Fontaine

Dan Heng made four dishes and a soup. Some of the ingredients overlapped; he had not expected Gu Yuena to return so early.

Small Town was dozens of li away from the Star Dou Great Forest. She should have taken several more days.

Still, since he had made it himself, it was delicious as ever.

Gu Yuena still held onto that bouquet of flowers as though it were some kind of treasure.

She bent down and gently inhaled the fragrance of the food, her smile blooming like a flower. "Husband's cooking... if I go even one day without it, I miss it terribly."

Zhu Zhuqing served them both rice and nodded lightly at her words.

"Husband, you were right. Zhuqing really did absorb those two soul rings. Her third soul ring is as high as six thousand years. At this rate, she'll be able to absorb a ten-thousand-year soul ring for her fourth one, right?"

Gu Yuena looked at Dan Heng, a trace of pride in her eyes.

As expected of her Husband—unmatched in wisdom!

Zhu Zhuqing displayed her third soul ring and introduced her Third Soul Skill.

What Zhu Zhuqing did not say was that both the age of her third soul ring and the effects of her Third Soul Skill surpassed all the predecessors recorded by the Zhu Family.

And all of it stemmed from Teacher Dan Heng's guidance.

If Zhu Zhuqing's gratitude could be described in words, even three days and three nights would not be enough.

So she could only look at Dan Heng with those watery, glistening eyes.

Dan Heng merely glanced at the soul ring and nodded lightly. "Not bad. Just cultivate step by step. Once you reach level thirty-five, I'll give you specialized training."

"Yes, Master!" Zhu Zhuqing's eyes immediately lit up.

Specialized training—since it was her teacher's instruction, it would surely bring her enormous improvement in some aspect again!

Having said that casually, Dan Heng began eating. Gu Yuena had already placed several pieces of food in his bowl.

Resting her chin on her hand, Gu Yuena unusually did not eat much.

Her eyes curved as she looked at Dan Heng. "Husband, don't forget. If I train Zhuqing until she also gains three levels in about the same amount of time as you did, then I win, and you have to grant me one request!"

Gu Yuena raised a slender finger, her expression serious.

Dan Heng gave a hum. He actually knew that Gu Yuena had taken a slight advantage.

After absorbing the soul rings, Zhu Zhuqing had gained a level, and the high age of the soul rings had brought her closer to level thirty-two.

And with the cultivation method he had taught her, even if Gu Yuena did nothing, Zhu Zhuqing would still be able to break through to level thirty-three faster.

Gu Yuena seemed to radiate an aura of happiness from her entire body.

From time to time, she glanced at Dan Heng beside her. Though there were three of them, she was barely a fist's width away from him. Whenever either raised an arm, they could touch each other.

What wish should I make?

Come to think of it, Di Tian should be making his move now, right?

Gu Yuena always remembered the self-improvement plan she wanted to tailor for her Husband!

For some inexplicable reason, Prince Zhu felt uneasy, so he sped out of the city, hoping to reach the Star Luo Empire as quickly as possible.

Thirty li away from Small Town, a figure suddenly appeared on the road ahead.

It was a black-haired man with a burly build. Merely standing there, he seemed to have become the center of the world.

In an instant, Prince Zhu realized that man had come for him.

And he would absolutely be no match for him!

Like a rat encountering a cat, he turned and ran!

Seven soul rings rose beneath him as Prince Zhu transformed into a Hell Spirit Cat and shot toward Small Town like a streak of black lightning.

He had darted more than thirty meters in the blink of an eye when, at that very moment, an intense pressure descended from the sky and crushed his entire body downward.

The strength of a Soul Sage brought him no sense of security whatsoever.

His prideful speed became an illusion in that instant, and he was pressed to the ground in an incomparably humiliating spread-eagle position.

His chin happened to strike a pebble. It hurt.

But what concerned him even more was the identity of that black-haired man. Why was he intercepting him?

He should not have offended anyone, right?

"Sir..."

Di Tian walked behind Prince Zhu, a hint of hesitation in his eyes.

His lord's instruction had been to teach the other man a small lesson, then force him to establish contact with them.

He was considering how to strike the right balance...

After all, his lord had not given him a specific description. And when his lord had given the order, she had been holding a flower and seemed very happy. He did not want to spoil her good mood.

Bang...

With a flick of his finger, Di Tian sent a black energy bolt smashing into Prince Zhu's back.

Prince Zhu could not help letting out a low roar. That was the spot injured when he had come to Small Town.

Now that it had been struck again, the pain brought tears to his eyes!

It was not that he wanted to cry; his body simply could not withstand the stimulation!

"..." Di Tian naturally saw his tears, and his expression twitched.

This guy was at least one of the stronger human soul masters, supposedly even a great noble of the Star Luo Empire.

Yet one hit, a bit of superficial pain, was enough to make him cry?

What an embarrassment to human soul masters!

Still, this should count as a small lesson.

Di Tian said, "Hold it back. I have some things to discuss with you next."

"..." Prince Zhu nearly died of anger when he heard that. Did this expert think he wanted to cry?

Hold it back? Was he some three-year-old child?

Prince Zhu could not control himself. Tears continued streaming down his face.

He suddenly regretted coming to this Small Town so much!

Who exactly had he offended to suffer all this?

Several black lines appeared on Di Tian's forehead. He raised his hand, wanting to give this coward a few more hits, but then he considered that if the other man cried even harder, they would not be able to continue communicating.

"Trash!"

"You are from the Star Luo Zhu Family. In every generation, your direct-line daughters must follow the rules of the Star Luo Royal Family and slaughter one another. But I can change the future of your Zhu Family. Or rather, the force behind me can."

"Give me a token that will allow me to meet you. In the future, we will have further contact."

Di Tian spoke coldly.

The way he looked at Prince Zhu grew increasingly disdainful. How could there be such a pathetic person?!

Prince Zhu's body trembled as he could not help asking, "You... what force are you?"

Instinctively, Prince Zhu suspected that the other party belonged to Spirit Hall.

"Fontaine."

Di Tian answered coldly. This was the name his lord had given him.

Because she liked maple trees, there was the word "Fontaine," and the latter part... should be that annoying fellow, right?

At the same time, a group arrived north of Small Town: a burly middle-aged man, six young men and women, and a carriage behind them carrying an alluring woman.

It was the group from Shrek Academy.

Flender and Dai Mubai walked at the very front.

With an arm around Dai Mubai's shoulders, he snarled viciously, "Mubai! Explain to me why this woman is coming with us!"

Dai Mubai smiled ingratiatingly and said awkwardly,

"Teacher Zhao, Zi Ji wanted to come, and I couldn't exactly refuse her. Once I win her over, I'll treat you to drinks! As many days as you want!"

"Now that's more like it..." Zhao Wuji was finally satisfied.