Sword Douluo and the other two stared at the three piles of soul bones in silence for a long time.
Ning Rongrong couldn't help but sigh: "No need to worry about it. This is what I deserve for helping Lan Fozi become a god and reuniting their family. Since she was willing to give them, I took them."
"The two ten-thousand-year external soul bones are actually quite suitable for Grandpa Sword and Grandpa Bone."
With that, including Ning Fengzhi, the founding elders of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School would now possess three external soul bones—what an extravagant lineup.
Before Ning Fengzhi and the others could speak, Ning Rongrong's voice continued.
"Dad, next I'm going to help you all break through to the quasi-god rank, as well as reach the Divine Origin realm."
"Divine Origin realm?"
Ning Fengzhi and the others raised their heads in confusion, looking toward Ning Rongrong.
"Don't worry. After helping Lan Fozi become a god, I have a deeper understanding of both the soul master and soul beast systems. As for why I'm not helping you become gods yet, I still need to observe a bit more."
Soul beasts were ultimately different from humans. Even though humans possessed martial souls, in terms of mental resilience, they still fell far short compared to soul beasts that had accumulated power over years.
"City of Devouring Time."
Ning Rongrong murmured softly. Pitch-black light spread outward with Ning Rongrong at the center.
In the blink of an eye, the space was enveloped in darkness.
"I plan to replace all six of your soul bones with hundred-thousand-year ones." While Ning Fengzhi and the others looked puzzled, Ning Rongrong continued, "Grandpa Bone and Dad's two thirty-thousand-year soul bones really have too low a year limit."
"To condense a higher-grade divine seat, soul bones aren't strictly necessary, but higher-grade soul bones will make condensing a divine seat much better—that's a certainty."
"You… what are you planning to do?" Ning Fengzhi swallowed hard, a vague bad premonition rising in his heart.
"I'll strip the skills from your current soul bones, transfer them onto soul bones with sufficient years, and then implant them back into your bodies."
"In simple terms, it's equivalent to swapping out a soul bone."
"This…" Ning Fengzhi's scalp went numb. "What about the head soul bone?"
"The skull bone! Of course, we crack it open, take out the soul bone, and then put in a new one. Isn't it a very simple process?"
Ning Fengzhi and the other two: "…"
Ning Rongrong, are you even speaking human words?
"Don't worry, you won't die!" Ning Rongrong said confidently. "With me and Kurumi's domain, City of Devouring Time, within this domain, time and space are both under my control."
"And I'm confident!"
"Before coming here, I already categorized the soul bones that can be replaced."
"Besides, not all soul bones need to be swapped—only some of the two- or three-thousand-year ones need replacing."
"For the rest, as long as I infuse them with enough energy, reaching hundred-thousand-year soul bones—even if not exactly a hundred thousand years, ninety-nine thousand nine hundred ninety-nine years is still achievable."
"But my Illusory Realm Wisdom Skull Bone is only thirty thousand years."
"Ning Rongrong, you…"
"Hehe, things like filial piety from father and daughter—I've wanted to do this for a long time." Ning Rongrong giggled. "Don't worry, I still don't want to take the sect master position yet. You should be able to survive safely."
"If you died, the two grandpas would be heartbroken!"
"That's right, Fengzhi. We should trust Rongrong."
"Makes sense. Actually, even if something goes wrong, it's fine! With Rongrong here, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School won't fall into chaos."
The speakers were Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo.
Good grief.
Ning Fengzhi inwardly exclaimed "good grief." So these two elders had already switched sides!
Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo's head soul bones were both eighty-thousand-year ones—nothing like the Illusory Realm Wisdom Skull Bone, which was only thirty thousand years. No need to swap skulls… uh, head soul bones.
"I… you…" Ning Fengzhi's scalp tingled.
"Um, I don't really care about the soul bone year limits anymore."
"No problem—I care."
Ning Rongrong had the attitude of "say whatever you want, I'm doing what I'm doing."
In the end, seeing Ning Fengzhi looking so pitiful, Ning Rongrong spoke earnestly:
"Don't worry. If I weren't confident, I wouldn't do it. Time is running short—we need to break you through as quickly as possible."
