Chapter 247: Ning Rongrong's Ailment
Wuhun City, dusk.
Ning Fengzhi and Chenxin walked quietly through the city streets, his gaze shadowed with worry as he observed the bustling avenues. Sighing, Sword Douluo Chenxin remarked, "Fengzhi, earlier at the banquet, there were already seven Titled Douluo present from Spirit Hall alone. Combined with the rumored elders, their power is becoming unfathomable."
Ning Fengzhi, leaning on his jade staff, tapped the ground rhythmically as a heavier look crossed his face. "Sword Uncle, you're absolutely right. I thought that after Qian Xunji's death, Spirit Hall might enter a period of decline. But Bibi Dong has not only unified the once-disorganized Elder Hall but has also nurtured new Titled Douluo, tipping the balance between the three great clans and Spirit Hall."
"She is indeed a formidable woman," he continued. "All of the Elder Hall Douluo defer to her and follow her lead. Even those loyal to Grand Worshipper Qian Daoliu, like Snake Spear and Thorn Dolphin Douluo, must tread lightly around her."
Although Snake Spear Douluo and Thorn Dolphin Douluo were loyal to Qian Daoliu, they hadn't reached level 96, preventing them from joining the Elder Hall as worshippers. Thus, Spirit Hall regulations kept them stationed in the Elder Hall under Bibi Dong's authority.
Chenxin's steps slowed, his gaze sharpening. "At the banquet, I sensed an aura from Bibi Dong that even I found unsettling."
Ning Fengzhi's eyes widened. "Sword Uncle, if even you, a level 96 Titled Douluo, were disturbed, could it be that Bibi Dong herself has reached level 96? She's younger than Tang Hao by a few years if I remember correctly."
Sword Douluo Chenxin shook his head thoughtfully. "It didn't feel like raw power alone, but rather a vast, all-encompassing aura. Even to me, standing in its presence felt as though I were a mere speck before a mountain."
Hearing this, Ning Fengzhi paused, his tapping on the ground falling silent as he swallowed nervously. "It's astounding that not only is she skilled in leadership, but her cultivation talent is so exceptional. Now that she's reached Titled Douluo, her twin martial spirits will fully show their advantage."
Chenxin nodded, a trace of dread lingering in his expression. "With her talent and Spirit Hall's growing power, the continent is sure to experience significant upheaval."
Recalling the tense atmosphere at the banquet, Ning Fengzhi's voice grew somber. "Uncle Sword, I sensed a hint of foreboding in Bibi Dong's words at the banquet. The continent is on the brink of a storm."
Chenxin sighed but then cast a proud look at Ning Fengzhi. "Even so, our power has also grown significantly. Fengzhi, since your martial spirit evolved into the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, with your boost, Bone Douluo and I can stand against five or six ordinary Titled Douluo together. Even Spirit Hall would have to think twice before attacking us."
Ning Fengzhi smiled slightly, but his thoughts turned bitter as he remembered that his spirit's evolution was all thanks to Dai Yao, who was about to join Spirit Hall. He sighed softly and said, "Uncle Sword, it's late. Let's head back. Since the tournament began, Rongrong's complexion has seemed off. I need to check on her."
Chenxin's expression darkened with concern; he cared for Ning Rongrong like a granddaughter, and her pale face had him deeply worried.
The two picked up their pace, arriving at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan's residence in Wuhun City within a quarter of an hour.
Opening the door, they found Ning Rongrong sitting alone, her hand resting against her delicate chin, gazing blankly out the window, faint traces of tears staining her cheeks.
A group of elegant maids noticed their arrival, their faces brightening with relief. The head maid hurried over to Ning Fengzhi and respectfully, albeit anxiously, reported, "Clan Leader, since Miss Rongrong returned from the match, she hasn't eaten a thing. We've tried everything to persuade her, but it's no use. Her health will suffer if this continues. Please, you must speak to her."
Ning Fengzhi frowned, glancing at the untouched food—an array of over a dozen dishes, an impressive spread given the limited ingredients in Wuhun City. Despite including many of Ning Rongrong's favorite dishes, she had eaten nothing.
He exchanged a worried look with Chenxin, both men recognizing the weight of the situation.
"Leave us," Ning Fengzhi ordered gently.
