Chance Encounter with Dai Mubai, Dai Mubai's Killing Intent

"Huo Wu, he's gone far enough."

Outside Blazing Fire City, Huo Wushuang spoke as he watched Huo Wu gaze in the direction Wang Qi had left.

"Brother, in the next All-Continent Advanced Elite Soul Master Competition, our Blazing Fire Academy will definitely defeat Heaven Dou Royal Academy."

After tossing out that inexplicable remark, Huo Wu returned to Blazing Fire City and headed straight for the Mimicry Training Ground.

"Sigh, that girl... forget it."

Huo Wushuang sighed as he watched Huo Wu's retreating figure, then took out a key from his Soul Tool and headed straight for Wang Qi's small courtyard.

Looking at the bottles and jars that filled nearly half a chest in the middle of the room, then recalling what Wang Qi had told him before leaving, he sighed helplessly.

"You two really are... forget it. I have a share of these medicines anyway. I'll consider them payment."

Blazing Fire City was in the southeast of the Heaven Dou Empire, while Nuoding City lay in its southwest. The shortest route was naturally to cut through the Star Dou Great Forest, but Wang Qi was not strong enough for that yet. For the time being, he could only take the official roads, detour through Suotuo City, cross the Balak Kingdom, enter Fasno Province, and then reach Nuoding City.

Seven days passed in the blink of an eye. Wang Qi finally arrived at a relatively large city—Suotuo City, where the Shrek Seven Devils and the Heaven Dou Team had battled in the Great Soul Arena in the Original Work.

He had planned to rest in Suotuo City for a few days before heading to Nuoding City to find Yu Xiaogang and extract the Golden Sacred Dragon Bloodline. Unexpectedly, while eating in Suotuo City, he encountered someone interesting.

Golden hair, double pupils, and a deep gaze. Though his clothes were shabby, he exuded an air of nobility. He was clearly not from an ordinary family.

With that appearance, that face, and those double pupils, his identity was obvious. He was Shrek's Boss Dai in the early days, Mu Bai later on—Dai Mubai.

"This friend, you seem to know me?" Vigilance filled Dai Mubai's eyes. His hands were hidden inside his sleeves, as though he were ready to strike at any moment.

"I don't. I was just looking around. Don't mind me."

Seeing how wary Dai Mubai was, Wang Qi guessed that Dai Mubai had likely just fled from the Star Luo Empire to Suotuo City.

"Is that so? If you don't know me, then don't stare too much. Be careful someone doesn't gouge out your eyes while you're away from home."

After snorting coldly, Dai Mubai continued eating. Of course, he never relaxed his observation of Wang Qi.

Wang Qi could not help but smile at Dai Mubai's cautious look, like that of a wounded little beast.

Then again, when danger came, putting up a brave front could sometimes be quite an effective weapon. If Wang Qi had not known Dai Mubai's background, he might truly have been intimidated by Dai Mubai's bearing and tone.

But now, Wang Qi had no interest in messing with Dai Mubai. Who knew when Dai Mubai had joined Shrek Academy? Who knew whether Flender, that fiercely protective fellow, would target Wang Qi?

Once Flender got entangled with him, his upcoming plans could very well be affected.

After giving an awkward laugh, Wang Qi began eating. After traveling nonstop for a week, he was exhausted. Almost as soon as he finished his meal, he returned to the hotel and fell into a deep sleep.

Wang Qi slept soundly, but Dai Mubai could not sleep at all. This time, Dai Mubai had escaped while Dai Weisi was obtaining a third soul ring beyond his limit. Pursuit and assassination attempts had plagued him all along the way, and Dai Mubai was now so tense that even the rustling of grass and trees put him on guard.

Today, Wang Qi had looked at Dai Mubai as though appraising merchandise. Dai Mubai deeply suspected Wang Qi's identity.

That was right. Through the Great Soul Arena's operations, the news that Whale Rubber could help Soul Masters absorb soul rings beyond their limits was no longer a secret among the major powers.

The Great Soul Arena had made a killing from this wave.

As for what Wang Qi and Lin Yan had gained? Wang Qi did not know exactly how much Lin Yan had received. He only knew that he himself had received a right leg bone dropped by an eight-thousand-year Death Spider, a large collection of medical texts and pharmacopoeias, and thirteen million Gold Soul Coins.

