"Have you made your decision?" Ning Rongrong returned to Shui Cangyue's side.
"I have one question—what if it fails…?" Shui Cangyue was worried. She had never heard of anyone artificially creating a Titled Douluo. If it were truly possible, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan wouldn't have only three Titled Douluos.
"There won't be failure. Even if it does, we can still pull you back."
Ning Rongrong could see the hesitation in the other party.
"This method is my first attempt, but in theory, it's feasible. As for why it won't fail—"
"I can tell you the reason: Tokisaki Kurumi beside me possesses the ability to reverse time. As long as you don't die instantly, she can save you."
"Th-This…"
Shui Cangyue's face was filled with shock.
There were many Soul Masters with spatial abilities, but time manipulation—was that even possible?
Reverse time?
She had a rough idea of what they intended to do—most likely, she was being treated as an experimental subject.
"I won't force you. The choice is yours." Ning Rongrong said.
"This matter is unrelated to your earlier decision to join the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan. It depends entirely on your willingness."
"If you successfully advance to Titled Douluo, Kurumi and I will help you find a suitable soul ring here."
"I'll do it!"
Shui Cangyue gritted her teeth.
The temptation of becoming a Titled Douluo—what was a little pain in comparison?
Besides, she wouldn't die!
"Then I'll trouble Young Master Ning and Lady Tokisaki Kurumi."
"Tokisaki is the surname, Kurumi is the given name. Never mind, call her whatever you want."
"I'll do my best to keep you alive, but accidents can still happen."
"I can only say there's a ninety-nine percent chance of survival. A one-in-a-hundred possibility isn't impossible."
Tokisaki Kurumi shrugged nonchalantly.
"I understand." Shui Cangyue nodded.
A one hundred percent guarantee? Honestly, she didn't believe in such things. But with a ninety percent chance to test whether becoming a Titled Douluo was possible, eighty percent of the Soul Douluos on the continent would take the risk.
"Grandma!" Shui Bing'er and Shui Yue'er looked worried. Shui Yue'er wanted to speak, but Shui Bing'er held her back and shook her head:
"Grandma is a Soul Master. This is her decision. As her juniors, we shouldn't interfere."
The group arrived at the cave in the previous safe zone.
"Sit cross-legged. From now on, leave it to me and Kurumi. No matter what happens, you must remain conscious."
"I understand." Shui Cangyue nodded.
Ning Rongrong held the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda and sat cross-legged, placing a hand on Shui Cangyue's back.
Based on the original work's logic, a Soul Master's meridians weren't fully unblocked before attaining godhood.
Otherwise, when Tang San helped Tang Hao unblock his meridians, Tang Hao's strength wouldn't have surged from Rank 95 to Rank 97.
Ning Rongrong's method was similar to Tang San's—forcibly unblocking Shui Cangyue's Ren and Du meridians. This would likely boost her strength.
In the original work, Tang San accomplished this with the Sea God's Light and the Blue Silver Emperor's domain.
But Ning Rongrong didn't have those. Instead, she and Kurumi could manipulate time—as long as they pulled Shui Cangyue back before death, it was enough.
Ning Rongrong could fail countless times. She only needed to succeed once.
Zhenqi and soul power were mutually conflicting. The main reason, as Ning Rongrong had deduced, was that a Soul Master's soul power—due to their martial soul—was inherently impure.
This was also why Soul Masters, at least before reaching Titled Douluo, couldn't stay long in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
Now, Ning Rongrong's task was to quickly unblock Shui Cangyue's Ren and Du meridians, ensure her survival, and repair any damaged meridians.
A faint heat emanated from Ning Rongrong's palm as she directed it into Shui Cangyue's acupoints.
"Gah—!" Shui Cangyue spat out a mouthful of blood.
"Grandma!" Shui Yue'er cried out in alarm, but Shui Bing'er held her firmly.
"The meridians aren't unblocked yet, so the soul power erosion isn't severe. It shouldn't be life-threatening."
Ning Rongrong channeled more zhenqi into the Ren and Du meridians, attempting to forcibly clear the blockages.
