Above the Grandmaster realm lie the four supreme extremes—the stages where one transitions from human to something beyond.
Extreme of Power—The pinnacle of power control.
Extreme of Qi—Complete mastery over one's zhenqi, able to release and withdraw it at will.
Extreme of Skill—The apex of technique, where every casual move captivates those who witness it.
Extreme of Heart—The transformation of soul and spirit, transcending the Grandmaster realm.
What Ning Rongrong had previously achieved were the Extreme of Skill and the Extreme of Heart.
To be more precise, Ning Rongrong herself had reached the Extreme of Skill, while her Martial Soul had attained the Extreme of Heart.
Through her Martial Soul and Tokisaki Kurumi, Ning Rongrorong had stepped into the Supreme Realm in a special form—one that encompassed two extremes. Only then could she contend against Tang Chen, who wielded a super divine artifact.
When human Soul Masters reach level 90, activating their Martial Soul allows them to briefly touch upon an extreme, though it's a crude, instinctive act—they know it exists but not why.
Most people in this world understand Martial Souls and Soul Masters in this way:
Absorb a Soul Ring, level up, absorb another Soul Ring, level up again.
Hit a bottleneck? That's it—no more breakthroughs!
Just grind through time, rely on meditation.
But the Soul Master's own soul is already tainted by the impurities of spirit beasts when absorbing Soul Rings.
Coupled with a complete lack of understanding of human physical limits, breaking through to Title Douluo becomes extremely difficult.
Forget Title Douluo—those with poor innate Soul Power might be stuck at level 29 for life.
That's right.
We're talking about you—Yu Xiaogang.
Oh, wait, he's at level 31? Never mind then.
After years of analysis and comparison, Ning Rongrong concluded that upon awakening a Martial Soul, one gains the opportunity to reach an extreme.
Absorbing nine Soul Rings to become a Title Douluo completes the rules of that Martial Soul.
The type of Soul Rings absorbed affects the likelihood of reaching an extreme.
Even with the same Clear Sky Hammer, Tang Chen and Tang Hao emphasize different aspects.
Tang Chen pursued skill—after level 90, he embodied the Extreme of Skill.
Tang Hao pursued power—after level 90, he represented the Extreme of Power.
Of course, some Soul Masters think they're clever, absorbing whatever Soul Rings they please.
The result? Mediocrity—unable to even break through to level 90.
In that case, there's no completing the rules or reaching an extreme.
However, even those who do reach an extreme are far beneath Ning Rongrong.
In theory, all paths lead to the same destination.
But Soul Rings are ultimately foreign objects that erode the purity of the soul and Martial Soul.
Unless, like Ning Rongrong, one achieves an inhuman level of understanding of Soul Rings.
Otherwise, only upon reaching godhood can the impurities in the soul be purified.
"Well… that's still too far away for me."
Leaning against a tree trunk with her legs bent, Ning Rongrong gazed at the blue sky, watching as clouds drifted lazily with the breeze.
She brushed aside a few strands of hair that obscured her vision and smiled.
"Breaking through one extreme is roughly equivalent to an average level 95 Title Douluo. Two extremes might put one at the peak of a Limit Douluo, quasi-god level."
Then what about three extremes? Four?
A God Official? A Divine Hunter?
Level 150 God King?
Level 160 Dragon God?
Ning Rongrong wasn't sure about these yet, but the Everlasting Life Art was definitely beyond ordinary godhood.
So far, she hadn't truly stepped into the Supreme Realm—only half a step in.
And her Martial Soul, in order to suppress the Crimson Blood Nine-Headed Bat King, couldn't fully unleash the power belonging to her and the Nine Treasure Glazed Pagoda's rules.
"In short…"
"The future is promising."
...
In an unnamed small town.
Ning Rongrong brazenly used the "Qian" surname token given by Qian Renxue to freeload at a Spirit Hall branch for several days, while also catching up on the latest news about the Spirit Master Tournament.
"Have I been in the Slaughter City for that long?"
Four months had passed in the blink of an eye.
She remembered staying in the Slaughter City for just over two months. Adding in delays along the way, it totaled three months at most.
Did Kurumi eat the extra month?
"Time-space abilities really shouldn't be used recklessly, especially where gods are involved."
