Dugu Yan's Despair

Watching the girl and the bear circle the sect, Ning Fengzhi, Sword, and Bone were filled with astonishment.

"Can someone tell me... what is going on here?"

"Who knows? That lazy girl is usually impossible to wake up, yet today she was up before dawn, running laps around the sect."

Clearly, all three were curious about what had happened to Ning Rongrong.

It wasn't just a simple case of sudden diligence; Ning Rongrong even ate her breakfast during the breaks in her laps.

This continued through lunch and dinner.

Facing the setting sun, Ning Rongrong's eyes began to lose their focus.

Her entire body was drenched in sweat.

Even when Sword and Bone went up to persuade her to stop, she wouldn't slow her pace.

When she truly couldn't run anymore, she used Little Bear as a stool to rest for a moment.

"How... how much further, oh my heavens."

"This young lady is about to fall apart!"

It wasn't until late at night that Ning Rongrong finally completed the monumental task of circling the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect three times.

Possessing such perseverance was entirely due to the goading of Lu Xian.

That morning, after Ning Rongrong had complained for a long while, she finally received a response in her mind.

"I expected you wouldn't be able to finish it; you think you can inherit the position of Battle God with that attitude?"

"Such a weakling, how disappointing!"

The mockery didn't deal much physical damage, but it was highly insulting.

Ning Rongrong's competitive spirit was successfully ignited; even if she had to crawl, she was going to finish those three laps.

She couldn't let this Battle God look down on her.

Little Bear carried the exhausted Ning Rongrong back into her room.

Usually a stickler for cleanliness, Ning Rongrong was too lazy to even take a bath today, climbing straight into bed with the intention of sleeping.

Battle God First Trial, Robust Physique I completed.

Reward: 20 days of cultivation, all spirit ring ages increased by 2 years.

"Hm?"

Bolting upright as if rising from the dead, Ning Rongrong's wide eyes were filled with confusion, followed immediately by a burst of wild joy.

"There... there are rewards too?"

Feeling the pure spirit power that had appeared within her body, Ning Rongrong felt that she, having just reached level 22 after absorbing her second spirit ring, was not far from level 23.

"Let the storm rage even harder!"

"This young lady fears nothing!"

Just as Ning Rongrong was reveling in her future, that heavy voice echoed in her mind once again.

Battle God Second Trial, Robust Physique II.

Run four laps around the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

Time limit: one day.

The fighting spirit Ning Rongrong had just raised instantly dissipated.

A painful wail erupted from her mouth.

"Ah!"

"We have to run again? Just kill me now!"

The next morning, Ning Fengzhi, Sword, and Bone discovered that their lazy girl was up early once again.

Not only did she continue running laps around the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, but she was also chanting rhythmically.

"Five kilometers, I love you!"

"If I don't run for a day, I miss you!"

"Awoo!"

Little Bear by her side was equally full of fighting spirit, closely following Ning Rongrong's pace.

Although the Seven Treasure Trio was confused, seeing Ning Rongrong willing to train herself was clearly a good thing.

The three of them decided not to ask any more questions.

They would just assume Ning Rongrong had suddenly had a change of heart.

Half a month later, having completed seven consecutive trial tasks, Ning Rongrong had also brought Lu Xian a handsome reward.

Xiong Da, representing the fifth spirit ring, had visibly grown a size sturdier.

His fur also grew thicker, all these changes pointing to the fact that Xiong Da was growing stronger, becoming a beast king capable of standing on his own.

Inside Heaven Dou Royal Academy, the decline in Dugu Yan's mental state was visible to the naked eye.

Anyone would end up like this after living with a thousand rats for a week.

For that entire week, Dugu Yan hadn't dared to close her eyes, forced to constantly radiate the aura of a Soul Elder to keep those rats at bay.

Fortunately, that week which felt like a year had finally passed, and Dugu Yan had received her assessment reward.

