Chapter 107: Mischievous Ning Rongrong

Inside the Qi Bao Liu Li Sect, Ning Rongrong sat on the hall's sofa, constantly shaking her slender calves, her pretty face puffed up with two cute little pouches, full of petulant anger.

She had been back for more than half a day, but her father was still nowhere to be seen, causing her initial excitement to gradually fade.

Opposite Ning Rongrong sat a gaunt-looking man. He was leisurely sipping tea, and his physique was truly astonishing. He was not the heavily muscled, robust type, but had an unusually large skeleton. The once spacious sofa beneath him now seemed rather cramped.

His clothes seemed held up only by his skeleton; his muscles and skin were withered, his eye sockets sunken—if seen at night, he looked like a living gigantic skull. A few sparse white hairs dangled from his head, as ugly as could be.

This elder was Bone Douluo Gu Rong.

"My little princess, don't be angry; I guess your father will be back soon," Bone Douluo said, setting down his teacup and speaking to Ning Rongrong. His voice was hoarse beyond measure, like wind rustling leaves, sounding extremely unpleasant.

Ning Rongrong jumped down from the sofa and ran to sit on Bone Douluo's lap. The delicate, fair‑skinned girl, compared with Bone Douluo's massive skeleton, resembled an exquisite doll. She reached out and tugged the white hair on the gaunt elder's head, "I don't care; he's been gone so long, and after I finally return, dad's not here. He must be deliberately avoiding me. Grandpa Bone, you must take my side."

Bone Douluo's withered skin twitched, and he said helplessly, "My little princess, stop messing with those few withered strands on my head, or I'll truly become bald and be mocked by that scoundrel Grandpa Sword. You want me to take your side—what can I do? In this sect, who dares to provoke you?"

Ning Rongrong thought briefly and said, "That's true. Hmph, anyway, when dad returns, he must give me a good gift so I can calm down. Grandpa Bone, you have to speak for me."

Bone Douluo, to preserve the few remaining hairs on his head, reluctantly nodded repeatedly. If a Soul Master from the outside saw him like this, who knows how shocked they'd be. As the most mysterious Bone Douluo among Title Douluos, being tormented by a little girl to this extent would be hard for anyone to believe.

"I knew Grandpa Bone was the best," Ning Rongrong seemed completely oblivious to Grandpa Bone's ugliness, planted a forceful kiss on his face, then jumped down.

Watching the lively Ning Rongrong, Bone Douluo's eyes were full of warmth and indulgence. He could say he had watched her grow up, and this little witch's pampered nature from childhood was almost what he and Ning Rongrong's other Grandpa Sword had cultivated together.

"I heard our little witch has returned? Where are you, Rongrong, come out quickly so dad can see you." At that moment, the rescuer finally arrived.

Hearing that voice, Ning Rongrong was first excited enough to rush forward, but quickly remembered she was still angry, so she promptly set a stern face, turned around, and faced the door with her back.

That pretty sight made Bone Douluo on the sofa burst into laughter.

A refined middle‑aged man entered the hall accompanied by a white‑robed elder with crane‑like hair and a childlike face.

The two were Ning Fengzhi and Sword Douluo Chen Xin.

Ning Fengzhi's eyes immediately spotted his daughter, and he hurried forward, "Girl, why are you turning your back on dad? You've been away for over a month; dad has missed you terribly!"

Ning Rongrong snapped her head around, "Miss me? As if. You must be hoping I'm not at home."

Ning Fengzhi looked at his daughter's sulky expression, his heart full of pity, sat on the sofa first, reached out to hug her, but Ning Rongrong turned and evaded.

Failing to hug his daughter, Ning Fengzhi was startled. Though he was a support‑type Soul Master, his massive soul power of over seventy levels had heavily transformed his body, far stronger than an ordinary person. Ning Rongrong inherited his martial soul, also support‑type; even a casual hug from him wasn't slow, yet his daughter easily dodged.

Ning Rongrong didn't notice her father's surprise, ran straight to Sword Douluo, leapt into his arms, "Grandpa Sword, Grandpa Sword, I miss you so much. Wuwu…"

Reunited with family after a long separation, Ning Rongrong, after all, was still a little girl, and in her excitement she immediately began to cry.

