Soul Land: Full Body Martial Soul

Yang Xiong quietly followed Ning Rongrong back to the dormitory. As he expected, he found her sitting alone on her bed, tears streaming down her face. Her shoulders shook with each quiet sob, and she looked utterly heartbroken.

Seeing Ning Rongrong in such a state, Yang Xiong couldn't help but shake his head. She really was just a twelve-year-old girl at heart, breaking down into tears after being scolded by their teachers. Despite feeling sympathy for her, he chose not to offer immediate comfort. Instead, he sat down quietly on the chair beside her bed, waiting for her to notice his presence.

When Ning Rongrong finally sensed someone nearby, she looked up through her tear-blurred eyes. Upon recognizing Yang Xiong, her sadness quickly transformed into anger, and she glared at him fiercely.

"Little Xiong, what are you doing here?" she demanded, wiping her nose with the back of her sleeve. "Did you come here just to laugh at me? Are you enjoying seeing the great Ning Rongrong brought low like this?"

Yang Xiong smiled gently at her outburst, his expression remaining calm and understanding. "Rongrong, what exactly is there to laugh about in this situation? You were the one who insisted on coming to Shrek Academy, remember? I tried my best to talk you out of it back home, but you wouldn't listen to my concerns."

Ning Rongrong's angry expression faltered slightly as his words hit home. She looked away, her voice becoming smaller and more vulnerable. "I... I only wanted to come here because I listened to what Father said. He made it sound like such a wonderful place for learning. I never expected it would be like this. I thought the teachers would respect me, not humiliate me in front of everyone."

Yang Xiong leaned forward slightly, his tone becoming more serious. "What do you mean 'like this'? Tell me, Rongrong, did Dean Flender say anything that was actually wrong during his lecture today?"

Ning Rongrong's face flushed with renewed anger as she recalled Flender's harsh words from earlier. "How can you ask that? I am the most talented successor in the entire history of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School! My martial soul is unprecedented in our sect's long history! How dare that old man look down on me and speak to me like I'm some common student?"

Yang Xiong's smile became slightly bitter as he shook his head. "Did Flender really say anything incorrect, though? Think about it honestly, Rongrong. Among all eight of us students here at Shrek Academy, what special advantages do you actually have over the others?"

Ning Rongrong straightened up, trying to regain her composure and pride. "I'm a support-type Spirit Master, which makes me incredibly valuable to any team. And my Spirit Power level isn't much weaker than Tang San's or any of the others'. I'm already at level twenty-six at just twelve years old!"

Yang Xiong sighed deeply, feeling somewhat exasperated by her response. "Rongrong, why do you always feel the need to compare yourself to others like this? Do you really think you need to prove your worth through these comparisons? Your natural talent is truly no worse than anyone else's here, and in certain aspects, it might even be superior to theirs."

He paused, letting his words sink in before continuing with a more pointed tone. "But if you really feel so angry and wronged by what happened today, then we can leave Shrek Academy right now. We can return home immediately and tell Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo about everything that occurred here. I'm sure they would be furious on your behalf. They might even decide to raze Shrek Academy to the ground to help you vent your anger and restore your honor."

Ning Rongrong opened her mouth to respond but found herself at a loss for words. Despite her anger and hurt feelings, she wasn't truly a cruel or vindictive person. The thought of actually causing harm to others, even those who had hurt her feelings, made her uncomfortable. She was, after all, still just a young girl who had been sheltered from the harsh realities of the world.

Yang Xiong watched her internal struggle with a knowing expression before continuing his explanation. "Rongrong, you're an intelligent girl. Can't you see that everything that happened today was part of Flender's plan from the very beginning? He orchestrated this entire situation deliberately. He wanted to give all the students a clear warning about the standards and expectations at this academy. Unfortunately, you, with your prideful nature and lack of understanding about the importance of such lessons, walked right into his trap."

Ning Rongrong looked at him with confusion, her tear-stained face showing genuine puzzlement. "How is that even possible? Are you saying that Flender somehow guessed that I wouldn't be able to complete those twenty laps around the academy?"

Yang Xiong shook his head firmly. "It wasn't a guess at all, Rongrong. Flender was absolutely certain that you wouldn't be able to finish the punishment run. Think about it logically. Oscar is a boy, and he's been training here for some time, yet he barely managed to complete those twenty laps. I myself ran more than ten laps just this morning before breakfast, and I could feel how demanding it was. The length of that running track means you have to cover more than twenty kilometers in total. Given your current physical fitness level and your complete lack of endurance training, it was perfectly normal and expected that you wouldn't be able to finish."

Ning Rongrong's eyes widened as understanding began to dawn on her. "Then why would Flender deliberately set me up like this? Did he specifically target me because he wanted to teach me a personal lesson?"

Yang Xiong's expression became more serious as he explained the deeper strategy at play. "He didn't necessarily want to teach you a personal lesson, but rather he wanted to use you as an example to teach everyone else a lesson. Every single student in this academy is considered a genius in their own right. None of them have poor talent, and most come from respectable backgrounds. However, you possess not only outstanding natural talent but also the most impressive background of all. This made you the perfect target for what we call 'killing the chicken to scare the monkey.' I'm certain that after witnessing what happened to you today, all the other students will be much more obedient and respectful going forward."

