"I disagree!"
Ning Rongrong, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke up in protest. The other four, Tang Yin included, all turned to look at her.
"Rongrong, do you think this lesson isn't enough? Should we let him use his First Spirit Skill, or even his First and Second Spirit Skills?" Bone Douluo thought his little princess Rongrong felt the punishment was too light.
"Old Bone, have some shame!" Sword Douluo habitually snapped back at him, then turned to Ning Rongrong. "Rongrong, what punishment do you want? As long as you don't want that brat dead, your Grandpa Sword will agree."
"Uncle Sword, Uncle Bone, you..." Ning Fengzhi could only shake his head at them. But he couldn't say much in front of an outsider, so he merely shot Ning Rongrong a look. "Rongrong, don't push it. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is a respectable sect. Picking on someone weaker than you is beneath us, and you shouldn't take advantage of the situation."
Tang Yin: "..."
Ning Rongrong pursed her lips. Was this really how Grandpa Sword, Grandpa Bone, and even her father saw her?
"What are you talking about?" She puffed out her cheeks and folded her arms across her chest, looking as if they had all gotten her completely wrong. "I went after Lan Yin because he knew the person who stole my money. As for losing to him, that was a fair fight between Soul Masters. Who said he bullied me?"
Huh? What?
Their eyes were sharp. Judging by his skills, the boy called Lan Yin was most likely a Battle Soul Master.
You, a level-nineteen support Soul Master, had a fair duel with a level-twenty-three Battle Soul Master and lost, ending up pinned to the ground in a sorry state—and you could still say you weren't bullied?
The Sword and Bone Douluo exchanged a glance, feeling as if their brains weren't up to the task. Was this really their own Little Demoness?
Seeing her two grandpas, who usually doted on her, react like that, Ning Rongrong couldn't help feeling a little annoyed. Then, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Tang Yin looking at her strangely, and immediately glared at him. "What's with that look?"
Tang Yin awkwardly rubbed his nose and promptly backed down. "Nothing. I'm just amazed that Miss Ning Rongrong is so beautiful and kindhearted. As expected of the daughter of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's renowned sect master."
After speaking, Tang Yin quickly added that although he hadn't stolen the money himself, he had indeed hired the person who did, so he was willing to compensate her.
At worst, he could go to Heaven Dou City and find his cheap aunt, Tang Yuehua. It was only a little over a hundred Gold Soul Coins, after all.
Flattery could pierce a thousand layers of armor. Ning Rongrong immediately stood up straight, and even the Sword and Bone Douluo beside her looked at Tang Yin more kindly.
Ning Fengzhi hesitated. He knew his daughter too well. In the past, she wouldn't just let someone pin her to the ground. If she even heard that someone had badmouthed her behind her back, she'd bring people to their door and beat them up. She'd even slap a passing dog twice.
"So, Rongrong, you're saying you won't pursue this matter?" Ning Fengzhi frowned. He felt there was more to this than met the eye.
"Of course I'm not letting it go. Does the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect need that little bit of money?" Ning Rongrong folded her arms, looking utterly haughty. She glanced at Tang Yin, the corners of her mouth lifting. "I want him to come with me on this Soul Hunting trip!"
"Soul Hunting? Who?" The Sword and Bone Douluo exchanged another glance. Then, as if they had both realized something, they sensed Ning Rongrong's current level with their spiritual power. Delighted expressions appeared on their faces.
"Rongrong, you've broken through to level twenty?" Ning Fengzhi had naturally sensed his daughter's level too. She had still been level nineteen that morning.
Regardless, his daughter breaking through to level twenty was a welcome surprise. And since they happened to be near Sword City, close to the Star Dou Great Forest, it would be easy enough to take care of.
As for Rongrong wanting to bring along that boy called Lan Yin, he didn't mind. With two Titled Douluo and himself—a level-seventy-nine sect master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect—providing support, there was no need to worry about their safety.
"Little brother, what do you think...?" This time, Ning Fengzhi didn't refuse his daughter's request. He turned to Tang Yin.
Tang Yin wasn't sure what Ning Rongrong was thinking, and hesitated.
"Kid, since it's Rongrong's request, you're coming with us whether you want to or not. You'd better come along obediently," Bone Douluo said, playing the bad cop as he usually did—or rather, that was simply his nature.
