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--- Chapter 196 ---
While Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling are travelling around Heaven Dou Empire to beat the people up and make an example of them, so that people take Dao Academy more seriously in credibility, a young "witch" lady named Ning Rongrong was doing her job.
Desolate Mountain Range - Golden Dawn City.
Golden Dawn City is one of many affiliate cities under the Dao Academy, built to collect considerable resources from outside through the Merchant Guild's channel, while also giving a chance for others to invest.
After all, feeding so many spirit masters in the academy wasn't easy; the amount of nutritious meals the cafeteria needed to aid one's physical training was immense.
Han Yuan has improved the ricefield by breeding it with blue silver grass, but it wasn't enough. Spirit Beast meat, seafood, energy-rich milk, and other products are continuously flowing into the academy through this method.
Currently, Ning Rongrong was overseeing the Golden Dawn City. It wasn't her duty at first, but she took it out of necessity. Cultivating "Treasure Qi" couldn't be done by just sitting on a cliff and inhaling air. She needs to be in contact with worldly and heavenly treasures, whether it is a jewel or even a precious herb, which could help her condense treasure qi.
One might wonder about the purpose of Treasure. How does it differ from traditional spiritual energy, blood qi, and conventional spirit energy?
Treasure Qi is not just innate energy produced by Ning Rongrong's martial soul; it is the amalgamation of "treasure" itself. What is Treasure? It is the value and attachment to something, and Ning Rongrong was able to wield that to enhance herself.
Ning Rongrong was capable of refining the "Treasure Body" that made her indestructible, immune to attack, and resistant to the erosion of time. Of course, that was just a basic application.
She could even enhance others, whether it was an object or someone, with her Treasure Qi, making them stronger and more valuable.
To a certain degree, she could even affect intangible concepts such as luck.
The only downside to Douluo Dalu's laws is that they are too weak.
If Ning Rongrong had been born in a higher-dimensional cultivation world, she would have thrived; yet, the Douluo Dalu cultivation system restricts her potential.
The only way for her to cultivate her Treasure Qi is by continually using her martial soul's innate ability to sense treasures and then extracting Treasure Qi from existing treasures.
Thankfully, using her clan and Dao Academy's channels, Ning Rongrong has made considerable breakthroughs. After training in the academy for years to explore the mystery of this path, and having recently obtained her fourth spirit ring and first spirit soul, Ning Rongrong is no longer a pure auxiliary spirit master.
Inside the only auction house in the Golden Dawn City,
A young female manager approached Ning Rongrong, "Young Miss, this is the list of treasures we've gathered this month."
"Mm, thanks." Ning Rongrong picked the dossier and flipped through the list with a bored look on her face. Then, she frowned because the amount of some jewels was less than the previous month.
She glanced at the manager, "Why are the golden shine gem and crowned emerald less than the previous month? There are not even half of them. I thought I made it clear that I needed 300 of each."
The manager looks troubled before replying, "About that... Recently, the jewel mines have been very unsupportive. The one that produced those two jewels the most refused to sell them unless we pay them triple the original price."
"Who is in control of those mines?" Ning Rongrong closed the dossier and then asked calmly.
The female manager answered hurriedly, "They are under the control of a small-sized faction called Crystal Beast School, owned by the principal himself."
"He's a level 59 Spirit King."
Ning Rongrong harrumphed, "Hmph, just a spirit king, and he's already this greedy? Don't tell me he doesn't know that Dao Academy was the one buying those gems in the first place."
"After the Dao Meeting, some people wanted to be greedy, though they don't have any capability."
"The initial price of these gems is already generous enough, but triple that? They must be desperate."
The female manager doesn't know what to say, "This, what should we do with them then?"
Ning Rongrong smiled faintly, "Nothing."
"Uh..." The female manager was speechless.
Yet, looking at Ning Rongrong's faint smile, she couldn't help but feel something was about to happen to Crystal Beast School.
"Give me a room." Ning Rongrong waved her hand. "I want some time."
