The weapon refiner is not doing her job properly

Chapter 252 Taking on Disciples and Returning Home

"Otherwise what?" Su Ninglong's gaze remained fixed on the small figures struggling to climb, her voice devoid of emotion. "What do you think I chose you for? Among you, some gave up billions in assets just to become spiritualists, and some persevered for six years to earn this opportunity. These children are still young and their minds are not yet settled. If they can't even swallow this little bit of hardship, why should I take them under my wing?"

In a world where the idea of ​​"a teacher for a day is a father for life" doesn't exist, it's only natural to use the strictest standards for selection.

"You should know that training a cultivator takes far more effort than training a spirit cultivator."

Lei Qingya laughed upon hearing this, reaching out to pat her shoulder: "Yes, yes, our little Su Su caused us a lot of trouble back then." She changed the subject, her eyes filled with anticipation, "After I reach the Core Formation stage, will I be able to take on disciples?"

"I guess so." Su Ninglong nodded uncertainly.

She had also thought about this question. Lei Qingya and Feng Ying were able to embark on the path of cultivation entirely because of the influence of her soul contract.

She gazed thoughtfully at the small figure on the ladder to heaven.

The lineage of cultivation cannot rely on soul contracts forever. Perhaps the contracts should be adjusted, transforming them from a form of forced binding into a marker?
Su Ninglong thought of the Soul Lamp.

Perhaps it is possible to nurture their souls with soul lamps, subtly influencing their spiritual essence; this seems to be a viable path.

The challenge of the mountain trail lasted for two days and two nights.

Of the children selected, only Xueheng successfully reached the summit.

Two other people unexpectedly awakened supernatural abilities during their climb, thus ending their chances of pursuing cultivation.

The news quickly spread throughout the Star Alliance, and everyone discussed it. Everyone was shocked, realizing that the path of a spiritual cultivator was a hundred times more demanding than they had imagined.

Upon learning that she had passed the level, Xueheng couldn't hide her excitement and shared her joy with the guide.

The guide was also very happy, and he tried to remain modest as he said, "Keep up the good work, there will be even happier days to come."

Su Ninglong's friends came to congratulate her and brought all sorts of gifts. What child doesn't love gifts? A brand-new little robot, well-fitting clothes, all kinds of snacks she had never seen before, and even a free gun shooting training voucher.

He never imagined that he would receive so much care from so many people after just entering the sect.

This kind of pampering is different from the care that orphanage teachers provide out of a sense of responsibility.

The older brothers and sisters here exude the closeness and care that only family members have.

Lei Tinghua took Xueheng's hand and said, "Little brother, I want to go to the shooting range too. Will you take me?"

“You’re the younger brother.” Lei Qingya smiled and tapped Lei Tinghua’s nose. “You’re a month younger than Xueheng.”

"No, I want to be the older brother." Lei Tinghua had finally found a peer to play with, and he refused to be the younger one no matter what.

Xueheng said gently, "It's okay. You enrolled earlier than me, so I can call you senior."

"This is great." Lei Tinghua immediately beamed, finding this new partner exceptionally likable.

Su Ninglong shook her head helplessly, reached out and pinched Lei Tinghua's chubby cheeks, then gently patted Xue Heng's head: "You're little devils. I don't care how you get along, but you can't use my name to bully other classmates." She gave them this special instruction in advance to prevent the two little ones from getting into trouble while playing.

The two children nodded obediently, held hands, and ran out to play.

While packing her luggage, Su Ninglong specifically asked Xue Heng's guide to tell her, "The children must not touch the items in the warehouse. Some of them are dangerous."

This guide was even younger than Xingyuan was back then, with a lively personality and the unique vigor of youth.

Su Ninglong was worried that he would soften his heart and indulge Xueheng's curiosity.

As a public area, the warehouse was frequently used by Lei Qingya for refining materials, and Feng Ying also needed to use it for her studies, so it has been open for the past two years.

"I will keep an eye on their movements," the guide quickly assured him.

"Although Xueheng is sensible, she is, after all, an orphan. She might be overly indulgent towards Lei Tinghua due to a lack of security..." Su Ninglong's instructions were meticulous, like those of a wise and experienced mentor, considering every aspect thoroughly. The guide couldn't help but feel that this young cultivator was far too mature.

"Just praise him more and help him build confidence."

Seeing that the guide understood her meaning, Su Ninglong set off back to the bar.

After two days of utterly slacking off, Su Ninglong voluntarily took a seat at the bar and became a cashier.

