Ning Rongrong held out both hands, palms up, and the phantom of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda slowly appeared. She took a deep breath and tried to divert a wisp of Soul Power to control the silver needles. The result-
Boom!
A surging blast of Soul Power erupted from her palms, slamming the silver needles in her hands against a stone wall a short distance ahead. They fell to the ground in a clattering heap.
Ning Rongrong froze on the spot, her hands still outstretched, her red lips slightly parted. Her already large eyes went perfectly round, and her face reddened at a visible speed.
For a moment, the place was so quiet that not even a crow or sparrow could be heard.
"Pfft." Ma Hongjun was the first to burst out laughing. Then, realizing this was hardly the time, he hurriedly covered his mouth, but muffled laughter still escaped between his fingers.
"What's so funny?!" Flustered and furious, Ning Rongrong glared fiercely at him, her face red.
"Rongrong, I-pfft... hahahahaha... s-sorry, hahahahaha, I... d-didn't mean to." Unable to contain himself any longer, Ma Hongjun crouched down, laughing as he slapped the ground.
"Keep laughing and you can come take Rongrong's place." Qin Muchu's utterly flat voice reached him, and Ma Hongjun instantly fell silent.
Once Ma Hongjun stopped laughing, Qin Muchu turned his gaze back to Ning Rongrong. "It's all right. That's normal for your first try. Don't hold all the needles at once. Take just one and try controlling it."
"Okay!" Ning Rongrong silently rallied herself, picked up a fallen silver needle, and placed it in her palm. Carefully, she separated out a wisp of Soul Power and tried to wrap it around the tiny needle.
The silver needle trembled slightly in her palm, then-tap. It fell