Ning Rongrong laughed, beaming as if they had just won a battle.
At the same time,
Ning Rongrong realized that she could actually see Zhu Zhuqing's affection for her.
[Affection +5!] [Zhu Zhuqing's current affection for you: 75!] [Once affection reaches 100, Zhu Zhuqing will meet the conditions to become your best friend, and the Red-Level Quest will be completed automatically!]
A message appeared in Ning Rongrong's mind. She immediately realized it was a prompt about the Red-Level Quest, and couldn't help thinking how wondrous these Mission Cards were.
"Her affection is only at 75. That's a little low. Looks like I need to keep trying!"
Ning Rongrong thought to herself.
Just then, Zhu Zhuqing spoke. "I believe you, Rongrong. I believe what you told me!"
Ning Rongrong smiled, nodded, and replied, "Mm, good. This bottle of Experience Water is for you. It can raise your cultivation by one level."
"Thank you," Zhu Zhuqing said gratefully.
Zhu Zhuqing was decisive. Once she had made up her mind and believed something, she didn't hesitate or dither. She acted at once.
So Zhu Zhuqing immediately took the bottle of Great Spirit Master Grade Experience Potion from Ning Rongrong's hand.
[Affection +5!] [Zhu Zhuqing's current affection for you: 80!]
It seems that if I'm good to Zhuqing, her affection for me goes up.
Ning Rongrong thought to herself, gaining a better understanding of how to increase Zhu Zhuqing's affection for her.
Just then, Zhu Zhuqing asked, "How do I drink this Experience Water?"
Ning Rongrong replied, "Just take off the cap, put the bottle to your mouth, and drink it all!"
"Okay. I'll try it."
Zhu Zhuqing nodded and replied.
Then,
she hesitated no longer. She uncapped the bottle of Great Spirit Master Grade Experience Potion, put it to her sensuous lips, and drank.
It tasted a little strange, with the fragrance of chestnut blossoms. It was viscous, with a faint fishy tang, but showed no signs of being poisonous.
After she finished it,
Boom!
Zhu Zhuqing's delicate body tensed. She felt a mighty surge of energy well up inside her, and then she rose one level!
"Ah, what...!!"
Chapter 14: Hated Men to the Core
She had risen a level!!
Zhu Zhuqing's level had gone from twenty-seven to twenty-eight!
She could hardly believe such a miraculous potion existed in the world.
Just one small bottle had raised her Soul Power cultivation by an entire level.
It was absolutely terrifying—outrageous!
At the same time,
[Affection +5!] [Zhu Zhuqing's current affection for you: 85!]
Her affection had gone up again. Ning Rongrong was delighted, her smile growing even brighter.
Zhu Zhuqing couldn't help exclaiming, "Rongrong, I never imagined that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had something this amazing!"
"This Experience Water isn't from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect." Ning Rongrong shook her head and said, "I got it by completing quests."
"This Experience Water wasn't produced by the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect?"
"Quests? What kind of quests?"
Zhu Zhuqing was surprised and didn't quite understand what Ning Rongrong was saying.
Ning Rongrong stepped forward and patted Zhu Zhuqing on the shoulder. "We're not going back to Shrek Academy tonight. Let's get a room at a luxury hotel. I'll tell you everything as we walk."
"Okay," Zhu Zhuqing agreed.
Ning Rongrong had already shown Zhu Zhuqing that becoming stronger was possible.
Zhu Zhuqing had said that if Ning Rongrong could make her stronger, she would leave Shrek Academy.
And now, she was keeping her promise.
"Best friends, let's hold hands!"
Ning Rongrong said with a smile, then took Zhu Zhuqing's arm.
Zhu Zhuqing didn't refuse.
She was proud by nature and wasn't one to make the first move when it came to feelings.
But she could tell right from wrong, and her heart was as clear as a mirror. She knew Ning Rongrong was genuinely good to her, so she didn't refuse.
The two girls walked side by side, a beautiful sight to behold.
Unfortunately, the village road was deserted at this late hour.
Otherwise, the passersby would surely have been unable to tear their eyes away from the two beautiful friends.
On the way,
Ning Rongrong took the initiative to speak. "Tonight, my Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda turned into the Eight Treasures Glazed Pagoda, and I got Experience Water that can raise my level. It all began with a shop that specializes in Mission Cards..."
Ning Rongrong told Zhu Zhuqing how she'd gone out shopping after Dean Flender had harshly rebuked her, and how she'd come across the Quest Card Shop.
She told her about Solio, the eldest son of the City Lord's Mansion in Suotuo City, shouting "I'm a turtle's son" three times and getting a five-hundred-year-old Spirit Bone in return.
