"Just as I thought..."
Looking at Zhu Zhuqing's current state, Feng Xinglie's eyes filled with disgust. He clearly remembered this very inconspicuous passage in the original story:
"At that moment, Dai Mubai suddenly noticed with surprise that the usual coldness in Zhu Zhuqing's eyes seemed to have vanished. She looked at him somewhat blankly, with a few traces of a peculiar emotion in her gaze."
This strange passage had led Feng Xinglie to make a bold guess, and Zhu Zhuqing's brainwashed-looking behavior now confirmed his suspicions.
"Martial Soul Fusion Skills have a dominant and a subordinate."
In Feng Xinglie's analysis, Martial Soul Fusion Skills fell into two categories. One was equal, like Gui Mei and Yue Guan's Two-Pole Static Domain, where each contributed half and worked in tandem. The Hell White Tiger, put simply, was a White Tiger that had obtained the power of the Netherworld. At its core, it was still a White Tiger. Under these circumstances, Dai Mubai became the dominant one, with Zhu Zhuqing in a supporting role. What's more, when the skill was activated, their powers fused into one, making their thoughts susceptible to being imprinted as well. This explained why Zhu Zhuqing had acted so strangely, and why, despite having loathed Dai Mubai to the utmost, she later became extraordinarily tolerant of him and even obeyed his every whim. This was also one of the methods the Star Luo Imperial Family used to control the Zhu Family from generation to generation.
Of course, that wasn't the only example. The Golden Iron Triangle's Trinity Martial Soul Fusion Skill worked on the same principle: Flender and Liu Erlong poured their power into Yu Xiaogang's Luo Sanpao, causing it to evolve into the Golden Sacred Dragon for a short time. In this case, although Yu Xiaogang had the lowest Soul Power Level, he held the dominant position in the Martial Soul Fusion Skill, gradually changing his standing in the other two's hearts. That was why Liu Erlong would always be willing to die for him, and why Flender, who deeply loved Liu Erlong, would willingly sacrifice himself to fulfill Yu Xiaogang. Otherwise, why would two people who surpassed Yu Xiaogang in every way—looks, character, and strength—make a man who was worthless in all those respects, yet arrogant and conceited, the center of their lives?
"Let me break her... hypnotic spell..."
Having pieced together what had happened in his mind, Feng Xinglie raised his hands and clapped lightly. In an instant, the crisp sound cracked beside Zhu Zhuqing's ears like a bolt of thunder, and her blank expression immediately cleared. The first thing she saw upon regaining her senses was Dai Mubai charging toward her with his arms spread wide and a lecherous expression on his face.
"Don't!"
Goosebumps rose all over her, and Zhu Zhuqing kicked out almost instinctively. The kick was powerful, and Dai Mubai was so lost in lust that he was completely unprepared. He was sent flying straight off the platform and landed below, struggling for a long time without managing to get back up.
"What's going on? Are they fighting among themselves? Shrek Team has suddenly eliminated one of its own..."
Ignoring the host's astonished shout, Feng Xinglie turned and walked out of the Soul Fighting Arena. For him, the purpose of this match had already been achieved.
"Zhu Zhuqing! You bitch!! I'll kill you!!!"
Not long afterward, Dai Mubai's furious roar rang throughout the entire Soul Fighting Arena. Even Tang San, Ma Hongjun, and Oscar together couldn't hold back this enraged Evil Eyed White Tiger.
"Dai Mubai, we're done. Don't come looking for me again. I will never use a Martial Soul Fusion Skill with you, and I will never marry you!"
Across from him, Zhu Zhuqing stared coldly at Dai Mubai, her pretty face frosty.
"You think I want you? Who knows what you've been doing behind my back all these years! And you think you get to decide whether you marry me? Does that kind of thing depend on you? If you've got the guts, go say that to my father's face! And you dare kick me? Today, I'll make sure you learn what family rules are, you bitch!"
Cursing as he shoved Tang San and the others aside, Dai Mubai charged ahead. But just as he was about to reach Zhu Zhuqing, Feng Xinglie stepped in front of him.
"You... Feng Xinglie, this is a family matter. You have no right to interfere!"
At the same place, the memory of what had happened last time flashed through Dai Mubai's mind, and his anger immediately ebbed by more than half. Even his tone grew considerably more polite.
"So, he really is your fiancé?"
"He was. Now I'm ashamed of it."
Zhu Zhuqing answered Feng Xinglie's question with disgust.
"Well, you heard her."
"Feng Xinglie! Why do you have to make things difficult for me?"
Dai Mubai was going mad, but his cowardly nature and the lesson he'd learned last time kept him from taking even a single step forward. All he could do was watch, unwillingly, as Zhu Zhuqing and Feng Xinglie headed toward Shrek Academy.
"Nyah-nyah-nyah, what a disgrace. Dumped by a girl again~"
Seeing Dai Mubai get humiliated, Ning Rongrong, who'd had a grudge against him for a long time, pulled a face and began taunting him. Before he could lash out, she slipped over to Feng Xinglie's side, leaving Dai Mubai standing there in impotent fury.
"But this time, Zhu Zhuqing was the one in the wrong. We're a team. How could she turn her weapons on one of our own while we were fighting together?"
Watching the three of them walk away, Tang San said with a frown.
"Well... maybe there's more to it? Maybe Zhuqing wasn't herself?"
Seeing the two sides' relationship grow more and more strained, Oscar stammered, trying to leave room for reconciliation. Dai Mubai cut him off with an angry shout:
"What reason could there possibly be? That bitch brought it on herself! From now on, it's either her or me! Let's see how she survives at her sister's hands without my help!"
He spat on the ground and imagined Zhu Zhuqing being purged by Zhu Yun in the future, a cruel smile curling his lips.
"You've completely fallen out with Dai Mubai today. Have you thought about what you'll do next?"
"No."
Although she looked despondent, Zhu Zhuqing still answered Feng Xinglie's question.
"It's all right. You still have a long life ahead of you. That man can only be a passing traveler. You'll have plenty of chances to choose for yourself."
"Then... can I stay with you?"
Zhu Zhuqing suddenly turned her head, tears filling her reddened eyes.
"I can't go home anymore. I thought the one person I could rely on was someone I could support and who would support me in turn, but he turned out like that. Now, besides your side, there's nowhere in this world for me."
Feng Xinglie fell silent.
He had indeed intended to use Zhu Zhuqing from the very beginning, but he had to admit that the girl had suffered far too much. She'd been suppressed and even targeted for assassination since childhood, and the last person she'd hoped to rely on was an irresponsible, cowardly scumbag. This girl, barely in her teens, truly had nowhere to go.
"Sigh... fine. Doesn't this make my plan even more convenient?"
He forced the indecisive thoughts from his mind and looked at Zhu Zhuqing.
"Don't be so quick to decide where you belong. Like I said, you still have a long life ahead of you. But I'd be more than willing to walk with you along this road for a while. Until you understand your own heart and find the direction—or even the destination—that truly belongs to you, let me accompany you for now."
Before you continue