Chapter 15: The Bond Between Ning Rongrong and Tianlin (1)

On a quiet night with a sparse moon and stars, the setting is a small grove within the orchard of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan. Tianlin walked out with a broad smile, his expression radiating the kind of joy one feels after a pleasant event. "Ah, that was refreshing. Though I didn't get to eat, my mood was great. Time to head back and continue meditating!" As Tianlin left, deep within the grove, Ning Rongrong lay on the ground, her face streaked with tears. She was clutching her sore bottom, gritting her teeth in frustration. "How infuriating! What a humiliation! I, the great Miss Ning, will get my revenge for this!" Meanwhile, the four other disciples who had been frozen in place exchanged glances, silently communicating with their eyes. Three of them looked at Gu Ran, their leader, their expressions clear: "Boss, the little princess got bullied. What should we do?" Gu Ran returned a look that said: "What do you mean, 'what should we do'? What can we do? Don't you see I'm frozen too? And who knows how long until the sun comes up? I'm freezing to death here! Achoo!" ... The Next Morning. When Tianlin awoke from his meditation, he was immediately summoned to the main hall by a disciple. Inside the hall, Ning Fengzhi sat solemnly in the sect master's seat, his face grim and silent. Kneeling before him were Ning Rongrong and the four disciples from the previous night. The four disciples wore expressions of guilt, while Ning Rongrong looked both defiant and aggrieved. Still clueless as to what was going on, Tianlin asked Ning Fengzhi, "Uncle Ning, what's this all about?" "Tianlin, I already know what happened last night. It's my fault; I've spoiled Rongrong too much. I owe you an apology," Ning Fengzhi said. He knows? Tianlin was confused. Who told him? He glanced at Ning Rongrong. Could it have been this little witch? If so, he seriously had to question her intelligence. While Ning Fengzhi and the two elders adored Ning Rongrong, they would never tolerate her crossing certain lines. Leading a group of teenagers to gang up on a six-year-old junior disciple? What was she thinking? What angered Ning Fengzhi even more was that she had come to him to complain afterward. Wasn't that practically a confession? Under the stern gazes of the two elders, her four accomplices didn't dare hide anything and spilled the entire story. And to make matters worse, they had lost a four-on-one fight. Then, they came to tattle! Ning Fengzhi, known for his wisdom, couldn't help but wonder: How could my daughter be this dim-witted? Is she even really my child? "Uncle Ning, Rongrong is still young. It's normal for her to be a little immature. Please don't be too angry. Besides, I already taught her a lesson last night," Tianlin interjected, not wanting Ning Rongrong to be punished again. If she bore another grudge, she'd surely blame him, and while he wasn't afraid of her, it'd be a hassle. Ning Fengzhi tapped his sect master's staff on the floor, his tone firm. "One lesson isn't enough. Tianlin, I have a favor to ask. From now on, I'd like you to take charge of Rongrong's discipline. How about it?" "Me?!" Tianlin's eyes widened in disbelief. He wanted to avoid trouble, yet Ning Fengzhi was dumping the biggest headache directly onto his lap. "That's right. As you've seen, no one else in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan can control her. The older generation spoils her too much, and her peers don't dare defy her. Only you are unaffected by her status and willing to put her in her place," Ning Fengzhi sighed. "No way, Dad! He'll spank me!" Ning Rongrong turned pale with fear. Just thinking about last night made her bottom ache. But Ning Fengzhi, truly angry this time, ignored her protests. Desperate, Ning Rongrong turned to her two most doting grandfathers for help. Unable to bear it, Bone Douluo took out a bottle of ointment from his pocket. "Rongrong, if Fengzhi won't love you, Grandpa will. Here, take this. After Tianlin spanks you, just apply this, and you'll feel better in no time." Ning Rongrong stared at the bottle in her hand, speechless. This is your idea of love? This bottle is giving Tianlin a license to spank me whenever he wants! "Grandpa Sword!" Ning Rongrong turned to her last hope, Chen Xin. But Sword Douluo was even more ruthless. He activated his self-created soul skill, Sword Unity, transforming into a sword and cutting himself off from the world. Rongrong, my precious, what are you saying? Grandpa can't hear you. If I can't hear it, I can't help! That was Sword Douluo's unspoken message. "Enough. It's decided. From now on, all orders Rongrong gives to the disciples of our sect must first be approved by Tianlin. Without his consent, no one is to obey her." Ning Fengzhi's final decision was like shackles placed on Ning Rongrong's willfulness. Left with no choice, Tianlin reluctantly agreed. "Uncle Ning, since you insist, I'll take responsibility for Rongrong." With that, Tianlin led a sulking Ning Rongrong out of the hall. The other disciples also left to carry out their punishment—cleaning the outer disciples' dormitories. It wasn't too harsh, but it wasn't pleasant either. After everyone left, Chen Xin emerged from his meditation and said, "Fengzhi, I hope Rongrong and Tianlin will come to understand your intentions." Ning Fengzhi nodded. Deep down, he saw Tianlin as the future Protector Douluo of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan and Ning Rongrong as its next sect master. Their bond needed to be strong—strong enough to entrust their lives to one another. Perhaps, they might even become husband and wife. With Tianlin's talent, he was more than worthy of Ning Rongrong. Though the two currently seemed at odds, Ning Fengzhi dismissed it as childish bickering. Feelings could be cultivated over time, and this was the real reason he entrusted Ning Rongrong's education to Tianlin. Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo understood this as well. Otherwise, with their love for Ning Rongrong, they'd never allow her to suffer even the slightest grievance. ... Back at Tianlin's Courtyard. Tianlin assigned Ning Rongrong the room next to his. "Hey, what are we doing now?" Ning Rongrong asked. "In the morning, I'll practice swordsmanship while you train in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan's secret technique: Heart Separation Control. In the afternoon, we'll study soul master theory. At night, we'll meditate. That'll be our daily schedule." Ning Rongrong's head spun. "Oh no, that's my entire day gone! I want to play. I want to go out right now!" "No," Tianlin said firmly. "Since Uncle Ning entrusted you to me, I'm responsible for you. If you don't listen, then I'll have to..." His gaze shifted meaningfully to her backside. Terrified, Ning Rongrong clutched her bottom and backed away. "No! It still hurts from yesterday! Fine, I won't play anymore!" She sat down angrily, silently protesting. I won't go out, but I won't train either. What can you do about it? "How about this?" Tianlin crouched in front of her with a smile. "We'll compromise. Let's implement a vacation system. Every seven days, we'll train hard for five days, and then I'll give you two days off." He hadn't intended to make her train as hard as he did. For a child, it wasn't realistic. Proper rest was necessary. But by initially proposing a strict schedule, he'd given her a stick before offering a carrot. Sure enough, the six-year-old Ning Rongrong took the bait. "Really?" Tianlin nodded. "We can even pinky swear. But remember, the vacation only applies to the daytime. Nightly meditation is non-negotiable. Soul power is the foundation of everything, and you can't slack off for even a day!" "Deal!" Ning Rongrong hooked her pinky with his. Thus began the bond between the future gods of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan. PS: Hey, join our patreon. Currently this book has atleast 75 advanced chapters.