Am I Really a Support-Type Soul Master? You Want Me to Solo a Fierce Tiger?

"Teacher, I never thought that an otherworldly Immortal like you would eavesdrop on us girls discussing private matters. How shameless!"

"How many times have I told you? That was not eavesdropping. My Transcendent Immortal Flute is an innate sound-based martial soul. My hearing and perception are far stronger than those of ordinary Soul Masters."

"Teacher, if you can eavesdrop, then isn't it very likely that you've peeked too?"

"I have not."

"Very likely!"

"If you keep slandering your teacher, you'll get the ruler."

"Ow, you did something shameful and can't argue back, so now you want to use violence. How scary. Go ahead, hit me—leave an unforgettable mark from Teacher on my smooth, tender skin~"

"..."

"Teacher, why aren't you saying anything? Are you admitting you're in the wrong?"

"Whatever you say."

"So, Teacher, you admit that you watched me bathe?"

"Yes, yes, yes. I eavesdropped, I peeked. Are you going to kill your teacher?!"

"Hehe, it's fine as long as you admit it. It's not like I said you weren't allowed to look."

"You really are a little witch. All you know is how to be naughty!"

Another month later, in the Star Dou Soul Beast Town, Ning Rongrong followed behind Su Chen, acting as mischievous as ever.

So annoyed that Su Chen gripped the Transcendent Immortal Flute and gave her a hard knock on the forehead.

Thunk!

A bump immediately rose on Ning Rongrong's smooth forehead. Pain brought tears to her almond-shaped eyes.

"Ah—"

"It hurts!"

"Teacher, you hit too hard!"

"I can hit harder. Do you understand the importance of respecting your teacher? If a teacher fails to teach strictly, it is the teacher's negligence. Have I been too lenient with you lately? Have you stopped taking your teacher seriously?"

The end of Su Chen's Transcendent Immortal Flute gleamed coldly. It hurt terribly when used to hit people, frightening Ning Rongrong into taking two steps back as she muttered:

"Defeat the teacher and attain the Dao. Who wouldn't understand such a simple principle?"

"That's too much. Is a flute supposed to be used like that? Even if you wanted to hit me, you hit the wrong place, didn't you?"

"Hmm?"

"No, no. Rongrong meant that Teacher hit wonderfully. Rongrong respects Teacher the most. How could I possibly not take Teacher seriously?"

Ning Rongrong blinked her big, pitiful eyes and tugged on Su Chen's sleeve.

"Rongrong keeps Teacher in her heart and in her mind. I think about Teacher's teachings every moment~"

Su Chen gave Ning Rongrong an indifferent glance.

"You'd better mean that."

"I do mean it."

Ning Rongrong wore an innocent, harmless expression.

If Su Chen had not known of her title as the little witch, he might really have been fooled by that pure and innocent appearance.

"Enough. Go settle down at the hotel first."

"We need to choose the best possible third Spirit Ring on this trip. It won't be easy to deal with, so get some proper rest and conserve your strength."

Su Chen's expression returned to calm as he pointed at the hotel ahead.

"Hm? I'm settling into the hotel alone? What about you, Teacher?"

"At my level, there is no need to be particular about where I rest. I'll enter the Star Dou Forest first and find a suitable soul beast for you."

When Ning Rongrong blinked again, her teacher, Su Chen, had already vanished without a trace.

"Sigh, Teacher always likes acting so mysterious, appearing and disappearing without a trace. If I dated him, it would be exhausting~"

Ning Rongrong sighed.

"Still, I wonder how that junior sister I picked out to patrol the mountain is doing now?"

"Is she still alive?"

The Star Dou Forest was one of the Douluo Continent's largest soul beast gathering grounds, as well as one of its most dangerous places. Every year, no small number of Soul Masters died at the jaws of soul beasts here.

What was more, Zhu Zhuqing's training goal was to pursue the fastest soul beasts. That was an extremely dangerous undertaking.

Ning Rongrong's worries were not unfounded.

"Boss, give me your best room."

Ning Rongrong entered the only hotel in the soul beast town. She had never experienced hardship in her life.

Although she had invested all her Gold Soul Coins into the Detection Platform and even lost a priceless Seven Treasure Guardian Black Card, she still had quite a few Silver Soul Coins and Copper Soul Coins left on her.

