Chapter 59: The Arrival of Lingxiao

That figure stepped upon empty air as if walking on solid ground, and with every step taken, a sound like shattering glazed crystal echoed forth.

Looking closer, every time the figure stepped, black cracks emerged beneath his feet in the very space he trod, exactly resembling shattered glass.

"Who is this?"

Dusty's expression shifted, his gaze solemn as he watched the figure walking toward them, pulling Ning Rongrong tightly behind his back.

The members of Shrek Academy also looked with vigilance at the unfamiliar figure walking out of the sky. Even Yu Xiaogang was on the verge of producing the Spirit Hall's token.

After all, Spirit Hall was the strongest faction on the continent and should carry a certain degree of deterrent power.

At that moment, Xiao Wu's surprised voice rang out.

"Brother!"

Brother?

The tense crowd was left utterly bewildered by Xiao Wu's sudden exclamation.

They watched as Xiao Wu ran toward that figure, who had now descended to the ground and arrived right before her.

Xiao Wu threw herself directly into the figure's embrace, holding him affectionately and rubbing her pretty face against his chest as she said, "Brother, why are you here?"

"I came to deliver some good things!" Ling Xiao said with a soft smile, gently stroking Xiao Wu's head before casting his gaze toward the members of Shrek Academy, and then finally upon Ning Rongrong and Dusty.

Xiao Wu released Ling Xiao, took him by the hand, and led him over to Ning Rongrong, introducing them. "Rongrong, this is my brother."

Then, turning to Ling Xiao, she introduced, "Brother, this is Rongrong, my good friend, and this is Elder Sword!"

"Hello!" Ning Rongrong said, looking at the polite Ling Xiao.

Yet she felt a strange sensation, as if she somehow recognized the person before her.

Ling Xiao chuckled softly and extended his hand. Xiao Wu looked over and saw two rings floating above his palm.

One ring was inlaid with a pink gem, while the other was set with a cyan gem.

"Brother, what are these?"

"These are spatial rings. Each contains one million cubic meters of space for storing items. Although it's not very large, use these for now, and I'll get you one with even more space later!" Ling Xiao said. Meanwhile, everyone around them had turned to stone.

One million cubic meters of space!

Some of them had heard of spatial storage devices; for instance, Tang San possessed the Twenty-Four Bridges Moonlight Night given to him by Yu Xiaogang, which was a spatial storage device. However, each of those contained only a single cubic meter of space, meaning all twenty-four combined amounted to merely twenty-four cubic meters.

Even so, items like that were considered rare and precious treasures. But what had they just heard?

Xiao Wu's brother claimed that this ring possessed a million cubic meters of space.

Tang San looked at Ling Xiao in disbelief.

Just what kind of person was this? How could he possess such an unimaginably precious treasure? All sorts of doubts swirled within Tang San's mind.

"No, no! Brother, this—this is too precious! I can't accept it!"

Xiao Wu hastily refused. She had never even heard of such a treasure. Could a spatial storage vessel with a capacity of one million cubic meters genuinely exist in the mortal realm?

"Sigh, why are you just like Tu Rou?" Ling Xiao said helplessly.

"What? Brother, you gave Mom one too?" Xiao Wu asked in astonishment.

"Mm! You two truly are mother and daughter. Tu Rou was just like you at first, too afraid to accept it."

"Because this is simply too precious!"

"It's not all that precious, it's just a bit troublesome to make, that's all!"

"Did you make this yourself, Brother?"

"Of course. Where else did you think it came from?" Ling Xiao said.

Gasp!

Everyone drew in a sharp breath. To be capable of crafting such a treasure—what manner of supreme powerhouse was this?

Such a feat was likely beyond even the legendary ninety-ninth-rank Title Douluo!

"Oh! Thank you, Brother!" Xiao Wu giggled, sliding the spatial ring with the pink gem from Ling Xiao's palm onto the ring finger of her right hand.

The pink gem gleamed brilliantly under the sunlight, appearing incomparably beautiful.

"Brother, who is this other spatial ring for?" Xiao Wu asked, looking at the cyan gemstone ring remaining in Ling Xiao's hand.

She did not believe that both were meant for her, nor did she think Ling Xiao had brought two rings simply for her to choose from.

"This spatial ring is naturally meant for a good friend!" Ling Xiao smiled softly, walking over toward Ning Rongrong.

"For me? Who... who are you?"

Watching the figure walking toward her, Ning Rongrong was stunned. Her memories held no trace of such a person.

"Me? It's been a few years, and Rongrong has already forgotten me!" Ling Xiao said with a light smile.

Hearing Ling Xiao say this, Ning Rongrong suddenly thought of something. Her entire body trembled, and her eyes instantly grew moist and red.

With a trembling voice, she asked, "Is—is it really you?"

Ning Rongrong walked forward slowly, her eyes filled with anticipation as she gazed at the figure shrouded in a black cloak.

Ling Xiao halted his steps and pulled back the hood of his black cloak, smiling warmly at Ning Rongrong as he spoke softly, "Long time no see, little princess."

Gazing at the familiar face before her, tears welled up in Ning Rongrong's eyes.

Though the person before her wore a mask, that familiar presence could not be mistaken.

Her delicate frame trembling, Ning Rongrong rushed forward and threw her arms tightly around Ling Xiao, weeping against his chest as she vented all her grievances and longing.

"You big jerk, it really is you! Why did it take you so long to come find me?"