Sword Douluo beside him added coldly, "Boy, with us accompanying you, your safety is assured."
Tang Yin understood that he had no choice, so he could only nod. "Since you seniors are willing to take this junior along, I couldn't be happier!"
"Yay!" Ning Rongrong clenched her fist excitedly. "Dad, Uncle Sword, Uncle Bone, and you..."
"Let's go to the Star Dou Great Forest!"
Ning Rongrong planted one hand on her hip and pointed toward the Star Dou Great Forest with the other.
Several days later, on a path at the edge of the Star Dou Great Forest, Tang Yin watched Ning Rongrong skipping along ahead of him as if she were out shopping, and felt speechless.
There were two Douluo with them, yet Ning Rongrong had insisted that Sword Douluo, Bone Douluo, and Ning Fengzhi refrain from getting involved unless necessary. She wanted to team up with him to hunt for her Spirit Ring.
This was a bit of a problem!
Tang Yin wasn't worried about his own safety. What concerned him was his Martial Soul.
It wouldn't matter if people discovered his Sharp-Tailed Swift. After all, Spirit Hall currently turned a blind eye to the Four Affiliated Clans.
But he was afraid that someone who knew the Clear Sky Sect's secrets might dig into his background—and, unfortunately, Ning Fengzhi was exactly that kind of person.
Normally, Ning Fengzhi would probably just laugh it off if he heard about a Sharp-Tailed Swift Martial Soul. But the situation was different now.
He had unexpectedly become entangled with Ning Rongrong. If he revealed the Sharp-Tailed Swift Martial Soul of the Speed Clan as well, Ning Fengzhi was bound to get suspicious and dig into his background.
And his useless old man, who'd dragged his own son into trouble, had a screw loose. He hadn't even bothered to conceal his identity, brazenly using the name Tang Hao.
A Sharp-Tailed Swift Martial Soul, and a father named Tang Hao—as far as someone like Ning Fengzhi, who knew the marriage ties between major powers like the back of his hand, was concerned, that would lead him to all sorts of conclusions that could put Tang Yin in danger.
He would have to approach the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect under his real identity, but not now. Dealing with Ning Fengzhi without sufficient strength would be like courting a tiger. After all, in the original story, when they discovered Tang San's identity, their first thought was to eliminate the Clear Sky Sect's genius.
"Why aren't you happy? Were you born without a smile?"
While Tang Yin's expression shifted between dark and bright, Ning Rongrong had somehow come up beside him and was walking at his side, tilting her face up to study him.
"Wherever there's a blockhead, there's bound to be someone who isn't happy," Tang Yin said, giving Ning Rongrong a faintly exasperated glance.
Ning Rongrong furrowed her delicate brows, then widened her eyes as if she'd suddenly figured it out. "Are you saying I'm brainless?"
"No. The smile has moved on. Now you're the one who isn't happy." Tang Yin's lips curved upward. He already had a plan: he would use Gan Jiang, a projection of his Body Martial Soul, to pass it off as an Artifact Martial Soul.
Unlike other Twin Martial Souls that couldn't be summoned at the same time, his Sharp-Tailed Swift was a Beast Martial Soul that attached itself to his body, while his Body Martial Soul was his entire body. So summoning them together wouldn't cause them to repel one another. In fact, with Spirit Rings encircling his body, it might even serve as a convincing disguise.
Unless some experienced theoretical master deliberately suspected Twin Martial Souls, it would be very difficult for anyone to discover his secret.
"Hmph!" Ning Rongrong realized she'd been tricked and turned away in annoyance. Then, apparently still unsatisfied, she produced a shiny, gleaming Copper Soul Coin from somewhere and bent it in half with both hands.
Clink~
A support Soul Master was weak compared with other Soul Masters, but that was all. With a clear, pleasant ring, Ning Rongrong snapped the Copper Soul Coin—one that looked as if its owner had often idly played with it—in two.
"What are you doing?" Tang Yin was baffled. This time, she really was the blockhead.
"What? I have plenty of money, and I can do whatever I want with it!" Ning Rongrong raised her chin with a smug air, then tossed the two halves of the Copper Soul Coin onto the ground, where they clinked sharply.
Tang Yin shook his head and explained, "I don't mind. I just thought that someone of Miss Rongrong's status would have snapped a Gold Soul Coin instead."
Ning Rongrong: "..."
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