Mission Complete

"You... how did you get out? And you, Zhao Xiaoya—my granddaughter! Wasn't it enough that you betrayed me? Why didn't you take care of those little Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect brats in there? You were clearly also... Have you really betrayed us?"

The hunched old man pointed at Zhao Xiaoya and spoke in shock.

Zhao Xiaoya patted her head and glanced anxiously at Ning Fengzhi and the others.

Looking at this unfamiliar man, Lu Ma saw from the information displayed above his head that his name was Zhao Asi, he was Level 82, and he was Zhao Xiaoya's grandfather.

He wasn't in good shape at the moment. His shield had little strength left, and Gu Rong and the others would soon break through it.

"Rongrong, be careful..."

Ning Fengzhi reached out, but before he could finish speaking, Ning Rongrong had already charged forward. Ning Rongrong herself had no particular concerns. Unlike the two previous times when she'd been controlled, she now had absolute faith in Lu Ma's abilities.

Lu Ma had always wondered about something. The Eight Spider Lances could deal damage equal to 25% of a Soul King's health, so how much damage would they do to a Soul Douluo?

The first lance struck!

The remaining attacks followed one after another.

Zhao Asi hadn't expected Lu Ma to launch a surprise attack. He hadn't defended himself at all.

With a crash, the shield in front of Zhao Asi shattered.

What disappointed Lu Ma was that the Eight Spider Lances had only taken 3% of Zhao Asi's health.

He shook his head, and Ning Rongrong did the same, looking regretful.

After the character optimization, and with Lu Ma's permission to use his microphone and camera, the character could make gestures with the same meaning as Lu Ma's.

When Ning Rongrong made that gesture, Ning Fengzhi, Gu Rong, and Zhao Asi all froze.

Taking advantage of the moment, Zhao Xiaoya threw an Explosive Bone Grenade, blasting away 2% of Zhao Asi's health bar.

The three men froze again.

Gu Rong reacted first. The enemy's defenses were no longer what they'd been before, so he immediately unleashed a powerful offensive move.

The four of them overwhelmed Zhao Asi with their attacks. He had no idea how to defend himself.

He'd thought he could take on the two of them without the Bone Dragon, but he'd been wrong. Although it seemed as if he could perfectly defend against their attacks, his Soul Power was draining rapidly. They simply hadn't noticed.

Now that the protective barrier sustained by his Soul Power had broken, he had no Soul Power left.

Facing the four of them, he ultimately died with hatred in his heart.

Zhao Asi was dead.

Ning Rongrong glanced at Zhao Xiaoya, who stood nearby. There wasn't the slightest trace of sorrow on her face.

"Doesn't it hurt?"

Ning Rongrong asked.

"Nope." Zhao Xiaoya shook her head. "That old geezer's dead. I couldn't be happier."

Ning Rongrong nodded, then stepped forward and began searching Zhao Asi's clothes.

They were still warm, but his pockets were empty.

It seemed the Holy Spirit Pills and everything else really were all on Zhao Xiaoya.

Ning Rongrong sighed and kicked Zhao Asi into the Purple Fire.

The Purple Fire flared for a while longer, then dwindled and finally went out.

Zhao Xiaoya was delighted. According to her theory, once the Purple Fire went out, she would become the Saintess.

But she waited for a long while and felt none of that pure power.

She hadn't become the Saintess. Perhaps it was because the fire hadn't burned out naturally, or perhaps that old geezer's soul hadn't been pure enough to ascend.

But she wasn't discouraged. At least now she knew who the Saintess was.

She looked at Ning Rongrong and smiled blissfully.

Ning Fengzhi watched his daughter return. After hesitating for a moment, he finally spoke. "Rongrong, your injuries, and your clothes..."

Ning Rongrong looked down at her clothes. They were slashed in several places, and blood seeped from her wounds. Behind her, there were clearly several holes in the fabric.

A great deal of her snow-white skin was exposed to the air, making for a very alluring sight.

Seeing the murderous look in Ning Fengzhi's eyes, Zhao Xiaoya realized he suspected her. She hurriedly took out Zhao Asi's Black Robe and put it on Ning Rongrong.

