Return Journey, Encounter with the Hongchen Siblings

But the one Zhu Ying cared about most was Ning Tian.

That afternoon, Zhu Ying specially invited Ning Tian to her warm chamber.

"Tian'er, come and try this osmanthus cake, it's fresh out of the oven," Zhu Ying warmly invited.

Ning Tian gracefully picked up a piece of pastry, took a small bite, and said, "Thank you, Auntie, it's delicious."

Zhu Ying looked at the girl in front of her with short silver-gray hair and an elegant demeanor, and became more and more satisfied.

The young sect leader of the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect possesses exceptional support abilities across the entire continent, is extremely wealthy, and has a well-established sect foundation.

"Tian'er, how are you and Huabin doing at the academy?" Zhu Ying asked, seemingly casually.

Ning Tian put down the pastries, his tone frank:

"Huabin's strength is beyond doubt. My Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, combined with his Ultimate Attribute, can unleash combat power far exceeding that of others of the same level. We reached an alliance agreement a year ago."

"An alliance?" Zhu Ying raised an eyebrow.

"Yes," Ning Tian didn't hide anything, "I see his potential, and he needs the resources of our sect. It's a win-win cooperation. However..."

Ning Tian paused, a faint blush appearing on his fair face:

"After spending time with him, I discovered a unique confidence about him. He doesn't care about worldly rules, yet he's extremely protective of his own. Being by his side is a very reassuring thing."

Zhu Ying was overjoyed.

This isn't an alliance; it's practically offering themselves up, along with their entire sect!

"Good boy/girl."

Zhu Ying grasped Ning Tian's hand, "From now on, you two should look after each other at the academy. The Duke Mansion's mansion is always open for you."

Ning Tian smiled and nodded, "Thank you, Auntie."

As a mother, Zhu Ying's thoughts are very simple now.

It's unlikely that the eldest son Dai Yueheng, will be able to produce offspring for the Duke Mansion.

But the second son, Dai Huabin, is different!

This kid is not only incredibly talented, but his ability to attract women is also outrageous.

The White Tiger Duke Mansion is destined to face many storms in the future. If it can receive support from geniuses like the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect and Shrek Inner Court, then Dai Huabin's future path will be smooth.

"As for daughters-in-law, the more the merrier," Zhu Ying said, taking a satisfied sip of tea as she looked out the window at the courtyard full of beautiful women.

Happy times are always fleeting.

The five-day rest period passed in the blink of an eye.

The Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Fighting Tournament is about to begin. The Shrek Academy team must return to Star Luo City and check into the officially designated Star Emperor Hotel. The Shrek Academy team also needs to practice together.

Early morning, outside the gates of the Duke Mansion.

Three luxurious carriages are ready.

Zhu Ying held Dai Huabin's hand, repeatedly giving him instructions:

"Once you're on the field, safety comes first. Don't rely on your higher cultivation level to fight recklessly; listen to Lexuan's advice."

Dai Huabin nodded repeatedly. "Mother, don't worry, I know what I'm doing."

Zhu Ying then turned to look at Zhu Lu and the group of girls, her face beaming with a bright smile:

"Girls, remember to come over to my house again after the competition! Auntie will cook you something delicious!"

"Thank you, Auntie!"

The girls answered in unison.

Three spacious, luxurious carriages traveled smoothly along the main road of Star Luo City.

The carriage was furnished with soft animal skin cushions and had a lot of space, but it still felt a bit too crowded with so many girls.

Dai Huabin leaned back on the cushion, listening to the chatter around him, feeling more tired than if he had been in a fight.

"Auntie is so hospitable! She even gave me so many local specialties from Star Luo City when I left." Xiao Xiao held a delicate food box, her face full of joy.

Wang Dong'er leaned against the side and rubbed her cheek:

"They were enthusiastic, but they asked too many detailed questions. They even asked how many people are in my family and what I usually like to eat. How could I possibly answer all of them?"

Cui Yajie covered her mouth and chuckled softly:

"That's your aunt checking on Huabin. You usually seem so clever, why are you so confused at this crucial moment?"

Wang Dong'er's cheeks flushed, and she retorted, "Who wants her to vet me! I don't care!"

"If you don't care, why are you blushing?" Ma Xiaotao leaned against the other side of the carriage, her long legs crossed, her tone full of teasing.

Wang Dong'er was momentarily speechless, then simply turned her head away and remained silent.

Dai Huabin felt very relaxed watching the group of girls bickering.

After spending five days at the White Tiger Duke Mansion, everyone's relationship visibly improved.

As the matriarch of the household, Zhu Ying took great care of everyone. Even the usually aloof Ling Luochen showed some reluctance when he left.

"Speaking of which, Dai Yueheng and his group are pretty fast runners."

Wu Ming crossed her arms and couldn't help but laugh as she recalled the scene when she set off this morning.

Zhang Lexuan sat at the very back, her tone gentle. "Those four grown men really couldn't stay in the manor these past few days."

Dai Huabin nodded in deep agreement.

