"Little miss, Uncle Xiao is here. You don't need to worry about him." Xiao Xiao reassured her, then turned around. "Bei Zhi, take this young brother with you."
"Yes, sir!"
The one who answered was a Spirit Saint, and the only Spirit Saint among them.
"Good. Now, fly at full speed. Our destination is the Heaven Dou Empire!"
After giving the order, Xiao Xiao took Wang Xin'er into the air.
Bei Zhi was also a middle-aged man, though he wasn't as handsome. He took out something resembling wings from behind him, strapped them on, then carried Zheng Li into the sky.
The others did the same.
"A Flying Spirit Guidance Device?" Zheng Li asked curiously. Honestly, it was his first time seeing one.
Bei Zhi was a gentle man. Hearing Zheng Li's question, he smiled and explained, "Yes. The ones on their backs are military Soul Tools. They aren't very high-level. The one on my back is one I bought myself. It's a level-four model, though the workmanship isn't that good. Even though I'm a Spirit Saint and can fly on my own, using it saves me quite a bit of Soul Power."
"Yeah, this is my first time seeing one."
"I can tell. When I first saw one and learned what it was, I was much more surprised than you, young brother. Hahaha."
Zheng Li thought, How can you tell I'm surprised...?
Bei Zhi chatted and laughed with Zheng Li.
During their conversation, he naturally asked where in the Star Luo Empire Zheng Li was from and similar questions.
Zheng Li answered, but the questions made him want to roll his eyes.
He really thought Zheng Li was a child. Did he think Zheng Li couldn't tell he was being sounded out?
They flew quickly. Including the time they stopped to rest along the way, it took them only a day to enter the Heaven Dou Empire.
As for how they had escaped, the little girl had already explained everything to Xiao Xiao.
She hadn't revealed that Zheng Li knew about the Valley of Love and Emotion. She only said that she and Zheng Li had been inexplicably swept into it together.
After all, Zheng Li's hint at the end of their time in the Valley of Love and Emotion was right there. Anyone who wasn't a fool would have thought twice about it.
As things stood, Xiao Xiao had grown even more hostile toward Zheng Li.
How to put it?
Imagine your precious daughter talking about another man all day long. How would you feel?
"Do we have to keep flying?"
Zheng Li looked at Xiao Xiao, utterly despairing.
Xiao Xiao nodded calmly. "Yes, young brother. Traveling with Flying Spirit Guidance Devices is faster."
"Uh, that's true, but..." Zheng Li furrowed his brows, looking conflicted and apprehensive.
On one hand, he wanted to reach Xingluo City as soon as possible and get the Blade of Life. On the other hand... he was terribly afraid of heights!
When they had been flying back from the Sun Moon Empire, he hadn't realized he was afraid of heights at first, when Bei Zhi had just taken him up into the sky. And since Bei Zhi had kept chatting with him the whole time...
By the time he realized, his expression had already changed.
Damn! That's high! How had I been so careless that I didn't realize it sooner?
By then it was too late. Dizziness and fear surged over him, and he threw up while they were flying... His vomit had even splattered all over the person flying behind Bei Zhi.
It was... mortifying.
A broad hand landed heavily on Zheng Li's shoulder. Bei Zhi laughed. "Young brother, you can't be like this. How can you be afraid of heights? With your talent, you're bound to become a Spirit Saint one day. Are you going to refuse to fly then?"
Zheng Li barely reacted. Instead, he said, "That's an option."
"Cough, cough..." Bei Zhi choked on his own saliva. Everyone said flying through the sky was a man's romantic dream. Who didn't want to soar freely like a flying Spirit Beast? But this kid...
He shook his head slightly. "Young brother, you can't think like that. It's just a fear of heights. You'll get over it once you're used to it. You just need to fly a few more times."
"I refuse! You seniors can go on without me. Once we reach the Heaven Dou Empire, it won't be so dangerous. I can make my own way."
Between resisting high-altitude flight and reaching Xingluo City quickly, Zheng Li chose the former. How could someone who wasn't afraid of heights understand how awful it felt?
Bei Zhi: "..."
