"Shut up!"
Qin Jian rushed forward, covering Ning Rongrong's mouth in a panic. "Don't take what I said earlier seriously! It was all nonsense, do you hear me?"
"Mmph, mmph…"
Ning Rongrong struggled, her beautiful eyes filled with doubt.
"Who said it was nonsense…"
Xue Qinghe strode over confidently, his steps steady and imposing. He looked at Qin Jian with a serious expression. "Brother Qin, I'm waiting for the day you accept me. Don't make me wait too long."
After dropping this bombshell, Xue Qinghe turned and walked away, leaving a bewildered Qin Jian standing amidst the gust of wind.
What exactly is wrong with this person?
If he didn't already know she was a woman, Qin Jian wouldn't have dared to say such things in the first place.
Initially, he thought it was fine to joke around in the middle of the night. How could he have known that Ning Rongrong would suddenly wake up?
"Hey!"
Qin Jian abruptly winced and pulled his hand back. "Are you a little dog? You bit me!"
"I bit you! I bit you!"
Ning Rongrong lunged at him, grabbing his right hand as if ready to bite again, but Qin Jian held her forehead back with his left hand. "Alright, alright, I only like girls."
Unexpectedly, Ning Rongrong didn't seem reassured. Instead, her expression grew even more suspicious. "What other girl do you like?"
Qin Jian: "…"
"Rongrong, I just remembered something…"
He suddenly lowered his head, bringing his face close to hers. Locking eyes with her, he said, "A certain little someone seems to have forgotten a promise."
"Huh? What promise?"
Ning Rongrong's attention was successfully diverted.
"Didn't you say you wouldn't call me 'Qin Jian' anymore?" Qin Jian tilted his head, feigning innocence.
Ning Rongrong blinked, then suddenly turned away, rubbing her eyes. "Rongrong is so sleepy. It's so late. Rongrong needs to sleep…"
"Ning Rongrong!" Qin Jian said in a deep voice.
"Oh? Is someone calling me… Am I sleepwalking?"
Ning Rongrong quickened her pace, attempting to flee.
"Trying to play dumb?"
Qin Jian snorted coldly, lunging forward and dragging her back into the room.
"Ah! Qin Jian, let me go! What are you doing?"
Ning Rongrong flailed her arms and legs.
"What am I doing?"
Qin Jian tossed her onto the bed and pounced.
"Qin Jian, let go—ah—don't tickle me!"
"No! Stop it!"
"Rongrong can't take it anymore… wu wu…"
"…"
After much wrestling, the two finally lay side by side, panting for breath.
"Stupid Qin Jian!"
Ning Rongrong pouted, nudging him with her head. Then, slowly, she rested it against his shoulder.
"What do you want me to call you?" she whispered.
Qin Jian chuckled. "Didn't you already have an idea?"
Ning Rongrong's eyes sparkled with mischief. "Are you sure you want me to call you that? No regrets?"
"Go ahead. Let's see what you've come up with," Qin Jian replied.
"Alright, here I go…" Ning Rongrong pushed herself up, giggling. "From now on, I'll call you…"
Qin Jian suddenly had a bad feeling.
"Jian… Ge… Ge!"
Ning Rongrong leaned in and chanted repeatedly, "Jian Gege! Jian Gege! Jian Gege!"
"'Jian Gege'? Or… 'Jian Gagaga'?"
Qin Jian's face darkened. He flipped her over and lay down with his back to her. "Sleep."
"Hehe! You asked for it!"
Ning Rongrong climbed back over, whispering relentlessly into his ear, "Jian Gege! Jian Gege! Jian Gege…"
A few days later.
Qin Jian and Ning Rongrong had left the palace and spent several days back at the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect before Xue Qinghe arrived to escort them to Heaven Dou Imperial Academy. This time, Ning Fengzhi and Sword Douluo accompanied them.
"Rongrong, for your second soul ring, try to aim for one as close to a thousand years as possible. While many meet the requirements, not all are ones you can absorb…" Ning Fengzhi instructed. "The Hunting Grounds at Heaven Dou Imperial Academy house many soul beasts, capped at two thousand years of cultivation. These beasts are slightly weaker than those in the wild, allowing you to absorb rings of higher years. Take advantage of this opportunity."
"Does that mean I have to hunt a soul beast myself?" Ning Rongrong asked, tilting her head.
Ning Fengzhi nodded. "That's the most challenging part. You must kill the beast personally."
Hearing this, Ning Rongrong's face fell. "But Rongrong doesn't know how to hunt soul beasts…"
"Don't worry, I'll help you," Qin Jian said, taking her hand.
Before she could rejoice, Ning Fengzhi added, "That's not allowed. According to the Hunting Grounds' rules, each participant can only kill one soul beast, and while competition is allowed, assisting others is prohibited."
"Why is it like this…" Ning Rongrong pouted.
Ning Fengzhi patted her head. "It's alright. Even if you fail, I'll find you a suitable soul beast later. The only downside will be a slightly lower age limit."
Qin Jian exchanged a glance with Sword Douluo and suddenly said, "What if I forgo absorbing a soul ring this time? I could hunt a soul beast and let Rongrong absorb it instead. Would that work?"
Ning Fengzhi was taken aback. "Qin Jian, you're already at Rank 20. How could you give up this opportunity?"
Qin Jian shook his head and smiled. "I can always go to the Star Dou Forest to hunt soul beasts for my ring later. Right now, it's more important for Rongrong to build a strong foundation."
"But the age limit of the ring you can absorb would be lower, making it less effective than one from the Hunting Grounds," Ning Fengzhi reasoned.
"It's fine." Qin Jian's tone was resolute. "My body constitution allows me to absorb rings of much higher ages than normal. My first soul ring was already nine hundred years. There's no harm in waiting. Helping Rongrong is more important."
Hearing this, Ning Fengzhi glanced at Sword Douluo, who nodded slightly. Relenting, Ning Fengzhi ruffled Qin Jian's hair. "Then, on behalf of Rongrong, thank you."
Before Qin Jian could respond, Ning Rongrong intervened, pushing Ning Fengzhi's hand away. "Dad, don't touch Jian Gege's head! He's a boy; he'll stop growing!"
"Stop growing?" Ning Fengzhi chuckled helplessly.
By now, he had grown accustomed to Ning Rongrong's protective attitude toward Qin Jian. Perhaps too accustomed.
He sighed, covering his forehead. Truly, the life of a father was not easy.
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