Chapter 26: Investment Into Shrek AcademyThe clearing, which moments before had been a stage for a world-altering business deal, now returned to the simple intimacy of a family reunion. With the weighty matters concluded, Ning Fengzhi's gaze softened as he looked upon his daughter, the sharp edge of the sect leader replaced by the gentle concern of a father.
"Rongrong, my dear," he began, his voice warm. "Tell me honestly, how have you been living here at this Shrek Academy? The environment is… lacking. Are you certain you wish to continue staying here? You can always return to the sect with us. No one would fault you."
Sword Douluo Chen Xin snorted, his sharp gaze sweeping over the shabby huts in the distance. "Hmph. Lacking is an understatement, Fengzhi. This place is a hovel. She should come home."
Ning Rongrong, however, just shook her head, a stubborn glint in her eyes. "No, Daddy. It's true that this place is terrible compared to home. But I'm going to stay."
"But why?" Bone Douluo Gu Rong asked, his voice a dry rustle of concern. "What is here that you cannot find at home?"
Ning Rongrong's lips curled into a disdainful sneer as she thought of some of her new classmates. "The teachers here are mostly arrogant fools, especially that 'Grandmaster'," she said, spitting the title out like a bad taste. "But the students… they're unexpectedly talented. Though some of them," she added, her voice dripping with contempt, "are absolute degenerates."
"There's Oscar, the one with the sausage spirit, and that fatso Ma Hongjun. And then there's Dai Mubai," she said his name with particular venom. "They're utterly promiscuous. It seems like they'd look at any girl between the age of six and sixty with the same lecherous eyes. They're disgusting."
The casual disgust in her voice sent a chill down her father's spine. Ning Fengzhi's expression hardened, and a cold, protective fury flashed in the eyes of the two Titled Douluos.
"Rongrong," Chen Xin said, his voice a low, dangerous growl. "You should be careful around those three. If any of them dare to lay a hand on you, you use the weapons that boy gave you. Do not hesitate. Aim to cripple."
"Uncle Sword is right," Ning Fengzhi added, his gentle demeanor gone, replaced by the cold authority of a sect leader. "Your safety is most important." In his mind, a decision was already made. 'The moment I return, I will dispatch Elder Shi and Elder Li. Two Spirit Douluos. They should be stationed in the Suotuo City and watch over Rongrong in secret. If anyone dares to harm a single hair on her head, they will vanish without a trace.'
Ning Rongrong nodded, appreciating their concern. A flicker of hesitation crossed her face. She thought about telling them, about revealing the vile threat Dai Mubai had made against her life. The words were on the tip of her tongue.
'If I tell them, Daddy and my grandpas will flay him alive. They'll subject him to a torture worse than death before finally killing him.' The thought was satisfying, but it felt… incomplete. It would be their revenge, not hers.
'Zhang Tian said he had a plan,' she remembered, his calm, confident voice echoing in her mind. 'He promised to make Dai Mubai suffer in the worst way possible. His revenge will be more thorough, more… personal.' Her trust in Zhang Tian was absolute. She would let him handle it.
So, she kept the secret locked away. "Don't worry," she said brightly. "I have another friend here, besides Zhang Tian. Her name is Zhu Zhuqing. She's strong and very serious. We look out for each other."
Satisfied for the moment, the trio decided to take a short tour of the academy with their princess, their powerful presence turning the shabby grounds into a royal court. As they walked, they inevitably ran into the rest of the student body, who had been drawn out by the lingering aura of power.
Dean Flender, seeing the three legendary figures approaching, felt his legs go weak. He practically sprinted forward, bowing deeply. "Sect Master Ning! Sword Douluo! Bone Douluo! An honor! A great honor to have you visit our humble academy!" Zhao Wuji and the other teachers quickly followed suit, their expressions a mixture of awe and terror.
Only Yu Xiaogang remained aloof, offering a stiff, almost imperceptible nod, as if greeting equals, an act of arrogance that the two Titled Douluos noted with cold amusement.
The Shrek students gathered behind their teachers, their eyes wide. Dai Mubai, Tang San, Xiao Wu, Ma Hongjun, and Oscar stared at the visitors, feeling the immense, suffocating pressure of their spirit power. Zhu Zhuqing, standing slightly apart, simply observed.