Hearing Zheng Li, Wang Xin'er hadn't even opened her mouth before Xiao Xiao spoke up. "That won't do, young brother. To be honest, who knows whether there's anything suspicious about your identity? It'll be better if you wait until we've investigated after we get back before you leave."
That was what Xiao Xiao said, but there wasn't much suspicion in his eyes. After spending the day with Zheng Li, he was already able to tell whether there was anything wrong with him.
"Uncle Xiao! You're suspecting Zheng Li again!" Wang Xin'er frowned and glared at him. She thought her uncle was far too suspicious.
Zheng Li didn't mind. "There's no need to go to all that trouble. You seniors can travel with me by land. We can stop by Shrek Academy and verify my identity there. Then I'll just stay at Shrek, so I won't have to go all the way back after reaching Xingluo City. We're not too far from Shrek anyway, so it won't waste much time."
That was a lie. Even if they went to Shrek Academy, he would still go to Xingluo City afterward.
But he didn't know that the more he said things like that, the unhappier Wang Xin'er became.
Wang Xin'er felt that Zheng Li didn't even consider her a friend.
How to put it? If she had helped Zheng Li so much, only for his family to suspect her and insist on taking her back for questioning, she would have been furious!
But Zheng Li? He acted as if he didn't care.
"Little miss, don't be angry. This is for your sake. If this young brother cares about you, he surely won't mind," Xiao Xiao said calmly. "The way you suggested would work too, young brother, but flying is still necessary. The little miss's great-grandmother is very worried about her, so we want to get her home as soon as possible. I hope you can understand."
Zheng Li rolled his eyes. You're saying all the right things, but could you try to understand my fear of heights?
"Fine, I'll fly."
He waved his hand, too lazy to argue any longer. So what if he was afraid of heights? He'd just tough it out. It wasn't like he'd die again...
There was something else Zheng Li didn't say: Please don't say things that could be misunderstood. What do you mean, 'cares about you'? The little girl and I are just friends.
He knew saying it would be useless anyway, and it would make the little girl angry, so he swallowed his words.
"Then thank you for understanding, young brother."
Xiao Xiao watched Zheng Li and thought, As expected, there's something going on between him and the little miss. This is no small matter. I must take him back and let Wang Lao have a look.
Wang Lao was Wang Xian'er, the Medical Immortal Douluo, a Super Douluo and a healing-type Soul Master. Her Martial Soul was the Healing Angel, and she was the vice-leader of the Hall of Consecration of the Xingluo Imperial Family.
The reason she had saved Zheng Li a year ago was that Wang Xian'er had promised Wang Xin'er she would personally accompany her when she obtained her First Soul Ring.
Otherwise, Wang Xian'er probably wouldn't have entered the Star Dou Great Forest.
As for Wang Xin'er, she really did seem to have a connection with the Medical Immortal Douluo, Wang Xian'er.
It wasn't just their looks. A Martial Soul was usually inherited from one parent or the other, unless it underwent a mutation. Wang Xin'er's Martial Soul was a mutation.
It was the Sound Spirit Green Goose, also a healing-type Martial Soul.
Coincidentally, Wang Xin'er's mother—that is, Wang Xian'er's granddaughter-in-law—also had a Martial Soul that was a type of swan. Of course, this mother wasn't her biological mother.
When the Sound Spirit Green Goose awakened, it gave Wang Xin'er innate Soul Power at level eight. This led people who didn't know the truth to assume she had inherited her mother's Martial Soul. But because Wang Xian'er's Healing Angel had undergone a mutation...
That had put some of the uninformed people's suspicions to rest at the time. Of course, with the Medical Immortal Douluo Wang Xian'er there, no one would have dared voice those suspicions anyway.
Even those who knew the truth found it unbelievable.
There was no other reason. It was simply too much of a coincidence.
Xiao Xiao was one of the people who knew the truth. He understood that even though Wang Xin'er wasn't her biological granddaughter, Wang Lao treated her like one and cared for her deeply.
So he couldn't afford to be careless about something as important as the little miss's future partner.
