Chapter 42: Dream, Ning Fengzhi’s Dilemma

Chapter 42: Dream, Ning Fengzhi's Dilemma

Plan: Dream sequence with Mohg that will continue later when he dies under Qian Xunji's hands. Then meeting with Ning Fengzhi (a minor pov change)

Xue Tie finds himself within a dark void, movement is hard akin to walking through a swamp but he is a regular human again and not a spirit master. He begins simply walking down one of the paths in hope of finding something new. He last remembers fighting the two envoys but he knows he didn't die unless someone came up after he ran out of energy and instantly killed him.

Xue Tie can only proceed forward until he finds an edge. It's not a wall of any kind but more akin to a waterfall drop as Xue Tie finds a lack of footing ahead. He can only walk alongside the edge.

It is some time later that Xue Tie has a repeat encounter with an old foe. Mohg

Again in his freaking head. Xue Tie sighs and goes over to sit next to him since he has nothing better to do than roam around more.

"So, how are you? Been a few years since you threatened or berated me for being dumb and useless" He asks with a hint of sarcasm

"Your part in this act has been sufficient" Mohg says and Xue Tie shivers as he did not expect this.

"Miquella was my lover during my life here. We had perished under the Asura god's hand while in the middle of a Martial soul Fusion technique. When we died, our souls had taken fragments of each other. As such, when I ended up reborn in 'that' world. I took a shard of her soul with me which became the Miquella you knew or heard of. The rest had been scattered through the cycle of reincarnation. The damage of me taking the shard had split her soul even further into multiple individuals. You have met 3 but I sense at least 5 of them. While you alone hold my part of the soul in its entirety. This is what allows me to speak to you now, through our bloodline. She will never be whole again but her fragments at least desire to be with me. I know it. That is the bond between us. " Mohg begins speaking of the circumstances of how he got to Elden Ring as well as his own circumstances. Him speaking so much makes Xue Tie nervous about responding at all but he musters up his courage and asks.

"So what is the plan now?" He questions

"You must pursue equilibrium between your martial spirits and initialize the bond between me and Miquella within yourself.With that, the Blood God shall be complete and you will have a chance against the Divine Dezidents. Go to the West, the volcanic mountains, seek strength there. The fires shall burn our curse into Ascension. Then utilize 'that' to bring out the final ruins" Mohg states and when he mentioned 'that', he points up and when Xue Tie looks. He sees stars in the void sky. Providing some light but not enough to truly illuminate the dark realm he is in.

"So equal out my spirit rings, do something with my martial spirits to create some sort of Blood God. and I can get my new rings in the Volcanic lands. Something there should amplify the curse of the trident. I wonder what it is. And then I have to figure out what that light is. It gives off a similar glow as the potions the envoys drank. Does that mean this is divine energy or at least some sort of higher grade energy than Spirit power?" he speaks out the plan and Mohg disappears into dust, not saying anything more

The shadowy void begins distorting before collapsing and Xue Tie finds himself awake on the ground. Covered in blood and dirt. He dusts off the dirt and blasts off the blood with his slightly recovered spirit power. He takes out Cruise (energy recovery necklace) to help him gather up his energy again before he sets off. He also scavenges the two envoys' bodies.

The hammer man is also turned to paste as the final Nihil seems to have condensed his body after having been drained of blood. Like a lemon being squeezed of juice. It's a disgusting sight but nothing Xue Tie isn't used to by now. He only finds a few personal items on his body.

The food spirit master was the treasure trove as he had a spatial storage item in the form of a belt like tang san's but smaller/with less storage gems on it. It's still higher quality than Xue Tie's so he considers it a win. After looking around, he finds 2 more bottles of the golden liquid which he keeps stowed away for emergencies or until he can sit down and study it enough. Afterall, he believes it to be linked to the light within the voids sky.

