The night was hazy.
Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Hotel.
From the exceptionally quiet private room came a series of smack smack smack impacts, accompanied by a young girl's cries.
"Phew, phew, phew!"
"Brother Xiaoyao..."
"Rongrong is exhausted!"
Ning Rongrong raised a hand to wipe the sweat from her cheeks. Her arms were so sore she could barely lift them, while her flushed face burned hot.
Her legs were aching and weak, and every step felt as though she were walking on cotton. Even her reddened knees felt faintly stiff.
Just now—
Ning Rongrong had finally learned something.
When it came to fighting ability, she was a complete weakling.
After that battle—
She had also figured out Li Xiaoyao's fighting ability.
Take last night, for instance—
Li Xiaoyao had definitely gone easy on her.
Otherwise, she would certainly have been beaten flat.
"Phew!"
"Sister Rongrong, you worked hard!"
Li Xiaoyao rubbed Ning Rongrong's little head.
It had to be said—
Ning Rongrong truly was dexterous and skillful.
That cherry-red little mouth that could verbally battle a crowd and scold those useless Heaven Dou Empire nobles until they could not lift their heads—
Really was formidable.
"Mmm! Brother Xiaoyao, it's already so late. Are we still going back to Shrek Academy tonight?"
"How about we stay at the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Hotel and rest for another night?"
Ning Rongrong had also seen the brightly lit streets outside.
At this hour, Shrek Academy had undoubtedly dismissed for the day.
There was no point in going back now. They might as well enjoy themselves at the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Hotel.
"Sister Rongrong, can you still walk?"
"Do you need me to give you a Time Reversal?"
Li Xiaoyao wrapped one arm around Ning Rongrong's slender waist while gently pinching the little girl's fair, delicate cheek with the other.
He and Ning Rongrong had been fooling around at the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Hotel for two days. Based on the timeline, Tang San and the others should have been forming a team and practicing coordination at the Great Soul Arena.
Ning Rongrong's cheeks puffed up slightly from the pinch.
She snuggled further into Li Xiaoyao's embrace and said softly.
"Mmm! Brother Xiaoyao, no Time Reversal!"
"These are the traces of our love. Rongrong just needs to rest for a while. Besides, there's no point in returning to Shrek Academy now. I'd rather stay with Brother Xiaoyao."
What shitty Shrek Academy.
Could it possibly be more appealing than her Brother Xiaoyao?
Having just tasted forbidden fruit, Ning Rongrong was thoroughly enamored of it.
She wished she could stick to Li Xiaoyao every single day.
"Mm! Sister Rongrong! Then rest well for now. Later, we can go out and stroll around. Maybe we'll even run into people from Shrek Academy."
Li Xiaoyao gently held Ning Rongrong in his arms.
According to the original timeline, after Tang San and the others finished their soul battles at the Great Soul Arena tonight, Oscar would break through to level 30 Soul Elder the following day.
The time to head to the Star Dou Great Forest—
Should be within the next couple of days.
In two days, he could kill Xiao Wu and take her ring and bone.
Then he could safely absorb a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring.
After resting up, it was already midnight when Li Xiaoyao and Ning Rongrong left the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Hotel together.
The moment they stepped out of the hotel gates, a street full of dazzling lights and bustling voices met their eyes.
The lively warmth of ordinary city life washed over them, completely different from the hotel's tranquil atmosphere.
The two were in high spirits, picking through all sorts of trinkets at the roadside stalls as their laughter rang out. Then, a familiar voice suddenly came from behind them.
"Huh! Brother Xiaoyao, Ning Rongrong!"
Li Xiaoyao and Ning Rongrong looked up to see Dai Mubai walking over with a delighted expression. Tang San, Xiao Wu, Oscar, and Zhu Zhuqing stood behind him.
Seeing how intimate Li Xiaoyao and Ning Rongrong were, how could Dai Mubai, an old hand in romance, fail to understand what was going on?
So, he knowingly asked.
"Hahaha! Brother Xiaoyao!"
"We haven't seen each other for two days. You and Ning Rongrong are...?"
Faced with everyone's curious gazes, Ning Rongrong openly wrapped her arms around Li Xiaoyao's arm instead.
Though she did not state their relationship outright, the gesture itself was a silent declaration.
"Oh! Brother Mubai!"
"Sister Rongrong and I have both been busy these past two days!"
Li Xiaoyao did not hide it either.
From the time the two had gone to the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Hotel for a meal, to when he used his exclusive secret formula to help Ning Rongrong grow stronger.
After two days of unremitting effort, Ning Rongrong's Soul Power Level had not only risen by three levels, but her physical condition had improved as well.
For her third Soul Ring, she could absorb one several thousand years beyond her level. As for her fourth Soul Ring, she might even achieve the modest goal of a black, ten-thousand-year fourth ring.
"Hehehe! Exactly!"
"Brother Xiaoyao's exclusive secret formula is unbelievably effective!"
As if to confirm Li Xiaoyao's words, Ning Rongrong cooperatively stepped forward and released her Level 29 Soul Power aura without holding anything back.
"Look, in just two days, my Soul Power went straight from Level 26 to Level 29. Even my cultivation efficiency has more than tripled. Bottlenecks that used to trap me for ages now feel like they don't even exist!"
"I can even clearly feel that the medicine's effects haven't fully faded yet. It's still slowly nourishing my foundation along my soul veins—the warm energy is gathering more and more, without being the least bit rash!"
"Brother Xiaoyao said the medicine is helping me consolidate my foundation. As long as I rest quietly for another two or three days and completely refine the remaining effects, my Soul Power Level can rise another level and steadily break through to level 30!"
After speaking, Ning Rongrong's cheeks flushed with a sweet blush as she happily buried her head in Li Xiaoyao's chest.
The beauty's soft hair brushed against her beloved's warm clothes, while Li Xiaoyao's crisp scent lingered at her nose, as if she had found the safest harbor.
"Hiss..."
"You broke through three Soul Power levels in two days?"
"Not only is your cultivation speed three times faster than before, but you can even raise your Soul Power another level in a few days?"
Tang San, Xiao Wu, Oscar, Dai Mubai, and Zhu Zhuqing all could not help drawing in a sharp breath, making their own contribution to the warming of Douluo Continent.
Envy!
Nothing but fucking envy.
They wanted something this good too!
Especially Zhu Zhuqing, who desperately wanted to grow stronger—
Her lips parted slightly, but she hesitated to speak.
Zhu Zhuqing dearly wished that Li Xiaoyao could also help her—prepare several of those exclusive secret formulas that could rapidly make her stronger.
But when she thought of how she had no money at all and could offer nothing in return, her urgent request caught in her throat.
Damn it!
The chance to become stronger was right before her eyes.
Yet she could not seize it no matter what!
This profound sense of helplessness made Zhu Zhuqing despair even more about the future.
Zhu Zhuqing's intense emotional fluctuations—
Naturally could not escape Li Xiaoyao's perception.
It made him inwardly exclaim, Well, damn!
Was Zhu Zhuqing really this obsessed with becoming stronger?
Even so, before Zhu Zhuqing could offer satisfactory terms, Li Xiaoyao still had no intention of helping this Kitten.
Only Ning Rongrong, when she looked at Zhu Zhuqing, had a sly glint flash through her eyes, as though she had discovered some interesting treasure.
"Hehehe! Zhu Zhuqing..."
Before you continue