r18novel Chapter 45 Ning Rongrong's Shock
Chapter 45 Ning Rongrong's Shock
Ning Rongrong was not asleep in the master bedroom.
She lay on the bed, her fingertips gently rubbing her still slightly hot buttocks, her nose slightly red. Although Xiao Wu had hit her hard, afterward she hugged her and said many heartfelt things—about how she and Yan Zu had gone through life and death together, about the dangers they had faced together, and how if she really wanted to join them, she would stay by their side for life and never betray them.
Ning Rongrong agreed.
But at this moment, an overwhelming sense of inferiority quietly crept into my heart.
She was the little princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, born into nobility and possessing outstanding talent. From childhood to adulthood, she had always been a pampered and favored daughter of heaven. But following Yan Zu and Xiao Wu, she tasted for the first time the bitterness of being "inferior to others".
Yan Zu clearly only revealed his level 31 soul power to the outside world, yet he was able to easily suppress Dai Mubai, who was at level 37; Xiao Wu's speed and explosive power far surpassed any other soul master of the same level.
And she...
Even with the sect's resources and Yan Zu's guidance, breaking through to level thirty-one at the age of eleven was astonishing within the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School for the past century, but she was ultimately just a support-type character. Aside from boosting, she couldn't do anything else.
They couldn't help in combat, could only be protected in times of danger, and even keeping up with them seemed so strenuous.
As they grow stronger, will I be left behind?
Will it... become unimportant?
My heart, which has been proud all my life, feels so heavy for the first time.
Ning Rongrong bit the corner of the blanket, her eyes gradually reddening, her voice barely audible, carrying a hint of grievance she herself was unaware of:
"Am I... really good enough for them?"
The door was gently pushed open.
She hurriedly wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, looked up, and saw Yan Zu and Xiao Wu walking in together.
"Still not asleep?" Yan Zu sat down by the bed, his gaze gentle.
Ning Rongrong lowered her head, her fingers nervously twisting the bedsheet: "I...I'm thinking about something."
"What are you thinking about?" Yan Zu saw through her low spirits at a glance.
The girl's body trembled slightly, and finally, unable to hold back, her voice trembled slightly:
"Auntie, Sister Xiaowu... just how strong are you? Dai Mubai is level 37, you don't even take him seriously... but I'm only level 31, and I don't know anything except how to boost my power."
She looked up, tears welling in her eyes, but she held them back.
"I don't want to just stand behind and watch you... I don't want to be a burden."
"You will never be a burden." Yan Zu's voice was soft, yet carried an undeniable firmness. "Your Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda is the best support skill in the world, and your talent is one in a million. Without you, Xiao Wu's speed would be 30% slower, and my soul power would be halved. You say you're a burden? Then what are Xiao Wu and me? Disabled people?"
Ning Rongrong was speechless at the last sentence, unsure whether to laugh or cry.
"And..." he paused, "if you're worried about strength, then starting tonight, I'll teach you true strength."
"What?" Ning Rongrong was stunned.
Xiao Wu, hands on her hips, snorted, "You got off easy. I was originally planning to test you a little longer, but seeing how pitifully you cried tonight... Ah Zu, let's bring her in too."
Yan Zu nodded and placed his hand on Ning Rongrong's brow: "Relax, don't resist. I'll take you somewhere."
In an instant, Ning Rongrong felt dizzy and disoriented. When she opened her eyes again, she found herself in a vast void.
"Where...is this?" Ning Rongrong looked around in shock.
"The Martial Soul Simulation Training Ground, one of my Martial Soul talents." Yan Zu's figure materialized beside her, and Xiao Wu also appeared beside her. "The flow of time here is three times that of the outside world, and it's absolutely safe. For the past two years, Xiao Wu and I have been training here."
Ning Rongrong's eyes widened: "So... what are your current levels...?"
She dared not think about it, yet she couldn't help but guess. Dai Mubai's level 37 Soul Master status already made her feel that he was quite powerful, but Yan Zu dealt with him so easily, which clearly meant that he was hiding his true strength.
Yan Zu did not answer directly, but instead gave Xiao Wu a look.
Xiao Wu understood, a sly smile playing on her lips, and her soul power surged suddenly. Her previously concealed aura vanished, and four soul rings slowly rose from beneath her feet—yellow, purple, purple, and black!
Black! That's the color only found in ten-thousand-year-old spirit rings!
Immediately afterward, a surge of powerful soul energy erupted from Yan Zu's body. Four soul rings also appeared, identical to Xiao Wu's: yellow, purple, purple, and black!
Two black soul rings faced each other in the void, their ten-thousand-year-old soul beast aura causing the entire simulated training ground to tremble slightly. The air seemed to freeze, and the dense soul power made Ning Rongrong subconsciously hold her breath. Her face turned deathly pale instantly, but then flushed with excitement in a flash.
