"Alright, Xiao Xue, save the bickering for later. I came here today to ask Lin Feng something. Let's all sit down."
"Oh..."
Qian Renxue glanced at Lin Feng, then walked over and sat on the same side of the table as him. She kicked him lightly under the table to express her displeasure.
Then, in a soft voice, she added, "My name is Qian Renxue. You better remember that!"
Lin Feng smiled and nodded.
Qian Daoliu took a seat across the table.
He glanced at the piles of books and notes on the table and nodded inwardly. This boy truly lived up to his reputation as a genius who had broken through his own cultivation limitations.
"This kid is indeed extraordinary. His temperament, intelligence, and even his appearance are top-notch. Perhaps..."
As Qian Daoliu watched the two whispering to each other, he suddenly recalled a similar scene from the past involving Bibi Dong.
How laughable it was that she had fallen for that waste of space, Yu Xiaogang. The Holy Maiden of the Spirit Hall couldn't even tell that he had plagiarized the Spirit Hall's classics, and instead supported him.
Then, thinking of the mess Qian Xunji had caused, Qian Daoliu felt a headache coming on.
"Ahem, Xiao Feng, I overheard you saying that you want to integrate soul rings into the body and open up meridians, is that right?"
"Grandpa, you were eavesdropping on us!" Qian Renxue said, displeased.
Qian Daoliu awkwardly stroked his beard.
"Well, Xiao Xue, it wasn't intentional. You see, the higher one's cultivation level, the stronger their senses and spiritual perception become.
Before I even arrived here, your voices naturally reached my ears."
"Is... is that so?" Qian Renxue looked at Lin Feng, puzzled.
Lin Feng subtly glanced at Qian Daoliu. After confirming with a look that this was someone he couldn't afford to offend, he spoke seriously, "Yes, that's correct."
Qian Daoliu nodded.
"Oh~ Then I misunderstood Grandpa."
Qian Renxue pretended to apologize as she looked at Qian Daoliu.
"No harm done. Let's return to the topic at hand, shall we, Xiao Feng?"
Lin Feng thought for a moment:
"Yes, that is indeed what I was thinking, though I haven't started any practical exploration yet."
Qian Daoliu waved his hand, and two books appeared on the table—one thick and one slightly thinner.
"This is my research on the Haotian Sect's Ring Explosion technique. While it doesn't contain the exact principles, it records the patterns of soul power and changes in aura during the technique's execution.
The other book is my research on Ring Fusion from my younger days. Learning Ring Fusion is slightly easier than Ring Explosion.
However, it has side effects on the practitioner, affecting future cultivation, so not many people actually learn it."
Lin Feng looked at the two books, his eyes flickering with interest, but he didn't immediately speak.
Qian Renxue poked Lin Feng under the table with her small hand and whispered:
"Take them! Grandpa went through the trouble of bringing them. Why aren't you moving?"
Did she really think Qian Daoliu couldn't hear her? Lin Feng scratched his head and took the two items:
"Alright, thank you, Grand Worship. What do you need me to do in return?"
Qian Daoliu chuckled and pointed at Lin Feng.
"You little rascal, young as you are, your mind is full of layers upon layers of thoughts. You're right. Taking these does come with a condition."
He glanced at Qian Renxue and continued slowly:
"It's nothing too major. I want you to swear loyalty to the Spirit Hall. Your current talent is on par with a soul master with innate soul power of level 8.
With such remarkable intelligence, I believe you can pioneer a unique cultivation method that will set a precedent for generations to come.
If you succeed, you must inform Xiao Xue first. Don't rush to publish your theories, understand?"
Qian Daoliu downplayed the matter, likely thinking that with Qian Renxue around, there was no need for threats.
Lin Feng nodded and then made the oath.
Qian Renxue watched this unfold, feeling somewhat unhappy. It felt like Lin Feng was negotiating a business deal with her family. She shot Qian Daoliu a glare.
Qian Daoliu pretended not to notice and took a sip of tea.
"Earlier, I had the research institute study your case, but they couldn't figure it out. I suspect the issue lies with your martial soul. In your future explorations, you should focus on your martial soul."
Lin Feng nodded. He had been thinking the same thing.
"Additionally, I'll assign a Soul Douluo to you as a mentor and protector during your cultivation. Ling Yuan?"
"Here."
Lin Feng looked up and saw a graceful figure standing by the table, bowing slightly. She appeared to be in her late twenties, tall and slender, dressed in a black gown.
Her cool and elegant beauty hid a hint of free-spiritedness. Her long hair cascaded down to her waist, and her figure beneath the robe was subtly alluring.
Lin Feng couldn't help but stare. This was the first time he had seen such a mature and charismatic woman in this world.
Bam!
It turned out that Qian Renxue, seeing Lin Feng entranced, had kicked him under the table in displeasure. However, she misjudged her strength and ended up hitting the table instead.
"Uh..."
Qian Renxue awkwardly lowered her head, her ears turning red as she pretended to look for something on the ground.
"Why did you kick me?"
Qian Renxue looked at Lin Feng in disbelief, then glanced at Ling Yuan and her grandfather. Seeing their strange looks, her face turned even redder!
Gritting her teeth, she hissed, "Lin Feng, just you wait!"
With that, she fled the room in a fluster, leaving the three of them staring at each other.
Pfft. Ling Yuan couldn't hold back a soft laugh.
Ahem.
Qian Daoliu felt a pang in his heart but broke the awkward atmosphere.
He looked at Lin Feng with a complicated expression: "This is the newly promoted Soul Douluo, Ling Yuan. Her martial soul is a fire-attribute falcon, with a trace of phoenix origin.
The phoenix is reborn from flames, its origin eternal. This has some similarities to your research on meridian reconstruction, so it should be of help to you."
Lin Feng clasped his hands in respect:
"Greetings, Lady Ling Yuan."
Ling Yuan nodded in acknowledgment.
Qian Daoliu stood up and gave Lin Feng a stern look before tossing him a storage ring:
"Remember to apologize to Xue'er. If I find out she's been wronged, don't expect me to go easy on you."
Lin Feng blinked, looking puzzled:
"What did I do wrong? Please enlighten me, Senior."
"You—"
Qian Daoliu was momentarily speechless. How could he explain that little Qian Renxue had gotten jealous and run off in embarrassment?
It was just childish behavior, and he couldn't make a big deal out of it. Saying it out loud would only make him look ridiculous.
Seeing Lin Feng's genuinely confused expression, Qian Daoliu felt even more annoyed. He flicked his sleeve and left.
"Stupid kid, forget it!"
"Haha."
After Qian Daoliu left, Ling Yuan couldn't help but laugh. It was the first time she had seen the Grand Worship so flustered, especially in front of an 8-year-old.
She looked at Lin Feng with interest:
"Aren't you going to go apologize to your... uh, friend?"
Lin Feng stored all the books on the table into the storage ring. The space wasn't large, only about 5 cubic meters.
He nodded helplessly:
"I don't even know why she's mad. I didn't do anything."
Ling Yuan wagged her finger:
"Tsk tsk, a girl's thoughts are hard to guess. I suggest you hurry and chase after her. Otherwise, a simple apology might not be enough later."
"Alright, thank you for the reminder, Sister Ling Yuan."
As Lin Feng walked away, Ling Yuan's eyes gleamed.
"Is this kid's research really that extraordinary? The Grand Worship actually allows the young mistress to get so close to him. How strange."