The maids quickly exited, clasping their hands and bowing, closing the door behind them as they left.
Ning Fengzhi approached his daughter, who looked exhausted and listless. He sighed inwardly but forced a loving smile. Leaning close, he murmured, "My little troublemaker, I know today hasn't been easy. But you can't neglect your meals. You've been unwell lately, and this won't help."
Ning Rongrong looked up, her voice weak. "Father, you're here…"
Sword Douluo Chenxin's normally stoic expression softened, a hint of worry breaking through as he fretted, "Rongrong, my little girl, please eat something. If you don't, your Bone Grandpa will surely take it out on me when we get back!"
Ning Rongrong couldn't help but laugh at his coaxing. She was no longer the unruly young girl she had been; her experiences over the past few years had matured her. Holding Chenxin's rough hand, she said, "Alright, Sword Grandpa, I'll listen to you. I'll eat."
Delighted, Ning Fengzhi glanced at the now-cold dishes. "Please bring fresh dishes," he instructed through the door, "and make them light."
"Yes, Clan Leader."
The maids entered swiftly, removing the cold dishes and replacing them in mere moments. Once the room was once again silent, Sword Douluo's expression grew serious. He had heard the forced cheer in Ning Rongrong's voice and was troubled.
"Rongrong," he began, "after you eat, let your father examine you. You've been coughing and feeling unwell for days now, and we're worried."
Ning Rongrong's smile faltered slightly, but she nodded. "Alright, Sword Grandpa. Father, would you mind examining me while we wait?"
In truth, her unexplained weakness had begun to worry her too. As a soul master whose body had been strengthened through rigorous training, she rarely, if ever, fell ill.
"Yes, that's a good idea," Ning Fengzhi said, smiling gently. "Don't worry, Rongrong. I'll guide my soul power through your body to check for anything unusual. It might feel a bit uncomfortable, but bear with it."
"Alright."
As Ning Rongrong nodded, Ning Fengzhi channeled his soul power, placing his hand gently on her shoulder and allowing his energy to flow through her.
However, the moment his soul power entered Ning Rongrong's body, his expression shifted subtly.
As time passed, Ning Fengzhi's brows furrowed deeper and deeper, his face darkening with an expression that seemed ready to spill over in distress. A moment later, the freshly prepared dishes were laid out by the maids, filling the table, but Ning Fengzhi had just opened his eyes, and they were bloodshot. His usual composed demeanor had vanished, replaced by a fierce expression.
This uncharacteristic look startled Ning Rongrong, making her shrink back slightly in fear. She asked in a trembling voice, "Father, what… what happened?"
Ning Fengzhi bit his lip, silent, his gaze on her filled with pain and regret. Noticing this, Chenxin felt a pang of unease and asked urgently, "Fengzhi, what's wrong with Rongrong?"
But Ning Fengzhi seemed oblivious to the voices around him, absorbed in a torrent of guilt and remorse. After examining her condition, he realized that Rongrong was not ill but suffering from depletion—her foundational strength was damaged.
Her core strength had been strained to the breaking point through fatigue and exhaustion without adequate recovery, accumulating over time until her body could no longer bear the load. The damage was now irreversible.
This meant that Ning Rongrong's future, her very potential, was now largely compromised.
The memory of his vow to give his daughter the best of everything after his wife's passing weighed heavily on his heart. Since her time away, Rongrong had been with the Shrek Academy group. The only time her strength could have been undermined was during her training at Shrek Academy.
Could it have been Shrek's training methods?
He was filled with confusion. When Rongrong had first returned home, her increase in spirit power had surprised him. Ning Fengzhi had been impressed by Grandmaster's methods and reputation, so much so that he hadn't questioned it.
With reddened eyes, he forced a semblance of a smile and asked, "Rongrong, when did you first start feeling unwell?"
"During the finals, maybe…" Rongrong answered after a moment of thought.
This response confirmed Ning Fengzhi's suspicions, and he continued, "Rongrong, can you tell me again how Grandmaster trained all of you?"
Though curious, Rongrong answered with the same details she had shared before.
Ning Fengzhi's brows knitted together. He sensed nothing problematic with the method itself—in fact, it inspired a certain admiration for Grandmaster's ingenuity. "Could I have misjudged?" he wondered, but this thought was fleeting as he pondered further. The method seemed flawless, so where was the fault?
