Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, the vacant training ground on the edge.
The space in the central position trembled slightly, rippling with faint waves.
Ning Rongrong, Sword Douluo, and Bone Douluo appeared in the training ground.
"Grandpa Jian, have you absorbed all the soul bones I gave you?" Ning Rongrong looked up at Sword Douluo.
"Yes, anything Rongrong asks me to do, I'll of course do it seriously." Sword Douluo nodded. "Aside from no external soul bone, all the soul bones throughout my body are complete."
"Soul bones over seventy thousand years should be sufficient." Ning Rongrong pondered thoughtfully.
Back then, when scavenging soul bones in the Vastsea City sea domain, Ning Rongrong had deliberately set aside a batch specifically suited for Sword Douluo, Bone Douluo, and Ning Fengzhi—the lowest were all seventy thousand years.
To be honest, at the level of Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo, ordinary soul bones didn't have much effect.
Improvements usually came from hundred thousand year soul bones, while ordinary soul bones' corresponding soul bone skills were the most important aspects.
However, they hadn't become gods yet, so they still had some effect on the physical body.
Ning Rongrong hadn't noticed it before, but upon returning this time, she discovered that Sword Douluo had quietly broken through to the demigod realm—it was truly surprising.
This was good; it would make reaching the next stage even more assured.
Hundred thousand year soul bones provided a significant boost; both Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo had received one each—the soul bones from sea soul beasts given to Ning Fengzhi for him to distribute.
"Grandpa Jian, last time I told you that I would help you break through to the quasi-god realm next, but there is some danger involved."
"I only have about seventy to eighty percent confidence in success. If it fails, you'll probably need about a year and a half to recover."
"Normally, I should wait until I have full confidence—after I break through to the next realm—before starting, but plans can't keep up with changes."
"Rongrong!" Sword Douluo placed his hand on Ning Rongrong's shoulder and patted it gently.
"Seventy to eighty percent confidence is already very high. You don't need to spoon-feed us to this extent. To be honest, for a Soul Douluo breaking through to Title Douluo, having half the confidence means nearly ninety percent of soul masters would attempt it, even if failure risks their lives."
"Grandpa Jian..."
"Dust Heart is right; you're just too cautious." Bone Douluo spoke up. "No one can predict all things and all outcomes from the start."
"Hoo—" Ning Rongrong took a deep breath. "I understand."
"I'll do my best."
Beside Ning Rongrong, a pitch-black void appeared, followed by a girl who looked exactly like the current Ning Rongrong except for her hairstyle materializing before them.
"There are some things I forgot to tell Father; go help me say them."
The summoned clone nodded and flew toward the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's pill refining pavilion.
"Zafkiel: City of Devouring Time"
After the clone left, the hour hand in Ning Rongrong's pupils began to turn once more.
Pitch-black energy like ink enveloped the three of them.
"Grandpa Jian, this is what I'm thinking..." Ning Rongrong explained her train of thought to Sword Douluo.
"Hypnos's sword path insights?"
"That's a secondary god, Rongrong. You really think highly of me." Sword Douluo smiled.
First, clear Sword Douluo's meridians, then transmit Hypnos's combat experiences and encounters to him in the form of a projected film.
At the Limit Douluo tier, it was usually not about energy elevation but comprehension.
This way, it should allow Sword Douluo to break through the demigod limit and reach quasi-god.
Though it might not compare to freaks like Di Tian and the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King with their six attributes.
But in terms of swordsmanship, it shouldn't be inferior to Qian Daoliu at the quasi-god level without using his divine equipment.
That would be enough...
"Rongrong, what about me then?"
Bone Douluo pointed at himself with his finger.
"Grandpa Gu, it depends on whether you dare. Your aptitude and talent... to be honest, don't hit me—oh right, you can't beat me now anyway."
Ning Rongrong patted her chest as if relieved and said, "In these aspects, you're somewhat behind Grandpa Jian."
Bone Douluo: "..."
I can't beat you, but do you have to say it out loud like this?
"Hahahaha, as expected, Rongrong still thinks I'm stronger than you—not just in soul power rank." As soon as Ning Rongrong finished speaking, Sword Douluo burst into laughter.
Bone Douluo's face was full of black lines as he rolled his eyes: "Yes, yes, yes, you're strong, always strong, but you're still just a cowardly man."