In the storage device, he also finds the duo's accumulated wealth which is quite high but nothing that Xue Tie doesnt have many times over. The final portion is a few cultivation resources which are quite high grade.

"Sweet, I can use these to break through to level 60 and then head out to Mt. Xiqiao (Volcanic Region, based on a real volcanic mountain) to get my next spirit rings in one go." Xue Tie does just that.

After moving some ways off away from the battle area while also moving in the direction of his original destination. He consumes the herbs and achieves the level 60 breakthrough. He still have a bit left over of the herb that he can finish off afterwards. He stores the remaining herbs away and resumes his journey to Heaven Dou City so that he may meet with Ning Fengzhi.

(Ning Fengzhi pov)

A man with black hair and wearing a sort of crystalline tiara along with a beautiful silver suit is seen pacing around in his office room within the 7 Glazed Tile Pagoda Clan's head office. This is Ning Fengzhi, who has never been more nervous and overthinking after receiving a letter from the team of students under Xue Tie. Stating that it was from him. After reading it he was at first overjoyed that he would have another meeting with his idol but then grew worried as he knew that Xue Tie was sent on a super secret mission and has been incognito since. Yet he is now reaching out to Ning Fengzhi.

This makes him worried, as such he had gathered reports of all activities regarding Spirit Hall for any possible offenses against his Glazed Tile Pagoda. When he found nothing suspicious after 2 hours of report reading. He turned to the business side and also found nothing wrong there.

This leaves him stumped and he can only believe that it truly is business related and that his idol has some sort of proposition for him. As such he begins his preparations for the meeting. Changing into more suitable attire as he can't very well flaunt the status of his clan before his idol who single handedly surpasses the wealth of his clan.

A few hours pass and Ning Fengzhi arrives at the most luxurious Restaurant in Heaven Dou City. According to the letter, he is to meet with a cloaked figure that has a vibrant blue feather attached to it.

Going floor by floor of the restaurant, he finally gazes upon the cloaked figure at the very top floor which typically requires 10 thousand gold coins to even enter. While Ning Fengzhi enters for free as the restaurant is technically one of his clan's businesses. He approaches the figure and nods to them, who nods back. The cloaked figure gestures for Ning Fengzhi to sit and after he does. He begins to speak.

"I must congratulate Ning Fengzhi for stepping into the position of Patriarch."

"Haha, such a small matter, I'm not worthy of sir's congratulations." Ning Fengzhi replies and continues. "I do not wish to take up too much of sir's time, as such, may we get down to business?"

"Oh, but we are talking about business. I've come in regards to your ascension and the followup duties you must fulfill as Clan head."

This puts a frown on Ning Fengzhi's face as he is confused over how his duties might be related to his idol.

"This one is low on brains and seeks guidance for what purpose this one's position entails." he asks in a roundabout manner 'what the hell he is talking about'.

"I ask Patriarch Ning to list out his current and future duties as Clan Head. This one shall jump in when the core matter is reached." A teasing smile seen within the cloak which only makes Ning Fengzhi sweat more. After he says that, a plate of dumplings arrives for the cloaked figure who begins eating while waiting for Ning Fengzhi to speak.

"I am required to continue advancing my people's strength, as well as the wealth of the clan. Assisting Heaven Dou Empire with philosophical or business matters. I am also required to marry and sire a child" He finally says the key sentence

"Indeed you are. This is what I have come in regards to"

"Um, sir. I am already destined to be engaged and married within a year. I do not believe sir is able to intervene in my clans inner matters. I also have to decline sir's advances if that is what he proposes"

Xue Tie, the cloaked figure, chokes on his dumpling over the joke that Ning Fengzhi threw at him out of nowhere.

"Haha, Patriarch Ning is funny. From our last meeting, I was under the impression that either sword douluo and bone douluo beat humor out of the Patriarch from a young age. I suppose I must revise my reports. Regardless, I have come about this matter. To seek deeper into it. I must ask. Who is thine destined betrothed?"

