Has Master Run Off?

"Rongrong!" Xiao Wu sprang up from the bed, her nose twitching like a little rabbit that had caught the scent of food. "What smells so good?"

Ning Rongrong spread the oil-paper package across the table. Honey-glazed walnut pastries, osmanthus cakes, braised duck wings, sugar-roasted chestnuts, sesame flatbreads—an entire table was filled with delicacies.

Xiao Wu's drool immediately became uncontrollable.

"Where did these come from?" Her eyes lit up, and her hand was already reaching for the plate of walnut pastries.

"I bought them in the city after running twenty laps." Ning Rongrong patted her chest, sounding confidently self-assured. "I brought them especially for you. And Zhu Qing has a share too."

Xiao Wu's hand froze. "You finished running?" Her face was full of surprise. "I just went out and circled the academy. One lap is huge! You actually finished that quickly?"

She leaned closer to Ning Rongrong, her gaze filled with both surprise and curiosity. "What about Oscar?"

Ning Rongrong showed not the slightest guilt over having run only half the distance. She patted her chest, her almond-shaped eyes curving into crescents, her tone so certain it allowed no doubt.

"Xiao Wu, don't you know about my Wind Empress Qimen? How could Oscar possibly keep up with me?" She spread her hands, looking innocent. "I reduced wind resistance and increased slipperiness. By the time I finished ten laps, he hadn't even completed his first. I barely know him. This young lady couldn't possibly wait around for him, could I?"

She pointed at the pile of food on the table. "If this young lady hadn't run so fast and saved time to go into the city, where would you have gotten such good food?"

Xiao Wu tilted her head, thinking it over.

That seemed to make sense.

It really did make sense.

She thought of Shrek Academy's breakfast. Steamed buns with pickled vegetables—there was enough of it, but the taste was like chewing wood. As a hundred-thousand-year-old Soft Bone Rabbit who had taken human form, she possessed a craving for delicious food etched into her very genes.

Then she looked at the table of fragrant, tempting pastries and snacks before her.

"Rongrong, you're so nice!" Xiao Wu grinned, revealing two little canine teeth as her hand reached for the walnut pastries again.

"Wait." Ning Rongrong grabbed her hand.

Xiao Wu looked at her pitifully.

"Let's bring some to Zhu Qing and eat together." Ning Rongrong smiled gently. "We'll be spending a long time together in the future, after all. We can't leave her out."

Xiao Wu swallowed, looked at the walnut pastries within reach, then looked at Ning Rongrong.

"Fine." She nodded, though her gaze lingered over the table several times before finally moving away.

The two girls carried the food to find Zhu Zhuqing.

Zhu Zhuqing's door was tightly shut. Ning Rongrong knocked three times.

"Who is it?" The voice was cold.

"It's Xiao Wu and me." Ning Rongrong's voice carried a hint of playfulness. "We brought you some food."

There was silence for several seconds.

"No need."

Just as expected. Ning Rongrong was not in a hurry.

She had noticed Zhu Zhuqing's traits long ago. This icy girl had extremely strong pride, and refusing others was her way of protecting her personal space. At the same time, she pursued strength with an almost obsessive fixation.

So Ning Rongrong did not try to persuade her with words like, "Let's all be friends."

"Zhu Qing, you've eaten the academy food too." Ning Rongrong leaned against the doorframe, her tone casual. "Eating that stuff will reduce your recovery rate for soul power cultivation by at least thirty percent. There's training tonight, and Dean Flender said it won't be easy. Even if you refuse to eat with us, don't refuse the nutrients that can help you stay in peak condition during training."

There was silence behind the door for several seconds.

Ning Rongrong continued, "We'll be together for a long time in the future. This young lady merely hopes we can get along amicably. That's all."

Several more seconds of silence passed.

"Creak."

The wooden door opened a crack.

Zhu Zhuqing stood behind it expressionlessly. Her gaze moved from Ning Rongrong's face to the oil-paper package in her hands, then to Xiao Wu beside her, who was holding a plate of pastries with sparkling eyes.

"Come in."

The corners of Ning Rongrong's lips rose.

