Chapter 330: Feng Wutong's Frustration and the Arrival of the Speed Clan
"Dai Yao, did the Defense Clan agree to join us?"
As soon as Niu Gao left, Ning Rongrong and Feng Wutong entered Dai Yao's room. Looking at his calm expression, Ning Rongrong couldn't help but ask eagerly.
Dai Yao nodded with a smile.
"It was a success."
Ning Rongrong offered a gentle smile, sitting elegantly in a stone chair with her hands resting on her lap. Her light green dress flowed gracefully around her, as serene and fresh as a lotus after the rain. She looked at Dai Yao with pride, her voice soft as she said,
"I knew you could do it."
Dai Yao chuckled, shaking his head. "Getting the Defense Clan was only the beginning. The Four Clan Gathering in two days is the real challenge. The other two clans won't be so easy to recruit."
Ning Rongrong shot a quick glance at Feng Wutong, who stood silently beside Dai Yao, and then suggested with a small smile,
"I don't know much about the Breaking Clan, but I know they're renowned for their medicinal expertise. Maybe you could approach them from that angle. As for the Speed Clan, they're known to be financially limited—we could always just pay them to join."
Dai Yao laughed, amused. As the heiress of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, Ning Rongrong was immensely wealthy. Just to stay in Longxing City, she had lavishly bought an entire castle in the city's most exclusive area. And now, she was considering buying the Speed Clan's loyalty. He supposed this was what it was like to enjoy the perks of marrying into wealth.
"Thank you for the suggestion, Rongrong. But if the Speed Clan could be bought that easily, they would've joined a major power long ago," Dai Yao said, smiling. "I already have an approach in mind. Once the sect is established, we'll definitely need support from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan."
At Dai Yao's mildly distant tone, Ning Rongrong pouted in slight displeasure. "Dai Yao, do we really need to divide things between us like this? I already told Grandpa Sword that once your sect is established, I'll join and handle finances for you."
Dai Yao blinked, surprised. Ning Rongrong was the heir of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan. If he took her away, what would Ning Fengzhi think? He shook his head.
"I don't think that's wise. Uncle Ning has invested so much in grooming you as his successor; you don't want to disappoint him."
Ning Rongrong gave a small huff, tilting her chin up.
"Please! After my father's spirit evolved to the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda, he reignited his passion for cultivation. My own spirit was still the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda, so with limited potential, he had me begin learning how to run the clan. But now my spirit has evolved too. I have to focus on my own training if I want to keep up with you all."
A faint sigh escaped Ning Rongrong as she glanced over at Feng Wutong, her gaze a little forlorn.
"Of course, I understand that auxiliary spirit masters naturally progress more slowly than power-oriented spirit masters, but even so… you're both Soul Emperors, and I'm still just a Soul King. It's frustrating."
Dai Yao reassured her, "It's only natural for an auxiliary spirit master to progress at a slower rate than an assault spirit master. Don't let it bother you."
In the original story, Ning Rongrong would have been a Soul Emperor by now. But with Dai Yao's influence changing events, she hadn't yet reached that level. She sighed, looking thoughtful.
"Besides," she continued, "my father is still strong and vibrant. He can keep up the work for a while longer. He's been enjoying a break lately, attending auctions and spending on whatever he fancies—it's time for him to put some effort back in," she finished with a sly grin.
Dai Yao chuckled at her mischievous reasoning, finally nodding.
"All right, Rongrong. Then you'll be in charge of the sect's finances. And with the support of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, I'll happily take that 'easy money' from you."
At the words "easy money," Ning Rongrong's mind flashed back to a memory from their shared dream, the scene of their wedding. A faint blush spread across her cheeks, and she lowered her gaze shyly, murmuring,
"Okay… I… I'll be going then… you two talk."
Without daring to look back, she rushed from the room. Even after returning to her own quarters, her heart was still pounding, and her breathing was shallow. It took several long moments before she finally calmed down, noticing her palms were damp.
"Don't worry, Dai Yao—I'll help you establish the best sect ever."
After Ning Rongrong left, Dai Yao turned to Feng Wutong, who had been silent this whole time. Concerned, he put his arm around her waist, pulling her into his lap amidst her startled gasp.
"Why are you so quiet?" he asked, removing her hood to look into her graceful eyes.
