Taking Zhu Zhuqing as a Disciple

He had already told Zhu Zhuqing he intended to take her as his disciple.

However, the system had remained utterly silent the whole time. Clearly, a one-sided declaration alone did not count.

He had not had time to ask in detail on the road, but now that he had a moment, he had to get this straight.

[Host, accepting a disciple requires willingness from both parties. This system has taken your martial soul as the prototype and specially crafted nine Sword Leaf Bracelets as personal disciple tokens. Only when the other party wears one willingly can the master-disciple relationship be recognized as established.]

[Special reminder: these bracelets are one of a kind. There are only nine in total. Once worn, each will automatically bind to its owner.]

As soon as the system finished speaking, nine bracelets appeared before Ye Feiyang's eyes.

The bracelets were extremely similar in form to the sword leaves attached to his martial soul. Their material seemed like jade yet not jade, warm and bluish-green, glowing with an emerald-like luster. Soul Power faintly flowed across their surfaces, making it obvious at a glance that they were no ordinary items.

"Tsk, if I took these to a pawnshop, I could probably live carefree for quite a while..." Ye Feiyang toyed with a bracelet, unable to stop his thoughts from wandering.

[Hmph. Host, don't indulge in wishful thinking. These items are limited to disciples. Outsiders cannot make use of them.]

The system's prompt rang out right on cue.

"Fine, you win." Ye Feiyang curled his lip.

Then something occurred to him, and he asked, "System, is this bracelet really just a token? It doesn't have any other uses?"

[How could something produced by the system be a mundane object? It also has storage capabilities, with a built-in space of one hundred cubic meters, and comes with a positioning function.]

Storage? A hundred cubic meters? And it could locate people too?

Ye Feiyang's eyes lit up as he listened. These functions were incredibly practical!

As a token, it would also make finding his disciples much more convenient in the future.

He subconsciously touched the shabby Storage Bag he had bought by scrimping and saving, which only had ten cubic meters of space, and immediately felt it paled in comparison.

The more he looked, the more envious he became. Even he had not gotten to use such good equipment.

"Damn system! All the good stuff goes to the disciples? Why don't I get one?"

Ye Feiyang was so angry he nearly sprang up from the bed. "You're my system, at the very least. Don't you feel embarrassed seeing me wear this lousy thing? Get me a decent storage device too!"

[For free? Dream on. Rock-bottom, break-your-legs, vomit-blood price: a hundred-cubic-meter Storage Ring for ten thousand Gold Coins. Does the host want it?]

The system's price popped up coldly.

"Ten thousand Gold Coins? Why don't you just rob me!"

This time, Ye Feiyang really did jump up, pointing at the air as he roared, "You damn system! What use do you have for Gold Coins? Tell me, what use are Gold Coins to you?"

[Gold Coins are also mineral resources. Also, who gave you permission to insult this system?]

The system's voice seemed to carry a faint fluctuation of emotion.

The corner of Ye Feiyang's mouth twitched hard.

This system... why did it feel like it had a temper?

Where was the obedient, docile AI he had been promised?

However, this instead made him even more certain that the system was definitely hiding quite a few good things.

He rubbed his chin, his eyes darting around as he plotted how to squeeze more benefits out of this "damn system."

[Host, there is no need to waste your efforts. This system knows your thoughts perfectly. This system follows the principle of equivalent exchange. Either complete missions to obtain rewards, or bring out items of corresponding value to trade.]

The system mercilessly exposed his petty scheme.

Ye Feiyang was speechless for a moment.

He could not even hide what he was thinking? What privacy was there left? Was this lousy system even usable?

But when he thought of the enormous benefits that accepting disciples could bring... he endured it.

"Heh, fine! If you won't give it, forget it! Do I look like a rich man to you?"

He lay back down in a huff, but his mouth began spouting nonsense. "Push me too far, and I'll go deal with Tang San right now, then snatch that belt of his. It looks pretty good!"

[Host, if you forcibly erase him, the difficulty of survival will increase drastically! Do you wish to face the gods of the God Realm right now, or do you consciously consider yourself inferior to Tang San?]

The system's voice carried a teasing note.

Ye Feiyang felt a little annoyed hearing that. Had Tang San become some kind of difficulty switch?

"If I kill him, I have to face the gods directly? And besides, why should I be afraid of him!"

"I just feel like you brought me to this world to be a foil! What's the point in that? I might as well just go on a killing spree and have one good run as a villain!"

Perhaps sensing his intense resentment and his impulse to smash the pot and give up, the system, rarely, took the initiative to explain:

[It is not that he absolutely cannot be killed. If you possess the strength to contend with everyone, you may do as you please.]

