Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School.
"What did you say? That brat has disappeared again?"
Gu Rong's eyes widened in anger as he slammed his palm heavily onto the table in front of him.
With a crisp crack, the exquisitely crafted glass table shattered into pieces.
Below the hall, the White-robed Soul Saint, Chen Hao, hung his head low, his voice filled with deep remorse: "Elder Gu, it is entirely my fault for failing to keep an eye on the young master. I am willing to atone for this with my life."
He knew all too well that while it might have been excusable the first time Gu Feng slipped away, for it to happen again was a grave dereliction of duty, leaving him utterly ashamed.
Gu Rong let out a long sigh and waved his hand, his expression softening slightly: "Enough, this isn't entirely your fault. When that brat returns, I'll make sure to teach him a lesson he won't forget, so he understands the consequences of running off!"
"By the way, what did the academy say? Do they have any leads on Xiao Feng's disappearance?"
Chen Hao quickly responded: "The academy has promised to investigate thoroughly. So far, we only know that before disappearing, the young master met with Dugu Yan."
"Dugu Yan? Dugu... Could she be the granddaughter of that old poisoner?"
Gu Rong muttered to himself, his mind quickly conjuring up the sinister face of the Poison Douluo, Dugu Bo.
Chen Hao nodded in confirmation: "Indeed, Dugu Yan is the granddaughter of His Excellency, the Poison Douluo."
"Alright, I understand. You may leave now."
Gu Rong's expression turned grave as he waved his hand, signaling Chen Hao to withdraw.
Once Chen Hao had left, Gu Rong wasted no time and hurried straight to the main hall of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School. There, he relayed to Ning Fengzhi the details of Gu Feng's disappearance and his meeting with Dugu Yan.
After hearing the report, Ning Fengzhi's face turned pale, and he said with apprehension: "This is bad. Dugu Bo is notorious for his ruthlessness and vindictiveness. Could it be that Xiao Feng inadvertently offended Dugu Yan and was taken by him?"
Beside him, Chen Xin, whose already cold demeanor had turned frosty, suddenly stood up, his voice brimming with fury:
"What are we waiting for? I'll go find him right now! That old poisoner has truly grown bold, daring to provoke us by targeting Xiao Feng. I'll make sure he gives us an explanation!"
With that, Chen Xin turned to leave, the sharp sword intent radiating from his body causing the surrounding air to seem almost frozen.
At that moment, a series of hurried and chaotic footsteps broke the tense atmosphere in the room.
"Report!" A guard rushed in, kneeling on one knee, his expression anxious: "Sect Leader, there are two people outside requesting an audience with you."
Ning Fengzhi frowned, a sense of unease rising in his heart as he asked: "Who are they? Did they give their names?"
"Reporting to the Sect Leader, one of them only said his surname is Dugu and did not reveal his full name," the guard answered truthfully.
"Dugu? That Dugu Bo! I haven't even gone to settle the score with him, and he's already come knocking on my door!"
Upon hearing this, Chen Xin erupted in rage, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.
He was certain that the visitor was none other than Dugu Bo, and that his arrival could only mean trouble.
Without another word, Chen Xin stormed toward the entrance, paying no heed to anyone else.
Gu Rong watched Chen Xin's hurried departure and couldn't help but mutter: "That old swordman. It's my grandson who's missing, yet he's acting as if it's his own grandson who's been lost."
Ning Fengzhi quickly stepped forward, a gentle smile on his face, and tried to mediate, "Alright, Uncle Gu, now is not the time to be stubborn. Let's go together and see what's going on. It might just be a misunderstanding after all."
"After all, we shouldn't act rashly before we understand the situation, lest we damage the harmony."
"Exactly."
...
"Yan Yan, why did you have to come along? I could have handled this alone," Dugu Bo said with a look of helplessness. The matter of joining the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School was already enough to worry him.
But Dugu Yan insisted on coming along. Would she enter or not? If she didn't, would people gossip? If she did, the Dugu family would be tied to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School. This was not in line with Dugu Bo's original intentions.
Dugu Yan crossed her arms, her tall and well-proportioned figure leaning slightly to one side, pouting as she retorted, "What's the big deal? You join your sect, and I'll come to find Gu Feng. What's wrong with that?"
Hearing that it was about Gu Feng again, Dugu Bo felt a surge of blood rushing to his head, both angry and helpless. He thought to himself that this Gu Feng kid had completely bewitched his precious granddaughter, leaving him with nothing.
As the grandfather and granddaughter were talking, a petite figure with pink hair, like a nimble little squirrel, quietly slipped up beside them.
She raised her chubby little hand and pointed at them with a fierce yet adorable expression, "Hey, who are you two? I've never seen you in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School before!"
The speaker was none other than the little princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, Ning Rongrong. She blinked her big eyes, filled with curiosity and wariness.
Dugu Bo looked at the adorable little girl in front of him and couldn't help but think of Dugu Yan when she was young. She had been just as cute back then, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously curled up slightly.
But ever since she met Gu Feng, everything had changed.
Thinking of how Dugu Yan was now completely infatuated, he sighed inwardly.
Dugu Bo bent his tall frame, trying to make his voice sound as gentle as possible, "Little girl, where are your parents?"
Hearing this, Ning Rongrong's mind instantly flashed to the stories Gu Feng had told her about creepy uncles luring little girls. Her pink face tightened with wariness, and she took several steps back.
Then, summoning her courage, she shouted, "Creepy old man, don't you dare come closer! Rongrong isn't afraid of you!"
With that, Ning Rongrong's pink cheeks puffed up like a little hamster, her small fists clenched tightly in front of her chest, as if she was ready to challenge Dugu Bo to a duel at any moment.
Seeing this, Dugu Yan couldn't hold back her laughter, "Oh, little sister, you're so cute!"
She reached out to pat Ning Rongrong's head, but the little girl deftly dodged.
Ning Rongrong blinked her big, watery eyes, which were both innocent and wary, and said in a crisp voice, "Fat woman, are you with this creepy old man?"
Her sharp tongue immediately left Dugu Yan speechless.
"Fat woman? Fat?"
The bright smile on Dugu Yan's face instantly froze.
What woman could tolerate being called fat?
This had perfectly hit her sore spot.
Dugu Yan was both angry and anxious, quickly retorting, "Little sister, are your eyes not working properly? Where am I fat? Don't talk nonsense!"
As she spoke, she unconsciously straightened her posture, trying to prove the elegance of her figure.
Ning Rongrong didn't care about any of that. She mischievously stuck out her pink little tongue and continued to add fuel to the fire, "You still say you're not fat? Look at those two lumps of yours, they're so big! And you still claim you're not fat? Tsk tsk, you're so old and still lying with your eyes wide open, shame on you!"
"Fat woman, I bet you can't even see your own toes, can you?"
The little girl kept making faces as she spoke, her mischievous and playful demeanor infuriating Dugu Yan even more.
(End of Chapter)