The room was filled with a sea of pink everywhere.
The walls were painted pink, the floor was covered with pink tiles, and the room was decorated with numerous pink flowers.
Especially on the bed, there were all kinds of pink toys scattered around.
Even Ning Tianchen, who had lived two lifetimes, couldn't help but blush at the sight.
Ning Rongrong, however, was not as experienced. She lay on the big pink bed, curiously examining the toys.
Ning Tianchen quickly stopped her, saying, "Rongrong, these must be left behind by the previous guests. This hotel really should have cleaned up. Don't touch them for now, I'll ask someone to clean."
Although puzzled, Ning Rongrong put the toys down.
Not long after, the attendant looked at him strangely after hearing his request.
"Those who choose the Pink Flower Sea room usually come for these toys, so these two really don't understand romance."
Despite the silent complaint, the attendant still did as asked.
They removed all the glaring pink items, and the room immediately felt much more comfortable.
The large pink bed was spacious enough, and there was even a smaller bed beside it.
Ning Tianchen decided he would sleep on the smaller bed at night, leaving the big bed for Ning Rongrong.
However, it was only morning, and night was still far away. The two decided to explore the city first.
...
Soto City was considered the second-largest city in Barak Kingdom, its prosperity rivaling even Barak City.
"Brother Tianchen, that shop seems related to Soul Masters. Shall we go check it out?" Ning Rongrong asked while eating candy, pointing to a nearby store.
Ning Tianchen looked in that direction; it was a rather low-key shop.
There was no text signboard above the door, only a symbol that resembled one of the marks on the Pope's Token.
"Could it be a shop opened by the Martial Soul Hall outside?" Ning Rongrong blinked.
Ning Tianchen shook his head. "Probably not. Let's go have a look."
He vaguely sensed a faint soul power emanating from inside.
If he remembered correctly, this shop should be the small store Frand had set up in the city.
One of Tang San's early fortunes was acquiring golden crystal hair from Frand.
Standing before the shop, Ning Tianchen paused, gazing at the symbol above the door.
Among the six major symbols on the Pope's Token, one was the sword shape representing the Seven Kill Sword.
He felt a bit of ancestral honor reflected onto him.
Ning Rongrong whispered, "This shop, could it be selling soul-guiding tools? I wonder if they have any special ones."
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect also purchased soul-guiding tools on the continent, especially offensive and defensive types, many of which were stored in the sect's treasury.
Unfortunately, after all this time, the sect's researchers had never successfully replicated any.
As for Frand's shop, it wouldn't be wrong to say it mostly sold junk. After all, intact soul-guiding tools could fetch a good price at the auction house, so why would they be placed in such a small shop?
Even if Frand had good items, with his greedy nature, he wouldn't keep silent about it or fail to advertise.
Entering the shop, the interior was somewhat dim.
Ning Tianchen looked around and clearly sensed the source of the soul power fluctuations.
On two walls were shelves, with another shelf placed in the center.
Frand was sitting comfortably in a reclining chair, eyes half-closed, leisurely swaying his body.
"Wow, there's such a soul-guiding tool?" Ning Rongrong saw one and fondled it lovingly.
Ning Tianchen's gaze followed.
It was a defensive soul-guiding tool, able to withstand roughly three attacks from a Soul King-level expert. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had a similar model.
However, due to the nature of defensive soul-guiding tools, once infused with soul power and the shield is activated, the number of uses will be consumed regardless of whether an attack is received.
Therefore, when selling defensive soul-guiding tools, the shield cannot be activated to test them.
Perhaps Frand was exploiting this loophole to sell defective soul-guiding tools.
It didn't matter if Ning Rongrong got scammed — after all, it wasn't a big amount of money.
But after entering the academy and discovering the scam, Ning Rongrong would most likely have a poor impression of Frand.
Even if in the future she left Shrek Academy, she would not feel any resistance.
Ning Tianchen withdrew his gaze and began searching the corners of the shop.
If he remembered correctly, Tang San had discovered the plate crystal golden hair somewhere in a corner here.
Although Ning Tianchen knew nothing about metals, there were no extra stones in Frand's shop, so he found it quite easily.
Picking up the stone, he turned and asked, "Rongrong, is there anything you want?"
Ning Rongrong did not turn around but shook the soul-guiding tool in her hand. "Right now, just this one. I'll keep looking."
Most of the soul-guiding tools in the little shop were storage-type.
For a knowledgeable person like Ning Rongrong, it was easy to test if the space inside a storage soul-guiding tool was damaged.
Frand did not open his eyes and continued to rest quietly. "One special stone, one soul-guiding tool, total price: 10,000 gold soul coins."
Neither Ning Tianchen nor Ning Rongrong replied.
Ning Tianchen thought the price was somewhat absurd and didn't hurry to respond; he decided to stall for a while.
Meanwhile, Ning Rongrong was absorbed in browsing.
After a short while, she suddenly exclaimed, "How could this soul-guiding tool possibly be here?!"
Ning Tianchen looked toward her voice. She was holding a special soul-guiding bracelet.
From its appearance, it looked like a defensive soul-guiding tool, but the bracelet no longer showed any soul power fluctuations, obviously because all defense uses were consumed.
Ning Rongrong wouldn't lose her composure for no reason. Ning Tianchen hurried over to check. "What's wrong?"
Ning Rongrong looked at Frand angrily. "Boss, what do you mean by this? This soul-guiding tool belonged to the former elder of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. After his passing, it was buried with him. Why is it in your possession?"
Hearing this, Ning Tianchen recalled something.
In the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, each inner elder had a portrait left in the ancestral hall.
He had once seen this elder's portrait in the ancestral hall.
In the portrait, the elder gently held a bracelet in his hand and wore a kind smile.
Ning Tianchen was certain this bracelet was exactly the same as the one in the portrait.
But even so, why was Ning Rongrong so sure this bracelet was the one the elder took into his coffin?
Frand slowly opened his eyes, glanced at her casually, and said calmly, "There are many similar-looking items on the continent. I think you must be mistaken."
Ning Rongrong immediately argued, "I can't be wrong. At the end of last year, the elder's tomb was robbed. The missing item was exactly this bracelet!"
Ning Tianchen couldn't help but scrutinize Frand, trying to find any clue on his face.
The rocking chair stopped moving, and Frand finally looked directly at Ning Rongrong.
He caught sight of the jade pendant hanging at her waist and muttered to himself, "A disciple of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."