"Hmm? It's snowing?"
Ning Rongrong reached out her hand, catching the falling snowflakes, faintly sensing traces of lingering soul power.
The Snow Empress' aura...
It seems things are about to begin!
Ning Rongrong and her group returned from the courtyard to the pavilion, her gaze turning toward the sky.
"Quite the bold move! The Snow Empress is stronger than I estimated."
Tokisaki Kurumi's voice carried a hint of playful sarcasm.
"Indeed."
The snowflake held between Ning Rongrong's fingertips drifted down slowly as she spoke leisurely,
"The Snow Empress isn't as strong as Di Tian, but with the amplification and support of the Extreme North, she's undoubtedly at the Quasi-God level."
500,000 years is the threshold for a Pseudo-Demigod, 600,000 years for a Demigod.
And beyond 700,000 years—Quasi-God.
The Snow Empress' cultivation is at 690,000 years. If she were confident in breaking through to the Quasi-God level,
she wouldn't need to wait until the era of The Unrivaled Tang Sect ten thousand years later—she could face her heavenly tribulation at any time.
With a peculiar soul power resonance, the Snow Empress' voice seeped from the Extreme North, reaching even Heaven Dou City.
"Giving humans time to leave before taking action?" Tokisaki Kurumi couldn't help but tease, "Master, your influence really is something."
After all, when the Snow Empress came to deliver her message earlier, it was only out of respect for Ning Rongrong that she didn't immediately kill the soul masters who had entered the Extreme North.
"Don't overthink it. This has nothing to do with me." Ning Rongrong shrugged. "She just doesn't want to escalate tensions with humanity. The Snow Empress isn't ignorant of the human world."
Though it might sound harsh to say it—
The human world has Quasi-God-level powerhouses, and behind them likely stand actual deities.
Even the Snow Empress wouldn't dare push things too far.
"In that case, we'll wait a few more days before leaving."
Ning Rongrong was still quite interested in Shui Yue'er and Shui Bing'er's Martial Soul Fusion Skill.
...
Over two days passed.
Within the Zafkiel: City of Devouring Time constructed by Tokisaki Kurumi,
frost gathered as two blue-white soul power fluctuations converged into an ice phoenix with fluttering glacial wings.
"Martial Soul Fusion Skill—Frozen Lament!"
Shui Yue'er and Shui Bing'er spoke simultaneously.
Snow drifted through the air as the ice phoenix, radiating extreme cold, dove from above—its target being Ning Rongrong, who stood motionless in the distance.
"Indeed, all Martial Soul Fusion Skills share certain common traits. As long as those conditions are met, they can be executed."
Watching the descending ice phoenix, Ning Rongrong showed no trace of panic.
"The fusion skill is still a bit weak. If they could reach the Soul Emperor level, it might be more interesting."
Ning Rongrong held a fairly high opinion of Shui Yue'er and Shui Bing'er.
Shui Yue'er was a Soul Elder, Shui Bing'er a Soul Ancestor, and they were half-sisters. Their fusion skill could manifest in two forms.
While its power fell short compared to Yu Xiaogang's trio's Golden Sacred Dragon fusion skill, its versatility was far greater.
They just couldn't wield it proficiently yet.
"If they had ultimate-type Martial Souls, they might fully unleash its potential." Ning Rongrong observed Shui Bing'er, the primary user of the fusion skill.
After days of attempts, each activation drained Shui Bing'er tremendously—not just in soul power, but mentally as well.
"From the perspective of an ultimate-type Martial Soul, Shui Bing'er's is still slightly lacking, while Shui Yue'er's dolphin-type Martial Soul seems even further behind."
"Ah, whatever." Ning Rongrong summoned her Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda.
Six black and one radiant gold soul rings materialized.
"Regardless of my own progress these past few days, Kurumi should have gathered enough data."
The next step was completing the Martial Soul Fusion Skill for her "underwhelming father" and the two elders.
Once that was achieved, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan would no longer fear Limit Douluos—at the very least, they'd have the capability for mutual destruction.
When others believe you possess weapons of mass destruction,
you'd better actually have them!
Otherwise, the consequences won't be pleasant.
"Rongrong, she's activating her Martial Soul!"
Shui Bing'er, her face slightly pale, twitched her eyes involuntarily.
From now on, if anyone told her support-type soul masters couldn't fight, she'd argue fiercely.
Defensive capabilities rivaling defense-type soul masters, speed matching agility-types—aside from the apparent lack of offensive techniques (and even that was debatable)—
Shui Bing'er couldn't fathom why someone like Ning Rongrong would ever need protection.
"Let's end it here for today."
Ning Rongrong's voice rang out as ripples appeared around her position, as though enveloped in a thick protective layer.
The ice phoenix from the fusion skill crashed into her, only to be completely blocked by that translucent white barrier.
Shards of ice scattered across the ground.
Ning Rongrong dusted herself off and walked toward Shui Bing'er and Shui Yue'er.
"Not bad. Your control has improved significantly."
"Uh..."
Shui Yue'er and Shui Bing'er exchanged glances, unsure how to respond.
Despite being younger, Ning Rongrong had already reached the Soul Sage level...
Nothing about her screamed "support-type soul master."
As students of Tian Shui Academy, they were familiar with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan. They'd even asked their grandmother, Shui Cangyue: Was Clan Leader Ning this absurd when he was a Soul Sage?
Shui Cangyue's answer: "No one has ever seen Ning Fengzhi fight. And..."
"The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan is unfathomably deep. Perhaps if Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo were ever outmatched, Ning Fengzhi would reveal secret techniques—maybe even something like Rongrong's abilities."
Even Shui Cangyue didn't fully believe her own words.
In short, Ning Rongrong was special—no wonder she'd been kept hidden so well all these years.
"Kurumi, dispel the—"
"Rongrong, how about a fight with me?" Dugu Yan, who had been observing, stepped forward.
"Huh? Are you joking? I'm a support-type soul master, you know?" Ning Rongrong was speechless. What kind of battle soul master challenges a support-type? That's just bullying!
Besides, Dugu Yan, do you not realize your own situation?
Your Misfortune Poison Body even forced Di Tian to retreat and recuperate. If I fight you and get poisoned, how much time would I waste detoxifying afterward?
"You... a support?" Dugu Yan pointed at Ning Rongrong, then turned to Tokisaki Kurumi, who was munching on watermelon. "Kurumi, Rongrong just called herself a support. Do you believe that?"
Tokisaki Kurumi suddenly found her watermelon tasteless. She lifted her gaze with a pitiful look.
"Um... Master, can I say no?"
Ning Rongrong: "..."
You already said it—why ask me?
"Whether I'm a support-type or not, don't you know?"
"The Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda is a support-type Martial Soul. Or do you think it's some kind of assault-type?" Ning Rongrong considered herself a perfectly well-behaved support—just with slightly more abilities than Ning Fengzhi.
"Can I plead ignorance?" Tokisaki Kurumi replied weakly before retreating two steps and resuming her watermelon feast.
Ning Rongrong: "..."
Are you seriously backing away?