Chapter 10: Rongrong is Left to You

Honorary Elder residential area, Jian Douluo's exclusive small building.

Second floor, Mimicry Cultivation Ground, Sword Pool.

"Jian'er, honing your martial soul again?"

Jian Douluo stood at the doorway and asked with some surprise: "Not telling Rongrong a story?"

Clang, clang, clang...

In the center of the Sword Pool, countless sword shadows merged into Qin Jian's body, then continuously radiated outward, as if forming a cycle.

Hearing the voice at the door, he opened his eyes slightly, a flash of sword shadows seemingly passing through them.

"Teacher, she is still young, and this is the most important time to lay a foundation; she really shouldn't waste most of her time listening to stories..."

He smiled and said: "So I chased her off to cultivate."

"Rongrong is actually willing to listen to you now?" Jian Douluo raised an eyebrow.

Qin Jian shrugged and said: "If she doesn't listen, I won't tell her stories at night."

Jian Douluo was amused, but still gave him a thumbs up: "Only you little guy has a way; the Sect Master, Old Bone, and I have absolutely no way to deal with her."

It's clearly you all who have spoiled her too much...

Qin Jian curled his lip, but didn't say more on this, instead asking: "Teacher, what is that one-year tacit understanding training like?"

"That, huh..."

Jian Douluo remained standing at the door without entering, just leaning against the frame and saying: "That is our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's largest Mimicry Cultivation Ground. Within this year, you thirty-two pairs will be completely isolated, each placed in a section of the Mimicry Cultivation Ground, and the weather and environment within will change every month..."

"What kind of weather and environment?" Qin Jian asked curiously.

Jian Douluo's left eyebrow lifted slightly: "As for the weather, it's nothing more than heavy rain and gale-force winds, lightning and thunder, goose-feather snow, and scorching heat or bitter cold..."

Qin Jian's face twitched slightly: "Is it that cruel..."

"That's not all..."

Jian Douluo's other eyebrow also lifted: "The terrain and environment you are in will also change: forests, oceans, high mountains, deserts..."

Qin Jian covered his face and said: "This is torturing people to death, is there more?"

Jian Douluo nodded without surprise and said: "Naturally, it won't let you down. Besides terrain and weather, after half a year there will be natural disasters, such as flash floods, volcanoes, avalanches, earthquakes..."

Before he could finish, Qin Jian said in a very sincere tone: "Teacher, I feel that the Sword Pool still has the best honing effect on my martial soul; I think I'll skip that tacit understanding training..."

"You're not going to worry about Rongrong?"

Jian Douluo squinted at him.

"Teacher, I think Gu Yue has thick skin and is very suitable for this training," Qin Jian said seriously.

"Then you don't want to improve your soul power either?"

Jian Douluo continued to squint.

"It's only a year's delay, no big problem," Qin Jian said.

Jian Douluo sighed and took out two exquisite wrist guards: "Originally, Teacher had prepared all the equipment for you, along with these two Soul Guidance Devices, with a full dozen cubic meters of storage space. It seems it was all in vain; I might as well give them to Rongrong..."

As he spoke, he turned to leave, seemingly really intending to give them to Ning Rongrong.

But the next moment, Qin Jian appeared at the door, his two hands accurately grabbing the pair of metal wrist guards: "Don't, Teacher! I will never let your hard-prepared efforts go to waste. That one year of tacit understanding training, I'm going!"

Jian Douluo turned around and tapped him on the forehead, annoyed: "All you know is how to put on an act."

"Hehe, thank you, Teacher." Qin Jian looked up and said.

Jian Douluo patted his little head and said: "This year is not only to cultivate the tacit understanding between you, but also to polish the temper of that little demoness, Rongrong."

"After all, she is the Sect Master's daughter; she cannot continue to be so willful. We all hope that through this tempering, she can grow up..."

Jian Douluo looked down at Qin Jian and said: "So, don't protect her too well. She must undergo every bit of the tempering she is due. The Sect Master and I will watch over you from time to time; we won't really let you fall into a desperate situation."

Qin Jian nodded.

A few days passed quickly.

On this day, the sun was just right and the breeze was gentle; it was the day to enter the sect's Mimicry Cultivation Ground.

Arriving at the entrance, one could see many people already waiting there.

Each one was accompanied by an elder, giving endless instructions.

And it was even more so for Ning Rongrong; Ning Fengzhi held her little hand and couldn't bear to let go for even a moment.

"Daddy, it's fine, it's just living inside for a while. If you miss Rongrong, you can come in and see me!" Ning Rongrong said with a giggle.

A flash of heartache and reluctance crossed Ning Fengzhi's gentle face, but he went along with her: "Alright, if Daddy misses Rongrong, then I will come in to see you."

"Mm-hmm."

Ning Rongrong nodded repeatedly.

On this side, Qin Jian watched this scene and asked the Jian Douluo beside him in a low voice: "Teacher, does Rongrong not know what will happen in this year?"

"She doesn't know yet..."

Jian Douluo also looked a bit pained: "There's no way around it. If we told her those things, she definitely wouldn't be willing to go in. When the time came for her to act spoiled and throw a tantrum, no one would be able to do anything about it..."

Qin Jian's mouth twitched slightly: "It's easy for you to trick her in, but the one who will have to endure her crying and fussing later is me..."

"Keep your voice down, they are coming over, don't let it slip," Jian Douluo whispered.

Qin Jian looked up and sure enough, saw Ning Fengzhi walking over holding Ning Rongrong's hand.

"Qin Jian, for the next year, I will leave Rongrong to you; you must protect her well."

Ning Fengzhi leaned forward slightly and placed Ning Rongrong's little hand into Qin Jian's.

"Ah..."

Ning Rongrong was caught off guard when her hand was grabbed by Qin Jian and couldn't help but blush, so she didn't notice the look exchanged between Ning Fengzhi and Qin Jian.

"Sect Master, please rest assured. With me here, she will be fine."

With that exchange of glances, the two men, one big and one small, completed the handover procedure in an instant.

"Boom!"

With a thunderous sound, the Mimicry Cultivation Ground officially opened.

Pairs of young boys and girls walked inside, disappearing one after another.

"Rongrong, let's go in too," Qin Jian said, tightening his grip on the small hand in his right.

"Okay..."

Ning Rongrong responded happily, then turned back to wave: "I'm going in now, goodbye Father, goodbye Jian Yeye!"

Jian Douluo and Ning Fengzhi raised their right hands in unison to wave, their movements perfectly synchronized: "Goodbye, Rongrong!"

"Hum!"

With a soft sound, Qin Jian held Ning Rongrong's small hand and walked inside, disappearing into the depths of the cultivation ground...

"Whew..."

Ning Fengzhi let out a sigh of relief: "Finally managed to send this little girl in."

"I wonder how she'll kick up a fuss once she finds out the truth," Jian Douluo said.

"We'll be able to see that from the outside..."

Ning Fengzhi said: "I just hope her temperament can be properly tempered over this year; if she can become a bit more sensible after coming out, I'll be satisfied."

Jian Douluo said: "It won't be so easy to come out once she's in, so let's just wait and see..."

(End of chapter)