After a long while, Ye Chen opened his eyes.
The first thing he saw was a girl in a white dress, spotless and pure. Her clear pupils seemed free of the slightest dust. She was so clean, with skin as white as snow.
"You're awake?" Ning Rongrong smiled softly. In front of Ye Chen, she had even dressed a little more beautifully.
"Mm." Ye Chen nodded.
"Honestly, why do you have to cultivate so hard? You almost died just now. You scared me to death, and Father even wants me to cultivate with this blockhead." Ning Rongrong's light, pleasant voice rang out. She pouted, clearly somewhat dissatisfied.
"If you don't want to cultivate, then don't follow me." Ye Chen replied indifferently and turned to leave.
"Ye Chen, stop right there!" Ning Rongrong pointed at Ye Chen's back, anger in her beautiful eyes. Her still-undeveloped chest rose and fell slightly. In the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, he was the first person who dared speak to her like that.
"Do you need something?" Ye Chen turned to look at Ning Rongrong.
"Hmph, you're asking for it." Ning Rongrong stepped forward, her small fist striking toward Ye Chen's head. Though she was a Support System Soul Master, she was already level nine. Her strength was not great, but she was still stronger than other girls her age.
Ye Chen casually caught Ning Rongrong's wrist with his backhand, his gaze as cold as ever. That look made Ning Rongrong instinctively sense a trace of danger.
Yet she could not break free at all. Ye Chen was far too strong.
Ning Rongrong's attack failed, and Ye Chen easily defeated her.
"You're hurting me." Ning Rongrong's eyes were filled with grievance. Her wrist had already turned red from Ye Chen's grip.
"Oh." Ye Chen released her wrist and turned to leave.
"Ye Chen, aren't you even going to apologize?" Tears glimmered in Ning Rongrong's beautiful eyes. It was the first time she had ever been bullied. Her wrist was bright red and looked painful.
"Sorry." Ye Chen turned back. A faint glow appeared in his palm as the Nine Spirits Begonia descended, gradually healing Ning Rongrong's wrist.
"Ye Chen, you bullied me."
"Do you know it's very rude to bully a girl?" Ning Rongrong was furious. She was already quite strong, yet before Ye Chen, she was still nothing.
"Boring," Ye Chen replied.
"You..." Ning Rongrong felt even more wronged. She had already spoken nicely today, yet Ye Chen would not give her any face at all and had even bullied her.
"If you don't want to cultivate with me, you don't have to force yourself."
"Cultivating with me is exhausting. You're too pampered for it." Ye Chen glanced at Ning Rongrong. He was used to being alone. Having a girl beside him was too troublesome.
As she watched Ye Chen's retreating figure,
Ning Rongrong stood there alone and began to cry, deeply aggrieved.
Was that really what she was like in Ye Chen's eyes?
"Ye Chen, don't even think about driving me away."
"There's never been anything I wanted to do that I couldn't accomplish." Ning Rongrong went home and immediately changed out of her beautiful clothes, replacing them with clothes as plain as Ye Chen's.
She was not afraid of getting dirty.
The next morning,
Ning Rongrong appeared outside Ye Chen's door. She had even risen earlier than Ye Chen.
Ye Chen glanced at her without saying anything.
Ning Rongrong did not speak either, silently following at Ye Chen's side.
Before they knew it,
Seven days passed quietly.
Ning Rongrong cultivated miserably every day. Dressed in black, even her stunning face was covered in dust. She used her actions to tell Ye Chen
That she was not merely pampered.
She could work just as hard as Ye Chen.
Still, during those seven days, Ning Rongrong also saw just how monstrous Ye Chen was.
He was too strong.
No wonder he was the number one person in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect in her father's eyes.
His talent, strength, and temperament were all unquestionably superior to hers.
Another seven days passed.
On the Back Mountain of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Ning Rongrong had grown accustomed to cultivating with Ye Chen, though the two still spoke very little.
Whenever Ning Rongrong came each day, she was always beautiful and spotless. Yet by the time she returned home at night, her clothes would be filthy.
One day, half a month later,
"Hehe... I broke through."
"Ye Chen, look. I'm level ten now too." Ning Rongrong smiled radiantly. She felt that all her cultivation over the past half month had been worth it.
"Not bad." Ye Chen nodded.
"You blockhead, you actually know how to compliment people?" Ning Rongrong pouted as she looked at Ye Chen. The childish delicacy in her eyes had faded somewhat.
Ye Chen ignored her.
"Ye Chen, am I pretty?" Ning Rongrong asked. A faint blush appeared on her cheeks, and she felt curious. After half a month of cultivation, Ye Chen would answer whenever she asked him questions.
At least, he answered questions about cultivation.
"Mm." Ye Chen nodded again. He never lied.
"Then why don't you look at me? Hmph, whenever I go out, a whole crowd of people surrounds me and stares at me. Only you never give me a second glance." Ning Rongrong said angrily.
"Looking at you affects cultivation." Ye Chen spoke as coldly as ever. He had always been very direct.
"Hmm?" Ning Rongrong looked at Ye Chen, warmth flowing through her heart.
It seemed this guy was not truly a blockhead.
"My legs hurt so much..." Ning Rongrong stuck out her tongue and stretched a leg out in front of Ye Chen.
"What are you doing?" Ye Chen asked.
"A blockhead is still a blockhead." Ning Rongrong pulled back her leg and glared at Ye Chen.
"???" Ye Chen was confused.