"Rongrong, you have a way to let me beat this arrogant guy, right?"
"Uh..." Ning Rongrong's mouth twitched.
These two had been together for decades, yet they still often couldn't see eye to eye.
"I originally planned to borrow Di Tian and the Dragon Valley's dragon aura to further evolve your Bone Dragon martial soul, but that's on hold now."
"However, with the soul bones from the Sky Blue Bull Python and Titan Giant Ape, it won't be difficult for you to break through to 99th rank pseudo-demigod. The difficulty is what comes after..."
In terms of martial soul, the Bone Dragon was a bit inferior to the Seven Kills Sword, which focused on slaughter.
This was a martial soul quality issue, but for soul masters, it equated to aptitude and talent problems.
In Ning Rongrong's hand appeared a triangular azure-blue item—the Sea God's Heart given to her by Bi Ji from the Star Dou Forest.
"It contains Silver Dragon King Gu Yuena's essence blood. I've checked it; for some special reason, it's vastly different from Gu Yuena's essence."
"In simple terms, it won't be recognized by the God Realm as the Silver Dragon King."
"How to do it?" Bone Douluo's head was spinning from listening. "Just tell me what to do; all this fusion and miscellaneous stuff, I don't understand."
"In simple terms, I'll use dark attribute rules to taint the Silver Dragon King's power and find a way to further evolve your Bone Dragon martial soul."
"Evolve the martial soul?" Sword Douluo was puzzled.
"That's right, but there might be danger." Ning Rongrong nodded. "This is a method I thought of just now after seeing the God of Love elevate Ning Tian's Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda."
"However, you're ultimately a 98th rank Title Douluo, so there might be some degree of risk."
"I can't guarantee the probability; even if it fails, you might forever be stuck at 98th rank."
"98th rank is 98th rank; with my aptitude, could I even become a god?"
Ning Rongrong fell silent; to be honest, she did have such thoughts.
In the end, Bone Douluo still told Ning Rongrong to go ahead boldly without worry.
...
While the main body, fused with Tokisaki Kurumi, was enhancing the strengths of Bone Douluo and Sword Douluo.
The other self, as a clone, returned to Ning Fengzhi's side.
"Eh, you're Rongrong?"
Ning Fengzhi vaguely sensed that the Ning Rongrong before him was somewhat different from before.
"It's a clone; essentially, we're the same person." Ning Rongrong explained, then led Ning Fengzhi aside for a private talk.
"Daddy, after helping Grandpa Jian and Grandpa Gu advance this time, I might fall into a long slumber."
"I also plan to use the slumber to break through to the next stage. The matters afterward will be left to you."
"This..."
"Is there no other way?" Ning Fengzhi pressed.
"No, don't worry. As long as it's not a primary god from the God Realm descending, with you, Daddy, plus Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo's strength, it should be manageable."
"The slumber won't last too long; you can rest assured on that."
"And then there's Tang San." Ning Rongrong pondered slightly before saying, "The Tang Tian mentioned before is most likely Tang San; he might come to the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect again."
"For him, you all must be extremely cautious. Unless necessary, don't become enemies for now—of course, there's no need to befriend him either; just maintain neutrality."
"You seem very concerned about Tang San." Ning Fengzhi was puzzled.
"Swish"—a ray of light shot from her fingertip, directly entering Ning Fengzhi's mind.
Gradually, shock appeared on Ning Fengzhi's face.
"Tang San actually has the ability to severely wound Qian Renxue!"
What Ning Rongrong showed Ning Fengzhi was the battle that had occurred in the Star Dou Forest back then.
Qian Renxue being able to fight Tang Chen showed she wasn't weak.
Yet she was severely wounded by Tang San's Avalokitesvara's Tear, even while fully defending.
That move gave him the feeling it could kill a Limit Douluo, though the conditions were harsh—absorbing the blood of three hundred thousand year soul beasts—but it was still extremely terrifying.
"Everything can wait until I awaken. You don't need to worry too much; Tang San probably can't use that move again in the short term."
"Father, prioritize the big picture in everything."
"No need to befriend, nor to antagonize."
With these words, Ning Rongrong's figure faded, then dissipated.
Leaving behind Ning Fengzhi deep in thought.