Zhu Zhuqing, meanwhile, was calmer and more focused.
As the diary's contents flooded her mind, her ice-blue eyes snapped open in the shadows, then quickly returned to normal. Only the slight contraction of her pupils betrayed the turmoil within.
"Concealment... control... even Teacher Zhao didn't notice..." Those keywords clashed over and over in her mind, stirring unprecedented waves within her.
She understood all too well what "concealment" and "control" meant to her.
In the Star Luo Empire, under her family's suffocating rules and constant surveillance, she was like a butterfly trapped beneath a glass dome. She seemed free, yet every move she made was watched. She was powerless to escape the cruel fate laid out for her.
She yearned for power, but more than that, she yearned for the feeling of being in control of everything.
The ease with which Yu Tiancheng had embarrassed his opponents in front of everyone, delivered a warning, and then vanished without a trace had struck at the deepest part of her heart.
This wasn't merely a display of strength. It was a clever way of using one's surroundings—a way to survive "outside the rules," beyond the ordinary.
"He's somewhere in this forest."
Zhu Zhuqing's gaze drifted beyond the campfire's glow, into the deep darkness. There lay the entrance to the Star Dou Great Forest, where Yu Tiancheng was about to venture.
Dangerous, but full of unknowns and... opportunities.
Before, she had regarded the diary mostly as a mysterious source of information, and had felt a certain degree of curiosity about Yu Tiancheng.
Now, that curiosity had quickly transformed into a more purposeful interest.
Yu Tiancheng himself, the abilities he had shown, and whatever other secrets or methods he might possess that could help her break free of her shackles had become a clear and compelling "target."
She needed to grow stronger. She needed to escape the fate that had been set for her.
The "unfathomable" quality Yu Tiancheng possessed might be a glimmer of hope. Their meeting in the forest was no longer just a possibility. She needed to keep an eye out for it—or even seek it out herself.
The thought was cold and resolute, like the fist she quietly clenched.
Xiao Wu nearly cried out in surprise, hurriedly covering her mouth. Her big eyes brimmed with excitement and curiosity.
When the diary's contents appeared, she saw Yu Tiancheng describe, in the first person and with a touch of smugness, how he had made Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun "thump" to their knees, how he had made them twist their ankles with cries of "ow," and how he had imitated an old man's voice to scare everyone.
Xiao Wu nearly burst out laughing. She quickly buried her face in her arms, her shoulders shaking suspiciously a few times. Even the tip of her long scorpion braid trembled with her.
"So it was him! Yu Tiancheng!"
She cheered inwardly, her big eyes sparkling in the shadow of her arms.
And the way he played tricks on people was so much fun, so... right up her alley!
Thinking Yu Tiancheng might be somewhere in the nearby forest, or perhaps also preparing to enter it to hunt for a Spirit Ring, Xiao Wu felt that this trip into the forest had suddenly become a lot more fun.
The thousand-year Spirit Beasts and dangerous surroundings seemed to take on the feel of a game of "adventure and treasure hunting."
She began to imagine what Yu Tiancheng might look like, whether his personality was as amusing and a little proud as his diary suggested, and whether they might get to have some fun together if they met in the forest.
As for his concealment ability and the secrets of his cloak, she didn't dwell on anything profound.
She simply thought he seemed interesting and wanted to meet him. Exploring the forest together would surely be more fun than merely following Teacher Zhao around to hunt Spirit Beasts.
That uncomplicated curiosity and sense of closeness filled her with eager anticipation for the coming adventure in the forest.
She quietly raised her head and looked toward the pitch-black forest entrance, a mischievous smile curving her lips.
Hundreds of miles away, beneath the night sky.
Red Soul Power flames burned around Liu Erlong as she streaked through the night like a meteor, hurtling toward the Star Dou Great Forest.
The force of the wind pulled her fiery red hair straight behind her. Her stunning face was full of anxiety and a desperate resolve to stop at nothing.
Just as she swept over a mountain peak and prepared to accelerate again, the Diary Copy in her arms gave a powerful throb.
Liu Erlong abruptly stopped in midair. The red glow faded, and she landed on a jutting rock.
Before she could even steady herself, she hurriedly sank her awareness into it.
The diary's contents unfolded rapidly before her eyes.
