Zhu Zhuqing didn't waste a single word. She walked over, sat cross-legged, tilted her head back, and swallowed the Divine Radiant Pill.
The moment the pill entered her body, Zhu Zhuqing's face turned deathly pale, and beads of sweat the size of beans rolled down her forehead.
She bit her lip hard. Her body trembled slightly, but she stubbornly didn't make a sound.
Ning Rongrong watched from the side, her heart pounding with alarm. She hurriedly turned and glared at Huang Yan:
"Hey!
What exactly did you give her?
Why does Zhuqing look like she's in so much pain?"
Huang Yan glanced at her, his tone flat:
"Cleansing the marrow and transforming the body. How could it not hurt?
If you're scared, you can still give the pill back to me, Miss Ning."
"W-who's scared!"
Ning Rongrong's competitive spirit flared. She gritted her teeth, sat down on another cushion, and stuffed the pill into her mouth.
The next second, Ning Rongrong let out a scream:
"Ah!
It's so hot!
This hurts like hell!
It feels like my body's going to split apart!"
Huang Yan folded his arms across his chest and barked coldly:
"Shut up!
Focus your mind, calm your breathing, and guide the medicinal power!
If you can't even endure this little bit of pain, then hurry back to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and be a hothouse flower!"
Ning Rongrong's eyes brimmed with tears from the pain.
But when she heard those words, the pride in her bones made her swallow her cries of pain.
She gritted her teeth and endured.
Half an hour later.
The pain finally faded from the two girls' bodies, replaced by a layer of sticky black grime that gave off a foul stench.
The moment Ning Rongrong opened her eyes and looked down, she shrieked:
"Ah!
It stinks!
What is all this stuff?!
It's disgusting!"
Zhu Zhuqing frowned as well, but she was more concerned with the changes inside her body.
She carefully sensed the transformation. Her cool eyes were filled with incredulous shock:
"My Soul Power... actually broke straight through to level twenty-eight!
And my meridians are several times wider than before. It seems like the quality of my Martial Soul has improved, too!"
Huang Yan waved a hand in disgust and pointed toward the door:
"That's the impurities from your bodies.
All right, hurry to the hot spring in the back courtyard and wash up. You stink."
At his words, both girls flushed bright red and fled the quiet room as if their lives depended on it.
Once their footsteps had completely faded into the distance, the quiet room fell silent again.
Huang Yan didn't leave. Instead, he turned around and gazed calmly at a patch of shadow in the corner of the room. He spoke coolly:
"You've been watching for a while. Are you still not coming out?"
There was no movement in the shadow.
A cold smile curled Huang Yan's lips. A dazzling golden flame suddenly sprang up at his fingertip.
The terrifying heat instantly warped the air in the room:
"What?
The Bone Douluo of the mighty Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect has a taste for eavesdropping?"
As soon as he finished speaking, the space in that corner rippled and warped.
Gu Rong, dressed in black and thin as a rake, stepped out of the void. His cloudy old eyes were full of unconcealed shock.
"Boy, you actually noticed me?!"
Huang Yan casually extinguished the flame at his fingertip, his tone languid:
"The spatial fluctuations were so obvious. Was it really that hard to notice?"
Gu Rong stared fixedly at the youth before him, waves crashing through his heart.
He was a Titled Douluo at level ninety-five!
Not only had this boy seen through his concealment, he had even identified him at a glance!
"Who exactly are you?"
Gu Rong asked in a low voice, a dangerous pressure of Soul Power faintly radiating from him.
Huang Yan met his gaze without fear and chuckled:
"Hasn't Sect Master Ning already sent someone to investigate who I am?
Go back and tell Ning Fengzhi that Ning Rongrong is absolutely safe here, and that she'll receive the best training."
Huang Yan paused, his gaze suddenly sharpening as he looked straight at the Titled Douluo:
"But since she took my pill and entered the gates of my Divine Radiant Sect, she's one of mine.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had better not reach its hands too far from now on!"
Gu Rong's expression darkened. He was just about to retort:
"Boy, you're far too arrogant..."
Before he could finish, three powerful auras suddenly descended outside the quiet room.
"Who dares to make trouble in my Divine Radiant Sect?!"
Along with a sharp shout, Dugu Bo appeared beside Huang Yan like a ghost, dressed in green robes.
Right after him, Dragon Duke Meng Shu and Serpent Granny Chao Tianxiang strode in. They flanked Gu Rong, subtly blocking his way out.
Dugu Bo recognized the newcomer. His green eyes narrowed slightly:
"So that's who it is. The Bone Douluo of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
What's this? Has a dignified Titled Douluo taken to sneaking around?"
Gu Rong snorted coldly. His gaze swept over Dugu Bo and the Peerless Dragon and Serpent couple, and he was secretly alarmed.
These three really were protecting this youth—and even acting as though they were subordinate to him!
Given the situation, there was no way he could do anything. Besides, Rongrong had indeed just received an enormous benefit.
"Old Poison, spare me the sarcasm. I only came to see my Rongrong."
Gu Rong withdrew the pressure of his Soul Power and turned to Huang Yan, his expression complicated:
"Boy, I'll remember what you said.
Since Rongrong chose to stay here, I'll hold off on interfering for now.
But if you dare let her suffer even the slightest grievance, I'll stake my life to tear down your Divine Radiant Sect!"
Huang Yan smiled faintly, neither agreeing nor disagreeing:
"No need to worry."
Gu Rong sighed and turned to leave.
But after taking a single step, he stopped. He hesitated for a moment, then turned back to look at Huang Yan.
"Actually..."
Gu Rong's voice softened a little:
"I saw everything just now."
Huang Yan raised an eyebrow:
"What did you see?"
"That girl Rongrong was spoiled rotten by all of us in the sect. She's always been unruly and couldn't stand the slightest hardship."
Gu Rong gave a wry smile, a trace of relief flashing through his eyes:
"But just now, she managed to endure such terrible pain. And... she was surprisingly well-behaved and obedient in front of you.
If she'd been at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, she would've raised the roof by now."
Huang Yan's tone remained calm:
"She's on my turf now, so she follows my rules. Being spoiled won't get her anywhere here."
Gu Rong nodded, his expression growing solemn:
"Though I've indulged her, I know all too well that, in the end, strength is what speaks on Douluo Continent.
Fengzhi and the rest of us can't protect her forever.
She'll have to learn to stand on her own two feet sooner or later."
At that, Gu Rong cupped his hands slightly. His voice held a touch more sincerity:
"If you can truly teach her well and help her transform... then I, Gu Rong, thank you."
Huang Yan accepted the salute without hesitation and said calmly:
"She's a member of the Divine Radiant Sect. I'll take responsibility for her to the end.
Take care, Bone Douluo. I won't see you out."
Gu Rong looked deeply at Huang Yan but said nothing more. His body turned into a cloud of black mist and vanished in an instant.
As Gu Rong's aura disappeared completely, the oppressive feeling in the quiet room faded with it.
Dugu Bo snorted coldly and withdrew the poisonous miasma around him:
"Sect Master, are we really just letting him leave?"
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect has always been fiercely protective of its own. Once that old bone gets back, who knows what that old fox Ning Fengzhi will scheme up against us."
Before you continue