Zhu Zhuqing's Night Raid

The third floor of the Moonlight Pavilion.

Led by Yu Tianheng, the three of them entered together.

Compared to downstairs, there are far fewer people on this floor, and the layout is more ingenious.

Deep inside the hall stands a tall, semi-transparent screen, behind which several figures are vaguely visible, creating a mysterious atmosphere.

At the same time, the melodious sound of a musical ensemble came from behind the screen, where several tables and chairs were placed.

These tables and chairs were also made of high-quality wood, and there was even a faint scent of wood in the air. At each seat, three or five people were gathered together, chatting quietly or enjoying tea.

Yu Tianheng glanced at the exquisite staircase not far away and said to Su Cheng, "Elder Su, there are private rooms upstairs. The rest of the environment is not much different from this floor. Do you want to continue up?"

His form of address and demeanor surprised Su Cheng for a moment, then he waved his hand and smiled, "Senior, there's no need to be so polite. Just call me by my name."

As he spoke, he subtly released his senses, scanning the Moonlight Pavilion, and then frowned inwardly.

Yu Tianheng has always been cautious and prudent. Since he knows his own identity, it is not surprising that he is careful with his words.

He never imagined that he would become a celebrity.

The elders of the Spirit Hall naturally hold a prestigious position, but most of them actually spend most of their time in the Elder Hall, remaining relatively unknown and rarely being recognized by the public.

Only those like Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo, who frequently perform missions and appear in public, can be considered renowned.

Therefore, Su Cheng had never imagined that the current situation would occur before this.

If I had known he would be so conspicuous, I wouldn't have come to the Moonlight Pavilion.

After all, for many years, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect School has always taken a clear stance in supporting the Heaven Dou Empire.

His identity is rather sensitive; he comes from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and now holds an important position in the Spirit Hall. If the imperial family takes notice, it's uncertain whether it will cause further trouble.

However, this thought only crossed my mind briefly before I put it aside.

That confidence comes from strength.

It's an inevitable trend, so there's no need to worry too much.

Only when one's own strength is insufficient should one rely on others to maneuver and proceed with extreme caution.

"Zhu Zhuqing, what do you think?" Su Cheng looked around the environment on this floor, then turned his gaze to Zhu Zhuqing beside him, asking for her opinion.

"Let's do it here."

"Then let's sit here for a while. Thank you for showing me the way, senior. It's fate that we met today. I'll treat you to a few drinks."

Yu Tianheng smiled and repeatedly said he wouldn't dare, but he was secretly relieved.

He actually had his concerns.

Since they are not aligned with each other, if they go to a private room together, rumors are bound to spread.

For Su Cheng, this matter will not have any impact, but for him, it may lead to attacks from other factions within the family.

"Judging from your expression just now, it seems like you were about to leave. I hope it won't interfere with your plans?" Su Cheng asked casually after the three of them sat down.

"No, I don't really have anything to do." Yu Tianheng chuckled self-deprecatingly. "I'm just wasting my days in Heaven Dou City now."

Su Cheng didn't know how to respond, and looked at the bamboo plaques hanging on the west wall.

Seeing him looking at the prices, a staff member immediately came over and waited quietly.

However, after just a glance, Su Cheng couldn't help but think to himself, "The rich feast while the poor feast."

He wasn't unfamiliar with aristocratic circles; he was also familiar with the upper echelons of the Star Luo Empire.

But the fees here are a bit outrageous.

The cheapest pot of tea costs more than ten Gold Soul Coin, while the most expensive costs over a hundred.

The expenses of nobles in half a day here are equivalent to the entire expenses of an ordinary family of three for several years.

"Bring me three of the most expensive pots," Su Cheng said lavishly, waving his hand.

The waiter looked embarrassed.

Yu Tianheng then explained somewhat awkwardly, "Ahem, junior, the price here is a set meal per table, not the price of a single pot of tea."

"Hehe, you country bumpkin."

Hearing the mocking tone from beside him, Su Cheng raised an eyebrow and turned to look at the other person. "You know?"

Zhu Zhuqing did not answer.

She was clearly unaware of the pricing rules here, but still found Su Cheng's behavior quite ridiculous.

"Okay, then let's get the most expensive set meal."

"Okay, please wait a moment."

Before long, someone came over with a tray, on which was placed a teapot and three cups of tea, and a faint fragrance wafted out.

Zhu Zhuqing's nostrils twitched slightly, and a hint of surprise appeared in her eyes.

Ignoring the other two, he picked up a glass and began to drink it.

"The tea here is really good."

As the hot water soothed her tongue, the bitterness faded and the aroma unfolded, flowing between her lips and teeth. Her eyes lit up slightly, and she murmured a soft exclamation of praise.

