Hearing the movement behind her approaching, Ning Rongrong's voice suddenly turned cold and distant. "Didn't you hear me? Get out!"
However, just as those words left her mouth, a warm and gentle voice followed immediately. "This is my own courtyard; must I kick myself out?"
Ning Rongrong's hand holding the watering can froze. She snapped her head around, her gaze meeting Gu Xuan's heterochromatic eyes—one red and one blue.
"Bro... Brother Gu Xuan?" Ning Rongrong looked at the greatly changed Gu Xuan, almost failing to recognize him, but the voice was unmistakably familiar.
Gu Xuan took two steps forward, reaching her side. He took the watering can from her hand and gently brushed a stray lock of hair from her forehead.
"It's only been a few months; have you already forgotten what I look like?" Gu Xuan's voice was magnetic and tender.
Combined with his gentle touch, Ning Rongrong's heart skipped a beat. Even Dugu Yan, who was silently watching from the entrance, felt her brow furrow slightly. However, remembering that Ning Rongrong was Gu Xuan's sister and that they had grown up together, she told herself this was just normal brotherly affection. She suppressed the urge to speak.
Unlike Dugu Yan's forced calm, Ning Rongrong was anything but quiet. Once she was certain it was truly Gu Xuan, she practically launched herself at him. Her long, slender legs wrapped around his waist while her arms locked around his neck.
"Brother Gu Xuan! You finally remembered Rongrong! Dad, Grandpa Bone, and Grandpa Sword all said you came back three months ago, but I was in seclusion, breaking through to Rank 27 then. How could you leave without even looking at me once?" As she spoke, tears fell like pearls.
Gu Xuan felt a pang of pity. One hand supported her lower back while the other wiped away her tears. He hadn't expected such a massive reaction; this was a far cry from her "Little Witch" persona.
At the door, Dugu Yan felt a mix of emotions. When she saw the intimate pose, she had almost intervened, but Ning Rongrong's subsequent breakdown made her heart ache for the girl instead. Dugu Yan had only spent four months with Gu Xuan and already felt she couldn't leave his side; she could only imagine how much this sister, spoiled by him since childhood, relied on him.
With that thought, Dugu Yan relaxed. She was already Gu Xuan's girlfriend; there was no need to get jealous over a younger sister. Seeing the girl cry so pitifully, Dugu Yan actually felt like going over to comfort her—though she knew now was not the right time to cut in.
As Gu Xuan wiped Ning Rongrong's tears, he whispered. "Quickly, get down. You're wearing a skirt!"
The warning only made her more stubborn. Ning Rongrong stiffened for a second before exclaiming. "I won't!"
Not only did she refuse to budge, but her fair, jade-like legs tightened their grip around his waist. Gu Xuan felt like he was wearing a very ill-fitting belt—except this belt was soft and warm, providing a strangely pleasant sensation rather than discomfort.
However, with Dugu Yan at the door, this couldn't continue. Even with the "sister" explanation, no normal siblings played like this. Or rather, you can play like this, but you can't stay like this!
Gu Xuan pinched Ning Rongrong's slightly chubby cheek, enjoying the soft, collagen-rich texture. It felt like touching a soft marshmallow.
"Rongrong, I'm back now, aren't I? Besides, I didn't see you come to the academy to find me either," Gu Xuan said softly.
Mentioning that only made her cry harder. "I did go! After I broke through Rank 27 and took that Beautiful Silk Tulip you brought back, I went to the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy as soon as I hit Rank 30 and got my soul ring. But you weren't there! Then the academy went on break, and you still weren't back!"
"You were the one who wasn't there, yet you say I didn't look for you..."
She sobbed as if she had suffered the greatest injustice in the world. Gu Xuan couldn't help but feel guilty. Having such a cute, obedient sister crying in his arms was a test for anyone. Moreover, the physical sensation was becoming... difficult. In just four months, Ning Rongrong's figure had developed significantly. She had gone from "flat" to noticeably curvy. As she rubbed against him, Gu Xuan found it harder and harder to figure out how to comfort her without things getting awkward.
He didn't want this reunion to turn into a "battlefield" with Dugu Yan watching. Using all his effort, he finally managed to calm Ning Rongrong down, promising to take her to the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy next semester.
He then learned that her soul power had reached Rank 36—only one rank behind him. Gu Xuan felt a bit helpless at this. His two Immortal Herbs were focused on physical reconstruction and foundation rather than raw level-ups, and he had been compressing his soul power to prepare for the Dragon Kings' inheritance.
Rongrong's smugness about the one-rank difference was evident. She had reached Rank 35 after her third ring and gained another level in the three months since. Her cultivation speed was truly frightening.
After her bout of smugness, she asked why his eyes and hair had changed. While he looked handsome, she needed time to adjust. Then came the introduction of Dugu Yan. Ning Rongrong, who had been enjoying the warmth of her brother's embrace, froze the moment Dugu Yan stepped forward.
'Sister-in-law? This has to be fake, right? He's been out for less than five months, and he already has a girlfriend? You're only twelve, Gu Xuan! And there's a cute girl right in front of you that you didn't see? You went and hooked up with an outsider?'
While Dugu Yan's beauty was on par with Rongrong's, her maturity gave her a figure that Rongrong couldn't hope to match yet. For some reason, Ning Rongrong felt a surge of unhappiness that dampened the joy of the reunion.
It was then that Gu Xuan realized just how deep her dependency on him went. Perhaps because they were always together before, he had grown used to her clinging to him. Now, after months apart, her emotions were exploding.
Gu Xuan knew his own nature—he wouldn't necessarily go out of his way to provoke beauties, but if they took the initiative and there were no major conflicts, he rarely refused. However, because of Dugu Yan, he couldn't "spoil" Rongrong the way he might have liked. He could provide brotherly care, but nothing more for now.
Fortunately, Ning Rongrong wasn't completely unreasonable. Though she found it hard to be close to Dugu Yan, she maintained a polite, normal dialogue.
The peace didn't last long. The very next day, Gu Xuan set off for the Star Dou Great Forest with Ning Fengzhi and the others. Ning Rongrong desperately wanted to go, but the forest was too dangerous for a Rank 36 Auxiliary Type Soul Master. She was left behind at the clan, crying another sea of tears that left Ning Fengzhi feeling incredibly guilty as a father.
Ning Fengzhi actually hoped she would become less dependent on Gu Xuan, especially now that he had a girlfriend. He had once hoped they would become a couple, but now... he didn't want his daughter to be a "concubine" or "the second woman." Given Dugu Yan's status and the fact that she was the first, he decided not to interfere and let the youngsters settle it themselves.
Since Gu Xuan's return with Dugu Yan three months prior, Ning Fengzhi had been subtly trying to instil a sense of independence in Rongrong. She was the future heir of the clan and the only Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda user; her future wasn't limited to this.
As the group set off, Ning Fengzhi stood atop Chen Xin's Seven Kill Sword, gazing toward the forest. His heart was pounding with excitement. When he returned, he would be a Soul Douluo. A Soul Douluo of the Eight Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda!
(End of Chapter)
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