A Final Chapter, a New Beginning

"You arranged the best educational environment?"

Sword Douluo was puzzled.

After all, he had only just arrived, and the special treatment for Ning Rongrong had only just been mentioned, so he had missed it.

Ning Rongrong explained it to Sword Douluo, and only then did he understand.

But Sword Douluo's expression remained frighteningly grim. "What's worth staying for at this lousy academy, with these lousy teachers? Rongrong, you're coming back to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect with me today. I'll teach you myself."

Good grief...

Ning Rongrong had never imagined that Sword Douluo would dote on her so much,

No, that he had doted on the former Ning Rongrong so much.

Not only had he come straight over for revenge after hearing she had been wronged, he also wanted to take Ning Rongrong back with him.

Well, this was-

If she hadn't still needed to earn Identity Points, Ning Rongrong would truly have been tempted to agree.

And more importantly...

"I really can't go back, Grandpa Sword." Ning Rongrong hesitated, glancing at Zhu Zhuqing beside her.

If she left, what would happen to this little girl?

Not only would Zhu Zhuqing have no one to keep her company, but these people might even take out their resentment toward Ning Rongrong on her.

She really couldn't leave.

"Then you..." Sword Douluo seemed to notice Ning Rongrong's feelings for Zhu Zhuqing and nodded thoughtfully. "How about this? I'll stay here too, until you graduate."

"..."

Sword Douluo really knew how to drop a bombshell.

This time, not only Ning Rongrong but everyone was shocked.

If they invited such a big boss to stay at Shrek Academy, how could they possibly live out their days from now on?

"Ahem, ahem." Flender laboriously coughed up several mouthfuls of blood so he could speak. "Your Majesty Sword God, I give you my word as the dean of Shrek Academy that from now on, Young Lady Rongrong will be the young lady of Shrek Academy. No one will dare bully her.

If anyone doesn't know what's good for him, I'll be the first to deal with him.

Please return to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect without worry."

Hearing this, Ning Rongrong chimed in, "See, Grandpa Sword? Even the esteemed dean has said so. You really don't need to worry about me."

Esteemed...

Flender nearly spat out another mouthful of blood.

Since arriving at Shrek Academy, whom had Ning Rongrong ever respected?

But thinking about it,

In the end, he only had himself to blame for being too conceited,

For letting the academy's teachers and students run amok.

And no one had ever respected Ning Rongrong, either.

Sigh.

This batch of students was far too hard to manage.

"Hmph!" Sword Douluo paid him no mind, but after careful consideration, he realized that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect could not be left without him to hold the fort, and his staying would be detrimental to the sect to some extent. "Forget about you dealing with him, Flender. If there's a next time, I'll smash this Shrek Academy of yours to pieces.

And if I find out you were involved, you'll pay with your life to atone to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."

His life!

Flender believed he had made something of a name for himself on the Douluo Continent,

But before Sword Douluo, that amounted to nothing.

Looking at Sword Douluo's impassive eyes,

He knew Sword Douluo wasn't joking.

He couldn't help swallowing. "I... I understand."

"All right, get lost, all of you. I want a few words with Rongrong alone," Sword Douluo said calmly.

"Yes, yes, yes."

Hearing this, the others didn't dare linger. Zhao Wuji and Flender certainly weren't going to stay; supporting each other, they slunk away.

Tang San left with a complicated expression, carrying Yu Xiaogang on his back.

The others followed behind Tang San.

In moments, only Ning Rongrong, Sword Douluo, and Zhu Zhuqing remained on the large training ground.

The killing intent between Sword Douluo's brows leaked out again, as if questioning why Zhu Zhuqing hadn't left.

Ning Rongrong hurriedly pulled Zhu Zhuqing behind her, shielding her. "Grandpa Sword, little darling Zhuqing is very important to me. She's not an outsider.

If what you want to discuss with me isn't a sect secret,

She can listen."

"Little darling?" Sword Douluo's expression suddenly turned peculiar.

What kind of bizarre nickname was that?

But since Ning Rongrong had said so, he went along with her. "It has nothing to do with sect secrets. I'm just puzzled, Rongrong. Given your personality, why didn't you contact the sect when you were being bullied here?"