Although Zhu Zhuqing didn't know much about these things, she had enjoyed a privileged upbringing and had drunk a lot of fine tea.

The tea served in this Moonlight Pavilion is quite unique and worth its price.

Seeing this, Su Cheng raised an eyebrow, picked up his teacup, took a sip, and then said indifferently, "It's just so-so."

When he was with Zhu Zhuqing, he naturally didn't hold back and said whatever he thought.

"You've only tasted a few good teas, yet you're pretending to know everything." Zhu Zhuqing rolled her eyes, her expression somewhat disdainful.

Although she didn't understand it very well either, that didn't stop her from mocking Su Cheng had even less knowledge in this area.

"Haha, what a frog in a well." Su Cheng toyed with the teacup in his hand, a smug look flashing in his eyes. "No need to drink too much. Once you've tasted the best, the rest will naturally be unremarkable."

"What a boast."

"Fine, don't believe me then. I'll take you to try it another day and see if you can still be so stubborn then."

As a place for entertaining royalty and nobility, Moonlight Pavilion's performances were free of charge.

The main sources of profit are the etiquette training for aristocratic children, membership fees for providing venues for high-level exchanges, and the catering services offered.

Therefore, the tea can naturally be considered a rare delicacy in the world.

However, compared to the Dragon Saliva Heavenly Fragrance he had previously drunk at the Spirit Hall, cultivated by Ah Yin and Chrysanthemum Douluo, it was far inferior.

Although Su Cheng didn't know much about this kind of thing, the difference in taste was still quite obvious.

"You two have a really good relationship."

Looking at the two people chatting and laughing so freely, Yu Tianheng couldn't help but sigh.

In his memory, Zhu Zhuqing did not seem to have this kind of personality.

Although she is extremely beautiful, she is too aloof. If it weren't for her overwhelming strength, she would have had almost no strong presence in the previous competition.

However, upon hearing his words, Zhu Zhuqing's pretty face flushed red, and she immediately fell silent.

Su Cheng smiled and didn't pay any attention, quietly listening to the music coming from behind the screen not far away.

"Da, da, da..."

At that moment, accompanied by a series of rhythmic footsteps, a beautiful woman who looked to be in her late twenties slowly descended the stairs from the back, followed by two beautiful young girls.

Upon entering this floor, they went straight to Su Cheng's table.

Upon approaching them, she smiled gently and said, "Elder Su, it is an honor to have you grace Moonlight Pavilion with your presence. I am so sorry for not welcoming you sooner."

Yu Tianheng was not surprised that Tang Yuehua came out to meet him in person. He quickly stood up and introduced her to Su Cheng, "This is Tang Yuehua, the owner of the Moonlight Pavilion."

Su Cheng turned around and nodded slightly to the other person, "Hello."

Tang Yuehua noticed that the tea in his cup had hardly been touched, and asked softly, "Does the tea here not suit Elder Su's taste?"

She possesses a noble and elegant demeanor, with gentle, warm eyes, and an air of understated nobility in every gesture.

Asking questions in a gentle and soft voice at this time is like a breath of fresh air.

"It's okay, mainly because I'm not thirsty."

Tang Yuehua's expression stiffened slightly upon hearing this.

Judging from their tone, it seems they're treating the finest tea leaves here like water.

Su Cheng gazed at her, then suddenly smiled and asked, "By the way, I've heard that Master Tang possesses a special Talent Domain. I wonder if you could let us witness it? Well, mainly so that my friend can experience it."

His demeanor remained calm and composed, and his tone was as gentle as ever.

However, in Tang Yuehua's eyes, there seemed to be a faint sword shadow flashing in the other party's pupils.

A terrifying shadow instantly loomed over my heart, as if I were standing on the edge of a precipice, with an unfathomable Abyss before me, where one wrong step would shatter me to pieces.

Fortunately, this feeling was fleeting, otherwise she would probably have embarrassed herself on the spot.

Tang Yuehua immediately understood.

Threaten.

This is a blatant threat.

I have to agree to this request today, whether I want to or not.

She felt a surge of anger.

Over the years, she has navigated the various forces with ease, and she has never suffered such humiliation before.

But she had also heard of the person in front of her.

She not only heard about it, but she also specifically collected relevant information.

The Spirit Hall is a major enemy of the Tang family.

The Clear Sky Sect was forced to retreat into seclusion and close its mountains due to pressure from the Spirit Hall.

Her closest and most beloved second brother, because of the existence of the Spirit Hall, had to hide and had not dared to show his face for many years.

Tang Yuehua's appearance today was perhaps a test, after all, Su Cheng was arguably the most dazzling rising star of the Spirit Hall in the modern era.

