Ning Rongrong's Revenge

Inside the sect's main hall, the atmosphere was so heavy it seemed one could squeeze water from it. Chen Xin suddenly clenched the Long Sword in his hand, his knuckles whitening against the patterns on its scabbard. His voice carried unquestionable resolve. "Rather than let Xiao Chuan face danger from Tang San in the future, I might as well take action myself and eliminate this threat completely. As long as Tang San is killed, there will be no wager hanging over us, nor will we need to fear Spirit Hall using this as a pretext!"

"Absolutely not!" Ning Fengzhi immediately rose to stop him, his tone urgent. "Although the Upper Three Sects compete in private, we are still outwardly bound together and watch out for one another. If word gets out that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect murdered a descendant of the Clear Sky Sect, the entire Soul Master world will unite against us!" He paused, his expression growing even graver. "What's more, Tang San's father, Tang Hao, was able to stand against Spirit Hall back then. His strength is certainly no weaker than yours. If you truly kill Tang San, given Tang Hao's nature of protecting his son, he will surely come seeking revenge no matter the cost. By then, not only will Xiao Chuan be in danger—the entire Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect will be plunged into crisis!"

Bone Douluo Gu Rong, standing nearby, slowly nodded as well and added, "Feng Zhi is right. Impulsiveness cannot solve this problem. We must trust Xiao Chuan. His Twin Martial Souls—the Power of Void of 'Nothingness,' and Ambrosial Arbor's heaven-defying support—are both superior to Tang San's Blue Silver Grass and Clear Sky Hammer. When they both reach level thirty and compete, Xiao Chuan may not lose."

Ning Fengzhi took a deep breath and suppressed the anxiety in his heart, his tone softening somewhat. "That's right. What we can do now is continue guiding Xiao Chuan's cultivation and help him build a solid foundation. As for the wager, rather than worry about it, we should trust in Xiao Chuan's strength."

While the three of them argued endlessly over "the wager between Tang San and Wang Chuan," the youth they kept mentioning was sitting on a stone bench in his own courtyard, cultivating with the Meditation Method Huang Quan had taught him. The pale green phantom of Ambrosial Arbor slowly unfurled its branches behind him, strands of life force flowing through his fingertips into his body and merging with his Soul Power.

This Sister Huang Quan is truly formidable. Even her Meditation Method is so extraordinary. Wang Chuan inwardly marveled as he felt the Soul Power circulating rapidly within him. With Ambrosial Arbor's life force enhancing him, coupled with this Meditation Method, his cultivation speed was nearly twice that of sect disciples at the same level. Even his master, Chen Xin, had once exclaimed that such speed "defied all reason."

What delighted him even more was Ambrosial Arbor's other function. After absorbing a soul ring in the past, I always had to spend several days sorting through the mixed Soul Power. But now, with Ambrosial Arbor's Power of Abundance, the newly absorbed Soul Power is soothed and fused right away. I don't have to painstakingly sort it out at all. He gently breathed in and out, feeling the Soul Power flow smoothly through his meridians, leaving his entire body feeling refreshed.

At this rate, the results of his ten years of cultivation could almost compare to the grueling cultivation of an ordinary Soul Master for twenty-two years. This improvement brought him another step closer to his goal of protecting those around him.

"It's about time to practice my saber techniques. Another half hour, and it'll be just in time for dinner." Wang Chuan withdrew from his meditative posture, only to notice that the sky had gradually darkened. The evening glow had dyed the stone path in the courtyard a warm orange. He remained where he stood, still recalling the flaws in his saber practice from earlier that day and considering how to blend the Power of Void more naturally into the rhythm of his saber techniques.

Just as he turned to retrieve his long saber, a fruit carrying a sweet fragrance suddenly shot toward his head from behind him at an angle, like an arrow released from a bow! Wang Chuan reacted swiftly. With a light tap of his toes against the ground, he nimbly dodged to the side and back. The fruit struck the tree trunk behind him with a smack, splattering droplets of juice.

He had just opened his mouth to demand, "Who was that?" when another five or six fruits came flying one after another. Some targeted his shoulders, while others aimed at his ankles, raining down as densely as meteors. Wang Chuan's gaze sharpened. As his footsteps shifted, his body moved as nimbly as a deer in the forest, easily avoiding every fruit. He even casually caught the final one flying toward his chest—it was a ripe peach, its skin tinged pinkish white and carrying a fresh fruity scent.

Holding the peach, Wang Chuan did not know whether to laugh or cry. "Who exactly is sending me fruit? This way of 'sending' it is rather impolite, isn't it?" As he spoke, he could not help bringing it to his lips and taking a light bite. The peach was sweet, juicy, and exceptionally delicious.

"You... you actually dared to eat that fruit! That's infuriating!" A delicate yet angry voice suddenly rang out, brimming with indignation.

Before the voice had faded, Ning Rongrong emerged from behind the shrubs in the corner of the courtyard, accompanied by four half-grown children. With her hands on her hips and cheeks puffed out, the pale purple hem of her dress was slightly disheveled from her hurried run. The three children behind her also put on fierce expressions, though their young age only made them look rather adorable.

Wang Chuan raised his brows at the sight before him and asked in feigned surprise, "Rong Rong? So it was you. Why did you bring so many people to 'ambush' me? Are you trying to bully your junior fellow disciple?"

"I told you! You're not allowed to call me Rong Rong!" Ning Rongrong stamped her foot, her tone turning fiercer. "I said last time that I would teach you a lesson sooner or later and show you how formidable I am!" As she spoke, she gave the three children behind her a meaningful look. The four immediately understood and slowly closed in, blocking Wang Chuan between the stone bench and the tree trunk.

Rather than panicking, Wang Chuan laughed. "So many of you against just me—isn't that a little unfair, Rong Rong?" He deliberately stressed the words "Rong Rong," finding Ning Rongrong's puffed-up appearance extremely amusing.

"So you know fear now, huh?" Seeing Wang Chuan "give in," Ning Rongrong immediately became smug, lifting her chin slightly. "Last time, you made me lose face in front of so many people. If you obediently admit your mistake and apologize now, and promise never to call me 'Rong Rong' again, I'll forgive you and have them let you go!"

It had to be said that Ning Rongrong still possessed some of the willfulness that came from being spoiled by everyone in the sect. Over such a trivial matter, she had gathered her fellow disciples to bully someone, completely unaware of how improper her actions were.

Wang Chuan put away his teasing expression and seriously shook his head. "Rong Rong, Master and Uncle Ning both said back then that it was fine for me to call you that. It sounds both affectionate and close. So I cannot agree to apologize, and I will still call you Rong Rong in the future."

"Damn it! You still dare disobey me!" Ning Rongrong was completely enraged. She loudly ordered the three children behind her, "You three, get him! Snatch his long saber and let him learn the consequences of not listening to me!"

The three children looked at one another, hesitation appearing on their faces. Wang Chuan was the direct disciple of Sword Douluo Chen Xin. Not only was his Soul Power higher than theirs, but he had never bullied the weak in the sect either. Everyone respected him. Being asked to gang up on Wang Chuan now truly made them uneasy.

Seeing that they did not move, Ning Rongrong immediately added, "Don't worry! If anything happens, I'll take responsibility! I'm the future Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect—can't I protect you?"

One of the slightly taller children gritted his teeth, stepped forward, and said to Wang Chuan with some embarrassment, "Brother Wang Chuan, sorry... We have no choice. Since it's Miss Rong Rong's order, we can only trouble you for a moment."