Sword Douluo hurriedly held her small body tenderly, "Good girl, my little darling, you're finally back. Grandpa Sword missed you terribly."

Ning Rongrong lifted her head, "Really?"

Sword Douluo replied seriously, "Of course it's true; if you don't believe it, ask Grandpa Bone."

Ning Rongrong blinked her clear big eyes, "But just now Grandpa Bone told me he misses me a little more than you do."

"He's spouting nonsense," Sword Douluo retorted, giving Bone Douluo no face: "Clearly I'm the one who misses you a bit more."

"You're the one talking nonsense," Bone Douluo shouted, springing up from the sofa; his terrifying height near 2.5 meters, combined with that hoarse voice, made him look even more dreadful.

"Not convinced? Come on, let's find a place to spar," Sword Douluo puffed out his chest, staring at the other without fear.

"Alright, alright. Uncle Sword, Uncle Bone, you've both fought for a lifetime; Rongrong just returned, let's call it a day," Ning Fengzhi said helplessly, looking at the two elders before him.

"Hmph." Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo almost simultaneously let out a hum, neither looking at each other, their gazes fixed on Ning Rongrong.

Ning Fengzhi slapped his own forehead, thinking that the little witch was indeed a little witch; as soon as she came back the house got lively, and he couldn't help saying, "Rongrong, don't speak recklessly."

Ning Rongrong stuck out her tongue at her father, clearly not fearing Ning Fengzhi at all—otherwise she wouldn't have the nickname little witch—"You don't miss me, yet you both must miss me? I traveled thousands of miles back, and you're not home. Grandpas, how about this: each of you give Rongrong a gift; whichever gift Rongrong likes more shows who misses her more."

"Um…" the two Title Douluos exchanged glances, both thinking, here we go with that trick again.

Ning Fengzhi suppressed a laugh, saying, "Alright, Rongrong, come over, let dad see. Who says dad doesn't miss you? Dad has prepared a gift for you. If you don't behave and listen, the gift will be gone."

"Gift? What is it?" Hearing the word gift, Ning Rongrong instantly became interested, and ran a few steps to her father's side.

Ning Fengzhi calmly raised his hand to hug his daughter, but Ning Rongrong twisted her body again, easily evading, and pouted, "Bring the gift first, or I won't let you hug me."

This time, the surprise wasn't limited to Ning Fengzhi; the two elders also exchanged astonished looks.

Because of the special nature of the Seven Treasure Glass Tower, even a Title Douluo cannot discern her soul power level.

Ning Fengzhi's mind sparked, and he asked, "Rongrong, first tell dad how many levels your soul power is; only if you've improved can dad give you a gift."

Hearing his father ask about her soul power, Ning Rongrong instantly became proud, "Dad, my talent is far better than yours; in this past month I haven't slacked, my soul power didn't increase much, maybe about four levels."

"So few, Rongrong, you need to work harder. Wait, how many did you say?" Ning Fengzhi, being very familiar with his daughter, knew that since childhood she hated cultivation; though she has excellent talent, she only trains when forced and needs various incentives.

When he realized Ning Rongrong said four levels, his face was full of disbelief.

Ning Rongrong blinked her big eyes, looking innocently at her father, "I said four levels! It's indeed a bit low, but I'll work hard."

Ning Fengzhi's voice changed slightly, "Four levels? You left at twenty‑six levels, so that means now you're at thirty levels? You aren't trying to cheat dad, are you?"

Ning Rongrong cooed, "Bad dad, you don't believe me. I may have been mischievous before, but I've never lied. If you don't believe, let the two grandpas see."

As she spoke, she ran to Sword Douluo, extended her small hand, summoned her martial soul, and said, "Grandpa Sword, Grandpa Bone, look."

While speaking, brilliant nine‑colored light gathered in her hand; the three watched the glow in Ning Rongrong's palm, suddenly sensing something odd but unable to pinpoint it. A dazzling tower, swirling with two yellow Soul Rings, appeared on Ning Rongrong's right hand, its radiant brilliance instantly brightening the entire hall.

Before Ning Fengzhi could examine it closely, the Sword Douluo beside him exclaimed, "Nine layers, nine colors? Nine Treasure Glass Tower?"

