A full day and night had passed.
Ning Rongrong still hadn't emerged from the medicinal bath chamber.
Ning Fengzhi, the Sword Douluo, and the Bone Douluo stood silently outside, their brows occasionally furrowing with concern.
"Fengzhi, could something have gone wrong?" The Bone Douluo's face showed clear worry.
"Should we send someone in to check?" The Sword Douluo suggested tentatively. Of course, it wouldn't be any of the three men entering, but rather a maid to see what was happening inside.
"We must trust Rongrong. That's all we can do now." Ning Fengzhi shook his head, rejecting the Sword Douluo's proposal.
Before entering the bath, Ning Rongrong had sternly warned that no one should disturb her.
As the three men stood anxiously...
A pressure completely distinct from soul power suddenly emanated from the bath chamber.
The Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo exchanged glances, their faces simultaneously showing shock.
"Soul Ancestor? No... this pressure feels closer to Soul King level!"
Had Rongrong succeeded?
Unlike the two Title Douluo, a faint smile appeared on Ning Fengzhi's scholarly face, as if envisioning a future where Ning Rongrong wielded her Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda to smash enemies.
The oppressive aura in the air came and went quickly.
Before long...
A girl wearing practice clothes, her hair still dripping wet, appeared at the bath chamber's entrance.
Seeing Ning Rongrong, the three men hurried forward.
"Rongrong, was your cultivation successful?" Ning Fengzhi asked.
"The conflict between soul power and zhenqi has been resolved..." Ning Rongrong paused thoughtfully, "But I still need to confirm one more thing."
She explained her current situation to the three men.
"Capture some century-level soul beasts?" Neither Ning Fengzhi nor the Bone Douluo could offer useful advice about Rongrong's cultivation method, but the Sword Douluo recalled his own experience attempting her technique.
"Rongrong, are you worried soul rings might conflict with your cultivated zhenqi?"
"Exactly." Ning Rongrong nodded.
Soul rings attached to martial souls ultimately originated from soul beasts. Whether they would reject her zhenqi required rigorous testing.
"I'll go catch some from the breeding forest immediately." The Sword Douluo stepped onto his sword, transforming into a streak of light heading toward the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan's soul beast pens.
Being able to breed century-level and even millennium-level soul beasts demonstrated the immense resources of one of the Top Three Sects.
Within minutes, the Sword Douluo returned with three barely alive century-level soul beasts - showcasing the efficiency of a Title Douluo.
A Soft Bone Rabbit, a Blue Silver Grass, and a Flame-feathered Chicken - all around 400 years old.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda had one advantage: it wasn't picky about soul beasts. All its soul skills were fixed - for example, the first skill would always be "Power."
The soul ring's function seemed more about activating the pagoda's innate abilities rather than providing unique skills. Higher level rings simply made the same effects more soul power-efficient.
Ning Rongrong walked directly to the Soft Bone Rabbit.
How cute!
Its long ears draped over its back, half-lidded eyes revealing bloody red pupils. The weakened body trembled continuously, as if aware of impending death.
Without hesitation, Ning Rongrong slit the rabbit's throat with a dagger.
Instantly, crimson blood gushed forth. The already dying creature expired within seconds.
Above its corpse, a yellow soul ring gradually condensed.
Seeing Ning Rongrong immediately reach out to absorb the ring, Ning Fengzhi frowned deeply.
This was recklessness!
But before he could react further...
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda floating around Ning Rongrong already bore its first soul ring.
"So fast!"
Not just Ning Fengzhi - even the two Title Douluo were shocked by how effortlessly she absorbed it.
Most astonishing was the soul power fluctuation from Ning Rongrong's body.
This defied all logic.
"Level 20..."
Ning Rongrong murmured as she slowly opened her eyes.
Witnessing this unbelievable scene and hearing her words, the three men realized Ning Rongrong had reached Great Soul Master rank. With another soul ring absorption, she could...
"Hiss—"
All three sucked in cold breaths.
"Crack—"
Suddenly, the lone century soul ring around Ning Rongrong's pagoda made a fracturing sound.
Dense cracks spread across its surface.
"What's this?" As Ning Fengzhi began speaking, Ning Rongrong placed her right hand on her left forearm supporting the pagoda.
"Bang!"
The century ring shattered into dissipating soul power particles.
Ignoring Ning Fengzhi's shock, Ning Rongrong walked to the Flame-feathered Chicken and repeated the process.
Within seconds, another soul ring condensed in the same first-tier position.
"A broken soul ring... and she can absorb another?" The three men's eyes widened. Even the experienced Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan leader had never witnessed such a terrifying phenomenon.
In Douluo Continent, a shattered soul ring meant permanently losing that slot.
Yet Ning Rongrong had just absorbed another ring in the same position - defying all conventional understanding.
Again without waiting for questions...
She executed the Blue Silver Grass plant soul beast.
While the first soul ring still glowed intensely, she began absorbing the second century ring.
This process was noticeably slower.
Midway, cracks gradually appeared on the existing century ring.
When the second absorption completed, the energy fluctuation from Ning Rongrong made the three men exchange stunned glances.
Level 30 - quasi-Soul Elder. She had reached Soul Elder rank and could theoretically absorb yet another ring.
"As I suspected."
While Ning Fengzhi stood utterly dumbfounded, Ning Rongrong's calm voice broke the silence.
Only then did he notice the first ring on her pagoda was now completely covered in cracks, with the second beginning to show similar signs.
Repeating her earlier action, she decisively shattered both rings with zhenqi.
"You're..."
Ning Fengzhi trailed off, unsure where to even begin questioning.
"Father, it seems I cannot properly absorb soul rings."
The soul power from rings violently rejected her zhenqi. Had she not forcibly opened all twelve meridians and stabilized them with zhenqi, she might have suffered the same soul power/zhenqi backlash as the Sword Douluo.
Seeing their worried expressions, she continued: "We still have three years. Perhaps a solution exists. If not, I can always abandon this path then."
Her words offered Ning Fengzhi some comfort - at least she wouldn't end up like a certain master who "farted like thunder."
"Rongrong, what are the odds of success?" The Sword Douluo found her cultivation method fascinating but remained concerned for her safety.
His question reflected everyone's worries.
"I'll spend three years attempting to condense my own soul rings."
Self-condensation!
Similar to how hundred-thousand-year soul beasts generated their rings.
Having absorbed and expelled three rings' energy, she'd confirmed several theories:
The martial soul cultivation system - indeed, Douluo Continent's entire soul ring framework - essentially stole power from soul beasts to empower humans.
By using zhenqi to simulate soul ring structures and resonate with her Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, she might replicate soul skills.
As for whether this would enable her to smash enemies with her pagoda...
That remained to be seen.