But to her utter surprise, this time she stepped forward and got herself into trouble.

Although her Soul Power cultivation stopped at level nine and could not be improved further, she could never absorb Soul Ring to become Soul Master.

However, due to the existence of her special Talent Domain, her perception is incredibly sharp.

The young man in front of her gave her an extremely powerful feeling, even comparable to her former older brothers.

The key point is that this person is clearly a lawless and reckless individual.

She had never seen anyone threaten her the moment they met; it was clearly an attempt to make an enemy.

Not to mention that few people know about her background, her status as a royal guest should make people wary of her.

Does Su Cheng really not realize that his current identity can represent the Spirit Hall to some extent?!

"What's wrong, Master Tang? Is it difficult for you?" Seeing that she hadn't spoken for a while, Su Cheng asked again.

"Of course, no problem. Please come upstairs with me." Tang Yuehua finally came to her senses and quickly nodded with a smile.

The moment he turned around, his face turned ashen.

As Zhu Zhuqing walked up the stairs, she gave Su Cheng a strange look.

Unlike Yu Tianheng, who was oblivious to everything, she knew Su Cheng very well and was extremely perceptive.

He could hear the coercion in Su Cheng's words and sense the faint hostility emanating from Tang Xuanzhu.

"What are you looking at?" Su Cheng noticed her gaze and scolded, "You'll feel it properly later, don't let Tang Xuanzhu's good intentions go to waste."

"Tch." Zhu Zhuqing curled her lip, too lazy to argue.

The top floor of the Moonlight Pavilion is a huge hall, decorated with extreme elegance. All the furnishings are made of agarwood, emitting a faint fragrance. It looks exceptionally luxurious, yet it brings peace and comfort to the mind and body.

"Please have a seat."

As Su Cheng and Zhu Zhuqing took their seats, Yu Tianheng, who came up with them, also suppressed his amazement and secretly admired them.

He had spent a considerable amount of time in Heaven Dou City, mostly in the Moonlight Pavilion, and had never heard of anyone being invited to the top floor.

It is said that this is the personal space of Tang Yuehua, the owner of the Moonlight Pavilion. Unexpectedly, Su Cheng arrived at this place with just a few words.

Tang Yuehua glanced at the group, suppressed her resentment, and activated her Talent Domain, the Noble Circle.

A gentle wave emanated from her, seemingly capable of soothing all negative emotions in the world.

This fluctuation contained no trace of Soul Power, making it appear all the more pure and natural.

Because this domain does not contain Soul Power, it can more deeply alleviate the emotions of the people in the domain without provoking any power confrontation.

Even Su Cheng felt a sense of comfort.

But that's all.

His sword intent was too strong; these emotional and spiritual Soul Skill had little effect on him.

Zhu Zhuqing was the one who felt the most deeply.

The chaotic and filthy killing intent surrounding her had been completely cleansed away as she condensed her Soul Ring, advanced to Soul Emperor, and further developed her Talent Domain.

However, after advancing to Soul Emperor, the intense sharpness emanating from within her was difficult to conceal.

In Su Cheng's opinion, it's best to keep such sharpness to oneself in ordinary times.

If this aggressive stance is maintained indefinitely without any actual combat, the enemy will be slowly worn down.

On the other hand, a balance between tension and relaxation is the right path to cultivation. Maintaining a constant state of tension and excessive fatigue is not necessarily a good thing.

Time keeps passing.

The field continues to play a role.

The cold light in Zhu Zhuqing's eyes began to dim little by little, as if sheathing a knife and hiding a sword in its case.

The sharp and piercing aura that had previously been difficult to conceal gradually subsided.

By the time Su Cheng and Zhu Zhuqing walked out of the Moonlight Pavilion, it was already getting dark.

Zhu Zhuqing glanced at him and asked in confusion, "Just who exactly is that Master Tang?"

"She comes from the Clear Sky Sect and is the younger sister of Tang Xiao and Tang Hao."

"No wonder." Zhu Zhuqing realized after hearing this, then glanced at Su Cheng. "You really have a wicked sense of humor."

"You're overthinking it. I wouldn't bother targeting her; it was just a coincidence. You've already sensed that her field has some advantages for you, haven't you?" Su Cheng said calmly.

"It is indeed a very mysterious domain." Zhu Zhuqing nodded slightly. "I never imagined that someone who is not even Soul Master would possess such a domain, and is even a member of the Clear Sky Sect."

"It was just a coincidence, don't worry about her anymore." Su Cheng waved his hand. "Let's go, find a place to stay for the night, and you can get some rest too."

"Hmm..." Zhu Zhuqing responded softly.

