Ning Rongrong's Death! (Saints Keep Out)

"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!..."

A series of dull impacts rang out as streaks of silver light shot forth without missing a single target, every one of them striking Qin Shiyuan with pinpoint accuracy.

It was not that Qin Shiyuan could not dodge; there was simply no need to.

If he remembered correctly, this should have been one of the concealed weapons crafted by Tang San: the Zhuge Crossbow.

This sort of weapon, powered purely by mechanical force, was effective enough against low- and mid-tier Soul Masters.

But against a high-tier Soul Master, it was probably little more than scrap metal.

Just like now: Qin Shiyuan had not even used Soul Power, yet these few bolts still failed to pierce his physical defenses.

Seeing that Qin Shiyuan was unharmed, a trace of concealed disappointment flashed through Ning Fengzhi's eyes.

But when he looked up and met Qin Shiyuan's faintly smiling gaze, his heart abruptly sank, and he inwardly cried out that something was wrong.

"Rongrong! Run!"

Without any warning, Ning Fengzhi suddenly roared at Ning Rongrong.

Then, his body lunged straight toward Qin Shiyuan in midair.

"Rongrong! Run into the mountains! Dad will hold him back!"

Ning Fengzhi's tone was utterly resolute. For Ning Rongrong to have a chance at escaping alive, he decisively abandoned his own crippled life.

"Hehe, how touching!"

"But in Sect Master Ning's eyes, am I really such a bloodthirsty person?"

Seeing Ning Fengzhi's reaction, Qin Shiyuan innocently spread his hands.

Yet in the next instant, his expression changed as swiftly as a turning page.

The smiling look on his face now made no attempt to conceal its mockery.

"Don't be in such a hurry. I still want to have a few words with Miss Ning. Just wait a moment."

As he spoke, he casually waved a hand, and Ning Fengzhi, who had been rushing at him, was sent flying by a palm strike without any suspense.

Only after being thrown back several meters did he crash down from midair.

"Dad!"

Ning Rongrong's heart clenched, and she anxiously tried to rush toward where Ning Fengzhi had fallen.

But Qin Shiyuan's figure blocked her path directly.

"Don't worry. I know how to measure my strength. Since I don't want him dead yet, he definitely won't die."

He lowered his eyes toward Ning Rongrong with a smile and asked in a flippant tone.

"When you attacked me just now, didn't you think to ask your father why I cut off his arm?"

"Why should I care?! You hurt my father, so I'm going to kill you."

Hearing Qin Shiyuan's question, Ning Rongrong answered without the slightest hesitation, her face full of righteous certainty.

"Oh? So there was no reason, then?"

Qin Shiyuan was not angered. He remained cheerful as ever.

"Fine, then. Actually, I think you're quite right."

"I'm the same as you. There wasn't any reason when I chopped off your father's arm. I just felt like doing it."

"You!"

Only then did Ning Rongrong realize that Qin Shiyuan had been toying with her, and fury immediately surged through her.

The Zhuge Crossbow in her hand was quickly cocked again. Aiming it at Qin Shiyuan, she unleashed another volley of bolts.

"Sigh, why is it always the same thing over and over? How boring!"

Qin Shiyuan flicked his sleeve, sweeping away every incoming bolt.

But when he saw that Ning Rongrong still refused to give up and wanted to reload for another round, impatience instantly appeared on his face.

"Are you done yet? Fine. Since this is so boring, you should be on your way sooner."

As he spoke, Qin Shiyuan looked toward Ning Fengzhi, who had just climbed out of the deep pit nearby.

Like the Grim Reaper issuing a death notice, his voice was slow and cold.

"Ning Fengzhi, since your daughter is so disobedient, I'll have no choice but to let her go ahead of you!"

"Don't blame me. Heh—if you want to blame someone, blame yourself for failing to discipline her properly!"

"Cheng Ying!"

With a low shout, the Cheng Ying Sword abruptly shot out of the Nine Abyss Sword Box at tremendous speed.