Ning Rongrong had always been naturally intelligent, and she immediately grasped the implications of Yang Xiong's explanation. Her face darkened with anger as the full picture became clear. "What a cunning Flender! He actually dared to deliberately humiliate me just to make a point to the others! I'm going to march right over there and give him a piece of my mind!"

Yang Xiong remained seated calmly beside her, making no move to stop her or encourage her outburst. He simply watched her with patient eyes.

Noticing his lack of reaction, Ning Rongrong's voice rose slightly with indignation. "Little Xiong, what's that look supposed to mean? Do you think I wouldn't dare to confront him? Flender is just a Spirit Saint, nothing more! My family has dealt with much more powerful individuals than him!"

Yang Xiong finally shook his head slowly, his expression growing more thoughtful. "Rongrong, do you honestly believe that a mere Spirit Saint would dare to speak to you the way he did today without having some sort of powerful backing? You are, after all, the beloved little princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, one of the most influential sects in the entire continent. You pride yourself on being extremely clever, so haven't you wondered where his confidence and authority might come from?"

Ning Rongrong's face turned cold as she considered his words. "Even if that old man Flender has some kind of backing, my Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School isn't afraid of anyone! We have connections throughout the empire, and our wealth and influence are unmatched!"

Yang Xiong looked directly into her eyes as he delivered his next observation. "But what if his backer happens to be your own father? Or rather, what if everything that happened today was not only approved by your father, but was actually his primary purpose in sending you to Shrek Academy in the first place?"

Ning Rongrong's face went pale with shock, and she stared at Yang Xiong as if he had just suggested something impossible. "How could that be possible? How could Father approve of someone speaking to me like that? How could he allow anyone to humiliate his own daughter in such a manner?"

Yang Xiong's face showed a hint of a knowing smile as he continued his explanation. "Rongrong, I'm willing to bet that we had barely arrived at Shrek Academy yesterday before your father had already written a detailed letter to Flender. That letter most likely contained specific instructions asking him to educate both of us properly, with particular attention to certain aspects of your character development. You simply happened to provide him with the perfect opportunity to follow those instructions."

Ning Rongrong's face went blank with disbelief and confusion. "Why would Father do such a thing to me? Aren't I his most beloved daughter? Doesn't he care about my feelings and happiness?"

Yang Xiong's smile became more gentle and understanding as he explained the deeper motivations. "It's precisely because you are his only daughter, and precisely because you are destined to be the next leader of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, that he specifically asked Flender to provide you with this type of education. Within our sect, you are constantly surrounded by the protective love of Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo. No one there dares to truly discipline you, let alone punish you when you make mistakes. Only by removing you from that sheltered environment can you receive the kind of real education and character development that you need."

Ning Rongrong still looked puzzled and hurt. "Why is that necessary? Haven't I performed well enough within the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School? My Spirit Power level is the highest among all the young disciples, and I'm considered the most naturally gifted individual in the entire history of our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda martial soul lineage."

Yang Xiong shook his head patiently. "This isn't about your natural talent, Rongrong, nor is it about your Spirit Power level or cultivation speed. The issue is about learning how to conduct yourself properly with others and developing the wisdom to solve problems when you encounter real difficulties in life."

He leaned forward, his tone becoming more educational. "Rongrong, what kind of organization do you think the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School really is? And why do you believe the Ning family has been able to maintain control over such a powerful sect for so many generations?"

Ning Rongrong thought carefully for a moment before answering with obvious pride. "Our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School is the wealthiest sect in the entire world, and it's also currently the most politically influential sect on the continent. Even the Heaven Dou Imperial Family maintains excellent relations with us and seeks our counsel on important matters. Father is considered the greatest Sect Leader in the entire history of our school, and under his leadership, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School has reached the most prosperous period in its long and distinguished history."

Yang Xiong nodded approvingly at her knowledge before posing a more challenging question. "Then let me ask you something that might be more difficult to answer. Your father, Sect Leader Ning, is only a level seventy-nine Spirit Saint. There are many individuals within our sect who possess higher Spirit Power levels than he does. So how is he able to serve as the leader of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School and command such respect and even awe throughout the entire Spirit Master world?"

Ning Rongrong's answer came quickly, as if this was obvious. "That's because he has the complete support of Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo. They are both Titled Douluos, among the most powerful individuals on the continent."

Yang Xiong gave her a penetrating look, as if seeing through to her naivety. "Titled Douluos are individuals who inspire awe throughout entire eras of history, Rongrong. Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo are both considered top-tier experts, even among other Titled Douluos. So why do they willingly listen to and follow your father's leadership? With their incredible strength and reputation, they could receive treatment and respect equal to or even better than what they get from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School at virtually any other major power in the world. While their loyalty to our sect is partly due to the fact that they were nurtured and supported by previous generations, is there really no other deeper reason for their unwavering dedication?"

He paused to let her consider this before continuing with an even more serious tone. "Furthermore, Rongrong, the position of Sect Leader of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School is far more difficult and demanding than you currently imagine. The Spirit Master world is much more cruel and unforgiving than you realize from your sheltered perspective. There are no eternally prosperous sects or families in this world, and periods of great prosperity are often followed by equally dramatic periods of decline and hardship."

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