Ning Rongrong ran back to her room, threw herself onto the soft bed, and buried her face in her pillow, sobbing like pear blossoms drenched in rain. "Waaah... Why are you all ignoring me? I didn't do anything wrong."
At that moment, those grating voices seemed to echo in her ears again. "Little Demoness! Little Demoness!"
"I'm not a Little Demoness!"
Ning Rongrong protested through her tears without thinking.
After crying for quite a while, she opened the group chat that had made her so angry again, as though some unseen hand had guided her.
As it happened, the group was discussing her.
[Loves Eating Carrots: Seriously, why does the Richest Little Heiress of Heaven Dou always pick fights with us? It feels like she only shows up to cause trouble.]
[Viper-Hearted Big Sister: Who knows? Spoiled young-lady temper, I guess! Tsk, I wonder who her father is for her to be so full of herself. My grandfather's a Titled Douluo, and even I wouldn't dare act that cocky!]
At that, the calm Ning Rongrong had just begun to recover plunged to rock bottom again.
"Wuh..."
Tears welled up again despite her efforts, pooling in her eyes.
Ning Rongrong pouted, her breath catching in little sobs.
She looked like pear blossoms drenched in rain, pitiful enough to break anyone's heart.
She didn't know what she had done wrong. She had only been lonely. She wanted to make friends, to have someone to talk to.
Why did so many people hate her?
Just then, another message popped up.
[Child Without Parents: Come on, don't be so hard on her. She's actually all right in person. She just has a bit of a princess temper, but she doesn't have a bad heart.]
[Child Without Parents: @Richest Little Heiress of Heaven Dou, Rongrong, hurry up and give everyone a sincere apology too.]
She knows me?
Then who is she?
Ning Rongrong froze for a moment, questions surging through her mind.
But the warmth of having someone speak up for her outweighed her doubts.
She sniffled and obediently sent a voice message.
[Richest Little Heiress of Heaven Dou: I'm... I'm sorry... (voice message)]
The other group members, including Xiao Wu, paid it little mind at first.
None of them believed this young lady would truly admit she was wrong. They thought it was just another performance on a spoiled girl's whim.
But when they played the message and heard her voice—straining to sound composed at first, then plainly choked with tears—they all froze.
Wait, girl.
You're serious?
For a moment, the whole group fell into an eerie silence again.
Watching the chat remain unanswered for so long, Ning Rongrong's spirits sank to freezing point.
Then the person who had spoken up for her sent another message.
[Child Without Parents: Say something, you lot. Don't leave her hanging like this. I know you might find it hard to believe someone could change so quickly.
[Child Without Parents: I'll tell you this much: Rongrong's family has at least two Titled Douluo, and both are renowned powerhouses on the continent.]
[Child Without Parents: She doesn't have a bad heart. Her family just spoils her rotten. She seems genuinely sorry now, so give her a chance.]
At that, everyone reading the group chat finally understood.
No wonder she had such a severe young-lady temper and such an ingrained sense of superiority.
Good grief, two Titled Douluo in her family!
And both famous across the continent!
Holy shit!
With a background like that... if their families had the same, wouldn't they be even more arrogant than Ning Rongrong?
Seen that way, a bit of a spoiled young-lady temper hardly seemed like much, did it?
After all, some young masters whose families had nothing more than minor noble titles spent their days at that age bullying men and women, drinking, gambling, and whoring. Some had even started hosting orgies!
Less than a second later, four or five messages appeared.
[Big Cat in the Night: That explains it. All right, I was a little harsh earlier too. I forgive you.]
[Loves Eating Carrots: Same here!]
[Viper-Hearted Big Sister: So that's how it is... Fine. I forgive you too.]
[Ice-Snow Smart: Me too, sis! Come here, have a hug!]
As Ning Rongrong watched the replies appear one after another, awkward yet brimming with goodwill, her eyes reddened once more.
But this time, it wasn't because she felt wronged.
She was moved.
Hot tears rolled down her cheeks, yet something seemed to fill her heart with warmth.
Ning Rongrong suddenly realized that the people in this group... might not be so bad after all.
They seemed... kind of nice, actually.
[Richest Little Heiress of Heaven Dou: Thank you for forgiving me... Next time you shop at a chamber of commerce under the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, give them my name, Ning Rongrong, and I'll have them take thirty percent off... No, forty percent! Wait, wait, fifty percent! (voice message, nasal from crying but trying hard to sound generous)]
After sending that, she seemed to think it wasn't quite settled and hurriedly added another message in a small voice.
[Richest Little Heiress of Heaven Dou: I can't go any lower... We might lose money if I do. (timid voice)]
Seven Treasure Chamber of Commerce: Young Miss, is it possible we're already losing money at half price?
The sharp contrast between her messages made everyone in the group burst out laughing, while stirring an even greater wave of astonishment in their hearts.
She was the little princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect!
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, rich enough to rival a nation and possessing the strongest support-type Martial Soul!
No wonder she had been so...
[Loves Eating Carrots: Pfft, hahaha... Rongrong, you're hilarious! We're friends now, no take-backs!]
[Richest Little Heiress of Heaven Dou: Hehe, I'm really glad to meet you too!]
[Big Cat in the Night: Mm. I won't comment on that discount, but having one more friend sounds good.]
[Ice-Snow Smart: Same here! It's lovely to meet you, Rongrong!]
[Viper-Hearted Big Sister: All right, now I get why you were so cocky before. Yeah, it's nice to meet you too, little rich girl of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect!]
Watching the group finally set aside their differences and chat in harmony, Qian Renxue, far away in the Heaven Dou Crown Prince's residence, felt the corners of her mouth lift.
She didn't even notice the rare hint of tenderness in her smile.
She tapped a finger and sent another message.
[Child Without Parents: @Richest Little Heiress of Heaven Dou, Rongrong, think about other people's feelings before you speak. You're a grown girl now. Don't keep acting like a thoughtless child.]
Although Qian Renxue was on Spirit Hall's side and had come to Heaven Dou only to carry out a mission, she had met Ning Rongrong by chance.
By rights, she might have welcomed seeing the little princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect ostracized, perhaps even affected in the years to come.
But perhaps someone who had once been caught in the rain couldn't help wanting to hold an umbrella over another person.
Qian Renxue, who had come to the Heaven Dou Empire on a mission as a child, knew all too well that loneliness that seeped into the marrow.
Within the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Ning Rongrong's heart filled with gratitude when she saw the message.
She replied with an obedient "Okay," but more questions rose in her mind.
Who exactly is this Child Without Parents?
She knows so much about me, and she's helped me so much...
"Even though I don't know who you are,"
Ning Rongrong said firmly as she wiped away her tears,
"if we ever meet, I'll thank you properly."
She quietly etched that mysterious group nickname into her heart.
Meanwhile, in the dormitory,
Li Yuan had finally completed his transformation, as though he had shed his old skin and been reborn.
The evolution of his Martial Soul had not only granted him a powerful Martial Soul; its power had flowed back into his body as well.
His once slightly wheat-colored skin had turned fair and luminous, as though every impurity had been washed away. His bones felt stronger, while smooth lines of muscle held explosive power.
He felt brimming with energy, better than ever before. He wanted nothing more than to shout, I can take ten of them!
Crack...
A faint cracking sound caught Li Yuan's attention.
On the cocoon of light surrounding Ah Bai, a first crack had appeared. Then the cracks spread across its surface like a spiderweb...
Before you continue