Ning Rongrong's Disappointment, King's Fief!

Meanwhile

The beautiful young girl in a white princess dress arrived at Heaven Dou Royal Academy, anticipation shining in her almond-shaped eyes.

"Hehe, Father made an exception and obtained an enrollment spot at Heaven Dou Royal Academy from His Majesty, even though it isn't recruitment season."

"Brother Luo is the dean here, so I'll definitely have plenty of chances to spend time with him!"

Humming a little tune, Ning Rongrong walked with light steps, in high spirits.

After her father, Ning Fengzhi, had talked her through it, the matter of Xue Ke had not dealt Ning Rongrong much of a blow.

After making a few preparations, she had already pulled herself together.

Brother Luo was a king on equal footing with His Majesty, and he was not bound by that Prince Consort status anyway!

Whenever an opportunity arose, she had to seize it tightly!

But before long, a piece of news made the smile on Ning Rongrong's face freeze and vanish.

"The dean..."

"Miss Rongrong, I'm afraid you came too late. The dean has already taken the Imperial Dou Team to the various Great Soul Arenas for training."

Bai Baoshan stroked his grizzled beard as he spoke.

Naturally, he welcomed Ning Rongrong's arrival.

Who in the entire Heaven Dou Empire had not heard of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's illustrious name?

Ning Rongrong, the most talented member the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had produced in a century, joining them would undoubtedly inject fresh blood into Heaven Dou Royal Academy!

Although the Imperial Dou Team already had Ye Lingling, whose martial soul was the Nine Heart Begonia.

The two did not conflict with each other.

Though both were Support System Soul Masters, their roles were completely different.

What made the Nine Heart Begonia powerful was its terrifying healing ability.

The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, meanwhile, possessed powerful enhancement abilities.

One was a healer, the other a buff provider; the two could absolutely coexist on the same team!

After learning that Ning Rongrong would be coming to Heaven Dou Royal Academy, Bai Baoshan had already decided to discuss it with Dean Lord.

He would add Ning Rongrong to the Imperial Dou Team roster as well, so she could participate in the next All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Competition.

"Then when will Brother Luo probably return?"

Ning Rongrong's voice no longer carried its earlier excitement.

Her eager expectations had come to nothing, and she was feeling dejected. The only thing she wanted to know was when Luo Li would return.

Bai Baoshan narrowed his eyes. After pondering for a moment, he slowly answered,

"This old man does not know the exact time either."

"However, since Dean Lord has taken the Imperial Dou Team to train at the various Great Soul Arenas, the journey certainly will not be short."

"It could take as little as four or five months, or as long as half a year or even longer."

The moment she heard that, Ning Rongrong, who had planned to wait here for a while, could no longer sit still.

Half a month or a month would have been one thing, but four or five months, or even half a year or longer?!

How could she possibly wait that long?

Brother Luo had spent years fighting in wars, and the time they had spent together had mostly been during childhood.

Luo Li had gone to the battlefield in his youth, and his returns had already become few and far between.

Now that Brother Luo had finally planned to rest for a while, if she waited another half year...

Who knew? By the time he returned, he might head back to the battlefield again!

No, she could not just sit and wait for fate to decide!

"Commissioner Bai, do you know where Brother Luo and the others are planning to go?"

Ning Rongrong hurriedly asked.

Bai Baoshan thought for a moment and said, "Dean Lord did mention that he planned to start from the north of the Empire and fight his way through."

"They should be on the road to Dean Lord's fief now, to several cities in the Northern Border."

"As for which city they will begin with, Dean Lord did not say."

That was all Bai Baoshan knew.

Luo Li was the dean of Heaven Dou Royal Academy, his status above theirs, so naturally there was no need for him to tell them everything.

Bai Baoshan had only learned this information from a few casual remarks Luo Li had made.