As Xiao Wu stepped forward, a subtle message flowed from Chen Xin to Ning Fengzhi. 'Fengzhi, the girl with the scorpion braid. That's her. The hundred-thousand-year-old beast.'
Ning Fengzhi's eyes flickered towards Xiao Wu for a fraction of a second, his expression unchanging, but he logged the information. 'Interesting. So, this is Tang Hao's target.'
Xiao Wu, completely unaware that her secret had been so easily pierced, felt a wave of relief wash over her. 'Phew. They're not looking at me. They don't know. I'm safe.'
Ning Fengzhi addressed Flender, his voice polite but carrying the weight of his station. "Dean Flender, we merely came to visit our Rongrong today. We also concluded a most… fruitful discussion with young friend Zhang Tian regarding some of his inventions."
The mention of the deal made Tang San's eyes narrow. He could not let this opportunity pass. He could not allow Zhang Tian to monopolize the attention and resources of such a powerful sect.
Stepping forward, his expression proud and confident, he spoke up, his voice clear and strong. "Sect Master Ning, if you are interested in unique weapons, perhaps you would be interested in mine as well."
Ning Fengzhi raised a curious eyebrow. "Oh? And what weapons might those be, young man?"
Tang San's chest puffed out slightly. This was his moment to shine, to display the superiority of the Tang Sect's legacy. He reached into his Twenty-Four Moonlight Bridges and, with a series of practiced, flashy movements, produced his creations.
"This," he announced, holding up a small, intricate device strapped to his wrist, "is the Silent Sleeve Dart. Capable of firing poisoned needles silently and unexpectedly."
He then brought out a larger, more complex crossbow. "And this is the Godly Zhuge Crossbow. It does not need to be reset manually. It can fire forty-eight crossbow bolts in a single, rapid barrage before needing to be reloaded. Its power is enough to threaten a Four-Ringed Spirit Ancestor."
He continued, showcasing a Tense Back Flower Adornment Crossbow, explaining its mechanics and firing a few demonstration shots into a nearby tree, the bolts sinking deep into the wood with a series of satisfying thwumps.
His classmates stared in awe. Even the teachers were impressed.
"Such intricate mechanisms!" Flender breathed. "Little San, you are truly a genius of mechanics!"
Yu Xiaogang allowed a rare, smug smile to touch his lips. 'As expected of my disciple. His talents are multifaceted. This is true genius, not the crude, explosive tools of that other boy.'
Ning Fengzhi, Chen Xin, and Gu Rong examined the weapons. They were indeed impressive. The craftsmanship was exquisite, the mechanisms clever. They were less powerful, less brutally effective than Zhang Tian's firearms, but they possessed an elegance and subtlety that was remarkable.
"A fine craft indeed, young man," Ning Fengzhi said, a genuine note of appreciation in his voice. "I am interested. Would you be willing to sell the blueprints for these weapons to my sect?"
The question was a test. And it was one Tang San immediately failed.
His proud expression turned ugly. "Sect Master Ning," he said stiffly, a tone of self-righteous refusal in his voice. "The blueprints are the secret legacy of my sect. They cannot be given to outsiders. However," he offered, as if it were a great concession, "I can craft them for you. Your sect will provide the necessary rare materials, and I will personally handle the final, crucial assembly."
Ning Fengzhi's smile faded. He frowned, his polite interest replaced by a cool, business-like dismissal. He shook his head.
"Then I am afraid we cannot conduct this trade," he said simply. "Our sect requires the ability to produce such tools for all our disciples. Relying on a single craftsman, no matter how skilled, is inefficient. We will be focusing our resources on developing the weapons based on the designs provided by young friend Zhang Tian."
Tang San felt a hot flush of anger and humiliation. Rejected. And for what? For those crude, loud, artless firearms? He saw it as a personal insult, a dismissal of the centuries of genius that had gone into the Tang Sect's designs. He clenched his jaw, forcing himself to remain silent as he put his precious hidden weapons away, his heart simmering with resentment.
Ning Fengzhi's attention had already moved on. He turned back to Flender. "Dean Flender, while visiting my daughter, I couldn't help but notice the… austerity of your academy. The conditions are quite poor."
