The Journey Will Reach Its End One Day, No Need to Hurry!

"Xue Qinghe" was putting a meal on the tab for the first time, and she felt rather embarrassed.

After leaving the Seven Treasure Hotel with Zhongli and Paimon, she hurriedly said goodbye.

There would be plenty of time to build a good relationship later. There was no need to rush it now. At the moment, she only wanted to find somewhere quiet.

"Zhongli, Qinghe left in such a hurry. Did something happen?"

"As a Crown Prince's Mansion Guest Official, shouldn't you lend her a hand?"

Rubbing her stomach, Paimon withdrew her gaze from "Xue Qinghe's" retreating figure, turned to Zhongli, and said.

"Hmm..."

Watching "Xue Qinghe's" hurried steps, as though she were fleeing, Zhongli knew things were not that simple.

After all, she was a girl. It was only natural for her to feel embarrassed.

Unlike him. As an Old Man over six thousand years old, he felt no embarrassment at all!

Wait. Zhongli shot Paimon a surprised glance. This little fellow truly lived up to her title as the "Quest Issuer"!

"Xue Qinghe" had left in a hurry. Did something happen?

If he played along, wouldn't that trigger a quest?

And what did she mean by lending a hand?

No wonder Blonde Auntie always had endless quests. So this little fellow was constantly "looking for" quests!

At over six thousand years old, there was no way he was going to do quests!

"She's fine. Let's go."

"Huh?"

Paimon froze, unable to process it for a moment. This routine seemed a little different.

The Traveler had not been like this before!

If it had been the Traveler, the two of them would have secretly followed her by now!

"Zhongli!"

Paimon stomped her foot. Seeing Zhongli's retreating back, she hurried after him.

In another world, without Zhongli by her side, she had no sense of security at all.

"You're not going to be the same as you were in Liyue, are you?"

"Strolling the streets, walking your bird, listening to storytelling..."

"This isn't Liyue!"

"I think we should properly explore Douluo Continent..."

"The Heaven Dou Empire, the Star Luo Empire, Spirit City, the Star Dou Great Forest..."

"Isn't that the meaning of travel?"

Paimon chattered on endlessly. Zhongli glanced sideways at her without getting angry, merely watching her with a smile.

This little fellow had probably been bought off by just two meals.

No wonder the Traveler had been so poor in the early days. After helping Mondstadt resolve such a huge crisis, she had not received a single Mora.

Wait!

Zhongli stroked his chin. If he remembered correctly, he had not paid the Traveler either, had he?

Compensation was not important. What mattered was friendship!

That was right!

"Little one, the journey will reach its end one day. There is no need to hurry!"

The moment Zhongli finished speaking, Paimon instinctively retorted, "You just want to slack off, don't you?!"

Hearing that, Zhongli raised his head and looked up at the sky at a forty-five-degree angle, an air of desolation radiating from him.

Paimon: "???"

Her tiny head was filled with enormous question marks.

"Paimon, you have the heart of a child!"

High emotional intelligence: You have the heart of a child.

Low emotional intelligence: I think you're just plain stupid...

"Our journey has only just begun. The road ahead is still long, so we need to make thorough preparations."

"..."

"You don't want to have nothing to eat while we're on the road, do you?"

"That would be terrifying!"

"Zhongli, I think we really do need to make some preparations!"

"Mm. Let's go sit at a teahouse first."

"Okay!"

Sure enough, this little fellow could be fooled seven times a day.

At the very least!

At this moment, the Shrek group was still lingering at the city gates.

"Heaven Dou City is far too dangerous. We just got here, and we've already offended the Crown Prince, the Fourth Prince, and two Titled Douluo."

"Flender, why don't we return to Shrek Academy?"

Zhao Wuji crossed his arms, a trace of desolation hanging on his resolute face.

After ruling Suotuo City all these years, they had never encountered anything like this.

How long had it even been?

In less than a day, they had nearly died twice.

Even the boldest of men could not withstand that kind of fright!

Hearing this, Flender fell into thought.

Because Dai Mubai had beaten Xue Beng, they had failed to join Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

Because Dai Mubai had lost his temper, he had nearly... No, he had simply been courting death by offending a Titled Douluo with a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring!

That was one of the most terrifying beings on the entire Douluo Continent!

Fortunately, they had more or less some connections on their side...

Suddenly, Flender seemed to think of something, and realization dawned on him!

"Compensation?"

He did not know who had provided the Compensation, but he could vaguely guess.

Either it was Clear Sky Douluo Tang Hao, or someone affiliated with the Star Luo Empire.

No matter who it was, this "Compensation" was definitely not so simple.

"That's right, Teacher. Let's go back to Suotuo City, back to the village... No, back to Shrek Academy."

"Heaven Dou City is simply too unfriendly."

Flender's direct disciple, Ma Hongjun, spoke from the side as well.

He had truly had enough. His heart was still trembling even now!

"Dean, stop hesitating. Heaven Dou Royal Academy kicked us out. Let's return to Shrek Academy, make our academy bigger and stronger, create glory once more, and slap Heaven Dou Royal Academy right in the face!"

With Ma Hongjun's earlier mistake as a warning, Oscar did not dare mention the strong person's name at all. He only spoke of Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

After a long while, Flender shook his head. He had not forgotten their main reason for coming to Heaven Dou City!

"Erlong..."

If Liu Erlong had not been in Heaven Dou City, he would never have come here after leaving Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

"Huh?"

Suddenly, Flender spotted an advertisement posted on the city wall.

"Blue Tyrant Academy is recruiting teachers?"

"Blue Tyrant Academy?"

Wasn't this the academy founded by Liu Erlong?

Flender's expression remained utterly calm, as though he knew nothing at all about Blue Tyrant Academy.

After some discussion, everyone ultimately followed Flender's suggestion and went to take a look at Blue Tyrant Academy.

As the sun set beyond the western hills, the moon soon appeared. Beneath the night sky, many figures remained busy.

Several major powers had finally obtained information about Zhongli.

"What?!"

"Twin Martial Souls!"

"A Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring, a Titled Douluo!"

Having Twin Martial Souls was one thing. Being a Titled Douluo was another. But he even possessed a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring!

What kind of terrifying powerhouse was this?

"Qinghe, you say this powerhouse is a guest official at your residence?"

Such a terrifying existence had actually become the Crown Prince's guest official!

"Reporting to Imperial Father, Mr. Zhongli is not only immensely powerful, but also a once-in-a-millennium genius."

"Today, I was fortunate enough to meet Mr. Zhongli and invite him to become a guest official at my residence. It is this son's good fortune."

The corner of Xue Ye's eye twitched. He could not understand how "Xue Qinghe" had managed to recruit Zhongli.

Could an existence of this caliber be swayed by money and status?

If so, the Heaven Dou Empire would not have only Dugu Bo, the "weakest Titled Douluo," as a guest official.

Dugu Bo: Then I'll leave?

If he had been sent by another faction...

No, impossible!

How could another faction possibly send such a terrifying existence to infiltrate them as a spy?