Ye Feiyang's spirits lifted.

He knew it. There was no way he was just some extra!

"Then what exactly should I do?"

[This world still lacks a Sword God. If the host can successfully ascend to godhood, that will be enough to contend with the gods. At that point, you may act as you wish.]

The system pointed out the path.

Become a god?

Ye Feiyang quickly ran through the known paths to godhood in his mind: divine inheritance, becoming a god through faith, merging with a god position, or creating his own godhood.

Divine inheritance was something he could fight for, but he had no fondness for those lofty gods. He even wanted to find a chance to deal with a few who refused to follow the rules, so he would set that path aside for now. Abandoned.

Becoming a god through faith required an enormous base of believers. It took far too long and was complicated to operate. For him, it was too difficult. Abandoned.

Merging with a god position? Like Xiao Wu with Tang San, sharing the origin of a god position as a sword sheath—he did not have the conditions for that either. Abandoned.

That left only the final path—creating his own god position!

"The Sword God, huh?"

Fighting spirit ignited in Ye Feiyang's eyes. "Sounds pretty interesting. Fine, then I'll set myself a small goal first—become the Sword God for fun!"

His thoughts shifted, and a crafty curve tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Right, System. Since the Child of Destiny can't be killed right now, then stealing his sword sheath shouldn't be a problem, should it?"

Naturally, he was referring to Xiao Wu.

Of course. As long as the Host does not directly erase the Child of Destiny, you may act as you please.

This time, the system answered very readily.

"Settled!"

Ye Feiyang snapped his fingers, his eyes flashing with sharp light, his mood much improved.

With the system's support, Ye Feiyang felt a little more confident about creating his own god position.

As for his earlier clamoring about killing Tang San?

That was purely empty boasting.

If he got rid of the protagonist now, what fun would there be in the future?

Making trouble for him, cutting off his opportunities, and messing with his mentality should be pretty interesting.

For the time being, the most urgent matter was still to convince Zhu Zhuqing and make her willingly acknowledge him as her master!

After all, the improvement of Soul Ring Age depended on the quality of his disciples' soul rings. The higher, the better.

The stronger the disciples and the higher the quality of their soul rings, the greater his own benefits!

This was a major matter related to the growth of his strength.

"Heh heh. Looks like I'll have to properly plan out a training program."

Ye Feiyang stroked his chin, his thoughts racing.

As everyone knew, when absorbing high-age soul rings, physical strength and mental power were the two key factors.

Training had to revolve around those two points.

Just as he was pondering specific training items, his gaze unconsciously drifted toward the bathroom again.

Good heavens!

This time, he truly saw the hazy, graceful silhouette of the young girl emerging from her bath amid the lingering steam!

Although he could not see clearly through the frosted glass, those smooth, shapely curves instead stirred even more imagination. The impact was overwhelming!

Gulp.

Ye Feiyang's Adam's apple bobbed unconsciously, and a wave of heat spread through his entire body.

Smack!

Without the slightest mercy, Ye Feiyang slapped himself across the face, the sound crisp and loud.

"Do not look at what is improper! Ye Feiyang, what the hell are you thinking about?" he scolded himself in a low voice, his face burning.

This was the founding disciple he had already chosen!

How could he have such filthy thoughts? He was worse than a beast!

"Tsk. Looks like I need to find myself a partner first, or I'll be restless all day and still have to rely on self-sufficiency to handle my needs..."

Several candidates who were suitable to take as disciples and also had outstanding looks and figures swiftly flashed through his mind.

Then he eliminated them one by one.

Those who already belonged to someone else or were unsuitable were removed, leaving truly only a scant few who met the requirements.

"Hm?"

A thought suddenly flashed through his mind. "If others can marry soul beasts as wives, why can't I?"

Thinking of the tangled relationships between several generations of the Tang family and soul beasts, his train of thought suddenly opened up.

"If I'm going to marry, naturally I have to marry the best! Let me carefully study which potential stocks there are..."

He immersed himself in fantasies about his future partner.

Just then, a soft click came from the bathroom door.

Zhu Zhuqing walked out after changing her clothes.

She was still dressed in her iconic black skintight outfit, outlining the young girl's graceful figure just right.

Wet black hair spilled over her shoulders, a few strands clinging to her fair neck, making her look even more alluring.

Ye Feiyang's gaze was drawn to her despite himself. In his mind, the hazy outline from moments ago overlapped with the clear sight before him, and an even stronger rush of heat shot straight to his lower abdomen.

"Damn it..."

He cursed under his breath and forcibly suppressed the surging blood in his body.

"This eighteen-year-old body is seriously troublesome!"

