"Is there really a need to give them a soul bone?"
The two walked side by side on the streets of Heaven Dou City. Tokisaki Kurumi was quite puzzled by Ning Rongrong's actions.
Not only did she give them a soul bone, but one with an 80,000-year cultivation no less.
"A single 80,000-year soul bone that can resolve the matter with Dugu Bo and Dugu Yan is, in my opinion, more than worth the price."
The passersby on both sides of the street constantly brushed past Ning Rongrong, yet no one could hear the conversation between the two.
"It's not a question of value." A few black lines crawled across Tokisaki Kurumi's face. "Even if you didn't give it, do you think Spirit Hall and the Heaven Dou Empire would dare to skimp on the job?"
In a certain sense, Dugu Bo and Dugu Yan had used weapons of mass destruction precisely for the sake of the Heaven Dou Empire.
If those two ever lost control, it wouldn't just be the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan that suffered—the Heaven Dou Empire would bear the brunt of it. Emotionally and logically, there was no need to waste a soul bone.
"Kurumi… soul bones mean nothing to me." Ning Rongrong shook her head.
"I could choose not to give it, and they wouldn't be able to take it, but first and foremost, I am a person with my own bottom line."
"If I give the soul bone, it shows that I value Dugu Bo and Dugu Yan. When they learn the truth someday, they will be deeply grateful to me."
"If I don't give it, it becomes using power to pressure others. On the surface it looks fine, but it might leave a thorn in someone's heart."
"Whether it's toward Dugu Bo or the people in Spirit Hall, we have no reason to pay extra for uncertainties or the future."
Ning Rongrong's voice softened a little.
"Besides, the fact that I gave the soul bone will make both Spirit Hall and Dugu Bo feel much more at ease."
"That effect alone is enough." Ning Rongrong gazed at the azure sky, watching the white clouds gently drifting by, and smiled. "Sometimes, doing something doesn't produce immediate results."
"Kurumi, you need to get used to this if you want to live comfortably in the human world."
"I don't really understand, but I don't think the human world is as complicated as you make it out to be," Tokisaki Kurumi retorted.
"Also, aren't you worried that giving just one soul bone will cause them to fight over the spoils? An 80,000-year soul bone is something even Title Douluo would go crazy for."
"Heh, that's their business." Ning Rongrong shrugged. "I've already paid the reward. How they handle it is their freedom, as long as they complete what I asked."
"If they end up beating each other's brains out in the palace right now, it has nothing to do with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan. We issued the task and even paid in advance."
"After splitting the loot unevenly, can they really blame the employer?"
"That wouldn't make any sense, right?"
"I can't win an argument against you." Tokisaki Kurumi sighed. "Fine. The soul bone was obtained by Dugu Yan herself when she hunted sea spirit beasts anyway. Using it to settle things for her and Dugu Bo is pretty meaningful, I guess."
"Speaking of which, why have you been thinking so much for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan lately?" Ning Rongrong asked curiously. "In the past, you genuinely didn't seem to care."
"Hmph! Don't get the wrong idea." Tokisaki Kurumi pouted. "That kid called Gu Rong may have pathetically low talent, but he did receive my guidance. What's wrong with me caring a little about the underling I took in the human world?"
Ning Rongrong: "…"
Although Bone Douluo uses darkness attributes, when exactly did you take him as your underling?
Also, isn't that just your one-sided opinion?
"So what's next? Where are you going?" The two walked aimlessly. Tokisaki Kurumi suddenly grew curious about Ning Rongrong's destination. "Back to the sect?"
"I'll rest for a few days first. I need to think about how to properly handle the situation with Dugu Yan and Dugu Bo."
"Up to you." Tokisaki Kurumi sighed. "Human thoughts really are complicated. The kind of map-wide bombardment ability that Dugu Bo and Dugu Yan possess would be feared by both humans and spirit beasts."
