Chapter Thirty-Five: Gu Rong and Chen Xin Arrive! (Please Recommend and Bookmark)

The hunger gnawing at Ning Rongrong made it impossible for her to maintain the elegance expected of a young lady of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan. As she ate, she cast aside all pretenses of etiquette, biting into the rabbit meat piece by piece, tearing it off, and swallowing it ravenously. Beside the campfire, she seemed far more authentic and human.

Xu Sheng handed her a tissue and smiled, saying, "Rongrong, don't rush, eat slowly."

Seeing how much Ning Rongrong enjoyed the meal, Xu Sheng felt a sense of accomplishment. He thought to himself, "It seems my culinary skills are top-notch. Even though I’ve transmigrated, these basic life skills have remained through muscle memory..."

Noticing Xu Sheng staring at her, Ning Rongrong’s face suddenly flushed red. Had he seen her unrefined manner of eating just now? She moved her thin lips and whispered, as softly as a mosquito, "Thank you, Xu Sheng."

Xu Sheng waved his hand dismissively. "No need to thank me. I was just worried the rabbit meat wouldn't be to your taste, but it seems my cooking is quite good after all."

Ning Rongrong was stunned that Xu Sheng had addressed her by name so casually. She looked at him, astonished, and asked, "Xu Sheng, how did you know my identity? I don't recall ever telling you." She was certain she hadn't let it slip!

Xu Sheng replied with a playful glint in his eyes, "Who doesn't know that the little princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan is named Ning Rongrong?"

Ning Rongrong pouted playfully, "How annoying! You've changed, Xu Sheng!"

"Eat quickly first. We can talk about serious matters once you're finished."

In truth, it wasn't a major issue, but Xu Sheng was genuinely curious. Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo, who usually treated Ning Rongrong like a precious treasure, had actually allowed her to come to the Sunset Forest alone.

"Oh," Ning Rongrong replied, looking back at the remaining rabbit meat in her hands with a dazed expression before starting to eat in small, dainty bites.

***

After she finished and wiped her mouth, Xu Sheng asked curiously, "Rongrong, I'll just ask directly: why are you here in the Sunset Forest alone instead of staying at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan? This place is not friendly to support-type soul masters."

It was more than just unfriendly; without a powerful assault-type soul master to protect them, one could lose their life in a heartbeat! Soul beasts generally didn't show mercy once they identified you as weaker than them.

Thinking of Ning Fengzhi's previous roar, Ning Rongrong felt a trace of grievance. "I... I had an argument with my father and snuck out by myself." She then recounted the entire story to him.

***

After understanding the situation, Xu Sheng rested his chin on his hand in thought. "I see. But in this matter, you were indeed in the wrong, Rongrong. Regardless of the reason, one should not be so unreasonable toward their elders."

Hearing this, Ning Rongrong's eyes grew red, and she stared intensely at him. "Xu Sheng, even you think I'm wrong?" If even Xu Sheng thought so, could it be that the entire situation was truly her fault?

Xu Sheng coughed, deciding it was time to use his "persuasion" skills, which had proven effective in every world he’d visited. To avoid upsetting her further, he decided to explain patiently from a different perspective. "Rongrong, you come from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, one of the Upper Three Sects. It is natural for your temperament to be higher than others; I can understand that."

"However, you must understand one thing: cooperation is essential between soul masters of different types. If you lose the teammates who would watch your back because of your impulsiveness, it makes the already vulnerable support-type soul masters even more helpless."

"And the most important foundation for friendship between teammates is equality."

"I imagine that is exactly what Uncle Ning was thinking—he was worried that your temper would hinder your future."

After delivering this long lecture, Xu Sheng let out a deep breath, though, in truth, even he wasn't entirely sure of his own logic.

Across from him, Ning Rongrong fell into deep thought. After a long while, she didn't seem to have fully grasped it, but she offered Xu Sheng a light, ethereal smile. "Thank you, Xu Sheng. Perhaps I really was in the wrong."

Xu Sheng used his soul power to extinguish the campfire. He stood up calmly and said, "That is just my perspective; don't take it too much to heart. Rongrong, since dawn is breaking, let me accompany you to hunt for a soul beast."

Ning Rongrong looked at the brightening sky and thought to herself, "I've been out for so long, I wonder if Father is worried."

Seeing her lost in thought, Xu Sheng waved a hand in front of her eyes. "Rongrong, stop daydreaming. Let's go."

"Mm," she responded instinctively. Ning Rongrong elegantly lifted the hem of her light blue dress, stood up, and followed him.

***

Xu Sheng glanced ahead and kicked a three-hundred-year-old Stone Armored Beast—which had been lurking nearby—right in front of Ning Rongrong.

"Rongrong, absorb this beast's soul ring. Three hundred years of cultivation is very close to the limit of what a soul master can withstand for their first ring."

If things went as expected, this would grant Ning Rongrong a soul skill to enhance defense.

Ning Rongrong reached out with her jade-like hand to grip her dagger, looked down at the panting Stone Armored Beast, then turned her head away as she plunged the blade into it to finish it off.

***

A faint yellow soul ring began to rise from the Stone Armored Beast.

Ning Rongrong sat cross-legged, looked at Xu Sheng, and blinked playfully. "Xu Sheng, I'll have to trouble you to guard me."

Xu Sheng crossed his arms and nodded slowly. "Mm, go ahead and absorb the ring in peace."

***

Dust Heart, his hair white but his bearing still noble, frowned as he looked at Gu Rong. "Old Bone, have you sensed any fluctuations in Rongrong's soul power?"

Gu Rong's expression was grim as he shook his head. "There are too many soul beast auras; they might have masked Rongrong's."

The two of them had spent the night following the traces of her soul power, eventually narrowing the search to the Sunset Forest. But the forest was vast, and finding one person was like finding a needle in a haystack!

"Damn it! If this continues, something will surely happen to Rongrong!" Dust Heart clenched his fist.

Before he could finish, he sniffed the air and caught the scent of roasted meat—a smell so savory it made one want to salivate.

Gu Rong followed suit, sniffing the air as well. His eyes widened, and he said with absolute certainty, "This is... the scent of roasted meat?"

Who would dare light a campfire in the Sunset Forest? It would likely attract powerful, light-attracted soul beasts! Anyone capable of doing this must possess significant strength.

Dust Heart pointed in the direction from which the scent was drifting. "The smell is coming from over there. Let's go and check."

With that, the two immediately set off.

***

When they arrived, they found only an extinguished campfire and scraps of food.

Gu Rong scanned the surroundings, and when he saw a delicate handkerchief lying on the ground, he rushed over to pick it up.

Seeing his strange behavior, Dust Heart walked over, puzzled. "Old Bone, what is it?"

Gu Rong, holding the handkerchief, stood up and looked at Dust Heart with a grave expression. "There is no mistake. This is the handkerchief I gave Rongrong a few days ago! She must be nearby!"