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Today was a rest day for the special training camp, and Ning Tianchen and Ning Rongrong strolled together along the streets of Tiandou City.
"Tianchen big brother, you've been training nonstop these past few days and haven't played with Rongrong at all. I don't care—I'm going to have so much fun today!" Ning Rongrong bounced along happily, her face beaming with joy.
Ning Tianchen chuckled softly. "Alright, alright. Let's have fun today."
If he started lecturing her now, Ning Rongrong wouldn't listen. It was better to wait until she had her fill of fun before saying anything.
Ning Tianchen felt a wave of helplessness. This made him feel like he was Ning Rongrong's babysitter.
However, this little rich girl was generous. Every time she saw something delicious, she would buy a lot of it. Whatever she couldn't finish, she handed over to Ning Tianchen to deal with.
Ning Tianchen stored these foods in his soul-guidance device, using them to "bribe" others during duels or in the special training camp, gaining him quite a few benefits.
Now, Ning Rongrong's mischievous nature was starting to show, but she knew what was appropriate and what wasn't. She wasn't as bad as Flender had described—someone who was rotten to the core.
Since he was her best friend, Ning Tianchen wasn't about to let the Shrek Academy group PUA (manipulate) Ning Rongrong.
In the original timeline, that approach might have been the best way to change Ning Rongrong. But now that Ning Tianchen was here, did she still need the Shrek Academy's guidance?
…
The two wandered the streets for a long time.
For some reason, Ning Rongrong seemed to be engaging in retaliatory spending. Almost every item that caught her interest, she bought in bulk.
"Rongrong, you can't keep doing this. If you keep buying, my soul-guidance device won't have enough space," Ning Tianchen didn't directly lecture her but gently warned her instead.
Ning Rongrong scratched her head and grinned sheepishly. "Oh, okay. I'll buy a little less then."
"Boss, I'll take this one, and that one too."
"Just like that, you've already spent tens of thousands of gold spirit coins," Ning Tianchen sighed helplessly.
It was only because the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect was incredibly wealthy and Ning Rongrong was Ning Fengzhi's beloved daughter that they could afford such spending. If she were from any other family, who could possibly keep up with her extravagant habits?
Just as Ning Tianchen was lost in thought, a gentle voice interrupted: "Little sister, this pendant resembles my martial soul. Could you let me have one?"
Looking up, the speaker was a boy around fourteen or fifteen years old. On the chest of his blue training uniform was a family insignia.
"Could this be Feng Xiaotian from the Feng family of Tiandou City?" Ning Tianchen wondered silently.
Ning Rongrong turned to look at him, seemingly seeking his opinion.
Ning Tianchen nodded slightly and politely greeted, "Big Brother, may I ask who you are?"
The boy smiled. "Hello, my name is Feng Xiaotian."
So it was him.
Ning Tianchen replied, "I'm Ning Tianchen, and this is my friend, Ning Rongrong."
"What? You're Ning Tianchen?" Feng Xiaotian exclaimed in surprise.
Ning family disciples appearing in Tiandou City, combined with their expensive attire, left no doubt in Feng Xiaotian's mind—they were disciples of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect.
"Huh? Big Brother Feng knows me?" Ning Tianchen scratched his head, feeling a bit awkward.
In his previous life, whether reading novels or watching anime, Ning Tianchen had always viewed Feng Xiaotian favorably. He was someone worth befriending.
Feng Xiaotian explained, "This is the first time I've met you both. However, your names are very familiar to me."
"Ning Rongrong, your innate soul power reached level nine. You're already the highest innate soul power auxiliary-type soul master to appear in nearly a hundred years."
Ning Rongrong placed her hands on her hips, thoroughly enjoying the praise.
After their martial souls awakened, although the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect never publicly announced it, the major forces in Tiandou City were well aware of it. Similarly, when other factions produced prodigies, the sect also learned about them.
Major factions shared information about their geniuses as long as relations between the two sides weren't irreconcilable. Choosing not to target each other's prodigies was an indirect way of protecting them.
"Big Brother Feng is also a genius with full innate soul power. Your praise is too kind," Ning Tianchen said humbly, bowing slightly.
Feng Xiaotian waved his hand dismissively. "We've met by chance. When you grow older, we should spar sometime."
Ning Tianchen had no objections. Sparring with a genius like Feng Xiaotian was something he'd welcome.
"I wonder what Big Brother Feng's current soul power level is. If the gap between us is too large, I might not be able to seek your guidance in the future."
In the original storyline, by the age of twenty-four, Feng Xiaotian only had forty-three levels of soul power.
How did he manage to cultivate so poorly despite having full innate soul power?
Feng Xiaotian admitted frankly, "My current soul power is at level thirty-six, but recently I've been focusing on developing my own soul skill, so my soul power growth has slowed down significantly."
So, in the next eight-plus years, your soul power only increased by seven levels? Subtracting the one level provided by absorbing soul rings, you can't even manage to increase by one level per year?
Ning Tianchen's thoughts were filled with silent criticism.
He couldn't understand what kind of magic had possessed Feng Xiaotian to abandon cultivating soul power in favor of researching his own soul skill.
Upon hearing this, Ning Rongrong couldn't help but cover her mouth in shock. "Wow, Brother Xiaotian is actually trying to develop his own soul skill!"
Feng Xiaotian laughed in response. "Sister Rongrong, I've just started researching. It'll probably take another two or three years before I see any results."
After receiving the pendant he wanted from Ning Rongrong, Feng Xiaotian bid farewell. "I won't disturb you two anymore. I also have some things to do, so let's part ways here."
"See you again sometime," Ning Tianchen and Ning Rongrong waved goodbye.
After Feng Xiaotian left, Ning Rongrong looked at Ning Tianchen with admiration. "Tianchen big brother, I didn't expect there to be a genius like Brother Xiaotian besides you. But in Rongrong's heart, you're still the best."
Ning Tianchen playfully flicked her nose and said gently, "However, developing one's own soul skill isn't as easy as it sounds. Take the sect's 'Divided Mind Control' technique or the swordsmanship skills Sword Elder taught me—they were refined and perfected over generations to reach their current state."
"I estimate that Feng Xiaotian will spend quite a bit of time developing his own soul skill."
Though Ning Rongrong didn't fully understand, she nodded in agreement with Ning Tianchen.
…
After a day of fun, Ning Rongrong carried a bunch of snacks in her arms, eating as she walked.
Ning Tianchen knew this was the perfect time to give her a little lecture.
Suddenly, his expression turned serious.
"What's wrong, Tianchen big brother? Your face looks just like the teachers in the special training camp," Ning Rongrong giggled.
Ning Tianchen spoke sternly: "Rongrong, have you been arguing with your teachers?"
At the mention of teachers, Ning Rongrong pouted. "I don't want them teaching me. Those teachers aren't nearly as strong as Daddy. I only want Daddy to teach me."
Ning Tianchen continued, "Rongrong, you're the future sect leader. Have you ever seen the sect leader giving random scowls to disciples within the sect?"
This question left Ning Rongrong speechless.
She thought back, recalling that she had only ever seen her father encouraging the sect's disciples and never harshly criticizing anyone.
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