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"Dong'er, does every room in your house come with Frost Spring water?"
After touring three rooms, the observant Ning Tian had noticed something peculiar: each chamber contained a basin filled with water.
At first, she hadn't thought much of it.
But when Huo Yuhao openly used the "water" from the basin in front of them, Ning Tian realized it was anything but ordinary. Judging by the biting chill radiating from it, she identified it as Frost Spring—a luxury so extravagant it bordered on absurdity.
"Of course," Wang Dong'er replied matter-of-factly. "Except for Wu Feng's Crimson Flame Room, every basin in the other guest rooms is filled with Frost Spring water. But since undiluted Frost Spring is bone-chillingly cold—too intense for most people—we've diluted it. Only Yuhao's Cold Jade Room has the full-strength version."
Ning Tian was utterly stunned.
Even diluted, using Frost Spring just for washing would consume massive quantities!
"Dong'er… your Hao Tian Fortress is truly the richest sect under heaven."
Wang Dong'er beamed proudly. "We might not have as much coin as your Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Senior Sister Xiao Tian—but in terms of rare treasures? We absolutely surpass you."
Hearing this, Chen Junting and Ning Tian exchanged knowing smiles. This visit was already proving immensely rewarding.
Soon, Wang Dong'er led the two to the far end of the second-floor corridor and pointed to two adjacent doors.
"Senior Sister Xiao Tian, Brother Junting—these are your rooms. One is the Treasure Jade Chamber, the other the Heavenly Spirit Chamber."
"Perfectly suited to your martial souls."
Just as Wang Dong'er reached for the door handle to show them inside, a voice called down from above.
"Dong'er! Come up at once! Your First Dad has something urgent!"
Niu Tian's tone left no room for argument.
"Ugh, First Dad really knows how to ruin the mood," Wang Dong'er grumbled, stomping her foot petulantly. But she didn't dare disobey. Apologizing quickly, she said, "Sorry—I'll be right back!"
"No worries," Chen Junting smiled easily. "Your fathers likely have important matters. Delaying them would be our fault, not yours."
"Alright then…" Wang Dong'er suppressed her disappointment and added, "I've already had bedding prepared. Rest for now—I'll call you for dinner tonight."
With that, she turned and disappeared around the stairwell corner.
Once she was out of sight, Chen Junting moved to open the door—but Ning Tian stopped him.
"Brother Junting… doesn't this all feel… strange to you?" she whispered.
"Strange? What do you mean?"
"The two sect masters—and Dong'er herself," Ning Tian said, giving him a look that clearly meant, How could you miss this? "Historical records state that after the Hao Tian Sect was forced into seclusion ten thousand years ago by the Spirit Hall, they banned all non-bloodline disciples. Yet now—the sect masters and even the junior master don't bear the Tang surname?"
Chen Junting remained unperturbed. "Dong'er already explained it. Her parents left the sect when she was young, and these two are her father's closest friends. Perhaps her father is the true sect master—and entrusted leadership to them when he departed."
"As for her surname…" He paused, offering a plausible excuse. "Maybe she took her mother's name. In some families, sons carry the father's name, daughters the mother's."
"I suppose…" Ning Tian murmured, her curiosity temporarily satisfied.
But neither of them knew their conversation had just sparked someone else's interest.
Around the stairwell corner—a flash of pink-blue hair vanished silently.
—
Inside his assigned room, Chen Junting surveyed the layout. Standard accommodations: twenty-some square meters, plus a modest bathroom.
Oddly, the bedding had been placed not on the bed, but opposite it. He paid it no mind.
After a quick glance, he stepped into the bathroom.
Dipping his fingers into the basin, he scooped up a handful of water.
Instantly, an icy chill pierced to his core. Even braced for it, his body shuddered involuntarily.
Before even splashing it on his face, he already felt the diluted Frost Spring water washing away his fatigue.
When it finally touched his skin, the sensation was like standing naked in a blizzard—crisp, clean cold flooding through every pore, racing through his entire body.
A sharp shiver ran down his spine.
In that moment, days of exhaustion melted away, replaced by an indescribable lightness. His mind cleared, his spirit refreshed—pure, rare comfort.
"Invigorating!"
Letting out a long, satisfied sigh, Chen Junting stretched his limbs and stepped out of the bathroom. His eyes then fell on an oddly placed object across the room.
A red cloth draped over it, obscuring its form.
But Chen Junting knew instantly—it was no ordinary item.
Even the covering cloth was extraordinary: enchanted to block all forms of detection.
He lifted the cloth.
Beneath lay a stone-like object—neither quite metal, nor quite jade. From it radiated a sharp, sword-like aura, reminiscent of the Golden Bone Immortal Spirit he'd encountered before.
"Heavenly Spirit Heart?! And this large?!"
All things in existence possess a "core"—humans have hearts, plants have roots, even realms harbor cores. So too do metal deposits—and this was theirs.
For a metal vein to naturally form a Heavenly Spirit Heart the size of a human head? It would require over a million years of accumulation.
Realizing its significance, Chen Junting quickly removed his storage waist pouch and placed it far away. Then, he stripped off all his clothing, revealing a lean, sculpted frame. He couldn't risk his clothes being shredded by the artifact's razor-sharp aura during cultivation.
Now he understood why the bedding hadn't been laid out.
Sitting cross-legged on the bed, he immediately sensed its unusual nature.
A flick of his sword finger—clang!—produced a metallic ring, yet left not a scratch on the surface. The material was astonishingly hard.
"Deep Sea Sunken Silver…"
His astonishment grew—but then he realized: if the Sea God Island from 10,000 years ago could forge massive pillars from this material, crafting a bed was trivial.
Putting all distractions aside, Chen Junting focused.
At his current cultivation speed, breaking through to Soul Saint before the Grand Soul Tournament had been uncertain. But with this opportunity? Success was all but guaranteed.
He began channeling his soul power toward the Heavenly Spirit Heart.
Instantly, its sharp metallic energy stirred—drawn toward him in swirling currents.
Chen Junting proceeded carefully, not rushing. He gradually increased the intensity, allowing the aura to build slowly.
Within that razor-edged energy lay pure, condensed metal-element heaven-and-earth spiritual essence. It seeped into the practitioner's body from outside in—accelerating cultivation for metal-attribute martial souls, while simultaneously widening meridians and tempering the physical form for any soul master.
For Chen Junting, it was a perfect match.
—
Meanwhile, on the third floor of Hao Tian Fortress…
"First Daaad! Pleeease?!" Wang Dong'er clung to Niu Tian's arm, shaking him with rare, exaggerated coyness. "If you don't agree, I'll never speak to you again!"
"Alright, alright…" Niu Tian sighed in defeat. "Once your friends finish their cultivation, I'll have your Second Dad take them to the Ascension Pavilion. Each can claim one soul ring."
"Yay! First Dad's the best!" Wang Dong'er finally released him, satisfied.
Niu Tian and Tai Tan exchanged helpless glances.
The Ascension Pavilion—Hao Tian Sect's sacred place for receiving Divine Bestowed Soul Rings—was open to all bloodline disciples. Granting a few rings to Xiao Dong's friends? Harmless enough.
But just as the two relaxed, Wang Dong'er's cheerful expression shifted subtly.
Before either of them noticed, she asked, voice suddenly quiet—
"Second Dad… what's my real name?"
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