"Sword Grandfather!! Are you alright…"
Ning Rongrong, seeing the incredibly powerful Sword Douluo in her eyes actually injured, felt as if the sky had collapsed. She was so anxious that she almost burst into tears, her mind completely blank, utterly unaware of what had just happened.
At that moment, two figures slowly emerged from the Star Sect.
On the left was a middle-aged man, tall and imposing, dressed in a black robe adorned with faint golden patterns.
His black hair cascaded like a waterfall, his deep eyes carrying a hint of coldness and arrogance. His dark golden pupils exuded an endless aura of majesty and nobility.
On the right was a seemingly ordinary yet strikingly handsome young man, who gave off an air of profound mystery.
Di Tian glanced lightly at Sword Douluo and smiled faintly, "Not bad Sword Intent, but still not enough to impress."
"Who are you? Why did you hurt my Sword Grandfather!!" Ning Rongrong, overwhelmed with grief and completely devoid of rational thought, pointed at Di Tian and shouted in anger.
"Rongrong! Silence!"
Sword Douluo, seeing Ning Rongrong dare to offend so brazenly, his expression drastically changed. He quickly pulled Ning Rongrong behind him, a chill running down his spine.
Without a second thought for his own dignity, Sword Douluo knelt down with a thud.
He lowered his head and pleaded in a soft voice, "The child spoke out of turn. I meant no offense to your esteemed sect. Please, forgive us!"
Sword Douluo's back was drenched in cold sweat.
Although he was a 96th-level Titled Douluo and a powerful Sword Cultivator, in front of this man, he felt as if he were facing an insurmountable mountain—a mountain he could never hope to move.
He even felt like an ant in the other's eyes, an ant that could be crushed at any moment, utterly powerless to resist…
Endless regret and terror filled Sword Douluo's heart.
If he didn't obtain the other's forgiveness, both he and Ning Rongrong might never leave this place alive.
His own death mattered little.
But if Ning Rongrong were to die…
Ning Fengzhi and Bone Douluo would surely go mad.
And then, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School would face utter destruction!
"Sword Grandfather, why…"
Ning Rongrong was completely dumbfounded by this scene.
Why… why was this happening…
Her Sword Grandfather was so powerful, even the current emperor treated him with respect.
Yet now, the Sword Douluo, who in her eyes was like a Sword Immortal, was kneeling so humbly before this man, begging for forgiveness…
What on earth had happened…
"Hmph, quite adaptable."
Di Tian's eyes flickered slightly, and he smiled faintly, not out of mockery but rather surprise.
Because he could see that the little girl was of utmost importance to the man.
For the girl's safety, the man had willingly cast aside the pride of a Sword Cultivator and knelt to beg for mercy. Such a thing was truly rare.
"Please, show mercy…"
Sword Douluo, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, looked up at Di Tian, his eyes filled with desperation.
"Haha, whether to spare you or not is not my decision. You'll have to ask our Young Master."
As Di Tian spoke, his gaze shifted to Ye Feng.
Although Soul Beasts and humans have a deep-seated enmity, in Di Tian's eyes, the other party was merely an ant—whether to kill or not was of little consequence to him.
Moreover, the development of the Star Sect was currently managed by Ye Feng, so it was only natural for Di Tian to seek Ye Feng's opinion.
If rashly killing someone were to hinder the Star Sect's progress, it might upset Ye Feng.
Besides, that little girl seemed to know Ye Feng...
Di Tian's gaze lingered on Ning Rongrong, as if pondering something.
Upon hearing this, Sword Douluo's eyes fell on Ye Feng, filled with immense shock.
He never would have imagined that such a powerful figure would address such a young man as "Young Master."
Just who was this young man...
Just as Sword Douluo was considering whether to kneel before Ye Feng right then and there, Ning Rongrong was the first to break down. "Thud..."
Ning Rongrong knelt directly to the ground, her voice trembling with tears as she pleaded, "Ye Feng... I beg you... please don't hurt my Sword Grandfather... We mean no harm... I just wanted to... sob..."
As she spoke, Ning Rongrong burst into tears.