She also told her about completing a Black-Level Quest and a Purple Grade Quest.
When she got to hugging Li Haiyun and interlacing their fingers,
two blushes appeared on Ning Rongrong's pretty cheeks, and she looked a little bashful.
Finally,
Ning Rongrong held nothing back. She mentioned that she'd received a Red-Level Quest that only she knew about, as well as two quests to hunt Spirit Beasts: a White Grade Quest and a Yellow Grade Quest!
Ning Rongrong told Zhu Zhuqing everything about the Quest Card Shop, leaving nothing out.
She even emphasized that Li Haiyun was the best boss in the world—handsome and dashing.
He was definitely more handsome and dashing than the useless, conceited men at Shrek Academy, and had a much better temper than them, too!
Even though Zhu Zhuqing had never seen the Quest Card Shop,
Ning Rongrong's account alone
was enough for her to picture what the shop looked like, and even to understand what kind of boss Li Haiyun was.
After she finished,
[Affection +1!] [Zhu Zhuqing's current affection for you: 86!]
Zhu Zhuqing's affection for Ning Rongrong had gone up again!
"Zhuqing, I'm done. Do you believe what I told you?"
"If Soul Masters want to get stronger from now on, they can't just cultivate. They also need to buy Mission Cards and work hard to complete quests!"
"My Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is rich. Zhuqing, we're friends, so what's mine is yours. I'll give you Gold Soul Coins to buy Mission Cards!"
"We'll do quests together, get stronger together, and run rampant across Douluo Continent!"
"Once we get to the hotel, I'll give you the extra Mission Cards I have!"
Ning Rongrong spoke with great earnestness, brimming with hopes for the future.
"Okay." Zhu Zhuqing nodded firmly, her heart warmed.
She hadn't said much, but Zhu Zhuqing already considered Ning Rongrong her very best friend!
And Ning Rongrong could see Zhu Zhuqing's affection for her. She knew Zhu Zhuqing believed in her now and accepted her.
"Rongrong," Zhu Zhuqing suddenly said, her expression serious.
Ning Rongrong froze, sensing that something important was coming. "What is it?"
Zhu Zhuqing said gravely, "You just mentioned that Li Haiyun, the boss, is the best man in the world. Rongrong, I think you may have been fooled by appearances!"
"Zhuqing, what makes you say that...?"
Ning Rongrong didn't understand.
A cold look appeared on Zhu Zhuqing's face as she continued, "All men are the same. Every last one of them is no good. They're good at putting on an act: one face in public, another behind closed doors. Today he might swear eternal love to you, and tomorrow he'll swear eternal love to another woman. You can't trust them! Do you understand?"
Listening to Zhu Zhuqing's icy words and seeing the faint killing intent in her expression,
Ning Rongrong's delicate body trembled. Looks like Zhuqing was hurt badly by a scumbag. Dai Mubai really is a piece of trash!
"Rongrong, did you take what I said to heart?" Zhu Zhuqing pressed again.
Ning Rongrong nodded and replied, "I did. I understand. Men all deserve to die. They all deserve to be killed!"
"Right. They all deserve to die. They all deserve to be killed!" Zhu Zhuqing repeated, utterly loathing men.
The two beautiful young women chatted as they walked.
Before long, they arrived at a luxury hotel called Shanhaijian Hotel.
Ning Rongrong had money and knew what she was doing, so she quickly completed the check-in and took Zhu Zhuqing back to their room.
"It's rare to see two beautiful women getting a room together in the middle of the night..."
The man at the front desk looked upright on the surface, but in his heart he was a lecherous middle-aged man, muttering to himself.
Still, all he did was greedily ogle them.
The guests who could afford to stay at the Mountains and Seas High-end Hotel were no ordinary people. He didn't dare provoke them.
Back in the room,
Ning Rongrong pulled Zhu Zhuqing onto the incredibly soft bed, and they both lay sprawled out like the character "大."
"I'm exhausted, I'm exhausted! That lousy Shrek Academy had such awful dorms. This bed is huge and soft!"
Ning Rongrong said happily, looking utterly relaxed.
Zhu Zhuqing felt a little uncomfortable, since she was used to hardship.
But she also thought Ning Rongrong was right. The bed was so comfortable, like lying on a soft cloud.
After resting for a while,
Ning Rongrong took three Mission Cards from the gemstones on her Storage Soul Tool belt.
"Zhuqing, these are Mission Cards. Take a good look at them first!"
Ning Rongrong said, generously handing the three Mission Cards to Zhu Zhuqing.
"But," Ning Rongrong added, "you can't use a Mission Card to accept a quest yet!"
"Why?" Zhu Zhuqing asked, confused.
Chapter 15: Zhuqing's Stubbornness