Cultivation Method and System Shop
To truly make something of oneself on the Douluo Continent, one percent talent and ninety-nine percent luck weren't enough. A tiny bit of effort was still needed.
After leaving the foul-smelling Tang San and the others, Ning Rongrong went alone to a secluded corner of the academy's rear courtyard.
While she was at it, she secretly ran a hand over her own body.
Heh, it felt first-rate.
If only she could temporarily turn off her own senses.
That would make it even more interesting.
"What? You think I'm perverted?"
Ning Rongrong scratched her head. "Can appreciating my own body be called perverted?"
That was a famous quote from Kong Rongrong.
It had been adapted from the original provided by Mr. Zhou Shuren.
All right, now that she'd had her fill of touching, it was time to cultivate in earnest.
"I remember using more than half my Soul Power in the fight with Zhao Wuji just now. If Zhao Wuji had flown into a rage from humiliation, I definitely wouldn't have had enough Soul Power. I wouldn't even have lasted a moment."
"I wonder if the system's cultivation method can increase Soul Power."
"Let's see what these two rewards are like."
"Ding~"
"Cultivation method-Healing Pagoda. After releasing your Martial Soul, control the seven-colored halo to move up and down. One complete back-and-forth movement counts as one Healing Pagoda."
"Ten thousand Healing Pagoda repetitions: reward of ten thousand years added to a Soul Ring's age or a Soul Ring, and a small increase to all attributes."
"One hundred thousand Healing Pagoda repetitions: reward of one hundred thousand years added to a Soul Ring's age or a Soul Ring, and a large increase to all attributes."
"One million Healing Pagoda repetitions: reward of one million years added to a Soul Ring's age or a Soul Ring, and an enormous increase to all attributes."
"Ten million Healing Pagoda repetitions: all attributes tripled."
"Current Healing Pagoda count: 0."
"..."
"Ding~"
"System Shop."
"Ten thousand Identity Points can obtain rewards such as a Ten Thousand Year Soul Bone, a Soul Ring, or an Immortal Herb."
"One hundred thousand Identity Points can obtain rewards such as a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone, a Soul Ring, or an Immortal Herb."
"One million Identity Points can obtain rewards such as a Million-Year Soul Bone or a Soul Ring."
"Current Identity Points: 250."
"..."
What was that supposed to mean?
A zero and a 250.
Why were they so unlucky?
Ning Rongrong was momentarily speechless.
But as the saying went, System Daddy had the final say over the system's rewards and rules. If she wanted to grow stronger, she could only obey.
Even so, Ning Rongrong's eyes lit up when she saw the attribute increases.
The increase to all attributes included an increase in Soul Power.
As long as she worked hard enough, she wouldn't have to worry about running out of Soul Power.
"Thank you, System Daddy!"
"First, let's see how this so-called Healing Pagoda is done."
After touching her body once more, Ning Rongrong released her Martial Soul—the Ten Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda.
Then, following the system's instructions, she guided her Soul Power into her Martial Soul.
Sure enough, with Soul Power flowing into it, the halo at the top of the Ten Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda began to drift slowly downward. When it reached the bottom, she controlled it with her Soul Power and made it drift slowly back to the top.
Before long.
"Ding~"
"Congratulations, host. Healing Pagoda count: 1. There will be no further notifications except upon task completion."
"Uh..."
Looking at the one Healing Pagoda repetition she'd gained,
Ning Rongrong suddenly didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
Healing Pagoda wasn't actually difficult.
As long as one wasn't stupid, one should be able to succeed on the first try.
But the time it took to complete one repetition was downright ridiculous.
One repetition took almost a minute.
Even without eating or drinking, how long would it take to reach a million?
Never mind a million; even ten thousand would be hard physical labor.
"Forget it, forget it. For the rewards' sake, I forgive you, system."
Ning Rongrong sighed helplessly.
The things in the System Shop required Identity Points, which she presumably could only obtain by completing various tasks after binding herself to Ning Rongrong's identity.
If that was the case, she could only follow the main storyline as much as possible.
In other words, she couldn't leave Shrek Academy for the time being.
"Come on, come on, come on! It's just Healing Pagoda, isn't it?"
"I'll pull an all-nighter first!"
With that, Ning Rongrong calmed herself and slowly began practicing Healing Pagoda.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
She didn't know how much time had passed, but when the sky was beginning to darken, her Healing Pagoda count finally reached 361.
All right, all right, all right.
It really was hard physical labor.
But the effort she put in would always pay off.
"Keep going!"
Ning Rongrong's wrist was already starting to ache.
A Support System Soul Master's stamina really was inferior to that of Soul Masters from other systems.
It was exhausting!
But she had no intention of giving up.
What followed was nearly another two hours of Healing Pagoda.
Finally, it was fucking dark.
This time, however, she'd only added 250 repetitions.
How lucky!
Her total Healing Pagoda count was now 611.
Goodbye!
"Looks like I can't rush things. I'll cultivate for another half hour, then go find a dorm."
Ning Rongrong set herself a goal and continued practicing Healing Pagoda.
Meanwhile, at that very moment.
Not far away.
A dark figure let out a long sigh and returned to her original state.
She had been watching Ning Rongrong cultivate like that for a full five hours.
The figure was none other than Zhu Zhuqing.
Snug black soft armor covered the vital parts of her body, setting off her graceful figure and making her exceptionally alluring.
A gentle breeze stirred her long black hair, adding a touch of softness to her appearance.
After seeing Ning Rongrong finish the test and leave, Zhu Zhuqing had quickly gotten up and followed her.
She was simply too curious about Ning Rongrong's abilities.
In other words, she also wanted to obtain those abilities of Ning Rongrong's.
Ning Rongrong wasn't a Speed System Soul Master, yet her burst of speed had nearly matched Zhu Zhuqing's.
She wasn't a Power Attack System Soul Master, yet her burst of strength had been more useful in battle than Xiao Wu's.
How had Ning Rongrong, a Support System Soul Master, managed all that?
"Is that the secret to her cultivation?"
Watching Ning Rongrong practice Healing Pagoda, Zhu Zhuqing didn't rush out to ask her.
Instead, she hid nearby, her large, deep-set eyes watching Ning Rongrong for a full five hours.
The strange girl was rather pretty, and she kept repeating the Healing Pagoda movements.
From the first moment Zhu Zhuqing had seen Ning Rongrong, she'd been drawn to her.
Now, seeing Ning Rongrong's cultivation method, she was even more curious about her.
"Is that Martial Soul really the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda?"
Zhu Zhuqing's heart was full of questions.
The longer she watched, the more she felt that Ning Rongrong's Martial Soul looked vastly different from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda described in books.
And the light of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda was definitely not like the light before her.
But if the girl's Martial Soul wasn't the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, what was it?
"If she could teach me some cultivation methods, then..."
Then what?
Zhu Zhuqing didn't know herself.
Perhaps she didn't dare think too deeply about it.
Free herself from her family's shackles and escape the so-called marriage alliance?
She had come to Shrek Academy with some thoughts of Dai Mubai, but the Dai Mubai she'd heard about from others and seen with her own eyes these past few days was that kind of person.
"Just what did my expectations amount to..."
Zhu Zhuqing's eyes remained fixed on Ning Rongrong, but her heart grew more and more troubled.
Just then.
Suddenly.
A sharp streak of light shot toward her, throwing Zhu Zhuqing, who had been lost in her thoughts, into a panic.