"I wasn't bullied, though?" Ning Rongrong was puzzled too.

Although she had been targeted at Shrek Academy,

She thought about it from every angle, and who had managed to bully her?

"You were!" Zhu Zhuqing interjected. "Rongrong, do you remember how Dean Flender made things difficult for you? He told you to run fifty laps around the village in half a day, and to hold out against him for the time it takes an incense stick to burn.

Who else could have done that?

Only you could."

"That happened too?" Sword Douluo was astonished. He had hurried over as soon as the messenger told him that Ning Rongrong seemed to be getting targeted at Shrek Academy; he hadn't expected there to be so much more to the story. "That Flender is courting death!"

"It wasn't that serious." Ning Rongrong chuckled. "Without him, I couldn't have gotten so many rewards-ah, no, I mean cultivated so quickly."

"What??"

Sword Douluo asked, "Then what level is your Soul Power now?"

"Level thirty-five, Grandpa Sword," Ning Rongrong answered truthfully.

"And your Martial Soul? Release it and let me see."

Clang-

The Ten Treasures Glazed Sword appeared at her will.

Sword Douluo froze. "What Martial Soul is this? That isn't the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, is it?"

Emerald-green sword Qi coiled around the blade, the light at its tip shone even brighter, and three Soul Rings circled it.

A single glance was enough to startle even Sword Douluo.

It seemed to contain boundless potential, enough to tear space apart.

"It's the Ten Treasures Glazed Sword." Ning Rongrong scratched her head, a little embarrassed. "How should I put it? Anyway, its quality is definitely higher than the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda's."

"Martial Soul Mutation?" Sword Douluo was somewhat baffled.

Ning Rongrong nodded. "Something like that."

Immediately afterward, Sword Douluo was startled again.

Normally, wasn't Martial Soul Mutation something one could only be born with or obtain through a fortuitous opportunity later on?

Trash like Yu Xiaogang had been born with a Martial Soul Mutation.

As for mutations obtained through later opportunities, he had barely heard of any-in fact, he had never heard of one at all.

The little girl Ning Rongrong had encountered such an opportunity?

She really was worthy of being a member of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

Sword Douluo was both astonished and delighted, and kept trying to take Ning Rongrong back to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect to train her.

After all, his Martial Soul was also a type of sword. If he could train Ning Rongrong properly, her future would surely be limitless.

But Ning Rongrong refused just as directly, giving Sword Douluo no opportunity.

This gave Sword Douluo quite a headache.

In the end, he could only let Ning Rongrong stay.

But he also made Ning Rongrong promise that if anyone at Shrek Academy ran amok again, she would tell him.

He would come whenever she called.

Then, after giving Zhu Zhuqing several meaningful looks, he left.

He had come in a hurry and left in a hurry.

He had come just to help Ning Rongrong vent her resentment.

Watching Sword Douluo's departing figure, Zhu Zhuqing was quite envious. "I didn't expect your sect to have such a powerful expert."

Ning Rongrong giggled and flicked Zhu Zhuqing on the forehead. "Don't worry. As long as the two of us cultivate diligently, one day we'll become that strong too."

"Mm~"

After Sword Douluo left, Shrek Academy returned to its former peace.

Only Ning Rongrong no longer appeared at the daily morning gathering on the training ground.

She had plenty of privileges that let her do as she pleased at Shrek Academy, and for the next week, her Healing Sword speed had a 2.5-fold boost.

Rather than train with those useless teachers, she would be better off making the most of her time with Healing Sword.

Zhu Zhuqing, meanwhile, continued cultivating with the others at Shrek Academy.

Ning Rongrong had tried to persuade her to join her, but she had refused.

Zhu Zhuqing felt that Ning Rongrong had won her privileges through her own strength. She didn't want to rely too heavily on Ning Rongrong; otherwise, how would she be any different from a decorative vase?

Even if Zhu Zhuqing wanted the same privileges as Ning Rongrong, she would earn them through her own strength.

The little girl had grown up...

She had ideas of her own now.