"Well said!"
At the gates of Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, several junior-level students lay sprawled on the ground, defeated. Huo Wu swaggered past them, her confidence exuding an aura that silenced any dissent.
Behind her, a middle-aged man dressed in the same fiery red robes followed, a wry smile on his face.
Suddenly, Ning Rongrong's voice rang out, startling everyone. It was unclear if she was provoked by Huo Wu's overwhelming presence or if she had her own reasons.
"Don't speak nonsense!"
Qin Jian lightly tapped her head, his tone one of mild exasperation.
"But I wasn't talking about you, hehe..." Ning Rongrong stuck out her tongue mischievously and looped her arm through Qin Jian's. "My dear Jian-gege is the most charming of all!"
"Uh..."
Ning Fengzhi, Sword Douluo, and Xue Qinghe all flinched simultaneously, their skin crawling at her affectionate display.
As Huo Wu passed by, she caught Ning Rongrong's words. She turned her head, her interest piqued. The sight of the refined and handsome young man briefly lit up her eyes, but her pride quickly surfaced as she raised her chin and scoffed, "He's nothing special."
"Hey! You're not allowed to say that!"
Ning Rongrong, who often teased Qin Jian herself, was fiercely protective of him. She stepped forward with her hands on her hips, her demeanor instantly reminiscent of her childhood days.
Ning Fengzhi sighed and rubbed his temple. "It seems my little troublemaker is back again."
"And why shouldn't I say it?" Huo Wu stood her ground, her fiery spirit undeterred.
"Those losers on the ground aren't even in the same league as my Jian-gege!" Ning Rongrong pointed disdainfully at Xue Beng and the others lying defeated, delivering yet another verbal blow.
"Oh?"
Huo Wu folded her arms, stepping closer to Qin Jian. Her proud gaze bore into him as she challenged, "How about we have a duel?"
Before Qin Jian could reply, Ning Rongrong darted in front of him, shielding him like a guardian. "You're older than us, and your Soul Power is ten levels higher. Only a fool would agree to that!"
"You!"
Huo Wu's expression darkened, but before she could retort, her teacher intervened, grabbing her arm.
"Teacher, what are you doing?" Huo Wu asked, frowning.
Instead of answering her, the teacher walked directly to Ning Fengzhi and bowed slightly. "Sect Master Ning, Sword Douluo, please forgive Huo Wu for any unintended offense."
His words caused murmurs to ripple through the crowd, who now noticed Ning Fengzhi and Sword Douluo standing behind Qin Jian and Ning Rongrong.
"So, they're from the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect?"
"Indeed! But then, who are the young man and the girl?"
"Could they be Sword Douluo's disciple Qin Jian and Sect Master Ning's daughter Ning Rongrong? You know, the ones from the royal ceremony a few days ago?"
"..."
As the whispers spread, Huo Wu froze in realization, her gaze shifting toward Qin Jian and Ning Rongrong. "So, you two are the famous Qin Jian and Ning Rongrong everyone's been talking about?"
Huo Wu's teacher, noticing her usual brazenness, let out a helpless sigh. "Please excuse her temperament. She means no harm."
Ning Fengzhi smiled warmly, shaking his head. "No matter. Youthful exuberance is to be expected."
"Huo Wu, apologize," her teacher instructed firmly.
However, Huo Wu stubbornly refused. "I didn't say anything wrong. Why should I apologize?" She glanced at Qin Jian and added with a provocative smirk, "Unless he can beat me in a duel."
"Huo Wu, his rank is far below yours!"
Seeing her teacher's stern expression, Huo Wu relented somewhat. "Fine. Isn't he here for the Soul Hunting grounds as well? Tomorrow's Simulation Soul Hunting Rankings can settle this. If I lose, I'll apologize."
"Isn't the Simulation Soul Hunt unaffected by rank?" Qin Jian asked.
Huo Wu nodded. "The rankings adjust the Soul Beast difficulty based on each participant's Soul Power. Everyone faces the ninth-level challenge. Whoever ranks higher will be the victor. What do you say?"
Glancing at Ning Rongrong's indignant expression, Qin Jian nodded. "Fine. Let's do it."
With that, the confrontation dissipated, and everyone dispersed.
"Jian-gege, did I cause trouble for you?" Ning Rongrong asked sheepishly, clearly concerned about the look Qin Jian had given her earlier.
"Not really..." Qin Jian took her hand, a reassuring smile on his face. "I was planning to take you into the advanced hunting grounds anyway. Tomorrow's ranking competition is just the perfect chance to take first place."
Hearing this, Ning Rongrong's eyes sparkled as she clung to his arm. "I knew you were the best!"
At that moment, Xue Qinghe approached, patting Qin Jian's shoulder. "Little Brother Qin, I don't mean to discourage you, but all the participants this time are the top talents from various academies. Some are even rumored to be candidates for the next Continental Elite Young Soul Master Tournament."
She gave him a knowing look. "Winning won't be easy."
"Oh..."
Without a word, Qin Jian subtly moved out of her reach, pulling Ning Rongrong along.
The two walked toward Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, leaving Xue Qinghe standing there, speechless.
"Wait, is that..."
As they entered the academy, Qin Jian noticed two figures in blue dresses entering the gates. The duo, who resembled sisters, caught his attention.
"That outfit and design..."
Before Qin Jian could dig into his ten-thousand-year-old memories, Xue Qinghe appeared again, pointing at the taller of the two. "That's from Skywater Academy. The taller one is likely the teacher, and the shorter one is Shui Bing'er."
Why is she always sneaking up on me?
Ning Rongrong dragged Qin Jian a few steps away from Xue Qinghe again.
With a chuckle, Xue Qinghe added, "Shui Bing'er's martial soul is the Ice Phoenix, an apex beast martial soul on par with the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon."
"Shui Bing'er..."
Qin Jian looked at the girl, feeling that something was off. The shy and cautious demeanor of the long-haired girl seemed far removed from the commanding team captain he recalled from her future.
Her current appearance didn't match his memory either—she'd cut her hair short by then...
"With looks like that... why be a Soul Master?"
He muttered to himself, imagining the pair as a performance group. "If I could form a girl group with them and teach them some choreography from my past life, they'd be the ultimate sensation on the continent..."
"Jian-gege!"
Ning Rongrong's sharp voice pulled him from his thoughts.
"What is it?"
"You were staring so hard, your drool was about to fall! Are they that pretty?"
Qin Jian immediately denied it, shaking his head as he grabbed her hands. "They might be good-looking, but they can't hold a candle to my dear Rongrong!"
"Really?"
"Absolutely."
Xue Qinghe, observing the scene, sighed deeply. Qin Jian's talent in charming girls was truly unmatched.
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