Flender had the grace to look embarrassed. "We are… perpetually short on funds, Sect Master."
"I see," Ning Fengzhi said with a magnanimous smile. "My Seven Treasure Glaze Tile Sect would be happy to help. Consider it an investment in my daughter's education. We will fund the construction of a new training facility for your academy."
Flender's jaw dropped. "Sect Master, you… you are too generous!"
"It will include a dedicated Gem-type Simulation Field," Ning Fengzhi continued, "to help Rongrong cultivate her Seven Treasure Glaze Tile Pagoda. And," he added, with a glance towards Zhu Zhuqing, "a Dark-attribute Simulation Field for her friend, Miss Zhuqing."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the group. "We will also provide a regular supply of high-grade medicinal herbs for recovery baths, and the finest, most nutritious food to aid in their physical development."
A wave of excitement went through the Shrek students. This was a fortune falling from the sky!
"However," Ning Fengzhi added, his voice turning sharp and absolute, "let me be perfectly clear. These resources—the simulation fields, the medicinal baths, the high-grade food—are for the exclusive use of my daughter, Ning Rongrong, her friend Zhang Tian, and her friend Zhu Zhuqing. No one else is to touch them without my daughter's explicit permission. Am I understood, Dean Flender?"
The warning was a blade of ice. Flender nodded quickly, sweat beading on his brow. "Perfectly, Sect Master! Perfectly understood!"
The other students could only stare, their initial excitement turning to a bitter, burning envy. Dai Mubai, Oscar, Ma Hongjun, Tang San, Xiao Wu… they were excluded. They could only look on as a world of luxury and accelerated cultivation was handed to the other three.
Yu Xiaogang's face was a thundercloud. 'What?! This is unacceptable! These resources would be far better spent on Little San, the true core of this team! To waste them on a support type, a reckless boy, and that cold girl who still isn't helping with team unity… preposterous!'
He said nothing, but a plan was already forming in his manipulative mind. He would find a way. He would approach Ning Rongrong, appeal to her sense of teamwork, her "duty" to the collective, and convince her to share. He was certain he could make her see reason.
With his pronouncements made and his power displayed, Ning Fengzhi, along with the two Titled Douluos, prepared to depart. After a final, loving farewell to their princess, they soared into the sky, vanishing into the distance.
That night, the academy was abuzz with the day's events. But in their secluded clearing, a different kind of work was underway. Ning Rongrong, her heart still soaring from her father's visit and the validation of her choices, found Zhang Tian already deep in his training routine. Even though it was late, she didn't hesitate. She immediately joined him.
"Alright," he said, pausing his own practice as she approached. "We'll continue your spirit power control training for a while longer tonight. But be ready for tomorrow. We're going back to physical conditioning. And it's going to be much harder."
Ning Rongrong, who would have complained about such a prospect just a few days ago, now met his gaze with a look of fierce, unwavering determination. "I'm ready," she said, her voice firm. She would not let him down. She would become strong enough to stand by his side.
Chapter 27: Pure Spirit Power ControlThe morning after the eventful family visit dawned crisp and clear, carrying with it the promise of a new, more focused beginning. The air at Shrek Academy was still tinged with the faint scent of sawdust and fresh earth as construction crews, dispatched with breathtaking speed by the Seven Treasure Glaze Tile Sect, began the initial survey for the new facilities.
But for Zhang Tian and Ning Rongrong, the day held a different kind of promise. It was the promise of pain.
They stood in their secluded clearing, the dew still clinging to the leaves, the world quiet and still.
"Alright, Rongrong," Zhang Tian began, his voice devoid of its usual playful teasing, replaced by the crisp, no-nonsense tone of an instructor. "Today is a physical conditioning day. For the first two weeks, we will do this once every three days. This will give your body ample time to recover and adapt. After that, we will increase it to once every two days, and eventually, to every day. We are not just building endurance; we are rebuilding your entire muscular structure."
Ning Rongrong, dressed in a simple, practical training outfit she had purchased in Suotuo City, nodded, her face set with a grim determination. The memory of her exhaustion was still fresh, but so was the memory of Zhang Tian's unwavering support. She would not fail.
