Chapter 439: Ning Rongrong's Surprise
Ning Rongrong remained silent for a moment, hesitating on whether to continue punishing the girl. To be honest, she and Tang San had different views on trials. Tang San believed that everyone needed to undergo challenges to grow no storm, no rainbow. But to Ning Rongrong, trials were only meaningful if they were fun. If she kept whipping Wu Feng, it would lose its appeal.
Besides, Wu Feng was part of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. She couldn't just keep whipping her and eliminate her in the first round she wanted to help train both Wu Feng and Ning Tian. According to Divine Realm rules, gods weren't allowed to interfere in the mortal world, so she had always followed this guideline strictly to avoid causing trouble for her ever so righteous Third Brother.
After a brief moment of thought, she decided to give Wu Feng a hint. "Wu Feng, if you continue to lie, I will punish you with death. If you don't want to die, answer honestly."
Death.
Wu Feng's eyes widened in shock. She had no doubt that the voice's owner could make good on the threat. This being's power was far beyond her comprehension even an Ultimate Douluo would be utterly helpless before them. Gritting her teeth, she decided to come clean. "My lover is Ning Tian."
Ning Rongrong could sense the truth in her words and was immediately delighted.
She was indeed surprised that Wu Feng's lover was Ning Tian. But Ning Rongrong had always been a strong supporter of true love. As long as both parties were sincere, societal expectations and obstacles meant nothing.
In her eyes, Third Brother was a human with a soul beast's bloodline, while Xiao Wu was a soul beast who had taken human form. Strictly speaking, they were from entirely different species. Their love was far less common and far more controversial than Wu Feng and Ning Tian simply being of the same gender.
Yet despite everything, Third Brother and Xiao Wu had defied the world's judgment and written a legendary romance that transcended species. Now, Wu Feng had openly expressed her love. Was she about to witness another great love story unfold?
The thought excited Ning Rongrong, and she couldn't wait to bring Ning Tian into the scene.
Moments later, Ning Tian's protective bubble shattered, and she rose into the golden light. Wu Feng's eyes lit up at the sight, eager to talk to her. However, Ning Rongrong had anticipated this and quickly encased Wu Feng in another transparent bubble that blocked sound but still allowed her to see everything happening outside.
"Ning Tian, do you have a lover?" Ning Rongrong maintained the same calm, androgynous voice.
Ning Tian froze, confused. She glanced toward Wu Feng, who was trapped inside the bubble, her mouth moving but making no sound.
A sense of unease crept into Ning Tian. She carefully considered how to answer in a way that would satisfy the voice and allow her to leave safely, so she could return to the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
Ning Rongrong patiently waited, but as the silence dragged on, her patience wore thin. "Ning Tian, answer my question. If you don't, I will punish you with death."
The mention of death made Ning Tian nervous. As the young sect master of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, she had no intention of dying in this strange place. "Senior, please wait. Let me think for a moment before answering."
Should she tell the truth or lie?
If she said she had a lover, who would that be? If she said she didn't, would that be the right answer?
Which response would satisfy this terrifying entity that kept threatening her with death?
For a moment, Ning Tian hesitated.
Meanwhile, Huo Yuhao, listening to Ning Rongrong's words, could tell she was merely bluffing. Truthfully, while Ning Rongrong could be mischievous, she wasn't the type to kill innocent descendants. No matter what Ning Tian answered, she wouldn't actually be killed.
In the original story, Ning Tian had turned into a man and ended up with Wu Feng. This outcome was the combined work of Tang San and Ning Rongrong though Tang San had played a much bigger role. After all, Ning Rongrong had used the same neutral, mysterious voice throughout the trial, but the voice that had urged Ning Tian to jump off a cliff had been a deep, low voice.
Who else could that voice belong to? The answer was obvious.
Initially, Ning Tian had only seen Wu Feng as a close sister, someone she was willing to die for but she had never considered her a romantic partner. Yet under Tang San's influence, she had "confessed" her love for Wu Feng while jumping off a cliff, even stating that if there were a next life, she would be a man.
That transformation had been far too sudden. Normally, a person's character wouldn't change so drastically unless there was an external force manipulating them. Without Tang San's interference, Ning Tian never would have "fallen in love" with Wu Feng.
Now, Huo Yuhao, with the support of the Plane's Will and Electrolux's power, silently spread his spiritual energy to influence Ning Tian's thoughts. He did this for two reasons first, to speed up the trial process, and second, to protect himself.
After all, in the original story, Ning Tian had originally wanted to find an unparalleled genius as her husband to secure her position as the sect's future master and restore the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's former glory. That was why she had pursued Huo Yuhao, only to be rejected.
Now, Huo Yuhao was already the undisputed number one genius of the Douluo Continent. Since Ning Tian had already expressed goodwill toward him in the past, he didn't want to risk her suddenly saying that the person she loved was him.
Who knew what kind of mischief Ning Rongrong might get up to if that happened? If she decided to force a "true love trial" on him, it would be a huge problem especially with Tang San's divine consciousness still present.
Fortunately, Tang San had only sent a projection at the level of a divine officer, and Ning Rongrong, following the example of her "pure and righteous" Third Brother, had also chosen to use only a divine officer level projection.
Thanks to the protection of the Plane's Will and Electrolux, Huo Yuhao's influence over Ning Tian went unnoticed.
Under his influence, Ning Tian suddenly felt that she couldn't back down. She took a deep breath and declared, "Senior, after careful consideration, I cannot tell you whether I have a lover or not.
If I reveal that, it would mean submitting to power. I am from the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, and my ancestor is the renowned Nine Colored Goddess, Ning Rongrong. I have always taken pride in my lineage.
According to our sect's records, my ancestor Ning Rongrong was a fearless and righteous person who never bowed to oppression. She has always been my idol, and I will follow her example. So do as you will kill me if you must!"
With that, she closed her eyes, refusing to say another word, as if genuinely prepared to face her so called punishment.
Ning Rongrong was completely stunned. She had never expected Ning Tian to say something like that.
Of course, she had never actually intended to kill her she was just trying to scare her a little. As the ancestor of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, how could she possibly harm her own descendants?
But the way Ning Tian praised her so highly made Ning Rongrong feel incredibly awkward, as if she wanted to crawl into a hole and hide. She knew very well that she wasn't nearly as noble as Ning Tian had described.
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