Good Sisters

"Alright, Zhuqing, so you've been hiding someone in your heart too!"

Ning Rongrong's inner gossip fiend ignited. Her bright eyes fixed on Zhu Zhuqing as she urged her on:

"Come on, tell us! Who is he? What's his name? How old is he this year? How long have you known him...?"

Xiao Wu, beside her, also watched Zhu Zhuqing with curiosity and anticipation.

A rare blush rose on Zhu Zhuqing's cool, beautiful face.

"His name is Ling Tian. I don't know exactly how old he is, but he's definitely not yet eighteen..."

"Who?" Ning Rongrong thought she'd misheard. She stared at Zhu Zhuqing in disbelief.

"You like Ling Tian?! That peerless genius who's shaken all of Heaven Dou?!"

She hadn't expected Zhu Zhuqing's crush to be Ling Tian. Before coming to Shrek Academy, she'd even met him, but he'd been wearing a mask, so she hadn't seen what he looked like.

Ning Rongrong's interest soared.

"Zhuqing, how did you meet Ling Tian?"

Xiao Wu was just as eager for gossip.

A look of fond remembrance and tenderness appeared on Zhu Zhuqing's beautiful face. In a soft voice, rich with emotion, she told them how she and Ling Tian had met and grown close in the Star Dou Great Forest.

"Ooh! The hero saves the beauty!"

Ning Rongrong wore a knowing smile.

"He saved your life, and you have no way to repay him—so, Zhuqing, it looks like you'll have to give yourself to him. You'll have no choice but to marry Ling Tian."

Zhu Zhuqing's cheeks grew even redder.

"Hehe, I can't believe all three of us have someone we like now," Xiao Wu summed up with a giggle.

"My person is Third Brother, Rongrong's is Qin Yuan, and Zhuqing's is Ling Tian.

"Hehe, you've both met my Third Brother. When are you going to introduce your guys to me?"

Xiao Wu looked at Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing expectantly.

"Rongrong, Zhuqing, the people you like are both in Heaven Dou City. If we get the chance to go there, you have to introduce them to me. Sister Xiao Wu will put them to the test!"

Xiao Wu waved her fist with a serious look. "If they ever bully you, Sister Xiao Wu will get even with them for you."

"Mm." Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing glanced at each other, then nodded with faint blushes on their cheeks.

Ning Rongrong, her cheeks flushed, said, "Zhuqing, when we get to Heaven Dou City, I'll introduce you to my Brother Yuan."

Zhu Zhuqing nodded, smiling gently. "Rongrong, when we get to Heaven Dou City, I'll introduce you to my... Brother Ling Tian."

Xiao Wu wore a knowing smile.

How nice. All three sisters had someone they liked.

Hm? Had she forgotten something? Hadn't she promised someone something?

Never mind. It wasn't important.

Oscar: "I!@#￥%..."

A maid in a blue dress entered the courtyard where Qin Yuan was staying and walked over to him as he sat fishing. She bowed slightly.

"Young Master Qin Yuan, His Majesty requests your presence."

Qin Yuan frowned slightly at this, but said nothing. He waved for White Butterfly and Red Moon, who had been massaging his shoulders and legs, to leave. He casually handed his fishing rod to Red Moon and rose lazily.

"Let's go."

The maid in blue bowed and led the way.

They hadn't yet left the courtyard when the maid suddenly stopped and turned around to speak in a low voice.

"Young Master Qin Yuan, His Majesty said he'll see you alone. Your maids and guards can't come with you."

Qin Yuan nodded, unconcerned. "Uncle Fu, wait here for me."

"Yes, Young Master." Li Fu, who was following behind Qin Yuan, nodded in reply.

He followed the maid in blue out of the courtyard. After several turns, the surroundings grew increasingly remote, with hardly anyone around.

What the hell is my uncle doing in a place this remote? Is he trying to keep this meeting a secret...? Qin Yuan grumbled to himself.

"Hey, how much farther?" Qin Yuan called to the maid ahead.

"We're almost there..."

As she spoke, the maid in blue suddenly spun around. A sharp dagger shot through the air like a bullet, stabbing toward Qin Yuan's neck.

Qin Yuan's pupils contracted. The blade's cold gleam rapidly filled his vision. His body instinctively jerked backward, and the blade swept past his eyes.

"Hmm?" The maid in blue clearly hadn't expected the useless boy, who she thought had only half a year of Innate Soul Power, to dodge. Astonished, she kept attacking.

The gleaming dagger suddenly turned ninety degrees in midair, viciously stabbing toward Qin Yuan's neck.

But it struck empty air.

To the maid in blue's shock, Qin Yuan had vanished without a trace.

Whoosh!

A bone-chilling cold came from behind her.

Without hesitation, the maid in blue lunged forward, narrowly dodging the attack.

Even as she dodged, she looked back—and was horrified to find that a figure covered head to toe in Golden Dragon Scales had appeared behind her, like a war god clad in golden armor.

Those cold, radiant golden eyes were fixed on her.

Once she had steadied herself, the maid in blue shouted coldly, "Who are you?"

"That's what I should be asking you."

In his Martial Soul Possession state, Qin Yuan stared coldly at the maid in blue.

"Who sent you?"

"That voice?!" The maid in blue's beautiful eyes widened in shock. She cried out, "Qin Yuan?! No, that's impossible. Isn't your Martial Soul a Little Grass Snake? How could you...?"

Before she could finish, a Golden Dragon Claw rapidly filled her vision and reached for her slender, pale neck.

The maid in blue's pupils contracted. Her Martial Soul instantly possessed her, and five Soul Rings—yellow, yellow, purple, purple, and black—appeared around her. Three shone brightly.

She was a Soul King!

But the maid in blue's Soul Skills weren't instant. How could they be faster than Qin Yuan, who had Teleportation?

He interrupted her before she could cast!

Ignoring the dagger stabbing toward him, Qin Yuan locked his Golden Dragon Claw around her neck and lifted her off the ground.

Crack!

The dagger struck Qin Yuan in the chest, but sparks burst out. It couldn't pierce his skin at all; instead, the blade snapped, making the maid in blue's eyes widen again. Horror filled her heart. "Impossible!"

While the maid in blue was still stunned, Qin Yuan grabbed her wrist with his free left hand and squeezed. His terrifying strength crushed her wrist in an instant.

The maid in blue cried out in agony, but Qin Yuan had her throat locked tight. Not a sound escaped.

"Don't make a scene. If you attract anyone, you'll die horribly."

Qin Yuan's voice came at her ear, cold as ice.

"????"

The maid in blue froze.

Wait, wasn't she supposed to be the assassin?

But what she found most unbelievable was that she, a dignified Soul King, had been subdued just like that by a thirteen-year-old boy!

He was only thirteen!

How could he be this strong?!

It was an illusion. It had to be an illusion!

Suddenly, her vision blurred.

The scenery changed in an instant. The bright, open ground became a dark, damp, narrow underground passage.

Thud... splash!

Qin Yuan showed no mercy as he hurled the maid in blue against the wall.

She crumpled to the ground, crying out in pain.

"Now, tell me who sent you!"

Qin Yuan's face was cold as he walked toward the maid in blue, step by step. His icy killing intent locked onto her, making her feel cold from head to toe.