Spoilers of the Immortal Grass, Ning Rongrong Stunned on the Spot

"How many people survive doesn't depend on whether you trust me, but on the choices you make from here on out."

Su Hang pushed his teacup to the edge of the table, in no hurry to give Ning Rongrong a complete answer.

Ning Rongrong sat opposite him, her fingertips resting on the Seven Treasures Token coming to a halt.

She had run all the way from the Seven Treasures Glazed Sect, initially driven by a mix of spite and curiosity.

But as the conversation reached this point, her playful mood had already been suppressed.

Father, Sword Grandpa, Bone Grandpa.

These names weighed heavier on her than any sausage joke ever could.

"I can pay you."

Ning Rongrong pushed the Seven Treasures Token forward.

"This token can mobilize a great deal of the Seven Treasures Glazed Sect's resources."

Xiao Chenyu, listening from the side, straightened his back, nearly dropping the teapot he was holding.

Wang Sheng poked his arm, lowering his voice.

"Is this token really that powerful?"

Xiao Chenyu quickly slapped his hand away.

"Don't touch it carelessly; if you break it, your life wouldn't be enough to pay for it."

Ning Rongrong ignored them and took a pouch of Gold Soul Coins from her small bag, placing it on the table.

The mouth of the pouch opened, revealing the golden luster piled inside, and the few people in the courtyard stared, transfixed.

"This is just a greeting gift."

"Tell me everything you know."

"The Seven Treasures Glazed Sect can keep adding more."

Xiao Wu had initially felt some hostility toward Ning Rongrong, but upon hearing this, her hand, which had been gripping the corner of Su Hang's clothes, paused.

Spending money to buy a future.

Spending money to buy the safety of her family.

It sounded impulsive, but she understood this urgency.

She, too, feared that Daming and Erming might meet with disaster, and she feared ending up in the sacrificial fate she had read about in the diary.

The only difference was that she had no Seven Treasures Token, nor bags of Gold Soul Coins.

She only had Su Hang.

Su Hang pushed the bag of Gold Soul Coins back.

"Life cannot be bought with money."

"Life is traded for choices."

Xiao Wu looked down at her hands, her fingertips pressing even tighter against the fabric.

Ning Rongrong also fell silent.

After a moment, she took back the Gold Soul Coins but left the Seven Treasures Token on the table.

"Then how do you want me to choose?"

Su Hang picked up a tea snack from the table, not eating it, but merely turning it between his fingers.

"First, recognize the problem with the Seven Treasures Glazed Sect."

"The Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda is powerful, and its support abilities are the best on the continent."

"But it is stuck at its current level."

"Your sect has known for generations that once the pagoda reaches the seventh level, the path is largely cut off."

Ning Rongrong sat up straight instinctively.

Outsiders had heard a little about this, but Su Hang spoke of it so fluently.

So fluently that she couldn't find an opening to refute him.

"My father has been trying to find a way to solve this problem as well."

"But the Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda has been passed down for so many years; can it really be changed?"

Su Hang placed the tea snack back onto the plate.

"It can."

Ning Rongrong immediately pressed him.

"What is the method?"

Su Hang raised his finger.

"Two directions."

"Martial soul evolution."

"Immortal herb."

As these words fell, Ning Rongrong stood up abruptly.

Xiao Wu also looked up.

She had never heard the term "immortal herb," but judging by how Su Hang spoke of it, it must be of immense value.

Ning Rongrong pressed her hands against the edge of the table.

"Where is this immortal herb?"

"What is it called?"

"Who has it in their possession?"

Seeing her so anxious, Su Hang, on the contrary, did not continue.

After all, this matter of immortal herbs involved Dugu Bo's medicinal garden and the subsequent trajectory of that Tang boy's rise.

If he revealed too much, he would only disrupt the situation.

"You can't ask about it now."

Ning Rongrong was displeased.

"You just said you could save the Seven Treasures."

Su Hang pushed the teacup toward her.

"I only provide the direction."