Feng Wutong avoided his gaze, her expression downcast as she muttered,
"Dai Yao, I'm useless, aren't I? I can't help you with the sect. Sister Yan is helping you with building it, and Rongrong is offering financial support. Even Zhuqing has been by your side all along."
Her voice was laced with self-doubt. Dai Yao let out a quiet sigh, knowing that despite his repeated reassurances, Feng Wutong still struggled with feelings of inadequacy.
Lifting her chin gently to meet his gaze, he waited until she felt comfortable looking him in the eyes before he said softly,
"I've told you many times already—just being by my side is the greatest help you could give me."
"Their support is a nice bonus, but even if it weren't there, I would be fine. What matters to me is that you're here with me."
Feng Wutong's eyes softened as she rested her head against his chest. Her voice came out in a gentle sigh,
"I understand, but I only got where I am today because of you. It was only with your support that my teachers even accepted me as their student. If I were still that simple Scarlet Flame Bird spirit master, they wouldn't have even noticed me."
Dai Yao smiled helplessly as he stroked her back. Feng Wutong had a way of getting trapped in her own thoughts, but seeing her reaction now, he knew she would work through it.
"You're right. This is my issue to deal with. You don't need to worry about me," she whispered, offering a quick kiss on his cheek.
For a moment, Dai Yao felt his heartbeat quicken. He had spent so much time with her, yet her gentle touch never failed to move him. Her warmth and sincerity meant everything to him.
"That's the best outlook," he said, smiling back at her. "By the way, if I'm not mistaken, Elder Lingyuan has reached the verge of breaking through to the ninety-fourth rank, correct?"
"Yes," Feng Wutong replied, slightly surprised. "Elder Lingyuan told me that my presence around her helped her break through the bottleneck. Elder Qingluan even mentioned he feels on the verge of breaking through the ninety-seventh level."
"This is also why he didn't want me to leave on this trip with you. It took a lot of pleading before he agreed," she added with a gentle smile.
Years ago, when the two titled elders had competed to take Feng Wutong as a disciple, it was not only for her exceptional talent but also for her Scarlet Phoenix spirit, which held a subtle influence over other bird-type spirits.
Feng Wutong's unique Phoenix spirit naturally influenced other bird-type spirit masters, increasing their chance of breakthroughs even if their spirits didn't fully evolve. Elder Lingyuan and Elder Qingluan were prime examples. Not only had they grown stronger, but many bird-type spirit masters under Lingyuan's command also experienced noticeable boosts in their cultivation speeds, progressing twenty percent faster than average spirit masters. Several of these Contras even saw their chances of reaching Titled Douluo increase by a similar margin.
Because of this, the Lingyu Guard under Lingyuan fully accepted and respected Feng Wutong, obeying her commands second only to those of Lingyuan herself. Among the younger generation, the guards envied and admired Dai Yao more intensely than any other youth in Spirit Hall, and every time he sought out Feng Wutong, he found it difficult to avoid their constant scrutiny.
When Feng Wutong had finished describing this to Dai Yao, he felt a stronger sense of confidence about winning over the Speed Clan. Wrapping an arm around her waist, he teased,
"And you say you're not helping me. You'll have your chance tomorrow."
Intrigued, Feng Wutong's eyes lit up, and she asked eagerly,
"What is it?"
Leaning in, Dai Yao whispered his plan into her ear, watching as her former sadness disappeared, replaced by growing excitement.
As the next day's sun rose, Dai Yao stepped outside after washing up, glancing at the closed door to Tang San's room as he thought,
"My influence has sparked friction between the Defense and Strength Clans. Tang San and Titan stayed locked in their rooms all of yesterday."
"If not for wanting to recruit the Breaking and Speed Clans, they probably would have left long ago."
Although Titan's clan was a guest here, years of camaraderie with Niu Gao meant the Defense Clan leader could never forcefully expel them. Still, with the Defense Clan pledging loyalty to Dai Yao, Tang San couldn't bring himself to leave his quarters. Some members of the Defense Clan were unsettled by Niu Gao's decision, yet after seeing Dai Yao best Titan without using his spirit, they grudgingly accepted him as their "Sect Leader."