The three girls sat down in Zhu Zhuqing's room. Ning Rongrong laid out the food, and Xiao Wu immediately grabbed a braised duck wing and started gnawing on it. Her mouth shone with oil, and her eyes narrowed blissfully.

Zhu Zhuqing took a piece of osmanthus cake and ate it in small bites. Though her expression remained cold, she did not refuse it.

As she ate, Ning Rongrong chatted idly with Xiao Wu, occasionally tossing one or two questions at Zhu Zhuqing.

They were mostly harmless topics. Where had she cultivated before? Her Netherworld Spirit Cat was really fast; Ning Rongrong had noticed it during yesterday's assessment.

Zhu Zhuqing's answers were brief and stiff, but at least she answered.

Ning Rongrong was secretly pleased.

Of course, she was not acting out of pure kindness. She had brought food to win over Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing because she had seen their strength clearly during the entrance assessment.

Xiao Wu, level twenty-nine, an assault-type Spirit Master, twelve years old.

Zhu Zhuqing, level twenty-seven, an agility-attack-type Spirit Master, with exceptionally impressive skills.

Tang San, level twenty-nine, and his battle against Zhao Wuji had been even more astonishing.

Dai Mubai, level thirty-seven, having broken through level thirty at only thirteen.

Even that fatty Ma Hongjun possessed a top-tier mutated Phoenix martial spirit.

Every one of them met the standards her cheap swindler of a master required in disciples.

But Ning Rongrong had no intention of introducing them to him for apprenticeship just yet.

For one thing, she had not yet fully mastered the Wind Empress Qimen herself. She had to fill herself up on good things before sharing them with others.

For another, the thought of sharing the master she had all to herself with others gave her an inexplicable sense of resistance.

For now, she was merely building good relationships in advance. If there came a time when she needed something, having this connection would make things much easier.

Ning Rongrong silently gave herself a thumbs-up for her far-sighted planning.

Night fell.

On the training ground.

Flender stood in the center, his gaze behind his black-rimmed glasses as sharp as an eagle's.

Dai Mubai, Tang San, Xiao Wu, Ma Hongjun, and Zhu Zhuqing stood neatly in formation, full of energy. Oscar had also returned, his exhausted face twisted out of shape as he stood at the end of the line. Ning Rongrong stood at the far right, smiling calmly and unhurriedly.

Flender's gaze swept across everyone.

Then it stopped on Oscar and Ning Rongrong.

"Oscar."

Oscar's body tensed. "Dean."

"Did you finish twenty laps?"

Oscar coughed and nodded. "Dean, I finished."

Flender did not respond. His gaze shifted to Ning Rongrong.

"I wasn't asking you." Flender's voice was unhurried. "Ning Rongrong, did you finish?"

Everyone's eyes turned toward Ning Rongrong.

Ning Rongrong's expression did not change. She still wore that gentle smile, her beautiful, clear eyes bright and filled with innocence as she looked at Flender.

"I finished."

She said it openly.

Flender looked at her. It was impossible to read the expression on that shoe-sole face of his.

"Is that so?"

He turned to Oscar. "Oscar, did she finish?"

Oscar turned to glance at Ning Rongrong. She was looking at him too, her almond-shaped eyes smiling, her expression pure and innocent.

Oscar gritted his teeth.

"Yes. We both finished."

Flender smiled.

That smile made Tang San think of two words. Sinister.

"Very good." Flender pointed to the spot in front of him. "Oscar, come here."

Bitterness appeared on Oscar's face, but he still walked over to Flender.

Flender placed his right hand on Oscar's shoulder. "I admire your spirit of friendship. Go run another twenty laps. Don't come back until you finish, and don't expect dinner. I've already sealed your soul power. Go."

Oscar did not argue. He silently turned and ran off.

Flender's gaze fell on Ning Rongrong again.

"Ning Rongrong." His tone was calm. "Did you really finish twenty laps?"

Everyone's attention focused on her again.

Ning Rongrong looked at Flender. She knew that this dean already knew the answer.

She did not panic.

There was not even a trace of nervousness.

"No." Ning Rongrong's tone was calm and frank. The smile on her face faded slightly, but she remained composed. "I ran ten laps."