"Today's training will be different from last time," he continued. "We will focus on dynamic agility, reaction speed, and combat awareness under pressure."
He gestured to the clearing, and at his command, the ground came alive. His Blood Silver Grass erupted, but not into the simple obstacle course of before. This was a far more complex and insidious creation. There were the familiar low walls and shifting tripwires, but now, thick vines snaked up the trunks of the surrounding trees, forming a dense canopy. From this canopy hung dozens of smaller, whip-like tendrils, like a forest of hanging snakes. Scattered throughout this three-dimensional maze were the small, colored bells from their previous training.
"Your goal is the same," he explained. "Navigate the course and strike the bells I call out. The difference is that the attacks will now come from all directions. From above, below, and the sides. Stay alert."
While she took a moment to mentally prepare, he began his own preparations. From his storage spirit tool, he produced a series of heavy, dark metal plates. They were weights, custom-forged to his specifications. He strapped them to his wrists, his ankles, and a heavy vest across his torso. The total weight was well over one hundred kilograms.
Ning Rongrong watched, her eyes wide. "Are you going to train with all that on?"
He just smiled. "My course is a bit more challenging."
And it was. On the other side of the clearing, a second, far more terrifying obstacle course had taken shape. It was denser, the gaps narrower, the angles more extreme. And in the air, he had woven several free-floating orbs of vines, which spun and moved erratically, occasionally firing blunted, hardened needles in random directions.
Her training began. The moment she entered the course, it became a whirlwind of motion. She sprinted forward, her mind already working, trying to process the complex environment.
"Blue!" Zhang Tian's voice called out.
She spotted the blue bell hanging from a low branch and lunged for it, striking it with her palm. As she did, a vine whipped out from the canopy above, aimed at her head. She yelped and dropped into a roll, the vine whistling harmlessly over her. She came up, panting, and immediately had to leap over a wall of vines that had just erupted from the ground.
It was a grueling, relentless dance. She was constantly moving, constantly reacting. The physical exertion was immense, but the mental strain was even greater. She had to track the bells, listen for his commands, and watch for attacks from every conceivable angle, all at the same time.
While she struggled, Zhang Tian moved through his own course. Even with the immense weight holding him down, he flowed through the deadly maze with an eerie, supernatural grace. He was practicing the Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track. His feet barely seemed to touch the ground as he weaved between lashing vines and dodged swarms of hardened needles. He would leap onto a tree trunk, run sideways for a few steps, and then flip backwards onto a swaying vine, his balance perfect, his movements a symphony of controlled power. It was ten times the difficulty, ten times the intensity, and he made it look like a casual stroll.
After more than half the day had passed, with Ning Rongrong on the verge of total collapse, Zhang Tian finally called a halt to the agility drills. He led her, stumbling with exhaustion, back to the main academy grounds.
Zhao Wuji, who was overseeing the Shrek Six's monotonous training routine, saw them approach. A curious, expectant look was on his face.
"Teacher Zhao," Zhang Tian called out politely. "If you would be so kind."
A wide grin spread across Zhao Wuji's face. "The gravity training again, boy? I was wondering when you'd ask. How much today?"
"Three times gravity for me," Zhang Tian said calmly. "And two for Rongrong. She's still adapting."
The students who were on their training paused, staring in disbelief. They were already struggling under their own weight and seemed like they would collapse at any moment, and these two were voluntarily subjecting themselves to even more?
Zhao Wuji roared with laughter. "I like your style, kid! Fine!"
His third spirit ring lit up, and the familiar, invisible pressure descended. Ning Rongrong gasped, her already aching muscles screaming in protest as the force pressed down on her.
Zhang Tian, under a force that would have crushed a normal person, merely settled into a low horse stance, his legs trembling slightly but holding firm.
"Now, Rongrong," he said, his voice strained but steady. "We practice what we learned. Dodge."
He sent a single, slow-moving vine slithering towards her. To her, it felt like it was moving at a snail's pace, yet lifting her own legs to move out of its way was a monumental effort. It was a battle of inches, a slow-motion dance of pure willpower.
The session was short, only fifteen minutes, but it felt like an eternity. When Zhao Wuji finally released the pressure, Ning Rongrong collapsed in a heap, unable to even moan, her body completely spent.
