247 - Destroyer of Ice and Fire

Such a person is not suited to be a leader; she lacks ruthlessness. Ning Songwu was both moved and frightened at heart. She always felt that such a personality would sooner or later lead to trouble. But on second thought, it had already been five hundred years, and if something were to happen, it would have happened by now. She was so strong that there were very few things in this world that could threaten her life, so there was no need to worry unnecessarily. Though her mind raced with thoughts, Ning Songwu simply looked quietly at the spirited figure and said, "I believe in Master." Soon, Cen Ranran returned with news. He informed his senior sister that devouring souls would not threaten Ning Songwu's life. Thus, Ning Songwu needed to leave the sect again. This time, the destination was Zhenqi Sect, and besides Cen Ranran, her companions were Luo Sheng and Lin Yuxue. These two were always busy. Whenever something big happened, they were tasked to run errands, even busier than the Nascent Soul elders of the sect. Ning Songwu, unable to control a flying sword, shared the ride with Cen Ranran. When she saw familiar faces, she greeted them first, "Senior Sister Luo, Senior Sister Lin." Lin Yuxue waved from afar and shouted, "Junior Sister Ning!" Luo Sheng merely nodded slightly. Watching Ning Songwu riding with Cen Ranran, she frowned as if displeased, and when she got closer, she said, "Junior Sister Ning is already in the Golden Core stage; she should learn to control a sword sooner." With Cen Ranran present, Luo Sheng did not dare to speak too harshly. In truth, she felt Ning Songwu was somewhat a disgrace to Cang Jun Mountain. Ning Songwu wasn't stupid; if she seriously learned, controlling a sword wouldn't be an issue. She just had her little thoughts, like always riding with her master. Cen Ranran, displeased with Luo Sheng's comment, coolly replied, "It's fine; she's good as she is." Sensing Cen Ranran's displeasure, Luo Sheng quickly apologized, "Disciple overstepped." Sensing the tense atmosphere, Lin Yuxue quickly tried to lighten things, "Indeed, whoever dares to mock the master's disciple, Senior Sister Luo and I will be the first not to let them off, right, Senior Sister!" Luo Sheng, feeling uncomfortable with Lin Yuxue's arm around her shoulders, still obliged, "Yes." Cen Ranran noted their actions but, being somewhat slow to catch on, said, "Let's go." Together, they responded, "Yes, Master." Cen Ranran led the way on the sword, with Lin Yuxue and Luo Sheng following behind. Ning Songwu subtly glanced back and saw Luo Sheng's serious expression, as if she wasn't bothered by what just happened. Refocusing her gaze forward, Ning Songwu felt there was something intriguing about Luo Sheng. Luo Sheng seemed to look at her with faint displeasure. Recalling the past, Ning Songwu felt she hadn’t offended Luo Sheng. Could it be that Luo Sheng also wanted to become the master's disciple? A sense of crisis arose within Ning Songwu. That couldn't be allowed; Ning Songwu believed she was the only rightful disciple of her master. Impulsively, she hugged her master's waist. Before Cen Ranran could get angry, Ning Songwu pitifully said, “Master, I’m scared of heights.” Cen Ranran, still somewhat unused to this, remembered the book's advice: when the disciple is afraid, the master should comfort her and provide a sense of security. Resigning herself, Cen Ranran gave up resisting. “If you're scared, hold on tighter.” Ning Songwu was delighted. Hugging Cen Ranran even tighter, she gratefully said, “Thank you, Master.” “…You’re holding too tight. Relax a bit.” “Okay, Master~” Luo Sheng watched from behind, surprised that the usually aloof master would allow Ning Songwu such liberties, and thought maybe all geniuses were treated this way. “They seem to have a great bond. What do you think, Senior Sister?” Luo Sheng gave Lin Yuxue a slight glance and said, “It’s natural for masters and disciples to have a good bond.” Looking ahead at the two, Lin Yuxue murmured, “Masters and disciples, huh? Then it’s natural for senior and junior sisters to have a good bond as well, Senior Sister you…” Luo Sheng interrupted her, “Let's go, don’t get distracted.” She then accelerated, parting ways with Lin Yuxue. Watching her senior sister leave, Lin Yuxue said helplessly, “Difficult.” Chapter 99: Beyond the Domain (1) For Ning Songwu, becoming Cen Ranran’s nominal disciple was not bad. The treatment was far superior to that of ordinary disciples, though dealing with a perpetually cold face every day was rather tough. To her surprise, the place the sect master lived in was incredibly shabby, but Ning Songwu wasn’t picky. She ate and drank as she liked, fully embracing the path of being a slacker. Cen Ranran had other motives for taking Ning Songwu as her disciple but performed her duties as a master earnestly in the meantime. Unfortunately, her disciple was too rebellious, frustrating the five-hundred-year-old master immensely. Initially, Cen Ranran did not truly wish to take her as a disciple. Under normal circumstances, she would have given up on Ning Songwu, letting her fend for herself. But Cen Ranran was not one to give up so easily. The more obstacles she faced, the more determined Cen Ranran became to straighten her lazy disciple. Eventually, she became so absorbed in this that she almost forgot the original reason for taking her in. Ning Songwu was equally troubled. Cen Ranran was excessively meticulous, keeping a close watch on her, making it impossible for her to slack off. If Ning Songwu insisted on not training, she could forget about having meals for the day. Feeling choked by Cen Ranran's tight grip, Ning Songwu grew to dislike her even more. However, instead of direct defiance, she pretended to be foolish, testing Cen Ranran’s patience. The Morning Departure Peak had even more black ink plants than the base. A glance revealed a mass of black. There were ink plants even in Cen Ranran’s small courtyard where Ning Songwu was meditating. Standing on the porch, Cen Ranran watched her to prevent any slacking off. Today, though, Ning Songwu seemed different, meditating earnestly, bringing a faint, almost imperceptible smile to Cen Ranran’s face. Though calling it a smile might be inaccurate, as it was just a slight lift of the corners of her mouth. Her disciple’s sudden diligence pleased Cen Ranran. Remembering the cold words from the past few days, she thought she should praise her today. However, since Ning Songwu seemed to be studying seriously, Cen Ranran did not want to disturb her, so she floated closer gently. Upon closer inspection, something seemed off. Ning Songwu wasn’t meditating seriously at all; she was just asleep, her even breathing indicating a deep slumber.