Chapter 42 Ning Rongrong's prison break plan was suppressed by the janitor's broom?
Break through dimensions, conquer dynasties, and delve into the depths of the harem.
The night was as still as water, and the silver moon hung high in the sky.
Compared to the hustle and bustle of the daytime, the Daqian Imperial Palace was exceptionally quiet at night, with only the occasional sound of drums in the distance and the chirping of strange insects in the Imperial Garden.
Inside a side hall called Hundred Flowers Pavilion.
Ning Rongrong was lying on a soft brocade couch, wearing a thin pink gauze dress, which was a pet outfit specially given to her by the Empress.
She still wore the gold necklace around her neck, a symbol of humiliation.
"Call..."
Ning Rongrong slowly opened her eyes. Her bright, lively eyes no longer held the submissive and ingratiating look of the daytime, but instead gleamed with a sly glint.
"That old hag went to a state banquet tonight, and I heard she won't be back until very late."
"The two guards at the gate have been drinking and are now dozing off."
"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!"
Ning Rongrong quietly got up from the bed and stretched her arms and legs.
Since taking that pet healing pill, her soul power not only recovered, but also benefited from the misfortune, soaring to level 45 in just a few days!
This kind of cultivation speed is simply a miracle in the Douluo Continent.
But here, she knew very well that she was still just a slightly stronger pet.
"But I'm not reconciled!"
Ning Rongrong clenched her fists, a hint of stubbornness flashing in her eyes:
"I am the little princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect! I am not a pet!"
"Although the elixirs here smell wonderful and the spiritual energy is abundant, I, Ning Rongrong, will never bow down for a mere five pecks of rice!"
"I'm going to escape! Or I'll find somewhere to hide and cultivate, and once I become a Title Douluo, I'll come back to take my revenge!"
Having made up her mind, Ning Rongrong took a deep breath and began to circulate the soul power within her body.
"The seven treasures have names, the first of which is: Speed!"
"Of the seven treasures, the second is: Strength!"
She didn't summon her Martial Soul True Form, fearing that the bright light would attract attention. Instead, she suppressed her soul power in her palm and applied two amplification statuses to herself.
Although the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda had become an ordinary item without the aid of the Beautiful Silk Tulip, the level 45 boost still made her feel as light as a feather.
"Walk!"
Ning Rongrong, like a nimble cat, silently pushed open the window and leaped into the grass of the Imperial Garden.
...
Inside the Imperial Garden.
Ning Rongrong carefully moved among the flowers and trees.
She used the stealth techniques she learned at Shrek Academy, and even some of the methods Tang San taught her to conceal her presence.
"Hmph, what kind of grand palace is this? The guards are nothing special."
Ning Rongrong was secretly delighted.
She stealthily made her way for hundreds of meters without triggering any alarms or even encountering any patrolling guards.
"Once we climb over that palace wall, we'll be in the outer city!"
Ning Rongrong looked at the red wall that was about ten meters high in front of her, and hope shone in her eyes.
However, just as she was preparing to accelerate her sprint.
"Buzz—"
A vibrant red flower growing by the roadside suddenly turned its flower head to face Ning Rongrong.
Immediately afterwards, a golden bee, no bigger than a palm, slowly flew out from the flower's center.
Tier 1 magical beast, King Kong Poison Bee!
"Oh no! It's a patrolling spirit beast!"
Ning Rongrong was shocked and, without thinking, raised her hand and unleashed a burst of soul power:
"Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, Soul Power Impact!"
Although it is a support martial soul, the soul power impact at the Great Soul Master level is enough to stun ordinary wild beasts.
But.
Bite!
When that soul force struck the Vajra Poison Bee, it produced a crisp, metallic clang!
The little bee didn't even flinch; instead, it was enraged!
"Buzz!!!"
The King Kong Bee's compound eyes flashed red, and its stinger instantly shot out, transforming into a golden lightning bolt that pierced straight at Ning Rongrong's brow!
"So fast!!"
Ning Rongrong's pupils shrank sharply; this speed was even faster than Zhu Zhuqing's!
"Distraction control, the three orifices govern the heart!"
In the critical moment, Ning Rongrong used the ultimate technique of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect!
She twisted her body forcefully, narrowly avoiding a fatal wound, but the sharp poisoned needle still grazed her shoulder.
Sizzle!
The clothes were torn, and a black bloodstain instantly appeared on the white shoulder!
"Poisonous!"
Ning Rongrong felt half of her body go numb instantly, and she was terrified.
It's just a bee!
Is it really that strong?
"Damn it! We'll fight!"
Ning Rongrong no longer cared about concealing herself. She suddenly pulled out the Zhuge Crossbow she had bought from Tang San and started firing wildly at the bee!
"Click click click, whoosh whoosh whoosh!"
Sixteen fine iron crossbow bolts shot out from the sky!