However, after a short while—
Shui Cangyue's face turned pale. She coughed up several mouthfuls of blood before crimson streaks began seeping from her eyes, nose, mouth, and even ears.
"Kurumi."
"Understood."
At Ning Rongrong's command, a bullet pierced Shui Cangyue's forehead.
In an instant, her injuries were healed—but the mental exhaustion remained.
"Am… am I still alive?" Shui Cangyue felt as if she had brushed against the gates of death multiple times.
"You are. Do you want to continue? I must warn you—this might require several more attempts before you can break through to Rank 90."
"You can stop now if you wish. It won't affect your relationship with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan."
"Please continue, Young Master Ning! I'm stubborn too. But if something happens to me… I entrust my two granddaughters to you."
"Very well." Ning Rongrong nodded.
She resumed unblocking the Ren and Du meridians. After the time reversal, Shui Cangyue's meridians had reverted to their previous state.
Ning Rongrong channeled zhenqi again, this time in smaller amounts, meticulously clearing the impurities clogging the meridians.
But halfway through, Shui Cangyue began bleeding from all seven orifices again.
Tokisaki Kurumi fired another bullet, restoring her.
Thus, Ning Rongrong began the third attempt.
Time passed minute by minute.
Shui Cangyue spat out several more mouthfuls of blood. The ground was stained red, her clothes soaked in it.
No one knew how many times this repeated. Though her body was restored each time by Kurumi's time reversal—
Shui Bing'er could see from her grandmother's eyes that her spirit was exhausted. Yet, she never gave up.
Gradually, Ning Rongrong found the balance between soul power and zhenqi—at least the threshold where they wouldn't violently conflict.
"Whew—" Ning Rongrong took a deep breath. "One or two more attempts should do it."
Through repetition, sweat beaded on Ning Rongrong's forehead. She had mapped the extent of Shui Cangyue's meridian blockages.
She had found the optimal force—enough to clear the obstructions without damaging the meridians.
As Ning Rongrong's proficiency grew, the impurities in Shui Cangyue's Ren and Du meridians were gradually dissolved by the zhenqi.
"Almost there." Ning Rongrong tensed, continuing to channel zhenqi to devour the blockages.
Then, as swiftly as possible—before soul power could flood the meridians—she withdrew the zhenqi from Shui Cangyue's body.
The moment the zhenqi was extracted, Shui Cangyue tasted iron in her mouth and spat out blood.
Compared to before, she could feel her soul power flowing more smoothly, as if her innate soul power had increased?
Shui Cangyue was puzzled but didn't dwell on it. She immediately entered a meditative state.
Ning Rongrong stood and retreated to a distance.
Ning Rongrong, Dugu Yan, and Tokisaki Kurumi stood together, silently waiting for Shui Cangyue to finish her cultivation.
Half an hour later.
Shui Cangyue slowly awoke.
Her face was still pale, but her aura had grown stronger.
Despite her exhaustion, she shakily rose to her feet.
What reaching Rank 90 meant was self-evident.
She walked up to Ning Rongrong, clasped her hands, and bowed deeply.
Ning Rongrong didn't avoid the gesture. She watched calmly until the bow was complete, then took out some pre-prepared spirit herbs to replenish vitality.
"These herbs are for you. They should help you recover. Just chew them directly."
Ning Rongrong handed the herbs to Shui Cangyue. After consuming a few ginseng roots, some color returned to her pallid face. She took a steadying breath:
"Thank you, Young Master. And Lady Kurumi, Lady Dugu Yan."
"Mhm. Rest for today. Tomorrow, you can absorb the soul ring. Sister Yan, you stay here too."
"Kurumi and I will head to the Snow Empress' palace to see if there are any suitable soul beasts."
"Got it." Dugu Yan nodded. "Be careful."
Ning Rongrong's pupils turned blue, the clock-like patterns within them rotating.
Suddenly, her gaze flickered. The space before her slowly split open, forming a spatial portal.
Ning Rongrong and Kurumi stepped through.