Yu Xiaogang listened to Tang San's words.
He patted Tang San's shoulder with satisfaction.
"Good! Good!"
"I knew I hadn't misjudged you."
"From now on, I'll use all my connections and resources to nurture you!"
"I refuse to believe you'll lose to a drunkard who spends every day drunk as mud!"
Flender's group arrived at the Star Dou Great Forest.
Dean Flender looked at Lu Ning and the other youngsters, his eyes filled with helplessness.
"Just look at you."
"At least teach them something good."
"You've taught these two fine young women of our continent to never let their wine gourds leave their sides. Like teacher, like disciple!"
Flender reached out and smacked Lu Ning on the head.
Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing, who had never touched a drop before, now looked like walking corpses whose souls had been lured away by wine.
Not a trace of their former poise remained.
"That's right."
"Like teacher, like disciple."
Lu Ning didn't argue at all. He merely repeated those words mildly.
That earned him another smack on the head from Flender.
"Bullshit!"
"Did I ever teach you to drink?"
"Weren't you the one wandering around the village like a ghost all day?"
Watching Flender's left and right brains fight each other, Lu Ning spread his hands. Hadn't Flender said that himself?
He had used the same words to argue back.
And that made him rebellious, did it?
Flender patted Lu Ning's shoulder. The group had already reached the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest, but Flender didn't stop walking. Instead, he asked solemnly, "Brat, what type and age do you want for your fourth soul ring?"
Lu Ning considered it briefly before answering slowly.
"Preferably around twenty-five thousand years."
"Something suited to a sword-type martial soul."
Flender raised his eyebrows, not at all surprised by that age. The colors of Lu Ning's previous soul rings had been astonishing enough. A twenty-five-thousand-year fourth soul ring was still a conservative estimate.
If Lu Ning hadn't had his own ideas,
he would certainly have made Lu Ning aim for the thirty-thousand-year level.
"How about a defensive type?"
"Your sword is fierce, but if you can't block someone else's attacks, even the strongest offense won't do."
Lu Ning shook his head.
"No."
"Offense only."
"Or an offensive enhancement that can stack."
"Defense? What do I need defense for? Whatever powerful enemy I face, I'll just cut them down with one stroke."
"One Sword Opens the Heavenly Gate-that's the allure of being a sword cultivator."
Lu Ning's words surprised Ning Rongrong beside him even more. She had heard Grandpa Sword say something similar. Back then, Grandpa Sword had wanted to pursue a path of pure offense. Unfortunately...
Soul skills didn't simply come as you wished.
"Pure offense?"
"...We can only try."
"A purely offensive soul beast that's also suited to a sword martial soul won't be easy to find."
Flender looked toward the Inner Area of the Star Dou Great Forest.
His gaze slowly grew solemn.
"Let's look around the Inner Area!"
"Their ages might be a little high, but we'll have a better chance."
The four moved nimbly, speeding toward the Inner Area.
Flender led the three of them in a long search.
In the end, they still couldn't find the soul beast Lu Ning needed.
Not until night fell
did the four find a spot far from water and begin setting up camp.
Flender stood outside the tents, giving them a basic lesson on soul hunting.
Ning Rongrong grew drowsy listening to him and kept glancing at her tent, clearly wanting to go inside and rest.
If not for the wine gourds, the two girls
would never have followed Lu Ning into the Inner Area of the Star Dou Great Forest.
The soul beasts found in this Inner Area were basically all ten-thousand-year soul beasts, with most being several tens of thousands of years old.
There wasn't any opportunity for the two of them to train at all.
"All right."
"Lu Ning will keep watch tonight. The rest of you, go to sleep."
Flender finished his lengthy lecture.
He waved them away.
Ning Rongrong hurried impatiently toward her tent, the drowsiness in her eyes spreading through her entire body.
Zhu Zhuqing was also utterly exhausted from traveling at such a rapid pace, though her physical constitution was stronger than Ning Rongrong's, after all.
As she left, she gave Lu Ning a long look.
The whale rubber inside her hadn't been fully digested yet.
She had also exercised intensely during the day, and now a wild surge of power churned within her.
If Lu Ning didn't come tonight...
Surely she couldn't really use her hand?
"Lu Ning."
"..." Zhu Zhuqing called softly, then shook her head. She truly couldn't bring herself to say such things, so she turned and walked toward her tent.
Watching from the side, Flender's eyes lit up, and a smug look appeared on his shameless old face.
After the two girls went inside,
Flender said with a grin, "Not bad, brat!"
"Looks like Old Zhao's walnut-sized brain is good for something after all."
"I'd say that little girl Zhu Zhuqing has some feelings for you!"
"At this rate, it won't be long before you're kissing."
Flender chuckled, sounding like a shameless old bachelor.
Lu Ning rolled his eyes at him. Kissing? I've already hit a home run.
Do you think we're still living in your era?
"Go to sleep, Teacher."
"When it comes to picking up women, your successful experience is pretty much zero."
"Don't lead your student astray, Teacher."
Flender bristled with anger, glaring at Lu Ning with his small eyes before giving a cold snort and waving a hand as he left.
What did he mean, zero experience?
When I was young, I passed through ten thousand blossoms without a single petal clinging to me!
The night fell silent once more, without even the sound of cicadas around them.
Darkness shrouded the entire camp.
Lu Ning didn't light a fire. He sat alone in the shadows, keeping watch over the camp.
Rustle, rustle, rustle.
A rustling sound came from Zhu Zhuqing's tent, and Lu Ning looked that way.
Zhu Zhuqing poked half her head out. Her Nether Civet martial soul gave her excellent night vision, and she spotted Lu Ning at a glance.
"You... how long are you keeping watch?"
"Did the dean say he'd take over for you?"
A blush appeared on Zhu Zhuqing's face. For now, her eyes were still fairly clear.
But if this continued,
she absolutely wouldn't be able to keep traveling at such intensity tomorrow.
Lu Ning walked over to her and answered in an equally low voice, "Are you feeling it again?"
Zhu Zhuqing nodded.
Even her fair breasts swayed gently.
Her figure was superb, and the movement instantly drew the eye.
"...Can you handle it yourself?"
Lu Ning asked evenly.
He had to keep watch.
If he really went inside the tent and a soul beast attacked, the entire camp would be wiped out in their sleep.
"I..."
Zhu Zhuqing gritted her teeth and answered Lu Ning's question with a flushed face.
"If I could handle it myself, I wouldn't have come out!"
"How about..."
"You help me think of something?"
"Or teach me how to deal with this."
Lu Ning listened in a daze. If anyone else had said something like that, he might not have been so surprised.
But the person saying it now was Zhu Zhuqing!
A peerless beauty was asking me to teach her that...
Wasn't this...
Before you continue