Zhu Zhuqing was still holding the old, bloodstained, and torn clothes in her hands, looking for somewhere to throw them away.

When she looked up, she happened to meet Ye Feiyang's burning gaze. Her cheeks flared red with a whoosh, and she was so embarrassed she wished she could sink into the floor.

She hurriedly hid the ragged clothes behind her, her eyes darting away.

"C-can you stop staring at me like that..." Her voice was as faint as a mosquito's buzz.

"And... thank you, truly, for helping me shake off my pursuers and healing my injuries."

She took a deep breath, trying hard to calm herself.

"I'll repay this kindness in the future. I... I'll leave now. You can have this room."

Spend the night in the same room as a strange man she had known for only half a day?

Just thinking about it made her feel uncomfortable all over.

If not for the blood and grime clinging to her body earlier, so unbearable she could hardly stand it, she might even have refused to bathe here.

She wanted to leave?

The corner of Ye Feiyang's lips curved into a playful smile.

He had gone to all this trouble not to hear some light thanks and a promise of repayment in the future.

What he wanted to hear was that one word: Master!

"Leave?" he said unhurriedly.

"Where do you plan to go? Am I really that frightening to you?"

"Or is it that, in your eyes, my saving your life and healing your wounds is only worth a few gold coins in return?"

Forced back half a step by his words, Zhu Zhuqing shook her head again and again. "No! That's not it! You've misunderstood! I absolutely didn't mean that!"

She just felt that this ambiguous, awkward atmosphere left her sitting on pins and needles.

To be honest, if she really left this place, where was she supposed to go? She herself had no idea.

"Oh? Then tell me. Why are you in such a hurry to leave? Give me a reasonable explanation."

Zhu Zhuqing opened her mouth, but not a single word came out.

What could she say? That his eyes felt too aggressive?

That she felt it was dangerous to stay in the same room as a strange man?

That sounded more like accusing the person who had saved her life, and she held it in until her eyes reddened faintly.

Looking at the girl's embarrassed yet stubborn expression, Ye Feiyang laughed despite himself.

"I've never been one to force others. Do you want to become stronger?"

"I can help you. Why not consider it again and become my disciple?"

Inwardly, he was furiously cursing that damned requirement of mutual willingness...

How much simpler would it be if he could just use force?

Who cared whether she was willing or not, as long as the goal was achieved?

The words "become stronger" struck the deepest desire in Zhu Zhuqing's heart!

Her body trembled faintly, and her eyes were filled with deep bitterness and helplessness.

"I... I do want to become stronger. I want it very much!"

"But I really do have something I must complete. I know these things aren't enough to repay you, but I truly can't offer anything more right now..."

As she spoke, she felt wronged again. Her voice choked, and tears shimmered in her eyes.

"As long as you nod and become my disciple, then helping you will be part of my duty as your Master. It will only be natural. Talking about repayment after that would be treating me like an outsider."

"I am a level 79 Soul Saint. I should be qualified to be your Master, shouldn't I?"

Zhu Zhuqing suddenly raised her head.

"A level 79 Soul Saint?"

Her catlike eyes instantly widened, filled with disbelief!

The man before her looked, at most, seventeen or eighteen, not much older than she was!

Even after cultivating with all her might, she was only a little over level twenty, yet he was actually a level 79 Soul Saint?

How was that possible?

Perhaps sensing the doubt in Zhu Zhuqing's eyes, Ye Feiyang said no more.

With a slight shift of thought, Soul Power surged around him—yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black.

Seven Soul Rings, each shining with a different radiance, appeared one after another!

Zhu Zhuqing held her breath. Her cool, aloof catlike eyes widened unconsciously as she stared fixedly at those seven Soul Rings.

Her little mouth parted slightly, her soft pink lips looking especially tempting in her shock.

"How about it?"

Ye Feiyang lifted his chin and said, "Now you should believe me, right? I wasn't lying to you."

Looking at Zhu Zhuqing's pink lips, parted in shock, Ye Feiyang suddenly had an inexplicable urge to put something into them.

He shook his head and suppressed that dangerous thought.

"Ye Feiyang..."

Zhu Zhuqing's voice was a little dry as she asked, "How old are you?"

"Eighteen." Ye Feiyang raised a brow and answered crisply.

"Oh, right," he added, as if only just realizing, "you meant my age, didn't you?"

Zhu Zhuqing was stunned by his question. "Yes! What else did you think I was asking?"

"Oh, oh, I almost misunderstood..."

"That's eighteen too."

"..." Zhu Zhuqing felt a vein throbbing at her temple.

She hated people who had no sense of boundaries!

Was it really reliable to let this guy be her teacher?

An eighteen-year-old rank seventy-nine Soul Saint—how on earth had he done it?

