Dugu Yan Had Lost the Will to Live

Watching a girl and a bear running laps around the sect, Ning Fengzhi, Sword, and Bone stared in astonishment.

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

"Who knows? That lazy girl usually won't even wake up when we call her. Today, she got up before dawn to run laps around the sect."

It was clear that all three were curious about what had happened to Ning Rongrong.

It wasn't just that she had suddenly become diligent. Ning Rongrong even ate breakfast while taking breaks from running.

Then lunch.

Then dinner.

As the sun sank toward the horizon, Ning Rongrong's eyes began to glaze over.

Her whole body was soaked with sweat.

She didn't even stop when Sword and Bone went over to persuade her.

When she couldn't run another step, she used Little Bear as a bench and rested for a while.

"How... how much farther, oh heavens?"

"This old lady's about to fall apart!"

It wasn't until late at night that Ning Rongrong finally managed to complete the glorious feat of running three laps around the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

She had Lu Xian's goading to thank for that much perseverance.

In the morning, after Ning Rongrong had spent ages complaining, she finally received a response in her mind.

"I knew you wouldn't be able to finish. With the way you are, you think you can inherit the title of Battle God?"

"You useless little weakling. What a joke!"

The taunt wasn't much of a blow, but it was a tremendous insult.

Ning Rongrong's competitive spirit was successfully roused. Even if she had to crawl, she would finish the three laps.

She wouldn't let the Battle God look down on her.

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

Ning Rongrong, who usually liked to keep clean, couldn't even be bothered to bathe today. She climbed straight into bed, planning to sleep.

"Battle God First Trial, Powerful Physique I, complete."

"Reward: 20 days of cultivation. All Soul Ring ages increased by 2 years."

"Huh?"

She jolted upright from her deathbed. Ning Rongrong's eyes widened in confusion, then filled with delight.

"There... there's a reward too?"

Feeling the pure Soul Power that had appeared inside her, Ning Rongrong thought that she wasn't far from reaching level 23. She had just absorbed her Second Soul Ring and reached level 22.

"Let the storm come harder!"

"This old lady isn't afraid of anything!"

Just as Ning Rongrong was picturing her bright future, the deep voice in her mind spoke again.

"Battle God Second Trial, Powerful Physique II."

"Run four laps around the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."

"Time limit: one day."

The fighting spirit Ning Rongrong had just raised vanished in an instant.

A pained wail escaped her mouth.

"Ah!"

"I have to run again? Just kill me!"

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

She was still running laps around the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, and now she was chanting as she went.

"Five kilometers, oh, I love you!"

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

"Awooo!"

Little Bear beside her was just as fired up, keeping close to Ning Rongrong's pace.

The Seven Treasure Trio still didn't understand what was going on, but seeing Ning Rongrong willing to exercise was clearly a good thing.

The three of them decided not to ask too many questions.

They'd just assume Ning Rongrong had suddenly come to her senses.

Half a month later, after completing seven trial tasks in a row, Ning Rongrong had also brought Lu Xian some substantial rewards.

Xiong Da, who represented the Fifth Soul Ring, had visibly grown sturdier.

His fur had grown thicker, too. Every change showed that Xiong Da was growing stronger and becoming a Beast King capable of standing on his own.

At Heaven Dou Royal Academy, Dugu Yan's mental state was visibly frail.

Anyone who lived with a thousand rats for a week would end up like that.

Dugu Yan hadn't dared close her eyes once that entire week. She could only keep releasing the aura of a Soul Elder to intimidate the rats.

Thankfully, that week, which had felt like a year, was finally over, and Dugu Yan had received her trial reward.

But even though dozens of days had passed, whenever Dugu Yan closed her eyes, she still heard thousands of rats squeaking around her ears. She couldn't sleep at all.

"Snake God Thirteenth Trial, A Venomous Heart, Nutritious and Delicious."

"High-grade ingredients are often prepared using the simplest cooking methods."

"Eat one hundred scorpions without adding any seasoning, to replenish the protein your body needs."

"Time limit: one week."

With sunken eye sockets, Dugu Yan looked back at her grandfather with a resentful expression.

The look made Dugu Bo's hair stand on end. Even being watched by a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast hadn't made him feel this way.

"What's wrong, Yanyan? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Nothing. Grandpa, go prepare a hundred scorpions."

"Uh..."

"Another trial?"

Dugu Yan nodded with the will to live drained from her. She had just finished sharing food and lodging with rats, and now she had to swallow a hundred scorpions alive. Who else had to put up with this?

But after thinking about the generous rewards, Dugu Yan endured it.

"Yanzi, you haven't gone out in ages. Let's find somewhere to eat!"

Ye Lingling, who hadn't seen Dugu Yan in two weeks, had missed her friend terribly. But when she entered the room, she found it full of containers holding scorpions.

Even more horrifying, Dugu Yan was expressionlessly stuffing a live scorpion into her mouth.

"Lingling, I'm not going out to eat. Want some?"

"Crispy, with a taste of chicken!"

Ye Lingling shuddered and shook her head so vigorously it blurred.

"No, no, I'm fine."

"Go on and enjoy your delicacy. I won't disturb you!"

Watching Ye Lingling flee as if escaping for her life, Dugu Yan curled her lip in disdain.

"Hmph, you don't know what you're missing!"

She could complain all she liked, but when she looked back at the nearly fifty scorpions still on the table, Dugu Yan wanted to cry, too.

"Grandpa, I want food from Return Immortal Pavilion. Waaaah..."

"Uh, Yanzi, maybe finish the scorpions first. If you're not hungry, you won't be able to eat anything else, right?"

"Hmph, I hate you!"

Her request denied, Dugu Yan viciously bit down on the scorpion's head and chewed.

Far away in Suotuo City, Lu Xian rubbed his chin. He seemed to think this was a bit harsh on a young woman.

Of course, more importantly, he was afraid Dugu Yan would give up on the later trials.

"Forget it. I'll let her enjoy a few of the next trials!"

[Wish Level E. Executor Dugu Yan completion rate: 100%.]

[Reward: 60 days of cultivation. Soul Ring ages increased by 40 years.]

After granting Dugu Yan her reward, Lu Xian immediately issued her Fourteenth Trial.

Dugu Yan, who had mechanically stuffed the 101st scorpion into her mouth, suddenly brightened. She opened her mouth and spat out what remained.

"Thirteenth Trial, A Venomous Heart, complete."

"Reward: 20 days of cultivation. All Soul Ring ages increased by 5 years."

"Snake God Fourteenth Trial, Serpent Girl."

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

"Time limit: three days."

Dugu Yan slammed a hand on the table as soon as she received the trial instructions, startling Dugu Bo beside her.

"What's wrong, Yanyan? Did you complete the trial?"

Dugu Yan didn't answer. A twisted smile slowly appeared on her lips.

"Hee hee. You can't blame me for this. Better you suffer than me!"

Watching his granddaughter suddenly giggle and then head for the door, Dugu Bo began to worry that the trials had broken her.

"Where are you going?"

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