When she saw Yu Tiancheng describe how he had used the "Mysterious Cloak" to teach the people from Shrek a lesson, imitated a voice to warn them, and then returned safely to his room to write in his diary,
Liu Erlong first let out a sharp breath of relief, the taut string in her heart finally slackening—
Thank goodness. The boy had some strange means of protecting himself. He hadn't been hurt; in fact, he'd even managed to trick the others.
But then an even stronger wave of lingering fear and anger surged through her.
"You little rascal!"
Liu Erlong gritted her teeth and muttered a curse, her chest rising and falling sharply. "You've got some nerve! You actually dared to provoke people from Shrek Academy all by yourself—and in such a... such a spooky, theatrical way!"
"And what's Boss Fu thinking, raising a child like this?"
She knew all too well what the inns near the Star Dou Great Forest were like: full of all kinds of people. Zhao Wuji was leading Shrek Academy's group this time, and he was a battle-hardened Soul Saint.
Tiancheng had gotten the upper hand for now thanks to that miraculous cloak, but what if he was found out? What if the other side had even more powerful means...? Liu Erlong didn't dare think any further.
Beneath the moonlight, her bold brows drew tightly together. Worry, irritation, and deep self-reproach churned in her eyes.
She blamed herself for not finding Tiancheng sooner, for letting him take risks alone out in the world, and, even more, for the boy being too strong-willed and trying to shoulder everything by himself.
Yu Tiancheng had written about it lightly, even with a touch of smugness, but what Liu Erlong read was the loneliness and danger of a child facing peril on his own.
He hadn't called for help in his diary. He hadn't complained, or even shown much fear. That only made Liu Erlong feel more heartache for him.
"Just you wait till you fall into your aunt's hands. I'll teach you a lesson!"
She spoke fiercely, but there wasn't a trace of real anger in her voice—only affection and urgency.
Boom!
Soul Power burst forth in an even more violent, blazing torrent. Liu Erlong's figure became a dazzling streak of red once more, ripping through the night sky at an even greater speed as she headed for the Star Dou Great Forest without hesitation.
She cast aside thoughts of the cost and her exhaustion. There was only one thing on her mind now—
Find that reckless little rascal as soon as possible, keep him safely by her side, and never let him take risks alone again.
Heaven Dou Empire, Crown Prince's Eastern Palace.
Qian Renxue had just finished an evening banquet with several old nobles of the empire. Back in her study, she removed the Crown Prince's gentle, affable mask. A faint weariness and aloofness settled between her brows.
Yu Tiancheng's diary entry appeared before her.
As she read Yu Tiancheng's first-person account of how he had toyed with the people from Shrek, a flicker of surprise passed through Qian Renxue's cool eyes, then gave way to faint amusement.
She had no particular opinion of the people from Shrek Academy, but she had heard a little about the behavior of Dai Mubai, the "prince of Star Luo."
In her eyes, Yu Tiancheng's actions had something of a "small punishment" for someone who didn't know the rules about them, though his methods seemed a little... childish.
What caught her attention, however, were the details of the ability Yu Tiancheng had displayed, as well as the distinctive style of his diary—an unusual blend of youthful confidence, cautious assessment, and a trace of tender emotion.
"Traveling alone to gain experience, with someone on his mind, and wielding strange methods... He's quite unlike the usual sect disciple."
Qian Renxue picked up the lukewarm tea beside her and took a sip.
Yu Tiancheng seemed more like an individual with secrets and ideas of his own than a standard product stamped out on the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's assembly line.
"The Star Dou Great Forest..."
She thought of her mission to infiltrate the Heaven Dou Empire, of the delicate balance between the empire and Spirit Hall, and of the tangled web of relationships among the Upper Three Sects.
Yu Tiancheng's appearance, and this strange diary of his, seemed to be slowly drawing together people and events that had previously had nothing to do with each other.
She wouldn't directly intervene in what was happening in the forest for now, but the information the diary provided undoubtedly gave her a broader view and additional pieces of intelligence.
Yu Tiancheng himself, his abilities, and the chain reactions he might set off were all worth taking into account in her future strategic plans.
"Perhaps I should have 'Pufferfish' or 'Snake Lance' keep a slight watch on things around the forest. No need to get involved—just observe."
Qian Renxue mused to herself. She wouldn't act rashly, but necessary information-gathering that attracted no attention was fundamental to keeping the situation under control.
This Star Dou Great Forest, where undercurrents were stirring because of a single diary, might bring her some unexpected information about the "variables" in play.
Before you continue