Her face was set in a haughty scowl, hands on her hips, looking ready to start a fight right then and there.
"Ning Rongrong?"
"Xia Ran?"
The two startled voices rang out at the same time. Both of them stared wide-eyed in shock.
Hearing the name "Ning Rongrong," Zhu Zhuqing and Xiao Wu came over to Xia Ran's side.
"Zhuqing? Xiao Wu?"
"What are you doing here?"
The newcomer was Ning Rongrong, who had returned to her sect some time ago.
After leaving Star Dou Forest, Ning Rongrong had found one of the sect's businesses nearby and taken a carriage back to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
When they parted, she had said she would return to Shrek after a while and visit Xia Ran and Zhu Zhuqing.
She hadn't expected to run into them here.
"Who owns this restaurant?"
Xia Ran remembered the commotion outside and couldn't help asking.
"The Ning family, of course! It belongs to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."
"Most of the restaurants in Heaven Dou City are ours!"
The moment she finished speaking, the room fell silent.
Xia Ran had known the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was wealthy, but he hadn't expected them to be this rich. It seemed like they owned businesses all over the continent.
Zhu Zhuqing and Xiao Wu stared in amazement too. They hadn't realized Ning Rongrong was a real "princess"!
"You still haven't told me! What are you doing in Heaven Dou City? I even sent someone to Shrek to look for you a while ago!"
Ning Rongrong had already gotten Sword Douluo's blessing for their relationship
(A bonus picture of Ning Rongrong!)
Zhu Zhuqing immediately told Ning Rongrong everything that had happened lately.
She told her how Tang San's personality had changed after returning to the academy, how Yu Xiaogang had appeared and tried to take Xia Ran as his disciple, how Dai Mubai had used a Hidden Weapon to badly injure her, how Tang San had run away, and finally how Xia Ran had saved her and they had confirmed their relationship...
By the time she finished, Ning Rongrong had put on that wicked, squinty-eyed expression again!
Her gaze kept wandering over Zhu Zhuqing's chest. In the end, she even pulled her aside to whisper something to her!
As a fellow girl, Xiao Wu wanted in on the fun too. She perked up her pink rabbit ears, grabbed a carrot from the plate, and joined the gossip circle while stuffing her mouth.
For a while, Xia Ran was the only outsider in the private room. He even wondered if he should step out and give the three of them some space.
Watching the three girls huddle together conspiratorially, with Ning Rongrong occasionally glancing his way, Xia Ran felt utterly speechless. He'd known today was bound to bring trouble.
He'd thought it was just a simple case of some clueless passerby causing a scene, but...
Before long, the three of them finally finished their discussion.
He had no idea what Ning Rongrong had said, but when Zhu Zhuqing returned to the table, her stunning, mature face was so red it looked ready to drip blood.
Ning Rongrong kept giving her an encouraging, mischievous grin, leaving Xia Ran feeling distinctly uneasy.
At last, he couldn't take it anymore and slapped the table as he stood.
"I'm warning you! If you keep looking at me like that, I won't be nice!"
"Ooh, let's see how tough you are when Zhuqing's right here!"
Faced with Xia Ran's threat, the Little Demoness showed her wicked side. She puffed out her flat little chest and squared off against him.
The look on her face practically screamed, "What are you going to do about it?" It was infuriating. She even nudged Zhu Zhuqing beside her with an elbow, urging her to speak up.
"Xia Ran, go to Sunset Forest tomorrow instead. Rongrong's here today, so let's go out tonight."
Seeing Zhu Zhuqing actually make the request Ning Rongrong had prompted her to make, Xia Ran couldn't help feeling surprised.
He was becoming more and more certain something big was about to happen. His instincts were rarely wrong!
Still, he'd planned to rest here for a night anyway. They had all been worn out by the long journey.
And with Xiao Wu always getting in the way, he hadn't had a chance to get closer to Zhu Zhuqing for days. Before they parted, they ought to have a heart-to-heart...
So he agreed at once.
"Sure. Whatever you say."
Seeing Xia Ran's reaction, Ning Rongrong folded her arms and rolled her eyes, looking utterly unimpressed.
"Come on, you've only been together a few days!"
Then she suddenly changed the subject and stared at Xia Ran curiously.
"I heard you're going to Sunset Forest by yourself?"
"Want me to tell Grandpa Sword? He's already agreed to our thing."
