Arriving in Star Luo City

"Zhou Huan, did you really get us two months off?" At the dining table, Wang Qingya stared at Zhou Huan in disbelief. Even the bok choy she had picked up with her chopsticks fell back down.

Although Zhou Huan had previously told her he would take them to watch the once-every-five-years Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament, Wang Qingya had not held out much hope.

Unlike Zhou Huan, she was not doing any Martial Soul Research. Though she had no idea what Zhou Huan had actually researched, she knew it was easy enough for him to get leave.

But she was a Food Type Soul Master. What the hell reason did she have to take leave?

Seeing how excited Wang Qingya was, Zhou Huan smiled. "Of course it's true. Just tell Old Wen you're going with me to do research."

Wen Xiaoshuai, sitting beside them, was calm as ever. "I have no problem with that. Even if we really were going to do research, that would be fine."

"Xiao Xiao is really going too, right? She only told me she was leaving the academy tomorrow." Wang Qingya suddenly asked.

Although they were best friends, Shrek had its rules. Xiao Xiao could not tell Wang Qingya about the Reserve Team and could only say she was carrying out an academy mission.

Zhou Huan had been the one to tell her about the possibility of the Soul Master Competition.

Seeing Wang Qingya's uncertainty, Zhou Huan nodded firmly. "Don't worry. Why do you think Xiao Xiao has kept disappearing with the class monitor and the others over the past half month? If nothing unexpected happens, they're the reserve players for the competition."

Wang Qingya nodded. "Then we'll give her a surprise when the time comes. Hehe."

After a pause, Wang Qingya asked again, "So you guessed Xiao Xiao was going to compete, which was why you gave her that Defensive Soul Tool?"

"Yeah, more or less," Zhou Huan said. He could not exactly tell her it was for defending against Corpse Explosion.

"I'm so jealous of Xiao Xiao. She gets to take part in such an important competition." Wang Qingya's eyes were filled with undisguised longing.

"How about the three of us compete together in the next one?" Zhou Huan teased.

There was really nothing to envy about this Soul Master Competition. If things followed the original plot, no one would die, but they would either be seriously injured or fall unconscious. It was hardly a good thing.

Other than Zhou Huan himself, the Second Year students were either Two-Ring or Three-Ring Soul Masters. Even if they were geniuses, going head-to-head with Five-Ring Soul Kings was practically competing with their lives.

If Huo Gua had not been covered in cheats and been the Son of Destiny, he would have been beaten to death long ago.

As for the match that had shattered Xiao Xiao's Martial Soul and left her seriously injured and unconscious, Zhou Huan had been thinking about whether there was another way to avoid it if he did not intervene. But he had gotten nowhere.

Still, Xiao Xiao was much stronger than she had been on the original timeline. At least she had gone from Two-Ring to Three-Ring. She probably would not suffer such severe injuries.

Wang Qingya and Wen Xiaoshuai were even less likely to be Sons of Destiny. Sending them to fight Soul Kings would truly be the death of them.

So if they absolutely had to compete, the next tournament would be more suitable in terms of strength.

But then again, the next tournament would be held in Mingdu of the Sun Moon Empire, another dragon's pool and tiger's den.

Thus, Zhou Huan could only joke about participating in the next one.

Yet Miss Qingya was clearly full of fighting spirit. "Then we'll compete together in the next one."

Even the quiet Wen Xiaoshuai nodded along at just the right moment.

Zhou Huan: "..."

I was just talking big. Don't get so worked up!

Naturally, Wang Qingya could not hear Zhou Huan's inner cry and continued, "Xiao Xiao and the others are leaving tomorrow. What about us?"

"Actually, it takes less than ten days to get from here to Star Luo City. They must be leaving early because they have other business. So we can leave three days later," Zhou Huan said.

"Fine. I'll buy a Defensive Soul Tool tomorrow, just in case." Wang Qingya was clearly becoming more cautious after spending so much time around Zhou Huan.

Wen Xiaoshuai nodded in agreement. "I'll make some preparations too."

Zhou Huan: "..." Rich kids really do talk loudly. Still, he had kept the Level 3 Defensive Soul Tool Wen Xiaoshuai had given him last time in perfect condition, so there was no need to buy another one. Besides, poverty limited his desire to shop.

Three days later, under Zhou Yi's somewhat resentful gaze, Zhou Huan and two others left Shrek with light luggage and set out for Star Luo City.

