The Final Chapter: Two Years of Growth

Time slipped by, and the years flew like a shuttle.

Before she knew it, nearly two years had passed.

To recall the scene of Sword Douluo standing up for her, she now had to look back two years.

Who could have predicted that time would pass so quickly?

During those two years, without that bunch of bastards from Shrek Academy bothering her, Ning Rongrong had devoted herself to cultivation every day.

Her main methods of cultivation were still Healing Sword and exchanging Identity Points.

Though there were only those two methods, her growth had been terrifying.

At that moment.

Ning Rongrong was finishing her last round of Healing Sword cultivation at the far end of Shrek Academy's main training ground.

Only when a ray of emerald-green light shot into the clouds and countless incredible benefits flowed into her did she stop using Healing Sword.

Normally, when everyone saw such a surprising sight, they should have found it astonishing.

But over the past two years, everyone at Shrek Academy had grown used to it.

It was as though they had come to take Ning Rongrong's growth for granted.

Fortunately, Zhu Zhuqing was still happy for Ning Rongrong, just as she always had been.

Oscar could hardly stand watching anymore. "Zhu Zhuqing, Rongrong's growth is shocking every day. You're this happy every single day. Aren't you afraid your emotions will get all out of whack?"

Zhu Zhuqing shot Oscar an annoyed glare. "What do you know? Rongrong might grow far more in a day than we do in a month, or even half a year. When you make huge progress in a month, aren't you happy?"

"But..." Oscar didn't understand. He had thought he was the only one who liked Ning Rongrong. Zhu Zhuqing might be Ning Rongrong's best friend, but she was a girl too. How could things go any further between them?

No matter how much Ning Rongrong grew, it was only her own growth.

The closest connection she could have with Zhu Zhuqing

was being her best friend, at most.

"Rongrong is Rongrong, and you are you. Haven't you been standing still these past two years? Apart from your Soul Power Level being far ahead, that is," Oscar asked sarcastically.

"Hmph!"

If Oscar hadn't been one of the few people at Shrek Academy who bore Ning Rongrong no ill will, Zhu Zhuqing wouldn't have wanted to speak to him at all.

But now that Oscar had said that,

Zhu Zhuqing no longer cared whether he bore Ning Rongrong any ill will. She simply ignored him and ran toward Ning Rongrong, who had just finished her Healing Sword cultivation. She even completely ignored Yu Xiaogang, who was teaching everyone to cultivate.

Yu Xiaogang felt utterly humiliated, but there was nothing he could do.

Ever since Ning Rongrong had defeated him in an instant two years ago, he had never dared meddle in her affairs again. He couldn't afford to provoke even Zhu Zhuqing, the person Ning Rongrong cared about most.

He simply let Zhu Zhuqing leave.

"Everyone else, you'd better cultivate properly, or you'll run a hundred laps around the village!"

A bellyful of grievances rose in Yu Xiaogang, and he took them out on the others.

Elsewhere.

"Nine hundred ninety-nine thousand, nine hundred ninety-eight."

"Nine hundred ninety-nine thousand, nine hundred ninety-nine."

"One million."

Ning Rongrong had just finished her Healing Sword cultivation when she suddenly heard a system notification.

"Ding~"

"Congratulations, host, on completing one million uses of Healing Sword. Would you like to claim your reward now?"

The reward for one million uses of Healing Sword.

What a shocking and exciting reward it was.

Two years ago, Ning Rongrong might have been so excited that she would have shouted on the spot, or been unable to sleep.

But now, she could hold her excitement in check.

That was because this wasn't the first time she had claimed the reward for one million uses of Healing Sword.

For nearly two years, aside from eating, sleeping, beating Doudou, and going to the Great Soul Arena for actual combat, she had used Healing Sword every day.

On average, she used Healing Sword around six thousand times a day.

Over nearly two years, or around seven hundred days, the number of uses had reached a terrifying four million.

This was already the fourth time she had claimed the reward.

Her Soul Power Level had also risen tremendously, reaching level forty-nine-a full fourteen levels higher—and she had gained her fourth Soul Ring.

Now was the perfect time to add years to her fourth Soul Ring.

Without the slightest hesitation, she said, "Add the nine hundred ninety thousand years of actual age to my fourth Soul Ring."

When she had obtained her fourth Soul Ring, she had only claimed the reward for ten thousand uses of Healing Sword, so it had been an ordinary Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring.

Adding nine hundred ninety thousand years of actual age to it now would bring it to exactly one million years.

"Ding~"

"Congratulations, host. The actual age of your fourth Soul Ring has increased to one million years."

"Ding~"

"Congratulations, host. Your Soul Ring's Soul Skills have improved."

"Please check your Soul Skills yourself, host."

Another ray of emerald-green light illuminated the sky. Before long, Ning Rongrong's fourth Soul Ring had officially evolved into a Million-Year Soul Ring.

When the others from Shrek Academy, who were still cultivating nearby, saw the light this time, their faces turned green.

Whether it was from the light reflecting on them or from envy, no one knew.

As everyone knew, whenever a ray of light appeared, Ning Rongrong made a tremendous leap in strength.

If it appeared twice, she might just defy the heavens!

"Check the fourth Soul Ring's Soul Skills," Ning Rongrong commanded the system.

"Ding~"

Fourth Soul Ring: Million-Year Soul Ring.

Soul Skill One:

The Ten Treasures emerge with Glazed Tile. The Ten Treasures are named; fourth: defense.

Increases the target's defense attribute fivefold.

Soul Skill Two:

Fourth: Divine Defense.

Increases the user's defense attribute tenfold.

Divine Defense Soul Skill: Ten Treasures Golden Body. Forcibly nullifies the target's strongest offensive Soul Skill against the user. Cannot be used on the same target again within a short time.

Soul Skill Three:

Fourth: Demon Defense.

Demon Defense Soul Skill: Ten Treasures Protection. Increases the user's defense attribute twentyfold and reflects all targeted Soul Skills that fail to break through the user's defenses. Enchants the next target struck, greatly weakening its defense.

Soul Skill Four:

Ten Treasures Defense Suppression Domain: Within this domain, the user ignores all physical attacks from targets and reflects one hundred percent of all physical attacks, greatly weakening the targets' defense attributes. Lasts three minutes, during which Soul Power is consumed at a high rate until the time expires or Soul Power is exhausted. This Soul Ring cannot be used again for one day.

A Million-Year Soul Ring had a full four Soul Skills. This was a special feature exclusive to Million-Year Soul Rings.

It was consistent with Ning Rongrong's first, second, and third Soul Rings.

However, her fourth Soul Ring was, after all, focused on defense.

It seemed to have quite a lot of Soul Skills.

Yet it had none that could strengthen her own attacks.

Only if an opponent attacked her and their Soul Skill was reflected could she deal a little damage.

For now, its only practical use was making her tougher when she took a beating.

"But at least there's a Soul Skill similar to invincibility, and it can last as long as three minutes. There's no question about its ability to keep me alive. It really is worthy of being a defense-attribute Soul Ring." Ning Rongrong clicked her tongue thoughtfully.

She couldn't help looking over her earlier Soul Rings and Soul Skills again.

Her first Soul Ring, for instance, focused on strength, and all four Soul Skills maxed out strength.

Her second Soul Ring focused on speed, and all four Soul Skills maxed out speed.

Her Third Soul Skill focused on Soul Power, and all four Soul Skills maxed out Soul Power.

Taking a closer look,

they had all undergone tremendous changes compared with before...