Apprenticeship

After hesitating for a while, Li Ang ultimately decided to give Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong some cheats, letting the two of them enjoy some main-character treatment.

As for Xiao Wu, sorry, Li Ang simply could not work up any interest in an old loli who was over a hundred thousand years old this year.

Of course, Zhu Zhuqing knew none of this. Seeing the illusory figure fly out from the hairpin, she was a little bewildered.

What was this thing? Why was there something so bizarre inside the hairpin she had bought?

"What exactly are you?" It would have been impossible for Zhu Zhuqing not to feel frightened in this situation. Yet even amid her fear, she could not help feeling curious about the ghostlike phantom before her.

"Young lady, I'm not a thing—ptui, I mean... Fine, that isn't important. To get serious, young lady, this old one is here to help you!" Li Ang said to Zhu Zhuqing with a solemn expression.

"Help me? Sorry, I don't need it!" Zhu Zhuqing was not so easily persuaded. While curious about the ghostlike being before her, she was also full of wariness.

There was no such thing as a free lunch. Rashly accepting favors from such a strange existence was hardly a good idea.

"Is that so? I'm not so sure." Seeing Zhu Zhuqing reject him so directly, Li Ang did not become embarrassed or angry. Instead, he calmly said, "If this old one is not mistaken, young lady, you should be from the Xingluo Zhu Family, correct? And you are also one of the heirs chosen by the Xingluo Imperial Family. With your current strength, how likely do you think it is that you can defeat your elder sister and obtain the right to inherit the Tiandu Throne alongside that good-for-nothing?"

"How do you know all this?" After hearing Li Ang's words, Zhu Zhuqing could no longer maintain her icy expression. Shock flashed across her face.

Everything Li Ang said was true. But why did this ghostlike being before her know so much so clearly?

Could someone have been secretly watching her all along? Was this ghost some new trick concocted by her sister, Zhu Zhuyun?

"Young lady, there's no need to be so suspicious, nor do you need to overthink things." As though he had seen through Zhu Zhuqing's thoughts, Li Ang spoke again. "The reason is actually quite simple. The gap in strength between you and this old one is simply too great, so with just one glance, this old one can directly read your memories and learn everything about you."

Zhu Zhuqing: w(ﾟДﾟ)w

Li Ang made it sound so casual, but after hearing his explanation, Zhu Zhuqing became even more flustered. What the hell? He could even read memories? That ability was far too unreasonable.

Of course, Zhu Zhuqing did not completely believe Li Ang's explanation. She still looked half-convinced and half-doubtful.

Just as Zhu Zhuqing hesitated over whether she should believe Li Ang, he continued, "Young lady, you may not believe this old one, but you should know very well just how terrible your current situation is."

"If you lose the Throne Seizing Battle, what will happen to you? In my era, the side that lost the Star Luo Throne Seizing Battle met a truly miserable end, especially the women. Speaking of which, those Dai Family people who love marrying close relatives are no ordinary perverts. Some of the things they do..."

"Shut up!" Clearly, Li Ang's verbal assault had worked. Zhu Zhuqing's defenses instantly crumbled.

Because what Li Ang said was indeed true. Though he might have exaggerated things just a little, Zhu Zhuqing clearly did not want her fate controlled by someone else.

So, after calming down, Zhu Zhuqing spoke again. "Who exactly are you? Why do you want to help me?"

Clearly, Zhu Zhuqing had chosen to believe Li Ang now—or rather, she had no choice but to believe him. If Dai Mubai had been even slightly dependable, Zhu Zhuqing would never have chosen to work with this ghost of unknown origins.

But the things Dai Mubai had done gave Zhu Zhuqing no hope whatsoever. Hoping Dai Mubai would pull himself together and defeat Zhu Zhuyun and Davis with her was less realistic than hoping her dear sister and brother-in-law would suddenly die of typhoid tomorrow.

"As for me, you can call me Old You. As for my origins, I cannot tell you about them in detail yet. You only need to know that at my peak, this old one was a genuine Limit Douluo!" As he spoke, Li Ang clasped his hands behind his back and slightly raised his head, fully displaying the bearing of an exalted master.

After pausing, Li Ang continued, "As for why this old one is helping you, it naturally won't be for free. Young lady, you should be able to tell that this old one is currently in a soul state. Therefore, I hope you can grow stronger as quickly as possible, find the inheritances the gods left behind in the Douluo World, reach level one hundred and become a god. Once you succeed, this old one wants you to revive me!"

Everything above was complete nonsense, a lie Li Ang had fabricated to fool Zhu Zhuqing.

But Li Ang had no other choice.

If he truly helped Zhu Zhuqing for free, she would definitely feel uneasy and spend every day suspiciously guarding against him.

Thus, Li Ang could only invent a reason for helping Zhu Zhuqing, so the young lady could set her mind at ease.

Although the method was a little clichéd, it had to be said that it worked exceptionally well. After hearing Li Ang's words, Zhu Zhuqing visibly relaxed.

Though she still did not completely trust Li Ang, she was at least no longer as guarded against him as before.

As Zhu Zhuqing hesitated, Li Ang spoke again. "Well, young lady? Are you willing? If you are, then become my disciple!"

"I have to become your disciple too?" Zhu Zhuqing was somewhat stunned.

"If you don't become my disciple, you expect this old one to teach you? What are you smoking?" Li Ang rolled his eyes.

"Fine, I am willing to take you as my master!" Realizing that the mysterious Old You before her might be the last lifeline in her hands, Zhu Zhuqing acted decisively.

After agreeing, she knelt down and completed the Apprenticeship Ceremony.

"Teacher, what method do you have to quickly raise my strength?" After completing the ceremony, Zhu Zhuqing immediately stood and asked the question she had long wanted to ask.

For her, the most fundamental problem right now was clearly her lack of strength.

Zhu Zhuqing's talent was not bad. Though she was only eleven years old, she was already a level-twenty-seven Great Soul Master. At the very least, among those her age, Zhu Zhuqing was quite strong.

But unfortunately, the people she was competing against were not her peers. Her elder sister Zhu Zhuyun was seven years older than her and considerably stronger as well.

And Dai Mubai was unreliable. When the time came, she might have to face Zhu Zhuyun and Davis alone. Her chances of victory were so slim they were nearly nonexistent.