I Don't Belong to One Person—I Belong to Everyone!

Half a year later.

Ning Rongrong successfully broke through to level 20.

Although she was much slower than Su Li, that speed was still astonishing.

"Dad! I'm going to absorb a thousand-year spirit ring too!"

"You have no idea, I've eaten so much Whale Glue lately that I'm practically sick of it!"

Ning Fengzhi looked at his precious daughter with great satisfaction in his eyes.

Especially when he thought of it.

Her second spirit ring could also be a thousand-year one.

He could not help but imagine it—what if Rongrong could one day break through the limitations of their inherited martial spirit?

If the Seven Treasures became Nine Treasures, he could die without regrets...

"The spirit beast was prepared for you long ago... When the time comes, just like Xiao Li, your second spirit ring will have a thousand-year lifespan."

Ning Fengzhi smiled at the youth seated not far away.

By now, much of the childishness had faded from his face, and some of his youthful immaturity was gone as well.

That handsome face had only grown more pleasing to the eye.

"Hmph! I won't lose to him!"

Ning Rongrong looked at Su Li, raising her voice considerably.

Ning Fengzhi shook his head and said helplessly, "You, honestly. He's already five levels ahead of you."

"All you know is how to talk. You don't know how to work hard."

"Dad!" Ning Rongrong stomped her little foot, the tips of her ears reddening.

It was not really her fault.

Every time she cultivated beside Su Li for one or two hours, she would grow sleepy, as if her mental energy was being drained at an alarming rate.

When she cultivated alone, she did not feel that way, but she could not get into the rhythm of cultivation either. Her progress crawled along like a turtle.

And it was uncomfortable, too.

If she could cultivate five or six hours a day, she would have surpassed Su Li ages ago!

Hmph!

"Um... Let me correct that. It's six levels."

A moment later.

Su Li's aura suddenly grew stronger, and pure spirit power spread outward, leaving the father and daughter in the room both stunned.

What the...

Why was breaking through as easy for him as eating and drinking?

Was this a joke?!

Ning Rongrong's face reddened as she stamped her little feet in anger.

She quickly walked over and viciously pinched his cheeks.

"Ahhh!"

"Su Li! Did you do that on purpose?!"

"You're this far ahead of me—are you proud of yourself?!"

Su Li rolled his eyes.

Who knew why he had broken through at this exact moment?

"Rongrong! Let go of Xiao Li! What kind of behavior is that?"

"When I'm not around, do you bully him all the time?"

Ning Rongrong widened her eyes and pointed at Su Li. "I bully him?"

"Dad! You have no idea how badly Su Li bullies me!"

"Boohoohoo~"

Ning Fengzhi immediately changed his expression and said sternly, "If Xiao Li bullies you, then he must have a reason."

"Rongrong, put away that temper of yours."

Ning Rongrong: "???"

What?!

Who was the biological child here?!

Why was everyone taking Su Li's side?!

Boohoohoo~

Was it still too late to run away from home?

Dugu Yan: "There's something that good?"

Ye Lingling: "Hm?"

Very soon.

Under everyone's watchful eyes.

Ning Rongrong successfully absorbed the spirit ring of a thousand-year spirit beast.

"Woohoo! I did it!"

"Dad! Grandpa Sword, Grandpa Bone! And Su Li! I did it!"

Ning Rongrong excitedly rose from the ground. Looking at the seven-colored little pagoda in her hand, now adorned with a purple spirit ring, she could not contain her excitement.

"How much is the boost?"

Ning Fengzhi could not help asking.

As wielders of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda, the spirit skills of their line were essentially fixed, even down to their enhancement effects.

"Twenty-five percent! That's five percent more than you had at the Grand Spirit Master stage, Dad!"

"What?!"

Ning Fengzhi stared in shock at the little pagoda in Ning Rongrong's hand. He had not expected it to truly increase.

If this continued.

Even if it remained the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda in the future, perhaps its enhancement effect could reach one hundred percent?

After all.

Even at his current level, he could only provide a seventy percent boost!

Yet among support-type martial spirits, that was already an extremely terrifying ability.

"Wonderful! Our family's martial spirit gains another ten percent enhancement with every additional ring. Once you reach the Spirit Sage stage, you might really achieve a hundred-percent boost..."

At that thought.

Ning Fengzhi looked at Su Li, his eyes filled with deep gratitude and joy.

This time.

He seemed to have truly seen the possibility of Seven Treasures becoming Nine Treasures...

"Of course! This young lady is determined to become the strongest support-type spirit master in the world!"

Ning Fengzhi's eyes suddenly grew moist. He smiled, feeling especially happy that day.

Not long after.

Su Li and Ning Rongrong headed back.

Along the way.

The two walked shoulder to shoulder. The girl seemed to have something on her mind, lowering her head and fiddling with her hands, seemingly lost in thought.

A moment later.

Ning Rongrong lightly brushed Su Li's hand. The two of them recoiled instinctively as though shocked by electricity.

"Ahem... Um... I want... I want to tell you something."

"Hm?"

Su Li looked at her, listening attentively.

Ning Rongrong did not know how to begin. Her gaze darted around, and a cute cherry-pink blush appeared on her fair cheeks. Her shy appearance was simply adorable.

"I... My father said he wants to arrange an engagement between us..."

"Of course! It's not like I think that way!"

"I'm only passing it on! I'm asking what you think..."

Ning Rongrong turned her head away, making it impossible for Su Li to see her expression.

Still.

With that guilty look, who would believe her?

Holding back a laugh, Su Li asked in return.

"Oh? Then what does the Young Sect Master think?"

"I... I..."

Ning Rongrong lowered her head, her momentum weakening considerably.

Too nervous to look him in the eyes, she said in a voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz, "I... I'll listen to my father..."

"You know, parents' orders and matchmakers' words... I can't refuse either..."

Su Li put on a look of sudden realization, then shook his head in feigned disappointment. "I still prefer falling in love freely."

"Sorry, but I don't want to accept for now."

Ning Rongrong: "???"

What?!

This young lady had practically thrown herself at him!

And he was refusing?!

Without an engagement, you're already this possessive.

If there were an engagement, would any other girl who came near me get planted in the ground to cosplay as ginseng?

Sigh...

As a seasoned galgame expert, he had feelings for every character he pursued.

Was that being a scumbag?

No, he just wanted to give every girl a home.

A wife was a wife, a girlfriend was a girlfriend, and a baby was a baby...

Over the years, he had deliberately kept some distance from Ning Rongrong.

First, his body would not allow it; he did not have those kinds of thoughts.

Second, he did not want this girl to get too carried away.

If her love-struck brain kicked in, who knew what kind of trouble she might cause.

Besides.

He could not forget those unforgettable CG scenes.

Those real sensations and experiences—whenever an actual girl stood before him, he still could not help feeling dazed.

It was as though those experiences from back then were still vivid in his mind.

Sometimes, he even wondered.

Was the VR galgame he had played really just a game?

"Su Li! Don't be ungrateful!"

"Mm, so you like me?"

"Ah?! I... I don't!"

"Oh~"

Ning Rongrong stared at Su Li's retreating back, her mind nearly turning to mush.

"Damn it! He's teasing me again!"

"Just keep bullying me! When I grow up, I'll bully you too!"