Shrek was actually located in the southeastern corner of the Heaven Dou Empire. It bordered the Dou Ling Empire to the east and was also not far from the southern border of the Star Luo Empire.

Thus, Zhou Huan and two others traveled normally, taking in the sights as they went. They reached Star Luo City, the capital of the Star Luo Empire, in just five days.

Nothing strange happened along the way. The three of them kept a low profile and arrived safely in Star Luo City.

The moment they entered the city, the three of them immediately felt the difference.

Bustling storefronts, streams of carriages, seas of people... Only such words could describe it.

Worthy of being the largest city in the Star Luo Empire, and worthy of being an ancient city that had existed for over ten thousand years!

Moreover, with the All-Continent Soul Master Competition opening in two days, even more merchants and Soul Masters were heading to Star Luo City.

Such a grand event only happened once every five years. Anyone with the money and means to join in the excitement would not miss it. They might even seize the opportunity to make a fortune.

"There are so many people here!" Wang Qingya voiced the universal sentiment of anyone visiting a tourist attraction during a holiday.

"..." Wen Xiaoshuai had no desire to speak at all. He just wanted some peace and quiet.

"Sigh, I miscalculated," Zhou Huan sighed. He could not really be blamed for this. In his previous life, he had been an Otaku who basically never traveled during holidays. The only time he had experienced crowds packed shoulder to shoulder and foot to foot had been in subway stations.

Who would have thought that after transmigrating to Douluo Continent, he would get to experience the bustling crowds of Golden Week travel?

Wang Qingya was puzzled. "What did you miscalculate?"

Zhou Huan answered, "There are too many people. I'm worried we won't be able to find a hotel."

"That's easy." Wang Qingya swiftly pulled out a gleaming black card with red edges and said proudly, "This is a super VIP card for the Crown Luo Grand Hotel. My parents gave it to me. We'll definitely have somewhere to stay. Besides, the Crown Luo Grand Hotel is one of the two great hotels on par with the Star Emperor Hotel."

"Rich lady, please support me." Zhou Huan's eyes lit up as he stared at the VIP card. What kind of background did the Wang Family have? Were they really this rich?

"Get lost!" Wang Qingya answered succinctly and without hesitation. "I like good-looking people."

Zhou Huan: "..." You bunch of face-lovers. I curse you all to stay single for the rest of your lives.

"Why don't we head to the hotel first?" Wen Xiaoshuai said weakly. He truly disliked crowded places. It was not even a fight; it was just too noisy, making him uneasy.

"Sure, let's go." Wang Qingya agreed. "We've been traveling for so many days. I'm a little tired. It's time for a nice bath and some proper relaxation."

Zhou Huan: "..." We spent the past few days traveling while having fun. How are you tired?

However, Zhou Huan definitely would not argue with Miss Qingya, owner of the black card, right now. He was afraid they would end up sleeping on the streets.

Before long, the three found the Crown Luo Grand Hotel. After all, it was one of the two most famous hotels in Star Luo City.

It was rather strange. Wang Qingya was clearly from the Star Luo Empire. Although her home was quite far from Star Luo City, her family was rich—didn't she even have a hotel black card? Yet this was her first time visiting this ten-thousand-year-old capital that combined economy, politics, and culture.

So they still had to ask for directions to find the hotel.

When they arrived at the Crown Luo Grand Hotel, the front desk had initially planned to turn them away because it was fully booked. But upon seeing the black card with red edges in Wang Qingya's hand, their attitude instantly changed to one fit for welcoming young masters and young ladies. They directly arranged two top-tier VIP suites for the three of them.

That had been at Zhou Huan's request. Otherwise, they would have booked three suites.

It was too wasteful. There was no need.

If not for the fact that Wang Qingya was a girl, Zhou Huan would have felt that one suite was enough. Those top-tier VIP suites had four rooms and two bathrooms.

Luxurious, and extravagant!

In this life—no, even including his previous life—Zhou Huan had never enjoyed anything like this.

This cursed money... Zhou Huan wanted to hold all that evil in his own hands.

After checking into the VIP rooms, Zhou Huan finally asked, "Say, Qingya, your level of wealth is a little absurd. Why are you usually so careful with money?"

Wang Qingya curled her lips helplessly. "My dad and mom only gave me all kinds of cards. They said that when I'm away from home, I need somewhere to stay. But they really didn't give me many Gold Soul Coins. They said it wasn't good for a girl to carry too much money, since it would make people target her."

Zhou Huan: "...Your parents have such novel thinking." Does carrying cards not make people target you?

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