It was truly enviable!

Seeing Zhu Zhuqing fall into a long silence, Ye Feiyang did not press her step by step this time.

If he pushed too hard, he was afraid he might make her cry again.

He could roughly guess what Zhu Zhuqing was struggling with.

Wasn't this the Rose Hotel right now?

She had not run into that golden-haired mutt in heat today, but she would tomorrow, or the day after.

When the time came, if she saw with her own eyes what kind of person the fiancé she was wholeheartedly chasing after really was, perhaps her resolve would waver without him needing to waste much breath.

To deal with someone like Zhu Zhuqing, who was cold on the outside but strong within and extremely guarded, forceful methods would only backfire.

Wasn't the reason he was acting so unserious now, even a little shameless, precisely to lower her guard and make her feel he was easy to get along with?

Sigh, just to take in a disciple, he was practically turning into a drama king. Thinking about it, he even felt a little proud.

If Zhu Zhuqing could hear his thoughts at this moment, she would probably retort coldly: Acting? This is clearly your true self!

"You..."

Zhu Zhuqing took a deep breath and lifted her eyes to look straight at Ye Feiyang.

"Can you be a little more serious? Give me a few days to consider it, all right? Or wait until I've dealt with my own matters, and then I'll give you a clear answer?"

The fact that she could say this meant her defenses had indeed loosened.

Her original plan had been to find her fiancé, then join an intermediate Soul Master Academy in Suotuo City with him to continue studying and grow stronger.

If a Soul Saint was willing to personally guide her, it was truly hard to refuse.

Deep down, a faint trace of anticipation even began to stir.

If not for the heavy shackles of her family and the restraints of her engagement, she might already have nodded.

"All right."

Ye Feiyang agreed very readily, but then immediately raised three fingers. "I'll give you three days. After three days, if you still haven't made a decision, that proves our fate together has come to an end."

"When that time comes, I'll leave. Listen, I'm telling you, this chance comes only once. Weigh it yourself."

This was both a deadline and an invisible form of pressure.

"Thank you..."

Zhu Zhuqing said softly.

She even felt that if she refused this opportunity, she really would miss something vitally important.

That feeling made her panic.

"Then I'll go first..." Subconsciously, she wanted to flee this atmosphere that was throwing her heartbeat into chaos.

"Go?"

Ye Feiyang suddenly cut her off. "No need. Since being with me makes things so difficult for you, I should be the one to leave."

He made as if to turn away, his movements clean and decisive. "After all, you're the one who paid for this room."

He moved past Zhu Zhuqing and walked straight toward the door.

Just as he was about to brush past her, a small, slightly cool hand suddenly grabbed his sleeve!

Ye Feiyang's heart instantly blossomed with joy. The fish took the bait! Sure enough, playing hard to get never fails!

Hm? Wait. Why did it suddenly feel like he had somehow unlocked green-tea skills without a teacher?

"No! Don't go!"

Zhu Zhuqing's voice was urgent as she tugged hard on his sleeve. "I didn't—I didn't mean to drive you away. Really!"

Her mind was a mess. The sight of him turning away so desolately just now had somehow filled her with an intense sense of guilt, as if she had done something unforgivably wicked.

Ye Feiyang stopped and turned his head, his dark gaze falling on the hand gripping his sleeve.

"Mm, I understand. So, are you still leaving?"

Under his stare, Zhu Zhuqing's heart pounded like a drum, her cheeks flushed crimson, and she stammered in a small voice, "N-no. I'm not leaving."

The moment the words left her mouth, unease immediately rose in her heart again.

Was she inviting a wolf into the house?

This sunny, handsome-looking youth who always carried a bit of roguishness—would he reveal some other terrifying face the moment she lowered her guard?

She did not even realize she was still clutching his hand tightly.

"Then all right,"

Ye Feiyang immediately went along with it, not a trace of desolation left on his face. "We'll just make do for one night..."

Zhu Zhuqing: "..."

Looking at his matter-of-fact expression, she suddenly felt like she had lifted a rock only to drop it on her own foot!

Did this man change faces a little too quickly?

Vaguely, Zhu Zhuqing seemed to catch the faintest hint of tea in the air.

Ye Feiyang insisted on keeping her here for his own reasons, purely because of the good show that might unfold over the next couple of days.

As for doing anything to her? He had never even thought about it.

Leaving aside the age gap, he, Ye Feiyang, was not that low. How old was she, anyway?

"Oh right, you just recovered. Go rest."

He pointed at the bed, his tone rarely turning a little serious. "Don't worry. I'm not a bad person."

Zhu Zhuqing glanced at him and silently retorted in her heart, Would a bad person write the words "bad person" on their face?