These past few days, the inner quarters have completely become the girls' domain.

Dai Yueheng, Gongyang Mo, Chen Zifeng, and Yao Haoxuan were sandwiched among a group of stunningly beautiful girls, unable to even get a word in edgewise.

Every day, aside from eating, he would hide in the training ground to spar; it was incredibly frustrating.

Early this morning, Dai Yueheng, along with three others, used the excuse of "getting used to the environment of Star Luo City in advance" to slip away.

As he left, Dai Yueheng patted Dai Huabin on the shoulder and said, "Take care, brother," his tone filled with relief.

I'm hungry.

Di Lingxi, barefoot, stepped onto the mat, moved closer to Dai Huabin, and hugged his arm, shaking it gently.

"Huabin, when are we going to eat?"

Zhu Lu took out a plate of snacks from a hidden compartment and handed it to Di Lingxi: "Ling Xi, have some of this to tide you over. We'll be at the hotel soon, then we'll have a big meal."

Di Lingxi immediately released Dai Huabin, took the pastries, and began to eat them heartily.

Seeing Di Lingxi's carefree attitude, Ning Tian shook his head slightly and turned to look at Dai Huabin:

"The competition is about to begin, when will we have our joint practice session?"

Dai Huabin abandoned his casual attitude and spoke seriously:

"Tomorrow morning. Everyone should go back to the hotel and get a good night's rest today to get into top shape. Tomorrow we'll go to Star Luo Plaza to familiarize ourselves with the venue and finalize the starting lineup."

The carriage gradually slowed down and finally stopped in front of the main entrance of the Star Emperor Hotel.

The carriage door opened, Zhang Lexuan stepped down first.

She was wearing a plain white robe today, exuding a dignified and elegant air.

Following them, Ma Xiaotao, Han Ruoruo, Wu Ming, Ling Luochen, several senior students from the Inner Academy, got off the bus one by one.

Following them were Wang Dong'er, Xiao Xiao, Cui Yajie, Ning Tian, Zhu Lu, Bing Hanyue Bing Hanyue, Xue Qingyao, Di Lingxi.

The sight of more than a dozen girls with different styles and stunning looks appearing at the hotel entrance at the same time was truly breathtaking.

The Soul Master and guests who had been coming and going in and out of the lobby all stopped in their tracks. The entire hotel entrance fell silent instantly, and everyone's eyes were focused on the group of girls.

Dai Huabin was the last to step down from the carriage.

Today he was wearing a well-tailored dark-colored outfit, his posture was upright, and his long golden hair was casually draped over his shoulders. He exuded an air of composed nobility.

As soon as he got out of the car, the girls naturally gathered around him.

This scene immediately aroused the jealousy of those around them to its peak.

"Who is this man? Why is he making such a big fuss?"

"Didn't you see the badges on their chests? Green monster heads—those are Shrek Academy students!"

A murmur of conversation arose from the surrounding area.

Dai Huabin was already used to these stares. He turned around and called to everyone, "Let's go in and get the rooms assigned."

As the group was about to walk into the lobby, the revolving glass door at the lobby entrance was pushed open, and two people walked out.

A boy was walking in front.

He was wearing a silver-blue school uniform with gold trim, the collar slightly open, his hands in his pockets, his posture extremely languid.

She had short, fluffy, slightly wavy silver-white hair, and her features were so exquisite that there wasn't a single flaw.

Following behind him was a girl with equally silver-white hair.

The girl had long, wavy hair that reached her waist, tied with a large blue bow at the back of her head. She had delicate features and a noble air about her.

They were none other than Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen, siblings from the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Master Academy.

Xiao Hongchen was originally tilting his chin up, talking to his younger sister.

Looking up, he bumped right into Shrek's main force.

He first noticed Zhang Lexuan and Ma Xiaotao walking ahead, and paused for a moment. Then, his gaze swept over Wang Dong'er, Zhu Lu, Ning Tian, Di Lingxi, and others.

Xiao Hongchen's eyes widened further.

He considered himself well-traveled and knowledgeable, having seen many beautiful women in Ming Capital, the capital of the Sun Moon Empire.

But the sight of a dozen stunningly beautiful women gathered together, each with their own unique charm, was so visually striking it was almost dizzying.

Meng Hongchen was also stunned.

She looked at Wang Dong'er's long, light blue hair and delicate features, then glanced at Xue Qingyao beside her, who had a cool and aloof demeanor, and couldn't help but marvel inwardly.

Xiao Hongchen's gaze finally fell on Dai Huabin, who was surrounded by a group of women.

Looking at Dai Huabin's handsome, aloof face, and then at the beautiful women surrounding him, Xiao Hongchen a surge of jealousy welling up inside her.

Who is he Xiao Hongchen?

The Sun Moon Empire's Number One Genius!

Number one handsome guy!

As a result, when I went out today, this blond kid across the street stole all the limelight!

Xiao Hongchen stopped in his tracks, looked Dai Huabin up and down a few times, and chuckled softly:

"The entourage is impressive, but alas, it's still not as handsome as mine!"