The Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect behind Ning Rongrong was undoubtedly powerful, but Xiao Tian believed Ning Rongrong's behavior in the original story was courting disaster.
If she, merely an auxiliary spirit master, provoked Dai Mubai like that, Dai Mubai would truly lose patience—secretly overwhelming her in rage before ending it all. Ning Rongrong would be utterly miserable.
Moreover, Ning Fengzhi had granted Flanders special privileges, and Flanders wielded the chicken feathers as a symbol of authority.
Those who lurked in the shadows to protect Ning Rongrong wouldn't act until the last moment before she faced real danger.
Plus, these shadow protectors weren't direct sect descendants, so their loyalty couldn't match that of the Sword Bone Douluo. Accidents could happen.
"Why? The sect is one thing, but the academy is another! In the sect, because of your status, no one dares lay a finger on you. You feel secure, of course! But this is the academy—I'm in charge here!" Flanders said energetically, eyes locked on Ning Rongrong without backing down.
"Flanders! You just—"
"Rongrong, you're alone now. Do you want to take on Flanders? Remember, you're just an auxiliary spirit master without combat power. Don't just talk—think! You're smart, aren't you?"
Ning Rongrong heard Xiao Tian's voice in her mind and swallowed the words she wanted to say.
Sound transmission?
Has Xiao Tiancai developed this skill already?
Amazing!
Thanks to Xiao Tian's reminder, she calmed down instantly. She realized she'd lost her composure.
Once composed, she found Flanders' words made sense. This was not the sect—it was far from it. The sect was too remote and her confidence to lose her temper no longer applied here.
Xiao Tian was right—she lacked offensive support and had to learn to use her brain.
In that moment, Ning Rongrong seemed to grow up all at once.
Talking may sometimes signal incompetence, but when necessary, it could also land a heavy blow.
So Ning Rongrong decided to record the day's events in a small notebook and planned to send a message to Grandpa Jian in a few days.
Grandpa Jian loved her dearly. He'd surely help right the wrongs.
Besides, this training was unreasonable!
Otherwise, she wouldn't have lost control and lost her temper like that—it never happened back in the sect, at most a little mischief.
"Huh~~"
"Alright, Dean Flanders, you're right. I'll accept the punishment now!" Ning Rongrong smiled sweetly, crossing her hands over her belly, exuding elegance.
Flanders: ???
Okay?
Something was very wrong.
Why had Ning Rongrong's attitude flipped so suddenly?
Looking at her smile, Flanders couldn't shake the shiver running down his spine. Was it his imagination?
Xiao Tian nodded with satisfaction at Ning Rongrong's transformation. That was right—talking nonsense won't solve problems.
Now, he wondered how this little witch Ning Rongrong would make Flanders get "punished."
Everyone trudged to the academy entrance.
Eight backpacks sat there, each labeled and filled with stones of varying weights.
Tang San thought silently that his teacher considered the auxiliaries' conditions carefully.
Xiao Tian glanced through the backpacks and noticed his had the most stones.
The master clearly valued him highly. Though he was a fierce attack-type spirit master, his sword martial spirit didn't boost physical fitness like Dai Mubai's beast spirit!
Could this arrangement be because Xiao Tian had a high level and all three spirit rings were purple? Truly impressive!
Yet Xiao Tian didn't care much. Honestly, he didn't mind the weight. Swinging a sword ten thousand times a day made this a breeze.
Strapping on the backpack, about fifty kilograms, he prepared to run twenty laps.
"Rongrong, can you feel your weight?" Xiao Tian asked.
Ning Rongrong's smile vanished. Her face drooped.
"About fifteen pounds," she replied.
Oscar approached, smiling. "Don't worry! If you can't carry all the weight, I'll help out. I carry about twenty kilograms, which isn't bad."
Oscar wanted to show off again.
Ning Rongrong glanced at him, said nothing, and sprinted out.
Fifteen kilograms—isn't that nothing?
Xiao Tian shook his head helplessly and followed. Xiao Wu, Tang San, and the others followed closely.
Dai Mubai patted Oscar's back and raised his eyebrows. "Xiaoao, Ning Rongrong's a tough one to win over. I'm rooting for you!"
Encouraged, Oscar's spirits lifted.
Ning Rongrong ran a while before noticing Xiao Tian trailing, so she slowed and whispered, "Thank you for earlier. Without you, I might have…"
Xiao Tian smiled. "You mean, you might have said Flanders is just a Soul Saint anyone from your Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect—a Titled Douluo, no less—could crush?"
Ning Rongrong blushed; her elegant image was shattered by her earlier outburst.
"That's right. But I was so angry! Never suffered such injustice in the sect! It ruined my entire young lady reputation," she complained.
Xiao Wu wanted to rush out but stayed back when Xiao Tian mentioned Titled Douluo, acting like a listener.
"Hahaha, true. When I first saw you, you radiated a unique aura—you were beautiful and smart. But do you know what you looked like just now?"
"What?"
Xiao Tian didn't hesitate. "Like an uneducated, unruly young lady!"
"You!" Ning Rongrong was speechless.
"What? Am I wrong? Think about your behavior. Also, I told you to stay rational and calm, not blind with anger!"
Xiao Tian glanced coolly.
Ning Rongrong realized Xiao Tian's eloquence rivaled Flanders'.
She knew she had problems and damaging her image, but breaking habits formed over years wasn't easy.
"Also, I'm curious—how does your sect train? Did Ning Fengzhi and your grandfathers make you run?"
Ning Rongrong nodded and shook her head: "Yes, but never this far. Back home, it was just to build a normal physique—not to develop self-protection through endless running, which is pointless! If it worked, my father wouldn't have needed grandfathers guarding him constantly. Before a strong opponent, so-called 'running' is meaningless!"
That was why she exploded earlier—Yu Xiaogang's ideas about self-protection clashed directly with sect philosophy!
P.S. This chapter reveals Ning Rongrong's evolving maturity as she faces reality beyond her sect's comforts. The clash between sect teachings and academy rigor forces her to rethink herself. Humor and camaraderie shine through as Xiao Tian playfully critiques Ning Rongrong's outburst, while weight training serves both as a harsh lesson and team-building exercise.
--
If you enjoy my work and want to read extra chapters, visit my Patreon—the link is in the novel's description.