Chapter 39

Shi Quan watched Ning Rongrong, who was clamoring beneath him, without interrupting her, just listening quietly as she made a scene.

Ning Rongrong struggled with all her might, only to find that the plants binding her were exceptionally tough and impossible for her to break free from.

When she turned her head and saw the thousand-year soul ring beneath Shi Quan, she was visibly stunned. Seeing that Shi Quan ignored her, after making a fuss for a while, Ning Rongrong could only say coldly: "My father would never leave me here alone; he must have left secret guards from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect in the shadows. Aren't you afraid that if you treat me like this, the guards will intervene, or they will go back and report you to my father?"

"Young Miss, should I call you smart or stupid?" Shi Quan looked at Ning Rongrong with a faint smile and continued: "Do you think I wouldn't know there are secret guards in the shadows? If they were going to intervene, you wouldn't be lying here right now. The fact that they haven't moved means Uncle Ning allows me to handle you, understand? As for reporting back, let them report it. I don't even want to teach you; teaching you is just a waste of my time."

The secret guards protecting Ning Rongrong in the shadows felt conflicted upon hearing their conversation. The truth was exactly as Shi Quan said; before leaving, Ning Fengzhi had instructed them that Shi Quan could train Ning Rongrong as he pleased, and they only needed to watch her to ensure she didn't run back, while everything else was none of their business.

"So, until Uncle Ning comes to take you back, you had better honestly practice here according to my arrangements, understand?"

Hearing Shi Quan say this, Ning Rongrong could only say with a sullen expression: "I understand."

"Good that you understand." Shi Quan retracted the Blue Silver Grass and helped Ning Rongrong up. "I'll check your physical fitness while I'm at it, don't be nervous."

Shi Quan followed her arms and began to knead them.

Ning Rongrong only felt a sour, aching, and bloated pain where Shi Quan touched her. Fortunately, this feeling didn't last long and soon disappeared, but she still felt very uncomfortable because Shi Quan was kneading not just her arms, but also her back and legs—almost everywhere except her chest.

She originally wanted to resist, but found that for some reason she couldn't muster any strength, and could only let Shi Quan knead and examine her. Fortunately, she realized Shi Quan was just performing a simple check and had no other intentions, but even so, she still blushed with shyness.

After all, she was just a young girl; she had never been kneaded like this by a boy before.

After checking Ning Rongrong's physical fitness, to say the least, although she looked delicate, her physical strength was not bad. After all, she had been helped by the massive resources of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect since childhood, and she had exercised from time to time in the sect, so her physical strength was higher than most support-type soul masters of her age.

It was just that her current temperament was a bit too poor.

After understanding Ning Rongrong's situation, Shi Quan let go of her hand and said: "Alright, today I will formulate a plan for you. Starting tomorrow, come to me every afternoon, and I will guide your training. You can arrange your own time for the rest of the day."

"Then can I go now?" Ning Rongrong looked at Shi Quan timidly.

"Hmm, go ahead." Shi Quan waved his hand.

He closed his eyes, sat cross-legged on the grassy patch, and began to practice on his own.

Seeing this, Ning Rongrong was afraid that Shi Quan would go back on his word, so she ran quickly toward the outside of the forest. Only after running out of the forest did she breathe a sigh of relief.

She glared in the direction of the forest and said viciously, "You, Shi Quan, how dare you bully me like this! And Dad, how could he just hand me over to him and let him bully me? When I go back, I will definitely have Grandpa Sword and Grandpa Bone take revenge for me!"

Saying this, Ning Rongrong ran straight toward the location of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect without looking back.

The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, like the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, was located near Heaven Dou City, so the distance between the two was not far.

However, Ning Rongrong had not run far from the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy when she was blocked by a figure that suddenly appeared.

"Young Miss, the Sect Master said you are not allowed to leave the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy. You should go back." This person was the secret guard arranged by Ning Fengzhi to protect Ning Rongrong.

Upon hearing this, Ning Rongrong let out a sharp cry: "I want to go back, what? Do you dare to stop me?"

Ning Rongrong was much more direct with people from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. She ignored the guard's obstruction, walked straight ahead, and raised her hand, intending to forcefully push the guard aside.

Seeing this, the guard could only sigh helplessly. He shook his head at Ning Rongrong's reckless behavior, a colorful light radiated from his body, and then his figure disappeared silently from the spot.

Naturally, Ning Rongrong couldn't be bothered with the guard and continued to walk forward on her own. As she walked, she discovered something wrong; without realizing it, she had walked back to the foot of the mountain where the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy was located.

Ning Rongrong was smart and immediately realized that the guard had secretly used an illusion-type soul skill on her. She then angrily shouted at her surroundings: "How dare you lay a hand on me!"