"Step through a door carelessly, and by the time you come out, Ning Fengzhi might already be buried under a tombstone."
"Ugh—bad thought, bad thought!"
Ning Rongrong shook her head. Why did she keep thinking about her useless father?
Troublemakers live long—Ning Fengzhi still had plenty of time.
"Huh… something feels off about that."
Whatever.
She'd already sent the letter. Soon, someone would come to pick her up.
"Speaking of which, the advancement matche) should be over by now, right?"
Given the time it took for her letter to reach the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School and for them to send someone, Ning Fengzhi and the others might already be on their way to Spirit City.
Days passed.
Ning Rongrong continued freeloading while focusing on recovering her strength.
Then, one day—
The branch hall master rushed to Ning Rongrong's quarters in a panic.
"My lady, are you there?"
Though he didn't know the exact relationship between the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School and Spirit Hall, since neither side had publicly disclosed anything, he wasn't about to stick his nose where it didn't belong. His life and head were his own, after all.
"I'm here."
Ning Rongrong stopped cultivating, slowly opening her lightly closed eyes.
The clocks of time and space in her pupils faded, returning her irises to their usual dark hue.
"Is something the matter, Hall Master Zhang?"
"The Bone Douluo from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School is here to see you!"
"Huh? Grandpa Bone?"
Ning Rongrong blinked. "Alright, give me a moment. I'll be right there."
After packing her things, she opened the door.
The branch hall master led the way, soon arriving at the main hall.
"Bone Douluo, if you have matters to discuss, I'll take my leave."
"Mm. Thank you for your trouble."
Ning Rongrong handed a gold spirit card to the hall master as thanks for his hospitality over the past few days.
Seeing the card's border, the hall master mentally calculated its value and nearly gasped. After some polite refusal, he accepted it gratefully and left.
Once they were alone, Ning Rongrong hurried into the hall and bowed to Gu Rong.
"Grandpa Bone, did you break through? I thought someone else would come to pick me up!"
She looked him up and down.
"Rongrong, you've changed quite a bit!"
Gu Rong was equally curious about her condition. She now gave off an ethereal yet fierce aura.
"Yes, there have been some changes. I fought Tang Chen not long ago."
"…"
Her words left the Bone Douluo speechless.
"Are… are you alright?"
He didn't know what else to say.
But since Ning Rongrong was standing here unharmed, it couldn't have been too bad.
Honestly, Gu Rong sometimes found Ning Rongrong exasperating.
The Snow Empress, the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King, Tang Chen, Di Tian, Bi Ji, and the Ten-Thousand-Year Demon King—
She'd directly encountered powerhouses comparable to Limit Douluo.
And that wasn't even counting those she hadn't directly faced—
Like Qian Daoliu, the Sea God Douluo Bo Saixi, and others.
Though she hadn't met them directly, their appearances were somehow tied to her.
Ning Rongrong had only been a Soul Master for eight years.
Yet she either ran into level 99 powerhouses or was on her way to meet one.
What others wouldn't encounter in a lifetime, she made a regular part of her "exciting" journey.
"Grandpa Bone, what are you muttering about now?"
Seeing his dazed expression, Ning Rongrong pouted.
It's not like I wanted to meet them!
Tang Chen barely said two words before swinging the Asura God's Sword at me.
Was I just supposed to take it?
"Sigh… Fengzhi told me we're not to interfere with your affairs. Just stay safe."
Gu Rong exhaled deeply. "Tell me what happened during this time."
After leaving seclusion, he'd learned from Dugu Bo that Ning Rongrong had gone to the Slaughter City.
He'd nearly dragged Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin out for a beating.
The Slaughter City? Do you two idiots not know what that place is?
What if something happened to her?
But after receiving Ning Rongrong's letter, his worries eased.
After a while, Ning Rongrong finished recounting her experiences in the Slaughter City.
Gu Rong was left with a mouthful of unspoken words, unsure how to even react.
"You—a support-type Soul Master—fought seven Title Douluo from the Clear Sky School, killed one, and even wounded Tang Chen?"
"That's so absurd even trashy novels wouldn't dare write it!"
Since when was this a support-type Soul Master?
Every time he saw Ning Rongrong after a while, she always had some new, unbelievable feat to share.