She had no intention of dying just yet. She also knew Ning Rongrong wanted to kill her, but had held back out of respect for the Holy God.

Once the Holy God left, if she and Ning Rongrong were still on these terms, she would surely die.

Ning Rongrong looked at the Black Robe, quite amazed.

The Black Robe was made from special materials. After Ning Fengzhi and Gu Rong examined it, they found no trace of evil energy or danger in the garment itself.

Moreover, the moment the Black Robe touched Ning Rongrong, it transformed into a black lace minidress, similar in style to what she'd been wearing before, but more comfortable, with the added effect of enhancing Soul Power and mental strength. It wasn't hard to guess that Zhao Xiaoya's black long-sleeved gown had come from the same source as this black lace minidress.

Ning Rongrong glanced at the long dress Zhao Xiaoya wore. Though it had been struck by the Eight Spider Lances many times, there wasn't a single tear in it. Hers was surely the same.

She nodded in satisfaction. Zhao Xiaoya, on the other hand, was still in a state of panic.

"What happened in there?"

Gu Rong asked in a low voice, staring at Zhao Xiaoya with murderous intent.

"Um..."

A storm was already raging in Zhao Xiaoya's heart.

What should she do? Lie? Would the Holy God kill her if she did?

She noticed Ning Rongrong's lips curling upward. Clearly, Ning Rongrong had no intention of speaking up for her.

Then should she tell the truth?

Under the murderous gazes of Ning Fengzhi and Gu Rong, Zhao Xiaoya wilted.

"I did it. I admit it," she finally said. In the end, she was still more afraid of the Holy God. She had a way to stay alive and was confident the two men couldn't kill her. At worst, she'd be bedridden for a year or two.

Just as she'd hoped, she got beaten up. Ning Rongrong watched from the side, her face expressionless. No—she seemed to be holding back a laugh.

The four of them eventually made it out. Since Ning Rongrong hadn't killed Zhao Xiaoya between the Purple Stones, Ning Fengzhi and Gu Rong didn't kill her either.

Ning Fengzhi now had a backpack containing the statue and the scales.

Gu Rong stored two Purple Stones, a pile of fragments from the Purple Stones on Zhao Asi's cane, and a bone of unknown origin in his Space Soul Tool.

Ning Rongrong followed behind the two men. The Holy Spirit Pill and Holy Spirit Scroll were in the Space Soul Tool, but the token couldn't be stored in it. Fortunately, the new black minidress had a place to hang a token, so Lu Ma naturally hung it there.

The white number seven on the black background stood out. Though the token hung in a discreet spot on the dress, a corner of the thin token occasionally showed, revealing the "seven." Anyone who saw it would know Ning Rongrong was no ordinary person. If they encountered the Holy Spirit Cult, the effect would be even more striking.

Lu Ma didn't know any of this. He just needed somewhere to put the token—he couldn't keep holding it in his hand, could he?

Ning Rongrong herself knew, but didn't mind.

From how Ning Fengzhi and the others had acted before she hung the token on her clothes, it seemed they couldn't see it, just as they couldn't see the Holy Spirit Pill or Holy Spirit Scroll.

It seemed only members of the Holy Spirit Cult could see the token.

That raised another question: why could the "innocent" Tang Twelve see the Holy Spirit Pill and Scroll earlier?

Ning Rongrong decided to investigate after the Holy God left.

Behind Ning Rongrong came Zhao Xiaoya, bruised, swollen, and limping. It was fortunate that her long black dress concealed all of that well enough to keep passersby from noticing.

Meanwhile, inside the Silver Dragon King Palace, Gu Yuena's heart was pounding. She had naturally sensed the Eight Spider Lances being activated, as well as the changes around Ning Rongrong. Ning Rongrong had been in dire straits, and for an instant, regret and worry had surged through her. But soon, things had taken a turn.

Though she couldn't control the Eight Spider Lances from afar, she could sense the aura of the Holy God on Ning Rongrong. The instant she felt it, her worries for Ning Rongrong vanished.