278. Nearly Meet

Ning Fengzhi chuckled helplessly.

Gently brushing aside the soft, jade-like arm, he glanced around, relieved to see no one was paying attention to them.

Ning Rongrong furrowed her delicate brows and tilted her head, asking, "Daddy, is it embarrassing for Rongrong to pat your head?"

"Of course not," Ning Fengzhi said, pinching her puffed-up cheeks. "Normally, it's fine, but in a situation like this, it’s a bit improper."

"Hmph! You just dislike Rongrong," she said, turning her head away and jumping off the chair.

Placing one hand on her hip, she poked Ning Fengzhi's forehead lightly with her finger. "I’ll punish Daddy by making him promise me one thing!"

Ning Fengzhi laughed, amused but not surprised by her antics. "Alright, what does Rongrong want?"

"I haven't decided yet. I’ll remember it for now and tell you when I figure it out." Ning Rongrong smiled mischievously, dimples appearing on her cheeks.

"Alright," Ning Fengzhi agreed, ruffling her short pink hair. "Now go play, but don’t cause any trouble."

"Mm-hmm! Rongrong is very well-behaved," she said, nodding earnestly, though her lack of self-awareness made Ning Fengzhi smile helplessly.

"Goodbye, Daddy, Grandpas! See you later, I'm going to play with Brother Holy Son!" Ning Rongrong waved to Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo, skipping off energetically toward Qian Renjue's direction.

Bone Douluo watched her small figure leave and sighed. "Little girl will always grow early," he muttered, his voice filled with nostalgia. "Sword, I hope you’ll give that kid a thrashing."

"Why don't you do it yourself? Are you scared?" Sword Douluo teased, setting down his wine cup with a smile.

"Scared? Me?" Bone Douluo's expression hardened, but he hesitated. "If his seventh spirit ring is really 100,000 years old, then what about the first six?"

Sword Douluo's tone grew serious. "Don't forget, the Qian family’s inherited martial spirit comes with an innate domain. If that day comes, I’ll likely lose."

Bone Douluo fell silent, understanding Sword Douluo’s pride.

If he admitted defeat, it meant there was little hope.


With a superior spirit ring and martial spirit at the same level, it was indeed a daunting challenge, especially when facing the legendary Six-Winged Angel.

Ning Fengzhi adjusted his glasses, their lenses glinting. "Sword Uncle, Bone Uncle... Do you think the Spirit Hall has some method to increase the limit of spirit ring endurance?"

Sword and Bone Douluo were visibly shocked.

"Fengzhi, are you suggesting that the Holy Son's soul ring configuration isn't an exception?" Sword Douluo asked.

"No, the Holy Son is certainly an exception," Ning Fengzhi shook his head. "But I believe that even if Spirit Hall possesses such a method, it’s merely an added bonus for him."

"True, after all, he’s a Spirit Sage," Bone Douluo said, gazing at Qian Renjue's youth, for the first time feeling that his bones were getting old.


---

"Senior Brother Xue Qinghe, excuse me!" Ning Rongrong approached Qian Renjue from behind, lightly tapping Xueqinghe on the shoulder.

"Junior Sister Rongrong? What brings you here?" Xue Qinghe looked surprised but moved aside slightly.

Qian Renjue was also curious.

"Rongrong was bored," she smiled at Qian Renjue, grabbing his arm and squeezing herself between them.

She asked directly, "Senior Brother Xue, have you finished talking with the Holy Son?"

"Hmm?" Xue Qinghe glanced at Qian Renjue and nodded with a smile. "Yes, we’re done."

"Great!" Ning Rongrong smiled and looked around briefly.

Then, grabbing Qian Renjue’s arm, she stood on her tiptoes and whispered in his ear, her warm breath brushing against him. "Brother Holy Son, come play with Rongrong. I’ll wait for you outside."

Her soft, sweet voice barely reached him before she blinked and looked at him expectantly.

Qian Renjue glanced at Qian Renxue and gave a small nod.

"Yay!" Ning Rongrong cheered, clapping her hands before lightly patting Xue Qinghe on the shoulder. "Senior Brother Xue, don’t drink too much—don’t get addicted!"

With that, she flitted away like a butterfly toward the exit.

"Heh," Xue Qinghe chuckled, taking a small sip of his wine. "The Holy Son's little wife sure holds a grudge."

Qian Renjue rolled his eyes. "That 'wife' is way too young."


---

About fifteen minutes after Ning Rongrong left, Qian Renjue also made his way out with Ling Yuan.

As they walked along the corridor, scanning the guests, he searched for Ning Rongrong’s figure.

"Where’s that girl gone?" Qian Renjue asked, his eyes glowing with a faint white light as he looked around.

Ling Yuan glanced around from behind him. "Your Highness, she seems to be over there!"

"Hmm?" Qian Renjue turned his gaze toward the entrance, an odd expression appearing on his face.

He walked with Ling Yuan toward the entrance, where Ning Rongrong stood with her back to him, seemingly enjoying something.

"Ning Rongrong, what are you doing?" Qian Renjue asked.

"Ah? Ugh!" Ning Rongrong flinched, fumbling and turning around hurriedly.

Her hands were suddenly empty as she looked up at Qian Renjue with a bright smile, explaining, "Brother Holy Son! Rongrong wasn’t doing anything."

"Really?" Qian Renjue eyed her skeptically, noticing the flush on her small face.

"Really! I was just eating something," Ning Rongrong replied, clutching his sleeve and spreading her arms wide.

"You mean drinking a little wine, don’t you?" Qian Renjue sighed, crouching down to lift her into his arms. Standing up, he said, "Alright, now hand over the wine you snuck."

"Haha, Brother Holy Son, you're so smart!" she giggled. "But Rongrong didn’t sneak it—I took it openly outside."

Ning Rongrong forced a laugh, reluctantly pulling out the half-cup of wine from her soul tool and handing it to him.

Seeing his expressionless face, her smile faded, and she pouted pitifully. "Brother Holy Son, Rongrong was just a little thirsty, that’s all."

"Thirsty?" Qian Renjue’s eye twitched slightly. He didn’t believe for a moment that Ning Fengzhi raised her like this.

Behind him, Ling Yuan couldn't help but smirk.

"Alright, fine," Qian Renjue sighed. There wasn’t much he could do to watch over her.

Despite her young age, she was already a strong Spirit Master. She should be fine.

"Thank you, Brother Holy Son!" Ning Rongrong’s face lit up as she handed him the remaining wine, offering it to him with a smile. "Brother Holy Son, Rongrong offers you a drink!"

"You can keep it," Qian Renjue shook his head, carrying her as they walked outside.

Meanwhile, outside the grand red doors, watched over by two stone lions, Liu Erlong walked slowly toward the estate, her head hanging low.


Even outside this manor, she still hadn’t found the person she was looking for.