Within the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, after Ning Chuan passed the Creation Spirit Seal on to Ning Rongrong and the others, Sword Douluo also taught them the intermediate Soul Cultivation Formula.
Of course, Shui Bing'er and Xue Wu also received the intermediate soul power cultivation method.
Shui Bing'er and Xue Wu were inevitably stunned once again. After gaining a preliminary understanding of the methods, they finally understood why Xiao Yun and the others cultivated so quickly.
Ning Chuan spoke at just the right moment. "Get ready, everyone. Tomorrow, I'll take you to a cultivation sanctuary. Your cultivation will be even more efficient there!"
Although the octagonal mysterious ice grass and infernal delicate apricot were gone, the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well still offered tremendous benefits to Soul Masters with ice or fire attributes.
Shui Bing'er and Xue Wu had yet to recover from their excitement and joy. Receiving the cultivation methods had already left them more than satisfied, and now that they heard Ning Chuan was taking them to a cultivation sanctuary as well, they were so excited that they did not know what to say.
Dugu Yan showed little reaction. After all, she had already been to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
Xiao Yun was happy too, because this meant she could cultivate together with Ning Chuan.
Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing were delighted at first, but then something suddenly occurred to them. They exchanged a glance, and Ning Rongrong immediately said, "Fifth Brother, you all go ahead. Zhu Zhuqing and I won't be going!"
Ning Chuan studied them for a moment, then guessed why they did not want to go.
"Rongrong, Zhu Zhuqing, you don't need to put yourselves under any pressure. The next Soul Master Tournament isn't something I have to take part in anyway. If you can beat me, I'll only be happy for you. So there's no need to deliberately avoid the cultivation sanctuary. Rather than winning the tournament, I'd much rather see your cultivation advance and watch you grow quickly!" Ning Chuan said slowly as he looked at them.
Ning Chuan knew very well that Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing were not the sort to stab their teammates in the back and throw a match. That was why they wanted to avoid the cultivation sanctuary and slow their own progress.
Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing had not expected Ning Chuan to see through their thoughts so quickly.
In fact, if Ning Chuan had not previously fallen out with Tang San and the others, Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing would certainly have felt no pressure. But they knew very well that Tang San and Dai Mubai were waiting for an opportunity to humiliate Ning Chuan. Naturally, they did not want to become their accomplices.
Ning Chuan could guess their concerns, so he continued, "You two silly girls, aren't you underestimating me a little too much? How about I let you experience my Soul Skills?"
Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing immediately shook their heads. Zhu Zhuqing hurriedly said, "No, Brother Ning! Those are part of your team's tactical system. You absolutely mustn't tell us!"
"All right!" Ning Chuan nodded, then put on a stern expression. "But let me make this clear: if we really face each other in the tournament and you don't give it your all, I really will get angry!"
Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing exchanged a glance at his words. Then Ning Rongrong nodded. "Fifth Brother, you can't go easy on us either!"
"Of course!" Ning Chuan smiled. "When you see your Fifth Brother's true strength, don't be too shocked!"
With the knot in her heart untied, Ning Rongrong immediately returned to her usual self.
She smiled as she approached Ning Chuan, her expression impish. "Fifth Brother, you've had such astonishing cultivation talent, yet you hid it from me for all these years. You really put poor Rongrong through so much..."
As she spoke, she pouted and pretended to wipe away tears.
Helpless, Ning Chuan hurried to soothe her, while everyone else burst out laughing.
That same day, Bone Douluo took Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing to Blue Tyrant Academy and requested an extended leave for them on the grounds of special training.
Flender and the others naturally had no objections. After all, they had all witnessed Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing's rapid cultivation progress during this period.
As for the reason behind their Martial Soul Evolution, Bone Douluo had already told Flender and the others that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had purchased two immortal herbs from Dugu Bo, and their martial souls had evolved after they consumed them.
Naturally, Flender and the others had no reason to doubt this. After all, the immortal herbs Tang San had brought back had also come from Dugu Bo.
Zhu Zhuqing's frequent visits to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect made Dai Mubai deeply uncomfortable, because he always felt Ning Chuan had ulterior motives toward her.
Zhu Zhuqing and Dai Mubai had already argued several times over this matter.
They had even come to blows once, and naturally, Zhu Zhuqing had won decisively.
As a result, Dai Mubai's hatred for Ning Chuan grew even deeper.
Only after repeatedly asking around and learning that Zhu Zhuqing merely went to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect to discuss cultivation insights with Shui Bing'er and the other girls, as well as discovering that Ning Chuan had been away from the sect lately, did he feel somewhat reassured.
When Bone Douluo requested extended leave for Zhu Zhuqing this time, Dai Mubai once again wanted to dig down to the roots of the matter.
Bone Douluo would not indulge him. He immediately warned him coldly, "Boy, if Zhu Zhuqing doesn't want anything to do with you, stop pestering her. She's now a disciple of our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, and she's still very young. If you dare continue harassing her, don't blame this old man for showing no mercy!"
Only upon hearing this did everyone from Shrek learn that Zhu Zhuqing had joined the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
Seeing that Bone Douluo had already laid everything out in the open, Zhu Zhuqing no longer held back. She said bluntly, "Dai Mubai, let me tell you this: there is no longer any connection between us. If you want to fight for the throne, that's your own business. Don't count me in. I may return to the Star Luo Empire someday, but when I do, it will be with absolute strength to change the Zhu Family's old rules and completely sever every tie between the Zhu Family and the Star Luo Imperial Family!"
With that, Zhu Zhuqing left without looking back.
Dai Mubai's face turned livid. He wanted to stop her, but with Bone Douluo present, he did not dare pester her further. Besides, he was no longer a match for Zhu Zhuqing. If she wanted to leave, there was simply no way he could stop her.
Seeing this, Flender could only sigh. "Mubai, you've had too much weighing on your mind lately, and it's already affecting your cultivation. If you truly want to win Zhu Zhuqing back, focus on cultivating. Once you surpass her again and defeat her once more, she'll naturally understand that if she wants to sever the ties between the Zhu Family and the Star Luo Imperial Family, she must join forces with you!"
Yu Xiaogang, Tang San, and the others also came forward to comfort Dai Mubai.
Early the next morning, before dawn had broken, Dugu Bo arrived at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Together with Bone Douluo, he escorted Ning Chuan, Ning Rongrong, and the other youngsters to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
Sword Douluo and Ning Fengzhi also set out for the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt for Ning Fengzhi's Eighth Soul Ring.
With the Creation Spirit Seal, any situation that arose within the sect could be reported directly to Ning Fengzhi for instructions, so Bone Douluo no longer needed to remain there on guard.
The Soul Master Tournament was fast approaching. If Bone Douluo could improve his strength even a little, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect would have that much more confidence.
The former members of the Skywater Team were already being assessed. Once Ning Fengzhi and Sword Douluo returned, they could undergo their final test. As long as they passed, Sword Douluo would teach them the two basic cultivation methods.
At the same time, trusted members within the sect would also gradually be taught the basic cultivation methods.
This time, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect would use the tournament as an opportunity to reveal some of its strength to the outside world.
Ning Chuan had proposed this, because he knew very well that he, Ning Rongrong, and the others would certainly draw Spirit Hall's attention during this tournament. Revealing their strength in advance might stir the grass and startle the snake, but it would also make Spirit Hall wary.
Besides, with the Creation Spirit Seal as a safeguard and Dugu Bo as a walking nuclear bomb, they naturally ought to take a forceful stance when the situation called for it.
Before you continue