"Cultivating this way is painful. You might not be able to endure it," Lin Jie said seriously. "And it requires my assistance to be effective."
"You can help?" Ning Rongrong's eyes lit up with surprise.
"I can… but I'm worried you won't be able to handle the pain," Lin Jie said, a hint of hesitation in his voice.
"It's just a bit of pain, right? I can take it!" Ning Rongrong clenched her fists. If she continued to fall behind while the others kept improving, the gap between them would only grow wider. As the proud heiress of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, she couldn't allow that.
"In that case… come with me." Lin Jie gave a small nod and motioned for her to follow.
Ning Rongrong's gloomy expression brightened immediately. She thanked him profusely, her steps noticeably lighter.
Catching Lin Jie staring at her, Ning Rongrong teased, "What? Am I that pretty?"
Lin Jie rubbed his chin and replied honestly, "You are very pretty… but you still look a little young."
"What's that supposed to mean?! You're the one who's young!" she pouted, huffing as they continued toward Lin Jie's room.
Once inside, Lin Jie gestured for her to sit cross-legged on the bed. "Sit down."
"Wait—what exactly are you trying to do?" Ning Rongrong eyed him suspiciously.
"Didn't you want to know how I cultivated so quickly?" Lin Jie asked. With a flick of his wrist, crackling arcs of lightning sparked in his palms. He explained the characteristics of his Thunder-type martial soul, including its ability to help refine and stimulate the body through external soul power.
After some hesitation, Ning Rongrong finally sat as instructed, clearly nervous.
The bed smelled faintly of a floral fragrance—one that Ning Rongrong subconsciously found familiar. She sniffed, frowning slightly. "This scent… why does it seem so familiar?"
Lin Jie froze internally. You can smell that? What are you, a hound?
Just as she was about to question it further, he quickly said, "Alright, we're starting."
He sat behind her, placing both hands gently on her back as arcs of lightning flowed into her body.
"This will hurt at first. Try to endure it."
Bzzzzt— Lightning surged through Ning Rongrong's body. Her face twisted in discomfort, and she let out a pained gasp. "Ah—it hurts! Why does it hurt so much?"
Lin Jie didn't stop. Instead, he increased the intensity slightly to push her limits.
"Ahh—!" she cried out again, biting her lip. Despite the pain, she held on stubbornly, refusing to show weakness.
After a while, Lin Jie finally withdrew his power. The strain proved too much—Ning Rongrong slumped over, nearly fainting.
Still, Lin Jie carefully helped her lie down on the bed, keeping his distance respectfully.
Panting softly, she looked up at him and said through heavy breaths, "Is that… it? I can handle it."
Lin Jie nodded. "You're stronger than I thought. That's enough for now. Your body needs time to adapt. Once you've cleaned up and rested, you can try cultivating and see how it feels."
"Clean up? Why?" Ning Rongrong asked in confusion.
"Take a look." Lin Jie handed her a mirror and pointed toward her arm.
"W-what?!" Ning Rongrong gasped. Her normally flawless skin was smeared with grime—residue from the expelled impurities during body refinement.
"Don't look!" she squeaked, covering her face and pushing Lin Jie away.
"It's just the waste your body expelled during the refinement process. Totally normal. Go wash up—and one more thing… Please don't tell anyone else about this process. Not even your teammates."
"Mm… I got it," Ning Rongrong mumbled, still red-faced.
After resting a bit, she stumbled to her feet and rushed to the bathroom, splashing water on her face before hurriedly running back to her own dorm.
Lin Jie watched her retreat, a smile forming at the corner of his lips.
"She's started the first step. Once she notices her improvement, I wonder how long it'll be before she comes to me again…? Heh, no, I'm not being manipulative—just thinking ahead. For the sake of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan… yeah, that's it."
Back in her room, Ning Rongrong found that Xiao Wu was out. Taking the opportunity, she quickly undressed and took a long bath, scrubbing away the remaining grime. When she finally emerged from the bath, she stood before the mirror—and was stunned.
"…Did I become… prettier?" she whispered. Her skin looked smoother, her complexion brighter, and her overall figure seemed more refined.
Could it be… Lin Jie's lightning really had this effect?
Just then, Xiao Wu burst through the door with a bounce in her step, her legs clad in her usual white stockings, looking adorable as ever.
"Whoa! Rongrong! You look amazing! Did you do something new?!"
Ning Rongrong beamed but didn't answer directly. "Wouldn't you like to know?"
The two girls burst into giggles, their conversation quickly devolving into playful teasing. But true to her promise, Ning Rongrong didn't mention Lin Jie's involvement—she offered a vague excuse and kept it to herself.
—
The next day, training resumed.
After breakfast, the Shrek Seven Devils and Lin Jie gathered at the training ground. Lin Jie noticed that Ning Rongrong's gaze toward him was subtly different—but she kept her usual demeanor in front of the others. Zhu Zhuqing, meanwhile, returned to her calm and collected self.
Yu Xiaogang stood before them.
"I've reviewed all your martial spirits and basic abilities," he said. "From today onward, I will personally oversee your training."
"Dai Mubai. Step forward."
Dai Mubai took one step forward, his Evil Eyes glowing faintly.
"Your first task," Yu Xiaogang said, his tone sharp, "is to defeat the other six."
"…Huh?" Dai Mubai blinked in surprise.
"You're already at Rank 37 spirit power. The others aren't even at Rank 35. What, is there a problem?" Yu Xiaogang asked coldly.
Dai Mubai's gaze swept across the group—stopping first on Lin Jie and Tang San. Though he didn't fear the others, he was well aware of Lin Jie's terrifying battle strength and Tang San's hidden weapons.
"Lin Jie. Step forward. You'll be the first to spar with Dai Mubai. Use your full strength."
Though he wasn't thrilled about it, Lin Jie stepped forward calmly.
Sometimes, tolerance is a virtue. Endure what others can't, and you'll achieve what others won't.
Yu Xiaogang, watching Lin Jie approach, felt a strange mix of emotion. He couldn't believe it—this was the same boy he had rejected six years ago, now standing before him with such powerful growth.
What a mistake… he thought, his expression unreadable.
PS: Read Advance Chapters at https://www.patreon.com/c/ReadJin