Was the Way You Tested Me Wrong?

Ning Rongrong stared in shock at Dai Mubai embedded in the distant wall, then lowered her head to look at the huge gouge in the ground and the wrecked stalls all around them.

Not only had Dai Mubai himself failed to react, even she, who had been standing nearby, had not seen it coming.

"Chi Xiu, when did you become so amazing?!"

Ning Rongrong's eyes sparkled, the picture of a starstruck fangirl.

Over the past six years, Chi Xiu had essentially gone into seclusion and slept for six years. This was his first time formally leaving the academy.

Chi Xiu smiled faintly. "How else was I supposed to protect you?"

"Hmph!"

Ning Rongrong rolled her pretty eyes. Though she looked unconcerned, she was bursting with delight inside.

Looking at the wrecked stalls around them, she apologetically said to the vendors, "Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect will cover all the losses here. Just go to the sect and give them Ning Rongrong's name!"

Then she looked toward the unconscious Dai Mubai in the distance and muttered under her breath, "Hmph, that guy brought it on himself. He can cover his own losses."

On the way to Shrek.

Ning Rongrong looped her arm around Chi Xiu's, pressing intimately against him as they walked.

"Hey, the road's only this wide. Keep squeezing, and you'll shove me into the bushes."

Chi Xiu looked at her with amusement.

But Ning Rongrong pretended not to hear him.

"Chi Xiu-gege, do you remember how you used to carry me on your back when we walked?"

Chi Xiu froze at that.

This girl had called him gege, and even made her voice sweeter. She was definitely up to no good.

Sure enough, the very next moment—

"Chi Xiu-gege, carry me, okay? My feet are so sore from walking..."

Ning Rongrong shook Chi Xiu's arm, pouting her pink lips as she looked up at him pitifully with her large, beautiful emerald eyes. Every part of this gorgeous girl's coquettish act seemed meticulously designed; its lethality was simply outrageous.

But Chi Xiu did not fall for it this time. He lowered his head to look at Ning Rongrong's feet.

"Really? Come on, let me see just how sore they are."

As he spoke, he reached to remove the little brown leather boots on her pale legs. Ning Rongrong jumped away in fright. "You bastard, Chi Xiu!"

"Why are you calling me that? Didn't you say your feet were sore?"

"You... you bastard!"

Ning Rongrong stomped her foot, then stormed ahead with an angry swing of her arms, muttering, "Stupid Chi Xiu, bad Chi Xiu, you're pretending not to understand!"

How could Chi Xiu not hear what she was muttering? He gave a sly smile and hurried after her. The two bickered and played as they approached Shrek Academy.

Ning Rongrong had not actually wanted to come anymore, but she could not abandon this trip just because of one student.

"The rumors were right. This place is so rundown..."

Ning Rongrong said disdainfully. Chi Xiu spotted the registration line and led her over by the hand.

What a familiar sight... Chi Xiu looked around, then froze when he turned back.

A young man and a young woman were walking over from not far behind them.

The girl wore a pink dress, with a long Scorpion Braid hanging down the back of her head. Pink mid-calf socks wrapped her long legs, while the thighs exposed beneath her skirt were round and fair.

She skipped as she walked, carrying an innate childishness. The pair of rabbit ears that occasionally peeked out above her head were especially eye-catching, adding greatly to her adorable charm.

Beside her was a young man dressed in fitted blue clothes, with short black hair and an ordinary appearance.

Xiao Wu and Tang San had come too.

Interestingly, they had deliberately kept some distance between themselves. If things had gone according to the original story, they clearly would not have been like this.

Chi Xiu frowned. Could it be that when he had teleported Xiao Wu away years ago, the butterfly effect had affected the development of their relationship?

"Do you know those two?"

Ning Rongrong leaned her head over.

Chi Xiu shook his head. Then he lifted his gaze again, looking in the direction behind Tang San and Xiao Wu.

A girl in leather clothes, with a fiery figure, was walking this way.

It seemed Zhu Zhuqing had come too.

According to the original story, the plot of Douluo should officially begin here.

"What are you smiling about?"

Ning Rongrong stared at Chi Xiu's slightly upturned lips.

"Nothing."

Chi Xiu was merely amused, wondering how the subsequent plot would develop now that he, an unpredictable variable, had been added to the scene.

Just thinking about it was truly something to look forward to.

"Oh, so it's that big-breasted cow girl! You were smiling because you saw her! Heh, men."

Ning Rongrong pinched Chi Xiu's waist.

"Who I look at is none of your damn business! Hurry up and get in line."

Like an old mother, Chi Xiu held Ning Rongrong by the shoulders and placed her in front of him.

"Stop fidgeting. Move again and I'll spank you."

"You! Bad Chi Xiu!"

"Didn't you call me Chi Xiu-gege earlier?"

"Bad Chi Xiu."

"..."

What happened ahead continued to unfold according to the original story. The old man in charge of registration took the registration fee without refunds, then revealed the martial soul of a six-ringed Soul Emperor to intimidate them.

In that instant, everyone in the registration line unconsciously stumbled several steps back. Only Chi Xiu remained standing steadily, even catching Ning Rongrong when she nearly fell.

"Your turn, Rongrong."

"Okay."

The two walked up to the old man.

Unexpectedly, the old man skipped over Ning Rongrong and mistook Chi Xiu for the student applying for admission.

Just as Chi Xiu was about to explain, Ning Rongrong mischievously stood on tiptoe and quickly covered his mouth with her small hand.

"Grandpa, hurry and see whether this guy qualifies!"

Ning Rongrong asked curiously.

"His age qualifies."

"His Soul Power..."

The old man opened his eyes, and his expression suddenly changed.

He looked up at Chi Xiu strangely, then lowered his head and changed positions to feel Chi Xiu's hand. He examined each of his five fingers in turn, then the back of his hand, palm, wrist, and even had Chi Xiu lift one of his calves.

"Huh?"

The old man scratched his head, unable to understand.

Ning Rongrong rested her cheek on one hand. "How is it, Grandpa? You've been looking for so long. Can you tell how much Soul Power this guy has? I'm dying of curiosity."

"Something's not right... I can't even estimate his Soul Power?"

The old man was utterly baffled.

Chi Xiu found it somewhat amusing. "Grandpa, could it be that your testing posture is wrong? How about you test me while standing on your head?"

"Is that really a thing?"

The old man actually half-believed it. Otherwise, how could a twelve-year-old child have Soul Power that could not be estimated?

Could this brat's Soul Power be above level sixty?

Impossible, impossible.

Under Ning Rongrong's astonished gaze, the old man actually stood on his head, supporting himself with one hand while reaching for Chi Xiu's wrist with the other.

Including Xiao Wu and Tang San, everyone in the line was left dumbfounded by this godlike maneuver.

Just as Chi Xiu was about to burst from holding back his laughter, the old man still shook his head. He could not estimate it.

Ning Rongrong covered her little mouth. "Then doesn't that mean he fits your admission standards perfectly? He's such a monster!"

"Yes, both of you have been admitted."

Chi Xiu looked at Ning Rongrong strangely, but she softly pleaded, "Oh, Chi Xiu-gege, just come in with me and take a look first, okay? What if someone inside bullies me?"

That was true. Dai Mubai might return at any time. Chi Xiu could not leave with peace of mind until he had completely tamed him when they met again.

(End of chapter)