The female manager obeyed Ning Rongrong's order and saw her casually fiddling with a token made of unknown metal before entering the guest room.
Then, Ning Rongrong took a nap.
Yes, nap!
However, this nap is a sign of confidence. And sure enough, around a few hours later, the female manager knocked on the guest room where Ning Rongrong slept in with a disbelieving look on her face.
"Young Miss! Young Miss! I got news from the Crystal Beast School: the principal is willing to sell the golden shine gem and the silver emerald at half of the original price!"
Ning Rongrong opened the door and yawned, "Oh, they did?"
"Faster than I expected."
"This... What did you do exactly?" The female manager was curious.
Ning Rongrong yawned again, "Nothing much. I just increased the price of living in their city by ten times. By inflating the fee of grains, textiles, and other resources, even a cup of water would cost a hefty coin."
"..." The female manager was speechless.
'What do you mean by Nothing Much?'
'It isn't something a normal person could do!'
Of course, the female manager knew Ning Rongrong wasn't a normal person.
She's the only daughter of the current Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan's patriarch, which means she was an heiress! No, even calling her princess wouldn't be an overstatement.
At the same time, she's also a high-level genius from the Dao Academy, which gave her authority in this city. She ranked rather high within the academy's genius list.
Even then, the female manager doesn't expect her to be so, uh, cruel?
Heh, if she had known Ning Rongrong's witch reputation in the Heaven Dou City, she wouldn't be surprised.
The privilege Ning Rongrong had is enough for her to cripple anyone under the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's level.
Many people called her a witch, but that's just another word for wickedly intelligent.
Yet, in the original story, she was so stubborn and rage-baited by Flender of Shrek to stay. Ultimately, she only became a tool for Tang San's path to greatness.
Her full potential is only to revive Tang San at the final fight and become a second-class god. Oh, yeah, she also became a fat sheep of a wallet for the Shrek People.
What a waste.
What a shame.
The current Ning Rongrong has deviated from that path. She's not only strong mentally and physically, but also has an acute understanding of business and human relations.
More importantly, she's more confident!
Despite having the lowest cultivation level among the girls, she remained undeterred and focused on her progress with unwavering determination.
In fact, Han Yuan didn't meddle with this side of Ning Rongrong. She's just that talented.
Still, she's just as spoiled and dependent on Han Yuan. To Ning Rongrong, only he was capable of seeing her true self.
"Hmm, tell me when the jewel is ready." Ning Rongrong said while walking down the stairs. "I'm going to stroll around first."
After saying that, Ning Rongrong strolled aimlessly around the Golden Dawn City.
She waited for a while until someone followed her.
Then, she walked outside the city and stopped abruptly.
She turned around and asked casually, "Crystal Beast School's Principal, I assume?"
"You're here faster than I thought. Then, again, your place wasn't that far from Golden Dawn City."
Before Ning Rongrong was a blue-haired young man, though he looks young, he's actually in his thirties. He wore a white robe accessorized with many colorful gems.
"Young Lady Ning, how could you be so cruel?" said the young man with an ugly smile.
Ning Rongrong tilted her head, "Oh, what did I do again? Care to remind me?"
"..." The blue-haired young man.
"Also, shouldn't you introduce yourself to me first? What a rude person you are." Ning Rongrong narrowed her eyes.
The blue-haired young man gritted his teeth, "Geng Lei."
"I was the principal of the Crystal Beast School."
"Oh, I see, you're the weak Spirit King the manager talked about." Ning Rongrong played dumb, giggling.
"Weak..." Geng Lei's eyes lost their luster for a second. Then, anger and humiliation surged in his heart.
Ning Rongrong didn't care about Geng Lei's anger and said, "So, what do you want? Follow me all the way here."
"This young miss is not so daring to talk to a stranger."
Geng Lei immediately summoned his martial soul: Crystal Snake. A rare earth and fire attributed to a martial soul, appearing like a slender snake covered with crystal-like scales.