Still, she really was exhausted.

She looked at the large bed that Ye Feiyang had messed into complete disarray, then silently turned and walked to the sofa in the living room, curling up on it.

Ye Feiyang said nothing more and turned into the bathroom to shower.

When he came out with moisture clinging to him, he found Zhu Zhuqing already asleep.

She was like a frightened kitten, curled tightly on the sofa. Even in her dreams, her brows were slightly furrowed, carrying a hint of wariness.

Looking at her like this, Ye Feiyang's heart inexplicably softened, and a trace of pity rose within him.

He did not want to give up on this potential disciple, whose talent and temperament were both excellent.

He walked over softly, carefully picked Zhu Zhuqing up, and moved her to the more comfortable bed, then tucked the blanket around her with care.

As for himself, he returned to the sofa and lay down. Before long, he sank into deep sleep.

In the darkness, Zhu Zhuqing's long eyelashes trembled slightly.

In truth, she had been awake the whole time. She had only closed her eyes and pretended to sleep, not daring to truly fall asleep.

After sensing Ye Feiyang's cautious movements, then feeling him withdraw to the sofa on his own, the taut string in her heart finally relaxed completely.

Once she confirmed she was safe, her heavy eyelids could no longer hold on, and her consciousness quickly sank into true sleep.

Early the next morning.

Ye Feiyang woke early, refreshed and full of energy.

He did not disturb Zhu Zhuqing, who was still sound asleep. Instead, he sat by the window, immersed in studying the Martial Arts Gift Pack the system had given him.

In terms of attack and defense, he had powerful Soul Skills derived from the Nine Leaf Sword Grass, which were no weaker than the blade and sword techniques among these martial arts.

Among these martial arts, the only ones he took a liking to were the movement techniques!

The gift pack contained a dazzling array of movement-type martial arts: Tiyun Vertical Leap excelled at borrowing force in midair, repeatedly rising higher and changing direction, and could be called a leader among lightness skills;

Sky Luo Step excelled at shifting and dodging, allowing one to move with ease in tight spaces;

Lingbo Microstep was graceful and agile in form, while consuming very little Soul Power;

Bagua Swimming Body Step followed the positions of the eight trigrams, allowing one to weave freely through enemy formations;

Divine Travel Hundred Transformations was an excellent choice for both long-distance rushes and short-range bursts...

"Each had its own strengths..."

A wise light flashed through Ye Feiyang's eyes, and he chose Tiyun Vertical Leap outright, because it emphasized mobility and height. Divine Travel Hundred Transformations focused more on speed and explosiveness, while Bagua Swimming Body Step specialized in close-range entanglement and evasion.

After choosing these three movement techniques, he immediately began comprehending them.

To him, it was nothing more than spending a little extra time and mental effort. In any case, having too many skills never weighed one down!

This grand gift pack also contained several internal cultivation methods.

Such as: Nine Yang Divine Skill, Nine Yin Manual, and others were all impressively included. As expected of a grand gift pack.

However, they were not urgently needed, and could be left for future practice.

Perhaps in the future he might even obtain a Profound Skill or an Immortal Method; at the very least, those should be higher grade than these martial arts, right?

"I feel like this Nine Yin Manual is actually rather suited to Zhu Zhuqing."

Zhu Zhuqing seemed to truly have been exhausted to the limit. The sun outside the window was already high in the sky, yet she was still sound asleep, showing no sign of waking.

Ye Feiyang did not rush her either, and continued studying the essentials of the movement techniques.

Near noon.

The plentiful sleep finally dispelled the weariness brought by days of fleeing and severe injuries.

Zhu Zhuqing slowly woke. The moment she opened her eyes and saw the dazzling sunlight outside the window, she immediately let out an annoyed cry. "Damn it! How did I sleep until this hour?"

She hurriedly sat up, and at a glance saw Ye Feiyang sitting cross-legged in the living room with his eyes closed. She had no idea how long he had been up.

She got out of bed as quietly as she could, but the slight noise still startled Ye Feiyang.

He opened his eyes, pointed outside the window with a teasing smile, and said, "Yo, awake? The sun's almost shining onto the foot of the bed. It's nearly noon."

He looked her up and down, then teased, "Couldn't tell before, but you're pretty good at sleeping, huh?"

Zhu Zhuqing's face flushed bright red. She glared at him fiercely, but was too lazy to explain.

After spending more than a day together, she had more or less figured him out. This person loved running his mouth and never acted serious!

She quickly finished washing up. Just as she walked out of the washroom, she discovered that Ye Feiyang had somehow already leaned against the doorway, watching her at his leisure.

"W-why are you standing here?" She subconsciously took half a step back.