He asked, "Rongrong, could you tell me in more detail what you experienced after joining Shrek Academy?"
Without hesitation, Rongrong recounted her experiences at the Academy. When she mentioned running laps with heavy stones, soaking in herbal baths for recovery, and then dining on simple stews, soup, steamed buns, and fruit, Ning Fengzhi's brows furrowed, and he interrupted, "Rongrong, you were given medicinal baths after intense training. Why was your food so meager?"
After such strenuous training, the herbs used in medicinal baths would need to be of high quality to replenish the body properly, or the body would remain depleted. This realization made Ning Fengzhi's heart sink.
Rongrong pouted slightly, recalling the situation with dissatisfaction, and said, "I don't know either. The food was very plain, but everyone else called it a feast. At the time, I'd already fallen out with them because of my temper, so to fit in, I went along with it."
Hearing this, Ning Fengzhi finally understood why Rongrong's core strength had deteriorated and felt a deep urge to slap himself. Glancing at the lavish meal before them, he felt the irony. His daughter now turned a blind eye to these delicacies, but back at Shrek, a bowl of thick soup and a few pieces of meat had been called a feast. While this might be acceptable for common soul masters, it was entirely insufficient for someone with her level of training.
Forcing a smile, he gently caressed her brown hair, his tone soft and comforting. "It's alright, Rongrong. Don't worry; your father will make you well again."
Seeing his daughter nod obediently, Ning Fengzhi's heart felt like it was bleeding. Why had he allowed Rongrong to attend Shrek Academy, entrusting her education to someone like Flender?
What was wrong with letting Rongrong live happily, free of burdens, as the little princess she was?
In his heart, he knew: he was the reason for her suffering.
"Now, Rongrong, even if you have little appetite, try to eat something. Your body needs it," he urged.
Catching Sword Douluo's penetrating gaze, Ning Fengzhi sighed and suggested, "Uncle Sword, shall we take a walk?"
Chenxin, suppressing a tide of questions, immediately agreed. "Let's go."
As they made their way to the garden, Chenxin finally asked, "Fengzhi, what exactly is wrong with Rongrong? Why bring me out here?"
Ning Fengzhi fell silent before replying heavily, "Rongrong's core strength has been damaged. I worried that telling her would be too much for her to handle right now."
"What!" Chenxin's exclamation reverberated, his soul power flaring. The air around them seemed to hum and tremble. "Then we need to find a way to repair it!"
But Ning Fengzhi's voice came out sorrowful, "It's too late…"
Sword Douluo's cloak whipped in the air, and his gaze turned sharp as a blade. "Fengzhi, tell me everything!"
Ning Fengzhi explained, "When Rongrong left home, her foundation was strong. She has only been at Shrek Academy since. The damage must have occurred there, so I questioned her about their training methods."
Sword Douluo seemed to recall something. "Didn't you praise that Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon kid's training methods at the time?"
Ning Fengzhi gave a bitter smile. "Exactly. I trusted Yu Xiaogang's reputation, and that was my mistake."
"Rongrong mentioned that their training involved long-distance runs with weights, which were already extreme for her. When Grandmaster increased their training volume, it pushed her well beyond her limits."
"The herbal baths Grandmaster used were supposed to help them recover, but they clearly didn't have enough funds for proper nutrition. The bath's effects, while sufficient for Tang San and the other assault or control-type spirit masters, fell short for an auxiliary spirit master like Rongrong."
"That's why only Rongrong and Oscar experienced these symptoms. Over time, it all accumulated, and now her foundation has been damaged."
Ning Fengzhi's eyes were rimmed red with emotion.
Chenxin's hands shook as he trembled with rage, a murderous light gleaming in his eyes. He clenched his jaw and said, "The Shrek Academy team hasn't left yet, right? I'll slaughter them!"
Just as Chenxin was about to draw his sword and depart, a maid approached quickly, casting a fearful glance at the wrathful Sword Douluo before carefully delivering her message. "Clan Leader, Dai Yao is here to see you."
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 20 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Canserbero10
Friends can now purchase any novel with a 25% discount. This promotion ends on October 7th.