"You must walk the path yourself."

Ning Rongrong gritted her teeth.

"You really know how to keep people in suspense."

Xiao Wu immediately chimed in.

"It's already good enough that he's willing to speak at all."

Ning Rongrong turned to look at her.

"Of course you'd take his side."

Xiao Wu lifted her chin.

"I certainly do."

Ning Rongrong snorted and turned back to stare at Su Hang.

"Then at least tell me into whose hands this immortal herb will fall."

Su Hang picked up his teacup and tapped the rim against the tabletop.

"In the future, someone will treat a treasure land like their own vegetable garden."

Ning Rongrong froze.

A treasure land.

A vegetable garden.

She quickly recalled the person who had ambushed them with poison arrows at the training grounds.

"That Tang San from the training grounds?"

The courtyard grew much quieter.

Xiao Chenyu's eyes darted around; he wanted to interject but didn't dare.

Wang Sheng stuffed a steamed bun into his mouth to keep himself from speaking out.

Su Hang did not nod directly.

"That person is very good at turning other people's opportunities into his own merits."

"Give him a treasure land, and he can come up with a set of righteous justifications."

"He can take someone else's belongings and still frame it as his own benevolence."

Ning Rongrong tucked the Seven Treasures Token back into her waist.

"I understand."

"If such a person approaches the Seven Treasures, we must be on guard."

Hearing this, Xiao Wu felt much more at ease.

Although Ning Rongrong had a spoiled temper, her mind worked quickly.

Compared to those who felt Tang San was steady and reliable after hearing him speak a few words, this little princess at least knew to keep her guard up.

However, comfortable as she felt, she began to grow unhappy again as Su Hang continued to chat with Ning Rongrong.

Xiao Wu picked up the largest pastry on the plate and shoved it directly into Brother Su Hang's hand.

"Brother Su Hang, eat this."

Su Hang glanced at her.

"You said you weren't hungry just a moment ago."

"I want you to eat it now."

Watching this interaction, Ning Rongrong understood immediately.

She set her small bag down on the table.

"Do you like pastries?"

"The pastries in Seven Treasures City are ten times better than these."

"I can buy you a whole table full."

Xiao Wu immediately pulled the plate toward Su Hang.

"He has enough eating mine."

Ning Rongrong refused to concede.

"These pastries were prepared by Xiao Chenyu anyway."

Xiao Chenyu was just about to nod, but seeing Xiao Wu turn toward him, he immediately changed his tune.

"Sister Xiao Wu arranged everything perfectly; I was just the errand boy."

Wang Sheng nearly burst out laughing.

"Your survival instincts are truly impressive."

Ning Rongrong felt a bit helpless amidst the atmosphere in the courtyard.

She had originally come with the Seven Treasures Token to discuss major future matters, yet this little rabbit had been on guard against her the entire time, even fighting over pastries.

Yet, strangely, she didn't truly dislike Xiao Wu.

Because after hearing that line about "life being traded for choices," Xiao Wu's reaction had been very similar to her own.

The two of them feared different things, but both wanted to protect the people who mattered to them.

Ning Rongrong sat back down and pressed the Seven Treasures Token back against her waist.

"Fine, I won't ask for everything today."

"But you have to give me a straight answer."

"What should I do first?"

Su Hang finally looked at her seriously.

The scent of tea in the courtyard had faded, and the night breeze blew past the walls.

Xiao Wu also stopped her restless movements.

This time, Ning Rongrong didn't make a scene, nor did she put on the airs of a little princess.

She was waiting for an answer.

Su Hang set his teacup back on the table.

"Don't be in such a rush to prove yourself."

"And don't think that leaving Seven Treasures and suffering a little hardship is what growth is."

"The truly fatal part lies in how you will eventually, for the sake of so-called companions and so-called recognition, surrender your right to choose step by step."

Ning Rongrong was just about to speak when she heard this.

Su Hang raised a hand to stop her.

"If you want to protect Seven Treasures, first learn not to sell yourself to fate."