The stars wheeled through the heavens; spring passed and autumn came.
Sword Peak outside the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect stood silently through the years. The peach blossoms in the mountains bloomed and faded, and six years passed in the blink of an eye.
A youth eight feet tall practiced swordplay in the courtyard, a longsword in hand, seemingly tireless.
He was Chen Ci.
Six years had passed. He was no longer the little boy who had stood just 1.3 meters tall, but had grown to 1.85 meters.
That would have been almost impossible on Earth, but in a supernatural world like Douluo Continent, nothing was impossible.
Meanwhile, over those six years, his Soul Power had risen from rank eleven to rank thirty-two through cultivation.
He had gained two new Soul Skills, still exactly the same as those of Amorous Douluo.
His second Soul Skill, Sincerity (2,500 years), was a perception-interference control-type Soul Skill that could affect either an individual or a group.
It greatly reduced the targets' hostility toward the user and made them regard the user as one of the people they trusted most, so they would not take the initiative to attack the user.
His third Soul Skill, Remorse (5,300 years), was a single-target mental attack Soul Skill. It could instantly magnify the most painful remorse in the target's heart a hundredfold or a thousandfold, making those with weak mental power give up resisting.
He and Ning Rongrong had just graduated from a junior Soul Master Academy belonging to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
It was time to pursue further studies at an advanced Soul Master Academy.
Chen Ci's goal was simple: Heaven Dou Royal Academy.
As for Shrek Academy and the other advanced Soul Master Academies, he would not consider them.
That was because Yu Xiaogang, a teacher at Shrek Academy, was a fraud who stole theories.
As for the other advanced Soul Master Academies, to be honest, the only ones worth considering were Spirit Hall's Spirit Hall Academy and the Star Luo Empire's Star Luo Royal Academy.
Spirit Hall certainly had the best resources, followed by the royal academies of Heaven Dou and Star Luo.
But Heaven Dou City had resources that neither the Star Luo Empire nor Spirit Hall possessed.
That was the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, where several great immortal herbs remained unpicked. Consuming them could not only evolve Ning Rongrong's Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda into the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, but there was also the Lovesick Heartbreak Red to serve as a trump card for resurrection.
The Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass and Infernal Delicate Apricot could increase resistance to ice and fire...
Chen Ci had been making plans for the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well for a long time, but over those six years, he had never had a suitable opportunity to go there.
He was in no hurry, though. He only needed to secure the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well before Tang San did.
Chen Ci had already finished planning for the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. All he needed to do next was head to Heaven Dou City.
However, a carrier pigeon landed beside him, disrupting his plans.
Chen Ci took the letter from the pigeon's leg and saw the following written inside:
I am Ning Fengzhi. Come to the Seven Treasure Hall at once to discuss matters.
Chen Ci dressed and hurried to the Seven Treasure Hall.
Ning Fengzhi stood there alone, looking deeply troubled.
"Chen Ci, you're finally here."
Seeing how anxious Ning Fengzhi was, Chen Ci had already more or less guessed what had happened.
He asked despite knowing the answer:
"Uncle Ning, what happened?"
"Rongrong ran away from home. No matter how we tried to persuade her, we couldn't get her to come back.
"I've spoiled her over the years, making her the way she is now.
"Rongrong's temperament won't change within the sect. Only by gaining experience outside might she change.
"But I can't rest easy with her out there alone, so I'm counting on you."
Chen Ci nodded.
Although his presence had made the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect somewhat different in this timeline,
he had yet to grow into that butterfly whose gentle flutter of wings could change the timeline.
Over the past six years, Ning Rongrong had been showered with every affection and had still developed that spoiled, willful temperament. Only when facing him would she rein herself in somewhat.
She even obeyed his every word.
Yet now, Ning Rongrong had still inevitably run away from home and headed for Shrek.
He would have to make a trip to Shrek.
Chen Ci picked up the luggage Ning Fengzhi had already prepared for him, along with a map that even marked Ning Rongrong's current location and route.
This young lady's self-important attempt at running away from home carried no risk whatsoever. Her doting father had kept her thoroughly protected throughout.
No wonder he had not seen Chen Xin over the past few days. Presumably, Chen Xin was already following Ning Rongrong to protect her.
Ning Fengzhi said:
"Are you ready?"
Chen Ci nodded again.
Then the two of them raced toward Ning Rongrong's location without stopping to rest.
Somewhere in the Heaven Dou Empire, Ning Rongrong walked alone through a dense forest.
Although the girl had run away from home, she carried no luggage on her person, because her Storage Soul Tool was large enough to hold all of it.
Ning Rongrong walked through the woods, looking around warily.
Although she had sneaked out on her own this time, at the end of the day, she was only a girl in her early teens.
It was her first time traveling far from home alone, so fear was inevitable.
(Rongrong, don't be afraid!)
(You have to prove to everyone that you rely on yourself for everything, not on Father, Grandpa Jian, or Grandpa Gu!)
(The books all say the outside world is full of danger, but you've come all this way without encountering any.)
Thinking it over carefully, Ning Rongrong realized she truly had not encountered any danger along the way, and she became less afraid.
Little did she know that Chen Xin had been protecting her the entire way. Whenever any suspicious people or dangers appeared, Chen Xin immediately dealt with them.
As it grew late, Ning Rongrong could not help becoming a little frightened again.
(It's pitch-black over there. Even sunlight can't reach it. What's in those shadows? Could there be monsters?)
(If only Brother Chen Ci were here. Then I wouldn't be afraid anymore.)
(I've already left clues for Brother Chen Ci. He should come looking for me, right?)
Before long, the sky turned completely dark, and night shrouded the heavens.
Ning Rongrong glanced behind her several times, but there was still no sign of anyone.
(Brother Chen Ci, you idiot! Why haven't you found the clues I left you yet?)
(If you don't come looking for me, I'll never speak to you again!)
Ning Rongrong walked a few more steps, but still could not resist looking back.
How she wished Chen Ci were beside her at that moment.
Yet, to her surprise, Chen Ci really had come.
At the sight of that familiar figure, Ning Rongrong rubbed her eyes in disbelief, thinking it was an illusion.
Only when that figure drew closer and closer did her tears finally burst their banks.
All the emotions that had built up for so long spilled out at that moment. Throwing everything else aside, she ran and flung herself into Chen Ci's arms.
She sobbed:
"Brother Chen Ci, why did you only come now?
"Do you know how scared I was when you weren't here?"
Chen Ci stroked Ning Rongrong's silky hair and said softly:
"I'm sorry I'm late.
"I'll never leave you alone again, Rongrong."