Ning Rongrong left the main hall.
"Fengzhi, I'll go check on her." Seeing Ning Rongrong walk away, the Bone Douluo followed after her, while Dugu Yan quietly trailed behind the Bone Douluo as well.
"What a reckless girl!" The Sword Douluo watched the Bone Douluo leave but did not follow, merely sighing softly under his breath.
"Uncle Sword, Elder Dugu, do you know what Rongrong did just now? The oppressive pressure from the 100,000-year soul ring that Pavilion Master Lou Gao is absorbing has weakened significantly." Ning Fengzhi spoke with uncertainty.
"She stripped the will of the 100,000-year soul ring from the ring itself, allowing Lou Gao to avoid the effects of soul shock. That must be it."
Dugu Bo was astonished that Ning Rongrong could accomplish such a feat, but he was even more curious about how she planned to handle the remnant soul of the Evil Spirit Orca King.
"Indeed." The Sword Douluo sighed. "I never imagined anyone could do something like this."
Just as he had never expected the Nine Treasure Glazed Pagoda to seal a soul ring, he also never thought Ning Rongrong could forcibly extract the will from one.
Ning Fengzhi frowned. "Are you saying that inside the Nine Treasure Glazed Pagoda… is sealed the remnant soul of the Evil Spirit Orca King?"
Even Lou Gao, a Soul Douluo, could not withstand the soul shock of a 100,000-year soul beast.
Rongrong, she…
"Ah, this is truly reckless." Ning Fengzhi sighed.
"Fengzhi, to be honest, I'm quite worried." The Sword Douluo continued. "What was just extracted wasn't just the remnant soul of the Evil Spirit Orca King it also took away a portion of the soul ring's power."
"You mean…"
"I'm not sure if Rongrong has a way to deal with this." The Sword Douluo was deeply concerned. The remnant soul of the Evil Spirit Orca King, stripped of its will and part of its power, could no longer be considered a soul ring it was now more like a vengeful entity infused with soul power.
If it were still a soul ring, it might have been possible to quietly seal it inside the Nine Treasure Glazed Pagoda, maintaining its unabsorbed state without interfering with the Seven Treasure Glazed Pagoda.
But if it had become a vengeful entity, the situation was entirely different. It might even affect Ning Rongrong's soul.
"Is there a way?" Ning Fengzhi asked.
The Sword Douluo shook his head. "Since she could even solve the problem of Lou Gao's failed soul ring absorption, perhaps Rongrong already has a plan for the next steps."
Ning Fengzhi sighed. "You're right. Given Rongrong's personality, she wouldn't casually put herself in danger."
...
Side Hall
Ning Rongrong wiped the blood from the corner of her lips with her wrist.
This scene was witnessed by the Bone Douluo, who had just arrived. He stepped beside her.
"Rongrong, this is too reckless…"
"It's fine, really." Ning Rongrong knew what the Bone Douluo was referring to and cut him off. "I'm not even a Titled Douluo yet it's not like I'll die so easily."
"It's just the remnant soul of the Evil Spirit Orca King. Grandpa Bone, you don't need to worry."
As she spoke, Dugu Yan also arrived at the side hall.
"Oh? Sister Yan Yan is worried about me too?"
"Of course I am! That's a 100,000-year soul beast we're talking about!" Dugu Yan rolled her eyes at Ning Rongrong. "A 100,000-year soul ring is precious, sure, but there's no need to put yourself in danger for it!"
"Didn't you always tell me before? Something about 'a wise man does not stand beneath a crumbling wall'?"
"Well, I'm not a wise man right now. Besides, perhaps only a 100,000-year soul ring can bring about a fundamental change in Elder Lou Gao's martial soul."
"Not to mention, I have my own considerations." Ning Rongrong walked over, stood on her tiptoes, and patted Dugu Yan's shoulder. "Relax, I'll be fine!"
After briefly reassuring the two one old, one young Ning Rongrong sat cross-legged in the empty side hall, placing her hands together in front of her and circulating her zhenqi.
As her zhenqi flowed, the Nine Treasure Glazed Pagoda materialized in her palms.
The pagoda radiated a dazzling brilliance, with faint traces of blood-red light seeping out.
"If my judgment is correct, perhaps…"
In an instant, Ning Rongrong's consciousness entered the Nine Treasure Glazed Pagoda in the form of a soul body.
As if she had shrunk in size, she opened her eyes to see the barriers formed by the pagoda's glowing walls, sealing the space like an invisible prison.
A creature dozens of times larger than her soul-body form its metallic skin gleaming, wreathed in crimson flames repeatedly slammed against the pagoda's barriers.
Ning Rongrong stared at it and spoke softly. "Long time no see, Evil Spirit Orca King. Seeing you so lively puts my mind at ease."
"Human! It's you! You're the little brat who sealed me here!" The Evil Spirit Orca King turned its massive body, causing the space to rumble.
"That's right. A disobedient fish like you deserves to be locked up and beaten properly. Hmm, it'd be even more fun if you were completely annihilated."
"You dare!" The Evil Spirit Orca King's blood-red eyes flared with fury. "I, the Evil Spirit Orca King, fear no one except the Deep Sea Demon Whale King!"
"Those guys killed me, and I endured it! After all, I was careless and lost the fight."
"But for a mere human brat like you to insult me this is beyond endurance!"
"Oh? How impressive!" Ning Rongrong watched the Evil Spirit Orca King's rage skyrocket and teased, "If a mere 150,000-year soul beast like you is at the 'top' of the soul beast hierarchy, then what does that make the Ice Empress and Snow Empress of the Extreme North?"
"You… How does a human brat like you know so much about soul beasts? Impossible!" The Evil Spirit Orca King's expression darkened. "Just who are you?"