"The dragon clouds and dragon souls I brought back from the Dragon Valley before—once you reach quasi-god, using those should get you all the way to the Divine Origin realm."
After Ning Rongrong reasoned, presented facts, and explained everything patiently,
Ning Fengzhi was finally convinced.
It was just swapping soul bones, just cracking open the skull to take out the bone, right?
He was the sect master of such a grand sect—would he be afraid?
Even if he was afraid, would it matter?
He had already been sidelined, okay?
The City of Devouring Time covered the entire assembly hall. The flow of time inside differed from outside.
Time passed minute by minute.
Outside, Dugu Bo—who had already reached the terrifying Rank 96 Title Douluo level—vaguely sensed something. He stood at the entrance of the hall but didn't go in.
Dugu Bo had previously been slandered by the Star Luo Empire as the "Butcher of Balak Kingdom" or something similar, which had made him so angry he spat blood and fainted.
Later, both the Heaven Dou Empire and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School issued statements refuting the rumors and pointed the finger at the Star Luo Empire and Tang San.
But so many people had died—most of them civilians.
It really happened, and he had been poisoned by the Jade Phosphor Serpent poison. Dugu Bo still felt quite guilty, and his mental and physical condition hadn't fully recovered even now. He had been recuperating in the sect during this time.
However, Dugu Yan had taken over his duties—especially during the Abyss invasion in the Far North. Dugu Bo, who had originally planned to go block the Abyss army, had been stopped by the Rank 95 Dugu Yan, who told him to stay and recuperate in the sect.
After learning of Dugu Yan's cultivation level, Dugu Bo felt both gratified and heartbroken.
It was worth noting that Dugu Yan's final hundred-thousand-year soul bone had been obtained by him.
Although it seemed like a soul beast sacrifice, he suspected it wasn't as simple as Dugu Yan had claimed.
In any case, up to now, Dugu Bo was still an idle person.
Dugu Bo gazed at the hall—that space that seemed completely frozen—and recalled certain familiar scenes. He couldn't help but sigh:
"Looks like Rongrong is back."
The only ones who could come and go mysteriously in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School like this were Ning Rongrong and Tokisaki Kurumi, who were proficient in time and space.
Kurumi was unlikely to come find Ning Fengzhi alone, especially since today was supposedly a meeting or something.
So it could only be Ning Rongrong who had returned.
After an unknown amount of time, the seemingly fixed mirror-like surface shattered. Like broken glass, fragments peeled off and floated away. The frozen space resumed.
Pale green long hair fluttered in the wind. The immortal-like Dugu Bo sensed the auras inside the hall. His calm expression gradually turned to shock.
"This… this… these are Limit Douluo quasi-god soul power fluctuations!"
Moreover, these three auras were extremely familiar to Dugu Bo.
Ning Fengzhi, Gu Rong, and Chenxin.
From the aura alone, Chenxin seemed even more solidified than when he had last seen him a few days ago.
After hesitating for a moment, Dugu Bo still strode quickly into the assembly hall.
The moment he pushed open the door and saw the scene inside, a voice reached him:
"Aiya, the magpie has flown to the treetop. I didn't expect that as soon as Rongrong returned, Elder Dugu would notice right away."
Dugu Bo stared in astonishment at the four people seated inside, sensing the condensed and unrestrained soul power auras from the three besides Ning Rongrong.
He once again confirmed his guess.
Still, he subconsciously spoke: "Have you all… reached quasi-god?"
"Mm, I helped Dad and the two grandpas break through. Quasi-god cultivation at the Divine Origin realm—roughly on par with Qian Daoliu, just half a step away from the divine level."
"Hiss!"
Dugu Bo's breathing quickened, shock after shock.
If it had been in the past—before meeting Ning Rongrong—his dream had been to reach the level of Yueguan and Guimei in his lifetime; that would already have been burning high incense in gratitude. But now…
He too harbored ambitions—not aiming for the highest, but at least touching that mysterious Rank 100 ascension to godhood.
Perhaps…
(End of chapter)