Ning Fengzhi sweats when he remembers his first meeting with his idol and seeming like a screaming fangirl he can only direct his thoughts to the question at hand.

"I am to be the next generation of interwed clans, unifying us once more to retain our strength and position. I have not heard news of any promising youth of a similar age to me or any sort of candidate at all."

"Hmm. I see, then I shall be the great informer. My student, Xia Wei is from this subsidiary clan of yours"

Like a thunderclap, Ning Fengzhi is stunned but he quickly processes and realizes the matter at hand.

"Your student is to be my wife? She is from my Ning clan?" he asks confused and astounded.

"By technicality, an illegitimate child between a young lady and her servant who was cast away years prior."

"I see, if they spin around the story then it can be some sort of secret child between inner members of the clan and hidden away so as to build character by not providing resources or care. Then indebting the child to the clan later on….such as now."

"Indeed, Patriarch Ning is truly smart. As it stands, If I should not have existed then Xia Wei would have likely been a useless existence until your own ascension to the throne. Only then being groomed and brought up properly. Yet as it stands Xia Wei…is my student, and your subsidiary clan is trying to whisk her away like a damsel in distress when no form of distress is found."

Ning fengzhi is silent

"I have no qualms with you pursuing Xia Wei through your own efforts but I won't let your clan attempt to brainwash her or force her when they had initiated this ploy in the first place to save face. I consider their act disgusting."

Ning Fengzhi is now sweating

"I had originally thought to propose 5% of my shares to my company to you in exchange for essentially butchering this clan or kicking them out. But after some thought, I realized that such an event would have weakened your clan and even if you have wealth."

"Being known as a kin slayer for money is a bad situation which would guide others from you. As such I scrapped the idea. Instead, I shall use these shares to have you support Bibi Dong in ensuring that Xia Wei is returned to my wing and unbothered by your clan. "

Ning Fengzhi undergoes a rollercoaster of emotions. He first chokes on his saliva when 5% of Xue Tie's company is mentioned.

Then sweats when the idea of slaughtering his clansmen arose before turning to a sigh of relief when it was scrapped and finally a silent joy as he was given a relatively easy task of slapping some people he doesnt care for for a crap ton of money. He quickly formulates some plans of how to stop any potential backlash from the subsidiary clan.

A paper is placed before Ning Fengzhi. "You may overview the contract but know that any extenuating circumstances that arise as a result of it not being fulfilled will be placed fully on your shoulders."

"Should under any circumstances Xia Wei accept to join the clan and leave my team then the contract will be voided as she has accepted the burden of her life to be her own. I am simply doing all this to ensure her free will is respected"

Ning Fenzhi reads the lucrative offer but realizes that he also needs the stamp of approval from Bibi Dong as co-owner of the company. Even if it's not her shares being given out. She has to be made aware of this change and approve the deal since it's a major change.

Ning Fengzhi smiles as he says "I…"

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I hope I have done Ning Fengzhi's mind more justice due to all the fanboying serving as a negative influence. I always see him as the smartest man in the story.

I also have some questions which I hope some people may hope to clarify before I give any final dates on when Tang San is born.

In previous chapters, There was a comment about Tang Hao reaching Titled Douluo at age 44 and this is somehow before Tang San is born but Tang hao's 9th ring is red which I believe came from Ah Yin (tang san's mother). Aren't they rather one and the same day? Or at most a 3 day difference between giving birth and being chased?

My knowledge of hidden details in soul land is a bit lacking since technically Soul land 3 is the one I am most acquainted with story wise.

Soul Land 1- manga only- 258 (Tang san should be getting a red ring from the sea god stone or whatever, my memory is fuzzy)

Soul land 2 - manga only-I used an app to read it so I don't have the page number on hand but Su hao recently got the snow emperor spirit hovering around him and scared off evil spirit masters from shrek

Soul land 3- manga and novel- chapters: 81 & 1712 (respectively)