Ning Rongrong?

Qian Daoliu slid down, bracing himself against the iron frame to stay on his feet as he looked up at Feng Xiu.

"Old man."

Feng Xiu looked at him.

"For your granddaughter's sake, I won't make things difficult for you."

Qian Daoliu drew several breaths and swallowed the bloody foam in his mouth. His voice was hoarse.

"...Xiao Xue?"

On the other side, Bibi Dong sneered. "That girl actually colluded with your Demon Clan?"

Feng Xiu ignored her and continued speaking to Qian Daoliu.

"My demand is simple. Spirit Hall gathers everything I need, and I'll let all of you go."

Qian Daoliu steadied himself against the iron frame and took a moment to recover before speaking.

"What do you want?"

"Nine Nether Black Iron, three thousand jin. Starfall Crystals, two thousand jin. Blood Soul Jade Marrow, fifteen hundred jin. Nine Heavens Lightning Tribulation Wood, eight hundred pieces. Purple Firmament Immortal Ganoderma, three hundred stalks. Phoenix Nirvana Flowers, two hundred blossoms. Moonlight Condensed Dew, five hundred bottles. Dragon Blood Grass, one thousand stalks. Thousand-Year Cold Marrow, two thousand jin. Spring Water of Life, three hundred barrels."

After listing everything, Feng Xiu looked up at Qian Daoliu and Bibi Dong.

Qian Daoliu's expression barely changed. Spirit Hall's treasury did indeed contain all those things, but the quantities were too great. In particular, even all their stocks of Spring Water of Life and Phoenix Nirvana Flowers wouldn't add up to half the amount.

Before he could speak, Bibi Dong sneered.

"You're trying to empty Spirit Hall's treasury."

"So what if I am?"

Feng Xiu answered without hesitation.

"Those things aren't of much use to you. Isn't it worth exchanging them for your lives? If you won't agree, you can stay in the dungeon and waste away. I'm in no hurry."

"Dream on."

Bibi Dong gritted her teeth.

"Spirit Hall has spent thousands of years collecting those things. There's no way we'll give them all to you!"

Feng Xiu stood, his tone cold.

"Do you think you're still in any position to bargain with me?!"

Bibi Dong was at a loss for words.

Qian Daoliu was silent for a while before he slowly spoke.

"There's too much. I can't make the decision alone."

Feng Xiu didn't stay to listen to any more of their dithering. He turned and walked out of the secret chamber, leaving them with one last remark.

"Take your time thinking it over. Call me when you've come to your senses. I'm in no hurry. If you're used to living in the dungeon, then stay a while longer."

Back in the great hall, Feng Xiu sat down on the throne.

Baimon followed behind him, the sweat on his face not yet dry, and approached cautiously.

"Your Majesty... what do we do next?"

Feng Xiu leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping lightly on the armrest. He didn't answer immediately.

A scene suddenly appeared before his eyes: beside a stream on the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest, Zhao Wuji was leading seven boys and girls. Blue Silver Grass, White Tiger, Soft Bone Rabbit, sausage... His brows twitched.

"I'd forgotten about you."

Below him, An Luoxian stared at the scene Feng Xiu had conjured for a couple of breaths. His eyes suddenly lit up, and he stepped forward and bowed.

"Your Majesty! I've seen these humans!"

Feng Xiu glanced at him. "Go on."

An Luoxian cleared his throat. "When our clan first descended upon the Star Dou Great Forest, I went wandering on a whim and ran into these humans. The king was in a good mood then and let them off. Later, during the battle at Treasure Sword City, I ran into them again, but by the time several of us fought our way into the city, these humans had all fled."

Feng Xiu tapped his fingers, the corner of his mouth twitching. "How boring."

He rose from the throne and swept his robes aside. "I'll go see for myself just what this child of destiny is made of. If I get the chance, killing him outright would be best. It would save trouble later."

An Luoxian perked up at once.

"Your Majesty, would you like me to accompany you?"

"No need."

Feng Xiu raised a hand and tore open a rift in the void.

An hour later.

Suotuo City.

Feng Xiu stepped out of the void rift and landed in an alley in the southern part of the city.

He had changed into human clothes and looked like a young man on a journey.

But his forbidding presence couldn't be suppressed.

He headed toward the main street. After only a few steps, a young lady in a silk dress leaned out of a carriage by the roadside, a silk handkerchief in her hand and an eager smile on her face.

"Sir, is this your first time in Suotuo City? Would you like me to show you around?"

Feng Xiu didn't break stride or even raise his eyes.

"Get lost."

The smile froze on the young lady's face. Her handkerchief fell to the ground, but she didn't even think to pick it up.

Two steps later, another young lady approached with a cup of tea.

"You must be tired from your journey, sir. Have some tea-"

"Get lost!"

The young lady stood rooted to the spot with the tea in her hands, her face turning bright red.

"Hmph! What are you being so fierce for?!"

A third young lady tried to approach, clutching a folding fan. She had barely begun to say "Sir" when Feng Xiu shot her a glance.

Her legs went weak, and she nearly dropped her fan. Her words caught in her throat, and she retreated two steps.

Feng Xiu kept walking without looking at anyone.

These humans truly don't know the immensity of heaven and earth.

It's already their honor to come within three feet of me!

Several other young ladies nearby who had wanted to speak to him exchanged glances, but none dared approach.

Halfway down the main street.

There was a candied fruit skewer stall by the roadside. Beside it stood a girl in a green dress with long, light gray hair. She was enjoying a candied fruit skewer in one hand and carrying a bag of roasted chestnuts in the other.

Ning Rongrong.

Feng Xiu glanced at her, then looked away and walked past her.

Ning Rongrong looked up as she bit into the skewer and caught sight of his profile. She froze for a moment, the candied fruit still in her mouth, forgotten.

"So handsome..."

By the time she came to her senses, he had already walked several steps away.

She pulled the skewer out of her mouth, hitched up her skirt, and chased after him. "You, stop!"

Feng Xiu didn't stop.

"Stop! I'm talking to you!"

Feng Xiu took another two steps before Ning Rongrong darted in front of him, tilting her head up to glare at him.

"I told you to stop! Didn't you hear me?!"

Feng Xiu stopped and looked down at her, his tone flat.

"Move."

Those words caught Ning Rongrong off guard. She glared at him.

"Who do you think you are? Didn't you hear me calling you?"

Feng Xiu ignored her.

When had Ning Rongrong ever been treated like this in her life? Her face turned red with anger.

"You!!!"

"Move."

Feng Xiu repeated himself, his tone unchanged. But for some reason, Ning Rongrong felt a chill on the back of her neck and instinctively shifted half a step aside.

Feng Xiu walked past her, his pace neither fast nor slow.

Ning Rongrong came to her senses, stamped her foot in anger, and chased after him again.

"Stop! Where are you going? Do you know who I am?!"

"You're not worthy of letting me know."

Feng Xiu didn't even look back.

"I'm the little princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect! Ning Rongrong!"

Feng Xiu's steps paused.

Seeing him stop, Ning Rongrong raised her chin smugly.

"What, scared now?"

"The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."

Feng Xiu repeated the name and turned his head to glance at her.

So she's Ning Rongrong, one of the Shrek Seven Devils...

She really is arrogant.