The Black-Grade Mission Card shot out a burst of invisible black mist, brimming with dense energy.
Ning Rongrong's Ice Dragon King Martial Soul quietly withdrew into her body, and the Eight Treasures Glazed Pagoda Martial Soul released itself without her realizing it!
As Flender, Zhao Wuji, Tang San, and the others watched in astonishment,
the black mist enveloped the radiant Eight Treasures Glazed Pagoda.
Clang, clang, clang...!!
A series of deafening sounds rang out, like a master craftsman forging a marvel!
They continued for quite some time.
Then the sounds stopped, and the black mist dispersed!
The Eight Treasures Glazed Pagoda had advanced into the Nine Treasures Glazed Pagoda.
It floated before Ning Rongrong, radiating a precious aura and brilliant rays of light, utterly noble!!
Ning Rongrong's delicate body trembled. She truly hadn't expected her Eight Treasures Glazed Pagoda to advance another stage and become the Nine Treasures Glazed Pagoda!!
"One, two, three... eight, nine tiers!!" Ning Rongrong counted the levels of her Martial Soul, and her little mouth blossomed into a smile lovelier than a flower.
"No! This is impossible!"
Flender's swollen lips, a little like two small sausages, quivered. His face was full of disbelief.
"How... how could this be?"
"Seven... no, it's the Nine Treasures Glazed Pagoda..."
"At such a young age, Ning Rongrong has obtained the Nine Treasures Glazed Pagoda Martial Soul. She's surpassed her father!"
Flender cried out, his wide eyes trembling.
Along with his shock, regret gnawed at him.
"What have I done?"
"I actually drove such a genius right out of Shrek Academy, and even made her turn against us!"
"No, no, no!!"
"None of this can be real!!"
Flender broke down, howling in anguish!
Ning Rongrong was everything he wanted in a Shrek monster—and even more monstrous than Tang San.
And yet he'd driven a monstrous genius like her away!
Flender regretted it bitterly. Bitterly!!
If he could choose again, he would never have lost his temper with Ning Rongrong. He would have groveled at her feet!
She was a freakish monster with the Nine Treasures Glazed Pagoda!
And she even had the freakish ability to raise her Soul Power Level to the Titled Douluo realm and transform her Martial Soul into the Ice Dragon King.
"Flender, what have you done!"
Flender wished he could slap himself to death.
Nearby, Zhao Wuji's expression turned indescribable. The muscles bunching over his body quivered, and his yellow-brown eyes flew wide, trembling slightly.
"Ning Rongrong... she has such monstrous talent..."
Zhao Wuji was stunned, as if he'd seen a ghost.
He'd never taken an unawakened Ning Rongrong seriously.
But now his view of her had changed completely. He regretted not having done more to curry favor with her before.
He could have gone from Little Furry Bear to Big Gold Bear just like that!
Dai Mubai, sprawled on the ground, looked as if he were questioning his whole life.
If he'd known Ning Rongrong was this monstrous, Dai Mubai would never have provoked her, even if it killed him.
Even if she insulted him, he wouldn't have gotten angry.
But was there still time to regret it now? Clearly, there wasn't!
"I'm not worthy of Rongrong. She'll always be someone I can only look up to!" Oscar burst into tears.
Tang San clenched his fists slightly. How could he not regret it, too?
Just a few days ago, Ning Rongrong had repeatedly asked him to help teach Dai Mubai a lesson and let her vent her anger.
If he'd stepped in to stand up for Ning Rongrong then,
perhaps he could have avoided many detours in the future.
Remembering Ning Rongrong's tone and expression at the time, Tang San regretted it. Was she testing where I stood back then...?
Somewhere no one could see or sense,
a black-clad figure's usually rigid, expressionless face, for the first time in ages, revealed a vivid look of shock.
This black-clad figure was none other than the Clear Sky Douluo, Tang Hao!
His exceptionally tall, burly frame was concealed beneath a black robe, and the waxen-yellow features of his face were hidden in the shadows of his black hood.
He truly hadn't expected Ning Rongrong, the apple of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's eye, to transform the Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda into the Nine Treasures Glazed Pagoda.
What was more, she could raise her Soul Power Level to the Titled Douluo level, gain a new Martial Soul, the Ice Dragon King, and even wield a red... Soul Ring!!
"This young girl has already surpassed her father, Ning Fengzhi!"
"From now on, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's standing and ranking on the continent will rise dramatically!!"
Tang Hao clicked his tongue in amazement.
He hadn't expected such a peerless prodigy to appear on the continent, even more freakish than his own son Tang San, who possessed Twin Martial Souls.