Heaven Dou City is a bustling commercial hub, with various high-end hotels readily available.

The two randomly picked a shop on the street and went inside together.

Upon arriving at the front desk, Su Cheng lightly tapped the table twice. "Give us two rooms."

The waiter behind the counter looked up at the two of them upon hearing the sound.

He lingered on Zhu Zhuqing's face for a few more seconds, a look of amazement flashing in his eyes.

He then gave Su Cheng a knowing look and coughed lightly, saying, "Sorry, there's only one left."

Su Cheng felt somewhat helpless.

He was too lazy to say anything more and simply placed twenty Gold Soul Coin on the table.

"Do you have any more? If not, we'll leave. There are plenty of hotels in Heaven Dou City anyway."

"Have!"

The waiter's eyes lit up and he quickly changed his tune, then took out two keys, "The innermost rooms on the third floor, numbers 312 and 313, are the highest-standard rooms in our hotel."

Su Cheng nodded, picked up the two keys, and walked towards the stairs.

Seeing this, Zhu Zhuqing glanced at him, then lowered her head and followed silently.

Reaching the end of the third floor, Su Cheng took out his key, opened the inner door, and said to Zhu Zhuqing seriously, "This promotion has put too much mental strain on you. Although it may not seem like a big problem on the surface, leaving it unattended will not be good in the long run. Get some rest early tonight. After a good night's sleep, all the fatigue will be gone."

"Oh."

After returning to his room, Su Cheng lay on the bed, but showed no signs of falling asleep.

The purpose of coming to the hotel was simply to allow Zhu Zhuqing to rest. He didn't need to rely on sleep to restore his energy and strength; the effect of regulating his breathing was far better than that of sleep.

At this moment, his mind was in turmoil.

Su Cheng didn't plan too much about visiting the various forces that were going to happen; he would just have to deal with it as it came.

He was contemplating Zhu Zhuqing's future path of spiritual cultivation.

The insights the opponent gained after advancing to Soul Emperor two days ago, as well as the Hell White Tiger combat talent that was further stimulated, are actually extremely amazing.

That instinct to constantly fight to sustain itself and grow stronger in battle is extraordinary.

Turning the tide in a desperate situation, unleashing a burst of power from near-death—this is practically the protagonist's template.

However, this path also means enormous risks.

Because without combat, her talent would be difficult to manifest. And it couldn't be ordinary combat; it had to be fierce fighting, even a life-or-death battle, for it to be effective.

In addition, the cultivation of Innate Power is also a problem.

The strength of Innate Power is actually divided into several levels and cannot be generalized.

Taking Su Cheng himself as an example, after completing the Innate Skill Third Scroll, he had already begun to condense the Innate Power. With the blessing of his Martial Soul Avatar, he was able to integrate all the power in his body.

This level of Innate Power is comparable to ordinary divine power.

Qian Renxue has already mastered this power, and in the future Bibi Dong, Zhu Zhuqing, and even Ah Yin, who have strong foundations, will also have the opportunity to comprehend and master it.

But going a step further, the condensed Innate Power under the second stage of the Longevity True Body is the truly perfect energy, which is much higher than the divine power of First-Level God, and can even touch the divine power level of God King.

However, achieving this level would be extremely difficult for others.

Bibi Dong's soul is now special, and the foundation brought by that Lotus Water Soul is extremely profound, so there might be some opportunities. Ah Yin's foundation is exceptionally pure, and her probability of success will be even greater after her cultivation improves in the future.

Although Qian Renxue had previously consumed the Lovesick Heartbreak Red, resulting in impurities in her internal power, the power wielded by her twin souls would inevitably be greatly enhanced once they merged and complemented each other. While its nature might differ from pure Innate Power, its strength would be in no way inferior.

Only Zhu Zhuqing, whose body had accumulated a large amount of medicinal power after consuming two Immortal Herbs, might become a hindrance to her further progress in the future.

This is also what gives Su Cheng a headache.

"The Immortal Herb... why don't we just distribute them all? They're useless to me anyway, and they'd be perfect research subjects for me. Chrysanthemum Elder would be a perfect fit; it would be a win-win situation..."

"Thud—"

Just as he was thinking, a very soft sound of a door opening rang out.

Then, almost silent footsteps slowly approached.

Like a cat entering hunting mode, it treads step by step on the soft cushions under its paws, leisurely and quiet, light as the wind, even its breathing is barely perceptible.

"?"

"Zhu Zhuqing, you—"

"I don't want to wait anymore."

"But--"

"I love you."

The moment those words were spoken.

Reason vanished completely.

The related bonus episode will be released this month, but I probably won't be able to for the next two days as I have social engagements.