"Isn't it time to eat? What else would I be doing? Don't tell me you're not hungry?"

Ye Feiyang spoke with perfect confidence, and at the end, he did not forget to add, "Oh right, same old rule. You're treating."

Zhu Zhuqing almost choked on her own breath.

The words, I'm almost out of money, nearly blurted out, but when they reached her lips, she swallowed them back down.

Forget it, forget it. He had saved her life. She would accept it.

She said irritably, "Fine, fine, fine! I'll treat! Happy now?"

She made up her mind. No matter what, she had to leave today. If she stayed any longer, her pitiful few Gold Coins really would hit bottom!

The two of them did not leave the hotel, and had lunch directly in the hotel restaurant.

After the meal, they found a relatively quiet corner in the lobby and sat down, ordering several exquisite pastries and drinks.

Zhu Zhuqing looked at Ye Feiyang sitting opposite her, eating with great relish, and could not help grumbling inwardly: How could a dignified Soul Saint be so stingy?

When she had placed the order earlier, she had deliberately put that shriveled purse in the most conspicuous spot on the table, hinting that she was almost out of money!

Why did he still turn a blind eye?

She still paid for the desserts and drinks!

Ye Feiyang, however, felt perfectly justified: if he could spend someone else's money, why spend his own?

With women, when it was time to be stingy, one had to be stingy!

"Ye Feiyang."

Zhu Zhuqing put down her silver fork and said seriously, "I really do have important matters to handle. Can you let me go deal with my own business first?"

Ye Feiyang leaned back in his chair like an old monk in meditation, slowly took a sip of his drink, and shook his head slightly. "If you leave, where am I supposed to find you? Don't be anxious. Wait a little longer."

His gaze swept over the hotel entrance, and a faint smile hung at the corner of his lips. "If we're lucky, we might even get to watch a good show for free."

Seeing his calm and unbothered manner, Zhu Zhuqing only felt a stifled anger clogging her chest, yet she could do nothing about it.

What an annoying guy!

Ye Feiyang's patience was not wasted.

Just as Zhu Zhuqing was bored out of her mind, and Ye Feiyang was almost done studying the desserts for new tricks, the light at the hotel entrance was blocked by two figures.

A lively young girl in a pink dress, with a long scorpion braid, walked in side by side with a plainly dressed young man in blue clothes and a center-parted hairstyle, chattering nonstop.

They headed straight for the front desk.

The girl bounced as she walked, full of energy, while the young man seemed steady, though there was also youthful spirit between his brows.

Ye Feiyang's eyes lit up, and he said in a low voice to Zhu Zhuqing, "Disciple, see that girl in pink? Remember what she looks like."

Zhu Zhuqing was bored, and at his words, she instinctively looked over and asked in puzzlement, "What do you mean? Who is she?"

"Oh, nothing special."

Ye Feiyang gave a mysterious smile. "You'll understand in the future."

That way of speaking, revealing half and hiding half, let Zhu Zhuqing experience exactly what it meant to be teased to the brink and left hanging!

She was furious. Those words had hooked her curiosity so badly that it itched in her heart. This man was definitely sick!

On her current ranking of most hated people, riddlers had already climbed straight to first place!

"You really are annoying!" she could not help but roll her eyes at him again.

Just then, Ye Feiyang jerked his chin at her, his face carrying the expression of someone ready to watch a show. "Look. The show's starting."

Puzzled, Zhu Zhuqing turned her head toward the entrance again. With that one look, her whole body felt as if it had been struck by lightning!

At the entrance of the hall, three more people had walked in.

The one in the lead was a handsome young man with a tall build, golden hair draped over his shoulders, and luxurious white clothes.

His manner was lazy, a cynical smile hanging at the corner of his lips, and he had an arm around each of two beautiful, curvaceous twin women who looked almost exactly alike!

That golden-haired youth was none other than the fiancé she had traveled a thousand miles and survived pursuit to find, Dai Mubai!

Ye Feiyang said nothing more. His gaze merely locked quietly onto Zhu Zhuqing, watching her reaction closely.

Under the table, Zhu Zhuqing's hands clenched tight!

That familiar throb from the depths of her martial soul meant she did not need to confirm anything else!

This was the fiancé she had been thinking about day and night?

This was the fiancé she had believed was struggling alone in a foreign land?

Look at that frivolous posture, those practiced movements, that habitual ease as he held the twins...

How was this someone who had only just arrived?

He was clearly a regular here, a veteran of wine and women!

A wave of icy chill mixed with fury swept through Zhu Zhuqing's entire body!

She gritted her silver teeth, her body trembling faintly beyond her control.

Traveling a thousand miles in search of her husband?