"What?" Ning Fengzhi was shocked, finally realizing where the oddity lay: when Ning Rongrong released her martial soul, the colors in her palm were no longer the original seven, but added two more, becoming nine colors, and the layers became nine!

The three instantly surrounded Ning Rongrong, staring fixedly at the nine‑layer glass tower in her hand.

After a long pause, Ning Fengzhi swallowed, his voice hoarse, and said, "Rongrong, how did your Seven Treasure Glass Tower evolve into a Nine Treasure Glass Tower? Could it be because of Tian Yun?"

As he spoke, Ning Fengzhi's eyes were filled with obsession and fervor.

Heaven is fair; the Seven Treasure Glass Tower martial soul's effect on the battlefield is truly terrifying, thus it also has flaws.

The reason it's called Seven Treasure is that each layer can absorb only one Soul Ring; with only seven layers, it can hold seven Soul Rings, two fewer than any other martial soul inherently. This is why Ning Fengzhi has been stuck at level 79.

So he is eager to learn how Ning Rongrong managed to evolve the Seven Treasure Glass Tower into a Nine Treasure Glass Tower; if the method is simple, their Qi Bao Liu Li Sect would gain a huge boost, becoming a Nine Treasure Glass Sect again, and it would also be his hope for breakthrough.

When the Seven Treasure Glass Tower cultivates to Soul Saint, its support effect is only 80%; the Nine Treasure Glass Tower can cultivate to Title Douluo realm, at which point its support effect can reach 100%, a massive increase.

The radiant light faded, Ning Rongrong withdrew her martial soul, then curiously asked, "Dad, how did you know this is related to Brother Tian Yun?"

At that moment, Bone Douluo laughed and answered first, "How could I not know? You're our beloved treasure; your whereabouts have always been under dad's control."

Ning Fengzhi, hearing Ning Rongrong's words, felt a bit surprised and asked, "So it really has to do with Yu Tianyun?"

Ning Rongrong giggled, "Yes, thanks to Brother Yu Tianyun, he gave me a celestial herb to eat, so my martial soul evolved into the Nine Treasure Glazed Tower, and my soul power also rose to level 30."

"Celestial herb?" Ning Fengzhi asked anxiously, "What celestial herb?"

Ning Rongrong replied, "Brother Yu Tianyun said it's called something like 'Silken Yujin Fragrance,' a celestial medicinal herb that is not inferior to a hundred‑thousand‑year Soul Ring or soul bone."

Ning Fengzhi was startled by the news, but after thinking it over, realized Ning Rongrong was not exaggerating at all—indeed she was being modest; the effect of this celestial herb would far surpass that of a hundred‑thousand‑year Soul Ring or soul bone.

He quickly searched his mind for familiar herb names, furrowed his brows, found nothing, turned to the two elders and asked, "Sword Uncle, Bone Uncle, have you heard of this celestial herb?"

Both elders shook their heads, their faces blank. Gu Douluo said, "Perhaps only that old poison Dugubo knows about it."

At that moment Ning Rongrong said something that disappointed Ning Fengzhi, "Dad, Brother Yu Tianyun said each celestial herb exists as a single plant, and only the herb that suits you can boost a Soul Master's talent."

Ning Fengzhi felt a slight disappointment, but since Ning Rongrong's martial soul had already evolved into the Nine Treasure Glazed Tower—a huge surprise—he thought inwardly, "Later, let Rongrong and Yu Tianyun have several children so the Nine Treasure Glazed Tower martial soul can be passed down."

Ning Rongrong gave a playful smile and said again, "Dad, what about the gift you promised me? If it pleases me, I'll give you a surprise."

Ning Fengzhi, hearing this, reached into his coat and handed Ning Rongrong the treasure he had bought today at the big auction house, saying gently, "Rongrong, this is the Storage Soul Conduit Sword Grandpa and I purchased at the auction; its interior space is a hundred cubic meters! It's extremely rare."

Ning Rongrong took it and saw a necklace set with a sapphire about three centimeters in diameter, exquisitely and luxuriously crafted, and with the huge internal space, its value was clearly high.

Only then did Ning Rongrong smile with satisfaction, keep it, and then pull three differently materialed treasure boxes from her original bracelet Storage Soul Conduit.