Zhang Tian, however, remained standing, his body drenched in sweat, his breathing deep and controlled. He had not only endured the triple gravity but had been secretly circulating his Mysterious Heaven Skill throughout the entire ordeal, using the immense pressure to further temper his body and purify his spirit power.
The next day was dedicated to Spirit Power control. After their usual breakfast, they retreated to their clearing. The game of colored orbs resumed, but it was more complex now. The orbs moved faster, the sequences were longer, and sometimes, he would have two orbs of the same color, forcing her to make a choice.
Her progress was tangible. Her control was becoming finer, more instinctive. She could now feel the faint beginnings of the fourth aperture, the pathway to the next level of her clan's secret art, becoming clearer in her mind.
At the end of the day, as they sat resting, Zhang Tian looked at her, a serious expression on his face.
"Your control is improving rapidly, Rongrong," he said. "Soon, it will be good enough. Eventually, I will teach you to control your spirit power in a different way. A way that will allow you to strengthen your body, to defend yourself, and even… to attack someone who dares to get close to you."
Ning Rongrong stared at him, her tired mind struggling to process his words. "Attack? With my spirit power? But... as far as I know, that's impossible. The Seven Treasure Glaze Tile Pagoda has no offensive capabilities at all. I've never heard of anyone being able to do that."
Zhang Tian shook his head, a thoughtful look in his eyes. "I don't know why it's considered impossible. Perhaps it's because everyone in the world is too reliant on the abilities granted by their spirit rings and spirit bones. They see their spirits as a vessel for these abilities that are not their own. They never stop to consider the raw power of their spirit power. Nobody truly focuses on pure spirit control to unleash attacks, when it is, in fact, entirely possible."
He offered her a mysterious smile. "I will teach it to you later, when your control is refined enough. For now, let's go. Your body needs to recover."
It had become their routine. After a grueling day of training, they would head to Suotuo City for a luxurious, healing medicinal bath. The past two days had followed this pattern, a cycle of intense effort and deep recovery.
But today, as they reached the outskirts of the city, Zhang Tian didn't turn towards the familiar hot springs establishment. Instead, he led her down a less-traveled path, towards a dense, quiet patch of woods that bordered the city walls.
"Where are we going?" Ning Rongrong asked, her curiosity piqued.
"A demonstration," he replied simply. "What I am about to show you is a secret. I cannot risk showing it at the academy, not with that powerful individual lurking in the shadows."
Ning Rongrong nodded, her expression turning serious. She understood his caution.
He led her to a small, secluded glade, surrounded by thick trees that blocked them from view. In the center of the glade was a large, grey boulder, as tall as a man.
"Watch closely," he said.
He stood before her, took a deep breath, and extended his right hand, palm up. He began to focus, his spirit power gathering. A visible shimmer of energy began to swirl above his palm. It was raw, untamed spirit power, drawn directly from his body. The air crackled as the energy condensed, spinning faster and faster, coalescing into a perfect, white-hot sphere of pure, churning power. It was connected to his palm by a thin, stable stream of energy, a tether of pure control.
The sight was breathtaking. Ning Rongrong stared, mesmerized. She had seen spirit abilities her whole life, but she had never seen anything like this. This wasn't an ability from a ring; this was raw creation.
With a final, sharp intake of breath, Zhang Tian moved. He didn't throw the sphere. He lunged forward and slammed his palm, and the spinning ball of energy it held, directly into the face of the massive boulder.
The moment of impact was silent. For a split second, nothing happened. Then, the boulder seemed to shudder from within. Cracks, like a spider's web, erupted across its surface. And then, with a deafening CRACK that echoed through the woods, the entire boulder disintegrated. It didn't just break; it was reduced to a cloud of fine, grey dust and smithereens that drifted away on the breeze.
Ning Rongrong's jaw dropped. She stared at the empty space where the boulder had been, then back at Zhang Tian, who stood calmly, lowering his hand. The destructive power was immense. It was a pure, unadulterated force.
"This," Zhang Tian said, turning to face her, "is a skill created from pure spirit power control. As you can see, it has no added attributes like fire or ice. But its destructive force is roughly equivalent to a third-ring ability from a dedicated Power Attack Spirit Master."