The moment she said that, the atmosphere froze.
Xiao Wu stared at Xia Ran in disbelief, her pink rabbit ears shooting straight up.
Zhu Zhuqing furrowed her brows and looked at Xia Ran too, waiting for an explanation.
Xia Ran stared at Ning Rongrong in disbelief as well. How could she say whatever she wanted? He was certain the two of them had clear boundaries.
She was obviously provoking him on purpose!
"Wait... what did he agree to?"
"What thing is there between us? If you don't explain yourself, I really will do something!"
Seeing how flustered Xia Ran was, the Little Demoness sat back with a composed air and spoke leisurely.
"Look at you, getting all worked up again!"
"He just agreed to you teaching me how to cultivate."
As she spoke, she gave Xia Ran a meaningful little wink.
At the word "cultivate," Xiao Wu immediately lost interest and resumed munching on her carrot, disappointed.
Zhu Zhuqing let out a breath of relief and shot Xia Ran a look.
"..."
"Zhuqing! You should spend less time with her."
He was truly at his wit's end with Ning Rongrong. Whenever she got to the key point, she always paused for dramatic effect.
No wonder she'd been raised by one of the Upper Three Sects. She really knew how to use words.
That said, the old man Chen Xin had actually agreed to let him cultivate with Ning Rongrong.
Was this a change from threats to bribery? The price of the bribe was outrageous, though. He was practically handing his own little princess over to him. He couldn't imagine what they were thinking.
The people of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect were no ordinary folk. They surely knew what it meant to let Ning Rongrong train under him. Letting the little princess stay by his side was practically an acknowledgment that something would happen between them.
At the thought, Xia Ran shrank back a little.
If he really took Ning Rongrong with him, wouldn't she drive him crazy every day?
"What are you doing? Trying to back out?"
The moment Ning Rongrong saw Xia Ran "take half a step back," she put on a fierce expression.
"If you dare back out, I'll have Grandpa Sword tie you up and drag you back!"
As soon as she returned to the sect last time, the first thing she did was discuss Xia Ran with Sword Douluo.
When she learned from him that if the sect failed to win Xia Ran over, they would destroy him, Ning Rongrong was so furious that she locked herself in her room for three whole days and nights without a drop of water.
Chen Xin was frightened out of his wits. When Gu Rong found out, he gave him a long scolding.
Their little princess, whom they'd raised from childhood, had starved herself for three days over a decision by old man Chen. Gu Rong had nearly started a fight with Chen Xin on the spot!
In the end, Ning Fengzhi gathered everyone together to reconsider how they should deal with Xia Ran.
Strictly speaking, Chen Xin's approach was indeed the safest. Xia Ran was an unprecedented genius, still unknown to Spirit Hall and not yet part of any faction. The best course was to win him over.
But if he was arrogant and felt no attachment to the sect, then killing him was undoubtedly the best option!
So what if he had talent? The continent had never lacked geniuses. They only counted if they survived long enough to grow under the eyes of old monsters like them.
Unfortunately, their little princess was far too attached to that brat. She had actually locked herself away for him, as if she would never leave her room again unless they agreed.
The others had no choice but to change their strategy. If they couldn't destroy him, they would have to win him over at any cost...
Xia Ran had no idea what had happened within the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. He was simply surprised that Chen Xin had changed his mind.
One reason he had left Shrek was Chen Xin. Xia Ran had feared the old man might find him one day and, without a word, swing his sword at him!
But since the other party no longer seemed hostile, he couldn't very well back out. He could only steel himself and take Ning Rongrong along.
"Uh, I'm not backing out."
"Wait until I get back from Soul Hunting. In the meantime, we can go shopping with Zhuqing and Xiao Wu and enjoy ourselves in Heaven Dou City."
Seeing that Xia Ran agreed readily enough, Ning Rongrong's attitude softened a little.
"Hmph! That's more like it."
"But you've gotten so strong so quickly! Weren't you level 42 before? It hasn't even been that long, and now you're about to hunt for your fifth Soul Ring."
"Knowing too much won't do you any good!"
"Yeah, right~"
Chapter 52: A New Model!
Evening.
The group strolled through the busiest night market in Heaven Dou City. All kinds of lanterns and glowing Soul Tools lined the streets, shining in a dazzling array of colors.
Before you continue