At the same time,
Tang Hao's deep eyes flashed as he swiftly glanced back and forth between Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong.
"She doesn't seem to have realized that Xiao Wu is a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soft Bone Rabbit Soul Beast in human form!"
Tang Hao let out a breath of relief, but he didn't leave. Instead, he did his best to conceal his aura, staying hidden as he quietly watched everything unfold.
Meanwhile,
Ning Rongrong looked at the Nine Treasures Glazed Pagoda before her, a brilliant smile on her face.
She'd not only turned the Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda into the Eight Treasures Glazed Pagoda; now she'd turned the Eight Treasures Glazed Pagoda into the Nine Treasures Glazed Pagoda!!
She, Ning Rongrong, had accomplished what her father, Ning Fengzhi, had always hoped to achieve!
Excitement, exhilaration, and joy filled Ning Rongrong's heart.
"Rongrong, congratulations!!" Zhu Zhuqing stepped forward to congratulate her.
"Zhuqing, hehe, I'm so happy! I have the Nine Treasures Glazed Pagoda!" Ning Rongrong gave a slight nod, beaming.
Dai Mubai, Oscar, Zhao Wuji, Flender, and the others watched the scene before them, their hearts heavy.
Flender, especially, felt as though he'd hit rock bottom.
"Sect Master Ning once hinted—and even said outright—that I should discipline Ning Rongrong properly."
"Instead, I not only offended her, but got taught a lesson by that little girl!"
Flender felt miserable, consumed by regret.
If regret medicine were sold in this world, Flender would pay any price to buy a bottle and try it!
Meanwhile,
inside the Quest Card Shop,
Li Haiyun heard the voice in his mind and felt surprised.
"I never expected Ning Rongrong's Black Grade reward this time to be upgrading the Eight Treasures Glazed Pagoda to the Nine Treasures Glazed Pagoda!"
"That little girl's really lucky!"
Li Haiyun thought to himself, admiring Ning Rongrong's tremendous good fortune.
At the same time,
Li Haiyun felt that his own luck was pretty good, too!
This time, he'd triggered a 100-fold reward and obtained a bottle of Nine Treasures Glazed Pagoda Martial Soul serum!
Once he drank the serum, his whole body would itch, and he'd grow a Nine Treasures Glazed Pagoda Martial Soul.
He was quite satisfied with this reward.
Meanwhile,
Ning Rongrong put away her Nine Treasures Glazed Pagoda Martial Soul. Once things at Shit-Green Shrek Academy were settled, she planned to hurry back to tell her father, Bone Grandpa, and Sword Grandpa the good news.
Now, Ning Rongrong felt it was time to leave.
She could sense a powerful Soul Master's aura nearby, appearing and vanishing.
This powerful aura was no weaker than her own and lingered nearby like a demon hiding in the shadows.
Its owner was at the same cultivation level as she was: a Titled Douluo.
Ning Rongrong was surprised by the powerful aura.
This was a remote little town, so there shouldn't have been a powerful Titled Douluo here.
Ning Rongrong guessed that she might have drawn him here by using the Experience Card.
But this powerful Titled Douluo showed no intention of revealing himself.
Naturally, Ning Rongrong didn't want to provoke him either.
"Zhuqing, let's head back!" Ning Rongrong said gently to Zhu Zhuqing.
"Mm, let's go back!" Zhu Zhuqing nodded slightly and replied softly.
All three Black Grade Quests were complete, and they'd successfully withdrawn from Shit-Green Shrek Academy. It was indeed time to leave.
Then,
Ning Rongrong walked over to Zhu Zhuqing and placed a small, fair hand on her shoulder, ready to take her away.
But just then,
Ning Rongrong was startled to sense another hidden presence.
"Hm?"
Ning Rongrong froze.
"What is that aura?"
"It doesn't feel human. It feels more like the aura of a Soul Beast—and an incredibly powerful one at that!!"
Ning Rongrong's beautiful eyes narrowed in disbelief.
Then her eyes swept over the surroundings like lasers.
At the same time, Ning Rongrong released her Ice Dragon King Martial Soul again.
The massive Ice Dragon King blotted out the sky. Its clear, icy beast eyes began to scan the area as well.
Beside her, Zhu Zhuqing immediately realized something was wrong. She obediently stood to the side, silently supporting Ning Rongrong.
At last,
Ning Rongrong and the enormous Ice Dragon King above her both fixed their gazes on Xiao Wu.
As Ning Rongrong looked at Xiao Wu, Xiao Wu was looking right back at her.