What a laughable, ironic feat!

So he had long since sunk into a land of softness, indulging himself in pleasure, throwing his fiancée far away in the Star Luo Empire completely out of his mind!

Then what exactly was she to him?

A heavy burden? A ridiculous deadweight?

When her rage reached its peak, it instead made her want to laugh.

It was a bleak, self-mocking laugh, one that carried the taste of blood.

She forced down her resentment and the cry in her chest, then turned to stare at Ye Feiyang. "You! You deliberately kept me here just so I'd see this?"

Her eyes were filled with shock and confusion. "All of this looks like coincidence, but it also feels as if it was all within your expectations. How did you know?"

Ye Feiyang neither admitted it nor denied it.

He only looked back at her calmly, his gaze deep.

Keeping some mystery was what made people want to investigate, was it not?

He stood up and straightened his collar. "I said I'd give you three days to consider. Now, I want to go out for a stroll. Are you coming?"

He glanced at the somewhat dazed Zhu Zhuqing. "Forget it. Do as you like."

He understood Zhu Zhuqing.

With her pride and composure, she would absolutely not rush up at this moment and put on some show of tearing apart the mistress by hand.

She would only be like an injured beast, silently licking her wounds, digesting this humiliation and pain alone in a corner.

Sure enough, Zhu Zhuqing only sat there silently, watching as Dai Mubai and Tang San's group got into a dispute over a room, and watching as they eventually seemed to reach some sort of agreement.

She watched Dai Mubai leave with the twins in his arms, swaggering away, until the hall became empty once more.

Then she stood up in a daze and moved step by step back to the hotel suite.

Right now, she only wanted to be alone and properly calm down.

Persist? Was there still any meaning in persisting?

Ye Feiyang, meanwhile, strolled out of the hotel and blended into the afternoon bustle of Suotuo City.

Naturally, he was not wandering aimlessly.

He was searching, searching for that unremarkable little shop.

Had he said he would make trouble for Tang San?

Then it would start now!

Do nothing? That would be far too boring.

Ye Feiyang simply treated Suotuo City like a sand table map and wandered through it at an unhurried pace, taking it as a chance to familiarize himself with the terrain.

At last, in a remote, deserted corner of a small street, he found his target.

It was an unremarkable little shop. On the reclining chair by the entrance, a middle-aged man with a flat face, glasses, a hooked nose, and an overall rather distinctive appearance was resting with his eyes closed.

Flender!

The corners of Ye Feiyang's lips curved up, and he stepped into the shop, where the light was slightly dim.

His gaze quickly swept over the dust-covered odds and ends on the shelves, and soon locked onto a few inconspicuous pieces of ore.

"Boss, how much for these stones?" Ye Feiyang's voice broke the silence inside the shop.

Only then did Flender lazily open one eye and glance in the direction Ye Feiyang was pointing. Casually, he said, "Oh? You want them all, customer?"

Ye Feiyang nodded.

He knew nothing about ores and had no idea which piece it was, but that did not matter. Taking them all was never wrong. Better to kill by mistake than let one slip away!

"One hundred Gold Coins for the lot," Flender quoted without even lifting his eyelids.

Ye Feiyang frowned slightly, wondering if the man would raise the price again in a moment if he agreed too readily.

Sure enough, this guy really was a profiteer. His obsession with Gold Soul Coins could rival Ye Feiyang's own!

A few lousy stones, and he dared ask him for one hundred gold?

How was that different from outright robbery? No, this was robbery!

"Too expensive. Make it cheaper," Ye Feiyang said evenly.

"Can't."

Flender remained lazy, even turning over with his back to him. "Buy them or don't."

Ye Feiyang was amused. Flender should have been a rank 78 Soul Saint at this time, but Ye Feiyang was not afraid of him. So what if he were a Soul Douluo now?

Indulge him? Not happening!

Without another word, he stepped forward, grabbed the pieces of ore in one hand, and slapped them onto the old wooden table beside him.

Smack!

Five stones, and five gleaming Gold Coins were stacked neatly on the table.

"I think that's what they're worth."

Ye Feiyang picked up the ores, turned, and walked out, his movements smooth and unhurried.

"Friend!"

Flender sprang up from the reclining chair, a trace of coldness in his voice.

A pressure belonging to a Soul Saint surged toward Ye Feiyang. "Doing this is probably not quite appropriate, is it?"

He had thought Ye Feiyang would pale in shock, but the scene he expected did not appear.

Ye Feiyang only stopped in his tracks and slowly turned around. Not only was there no fear on his face, there was even a playful smile. "Profiteer, are you sure you don't want to let me leave?"

