In the girls' dormitory at Shrek Academy, Ning Rongrong lay face down on her bed, her head covered as she sobbed.
Only after a long while did she suddenly raise her head and shout, "Hey! You! What exactly are you here for?!"
On the other side of the room, Qi Ling sat with his eyes closed and said casually, "Cultivating. What else?"
Ning Rongrong choked with anger. According to the romance drama formula, aren't you supposed to comfort me? What the hell are you cultivating here for?
"Damn it, if you want to cultivate, go outside! I don't want to see anyone right now!" Ning Rongrong shouted angrily.
"Hey, hey, hey, a girl shouldn't talk like that!" Qi Ling said. "Besides, what do you have to feel wronged about? Was anything Flender said wrong?"
"You! You're going to be the death of me!" Ning Rongrong cried. "Where did all you freaks come from? Why is every single one of you so strong?"
"That, I really don't know. Maybe it's heaven's will. Look at you-even the young lady of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect came here, didn't she? Who could have imagined that?" Qi Ling said.
"Hmph! If you want me to leave, it won't be that easy!" Ning Rongrong suddenly said. "I'll prove that I, Ning Rongrong, am no worse than any of you! I'm stronger than anyone!"
"Eh, whatever. However strong you get, you still won't be stronger than me. After all, I'm using cheats," Qi Ling said indifferently.
Although Qi Ling was telling the truth, Ning Rongrong thought he was merely showing off, so she pouted and said, "Hmph! Shameless!"
"Hey, I may be good-tempered, but if you keep insulting me like that, I'll get angry too!" Qi Ling said. "I'm very scary when I'm angry!"
"So what if you're scary? I'm the young lady of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect! Our sect has two Titled Douluo holding the fort, powerful disciples, and partnerships with numerous other sects. Even the imperial family..."
As Ning Rongrong proudly spoke about the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Qi Ling suddenly interrupted her. "Then, without the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, what would you have left?"
Ning Rongrong was suddenly at a loss for words, while Qi Ling continued, "If you want others to acknowledge you, you have to rely on your own strength, not lean on someone else!"
"No matter how formidable your father is, the day will come when he grows old. Who will you rely on then? Everything you haven't earned with your own two hands is ultimately an illusion. Sooner or later, it will collapse."
After hearing Qi Ling's words, Ning Rongrong suddenly said, "Qi Ling, you're so much like my dad! He often says things like that to me too."
"I don't have a daughter as naughty as you," Qi Ling said irritably.
Not to be outdone, Ning Rongrong said, "Hmph! I don't have a dad as full of himself as you, either!"
"So, you've thought it through? You're not leaving?" Qi Ling asked.
"That's right. Until I've trampled all of you underfoot, I'm not leaving!" Ning Rongrong said. As though she felt she hadn't sounded imposing enough, she added, "And I mean it!"
"Hahaha, good! I'll be waiting for the day you trample me underfoot!" Qi Ling laughed. "All right, since you've thought it through, my mission is complete!"
"We should hurry to the Great Soul Arena in Suotuo City. If we go now, we might still make the midnight session."
"Hmph! I'm not going! If I go now, won't I just be letting you all treat me like a clown?" Ning Rongrong said. "Go by yourself if you want. I'll wait here at the academy!"
Qi Ling could do nothing about it. Ning Rongrong's proud nature would probably take some time to change, so he had no choice but to head to the Great Soul Arena in Suotuo City alone.
He had just arrived at the Great Soul Arena and had yet to enter when he saw a furious Dai Mubai stride out.
"Mubai, why are you coming out? Where are the others?" Qi Ling asked.
"Don't know!" Dai Mubai seemed to be in a very foul mood. After that single reply, he kept walking away without stopping.
Utterly bewildered, Qi Ling continued inside, but soon encountered the others. Xiao Wu and Tang San were coming out with Zhu Zhuqing supported between them. Zhu Zhuqing seemed badly injured.
"Xiao Wu, Xiao San, what happened? How did Zhu Zhuqing get hurt so badly?" Qi Ling asked in surprise.
"Brother Qi! You're here!" Xiao Wu said. "Zhu Zhuqing was injured in her match. Teacher Flender has gone to find a doctor. We need to take her back first!"
"Then what's going on with Dai Mubai? Why did he leave ahead of you by himself?" Qi Ling asked.
It would have been better if Qi Ling hadn't asked. The moment he mentioned Dai Mubai, Xiao Wu's anger flared. "Don't mention that scumbag! He's absolutely infuriating!"
Xiao Wu then explained that after Zhu Zhuqing was injured, Dai Mubai had tried to help her, only for Zhu Zhuqing to fling his hand away and coldly express her disgust.
Dai Mubai seemed to feel he had lost face in such a setting and couldn't bear the humiliation. After saying a few harsh words to Zhu Zhuqing, he had simply abandoned her and gone back alone, which was why Tang San and Xiao Wu were supporting her.
Upon hearing that Dai Mubai had returned to Shrek Academy alone, Qi Ling thought, This is bad. Ning Rongrong was still at the academy. If she ran into Dai Mubai in this state, they were bound to clash.
After all, each of the two had a more unusual background, a nastier temper, and a sharper tongue than the other. Qi Ling would have found it strange if they could get along peacefully.
So Qi Ling, Tang San, and the others immediately hurried toward Shrek Academy. But because they had to look after the injured Zhu Zhuqing, there was no way they could catch up with Dai Mubai.
As a result, the moment they reached the academy's outskirts, they heard Ning Rongrong and Dai Mubai exchanging barbs. Dai Mubai even seemed to have activated Martial Soul Possession.
"Dai Mubai, I'm telling you, just because you're upset doesn't mean you can use me as your punching bag! Not choosing you was the best choice Zhu Zhuqing could have made, because you're not worthy!" Ning Rongrong said without backing down before Dai Mubai's White Tiger Possession.
"What did you say? Ning Rongrong, don't provoke me. This isn't your home. Others may fear you, but I don't. Watch out, or I'll rape you and then kill you!" Dai Mubai's eyes were bloodshot; he was clearly furious to the extreme.
"Hmph, I'm so scared. Come on, then, if you've got the guts!" Ning Rongrong sneered. "But you're so young, and you visit brothels every day. Don't tell me you're already useless down there?"
Listening to Ning Rongrong, Qi Ling felt cold sweat trickle down. This girl is seriously fierce. She'll say anything! Doesn't she know that's what men care about most?
Sure enough, after Ning Rongrong's barrage of mockery, Dai Mubai finally lost control of his rage. The Soul Power of a rank-thirty-seven Soul Elder erupted in an instant, and Ning Rongrong was sent flying almost immediately.
Looking at Ning Rongrong lying on the ground, Dai Mubai seemed to feel his anger was still not sufficiently vented. With a roar, he raised his tiger claw and was about to bring it down on her.