Intercepting Ning Rongrong

Qin Chuan turned his head to look at Ning Rongrong, who was standing within arm's reach. The young girl had fair skin, delicate features, and a small, upturned nose. Her slightly reddened earlobes betrayed a shyness unique to her, and her clear, limpid eyes were fixed on him with unabashed curiosity.

In the depths of his mind, the system's notification for an incomplete task chimed—the mission to intercept Ning Rongrong remained unfinished.

With a swift turn of thought, Qin Chuan made up his mind to strike while the iron was hot and complete the system task right then and there.

The timing was perfect. Without a moment's hesitation, he shifted his focus, quietly channeling his martial soul power to unleash his soul skill.

[First Soul Skill: Shadow Hypnosis. Target: Ning Rongrong.]

There was no sound, not a flicker of soul power, as an intensely stealthy mental force instantly invaded Ning Rongrong's sea of consciousness, dragging her awareness into a private, isolated space.

Within the dream.

An endless sea of seven-colored flowers stretched toward the distant horizon, a boundless tapestry of vibrant blooms.

A gentle breeze swept through, causing layers of floral waves to ripple in the wind. The scent of flowers was lingering, and the atmosphere was tender and serene.

Ning Rongrong stood alone in the center of the flower sea, surrounded by blossoms, looking as beautiful as a fairy from a painting.

Half a meter away, Qin Chuan stood tall and upright, his hands behind his back, his expression calm and indifferent.

"Ning Rongrong."

Qin Chuan spoke softly, his voice gentle yet carrying an irresistible mental command.

"Hmm?"

Ning Rongrong looked up at the sound, her tone soft and sweet. She had no defenses whatsoever, her mind completely immersed in the comfort of the dream.

"Who is the person you love most?"

"Ning Fengzhi."

Ning Rongrong answered without hesitation, instinctively voicing the deepest attachment in her heart.

That makes sense, he thought. She just met Oscar, so it's normal for her to love her father.

"Then, do you like Qin Chuan?"

"A little bit."

Qin Chuan's tone remained level, each word clear, transforming into an absolute command branded into her subconscious: "Listen. The person you love most now is Qin Chuan."

Ning Rongrong's eyes glazed over slightly, and she subconsciously murmured, "Love... Qin Chuan."

A dark smile of triumph flickered in Qin Chuan's eyes. He sneered inwardly and continued to issue follow-up commands, firmly controlling the situation: "Then, hide yourself by Zhu Zhuqing's side and report her every move to me."

"Okay."

Ning Rongrong responded obediently, engraving the instructions deep into her subconscious.

Qin Chuan understood that it was done. With a thought, he slowly withdrew the Shadow Hypnosis.

The brilliant, serene sea of seven-colored flowers instantly collapsed. The entire dream dissipated like bubbles, and Ning Rongrong's consciousness returned to reality in an instant.

She blinked slightly, feeling a brief moment of emptiness in her mind. The sense of disorientation vanished as quickly as it had come, and a sweet smile remained on her face. She had no idea that her heart had been quietly rewritten, and that her deepest loyalty had already shifted toward the young man beside her.

In Qin Chuan's sea of consciousness, the system notification sounded.

[Heavenly Dao System Notification: Congratulations to the Host for successfully intercepting Ning Rongrong. Heavenly Dao Power +2, currently 4/10. Accumulate 10 points to unlock the god-level ocular technique—Six Paths Reincarnation Eye.]

[New Task: Intercept Zhu Zhuqing.]

A faint light flashed in Qin Chuan's eyes, and a subtle smile curled his lips.

He had already grasped the operating logic of the system.

Intercepting Xiao Wu, subduing Ning Rongrong, and conquering Zhu Zhuqing—the core of this mission set was to subvert the inherent bonds of the Shrek Seven Devils, sever their destined fates, and claim these geniuses for his own use.

Take it slow; they will all be mine.

Qin Chuan mused to himself, his expression calm, revealing not a hint of his ambition.

The Shrek practical assessment concluded, and the subsequent procedures were simple.

Dai Mubai led the five new students through the courtyard to the residential area to assign their quarters.

The Shrek dormitories were simple and crude. Though clean and tidy, they lacked any luxury, with each person receiving a single-occupancy apartment.