Ning Fengzhi and the two others felt a sudden stir, trembling with excitement, then stared intensely at Ning Rongrong, each vaguely guessing what lay inside the boxes.

Meeting their gazes, Ning Rongrong lifted her head proudly and said, "This is a gift Brother Yu Tianyun specially prepared for you."

After speaking, Ning Rongrong opened the first box, handed it to Ning Fengzhi, and introduced, "The celestial herb for Dad is called Star Net Spirit Pearl. It grows by absorbing starlight across the sky, working much like the Silken Yujin Fragrance I took, and it suits our Nine Treasure Glazed Tower martial soul perfectly. To use it, just eat the golden fruit."

Ning Fengzhi's trembling hands cradled the jade box containing the Star Net Spirit Pearl, his eyes flashing with excitement. Usually meticulous about decorum, he could no longer hide his agitation. His breathing quickened, fine beads of sweat formed on his forehead, and his voice quivered as he said, "This… this Star Net Spirit Pearl, can it really help me break the limits of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tower? That child Yu Tianyun, to think he could find such a precious thing."

He stared unblinkingly at the celestial herb in the jade box, as if envisioning a glorious future for the Qi Bao Liu Li Sect, his eyes full of hope and yearning.

After a while, he took a deep breath, tried to calm his excitement, and said, "If it truly works as Rongrong described, the future of my Qi Bao Liu Li Sect will be limitless. That child Yu Tianyun is truly a lucky star for our sect!"

At that moment, Ning Rongrong opened the second box, revealing a piece of ink‑black bamboo. Handing it to Jian Douluo, she continued, "The celestial herb for Sword Grandpa is called Ink Jade Divine Bamboo. It strengthens the sturdy side of the martial soul, greatly boosting its combat power, and also greatly clears the mind, enhancing all attributes. To use it, you must eat the entire bamboo."

Jian Douluo Chen Xin took the box, gently stroked the Ink Jade Divine Bamboo, his eyes showing satisfaction and delight. The weather‑worn face of his now flushed with a hint of red from excitement, his fingers lightly brushed the bamboo's leaves as if feeling the immense power within.

He said, "Such a celestial herb is truly wondrous. With it, my martial soul will become even more formidable. That little Yu Tianyun, you have ambition! I want to see what level my sword Dao can reach after absorbing this herb."

His gaze grew firm and sharp, as if already envisioning his heroic bearing after a massive power boost.

At this point, Gu Douluo's old face was already beaming, wrinkles compressed, eyes narrowed to slits, occasional "hee‑hee" chuckles escaping his mouth, as he eagerly asked Ning Rongrong, "Rongrong, what celestial herb did Yu Tianyun give Bone Grandpa?"

Ning Rongrong didn't keep him waiting, handed him the final box and introduced, "The celestial herb for Bone Grandpa is called Ghost Bone Spirit Lotus. It can greatly increase bone density, boost defense, and being of a yin‑cold attribute, it matches Bone Grandpa's martial soul perfectly. To use it, you must eat all the petals in one bite."

Gu Douluo looked at the Ghost Bone Spirit Lotus in his hand and exclaimed excitedly, "Ha ha, with this Ghost Bone Spirit Lotus my strength will surely climb another level! That child Yu Tianyun really gave us a huge surprise! I think this kid is far more outstanding than I imagined."

"Ha ha ha, I'm increasingly satisfied with our grandson‑in‑law," Gu Douluo turned to Jian Douluo with a big laugh, unable to stop praising Yu Tianyun.

Jian Douluo looked at him with disdain and said, "Hmph, who was the one back then shouting they wouldn't agree to the marriage arrangement?"

Gu Douluo stuck out his neck, widened his eyes and said, "Who said that? Anyway I didn't say it." After speaking, he rubbed his beard, looking a bit uneasy.

Jian Douluo's disdain grew even deeper, and he was too lazy to pay him any more attention.

Ning Rongrong looked at the three who had received the celestial herbs and instructed, "Dad, Sword Grandpa, Bone Grandpa, now that you all have the herbs, go absorb them quickly!"

Ning Fengzhi smiled, nodded, and said, "Of course. After we absorb the herbs, you take me, your Sword Grandpa and Bone Grandpa, together to Yu Tianyun's place; such a precious gift deserves a proper thank you."

……

(End of Chapter)