Quanwang then sent the latest news: The investigation found that 30% of the tourism industry chain in Kaibi Star points to a man named Samman, the vice president of DI Company.

Su Ninglong stared at the screen, her expression unreadable. The previous investigations were finally coming together.

Samar, the man who always had dark circles under his eyes and a headscarf wrapped around his head.

Su Ninglong had a deep impression of him. After the attack on the Gemini Bank, the surveillance footage showed Samantha sitting in a coffee shop, leisurely enjoying the chaos with two other people.

For the past few months, she has been secretly investigating these three people.

After all, as long as you live, you will leave a trace.

In this high-tech society, finding eyewitnesses is neither difficult nor impossible.

Latest intelligence indicates that Samantha is also a business partner of Viezhen, and the two jointly manage the auction house.

But with Wei Zhen's incompetent qualifications, he managed to bring his own business to the brink of bankruptcy. If he hadn't found a capable general manager, the huge auction house probably wouldn't have been able to survive long ago.

So the question is, how exactly did Viejohn manage to gain control of the auction house?
The image of Zhou Jiaxi, the one who had instigated Wei Zhen behind the scenes, flashed through Su Ninglong's mind.

She remembered that Wei Zhen's two sons had fallen out with Zhou's son before, withdrew from the Star Alliance and went to other schools, and then graduated as students of the Star Glory Alliance. It was a bit strange, but not really strange.

Wei Zhen is rich, and his two sons have been studying in the Star Alliance for so long. They're not stupid, so getting a Star Alliance diploma shouldn't be too difficult for them.

These two are now a thing of the past. It is worth noting that in the information Song Liu gathered, it was mentioned that Zhou Yu had awakened a superpower, but the ability was weak and he needed to continue his studies in the Star Alliance.

The deeper the investigation goes, the more people are implicated.

Zhou Jiaxi is definitely a formidable opponent.

Over the years, Su Ninglong has been fully aware of his actions: constantly eroding the Star Alliance's resources for his own enrichment, secretly suppressing all hunters who were unwilling to cooperate with him, and even resorting to any means to try to steal the rare seeds from her manor.

He wanted a piece of the pie in any project that could generate profit. This ambitious and ruthless man caused the Zhou Group's power to snowball.

Su Ninglong sneered, wanting to see if Zhou Jiaxi could handle such overwhelming wealth. "Your smile is a little creepy," Zou Shuyi teased her goddaughter while mixing drinks.

Su Ninglong grinned at the gleaming shaker: "I'm practicing how to appear more ruthless. Before the next competition, I need to show them what it means to be imposing without being angry."

"Are you really planning to stay in the bar all the time? The auction is about to start again, and I heard there are a lot of rare and unusual treasures this time. You can bring a few friends to have some fun." Zou Shuyi pointed to the dozen or so exquisite invitations lying quietly in the liquor cabinet.

After seizing the auction house, Wei Zhen actually had the nerve to send out invitations?

Zou Shuyi noticed her displeasure: "I guess you've already thought of it. The auction house shouldn't have been a Star Alliance business in the first place; it would have been more suitable to hand it over to private management. Now, with the revenue from the simulator and game businesses, we've already filled that gap. The items in the auction house are too easy for people to exploit. It's better to let go sooner rather than later. Whether it's good or bad, it's their own business."

“I’m not angry that they took over the auction house,” Su Ninglong pouted. “I’m just annoyed that they can’t even produce a few decent items.”

This isn't the resource-scarce cultivation world; as long as you're willing to pay the price, there are plenty of people willing to risk their lives to collect treasures.

"Your face looks a bit premature, but your mind is still that of a child," Zou Shuyi said with a mischievous smile.

Su Ninglong: “???”

She'll still look like this thousands of years from now, so why the rush?

"Hahaha, Su Ninglong has a unique charm, but you, her godmother, don't know how to appreciate it." A regular customer next to her gave Su Ninglong an exaggerated look. "Ninglong, Uncle is waiting for you to grow up."

Faced with the man's flirting, Su Ninglong remained unfazed: "My godmother is right. Even a genius like me has some minor flaws, such as my mind never keeping up with my cultivation. Even in another thousand or two thousand years, I'm afraid I won't truly mature. Uncle, don't be too sad then, because you'll have long since turned into dust."

"Hahahaha!"

A burst of laughter erupted from all around. Everyone mocked the guest for his wishful thinking, saying that Princess Su had surpassed her godmother in eloquence, and that these seniors would be no match for her in a real verbal battle.

Su Ninglong gently traced the stack of invitations with her fingertips, then turned to Zou Shuyi: "Some of my friends want these, could you give them to them?"