Five spirit rings emerged from the ground, but they are not optimal, as the fifth spirit ring is dark purple, indicating it is under 10,000 years old.
Ning Rongrong saw this and laughed softly, "Ah, Crystal Snake. What a coincidence."
"Even then, summoning your martial soul like this. Are you going to attack me? Do you even know the consequences?"
Geng Lei's bloodshot eyes glared, "Who cares... I am no longer the principal of Crystal Beast School."
"Because of you! You operated the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan to weaken my school, and everyone started blaming me for it! Yet, they agreed to my proposal first!"
"Isn't it just small money! Those hypocrites!"
Ning Rongrong raised her eyebrow, but unapologetically reacted, "So?"
"So, I will pay everything back now!" Geng Lei roared, possessing the Crystal Snake martial soul. His five spirit rings shone rapidly as he was ready to attack Ning Rongrong once and for all.
A crystal spear appeared from thin air, rushing toward Ning Rongrong at lightning-like speed.
BANG!
A deafening explosion echoed in the area, yet as the dust cleared, Ning Rongrong stood, unscathed. A nine-colored barrier covered her body, protecting her from the spear attack.
"Y-You..." Geng Lei's eyes widened.
Ning Rongrong supported the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda on her right palm. "Nine Treasure Qi Shield."
"When I use this technique, I am immune to physical and elemental attack for three seconds."
"Of course, it's only effective when the enemy is fifteen levels higher than me."
"More than that, and the barrier will consume too much Treasure Qi and become paper."
"This is my proud self-created skill."
"Oh, well, you're really weak."
ROAR!
BAM!
A looming shadow appeared behind Ning Rongrong. It was a dragon with nearly similar features to Geng Lei's Crystal Snake martial soul. Of course, this dragon is more beautiful and has wings made of nine-colored crystal.
"That is..." Geng Lei's face became pale.
Ning Rongrong placed her hands on her hips, "Let me introduce you to my Spirit Soul, Shiny!"
"She's a 15,000-year-old Crystal Dragon mutated from the same kind as your Crystal Snake."
"How could this be..." Geng Lei trembled. "How could you, a young lady of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, summon a spirit beast like this?"
Ning Rongrong lifted her nose proudly and cheekily replied, "Hehe, that's because my academy is that powerful! Or should I say Brother Yuan is that powerful!"
"Brother Yuan, I see..." Geng Lei dumbly stared at the majestic Crystal Dragon behind Ning Rongrong. "If that person..."
Even after all these shocks, Geng Lei's madness didn't dissipate. He clenched his hands tightly and used all his might to get his revenge on this girl, "So what? I do not care about it anymore!"
"Ning Rongrong, Die!"
ROAR!
Crystal Dragon moved without Ning Rongrong's order to protect her and then bit Geng Lei, shredding him apart. Blood splattered the area.
Ning Rongrong watched this indifferently and then pouted, "Bad Shiny! Didn't I tell you to be patient!"
Roar!
Crystal Dragon spat the corpse away and lowered its head on the ground obediently.
Ning Rongrong tapped the Crystal Dragon's head, "Well, thank you for protecting me."
Roar!
Crystal Dragon wagged its tail.
Ning Rongrong glanced at the bloody corpse and ordered her Spirit Soul to burn it to ashes. Then, she returned to her cheerful self and walked back to Golden Dawn City.
In the past, Ning Rongrong would have gotten cold feet and tremble upon watching such a gruesome sight. She was well-protected by her father and two Title Douluo grandpas.
However, that is the past.
Ning Rongrong is no longer naive and ignorant.
Ning Rongrong is no longer a protected princess, as she has learned to be decisive after staying by Han Yuan's side for years.
"Dao Academy is getting more attention faster than I thought."
"I wonder what Brother Yuan had in his mind by doing this."
"I am currently level 45. I need to get to the Spirit King Realm as soon as possible." She decisively ran toward the auction house.