Yet, even though dozens of days had passed, whenever Dugu Yan closed her eyes, the sound of thousands of rats squeaking still echoed in her ears, making it impossible to sleep.

"Snake God's Thirteenth Trial: Snake and Scorpion Heart, nutritious and delicious."

"High-end ingredients often require the most primitive cooking methods."

"Without adding any seasoning, consume one hundred scorpions to supplement the protein your body requires."

"Time limit: one week."

With deep, sunken eye sockets, Dugu Yan turned to look at her grandfather with a face full of resentment.

That gaze made Dugu Bo's hair stand on end; even being stared at by a ten-thousand-year soul beast had never given him such a feeling.

"What's wrong, Yan-yan? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"It's nothing. Grandfather, go prepare one hundred scorpions for me!"

"Uh..."

"Another assessment?"

Dugu Yan nodded, looking as if life had lost all meaning. Having just lived and eaten with rats, now she had to swallow one hundred scorpions alive—there was truly no one else like her.

But thinking of the generous rewards, Dugu Yan endured it.

After all, her family's hereditary toxin had been resolved; now, not only could she improve her strength, but she could also temper her mindset. What was there to complain about?

"Yan-zi, we haven't been out in a long time. Let's go find a place to eat!"

Having not seen Dugu Yan for two weeks, Ye Lingling missed her little friend dearly, but upon entering the room, she saw the place filled with containers holding scorpions.

What was even more terrifying was that Dugu Yan was expressionlessly stuffing a live scorpion into her mouth.

"Lingling, I won't be going out to eat. Do you want some?"

"Crunchy, tastes like chicken!"

Ye Lingling shuddered, her head shaking so fast it left an afterimage.

"No, no, no, no need!"

"You continue enjoying your delicacy; I won't disturb you!"

Watching Ye Lingling flee as if escaping, Dugu Yan curled her lips in disdain.

"Tch, no taste for good food!"

Complaining aside, she looked back at the nearly fifty scorpions left on the table, and Dugu Yan felt like crying.

"Grandfather, I want to eat the food from Return Immortal Pavilion, wuwuwu..."

"Uh, Yan-zi, let's finish the scorpions first. If you aren't hungry, won't it be even harder to eat them?"

"Hmph, I hate you!"

With her request denied, Dugu Yan bit down viciously on the head of the scorpion in her hand and chewed fiercely.

Far away in Suotuo City, Lu Xian rubbed his chin, seemingly feeling that this was a bit excessive for a young girl.

Of course, the most important thing was that he feared Dugu Yan might give up on the subsequent assessments.

"Forget it, I'll let her enjoy a few peaceful trials later!"

[Wish Rank E, Executor Dugu Yan completion rate 100%.]
[Reward: 60 days of cultivation, 40 years of soul ring age.]

After issuing the rewards to Dugu Yan, Lu Xian immediately assigned her the fourteenth trial.

Dugu Yan, who had stuffed the 101st scorpion into her mouth out of habit, suddenly had her eyes light up, and she spat out the residue in her mouth.

"Thirteenth Trial, Snake and Scorpion Heart completed."

"Reward: 20 days of cultivation, all soul ring ages increased by 5 years."

"Snake God's Fourteenth Trial: Snake Spirit Maiden."

"Release pet snakes into the residences of thirty classmates."

"Time limit: three days."

Upon receiving the assessment details, Dugu Yan slammed her hand on the table and stood up, startling Dugu Bo beside her.

"What's wrong, Yan-yan? Is the assessment finished?"

Dugu Yan did not respond; a sickly smile slowly bloomed at the corners of her mouth.

"Hehe, you can't blame me for this. Rather than torturing myself, it's better if you all suffer instead!"

Watching his granddaughter suddenly let out a strange laugh before preparing to leave the dormitory, Dugu Bo began to worry if she had been broken by the assessment.

"Where are you going?"

"Don't worry about it, Grandpa. I'm going to buy more snake pets."