Flender stood at the kitchen door, watching Ning Rongrong's back as she washed the dishes. He sighed inwardly: Ning Fengzhi, your daughter is more sensible than you think.
Fu Wen passed the kitchen door and saw Ning Rongrong washing the dishes. He paused.
He said nothing, only watched for a moment before turning and walking away.
After Ning Rongrong finished washing the dishes and came out of the kitchen, she saw Fu Wen's back disappear at the end of the corridor.
She frowned. Why was that annoying guy always like this?
He clearly saw her, yet he didn't even say hello.
"Rongrong, go back and rest."
Flender walked over.
"You still have training tomorrow."
"Dean Flender."
Ning Rongrong called after him.
"What is it?"
"Fu Wen... was he always like this? Does he act like he doesn't care about anyone?"
Flender froze for a moment, then smiled.
"He's been like that since he was little. He doesn't like talking, smiling, or dealing with people. But he's not a bad person."
"I know he's not a bad person."
Ning Rongrong said softly.
Flender glanced at her but said nothing more before turning to leave.
Ning Rongrong stood where she was, thinking for a long time, then went back to the dormitory.
That night, Fu Wen lay in bed with his eyes closed, but he wasn't asleep.
He was thinking about Ning Rongrong's flight path that day. She had improved remarkably fast, but her landings were still unsteady.
It was a problem with controlling her center of gravity. She needed more practice; there were no shortcuts.
"Brother Wen, are you asleep?"
Ma Hongjun's voice came from beside him.
"No."
"Do you think Rongrong will stay here in the future? I mean, will she study here until she finishes the whole academy?"
"Yes."
Fu Wen answered without hesitation.
"How do you know?"
"Because she promised her father."
Fu Wen said.
"She won't go back on a promise."
Ma Hongjun thought about it and decided that made sense. He turned over and closed his eyes.
Fu Wen didn't sleep.
He was thinking about the butterfly effect.
Ning Rongrong entering Shrek six years early meant she would be more levelheaded than in the original story, and stronger too. Her relationships with Oscar and Ma Hongjun would also be deeper than in the original story.
All of that was a good thing.
But what worried him was that the butterfly effect wouldn't affect Ning Rongrong alone.
It would affect everyone and everything.
Would Tang San still come to Shrek? Would Xiao Wu still come with him? Would Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing still appear?
Fu Wen didn't know.
But he knew one thing: no matter how the story changed, his path wouldn't.
Cultivate the China Divine Crocodile, inherit the godhood, and protect the people around him.
As for everything else, he'd adapt as he went.
Outside the window, the moon was full. Moonlight spilled in, shining on Fu Wen's face.
He closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
The council hall.
It was already late at night, but Ning Fengzhi was still awake.
He sat in the seat of honor, holding a freshly delivered intelligence report, a smile on his lips.
The report had come from Shrek Academy.
It hadn't been written by Flender. It came from someone Ning Fengzhi had placed in secret.
A Soul Emperor of the agility attack system, skilled at concealment, was in charge of observing Ning Rongrong's performance at Shrek and sending back a report every few days.
Ning Fengzhi unfolded the report and read it from beginning to end. Then he smiled.
"Sect Master, what's the good news?"
Gu Rong walked in from outside. Seeing Ning Fengzhi smiling, he asked curiously.
"It's about Rongrong."
Ning Fengzhi handed him the report.
"Take a look."
Gu Rong accepted it and scanned the page, raising an eyebrow.
The report was packed with details, recording Ning Rongrong's performance at Shrek each day.
On the first day, she ran twenty laps. When she finished, she didn't cry.
On the second day, she ran twenty laps. When she finished, she offered to help wash the dishes.
On the third day, she ran twenty-five laps. When she finished, she began learning to control the Flying Sausage.
On the fourth day, she trained in flight, fell from the sky, and was caught by Fu Wen. She didn't cry and kept practicing.
On the fifth day, she reached an altitude of ten zhang. Her landing was still unsteady, but she could basically control her direction.
After reading it, Gu Rong fell silent.
"What do you think?"
Ning Fengzhi asked.
"That girl can take more than I expected."
Gu Rong set the report down. There was a hint of relief in his voice, but more than that, heartache.
"She ran until her legs were giving out without asking to stop. She fell from the sky and didn't cry. She wasn't like this before."
"That was because we were there before."
Ning Fengzhi stood and walked to the window.
"She knew that if she fell, Uncle Jian would catch her. She knew that if she got tired, Uncle Bone would carry her back. She knew that no matter what she did, someone would be there to catch her. So she didn't need to be strong, to persevere, or to work hard."
"But things are different now. At Shrek, there's no one to catch her. Flender won't, Zhao Wuji won't, and Oscar and Ma Hongjun won't. Fu Wen will catch her, but he won't fly in her place."
Gu Rong said nothing.
"She needs to face things on her own."
Ning Fengzhi turned around.
"If she falls, she has to get back up herself. If she's tired, she has to hold on herself. If she can't fly, she has to practice herself. No one will do these things for her. She has to do them herself."
"Sect Master, doesn't it break your heart?"
Gu Rong asked.
"It does."
Ning Fengzhi's voice grew quieter.
"When I read the part about her falling from the sky, my hands were shaking. But I can't go catch her. If I catch her once, she'll wait for me to catch her again. I can't be there for her whole life."
Gu Rong took a deep breath, then slowly let it out.
"I'll go get Old Sword Man."
He turned and walked out.
Before long, Chen Xin came in with Gu Rong.
He was walking quickly, much faster than usual. Clearly, he already knew what the report said.
"Sect Master, let me see the report."
Chen Xin held out his hand.
Ning Fengzhi handed it to him.
Chen Xin took it and read it from beginning to end. Then he read it again.
His fingers gently stroked the report, as if caressing Ning Rongrong's face.
"That girl ran until her legs were giving out."
Chen Xin's voice was a little hoarse.
"Twenty laps, then twenty-five. In the sect, she thinks even walking from the door to the carriage is too far."
"She's grown up."
Ning Fengzhi said.
Chen Xin looked up at Ning Fengzhi. He was silent for a long time, then nodded. "Sect Master, you were right."
"What?"
Ning Fengzhi froze for a moment.
"Sending Rongrong to Shrek was the right choice."
Chen Xin set the report on the table.
"At the sect, she'll always be the little princess everyone holds in the palm of their hand. At Shrek, she's just an ordinary student. She needs to know who she is, what she can do, and what she can't."
"Uncle Jian, you're not opposed anymore?"
Gu Rong asked, surprised.
"I'm not opposed anymore."
Chen Xin shook his head.
"But I'm still worried."
"So am I."
Gu Rong added.
Ning Fengzhi looked at the two Titled Douluo, his heart a jumble of emotions.
Chen Xin and Gu Rong cared about Ning Rongrong every bit as much as her own father did.
They had watched Rongrong grow up and loved her like their own granddaughter.
Of the three of them, the two most heartbroken about sending Rongrong to Shrek weren't him, but these two.
"Sect Master, the report says that the boy named Fu Wen caught Rongrong."
Chen Xin suddenly said.
Before you continue