"Do as you please. Anyway, the auction house doesn't restrict who can participate anymore." Zou Shuyi reminded, "But tell them to be careful not to bid recklessly."

"understood."

Since she handed over the matter entrusted to her by Arya to Lei Qingya, she hadn't been in contact with these young ladies from noble families for a long time, and it was indeed time for them to get together.

The next day, Aria, Alice, Lei Qingya, and Feng Ying arrived on time.

Behind the four beauties, each with their own unique charm, were several tails.

Su Ninglong rested her chin on her hand and sighed helplessly. Sure enough, wherever there is free entertainment, there are always these few clowns.

Lian Xinyi was one of the lively characters. His dark brocade robe with subtle patterns accentuated his extraordinary temperament, and a carefree smile played on his lips. However, his golden curly hair clashed rather poorly with his cultivation world attire, and he only managed to hold up the scene thanks to his good looks.

Charlie and Song Hu are also on the list.

However, there was an unexpected person standing behind them. "Why is Mr. Qi here too?"

Qi Shen's attire today was equally eye-catching.

This time he wasn't wearing an eye patch. His gray eyes, which should have appeared aloof and distant, were instead crystal clear, without a trace of impurity, possessing a purity rarely seen in ordinary people.

This contradiction blended into an indescribable aura within him, much like those ancient monsters who had lived too long in the forbidden areas of a sect, whose wisdom had only grown with age.

“I’m guarding the contaminated area for you, so I naturally have the right to apply for leave,” Qi Shen said frankly. “I like you. I heard from Shen Zhaoming that you’re going to the auction, so I want to go with you.”

The words "I like you" stunned everyone present.

Lian Xinyi immediately pressed, "Is it the kind of 'bro, are you someone I can get along with?' kind of 'girl, are you marriage material?' kind of 'girl, want to get married?'"

Qi Shen's answer remained calm: "My affection transcends gender." There was not a trace of ambiguity in his words.

“That should be called ‘appreciation’.” Su Ninglong narrowed her eyes slightly, feeling that Qi Shen was doing it on purpose.

Qi Shen smiled gently, like a well-mannered young lady, but her eyes shone with undisguised joy: "Let's leave it at that. Take me to the auction, I want to buy something."

This unusual behavior made everyone present feel a little strange, and Su Ninglong felt an inexplicable unease: "What are you planning?"

"I don't understand what you're saying." Qi Shen put on an innocent look, but his face was so handsome that it was impossible to get angry with him. People are always more tolerant of beautiful things, and Qi Shen just happened to be exceptionally good-looking.

If Xingyuan's looks are rated out of 10, then he's at least a 9. The missing 1 point was because Su Ninglong favored her own dad and deliberately deducted it.

When he smiled, his gray eyes seemed to hold shimmering light, dazzling and mesmerizing.

The other party is very powerful, and there will always be a reason to use him. Moreover, he has an eccentric personality, so Su Ninglong shouldn't offend him.

The auction venue wasn't far from the building, so Su Ninglong readily agreed.

Zou Shuyi yawned and waved her hand, saying with interest, "Have fun!"

Su Ninglong felt that her godmother was eager to get rid of her so she could have some alone time with her husband, and that she valued her lover more than her daughter!

As they exited the bar, Qi Shen quietly followed beside her, a puzzling smile always playing on his lips.

Arya couldn't help but nudge Lei Qingya with her elbow, lowering her voice: "This Mr. Qi... should still be single, right?"

Lei Qingya knew exactly what she was thinking. This girl kept saying she wanted to find a hunter boyfriend for a sense of security, but in the end, she was just lusting after good looks.

"I advise you to give up this idea as soon as possible." Lei Qingya shook his head helplessly. "This Mr. Qi is probably older than your grandfather."

Arya stumbled in shock, but Lei Qingya caught her in time: "How...how old is he? Is it the effect of some kind of supernatural power?"

"I don't know the specifics, but he's definitely older than Principal Yan."

"You can't judge a book by its cover..." Arya murmured.

Alice added softly from the side, "Isn't Su Ninglong the same? She looks delicate and frail, but you only know how formidable she is once you actually fight her. She's not like a child of ten or so."

She found the right word and added, "That's right, disillusionment." Disillusionment with the image of the fairy.

The highest-profile auction was scheduled for 9 p.m. The entire shopping street was decorated with dazzling colorful lights, making it look like a cyberpunk wonderland. During this time, aircraft were prohibited from flying over the street, and the sidewalks were crowded with all kinds of stalls.