"Miss Rongrong, you should familiarize yourself with the academy first. Once the Imperial Dou Team finishes its training, Dean Lord will naturally return," Bai Baoshan suggested.

Ning Rongrong pressed her red lips together but did not answer.

Only after a moment did she raise her little face.

"Commissioner Bai, I would like to apply for an extended leave."

"Hmm?!" Bai Baoshan's grip tightened, and he nearly pulled out his own beard.

She was applying for extended leave right after enrolling? What kind of move was that?

Ning Rongrong clearly knew her actions were somewhat inappropriate, but she did not want to keep sitting around and waiting.

She gave Bai Baoshan a slight bow in apology.

"Commissioner Bai, I know this is improper, but I came here for Brother Luo."

Ning Rongrong did not hide anything and directly laid bare her purpose.

There was nothing to hide.

There were plenty of people throughout the Heaven Dou Empire who still harbored designs on Luo Li, so what did she have to hide?

"Miss Rongrong, there is no need for this." Bai Baoshan hurriedly waved his hands.

Everyone knew that two Titled Douluo in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect doted on this young miss more than anyone.

He did not want a Titled Douluo to come knocking one day for a "friendly" spar.

Besides, this was not really a major matter.

Though it sounded somewhat against the rules, it would not actually affect them much.

"The academy has no issue with it, but Sect Leader Ning..."

Bai Baoshan could agree to Ning Rongrong's request for leave.

However, judging by her manner, the girl was likely planning to seek out Dean Lord.

The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect could not be left in the dark.

After all, in the eyes of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Ning Rongrong had come to Heaven Dou Royal Academy to study.

If anything happened, Bai Baoshan did not dare say he could bear the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's wrath.

Ning Rongrong might be willful, but she was not foolish. How could someone as clever as her fail to understand Bai Baoshan's concerns?

She promised, "Commissioner Bai, don't worry. I will explain things to Father and the others."

Due in part to Luo Li's influence during her childhood, Ning Rongrong still had some of a young lady's temper, but she was far from as unreasonable and disagreeable as in the original story.

Hearing this, Bai Baoshan said nothing more. He simply waved his hand and approved Ning Rongrong's request for leave.

Watching the petite, lovely figure depart, the commissioner could not help letting out a soft sigh.

A handsome face truly brought disaster.

But when he recalled that peerless, immortal-like figure in white, he found it only natural.

Across the entire Soul Master world, there was only one King Frost Extreme.

This era, in the end, belonged to one person alone!

Northern Border

Winter City

This massive city stood majestically at the heart of the frozen lands. It was the most central city in Heaven Dou's Northern Border and the core of Luo Li's fief.

Xue Ye had not granted it to Luo Li casually.

Back when he had been Marquis White Robe, Luo Li had fought in the north year-round and served as Winter City's commander-in-chief for a long time.

This place had long since been marked with his imprint.

Thus, Xue Ye simply granted it to Luo Li as his fief.

Within the towering Mysterious Ice City Wall lay a vast body teeming with warm mist and vitality.

The broad main street, Frost Mark Avenue, was packed with carriages and horses. It was paved with specially made anti-slip stone bricks, while solid, heavy stone buildings lined both sides and shops stood in dense rows.

The enormous central market buzzed with voices. Thick snow piled atop the awnings, yet beneath them, trade was blazing hot:

Grain and cloth from the warm southern valleys, precious pelts hunted by Soul Masters, and rare seafood preserved with eternal frozen ice all flowed endlessly through this place.

Warm currents drawn from geothermal springs formed unfrozen "warm nests" in designated areas, nourishing greenhouses and the lively clamor of taverns.

This was the prosperous, vibrant heart of the Northern Border under King Frost Extreme's command, warmth that pulsed endlessly amid the cold wind.

From a desolate city in the Extreme North to its current state, nearly all of it had come from Luo Li's bold reforms during his time as commander-in-chief.

And now.

He had returned here once more.

In his true...

Identity as a king!