"When it cut your face earlier, Cheng Ying blamed itself for failing to kill you."

"Now, let it make up for that previous regret."

As he spoke, Qin Shiyuan flicked his sword fingers, and the Cheng Ying Sword had already transformed into a streak of silver-white lightning, shooting straight toward Ning Rongrong's body.

"No!"

Ning Fengzhi had only just shaken off his dizziness when he saw this scene, and every muscle in his body instantly tensed.

As if he had summoned every last ounce of strength, he roared at the helpless Ning Rongrong with the loudest voice he had ever produced in his life.

"Rongrong, dodge!"

However, Ning Rongrong was only a mere four-ring Soul Master now, while Qin Shiyuan's sword was something even Titled Douluo could not stop.

How could she possibly dodge it?

Qin Shiyuan did not even use a soul skill. The nimble Cheng Ying Sword reached Ning Rongrong in less than half a second, as though it had teleported.

As she watched the sword, less than an inch from her chest, Ning Rongrong could not react at all in that fleeting instant.

She could only watch helplessly as the tip pierced her skin and sank into her flesh...

In the end, the sword emerged from the other side of her body.

Its blade remained snowy white, yet it was firmly lodged within her body, inflicting endless pain upon her.

"Ah!!!"

"It hurts! Dad! Save me! It hurts so much!!!"

Perhaps only after personally experiencing pain would this princess, proud to the extreme, understand what fear truly was.

Unfortunately, by the time she understood, it was already far, far too late...

"No! Rongrong!"

At the sight of this, Ning Fengzhi's eyes nearly split apart. He sprang to his feet and rushed forward, wanting to hold his daughter, whose face was twisted in agony.

But at that moment, the Cheng Ying Sword lodged in Ning Rongrong's body suddenly rose into the air.

In his panic, Ning Fengzhi slipped and lunged at empty air, able only to watch as Ning Rongrong drifted farther and farther away from him.

"No! Qin Jianjiu! No! Tower Master Qin!"

"Tower Master Qin! I beg you! Please spare Rongrong! She... she's still only a child!"

Turning toward Qin Shiyuan, who controlled the sword, Ning Fengzhi was already crying uncontrollably.

All his previous arrogance was gone, leaving only plea after desperate plea.

"Oh? You want me to let her go?"

Qin Shiyuan stood in midair with his hands behind his back, showing not the slightest mercy. His tone was utterly cold.

"It's not impossible to let her go..."

"Really?!"

Ning Fengzhi's emotions swung from despair to hope. He looked up at Qin Shiyuan in disbelief, his eyes brimming with joy.

"Wonderful! This is wonderful!"

"Tower Master Qin! Thank you! As long as you spare Rongrong, I'll agree to anything you want!"

"Don't worry. I don't want anything."

Beneath his mask, a chillingly sinister curve rose at the corner of Qin Shiyuan's mouth.

"I just need you to catch your precious daughter properly..."

"Catch her?"

Just as Ning Fengzhi stood there in confusion, the Cheng Ying Sword, which had already risen ten thousand meters into the sky, suddenly... vanished!

"No!!!"

Ning Rongrong's body seemed to begin free-falling from ten thousand meters in the air.

Layer upon layer of air currents drove her body down faster and faster!

"No!!!"

In the blink of an eye, Ning Rongrong's completely unconscious body had descended directly above Ning Fengzhi's head.

"I can catch her!!!"

Seeing that she would land exactly half a step in front of him, a flame of hope suddenly ignited in Ning Fengzhi's eyes.

He excitedly raised both hands, ready to gather that petite body into his embrace when...

He suddenly discovered that where he had expected his hands to be... there was... nothing!

"I'll catch—"

Bang!!!

Half a step in front of Ning Fengzhi, a body of flesh and blood crashed into the ground.

Warm blood splattered everywhere, sticking down the dust that had begun to rise.

Ning Fengzhi lowered his head, and the mangled mass of flesh and blood, smashed into a puddle... came clearly... into his view...

"No!!!!!"