If this huge sum were used for cultivation, Wang Qi would not be able to spend it all in ten lifetimes. Of course, that was assuming he did not bid on Soul Bones at auctions.

During the Douluo Dalu I era, Soul Bone prices were still absurdly high. It was said that a thousand-year Soul Bone could trigger a war between two kingdoms. Thirteen million Gold Soul Coins might seem like a lot, but in reality, it was nowhere near enough to buy any top-grade Soul Bones.

That was beside the point.

As one of the Star Luo Empire's crown princes, Dai Weisi naturally knew the effects of Whale Rubber. For his third soul ring, he naturally wanted to challenge a soul ring with a higher cultivation level. That was what gave Dai Mubai the opportunity to escape the Star Luo Empire.

This point in time was a full year earlier than in the Original Work.

Having been hunted through the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest and across various kingdoms and duchies, it was only natural for Dai Mubai, who was weaker than in the Original Work, to be paranoid.

Was that person I saw during the day really sent by the Star Luo Empire to kill me? What a nuisance. I've already fled to the Heaven Dou Empire, so why are they still unwilling to let me go? Dai Weisi, are you really that afraid of losing?

No. I can't remain passive. I have to make the first move. Otherwise, once I get tied down, I'll be in danger.

With bloodshot eyes, Dai Mubai stood on the street and looked toward Wang Qi's hotel room. Killing intent rose in his heart.

Of course, this was also because Wang Qi looked to be around his age. Otherwise, Dai Mubai's first choice would definitely have been to flee rather than consider killing Wang Qi.

Setting everything else aside, Dai Mubai had always been confident in his cultivation talent. Otherwise, Dai Weisi would not have gone to such lengths to get rid of him.

With that in mind, Dai Mubai bribed a hotel employee, changed into a different outfit, and went upstairs.

What Dai Mubai did not know this time was that, after leaving the Star Luo Empire's border, the guards who had been following and protecting him had already gone to find him a powerful backer under orders from the Star Luo Imperial Family.

This ordeal would be more dangerous than anything before it. Yet precisely because of this, Dai Mubai would become the ideal experimental material for Wang Qi to extract the Golden Sacred Dragon Bloodline.

At that moment, Wang Qi lay on the bed, fast asleep and utterly unaware that experimental material could actually deliver itself to his doorstep.

At the same time, in Nuoding City of distant Fasno Province, Tang San and Xiao Chenyu had just finished sparring at Nuoding Junior Soul Master Academy.

"Third Brother, next time let me spar with Old Xiao first. Your Blue Silver Grass martial soul follows a control path, and Old Xiao barely has any stamina left after sparring with you every time. I never get to enjoy my fights."

Xiao Wu clung to Tang San's arm, swaying it from side to side as she acted spoiled.

Tang San glanced at Yu Xiaogang. Only after seeing Yu Xiaogang nod did he rub Xiao Wu's head, wearing an expression that said, I really owe you one. "Fine. Next time, you can spar with Old Xiao first. But let me make this clear beforehand: Old Xiao is my teacher's registered disciple, so you can't go too hard on him."

"Don't worry, Third Brother. How could I possibly go hard on Old Xiao? After all, Old Xiao treated us to delicious food in Nuoding City yesterday."

Tang San, Xiao Wu, and Yu Xiaogang calmly decided who Xiao Chenyu's training opponent would be next month, without the slightest concern over whether Xiao Chenyu was willing.

Walking at the very back, his face covered in bruises, Xiao Chenyu looked at the three ahead of him, who resembled a family, and a flash of jealousy and deep hatred passed through his eyes.

Half a year of cultivation had raised Xiao Chenyu's Soul Power Level to fifteen.

Clearly sensing that the speed of his Soul Power growth was getting slower and slower, Xiao Chenyu submitted another graduation application to Yu Xiaogang last month.

As expected, it was rejected again.

Was cultivation at Nuoding Academy slow? Then why were Tang San and Xiao Wu not progressing slowly?

He was told to think more about his own shortcomings—whether he had worked hard enough during cultivation, whether he had put his heart into it, and all that empty motivational nonsense. If Xiao Chenyu had not finally grown a brain, he might truly have been fooled by Yu Xiaogang.