He gestured to the cloud of dust. "The disadvantages are clear. It requires an incredibly high level of spirit power control to form and maintain the sphere. And it consumes a significant amount of spirit power in a single burst. But for a support master like you, who may one day be cornered with no allies in sight, having a trump card like this… it could be the difference between life and death."
The implications hit Ning Rongrong like a physical blow. To be able to fight back, to have an offensive power of her own… it was a dream she had never dared to entertain.
She rushed forward, grabbing his arm, her eyes shining with an almost manic excitement. "Zhang Tian! Teach me! Please! How do I do that?! How can I make that ball of spirit power and smash it into my opponents?!"
He smiled at her unrestrained enthusiasm. "It won't be that simple, Rongrong," he said gently. "For me to achieve this level of control, I trained for nearly six years. Much of that was research and experimentation, of course. But by my estimation, even with my guidance, it will take you at least one full year of diligent, daily practice to reach the level of control required to form even a small, unstable sphere."
Her excitement didn't waver. "I'll do it!" she declared, her voice filled with an iron resolve. "I'll train diligently every single day! I promise!"
He smiled, pleased with her determination. "Good. But you must also promise me something else. You cannot teach this method to anyone. Not your father, not your grandfathers. No one. This is a spirit skill I created personally. Until I can develop countermeasures to ensure it cannot be easily used against us, it must remain our secret."
"I promise," she said without a moment's hesitation. "I won't even tell my daddy about this. It will be our secret."
"Excellent," he nodded. "Then your new training begins now. The first step is to learn how to infuse parts of your body with your spirit power, not to cast a skill, but to physically reinforce yourself."
He pointed to a smaller, fist-sized rock on the ground. "Your first exercise is simple. Infuse your hand with your spirit power, and punch that rock. You will continue to do this until you can shatter it with a single, reinforced punch."
He explained the three core benefits. "First, you will learn to protect your hands, and by extension, your entire body, with a flexible shield of spirit power. Second, you will learn how to enhance the physical force of your own attacks. Third, the constant, fine control required to do this without injuring yourself will refine your spirit power, making it denser and purer. This is the foundation upon which all other offensive skills will be built."
Ning Rongrong looked at the rock, then at her own delicate hands, and then back at Zhang Tian. A fierce, determined fire lit up her eyes.
And so, for the next week, a new, strange routine was added to their training. Every day, after the grueling agility drills and the mentally taxing control games, Ning Rongrong could be found in their secluded clearing, her small fists glowing with a faint light, repeatedly, methodically, punching a rock.
At the end of that week, as promised, the Seven Treasure Glaze Tile Sect delivered. A convoy of carriages arrived at Shrek Academy, bearing gifts that transformed the shabby grounds overnight.
Two new, state-of-the-art simulation fields—one shimmering with a gem-like light, the other shrouded in an eerie darkness—were constructed with incredible speed and efficiency.
But for Zhang Tian, the true treasures were delivered to him personally. A sect elder presented him with a beautifully crafted ring. "The Rising Dragon Jade Ring," the elder explained. "A storage spirit tool with over two hundred cubic meters of space."
Another, more strangely pulsating bracelet, was also given to him. "The Life Jade Treasure Bracelet. It can safely house living creatures, as you requested."
He also received a series of heavy crates filled with one-kilogram samples of dozens of different rare ores and metals from the sect's vaults—Blazing Sun Iron, Deep Sea Mithril, Star Patterned Steel—each with unique properties he was eager to test.
Finally, he was given a small, locked chest containing four strange, ancient-looking spirit tools discovered in some forgotten ruins. There was a small, perpetually warm jade pendant, a compass whose needle spun erratically, a single, featureless silver bracer, and a cracked, empty potion bottle that seemed to absorb light. They were curiosities, low-grade and of little practical use to the sect, but for Zhang Tian, they were invaluable subjects for research.
He accepted the gifts with a deep sense of satisfaction. The first phase of his plan was complete. The resources were secured. His alliance was solidified. And his training, and Ning Rongrong's, continued, a relentless, quiet revolution unfolding in the shadow of the Grandmaster's rigid dogma.