The collapse of her beliefs and the shattering of her pride finally forced this once-arrogant little princess to face reality.
Of course, the main reason was the oppressive aura Di Tian exuded, making her feel the breath of death, which scared her so much that she wet herself.
Ning Rongrong could clearly feel a warm sensation down there.
Fortunately, it was just a little, and hopefully, no one noticed...
And this wasn't even Di Tian deliberately targeting her—it was just a fraction of his overwhelming presence.
The weaker one's mental state, the greater the impact.
In Di Tian's current state, if an ordinary person were to glance at him, they might faint on the spot or even die instantly!
A Demigod is still a god! How could mere mortals gaze upon them?
"Rongrong, you..."
Seeing this, Sword Douluo felt as if his heart were being torn apart, filled with self-reproach for his own incompetence, which had forced Ning Rongrong to kneel and plead for him...
At the same time, he was filled with regret—regret for coming to the Star Sect, regret for spoiling Ning Rongrong too much, and regret for his own arrogance...
"Alright, you can get up. The Star Sect isn't some demonic sect that kills at the drop of a hat," Ye Feng finally spoke up after a long silence.
Though he was domineering, he wouldn't annihilate an entire family over a single remark.
With both the grandfather and granddaughter kneeling and kowtowing, and Sword Douluo already traumatized, his Sword Heart nearly shattered, Ye Feng couldn't bring himself to be too ruthless...
If he were to kill Ning Rongrong and Sword Douluo, it would inevitably lead to the destruction of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, and if things escalated, it could spark a full-scale war between Soul Beasts and humans.
As things stood, humans were no match for Soul Beasts, and in such a conflict, at least 99% of humans would perish. How could that possibly end well?
Ye Feng's original plan had been to use Bi Ji and Zi Ji to slightly suppress Ning Rongrong and Sword Doulro, but he hadn't expected Di Tian to suddenly appear, his mere aura forcing Sword Douluo to kneel and beg for mercy.
This was completely beyond Ye Feng's expectations.
However, the suppression effect was exceptionally good.
"Thank you, sir, for sparing our lives!"
Upon hearing this, Sword Douluo felt as if he had been granted a great reprieve, wiping away a cold sweat before helping Ning Rongrong to her feet.
The last time he had experienced such a life-and-death crisis was over thirty years ago.
Originally thinking that his level 96 combat power was practically invincible, he never expected that there could still be such a terrifying existence in the world.
"However, our Star Sect is not an easy target either. While the death penalty can be spared, living punishment is unavoidable..."
Ye Feng's tone shifted, turning cold again as he spoke indifferently, "Our Star Sect is currently in need of Servant Disciples. Let her come to atone for her sins, for a period of one year."
Ye Feng glanced at Ning Rongrong, who was tearful, and continued speaking.
After Di Tian's intimidation, Ye Feng felt that Ning Rongrong had been sufficiently disciplined and should have learned her lesson.
The Star Sect was short on manpower, and a well-disciplined Ning Rongrong would be quite suitable.
"Ah? Servant Disciple... I... I don't know how..."
Upon hearing this, Ning Rongrong was instantly bewildered...
She had always been high and mighty, accustomed to being a little princess. How could she possibly do such menial work...
"Thank you, sir!"
Sword Douluo reacted swiftly, quickly turning to Ning Rongrong and saying, "Rongrong, hurry and thank this lord!"
Sword Douluo, wise with age, knew that this was the condition for their release and naturally agreed immediately.
Moreover, he didn't sense any killing intent from the other party, so the whole Servant Disciple thing might just be a ruse to make Ning Rongrong remember her lesson.
This time, he had also been thoroughly dragged down by Ning Rongrong, and his Sword Heart had even developed cracks.
He didn't resent Ning Rongrong, but he felt that she indeed needed to suffer a bit and couldn't be overly pampered.
Entering the Star Sect as a Servant Disciple could also serve as a good training experience for Ning Rongrong.
Furthermore, he could tell that the other party didn't seem to have any ill intentions. Ning Rongrong might be a bit tired as a Servant Disciple in the Star Sect, but she likely wouldn't be bullied or harmed.