Once everyone had settled in, Dai Mubai gathered the group to read out Shrek's strict daily curriculum.

"Once you enter Shrek, you follow Shrek's rules. We only practice practical combat and temper the character; we do not accept pampered trash."

Dai Mubai stood with his hands behind his back, his expression stern as he explained the daily training schedule one by one.

Every morning from six to eight was mandatory morning exercise. Everyone was required to carry specially weighted stones and run around the academy grounds to temper their physique and willpower, supplemented by various physical training drills.

From eight to twelve in the morning, Yu Xiaogang would lecture on theory and martial soul professional courses, covering the basics of soul masters, martial soul classification, soul power circulation, soul ring matching, and soul beast encyclopedias, while also incorporating continental history, geography, and basic knowledge of soul tools to solidify their cultivation foundation.

The hours from fourteen to seventeen were reserved for practical combat training.

From seventeen to nineteen in the evening was rest time. The academy provided medicinal baths to soothe training soreness, repair hidden injuries, and settle soul power. Dinner was nutritionally dense, adapted to the physical consumption of soul masters.

Upon hearing the entire rigorous curriculum, everyone's expression shifted slightly.

Tang San's brows were locked in a frown; he had not expected the intensity of Shrek's training to far exceed anything he had known before.

Ning Rongrong was stunned; raised in the lap of luxury since childhood, she found it difficult to endure such grueling training.

Zhu Zhuqing's expression remained cold, though a hint of gravity flickered in the depths of her eyes.

Only Qin Chuan's face remained calm, without the slightest ripple.

To him, high-intensity cultivation was a way to rapidly increase his soul power, and with the system's support, no amount of hardship was anything to fear.

After a night of rest, the first light of dawn appeared.

Qin Chuan rubbed his eyes and sat up from the bed, his mind not yet fully awake.

He walked groggily to the door and reached out to pull it open.

Two people were standing outside.

Xiao Wu stood on the left, holding a wooden tray with two steamed buns, a bowl of porridge, and a small dish of pickled vegetables.

Steam rose from the buns, carrying the fragrance of flour and pork.

Ning Rongrong stood on the right, clutching a paper bag that was stuffed full, with the wrappers of several snacks peeking out.

She was wearing a pale yellow short-sleeved shirt today, paired with a white pleated skirt that reached just to her knees.

Her hair was tied into a low ponytail, adorned with a butterfly hair clip.

The two of them stood there, one on each side, as if they had planned it.

"Morning, Brother Chuan. This is breakfast I brought for you."

Xiao Wu grinned, her eyes curving into crescents.

"Brother Chuan, and here are the snacks I brought for you."

Ning Rongrong followed up, her voice sweet and soft.

Qin Chuan blinked, and the last trace of sleepiness in his mind vanished instantly.

It's happening, it's happening.

He didn't show any excessive expression on his face, just smiled naturally. "Alright, thank you both. Wait for me a moment; we'll go eat in the pavilion downstairs in a bit."

"Okay, Brother Chuan."

The two spoke in unison.

Qin Chuan closed the door and walked quickly to the washbasin.

He washed his face, rinsed his mouth, and changed into clean clothes.

When he opened the door, Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong were still waiting obediently in the hallway.

Xiao Wu had been holding the tray the entire time, not seeming to mind the fatigue.

Seeing Qin Chuan emerge, she immediately stepped forward. "Brother Chuan, let's go, let's go! The buns are going to get cold."

The three of them went downstairs together and arrived at the stone pavilion not far from the dormitory building.

The pavilion was built under a large banyan tree; it was open on all sides, making it very cool to sit in during the summer.

The stone table and stools were uneven, marked with carvings left by students from previous years.

Xiao Wu placed the tray on the stone table and pulled out a stool, gesturing for Qin Chuan to sit.

Qin Chuan didn't stand on ceremony and sat down generously.

"Here, Brother Chuan, these buns are fresh out of the steamer and still hot. Let me feed you."

Xiao Wu picked up a bun, held it in both hands, and brought it to Qin Chuan's lips.

Her fingertips were dusted with a bit of flour, the white powder making her fingers look even more slender.

Qin Chuan opened his mouth and took a large bite.

The meat juices scalded his tongue slightly; he drew in a breath and said indistinctly, "Mmm, this is delicious. Thank you, classmate Xiao Wu."