Rose Hotel

"Only one room?"

Tang San froze.

How were they supposed to stay like this?

Though he and Ye Liuyun were boys and could squeeze in together, Xiao Wu was a girl.

"This is awkward..."

Xiao Wu blinked and turned to look at Ye Liuyun.

Standing at the counter, Ye Liuyun casually swept his deep eyes over the attendant.

"Stop pretending."

Ye Liuyun's voice was calm.

"At this kind of love hotel, to create an ambiguous atmosphere, they'll always tell people of the opposite sex, 'There's only one room left.'"

"Don't try that on me."

"Get us three rooms."

Reluctantly, he took out enough money from his pouch for two rooms.

That had been the money he planned to use to treat himself to a lavish meal after traveling for so long.

But he felt a little bad about making Tang San pay.

"Let's split it evenly. But Xiao Wu's broke, so I'll cover hers."

Xiao Wu puffed out her cheeks and muttered softly.

"I'm not broke."

She only complained and did not take out any money.

The attendant smiled awkwardly.

Their hotel was more expensive than the rooms outside. If it was not for that sort of thing, why would anyone stay here?

What a waste of money.

"Ahem... Um... Ah! I read it wrong! There are still several vacant rooms!"

The attendant hurriedly changed her tune and began fumbling with the arrangements.

Tang San and Xiao Wu, standing nearby, were both dumbfounded.

Tang San in particular looked at Ye Liuyun with a hint of suspicion.

How did he know so much about this?

Did he come to places like this often?

At such a young age, he was already so familiar with the unspoken rules of such dens of pleasure... Sure enough, this fellow had a crooked heart and was obsessed with women.

Tang San's evaluation of Ye Liuyun dropped another level.

He had no self-respect.

A person like that was destined for nothing great.

Just then.

Bang!

The hotel doors were pushed open, and three figures walked in.

At the front was a tall, blond young man. His pair of strange heterochromatic eyes were especially eye-catching.

He had an alluring pair of twin beauties tucked under each arm.

Dai Mubai said brashly.

"Get me a room. The usual."

Without even looking at Ye Liuyun and the others, Dai Mubai tossed out a card, his tone domineering.

The attendant looked troubled.

"What? No rooms left?"

Dai Mubai raised a brow, cold light flashing in his Evil Eyes.

"These guests arrived first. There really are only three rooms left, and they've booked them all."

The attendant pointed at Ye Liuyun and the others.

Only then did Dai Mubai turn around, his gaze sweeping across the three of them.

When he saw Xiao Wu, a flash of amazement crossed his eyes.

When he saw Tang San, he frowned slightly, finding this ordinary-looking kid rather unpleasant to look at.

Finally, his gaze settled on Ye Liuyun.

Ye Liuyun was leaning against the counter with a lazy expression. His indifferent attitude toward everything around him somewhat resembled the decadent aristocratic air Dai Mubai carried.

Especially since Dai Mubai had caught bits and pieces of Ye Liuyun exposing the "unspoken rules of love hotels" earlier.

"Interesting."

Dai Mubai released the twins in his arms, walked up to Ye Liuyun, looked him over, and curled his lips into a wicked smile.

"Brother, you know your stuff?"

"Looking at you, you must spend plenty of time among the flowers, huh? You've even figured out this lousy hotel's tricks so clearly."

Ye Liuyun glanced at him. The more he explained something like this, the worse it would look, and he could not be bothered to explain anyway.

In truth, he had simply read too many novels in his previous life, but in Dai Mubai's eyes, that was practically an admission.

"Haha! Good! A kindred spirit!"

Dai Mubai laughed loudly, unexpectedly feeling a sense of mutual appreciation.

In his view, the strong ought to be romantic and enjoy themselves.

"I'm Dai Mubai. Since we're kindred spirits, I won't fight you for the rooms."

Ye Liuyun raised a brow.

Had Dai Mubai misunderstood something?

Xiao Wu glared at Ye Liuyun angrily, her cheeks puffed up like a pufferfish, feeling inexplicably uncomfortable.

"Cousin Liuyun! What are you muttering with him about? That guy obviously doesn't look like a good person!"

Tang San, meanwhile, secretly shook his head, his eyes full of disdain.

Sure enough, birds of a feather flock together.

They had only just met and were already getting along so well. It seemed Ye Liuyun's usual "aloofness" at the academy was all an act. Deep down, he was just a libertine.

Good thing Xiao Wu had not been led astray by him.

A person like that was not worth worrying about.

Tang San relaxed his guard against Ye Liuyun a little more. What great future could someone obsessed with women possibly have?

Dai Mubai moved a little closer to Ye Liuyun and lowered his voice so that only the two of them could hear.

"The girl beside you is pretty good. How much for a night?"

Xiao Wu's hearing was exceptionally sharp, and she immediately exploded when she heard it.

As Xiao Wu of Nuoding Academy, when had she ever taken such abuse?

"You piece of trash, are you looking for trouble?"

"If you want a beating, just say so."

Dai Mubai was used to doing whatever he pleased.

He was a prince of the Star Luo Empire. Who would dare curse him?

"You filthy bitch, don't push your luck."

Dai Mubai did not take the three little brats before him, all younger than himself, seriously at all.

He was a genius. Even fighting above his level was no problem, much less dealing with several children younger than him.

He raised his hand and swung a slap at Xiao Wu's face.

Ye Liuyun's previously calm expression turned cold.

He could not say he cared much about Xiao Wu, but she at least considered him a friend.

Saying something like that in front of him was outright provocation.

Ye Liuyun truly hated trouble and had not wanted to clash with Dai Mubai before this.

It would simply be a waste of time. After all, they would still become classmates after entering Shrek Academy.

Ye Liuyun had always stayed far away from such troublesome matters.

But now that he thought about it, beating up Dai Mubai would only take a moment.

It was not troublesome.

He raised his hand and grabbed Dai Mubai's arm just as it was coming up.

The Rose Hotel lobby.

The air seemed to freeze.

Dai Mubai snorted coldly. He did not take his opponent seriously at all and did not even summon his Martial Spirit before directly unleashing his Soul Power.

Soul Power erupted from Ye Liuyun's palm in resistance, yet his entire body remained perfectly still.

Dai Mubai frowned. The Soul Power he had intended to use to shake Ye Liuyun off vanished like a mud ox entering the sea, without causing even the slightest ripple.

The hand pressing down on his arm remained as steady as Mount Tai, carrying an unfathomably heavy force.

"Hm?"

Dai Mubai narrowed his Evil Eyes, a trace of surprise flashing through them.

Interesting. This kid looks thin and weak, but his Soul Power is quite solid.

As the top dog of Shrek Academy, Dai Mubai had his own pride.

He snorted, and the Soul Power within him suddenly erupted. The aura of a level thirty-seven Soul Elder surged forth like a tidal wave.

"Get lost!"

Boom!

An invisible shockwave exploded outward from the two of them.

The expensive marble tiles beneath their feet instantly filled with spiderweb-like cracks, and fragments of stone flew everywhere.

Xiao Wu and Tang San were forced back instinctively by the powerful Soul Power, retreating from danger.

Yet.

Ye Liuyun remained where he was, utterly motionless.

His expression did not change in the slightest, as though he were merely holding down an ordinary stone.

Only golden patterns now glimmered across the surface of his body, reflected in those previously lazy eyes.

The two of them clashed through pure Soul Power.

The ground shattered, dust rose, and the two auras collided within the hotel like flying sand and tumbling stones.