He did not understand why girls got angry.
Had he done something wrong?
Inside the main hall of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda,
Ning Fengzhi wore a smile. Even he had not expected Ning Rongrong to break through to level ten so quickly.
"It seems letting Rongrong cultivate alongside Little Chen has worked very well," Ning Fengzhi said. Under normal circumstances, Ning Rongrong would have needed at least two more months of cultivation to reach level ten.
"Rongrong has suffered for it, though," Chen Xin said. After all, the one cultivating with Rongrong was Ye Chen.
"You cowardly man, what the hell do you know? How can cultivation happen without hardship?" Gu Rong glanced at Chen Xin, his face also full of smiles. They both dearly loved Ning Rongrong.
"What did you say? Looking for a beating?" Sword Douluo Chen Xin looked at Gu Rong as nine spirit rings erupted around him at once.
"Then let's fight. Do you think I'm afraid of you?" Nine spirit rings also erupted around Gu Rong at once.
"Enough."
"Why are you two still acting like children? It's time to find Rongrong and Little Chen their first Spirit Rings." Ning Fengzhi smiled. Even he was looking forward to it...
Ye Chen and Ning Rongrong would soon obtain their first Spirit Rings.
Before long,
These two children would become famous throughout the world!
The next day,
Ye Chen came to say goodbye.
Ning Fengzhi looked at Ye Chen in surprise. He had not expected Ye Chen to make such a request.
"Little Chen, even if you're a genius, you're only level ten. Are you sure you want to go to the Soul Hunting Forest alone? You don't want Grandpa Sword to accompany you?" Ning Fengzhi asked.
Every Spirit Ring was especially important to a Spirit Master.
To obtain a Spirit Ring, one had to hunt a soul beast far stronger than oneself. Only with another's help could one obtain a more powerful Spirit Ring.
Ye Chen actually wanted to enter the Soul Hunting Forest alone!
The Soul Hunting Forest was extremely dangerous. Even a Titled Douluo would not dare claim to be able to roam freely within it.
"Uncle Ning, if I want to become stronger, I must bear greater pressure. I can't spend my entire life under your protection."
"I'll act according to the situation and won't go deep into the Soul Hunting Forest," Ye Chen said, determination in his eyes. If he could obtain a Spirit Ring through his own strength, he would surely become even stronger.
There was a trace of gratification on Ning Fengzhi, Chen Xin, and Gu Rong's faces.
Ye Chen truly was the number one genius of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
They also knew that Ye Chen was right.
"Alright, go. Remember, your safety is the most important thing."
"Within the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, you are not just a disciple. You are family. I don't want anything to happen to you." Ning Fengzhi looked at Ye Chen with great satisfaction.
"I understand." Ye Chen turned and left.
Just then, Ning Rongrong appeared before Ye Chen in a snow-white dress. She was dressed as beautifully as ever, smiling sweetly and adorably.
For the past half month, she had worn only the plainest clothes and did not care if cultivation dirtied her body. Today, however, she had changed back into her original clothes, seeming even more beautiful than before.
"Father, I want to go with him too." Ning Rongrong looked at Ning Fengzhi, her attitude exceptionally resolute.
The surroundings fell silent.
Ning Fengzhi, Chen Xin, and Gu Rong had all failed to expect that Ning Rongrong also wanted to go to the Soul Hunting Forest.
Before Ning Fengzhi could speak, Ye Chen's voice had already sounded.
"No." Ye Chen glanced at Ning Rongrong. His trip to train was already exceedingly dangerous. Something could happen to him, but nothing could happen to Ning Rongrong.
Ning Fengzhi's kindness toward him was as great as a mountain, and Ning Rongrong was Ning Fengzhi's daughter. Ye Chen could not risk someone else's life on an adventure with him.
"Why are you being so fierce?" Ning Rongrong pouted. Ye Chen was harsh with her, yet she felt a trace of happiness. When she was around Ye Chen, she always felt safe.
"Ye Chen, do you think I'll hold you back?" Ning Rongrong said, directly grabbing Ye Chen's arm and refusing to let go.
If Ye Chen went out to train while she stayed home alone, would the gap between them not grow larger and larger?
"Yes," Ye Chen said.
"I don't care." Ning Rongrong looked deeply aggrieved.
Ye Chen had long known about Ning Rongrong's stubborn persistence. He could not truly bully her, so he turned an imploring gaze toward Ning Fengzhi.
At a time like this,
Ning Fengzhi would surely stop her for his daughter's safety, right?
"Little Chen, let Rongrong go with you." Ning Fengzhi smiled.
"I think so too." Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo nodded at the same time.
Ye Chen: "???"
He had the feeling that there was some sort of scheme behind this.
"Hehe, see? Even Father agreed." Ning Rongrong shook Ye Chen's arm with a coquettish expression, though she did not know why her father had agreed either.
What was rare was that even Chen Xin and Gu Rong did not try to persuade her otherwise.
"You can come with me, but we'll make three rules."
"First, you are not allowed to be more than three steps away from me. Second, you must listen to me in everything. Third, no Young Miss temper." Ye Chen looked at Ning Rongrong as he spoke.
"Mm-hmm." Ning Rongrong nodded obediently, her bright eyes filled with delight. She had never been to the Soul Hunting Forest in all her life.
And so...
Ye Chen officially set off with Ning Rongrong.
Meanwhile,
In Nuoding City, Grandmaster was taking Tang San to the Soul Hunting Forest as well!
Before you continue