A Lesson

"I..." She wanted to say something, but it felt as though her throat had been blocked.

"As for your Martial Soul." Zhou Qiubai did not wait for her to organize her thoughts before striking again. "The number one support type in the world? It is still only support. Do not think so highly of yourself. A support-type Soul Master with no ability to protect herself—once she leaves her companions and guards, what is she worth in the face of real danger? Does your father, Ning Fengzhi, dare to walk out of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect alone, without any guards?"

Ning Rongrong was rendered speechless.

Because she had seen her father travel. Sword Grandpa or Bone Grandpa would always be by his side.

Of the two guardian Douluos, one stayed behind to guard the sect while the other protected their master. Neither could be spared.

Wait...

Did that not mean she was currently...?

Yet Zhou Qiubai did not make a move. Instead, he continued to belittle her.

"Your pride, your talent, your status... Strip away that gorgeous shell—what is left inside? Have you ever thought about it?"

She possessed a mountain of treasure, yet lacked the strength to protect it.

That was the fate of support-type Soul Masters, and the reason the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had to rely on the strong.

Without Sword and Bone, would anyone still regard the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect as one of the Upper Three Sects?

"Enough!" Ning Rongrong finally screamed, tears uncontrollably welling in her eyes.

It was not fear, but the panic and fury of watching something she had always believed in collapse.

"You are talking nonsense! You do not know anything! You are just... just a worthless nobody without even a sect! You are jealous of me!"

Seeing her reddened eyes and the stubborn way she fought back her tears, Zhou Qiubai suddenly found the conversation utterly dull.

There truly was no point in arguing with a spoiled child.

He had met far too many children who had matured too early. Now that he had encountered someone like this, he found himself somewhat unaccustomed to it.

He said nothing more, but waves rose in his heart.

"Clang—"

A sword cry, like a dragon's roar, echoed through Ning Rongrong's mind, making her whole body jolt.

What followed was an indescribable "intent," lightly enveloping her like a thin mist.

It was neither the pressure of Soul Power nor the intimidation of killing intent. It was more like a late autumn breeze, carrying the desolation of countless fallen leaves as it swept toward her.

Within the wind seemed to hang thousands upon thousands of swords high in the sky, their tips all pointed at her insignificant soul.

She saw autumn leaves fluttering through the air, every falling trajectory containing the bleakness to sever all things.

Ning Rongrong trembled violently. She felt like a withered leaf in a gale, liable to be torn apart at any moment and reduced to nothing.

"Wuu..."

A frigid current of terror instantly swallowed her. It was not fear of physical harm, but instinctive awe toward a higher existence, along with the despairing realization of her own insignificance.

At last, tears streamed uncontrollably down her face. Her legs gave way, and she collapsed onto the ground, curling into herself as she shivered.

Yet in only an instant, the sky full of autumn leaves and the boundless frost vanished completely, as though none of it had ever existed.

"The world is vast, Miss Ning." Zhou Qiubai gave her one final glance over his shoulder, his tone calm. "Stop living at the bottom of your own well."

With that, he picked up the bag of herbs, went around her, and walked straight into the crowd, soon disappearing from sight.

After walking a dozen steps, he stopped and turned back to Ning Rongrong, who was still sobbing. "Take today as a lesson. Not everyone in this world will indulge you, and not everything can be bought with money."

A small lesson was enough. If he truly killed her, he would first have to figure out how to keep those people in the shadows, as well as Flender, who had already returned to Shrek, quiet.

Otherwise, what awaited him would be the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's endless pursuit.

After a pause, he added, "If you cannot figure it out, go ask your father. He should... not be that muddleheaded yet."

After saying that, his figure truly vanished around the street corner.

From beginning to end, the three guards of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect never appeared. Cold sweat beaded on their foreheads as they exchanged glances, horror rising in all their hearts. In that moment just now, they too had felt that palpitating "intent." Although it had not targeted them, even its lingering ripples had made their souls tremble. They had not even dared to entertain the thought of resisting.

What exactly had that been? Sword Intent? But how could there be Sword Intent so terrifying, so close to the "Dao"? They had only felt a faintly similar aura from the sect's guardian Douluo, Lord Chen Xin. Yet even Lord Chen Xin's Sword Intent seemed to lack this... indescribable loftiness and vast desolation.

Ning Rongrong sat on the ground and cried for a long time.

Only after she had cried herself tired did she wipe away her tears, rise to her feet, lower her head, and silently walk toward the outskirts of the city.

Her steps were unsteady, and her retreating figure looked exceptionally lonely.

Once, she had been as proud as a white swan.

In the shadows at the street corner, three hidden agents exchanged looks. None of them spoke.

They had witnessed everything from start to finish, yet none had intervened.

For one thing, Zhou Qiubai truly had not harbored any killing intent.

Though that Sword Intent had been terrifying, it had served more as a warning than an actual attempt to harm her.

For another...

The young miss truly deserved a lesson.

People like them had suffered no small amount of bullying from her in the past.

Even a dog should be given something after being beaten.

The sect master spoiled her, the two Douluos spoiled her, and practically the entire sect revolved around her.

They had spoiled her until she no longer knew the height of heaven or the depth of earth, believing the world ought to revolve around her.

Today's lesson, though cruel, had been necessary.

Otherwise, she would not even know how she died later on.

The sect master had said that unless the young miss truly reached a life-or-death crisis, they did not need to intervene.

The captain of the guards watched the young miss in her current state, then stared toward the direction Zhou Qiubai had disappeared. His expression grew increasingly grave.

"Immediately send the fastest carrier pigeon and report today's events to the sect master in detail. Focus on describing that 'Sword Intent' and the youth's appearance! Remember, do not embellish anything. Report the truth!"

Sword Elder would likely be very interested in this boy.

At his age, his low Soul Power was a flaw, but there was nothing else to criticize.

"Yes!"

The other two fell silent for a moment before quietly withdrawing.

They needed to send the information back to the sect as quickly as possible.

As for that young man...

The black-clothed youth cast one final look in the direction Zhou Qiubai had left, thinking to himself, With a master like this, one either befriends him, stays far away from him, or eliminates him before he can grow.

However, making an enemy of him was by no means a wise choice.

Zhou Qiubai crossed several streets. Only after confirming that no one was following him and that the feeling of being watched had completely disappeared did he slow down.

Teaching Ning Rongrong a lesson had not been his intention, but she had been relentlessly aggressive, and he could not be bothered to indulge her.

The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect might come looking for him because of this, but that was a matter for the future. For now, he still had his own path to walk.

He returned to the Listen to Rain Pavilion inn and shut the door to his room.

He gathered the newly purchased herbs with the ones he already had, carefully sorting them by type.

The ingredients for his third medicinal bath were finally complete. This time, he had added several more potent herbs. Combined with the remaining Bamboo King Sap, its effects should be stronger than the previous two times.