Chapter 3: I Only Trust You

A cold voice rang out, and Wang Dong instantly felt the temperature around him drop, a chill sweeping over him.

Before he could react, Wang Dong hurriedly stepped forward and clasped Ning Rongrong’s hands in his own.

Ning Rongrong’s eyes softened, and her harsh words abruptly ceased.

“Hello, my name is Wang Dong. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Ning Rongrong looked down at her small, soft hands held within his palm. They weren’t much bigger than hers, yet he seemed intent on enveloping her with strength.

She sighed inwardly and decided not to make a fuss. With a light hum, she sat back down.

Ning Fengzhi and Xue Qinghe exchanged relieved glances.

The world of children was truly hard to understand.

Xue Qinghe was about to invite Wang Dong to sit beside them when he noticed Wang Dong had already darted to Ning Rongrong’s side.

The chair was tall, but with a light jump, Wang Dong was seated.

Ning Fengzhi’s movement stiffened for a moment, his eyes narrowing slightly.

From such a small gesture, he sensed there was something unusual about this child.

He recalled how Xue Qinghe had carried him in earlier and asked, “Qinghe, do you know which sect this child hails from?”

Ning Rongrong perked up at the question, curious about the little boy sitting between them.

“Teacher, I found this child on the road yesterday,” Xue Qinghe replied.

Ning Rongrong and Ning Fengzhi both looked at Wang Dong, who was sitting elegantly eating—hardly the appearance of a street urchin.

Unaware of their scrutiny, Wang Dong continued eating while quietly analyzing the situation.

Judging from Ning Rongrong’s age, the other members of the Seven Devils of Shrek should be about the same age.

Maybe he should return to the Haotian Sect first?

But with his current small frame, he couldn’t even cross the perilous cliffs of Haotian Sect.

The Wang Dong from ten thousand years later was probably already dead. For now, he had to settle here and find a way back.

“Wang Dong? Wang Dong?”

“Ah?”

Ning Rongrong’s voice pulled him back to attention.

“Later, my father will take me to the Sunset Forest to hunt soul beasts and get my first soul ring. Do you want to come with me?”

Wang Dong paused, then looked at Xue Qinghe.

Xue Qinghe smiled. “Why ask me? If you want to go, just go. If you get hungry, come to my place for a meal. I’ll come pick you up later.”

Wang Dong turned away, “I’m just being polite!”

What a little tsundere.

---

Xue Qinghe chuckled and shook his head. “Then, Young Master Wang, will you be back tonight?”

Wang Dong cleared his throat lightly. “Yes.”

Ning Fengzhi glanced at Ning Rongrong and said, “Judging by him, they might really be able to get along.”

After breakfast, Ning Fengzhi looked at Wang Dong warmly.

“Xiaodong, may I call you that?”

Wang Dong nodded. “Yes, Uncle Ning. My elders at home call me that.”

“Xiaodong, you go play in the courtyard with Rongrong for a while. I have something to discuss with Qinghe. I’ll come find you later.”

Wang Dong took the initiative to hold Ning Rongrong’s hand.

“All right, Uncle Ning.”

Ning Rongrong returned the grip. Friendship was such a curious thing.

Wang Dong eagerly pulled her out to the courtyard, sitting beneath a tree.

“Rongrong, this is the first time I’ve left home and I’ve already met the Crown Prince. I don’t know where this place is. Can you tell me about it?”

Ning Rongrong suddenly understood. “So that’s why you were so eager to pull me out.”

Wang Dong scratched his head. “Sorry, Rongrong. Right now, I only trust you.”

“Even more than the Crown Prince?”

Wang Dong nodded solemnly. The Seven Devils of Shrek were the only people he knew here.

“Good! Then we’re good friends! I’ll tell you everything I know.”

Wang Dong breathed a sigh of relief.

Ning Rongrong thought for a moment and began to explain.

“This place is the Tiandou Palace. We are in Tiandou City, the capital of the Tiandou Empire.”

“Stop!”

Wang Dong interrupted in time. “I know that. I want to know if there’s only this one country.”

“Of course not. Currently, there are three powers on the continent: the Tiandou Empire, the Xingluo Empire, and the Martial Soul Hall. They check and balance each other.”

Seeing Wang Dong’s disbelief, she added, “My father taught me all this! He’s very powerful. Our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is the continent’s top support sect, one of the Three Supreme Sects!”

Wang Dong listened carefully for key points.

“The Three Supreme Sects?”

Ning Rongrong continued, “Yes, along with the Blue Electric Tyrannosaurus Sect and the Haotian Sect, they make up the Three Supreme Sects!”

Haotian Sect!

Wang Dong’s eyes lit up.

Seeing his interest, Ning Rongrong elaborated.

“Why are you interested in the Haotian Sect? They are indeed formidable but have been hiding away for many years. Now, they’re just legends on the continent…”

Hidden away for millennia, just like in Wang Dong’s time?

Was there some secret behind this?

Before Wang Dong could ask further, a brazen voice came from behind them.

“Where did this bumpkin come from? Doesn’t even know these things, yet dares to freeload in the palace.”

Wang Dong and Ning Rongrong frowned and turned.

A boy about their age swaggered over, exuding a brash arrogance, followed by a large entourage of maidservants and guards.

Ning Rongrong instantly pulled Wang Dong behind her, grinding her teeth.

“So it’s the famous Fourth Prince.”

Xue Beng lifted his chin, glancing sideways at them. Palace attendants immediately stepped forward.

“How dare you! Why aren’t you kneeling to the Fourth Prince?”

Ning Rongrong snorted coldly. “You?”

“You!”

Xue Beng was stunned. How could a mere daughter of a sect leader embarrass him so publicly?

“Impertinent!”

Ning Rongrong instinctively took a step back. She hadn’t yet obtained her soul ring, and facing so many guards, she might not be their match.

Turning to Wang Dong, she whispered, “They have numbers. We might not win. When I say three, we run together.”

Wang Dong looked at Xue Beng’s poised stance, knowing he wouldn’t let this go easily.

“All right!”

This scene was caught by Ning Fengzhi and Xue Qinghe.

Xue Qinghe said, “Teacher, please forgive me. Xue Beng is just too mischievous.”

“Children are children. It’s nothing,” Ning Fengzhi replied, less concerned with the confrontation and more curious about how the boy who had conversed with Rongrong would act.

He signaled the bodyguards protecting Ning Rongrong to hold their actions.

Seeing the two isolated, Xue Beng sneered arrogantly.

“Let’s see who will save you today! Everyone, attack!”

As his words fell, Ning Rongrong shouted, “Three!”

Ah?

...

End of chapter.