tomorrow to awaken the Martial Souls for the children."
"Notify Su Yuntao that he does not need to go to Holy Soul Village tomorrow!"
Hall Master Niu promptly responded, "Yes, Holy Son!"