Ning Rongrong wept, clenching her small fists and beating them against Ling Xiao's chest. Although it looked as though she was using a lot of force, in reality, it was merely a gentle touch.

Xiao Wu stood dazed, looking between Ling Xiao and Ning Rongrong.

Her mind had completely stalled. While she had occasionally wondered if Ning Rongrong might know Ling Xiao—since the Treading Moon technique had been given to her by Ling Xiao, and Ling Xiao had also mentioned passing Treading Moon to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, of which Ning Rongrong was the princess—she had only guessed they might be acquainted.

Never in her wildest dreams had she expected that the "big jerk" Ning Rongrong was always talking about was actually Ling Xiao.

"Don't cry anymore. Aren't I here now?" Ling Xiao gently stroked the top of Ning Rongrong's head, speaking in a comforting tone.

"So it was you. I never expected to run into you here. It must have been three years since we last met, hasn't it?" Elder Sword also withdrew his martial soul, speaking with a感慨 expression.

"Indeed. Our parting last was already three years ago!" Ling Xiao nodded.

Yet, three years did not feel like a long time to him anymore. Within the trials of the God of Time, he had already experienced the passage of a millennium.

"Then why did you vanish for three whole years? Rongrong has been missing you every single day!"

"There were many matters that required my attention, and I couldn't break away for a long time," Ling Xiao replied helplessly.

His divine trials were simply too numerous, and the trials of the God of Time were exceptionally arduous.

"Alright, Rongrong, stop crying! Have you forgotten what I told you back then? In this world, no one can accompany another forever. We were together once, but time erodes everything; I cannot stay by your side eternally," Ling Xiao said softly.

"I don't care! I just want the big jerk to stay with me always!" Ning Rongrong buried her face in Ling Xiao's chest, speaking with firm determination as she tightened her embrace around him even further.

"That is impossible."

"Why?" Ning Rongrong raised her face to look at Ling Xiao, her pretty face covered in tear tracks and her eyes red-rimmed.

"Because we are still not strong enough. Whether it is you or I, we are far too weak right now. How could we possibly accompany each other forever?" Ling Xiao said.

The more formidable power he obtained, the more acutely he could perceive his own insignificance.

"The big jerk is clearly so strong—stronger than Grandpa Sword and Grandpa Bone combined! How can you call yourself weak?"

Ning Rongrong could not understand. To her, Title Douluo were already pinnacle powerhouses, yet Ling Xiao was vastly more powerful than a Title Douluo.

"Once you truly become strong, you will understand my words."

"Truly become strong? Then I shall first become a Title Douluo! When that time comes, big jerk, you must tell me why someone as powerful as you still claims to be weak!" Calming down slightly after a moment of thought, Ning Rongrong declared to Ling Xiao.

"Very well, I promise you," Ling Xiao nodded.

At that moment, Xiao Wu stepped forward and asked, "Brother, are you the big jerk Rongrong always talks about?"

Even now, Xiao Wu still felt somewhat dizzy with confusion.

"Yes, Xiao Wu! Remember? Back then, only a few days after I brought gifts for you and Tu Rou, I went to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School and met Rongrong!"

"Is that how it was?" Xiao Wu tilted her head.

"Mm! I stayed at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School for nearly half a year before returning!"

"Big jerk, did you and Xiao Wu know each other when you were little?" Ning Rongrong asked softly, still leaning against Ling Xiao's chest.

"Yes. I believe I met Xiao Wu about half a month before I met you."

Ning Rongrong's heart tightened suddenly. Although Xiao Wu always called Ling Xiao her brother, as Xiao Wu's close friend, she had long since known that Xiao Wu held deep romantic feelings for Ling Xiao.

Xiao Wu and she had been best friends all these days, yet Xiao Wu was also Ling Xiao's "sister"—what was she supposed to do? Ning Rongrong felt somewhat at a loss.

Xiao Wu, however, did not overthink the matter and greeted Ning Rongrong cheerfully as she always did.

"Rongrong, I never would have imagined that Brother was the big jerk you were always talking about liking!"

Seeing Xiao Wu's reaction, Ning Rongrong was somewhat surprised. How could Xiao Wu know that she liked Ling Xiao and yet not feel angry at all?

"Uh... I never expected the big jerk to be your brother either!" Ning Rongrong stammered.

"Brother isn't a big jerk at all. Brother is the best person in the world!" Xiao Wu insisted, for in her eyes, Ling Xiao was the finest human being to ever exist.

"Xiao Wu, you don't think he's a big jerk only because you haven't been through what I have!" Hearing this, Ning Rongrong ground her teeth, casting a resentful glance at Ling Xiao.

She had heard Xiao Wu talk about her brother and naturally knew Ling Xiao could be wonderful, but her case was different; she had been trained by Ling Xiao since childhood, and only she knew how much bitterness and suffering she had endured.

"Rongrong, can you let go of me now?" Ling Xiao prompted, a large patch of his clothing having been soaked through.

Ning Rongrong looked sheepishly at the damp spot on Ling Xiao's chest, quickly releasing her grip and standing in place with a blushing face.

Black flames flared across Ling Xiao's chest, instantly evaporating the moisture left by her tears.

Then, seeing Ning Rongrong's reddened eyes, he lightly brushed his finger across them. A flash of crystalline light flickered, and Ning Rongrong's eye rims instantly returned to normal, all traces of tear stains vanishing completely.