Xu Qing's Hundredth Birthday Banquet, Celebrated from All Directions!

Ning Rongrong sucked in a sharp breath again.

Even a Martial Soul with a long-standing inheritance like the Jade Phosphorous Serpent could be altered?

She immediately realized it.

This was undoubtedly because of Blue Silver Academy, because of that young man in azure robes on the stage!

On the bluestone.

Xu Qing had long noticed the little mouse hiding behind the tree.

He paid it no mind.

With a sweep of his divine sense, he had already figured out Ning Rongrong's identity.

The fact that she had managed to sneak into Blue Silver Academy and accidentally overhear his lecture.

Showed that the girl had some measure of good fortune.

Xu Qing had always acted as he pleased.

He decided to give the little princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect a taste of sweetness.

His fingertips twitched slightly.

A richer strand of Life Force silently traveled through the earth veins.

It burrowed directly into Ning Rongrong's feet.

Ning Rongrong was still considering whether to reveal herself.

When her whole body suddenly trembled.

Light burst uncontrollably from her palm.

A seven-tiered, exquisitely translucent Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda automatically appeared before her.

Nourished by that pure Life Force.

The pagoda's seven-colored radiance grew increasingly brilliant.

At the originally blurred top of the pagoda, there were faint signs of an eighth tier beginning to condense!

Ning Rongrong was utterly stunned.

She was completely immersed in this wondrous transformation.

This was a sign of Martial Soul Evolution!

If this power continued for just a little longer, her Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda might very well break through the limits imposed by her family!

However.

At the very moment the eighth tier was about to solidify.

That gentle Life Force abruptly ceased.

The glow faded.

The Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda returned to its original form, quietly hovering above her palm.

Ning Rongrong felt a wave of loss.

The feeling of watching her Martial Soul stand on the verge of advancing.

Only to have it forcibly cut off at the final step.

Left her itching with frustration.

Even if the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect poured out all its resources, it could never buy an opportunity for evolution like the one she had just received.

She secretly gritted her teeth and made a decision.

Stay!

No matter the cost, she had to remain at Blue Silver Academy!

As long as she stayed here, her Martial Soul would surely have a chance to truly transform!

At this moment.

Xu Qing slowly opened his eyes atop the bluestone.

"That will be all for today."

His clear voice announced the end of the lesson.

The several hundred students in the training ground rose to their feet in unison.

Their movements were perfectly synchronized, their eyes filled with fervent reverence.

They all bowed, their voices shaking the heavens.

"Thank you for your guidance, Dean!"

Behind the tree, Ning Rongrong instantly froze.

Dean?

That young man in azure robes, who looked only a few years older than her at most.

Was actually the mysterious Dean of Blue Silver Academy?

The Dean whom Ma Hongjun had repeatedly called trash?

Ning Rongrong swallowed.

Afraid of being caught eavesdropping, she quickly crept away along the path she had come from.

At the front of the training ground.

Ye Lingling withdrew her gaze and glanced in the direction Ning Rongrong had left.

A trace of contemplation flashed through her cool eyes.

Xu Qing sat upright on the bluestone.

Feeling the threads of Power of Faith gathering from the hundred-odd students around him.

This power could neither be seen nor touched, yet it genuinely nourished his divine sense.

Ye Lingling walked forward and lowered her voice.

"Dean."

"That Ning Rongrong from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was hiding behind a tree and eavesdropping."

"Should I go bring her back?"

Xu Qing remained entirely calm and casually brushed his sleeve.

"It is of no consequence."

"There is no need to concern yourself with her."

"Every blade of grass and every tree in this academy is under my control."

"If she wishes to stay, let her stay."

Upon hearing his composed words.

The admiration in Ye Lingling's eyes grew even stronger.

As expected of the Dean.

Such bearing and magnanimity were simply beyond comparison with those mundane Soul Masters.

Meanwhile.

In a forest more than a dozen miles away.

The Shrek group was miserably tending to their wounded.

Tang San leaned against a tree trunk, his face deathly pale. The poisoned blood from his calf had stopped flowing, but he remained exceedingly weak.

Ma Hongjun was still clutching his crotch nearby and howling in agony.

Oscar counted their numbers.

His expression instantly changed.

"Dean, Grandmaster!"

"Rongrong is missing!"

As soon as the words left his mouth.

Flender, who had been sighing, suddenly shuddered.

Yu Xiaogang also stiffened from head to toe, his scalp tingling.

"What did you say?"

Flender grabbed Oscar by the shoulders.

"She was clearly at the back of the group when we retreated!"

Oscar was sweating profusely with anxiety.

"I searched everywhere, but I really couldn't find her!"

"Could she have gotten separated while fleeing, or been captured by someone from Blue Silver Academy?"

It was over!

Flender's vision went dark, and he nearly collapsed to the ground.

Yu Xiaogang was even more dumbfounded.

That was the treasured jewel of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect!

Ning Fengzhi's most beloved daughter!

If anything happened to Ning Rongrong while she was with them.

Forget Shrek Academy.

Even Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo, one sword each, could chop these old bones of theirs into mincemeat.

They had truly caused a catastrophe this time.

The atmosphere within the group instantly dropped to freezing point.

Everyone wore a look of panic.

Tang San took a deep breath and spoke while enduring the sharp pain from his injuries.

"Teacher, Dean."

"There is no use panicking now."

"If the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect truly comes demanding answers."

"We will simply tell them the truth."

"We will say that Blue Silver Academy abused its power and forcibly detained Rongrong."

"Not only did they injure us, they even allowed Poison Douluo to attack us from the shadows."

Upon hearing Tang San's suggestion.

Flender and Yu Xiaogang's eyes lit up at the same time.

Right!

This was the perfect excuse.

Not only could they completely absolve themselves of responsibility for Ning Rongrong's disappearance.

They could also use the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's fury to give that arrogant Blue Silver Academy a harsh lesson.

Yu Xiaogang nodded repeatedly, his expression immediately settling.

"Xiao San is right."

"Blue Silver Academy brought this upon itself. It cannot blame us."

A few days later.

Deep within Blue Silver Academy, beside the Lake of Life.

Sunlight filtered through the lush branches and leaves, spilling onto the sparkling lake.

Xu Qing reclined lazily in a vine chair.

Beside him sat Gu Yue Na, her silver hair cascading like a waterfall.

A gentle smile rested upon her breathtakingly beautiful face.

Gu Yue Na's slender fingers peeled a crystalline spirit fruit.

She gently placed it into Xu Qing's mouth.

Her fingertips brushed his lips ever so faintly, carrying an indescribable hint of intimacy.

Xu Qing took hold of her wrist and pulled her closer.

Gu Yue Na obediently leaned against his shoulder, her violet eyes brimming with tenderness.

"Husband."

"Counting the days, you will soon be a hundred years old, won't you?"

Xu Qing was slightly taken aback.

He had slept for far too long, and his sense of time had long since grown hazy.

Had Gu Yue Na not brought it up, he might not even have noticed that this body of his had reached such an age.

Gu Yue Na raised her head, lightly tracing circles over his chest with her finger.

"According to your human customs."

"A hundredth birthday is a major occasion."

"I was thinking that we could hold a hundredth birthday banquet for you here at the academy and make it lively."