New Training: Star Dou Forest
"It looks like the best way is to wait until the Soul Power at the heart of the Ten Treasures Soul-Seeking Array is full before entering and breaking it."
Ning Rongrong analyzed the situation and arrived at the best solution.
Otherwise, if she entered the array early and her opponent seized the chance to break it, she would be at a disadvantage.
Mm.
The whole point was to catch the opponent off guard.
"Rongrong, have you already broken through to level thirty? That was so fast!" Just then, Zhu Zhuqing's question pulled Ning Rongrong out of her meditation and back to reality.
Ning Rongrong nodded and walked toward Zhu Zhuqing one step at a time. She grinned and said, "Of course! Just look at the sweet, beautiful girl I have at home. With you around, my cultivation speed is crazy fast."
"Crazy fast?" Zhu Zhuqing blushed.
Oscar gave a wry smile. "Today was supposed to be my moment to shine. Who would've thought I'd be the final act, but you'd be the star?"
"Oh?" Xiao Wu was noncommittal. "Is level thirty such a big deal? Tang San and I will reach level thirty in a couple of days too, Oscar."
"...Could you stop putting me down? I thought I was the fastest-cultivating Support System Soul Master."
"All right, all right." Seeing that Ning Rongrong had finished absorbing her Soul Ring, Flender gave her a peculiar look and continued, "First, let's congratulate Ning Rongrong on successfully reaching level thirty as well, making her the third Little Monster at Shrek Academy whose Soul Power has broken through to level thirty."
"Let's give her a hand-"
Oscar and Xiao Wu cheered.
Tang San and Zhu Zhuqing clapped politely.
Dai Mubai...
"But although Oscar's Soul Power has reached level thirty, he still doesn't have a Soul Ring to let him break through, so our main task isn't over yet. Everyone, rest for a day. Tomorrow, we'll go help Oscar obtain his third Soul Ring."
"Also, you'll all be starting a new round of training. I hope everyone gains something from it."
Though Flender had countless questions in his heart, he didn't voice them. But when he looked at Ning Rongrong, the displeasure in his eyes had noticeably diminished.
No one knew what was going on.
The group had a day to rest. Besides giving Ning Rongrong enough time to regulate her breathing, they spent more of that day packing their bags, preparing to head out for practical combat.
According to Flender's plan, their next stop was none other than the Star Dou Great Forest.
The Star Dou Great Forest was one of the three most famous Soul Beast gathering grounds on the Douluo Continent. Its area was nearly as large as a kingdom, and it stretched between the Heaven Dou Empire and the Star Luo Empire.
In the original story, this was also one of the important places where Shrek Academy's students grew stronger.
Everyone was looking forward to this round of training.
Ning Rongrong included.
After all, there would be unexpected gains here.
Before long, a day had passed.
Early the next morning, everyone assembled once again on Shrek Academy's main training ground.
This time, however, the teacher leading them wasn't Dean Flender, but Zhao Wuji.
Seeing that familiar face again, some of them couldn't help feeling a little awkward.
Zhao Wuji glanced at Ning Rongrong, scarcely daring to look her in the eye. Seeing that everyone was present, he simply said, "Let's go," and led the way.
Dai Mubai followed close behind him.
Tang San, Xiao Wu, and Oscar traveled in the middle.
Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing brought up the rear.
Everyone remained silent as they traveled.
Perhaps because she hadn't fully woken up, Zhu Zhuqing even swayed as she walked.
Ning Rongrong found it a little funny. Every so often, she shook Zhu Zhuqing's head to keep her awake.
This girl really doesn't have a care in the world. Wasn't she eager to cultivate in the original story? She couldn't wait to get stronger.
"I'm not asleep, I'm not asleep!" Prompted by Ning Rongrong, Zhu Zhuqing instinctively tried to defend herself.
"Hahaha."
But that sent everyone into laughter.
After all that silence along the way, it was unexpectedly Zhu Zhuqing, the one least inclined to talk, who broke the monotony in the end.
Even Xiao Wu, who had originally been walking with Tang San, was drawn over by Zhu Zhuqing's personality. The last row became three girls walking together.
Tang San couldn't quite stand watching and reminded her, "Xiao Wu, the last row is very dangerous. You need to watch out for sudden threats."
Xiao Wu pouted. "It's fine. Rongrong's here. She's not afraid, so what are you afraid of?"
"I..."
Tang San naturally wasn't afraid. He was only worried that Xiao Wu would be in danger.
But there was nothing he could do.
In the end, he could only let things continue as they were.
Taking advantage of the moment when everyone was beginning to liven up, Dai Mubai suddenly quickened his pace and silently came up beside Zhao Wuji, the teacher leading them. In a low voice, he asked, "Teacher Zhao, didn't the dean say we should drive Ning Rongrong out of Shrek Academy as soon as possible? Why hasn't anything happened by today?"
"..."
"Teacher Zhao?" Seeing that Zhao Wuji wasn't paying him any attention, Dai Mubai couldn't help raising his voice a little.
But that drew the attention of everyone behind them.
Dai Mubai could only hurry to mumble an explanation. "I was just... just asking about the road ahead. Don't... don't read too much into it."
"..."
Now everyone fell silent.
Anyone could tell that definitely wasn't what Dai Mubai had been asking.
Zhu Zhuqing shot him a resentful look from the back and said quietly, "Dai Mubai must be cooking up some bad idea again. Be careful, Rongrong."
"Really?" Xiao Wu didn't understand. "We're classmates, after all, and hasn't Boss Dai already been taught such a harsh lesson? He should know to rein himself in."
"How could he?" Zhu Zhuqing retorted. "He's the sort of dog that can never stop eating shit."
Ning Rongrong smiled. "It's fine. I know what I'm doing. If he does anything out of line again, I won't leave him a way out this time."
With Dai Mubai's current abilities, he couldn't do anything to her anyway. She had long since stopped taking him seriously; at most, he was a mere jumping clown.
Instead, Ning Rongrong urged Zhu Zhuqing to set her mind at ease and focus on training properly during their trip to the Star Dou Great Forest.
Meanwhile, Zhao Wuji, who had suddenly been called out, was wearing a dark expression. He looked coldly at Dai Mubai. "Wasn't the dean the one training you a few days ago? During those days, after I settled Ma Hongjun, I went to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect on the dean's instructions."
"What? You went to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect?"
Dai Mubai asked in surprise, "What happened, then?"
"Keep your voice down!"
Zhao Wuji turned to look at the others. Only after seeing that he hadn't attracted their attention this time did he continue, "I went there on the dean's orders, intending to have the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect take Ning Rongrong away, but..."
But before he could even meet Ning Fengzhi, someone stopped him.
Bone Douluo had been looking for Sword Douluo and, as luck would have it, spotted Zhao Wuji. Seeing a stranger at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, he dragged Zhao Wuji off for a private training session without another word.
Later, when Sword Douluo learned of it, he insisted on fighting Zhao Wuji too, and asked in passing whose blows hurt more, his or Bone Douluo's.
Zhao Wuji had nearly been slapped to death by Bone Douluo, then nearly hacked to death when Sword Douluo loosened up.
In the end, the two Titled Douluo finally let him in to see Ning Fengzhi.
But...
To his surprise, both of them followed him inside.
How could he dare bring up taking Ning Rongrong back to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect then?
"Mubai, take my advice and stop making trouble for Ning Rongrong. I know you... suffered a great injustice, but the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect isn't something just anyone can afford to offend."
"At least... you can't afford to offend them."