Jingle bells!
Sparks flew everywhere. The golden venomous wasp, struck by the crossbow bolt, was only knocked over a few times, without even a white mark left on its shell!
Invincible physical defense?!
Ning Rongrong was utterly desperate.
What kind of hellish place is this?
Even bees have built-in armor?!
Just as the bee adjusted its posture, preparing to launch a second attack and send the little princess to her death.
"Shh..."
A rhythmic sweeping sound suddenly came from the tree-lined path beside them.
"Go away, go play somewhere else."
An aged voice rang out, and then an ordinary-looking bamboo broom floated over and was casually waved in the air.
Snap!
Then, the Vajra Poison Bee, which had left Ning Rongrong helpless and whose defensive power was comparable to that of a Great Soul Master, was swatted into the mud by the broom like a fly!
The kind that you can't even pry out!
Ning Rongrong was dumbfounded.
She turned her head stiffly to look at the owner of the broom.
He was an old man dressed in coarse linen clothes, hunched over, with a face full of wrinkles.
He held a broom in one hand and a winnowing basket in the other, looking like the most inconspicuous old servant in the palace.
"Little girl, why aren't you sleeping in the middle of the night? Why are you out catching bugs to play with?"
The old man sweeping the floor looked at Ning Rongrong with a smile, his eyes filled with the kind of affection he had for his own mischievous granddaughter.
But in Ning Rongrong's eyes, this old man was ten thousand times more terrifying than a Title Douluo!
Kill a magical beast with defense comparable to a Great Soul Master with a single sweep?
Who is this old man?!
"I...I..."
Ning Rongrong was so frightened that she took several steps back, leaning against the palace wall, and shouted with a fierce but weak voice:
"Don't come any closer!"
"I was sent by Lord Shangzong, I am the Empress's pet!"
"If you dare to touch me, the Empress will not let you off!"
"Hehe, old man, of course I know you are the Empress's pet."
The old man sweeping the floor shook his head and sighed:
"Young people these days just can't keep their composure."
"This is the Great Gan Imperial Palace, and it is surrounded by defensive arrays."
"You, a mere maid, can't even break through the barrier in this corner of the wall, yet you think you can climb over it?"
As he spoke, the old man sweeping the floor pointed to the red wall behind Ning Rongrong:
"Touch it and see."
Ning Rongrong subconsciously reached out and touched it.
Sizzle!
A terrifying electric current instantly jolted her hand away!
"This..."
Ning Rongrong's face was ashen.
It turns out that what she thought was lax security was actually because the guards weren't needed at all!
This wall itself is an insurmountable barrier!
"Alright, let's go back."
The old man waved his hand, continued sweeping:
"It's dangerous outside; even a stray dog can have half-level strength."
"With skin as delicate as yours, you'd just end up as a snack for monsters if you went out."
"Stay obediently in the palace, you'll have plenty of food and drink, and you can even cultivate—isn't that great?"
Ning Rongrong bit her lip, tears welling up in her eyes.
She was unwilling to accept it!
Having come all this way, are we just going to slink back like this?
"I'm not going back!!"
Ning Rongrong suddenly erupted, pulling out her last trump card from her bosom—a silent hidden arrow—and shooting it at the old man sweeping the floor!
If we can injure him or force him to retreat, we might still have a chance!
Call out!
The hidden arrow transformed into a cold glint, heading straight for the old man's face!
However, the old man sweeping the floor didn't even raise his head; he simply tapped the broom lightly on the ground.
Boom!!!
An invisible, terrifying shockwave erupted from him in an instant!
The hidden dart, three meters away from the old man, was shattered into dust as if it had hit a wall of air!
Immediately afterwards, the shockwave continued its momentum and struck Ning Rongrong directly!
"Ah!"
Ning Rongrong let out a scream as the shockwave sent her flying more than ten meters away, crashing back into the bushes like a rag doll.
"Kids these days have such bad tempers."
The old sweeper shook his head, his aura instantly vanishing, and he reverted to being just an ordinary handyman.
"Looks like they're hungry."
As he spoke, the old man took out a bright red fruit from his pocket and casually tossed it to Ning Rongrong:
"Take this and eat it. It's a red fruit. Eating it will calm your mind and focus your spirit."
"After you finish eating, hurry back to sleep, otherwise when the Empress returns, you won't have any fruit to eat, only whips."
Ning Rongrong lay down on the grass and caught the fruit.
She watched the slightly hunched figure slowly disappear into the distance.
With each step that figure took, the fallen leaves on the ground automatically parted, as if even the wind was avoiding him.
"So strong..."
"A sweeper is actually a powerhouse at the level of a Soul King or even a Soul Emperor."
"And he just casually tossed me a spirit fruit..."
Ning Rongrong looked at the vermilion fruit in her hand.