"Honestly, before Xue Di left, I could hear the wariness in her tone. She was extremely wary of Dugu Yan."
"That's normal." Ning Rongrong shrugged. "Be it humans or spirit beasts, everyone fears the unknown."
"From the perspective of an ordinary soul master, the deterrence created by Dugu Bo and Dugu Yan is even more terrifying than a Limit Douluo."
"Sigh… Just be aware of that. If those two aren't managed well,"
"then you, the Young Sect Master, can look forward to becoming a commander with no troops!"
"It's not as bad as you're making it sound." Ning Rongrong rolled her eyes. "No matter how bad it gets, it won't reach the level of being despised by both humans and beasts like you."
"Master, if you don't know how to talk, you can just stay quiet." Tokisaki Kurumi said helplessly. "It's despised by humans and abandoned by dogs, not beasts."
"Uh, same difference. It's not far off anyway." Ning Rongrong spread her hands.
Tokisaki Kurumi: "…"
While Ning Rongrong and Tokisaki Kurumi were chatting, silence reigned inside the imperial palace.
"An 80,000-year soul bone! This is a supreme treasure that even Title Douluo would covet."
Xue Ke gazed at the arm soul bone on the table, its surface flowing with iridescent light, and couldn't help but sigh.
As the disciple of Bi Ji, the 570,000-year Emerald Swan from the Star Dou Great Forest, and possessing nearly a complete set of Emerald Swan soul bones herself, Xue Ke's understanding of soul bones ran extremely deep.
A soul bone of this age could make even Title Douluo abandon all decorum.
"Three seniors, what do you think about this soul bone?" Xue Ke's gaze swept across the three men.
Two Level 92, one Level 97—no matter how you looked at it, one soul bone wasn't enough to split!
Moreover, even a Level 97 enshrined would be desperate for an 80,000-year soul bone.
Before She Long or Ci Xue could speak, the Third Enshrined Azure Luan Douluo opened his mouth. "Your Highness Xue Ke, since this is the transaction item from Ning Rongrong, you should keep it."
"Me?"
Xue Ke froze. This development was completely outside her expectations.
"Yes. Spirit Hall is, after all, an organization that values righteousness." Azure Luan Douluo nodded. "Since the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan entrusted this request to the Heaven Dou Empire, it has nothing to do with our Spirit Hall."
"Moreover, the Young Master values you highly. For that reason alone, we could not possibly take the soul bone for ourselves."
"Our Spirit Hall—at least our Enshrined Hall—has only one goal: to help the Young Miss ascend to godhood. We will never do anything that would displease her."
Silence. A long silence.
"Senior She Long, Senior Ci Xue, what do you think?" Xue Ke turned to ask.
"Since the Third Enshrined has spoken, Your Highness Xue Ke should keep it safe."
"Very well. I will hold onto it for now and return it to her when she comes back." Xue Ke let out a breath of relief, realizing the three wouldn't fight to the death over the soul bone.
They were three Title Douluo after all; her own words carried little weight.
As for the soul bone, she truly intended to give it to Qian Renxue when she returned.
After storing the soul bone in her soul storage device, Xue Ke moved on to the next question. "What do you all think about what Ning Rongrong said earlier?"
"Personally, I feel Ning Rongrong knows when to advance and when to retreat. Just as she said, Dugu Bo and Dugu Yan can indeed be considered heroes who protected the Heaven Dou Empire." The Third Enshrined thought for a moment before speaking.
She Long and Ci Xue beside him also nodded in agreement.
"Then let's do that. Follow what Ning Rongrong said: make Dugu Yan and Dugu Bo heroes of the Heaven Dou Empire. The same goes for the fallen elder of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, Wang Quan Fugui—he too is a hero."
"I'll summon the three deans of Heaven Dou Imperial Academy later. They have some connection with Dugu Bo, and their reputation is sufficient. If we leave it to them, there shouldn't be any problems."
…