A carriage made of golden-thread nanmu wood, adorned with luxurious yet understated patterns, slowly departed a small-to-medium-sized city.
It headed toward the Soto Great Soul Arena, located on the border between the Heaven Dou Empire and the Star Luo Empire.
Ning Rongrong drew back the curtain and watched the scenery outside through the compartment window, looking every bit a young girl out on a spring outing, with none of the appearance of a runaway.
Her blue-green, glazed eyes brimmed with curiosity about the unknown world.
If the girl had still felt somewhat uneasy before Chen Ci arrived, then once the boy she had longed for came-
The unease in her heart vanished completely, replaced by an overwhelming sense of security.
Chen Ci, however, had none of the girl's inclination to tour the mountains and enjoy the scenery, because he knew his strength was still far too weak.
Only absolute strength could allow him to rule his own destiny.
He circulated the Seven Kill Meditation Method throughout the journey, maintaining a mind as still as water and cultivating quietly even inside the swaying carriage.
Suddenly, Chen Ci stopped cultivating, his brows furrowing slightly as though he had sensed something.
He shifted his somewhat numb backside and moved over beside Ning Rongrong.
Seeing Chen Ci take the initiative to come closer, Ning Rongrong thought this blockhead had finally caught on. She was just about to share the beautiful sights she had seen along the way with him.
But when she turned to look, she only found Chen Ci gazing gravely into the distance.
Ning Rongrong immediately lost the inclination to share the beautiful scenery. She followed his gaze but saw nothing; the mountains and waters were peaceful.
Somewhat puzzled, she asked:
"Brother Chen Ci, what's wrong?"
Chen Ci said gravely:
"Keep watching, and you'll know."
If anyone else had spoken to Ning Rongrong that way, her spoiled young lady's temper might have erupted.
But in front of Chen Ci, she was as obedient as a kitten. With an "Oh," she dutifully looked back in the direction of his gaze.
A flock of birds suddenly flew out of the previously tranquil mountain forest. Clearly, something was moving within it, and making quite a disturbance.
Otherwise, ordinary movements would never have startled those birds.
Chen Ci watched in that direction without a word.
This shouldn't be happening. With Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin escorting us, how could danger appear near Ning Rongrong?
When soldiers come, meet them with generals; when water comes, dam it with earth.
If there's danger, revealing our identity as members of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect should keep us safe.
The mountain forest was not far from their carriage. Even if they wanted to avoid it now, they could no longer do so.
Chen Ci called to the carriage driver:
"Driver, let's go over there and take a look."
Just as Chen Ci and Ning Rongrong's carriage headed toward the disturbance in the mountain forest, a catgirl clad in black leather, with cat ears atop her head, darted out of the trees.
More than ten mounted bandits carrying sabers followed behind the catgirl, all bearing injuries to varying degrees.
Some were even missing arms or legs, evidently the catgirl's doing.
Upon seeing the catgirl's face, the unease in Chen Ci's heart immediately dissipated.
That catgirl was none other than Zhu Zhuqing. Both Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong had reached Shrek safely in the original story, so they probably would not encounter any great peril.
Chen Ci summoned the Passionate Sword, held it in his right hand, and walked to the compartment door. He said to Ning Rongrong, who was sitting on the cushioned seat:
"Rongrong, that girl is in danger. We can't watch her die without helping."
Ning Rongrong nodded and said:
"Brother Chen Ci, go ahead.
"I'll give you buffs."
Planting his feet on the carriage, Chen Ci stomped down hard and shot out like a cannonball, heading straight for the mounted bandit closest behind Zhu Zhuqing.
Seeing that he would not catch Zhu Zhuqing anytime soon, the bandit laughed when he saw Chen Ci flying straight toward him:
"Brat, want to play the hero and save the beauty?
"You'd better see whether you've got what it takes first!"
The bandit raised his saber, aimed at Chen Ci's flight path, and prepared to slash down.
At that moment, Chen Ci unleashed the Passionate Sword's second Soul Skill, Sincerity, on the group of mounted bandits.
A bewitching purple Soul Ring abruptly blazed with light.
In the next instant, all the bandits felt a great closeness toward the boy who had suddenly appeared, as though he were a blood brother they had never met.
Bandit Number One's raised saber paused in midair.
He had no idea why he had raised his saber and aimed it at his dearest friend, his own brother.
He immediately put away his saber and extended his right hand toward Chen Ci, intending to pull him onto the horse. At the same time, he said guiltily:
"Brother, I truly deserve to die. I actually thought of using my blade against you!"
Chen Ci grasped the bandit's outstretched right hand and used the leverage to vault onto the horse.
Seeing this, Zhu Zhuqing's heart grew a little colder.
When she saw this handsome, graceful boy with his otherworldly elegance, she had thought he was a chivalrous hero who drew his blade to help upon seeing injustice.
She had never expected him to be in league with the mounted bandits behind her.
If I'd known, I wouldn't have listened to that mysterious person and come this way.
At that moment, Chen Ci raised the Passionate Sword and viciously plunged it into the heart of the bandit in front of him.
Bandit Number One turned his head in disbelief, unable to believe that his good brother would stab him through the heart from behind.
"Why... you..."
Bandit Number One looked at Chen Ci's familiar yet unfamiliar face. He was just about to demand why Chen Ci had done this when he realized that, although Chen Ci's face seemed very familiar, it did not match anyone he knew.
Only as the piercing pain spread throughout his body did Bandit Number One break free of Sincerity's influence and suddenly realize that Chen Ci was not his good brother.
But it was too late. Chen Ci withdrew the Passionate Sword, and crimson blood dripped onto the ground along its downward-pointing edge, without a single drop clinging to the blade.
The other bandits suffered a shock to their worldview as they watched one good brother kill another.
Ultimately, because Chen Ci's Soul Power was still shallow, the trust created by Sincerity could not surpass the bonds between these brothers who had lived and died together.
After Bandit Number One died, the other brothers came to their senses one after another.
"Kill him! He's not our brother!"
Chen Ci did not rush to unleash Sincerity again, because repeatedly using it on the same target would weaken its effect.
Chen Ci glanced toward their carriage and exchanged a look with Ning Rongrong.
Their countless days and nights together allowed Ning Rongrong to understand his meaning instantly.
She stood at the front of the carriage compartment, her hair dancing wildly in the wind.
The girl's gaze was resolute as a blue-green glazed tile pagoda appeared before her chest:
"Seven treasures turn forth, revealing glazed tile. Seven Treasures Have Names, First: Strength!"
"Seven treasures turn forth, revealing glazed tile. Seven Treasures Have Names, Second: Speed!"
"Seven treasures turn forth, revealing glazed tile. Seven Treasures Have Names, Third: Soul!"
Then three Soul Rings lit up around Ning Rongrong, their colors yellow, purple, and purple respectively.
Before breaking through to rank twenty, Ning Rongrong had already successfully absorbed all the whale rubber, and the ages of her Soul Rings had increased by a thousand years as well.
But ordinary people did not know how arduous the body tempering required to absorb whale rubber was. They all thought Ning Rongrong had only managed to obtain a thousand-year second ring because her father doted on her.
Before the bandits even had time to be astonished by Chen Ci's fighting strength, they spotted Ning Rongrong's Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Martial Soul and shouted:
"They're from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect! Retreat!"
They turned their horses around, trying to flee.
Mounted on his steed, Chen Ci watched the fleeing bandits and said coldly:
"Trying to escape?
"Not a chance!"