Chapter 147: A Parting Gift! (

At the Eastsea Spirit Pagoda, Jing Xiaoyu followed Ouyang Jian as they took the elevator up to the Pagoda Master's office on the top floor.

Inside the office, Ji Changming was lounging comfortably in his chair, sipping tea with a look of rare contentment. With Leng Yaozhu's recent departure, he had finally reclaimed his office. This was, without a doubt, one of the few perks brought by her absence.

Bang!

The office door swung open abruptly. Ouyang Jian barged in without ceremony, his booming voice filling the room. "Old Ji, are you in?"

Startled, Ji Changming almost spilled his tea. His expression darkened as he set his cup down with a thud. "Ouyang Jian! What's with the shouting? I'm not deaf!"

"Hahaha! So you're here!" Ouyang Jian laughed heartily, completely ignoring Ji Changming's irritation. "I brought Xiaoyu to say goodbye to you."

"Grandpa Ji!" Jing Xiaoyu stepped out from behind Ouyang Jian, moving forward to greet Ji Changming with a bright smile.

"Oh, Xiaoyu's here!" Ji Changming's displeasure vanished instantly, replaced by a warm, beaming smile. "Come, come, sit down! Try some tea I brewed myself."

Jing Xiaoyu let himself be seated on the sofa as Ji Changming moved to sit opposite him, carefully pouring him a cup of tea. "Here, have a taste!"

"Hmm, not bad!" Jing Xiaoyu took a sip and offered a polite compliment. In truth, he wasn't much of a tea drinker, but he knew how to show appreciation.

Ji Changming chuckled and nodded. "So, when are you all heading to Shrek Academy?"

Jing Xiaoyu set down his cup and replied, "In five days."

"Five days, huh? That's not far off," Ji Changming sighed with nostalgia. "I still remember when I first saw you—you were just a six-year-old boy. Now look at you, all grown up. Time really flies."

"Yeah, it really does!" Ouyang Jian chimed in, helping himself to some tea as well. "Seven years passed in a blink. I still remember you, Old Ji, trying to poach Xiaoyu into your Spirit Pagoda!"

"Heh, and yet Xiaoyu still became part of the Spirit Pagoda in the end," Ji Changming said smugly, leaning back in his chair. "You should be thanking me, Ouyang Jian."

"Thanking you? Please!" Ouyang Jian shot him an exaggerated eye roll. "You've always been the slyest among us. I still can't believe you managed to bring the Sky Phoenix Douluo to Eastsea City for seven whole years!"

"It's all thanks to Xiaoyu's talent and good fortune," Ji Changming said humbly. "If not for him, I wouldn't have been able to invite someone as powerful as the Sky Phoenix Douluo here."

Jing Xiaoyu smiled faintly and replied, "Grandpa Ji, you're being too modest. Teacher herself said that if anyone deserves credit for her coming here, it's you."

"She gives me too much credit!" Ji Changming said, his mouth curling into a pleased smile despite his attempts to wave off the praise.

"Enough of that false modesty, Old Ji!" Ouyang Jian couldn't help but mock him. "The wrinkles on your face are almost disappearing from how hard you're smiling. Don't pretend you're not proud of yourself!"

"Jealous, are you?" Ji Changming shot back with a grin. "It's fine. I'm used to you being jealous of me."

"Get lost!" Ouyang Jian barked playfully, swatting at Ji Changming's shoulder.

Ji Changming only laughed louder, clearly enjoying the banter. After a moment, he grew more serious and looked at Jing Xiaoyu. "Xiaoyu, since you're leaving for Shrek Academy soon, Grandpa Ji doesn't have much to give you. Your teacher is the Sky Phoenix Douluo, so I doubt there's anything I could offer that you'd lack. But…"

He produced a red, metallic card and handed it to Jing Xiaoyu. "Take this card. Shrek City is far more expensive than Eastsea City, and as a man, you can't go without money. It's my little parting gift to you."

Jing Xiaoyu hesitated for a moment as he looked at the card—a Federation savings card with a minimum balance of ten million credits. After a brief pause, he accepted it with a smile. "Thank you, Grandpa Ji. I'll take it then."

"Haha, it's only five million credits. Nothing to worry about!" Ji Changming said cheerfully, clearly pleased that Jing Xiaoyu had accepted the gift.

Ouyang Jian, on the other hand, looked indignant. "Old Ji! If I hadn't come along, I wouldn't have known you were sneaking off to give Xiaoyu a farewell gift! You're making me look stingy!"

"Tch!" Ji Changming shot him a sideways glance, completely unbothered. "What I give Xiaoyu is my business. Since when do I need to report to you?"

"Don't play dumb with me!" Ouyang Jian retorted, but his expression quickly shifted to one of smug satisfaction as he flipped his palm. A long, wooden box appeared in his hand. "Hmph! Fortunately, I came prepared too."

Ji Changming eyed the box with mild disinterest but said nothing.

Ouyang Jian placed the wooden box in front of Jing Xiaoyu and said, "Xiaoyu, your Grandpa Ouyang isn't as rich as Old Ji here, but what I'm giving you can't be bought with money! Go ahead, open it!"

"Alright!" Jing Xiaoyu didn't refuse. Rejecting Ouyang Jian's gift would have been rude and might even offend him.

The long wooden box appeared to be crafted from sea phoenix wood, a rare and precious material. Just the box alone would cost a fortune, which made Jing Xiaoyu even more curious about its contents.

As he opened the box, a refreshing, cooling aura wafted out, accompanied by thin, wisps of white mist. A faint fragrance filled the air, and all three of them couldn't help but show relaxed expressions as they breathed it in.

When the mist cleared, the item inside revealed itself: a cylindrical, jade-like rod, smooth and flawless, exuding a faint chill and an imperceptible trace of draconic might.

"Old Ji, you really are generous," Ji Changming muttered, a note of awe in his voice.

"Grandpa Ouyang, is this… a dragon tendon?" Jing Xiaoyu's eyes widened slightly in recognition.

"Exactly!" Ouyang Jian said proudly. "This is a piece of Deep Sea Ice Dragon Tendon—from a quasi-ferocious beast. My great-grandfather obtained it after slaying a heavily injured Deep Sea Ice Dragon that had failed its tribulation. This tendon is the most precious part of the dragon's body."

"A Deep Sea Ice Dragon…" Jing Xiaoyu was genuinely surprised. Ouyang Jian's great-grandfather must have been extremely lucky to come across a dragon at its weakest. Judging by its size, the tendon was likely only a tenth of the original.

"The Deep Sea Ice Dragon Tendon is the most refined part of its flesh. Even chewing it raw would enhance a soul master's physical strength," Ouyang Jian explained, clearly proud of the gift. "Of course, that would be a waste. I'm sure you know how to maximize its value."

"Of course!" Jing Xiaoyu replied, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "Thank you, Grandpa Ouyang!"

"Haha, as long as you like it!" Ouyang Jian laughed heartily.

"There's no way I wouldn't," Jing Xiaoyu said with a smile. He closed the wooden box and stored the tendon in

his Heaven Phoenix Ring, already thinking of several ways to make the best use of it.