She had also assumed that Sword Grandpa's Guardian Card had been swallowed by the Detection Platform, causing a significant loss that would alert the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect headquarters.

Yet unexpectedly, her father and the others had not sent anyone after her over this matter!

And when she took the allowance card she had previously maxed out to exchange for Soul Coins at the Seven Treasure Auction House in Suotuo City, she discovered that its balance had been replenished!

Ning Rongrong could not help but sigh.

Life was always so full of wonderful things!

The next morning, at daybreak.

Ning Rongrong stood on the balcony on the hotel's top floor and stretched lazily.

Then she saw an incomparably handsome young man seated on the rooftop opposite her balcony.

Ning Rongrong was overjoyed. "Teacher, when did you come back? Why didn't you stay in the hotel?"

Su Chen merely gave her an indifferent look.

"Are you washed up? Once you're ready, we'll enter the Star Dou Forest."

"Wait a moment. I'll be ready right away."

A quarter of an hour later.

Su Chen looked at Ning Rongrong, who was fully equipped, and the corner of his mouth twitched.

Ning Rongrong rubbed the storage pouch at her waist—it contained hemostatic bandages, antidote pills, insect repellent spray, thorn-proof clothing, and more. Whenever she had entered forests to hunt Spirit Rings before, the sect had prepared everything for her in advance. They had even served up the soul beast's killing blow right before her eyes. She had merely treated it as a vacation.

But this time would be an exception.

Su Chen led Ning Rongrong deep into the outer region, and in less than two hours, they arrived at a place called Seven-Star Ridge.

A heavy, fishy-scented breath drifted through the air, like an old bellows being worked.

Su Chen stopped and casually pointed ahead. "We're here, Rongrong. That is the third Spirit Ring I found for you. What do you think?"

Ning Rongrong looked in that direction, and her pupils abruptly contracted.

It was a giant tiger over twenty feet tall. The fur covering its body looked as though it had been cast from molten gold, while the patterns along its spine glowed dark red with the movement of its muscles, forming a seven-star pattern.

It was lowering its head to gnaw on a thick-skinned black bear. The sound of its teeth tearing through flesh mixed with a low growl, shaking leaves down from the surrounding trees.

Most terrifying of all were its eyes—amber vertical pupils filled with savage brutality. With just a casual sweep of its gaze, Ning Rongrong felt her heart tremble.

"This Seven-Star Tiger is also known as the Great Strength Vajra Tiger. It has three thousand five hundred years of cultivation, very close to your limit."

Su Chen's voice remained calm, though it carried a trace of satisfaction. "The Great Strength Vajra Tiger possesses immense strength, extraordinary defense, and incredible speed. It is well suited for power-attack Soul Masters, but it also corresponds to your strength amplification. If you can absorb it, then together with the medicinal power you have absorbed over the past two months, your Seven Treasure Glazed Pagoda may very well evolve—becoming sturdier, larger, and capable of bearing greater power."

Before Ning Rongrong could even nod, she heard Su Chen directly shove her in front of the Great Strength Vajra Tiger. "Rongrong, go."

"Huh? I... I'm going by myself?"

Though she had undergone harsh training at Immortal Mountain, Ning Rongrong's frail body was truly tiny before such a savage behemoth.

Ning Rongrong turned back and looked at Su Chen in disbelief.

Was he serious?

Shouldn't Teacher beat it half to death, then let me deliver the final blow?!

That was how I'd always absorbed Spirit Rings before!

"That's right, Rongrong. Come on. Your teacher believes in you. Get your own Spirit Ring with your own hands. You can do it!"

That was the answer Ning Rongrong received.

Then... then Teacher Su Chen leaped into the air and ran up to an ancient tree to watch the show.

Ning Rongrong stood frozen in place. She finally understood what Teacher had meant yesterday when he told her to rest well and conserve her strength.

So this was what he had been waiting for?!

She looked down at the insect repellent spray she had so carefully prepared, then at the giant tiger licking blood from its claws, and was left speechless. "I... I really am a support-type Soul Master."

A student who had trusted her Immortal teacher beyond all doubt quietly shattered inside.