One unexpected twist was that Hu Yanzhen from the Elephant Armored Clan had yet to visit the Defense Clan as he had in the original story. Thinking it over, Dai Yao realized why: without the large-scale spirit hunt, both the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan remained untouched. Despite Spirit Hall's covert plans to re-establish the Seven Great Clans, the lower-ranked clans were being cautious about recruiting followers.
By evening, with only a day left before the Four Clan Gathering, the Speed Clan arrived, traveling in a group of twelve. Leading them was a slender, elderly man with flowing white hair and an aura as light and agile as the wind itself—Speed Clan's Clan Leader and eighty-second ranked Contra, Bai He. Beside him was a young girl close to Dai Yao's age. She was stunningly beautiful, though she fell slightly short of Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong, who had yet to absorb the Lotus spirit. She held Bai He's arm, her gaze flicking around with obvious curiosity, but her expression hinted at a certain aloofness.
Hearing their arrival, Dai Yao and his group from the Defense Clan, along with Ning Rongrong, went to meet them. Tang San, accompanied by Titan's Strength Clan as well as Oscar and Ma Hongjun, also approached.
The sight of the girl made Ma Hongjun's eyes go wide, his gaze glued to her with undisguised lust as he swallowed hard, captivated. Though Ning Rongrong's beauty was otherworldly, he knew she was off-limits. This newly arrived girl, however, seemed more approachable in his eyes.
The girl, meanwhile, was observing both groups when she noticed Ma Hongjun's lustful gaze. She glared back at him sharply. Bai He, noting the distinct separation between the two groups, glanced from Niu Gao to Titan. His gaze swept briefly over Ning Rongrong and the Sword Douluo behind her. Although Sword Douluo stood motionless, his intense aura seemed to slice through the air, forcing Bai He to retract his gaze.
Eventually, Bai He's eyes settled on the unfamiliar youths standing beside Niu Gao and Titan—Dai Yao and Tang San.
"Brothers, what's going on here? Why the frosty stares? We're finally together—let's enjoy ourselves," Bai He laughed, feigning lightheartedness before asking casually,
"By the way, who are these two young men in front of you? I don't recognize them."
Bai Chenxiang's bright eyes roamed over Dai Yao and Tang San, lingering on Tang San's handsome face for a moment. But when she noticed the black-robed figure standing quietly behind Dai Yao, her heart skipped unexpectedly. She felt a strange urge to draw closer to her.
Niu Gao and Titan exchanged glances, with Titan quickly averting his gaze and turning away. Seeing his old friend's reaction, Niu Gao sighed and said,
"Dai Yao, Tang San, I think it's best if you two introduce yourselves."
Tang San shot a cold glance at Dai Yao before politely addressing Bai He,
"My name is Tang San, son of Tang Hao. I've established a new sect called the Tang Sect, which Elder Titan has already joined. I'd like to invite you to join us as well."
"The son of Tang Hao? The 'Tang Sect'? Hmph! Is the so-called Tang Sect anything more than a puppet of the Clear Sky Sect?" Bai He replied with a cold laugh. Despite his indifferent tone, he felt a glimmer of excitement. His sister was Tang San's grandmother, which meant Tang San should call him "Granduncle" by seniority. The closure of the Clear Sky Sect had severed ties with the subsidiary clans, leaving him disappointed. Bai He had held no ill will toward Tang Hao for these events and even felt a hint of nostalgia and comfort upon seeing Tang San now.
Recently, he'd heard about the Clear Sky Sect's reopening and eagerly awaited news of their renewed invitation for the affiliated clans. But after announcing their return, the Clear Sky Sect had gone silent again, dashing his hopes.
He stifled his excitement, looking at the golden-haired youth beside Niu Gao, his tone still frosty as he asked,
"And you? Who are you, and which power do you represent? Perhaps the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan?"
Dai Yao shook his head with a smile.
"No, Elder Bai. My name is Dai Yao, formerly the Fourth Prince of the Star Luo Empire. I'm now part of Spirit Hall, and I've established a sect of my own—the Qinglian Sect. Although I am connected to Spirit Hall, I can assure you that my sect has no affiliation with them."
"As of now, Elder Niu Gao and the Defense Clan have already joined the Qinglian Sect. Like Tang San, I would also like to invite the Speed Clan to join us."
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