Actually, Xiao Xiao had stopped doubting Zheng Li's identity as soon as he saw him take out his Shrek School Badge. He had been a student at Shrek himself, after all.
Unfortunately, he didn't realize that his words had made Wang Xin'er angry. Her cheeks puffed up in a sulk.
Xiao Xiao's suspicions? His forcing them to go along? Maybe both.
"Zheng Li, I'm sorry."
Wang Xin'er glared fiercely at Xiao Xiao, then apologized to Zheng Li.
Xiao Xiao: "..."
What a thankless job! Little miss, I'm only doing this for your sake. Besides, do you really want Zheng Li to leave right now?
Zheng Li smiled and shook his head gently. "It's fine. I don't mind. Senior Bei Zhi was right. I'll have to get over my fear of heights sooner or later."
He didn't want to become a Spirit Saint who was afraid to fly.
"Ah!" Wang Xin'er cried out angrily. "It's not about flying! Zheng Li, you idiot, do you really not understand why I'm apologizing?"
"Shh, be quiet. I understand. There's no need to say more. Senior Xiao Xiao is just worried about you."
Zheng Li placed his index finger against his lips and spoke softly. He even winked at Wang Xin'er.
"Mm..." The little girl's face instantly turned red.
Zheng Li: "??!"
Damn! Why are you blushing? I only told you to be quiet. You didn't notice how scary Xiao Xiao looked when you were talking to me?
Now...
Xiao Xiao stared at Zheng Li without expression, but Zheng Li could see the dangerous glint in his eyes.
"..."
He was so innocent.
Even with Flying Spirit Guidance Devices, they still needed to rest and recover their Soul Power. They didn't fly particularly fast, and they didn't hurry through the night. After four days and nights, they reached the north gate of Xingluo City at dawn on the fifth day.
As soon as they landed, Zheng Li immediately bent over and threw up all over the ground.
"Urgh..."
Bei Zhi squatted down beside him and patted his back. "Young brother, isn't this much better? Fly a few more times and your fear of heights will practically be gone."
Zheng Li tried to say something. He looked at Bei Zhi, but the moment he opened his mouth, he threw up again.
Bei Zhi: "..."
Why do I get the feeling he thinks I'm ugly?
"Why... why?!"
After throwing up, Zheng Li felt a little better. He looked at the towering north gate of Xingluo City and twitched his mouth as he asked.
"What is it, young brother?" Bei Zhi put an arm around Zheng Li's shoulder and asked. "Are you marveling at the grandeur of our Star Luo Empire's capital gates and walls?"
Zheng Li turned to look at Bei Zhi. He wanted to get a dig in, but he still knew what he should and shouldn't say.
"Didn't you say you'd take me to Shrek Academy and verify my identity? Why did you go around Shrek City?"
That was simply outrageous!
Bei Zhi looked puzzled and spread his hands. "Young brother, you made a suggestion, but I don't think we ever agreed to anything. When did we say that?"
Zheng Li: "..."
He thought it over. That did seem to be the case... Damn it! I'm still too young!
"Haah..." He let out a heavy sigh and muttered, "I guess I'll just make the best of it."
He was certain nothing would happen to him. He already had an identity in the Star Luo Empire, and Shrek Academy was there to back him up.
The Weeping Light Phantom Fox Left Arm Bone he had obtained earlier proved that the academy had already taken notice of him.
Just then, Wang Xin'er came over and asked worriedly, "Zheng Li, are you angry?"
"What do you think?"
Zheng Li glanced at Wang Xin'er. Even if this mess was his own fault, he was still annoyed.
"I think you are... Here, don't be mad. There's nothing wrong with staying at my house for a couple of days. Shrek hasn't started classes yet, anyway. I'll steal one of my great-grandmother's good treasures for you as an apology. How about it?"
Wang Xin'er lowered her voice, as though she didn't care about her great-grandmother's treasures—or perhaps she thought she could steal one?
As Soul Douluo and Spirit Saint, Xiao Xiao, Bei Zhi, and the others naturally had excellent hearing. They heard every word Wang Xin'er said.
Before you continue