Dai Mubai: You Think You Can Afford to Offend Me?

"On the surface, they were trying to kill you, but their real mission was probably to escort you here."

Something stirred in Zhu Zhuqing's heart. Was that it?

She had been hunted all the way here and had no time to think about it, but now that she considered it carefully, something was indeed strange.

"I found myself in danger many times, and they had plenty of chances to kill me, but they never did. I thought I'd hidden myself well, but I didn't expect this."

"Sister, so this was what you had gone to such lengths to do. I misunderstood you."

Zhu Zhuqing remembered the years before she turned six, when her sister had treated her very well.

"Sister, I understand you. We're both people cursed by fate."

"If I get the chance, I'll become stronger, strong enough that no one can ignore me, and then put an end to the marriage alliance between the Zhu Family and the imperial family."

Zhu Zhuqing made a silent vow.

"There aren't many women in the caravan. This is Xiao Wu, my third sister. I'll have her help you apply medicine later, and you can change into some clean clothes while you're at it."

Zhu Zhuqing looked at Xiao Wu and thanked her.

"Sorry for the trouble, Xiao Wu. I really am a mess right now."

Zhu Zhuqing found it strange herself. She had always ignored outsiders, yet when faced with Li Yan, she had an instinctive urge to rely on him.

Zhu Zhuqing, you've really gone mad. What kind of nonsense are you thinking? You're engaged!

Zhu Zhuqing chased the strange thoughts from her head and went to Xiao Wu's tent with her.

Inside the tent, Xiao Wu applied wound medicine to Zhu Zhuqing. The ointment worked so well that even severe wounds would heal without leaving scars.

"Zhu Zhuqing, can I call you that?"

"Mm."

"Your skin is so fair, just like white jade. And... how did yours grow so big? They're like two cantaloupes."

Xiao Wu gazed at Zhu Zhuqing with envy. They were the same age, so why was the difference so obvious?

Zhu Zhuqing's face turned crimson. What on earth was Xiao Wu saying? It was so embarrassing.

"I don't know either. Maybe I was just born gifted."

"I want a gift like yours too."

Xiao Wu's envious words left Zhu Zhuqing too embarrassed to speak.

After applying the medicine, Xiao Wu took a set of her own clothes out of her Storage Soul Tool.

"Try them on. They might not fit."

Zhu Zhuqing took the clothes and tried them on. She managed to squeeze into them, but they were so tight around her chest that she could barely breathe, and they were a little too embarrassing.

"Come on, let's go eat outside. You've been traveling all this way without even having a proper meal, haven't you? That bowl of soup won't keep you full."

Zhu Zhuqing looked down at what she was wearing and instinctively refused.

But the smell of food drifted into the tent, and her stomach betrayed her with a growl.

"Come on. I'll give you a blanket to wrap around yourself, so no one will see."

Zhu Zhuqing took the pink blanket from Xiao Wu and followed her outside.

"Thank you for saving my life. I haven't had a chance to ask your name, young master. I'll repay you someday."

Beside the campfire, Zhu Zhuqing stood before Li Yan and thanked him.

"My name is Li Yan. This is my second brother, Tang San, and my third sister, Xiao Wu."

"By the way, where are you headed?"

"And don't just stand there. Come eat with us."

Zhu Zhuqing found an empty spot and sat down. Fortunately, she was only eating with Li Yan and the other two; there were no outsiders.

"I... I'm going to Shrek Academy in Suotuo City to find someone."

"What a coincidence! We're going to Shrek Academy too, so we're headed the same way. Zhu Zhuqing, you're so badly hurt that we can't let you leave on your own. Why don't you come with us? It's on our way anyway."

Xiao Wu spoke in delight.

"You're... going to enroll at Shrek Academy too? You're so strong, but you still want to go there. Could it be that the academy's admission standards are very high?"

"Then, if I go, will they refuse to take me?"

Zhu Zhuqing could sense that even Xiao Wu, the weakest of the three, had reached the Soul Elder realm. As for Li Yan, his presence was as deep as an abyss, more terrifying than that of some older Soul Masters.

"Not at all. Shrek Academy's admission requirements are to be twelve years old and have Soul Power at level twenty. You've already far surpassed those requirements."

Hearing that, Zhu Zhuqing breathed a sigh of relief.

"That's good."

After dinner, the caravan rested where it was. Suotuo City was only a day's journey away, and they expected to arrive by the following evening.

Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing whispered together, though most of the time Xiao Wu did the talking while Zhu Zhuqing listened quietly beside her.

Early the next morning, the carriages set out again. By sunset that evening, the caravan had reached the entrance of the Wang Clan Trading Company.

The people in charge would take care of everything, leaving Li Yan free to enjoy himself as he walked through the streets of Suotuo City with Tang San, Xiao Wu, and Zhu Zhuqing.

"Are we staying at the trading company again tonight? That place is nice enough, but I'd like a change."

Xiao Wu spoke.

"Xiao Wu, Shrek Academy's assessment is tomorrow. Let's make do for one night."

Tang San tried to dissuade her.

"We're not staying at the trading company tonight. We'll stay at a hotel and take a look at the local sights and customs while we're at it."

Li Yan spoke.

Now that he had met Zhu Zhuqing, there was no reason to let her go. He would have to make Zhu Zhuqing see Dai Mubai's true colors without Dai Mubai knowing.

After looking around for a long time, the four arrived at the entrance of the Rose Hotel.

Xiao Wu stood before the hotel, her rabbit head tilted slightly.

"The name of this hotel... doesn't seem quite right, does it?"

A blush appeared on Zhu Zhuqing's face. Having grown up in Star Luo City, she had seen plenty and naturally knew what people did inside.

"Why don't we... go back and stay at the trading company?"

"We're already here, so why go back? Little San, let's go."

Li Yan pulled Tang San inside, and Tang San had no choice but to follow obediently.

Xiao Wu naturally refused to be left behind, leaving Zhu Zhuqing standing there all alone.

He doesn't look like a bad person. At worst, I can share a room with Xiao Wu.

Zhu Zhuqing followed at the rear, like a cat sneaking off to steal fish.

At the front desk, Li Yan rapped on the counter.

"Four rooms, please."

Zhu Zhuqing let out a long breath. She had misunderstood him after all.

The receptionist glanced at Li Yan, then at the three behind him, and gave him an "I understand" look.

"Honored guest, I'm terribly sorry, but our hotel only has two rooms left at the moment. One is reserved especially for a powerful Soul Master and isn't available to the public."

"So, at present, our hotel only has one room available."

Li Yan replied casually, "What Soul Master? He must think highly of himself."

"You're from out of town, aren't you? It's reserved especially for Young Master Dai, Dai Mubai. Young Master Dai is a Soul Elder with a Thousand-Year Soul Ring, and his Martial Soul is the White Tiger, king of all beasts."

Dai Mubai, with the White Tiger as his Martial Soul...

When Zhu Zhuqing heard that, her face turned pale.

His name and Martial Soul were the same as her fiancé's. Judging by the receptionist's manner, he came here often. Could it be that he hadn't been cultivating diligently at Shrek Academy?

"I don't care who this Young Master Dai is. I was here first."

"This... I really don't have the authority to decide."

As they stood at an impasse, a voice came from behind them.

"What's this? Sounds like someone's looking for a fight. You dare provoke me, Dai Mubai? You've got some nerve, kid!"