Ning Rongrong Throws Herself into Dai Mubai's Arms

Dai Mubai looked at Ning Rongrong's pitiful appearance and gently wiped the tears from her face with his thumb. "You're already this grown up. Why are you still crying?"

When his finger touched her cheek, Ning Rongrong trembled slightly.

She suddenly leaned forward and threw herself onto Dai Mubai's shoulder, continuing to sob. "But... but I'm really tired! I've never been this tired before..."

Her soft, warm body pressed against him, and a faint fragrance drifted into his nose.

Dai Mubai's body stiffened slightly before relaxing. He gently patted her back with one hand and comforted her, "This is only the beginning. As long as you hold on for a few days, once your body adapts, you'll quickly be able to keep up with the pace."

He had not yet realized there was anything inappropriate about their intimate posture.

But gradually, he felt an icy gaze stabbing into his back, making the hairs on his body stand on end.

Dai Mubai instinctively turned his head and met Zhu Zhuqing's gaze.

As she ran, Zhu Zhuqing tilted her head and stared coldly at him, at the sight of Ning Rongrong lying in his arms.

Dai Mubai's heart gave a violent jolt, and he immediately realized that his current position with Ning Rongrong was indeed somewhat intimate.

He helped Ning Rongrong stand straight and hurriedly took two steps back. After coughing lightly, he said, "All right. If you're tired, rest for a while first. Continue once you've recovered."

Ning Rongrong also seemed to notice something, and a hint of slyness flashed through her eyes.

She wiped away her tears with the back of her hand, stood up, and thrust out her modestly sized but already developed chest. "No need to rest! I've rested enough! I'll keep running! I won't bring shame upon the Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda!"

With that, she turned and ran toward the track.

Dai Mubai stood where he was, watching Ning Rongrong's figure recede before instinctively looking to the other side.

Zhu Zhuqing had already withdrawn her gaze and continued running.

Dai Mubai gave a bitter smile and sat back down beneath the old tree, but he could no longer calm his mind enough to meditate.

With nothing else to do, Dai Mubai could only steal occasional glances at Zhu Zhuqing's running figure.

After watching for a while, his gaze shifted to Tang San, and an idea suddenly came to him. He took out that piece of Plate Crystal from his storage ring.

Only Tang San knew how valuable this thing was.

A trace of cunning flashed through Dai Mubai's eyes as he began to casually play with it.

Zhu Zhuqing, Tang San, and Xiao Wu soon finished their fifty laps.

Zhu Zhuqing exchanged a glance with Dai Mubai, then walked straight toward the girls' dormitory. Xiao Wu made a face at Dai Mubai and skipped after her.

Tang San alone remained behind.

He stood more than ten steps away from Dai Mubai. The moment he noticed the Plate Crystal in Dai Mubai's hand, his gaze froze.

"Plate Crystal Hair Crystal..."

Tang San murmured inwardly, his breathing quickening involuntarily.

This was an exceptional material for making Dragon Whisker Needles.

Dragon Whisker Needles could pierce protective force, were as fine as ox hair, and once they entered the body, they curled into a ball, causing unbearable pain. They were an especially vicious type of Tang Sect hidden weapon.

If he had possessed Dragon Whisker Needles during yesterday's battle with Zhao Wuji, he would have had at least a seventy percent chance of making that Immovable Bright King suffer badly, rather than ending up as he was now.

Tang San took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in his heart. He slowly walked toward Dai Mubai, cupped his hands, and asked, "Boss Dai, pardon my presumptuousness, but... are you willing to sell that crystal in your hand?"

Dai Mubai had long noticed his gaze. He laughed inwardly, but his expression remained calm.

He raised his hand and held the Plate Crystal up beneath the sunlight, giving it a shake so that the golden threads inside became clearer. "You mean this?"

"Precisely." Tang San nodded, his eyes sincere. "Name your price. Gold Soul Coins, materials, or anything else—as long as I have it, it can be discussed."

Dai Mubai clasped the Plate Crystal in his palm and shook his head. "I don't want to sell it for the time being. It took me a lot of effort to get this treasure, and I paid a hefty price for it. I usually can't bear to put it down. Besides, I'm not short on money right now."

Tang San's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.

After pondering for a moment, he lowered his voice. "Boss Dai, to be honest, this Hair Crystal is truly important to me. How about this? If there's anything you want, just say so, and we can trade. So long as it's something I can offer, I won't be stingy."

Dai Mubai sneered inwardly. I want the Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record. Will you give it to me?

But he certainly would not say it aloud. Dai Mubai knew that when dealing with someone like Tang San, he absolutely could not take the initiative to make demands.

This man was deeply calculating and bore grudges over the slightest offense. If Tang San discovered that he coveted Tang Sect secrets, he might bring down a "path to death" upon him at any moment.

Besides, he could not do much to Tang San anyway. The man had a Titled Douluo protecting him at all times.

"What I want?" Dai Mubai pretended to think for a moment. "For now, there really doesn't seem to be anything in particular that I want."

He paused, then changed the subject. "However... since you're so sincere, why don't you tell me what you have to trade? If it truly catches my eye, it's not as though we can't discuss it."

Tang San nodded and rapidly calculated in his mind.

The Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record, Purple Demon Eyes, Mysterious Jade Hand, Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, Controlling Crane Capturing Dragon... these were the foundations of his Tang Sect and could never be passed on to outsiders.

The same went for hidden weapon techniques and blueprints. Those were the basis upon which the Tang Sect stood.

Then what else did he have?

All kinds of knowledge flashed through Tang San's mind. The most useless things—or rather, the things least likely to be useful—were only things that had existed in his past life but perhaps did not exist on Douluo Continent, or things that posed no threat to him.

Tang San slowly said, "I'll list a few things, Boss Dai. See if any interest you."

Dai Mubai nodded with interest. "All right. Let's hear them."

"The first is a poison, along with its antidote. Its toxicity can even threaten Soul Masters at the Soul Sage level."

Dai Mubai directly shook his head. "I'm not skilled at using poison. I don't like that."

"The second is a climbing tool called the Flying Claw. It can extend up to thirty meters and help you scale walls and leap across roofs."

Dai Mubai still shook his head. "My tiger claws can assist me in climbing. I have no use for it."

"The third is a crossbow called the Zhuge Repeating Crossbow. It can fire sixteen arrows at once, and within fifty meters, it can even pierce a Soul Ancestor's defenses."

Dai Mubai still shook his head. "That thing would be somewhat useful to me, but I don't think it's worth trading this Plate Crystal for."

At that, Tang San's brows drew tightly together.

Seeing Tang San sink into thought, Dai Mubai deliberately sighed helplessly. "Xiao San, we're both Soul Masters. What we naturally want most are things that can help with cultivation. Hidden weapons, poisons, and tools are ultimately external objects."

My hint is this obvious. You should get the idea now, right?

Hearing this, Tang San's heart stirred.

Something that could help with cultivation...

The records of all manner of heavenly treasures in the Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record instantly flashed through his mind.

Tang San took a deep breath, as though he had made some sort of decision. "Boss Dai, I truly don't have any ready-made treasures that can directly aid cultivation. But... I can provide information and methods you've never heard of before."

"Information I've never heard of before?" Dai Mubai raised his brows, putting on an interested expression.

Tang San nodded. "I know of something called an Immortal Herb."