"One...one yellow, two purple, and one black?" Ning Rongrong's voice trembled as she pointed a shaking finger at the two black spirit rings. "Ten-thousand-year spirit rings? You...you're actually Spirit Master level?!"
She broke through to the thirty-first level of Soul Master at the age of twelve, already a genius rarely seen in a century by the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School. However, compared to the Soul Ring configurations of Yan Zu and Xiao Wu, she was simply insignificant. Especially the fourth, dark, ten-thousand-year Soul Ring, a height that many Soul Masters could not reach in their entire lives, yet Yan Zu and Xiao Wu, one eleven years old and the other twelve, had already acquired it!
Ning Rongrong's mind went blank; her previous feelings of inferiority and disappointment were instantly replaced by immense shock. She finally understood why Yan Zu could easily subdue Dai Mubai, and why Xiao Wu's speed and explosive power were so astonishing—they weren't just level 30 Soul Masters at all, but genuine Soul Grandmasters! And top-tier Soul Grandmasters with ten-thousand-year Soul Rings!
"You...you all..." Ning Rongrong composed herself, her eyes slightly reddening, a mixture of hurt at being "deceived" and shock and excitement. "At Notting Academy, you've been pretending all along?"
"It's not pretending, it's concealing," Yan Zu explained gently. "My separated martial soul is already special, and with this kind of soul ring configuration, once exposed, it will inevitably attract the covetous eyes of various powerful forces, and may even implicate my family and you all."
Xiao Wu added, "Furthermore, we don't want to be too conspicuous. Back at Notting Academy, hiding our strength not only avoided trouble but also allowed us to better hone our soul skills and accumulate experience."
Ning Rongrong fell silent. She recalled those Soul Masters who would stop at nothing for Soul Rings and Soul Bones, and instantly understood the two men's good intentions. Her resentment gradually dissipated, replaced by intense admiration and a touch of relief—relief that she had chosen to stay by their side, and relief that they were willing to reveal their true strength to her.
"So...so that's how it is." Ning Rongrong clenched her fists, her nails digging deep into her palms, but her eyes shone with an unprecedented light. "You guys are really...amazing."
Looking at the four spirit rings on Yan Zu and Xiao Wu, especially the black spirit ring symbolizing top-tier strength, a burning fighting spirit ignited within her. She was the little princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, a support-type spirit master with exceptional talent; she absolutely could not let them leave her far behind!
"Grandma, Sister Xiaowu," Ning Rongrong raised her head, her eyes filled with determination, "I want to become as strong as you!"
Yan Zu smiled, "Now, I will pass on to you the Bone Forging Chapter, Healing Chapter, and Movement Technique Chapter of the Nine Yin Manual, as well as the Six Meridian Divine Sword. These techniques can change your physique, giving you physical strength and reaction speed comparable to a Battle Soul Master; the Six Meridian Divine Sword, based on soul power, is formless and shapeless, and when combined with your Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, it can provide support while taking lives from a hundred paces away."
A deluge of information flooded her mind, causing Ning Rongrong to feel a splitting headache, but this was followed by unparalleled clarity. She "saw" the pathways of her meridians, she "saw" the invisible sword energy fueled by her soul power...
"I...I can fight..." She looked at her hands, tears welling up again, but this time they were tears of joy. "Azu, Sister Xiaowu...I..."
"It's not a matter of 'can' or 'cannot,' but 'must.'" Yan Zu said solemnly. "From tonight onwards, you are no longer simply a support character. But remember, in front of outsiders, you are still the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda that needs protection. Only in life-or-death situations can these abilities be revealed. This is your trump card, and also our secret."
"Stop crying." Xiao Wu walked over, still looking fierce, but with a smile in her eyes. "From now on, we're real sisters. We'll protect this idiot together, okay?"
Ning Rongrong nodded vigorously, then suddenly stepped forward and hugged Yan Zu tightly, then hugged Xiao Wu: "Thank you... I... I will definitely be your strongest support from now on!"
Yan Zu gently patted her back, and Xiao Wu reached out to ruffle her hair. The three of them smiled at each other in the training ground, and a bond that transcended friendship was finally formed at that moment.
The next morning, sunlight streamed into the room through the sheer curtains.
Zhu Zhuqing pushed open the door and stepped out, keenly noticing Ning Rongrong's change—the little princess was exceptionally radiant today, her eyes sparkling like stars, and her walk possessing a light, rhythmic grace, as if she had been reborn overnight. Even stranger, she and Xiao Wu seemed to have reached some kind of tacit understanding; occasionally, they would exchange a glance and reveal a mysterious smile.
Yan Zu was all ready, with Xiao Yu lazily perched on his shoulder: "Let's go, to Shrek Academy."
The four left the hotel and headed towards the village outside the city. In the morning light, Ning Rongrong stood tall and proud, secretly taking Xiao Wu's hand with her left hand, while boldly linking her right arm with Yan Zu's. Under the helpless yet doting gazes of the two men, she smiled like a little fox who had just stolen some fish.