"I think these stones are only worth five Gold Coins. Who knows, maybe you're still making a profit?"

"All men are destined to die; some deaths weigh heavier than Mount Tai, while others are lighter than a feather."

He toyed with the ores in his hand and continued, "Dare say you won't sell, and I'll take your life."

"Ha!"

Flender laughed in anger. Had he run into some delusional brat?

Did someone really think he was an ordinary person?

With a mocking look on his face, he gradually increased the pressure, intending to crush this ignorant kid to the ground.

"Not a small tone you've got there, young—"

Before he could finish, Flender's voice stopped abruptly!

A pressure far more terrifying than his own descended directly upon him.

That pressure instantly pinned him down completely.

"Ugh!"

Flender let out a muffled groan. He only felt it become hard to breathe, his heart pounding wildly as cold sweat instantly soaked his back.

The shadow of death had never been so clear.

He looked at Ye Feiyang in utter horror, his eyes filled with disbelief.

The level of this pressure already far surpassed his own, even surpassing that of a Soul Saint. He had no way to resist at all.

"Five Gold Coins. Can you sell them?" Ye Feiyang's voice remained calm.

Flender was a shrewd man. After this brief exchange, he had already recognized the gap between them.

The other party was not bluffing at all. He truly had the strength to take his life.

Those who understood the times were wise—of course money was not more important than life!

"I'll sell! I'll sell! I'll sell it for five Gold Coins!"

Flender nodded desperately, afraid that if he was even a second late, the other party would change his mind.

In any case, he had not spent much to take in these broken rocks. At five Gold Coins, he would indeed still make a profit.

Hearing that, Ye Feiyang grinned. Trying to scam me out of my Gold Coins? Not a chance.

If he had not been certain that one of the ores contained Panel Crystal, he would not have paid even five Gold Coins.

He withdrew the pressure he had released, and the harmless smile returned to his face.

"Why so nervous? Don't worry, I'm not some kind person."

"If you're doing business, then do it properly. If you'd done this from the start, we all would've saved ourselves the trouble. Didn't expect you to be so easy to talk to, boss..."

He spoke on his own, not bothering to look at Flender's expression.

He weighed the ore in his hand, then turned and strolled leisurely out of the shop.

Only after Ye Feiyang's figure had completely vanished around the street corner...

Did Flender collapse onto the recliner, gulping down air as he kept wiping the cold sweat from his forehead.

He had felt that icy killing intent clearly just now.

He was certain that if he had acted even a little tougher just now...

He might already have become a corpse.

With that kind of strength, in this place, there was simply no one who could do anything to him.

This was way too bullying. What did he mean by saying Flender was easy to talk to?

Stifled. It was unbearably stifling.

But he really could not beat him. Just in terms of aura, he had already been far weaker.

"Could he be a Titled Douluo? Impossible, right? How could he be so young..."

Although lingering fear still gripped him, he still reached out to put away the five Gold Coins on the table. At this moment, only Gold Coins could bring him any comfort.

But just as his fingers reached out and touched the tabletop...

Crack, crack—

That seemingly intact old wooden table instantly fell apart without any warning, turning into a floorful of fine wood chips with perfectly smooth cuts!

The Gold Coins clinked and clattered as they rolled into the wood chips.

Flender's heart lurched, and his scalp went numb. Clearly, he had been badly frightened.

He abruptly drew back his hand, his heart nearly leaping out of his throat!

Cold sweat soaked through his clothes once more.

Too terrifying. It was truly too terrifying.

"When... when did he make a move?"

He had not even seen the other party make any extra movement!

"When did such a fiend arrive in Suotuo City?"

Still badly shaken, Flender looked again at the pile of wood chips and scattered Gold Coins, and only felt that this was no place to stay for long.

"Can't provoke him, can't provoke him. I can't stay here. I have to leave, now!"

No longer caring about anything else, he fumbled to sweep the Gold Coins into his pocket, locked the shop door, and rushed toward Shrek Academy without looking back.

At this moment, all he wanted was to get as far away from that terrifying young man as possible!

Hotel suite.

Ye Feiyang had wandered outside for half the day, even sampling a few local snacks along the way, so time had passed rather quickly.

On his way back, he specially packed up a few snacks that looked fairly good.

Pushing open the door and entering the suite, he saw Zhu Zhuqing sitting alone in the shadows by the window, staring blankly outside. She did not react in the slightest even when he came in.

The afterglow of the setting sun outlined her thin yet stubborn profile, carrying a shattered loneliness.

He thought that it seemed this girl had been hurt quite badly.

"Disciple, it's time to eat."

Ye Feiyang placed the takeout boxes on the table, showing rare generosity for once...

"Here. This meal... is on your master."