"Young Miss, the Sect Master said you cannot leave the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy. If necessary, we are allowed to intervene. If you want to leave, you must at least train with Shi Quan for one year. Within one year, unless the Sect Master comes to pick you up, otherwise..."

The guard's words paused slightly, not continuing, because they knew that besides the Sect Master, there were two people in the sect who treated Ning Rongrong like a treasure: Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo. If those two came to pick her up, they wouldn't be able to stop them even if they wanted to, and if the Young Miss acted spoiled and cute, they would definitely suffer for it.

"Fine, fine, fine!" Ning Rongrong laughed out of extreme anger. She didn't understand why Ning Fengzhi trusted Shi Quan so much. After trying hard to suppress the anger in her heart, she asked calmly: "If you won't let me leave, at least let me know what's going on with this Shi Quan, right? He's only about my age, why should I learn from him? And what's the deal with his thousand-year soul ring?"

"Young Miss, this is a letter left for you by the Sect Master." The guard's figure appeared again, but this time there was an envelope in his hand.

Ning Rongrong glared at the guard, reached out and grabbed the letter, and questioned: "Why didn't you give me the letter my father left for me sooner?"

The guard said helplessly: "The Sect Master ordered that I should give it to you only after you tried to run away once."

"Hmph!" Ning Rongrong snorted coldly, turned her head away, and tore open the envelope to read the contents.

Her originally furrowed brows gradually smoothed out after seeing the contents of the letter, and her eyes slowly widened, filled with an expression of disbelief.

"How is this possible? Innate soul power level one? And that vine from just now was actually Blue Silver Grass?" Ning Rongrong widened her eyes, full of shock.

"No wonder Dad values him so much." Ning Rongrong put away the envelope, her eyes now filled with a bit more interest and curiosity.

"Since that's the case, I'll just have some fun here at the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy."

Saying this, Ning Rongrong turned and walked toward the main campus of the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy halfway up the mountain, no longer trying to escape.

After all, she was only a ten-year-old child. Once her curiosity was piqued, she was naturally willing to stay, though it was unknown how long her curiosity would last.

Ning Rongrong's status at the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy was that of an auditor; she could only be considered half a student, because Ning Fengzhi didn't put her there to study at the academy, but to learn from Shi Quan.

The next afternoon.

"Shi Quan, I'm here." Ning Rongrong's delicate voice came from afar.

Hearing the voice outside, Shi Quan walked out of the wooden house unhurriedly.

Looking at Ning Rongrong, he said with a faint smile: "Looks like you were caught and brought back?"

Given Ning Rongrong's personality, after being bullied by him like that yesterday, she should have gone to complain. If she had left and not returned, that would be best, but the fact that she could come back the next day meant one thing: Ning Fengzhi must have arranged for someone to prevent her from going back.

"Hmph." Ning Rongrong turned her head away and said lightly: "Tell me, how do we train?"

Seeing Ning Rongrong's reaction, Shi Quan's guess was confirmed.

"First, jog around the clearing ten times to warm up."

Shi Quan walked to the middle of the clearing, his feet slightly wider than his shoulders, standing in a standard horse stance with a half-squat, his eyes slightly closed.

"Running?" Ning Rongrong curled her lips. She wanted to see what Shi Quan was up to. Seeing that the clearing wasn't large and that Shi Quan had said to jog, she began to run unhurriedly.

While running, she kept glancing at Shi Quan in the middle, feeling puzzled and not understanding what he was doing—just standing there quietly?

After about a quarter of an hour, Ning Rongrong slowly finished the ten laps.

"Come over here." As soon as Ning Rongrong stopped, Shi Quan's voice sounded again.

Ning Rongrong walked slowly to Shi Quan's side and asked: "What's next?"

Shi Quan just asked lightly: "Did you see my posture just now clearly?"

"The posture you were standing in?" Ning Rongrong asked with a frown.

"Yes, stand exactly like I did just now. You stand for as long as I stood," Shi Quan nodded slightly, his eyes fixed on Ning Rongrong.

Although Ning Rongrong was puzzled, she still stood up honestly; in her view, wasn't it just standing? What was difficult about this?

"Spread your legs a little more, lower your center of gravity, keep your back straight..."

Shi Quan did not know where he had taken a wooden stick from, and he tapped it lightly on Ning Rongrong's body, constantly instructing her to perfect her posture.

Ning Rongrong's face flushed red; she had not expected that a movement which looked so simple would actually have so many requirements. If anyone else had pointed fingers at her like this, she would have exploded long ago. If it weren't for the fact that she wanted to see exactly how much ability Shi Quan really had, she would have already walked away in a huff.

(End of this chapter)