The rich aroma was more tempting than anything she had ever eaten before.
The soul power within her body began to crave uncontrollably once again.
"Waaaaah..."
Ning Rongrong finally broke down.
She cried as she took a big bite of the red fruit in her hand.
So sweet, so fragrant, and so energizing!
"I can't escape."
"Even the floor sweepers in this world are hidden masters."
"I think I'll just stick to being a pet..."
At this moment, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's little princess's dream of escaping from prison was completely shattered.
...
Meanwhile, in the Douluo Continent.
Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
"Puff!"
Ning Fengzhi had just woken up when he saw his daughter being subdued by the sweeping old man with a broom, and then coaxed back with a fruit. He spat out another mouthful of blood.
"Distraction control is useless."
"Zhuge's Divine Crossbow for Gua Sha".
"The silent hidden arrow was also shattered by the shockwave."
"Our sect's prized secret techniques and hidden weapons can't even break through that old sweeper's defenses..."
Sword Douluo Chen Xin looked at the old man sweeping the floor, his eyes filled with solemnity:
"That old man's control over power has reached a state of returning to simplicity."
"Fengzhi, Rongrong is not coming back."
"In that world, even if she escaped, she really wouldn't be able to survive."
"Being a pet might really be her best destiny."
Chen Xin's words were like a sharp knife, piercing Ning Fengzhi's heart.
Once the apple of her eye, now a caged canary.
The saddest thing is that the rice in that cage was indeed much, much more fragrant than the rice in the outside world.
...
Meanwhile, in the Battle Through the Heavens world.
The Great Gan Dynasty, the Empress's Palace.
"Smack!"
A crisp and fierce crack of a whip echoed through the magnificent palace.
"Ah!!"
Ning Rongrong let out a shrill scream, curling up on the cold ground. The thin pink gauze dress on her back had been torn to shreds, and a deep, bone-revealing bloodstain ran across her once fair skin, the flesh torn open, a horrifying sight.
Standing before her was the Empress, who had just returned from a state banquet and was furious.
She held a lightning whip that emitted purple lightning in her hand, and her usually dignified phoenix eyes were now filled with malice.
"Run? You dare to run?!"
"Smack!"
Another whip lashed down hard!
"I've taken good care of you, given you elixirs, and dressed you in fine silks, yet you dare to betray me?!"
"What an ungrateful wretch!"
The empress was so angry that her chest heaved violently.
If this otherworldly pet really escapes or dies outside, how can she explain it to the sect leader who sent it here?
This is not just running away, this is a slap in the face to the royal family!
"His Majesty has arrived!!"
Just then, a eunuch's shrill voice came from outside the door.
Wearing a dragon robe, the heavily pregnant Emperor of the Great Gan Dynasty strode in with a gloomy face.
He glanced at Ning Rongrong, her body mangled and bloodied on the ground, his eyes filled with nothing but disgust, not pity.
"Hmph, so this is the troublemaker?"
The emperor spoke coldly:
"Since your heart is already wild, keeping you around will only cause trouble."
"Although it was sent by the upper sect, if it is too disobedient, killing it is fine."
"Anyway, he's just a useless piece of trash that only shines. At worst, I'll just compensate the sect with a few million gold coins."
Upon hearing the word "kill," Ning Rongrong trembled violently. Ignoring the excruciating pain, she hurriedly and laboriously raised her head, her eyes filled with pleading:
"Don't kill me..."
"I won't do it again, I'll never do it again..."
"I will be a good pet."
She didn't want to die; she wanted to go back to see her father, Grandpa Sword, and Grandpa Bone!
She cannot die in this foreign harem!
"It's too late."
A glint of savagery flashed in the emperor's eyes, and he waved his hand at the guards behind him:
"Drag her away and throw her into the Cave of Ten Thousand Snakes. Afterwards, just say she committed suicide."
"Let the snakes there teach her a lesson on how to be a human being in her next life."
The Cave of Ten Thousand Snakes!
Upon hearing this name, the Empress and the palace maids around her couldn't help but shudder.
That's where the palace deals with discarded concubines and disobedient servants. It's where tens of thousands of venomous snakes are kept. Anyone who goes in will be bitten to death, leaving not even a bone fragment!
"Yes!"
Two fierce-looking guards immediately strode forward and dragged Ning Rongrong away like a dead dog.
"No! Daddy! Grandpa Sword! Help me!!"
Ning Rongrong struggled frantically, her fingernails scratching bloody marks on the ground.
...
Douluo Continent, Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
"Stop! You beasts!!"
Sword Douluo Chen Xin watched as Ning Rongrong was about to be dragged away. His Seven Kill Sword Martial Soul went berserk, frantically slashing at the surrounding air and leaving the pillars of the hall riddled with holes.
"Fengzhi! I have to go save her!"
"No matter the cost, I'm going to that world!!"
[end of the chapter]