A Small Skirmish, First Meeting

The distance from Phantom Star Academy to Suotuo City is not far; at Zhu Zhuqing's speed, it takes about half an hour to make the trip.

Zhu Zhuqing tidied herself up a bit before heading over on foot.

The road was relatively safe; after all, being in the vicinity of a large city, bandits were a rare sight, so Zhu Zhuqing did not bother to conceal her tracks along the way.

"So this is Suotuo City?"

Standing outside the city walls, Zhu Zhuqing looked up at the plaque on the gate and murmured to herself.

At that moment, she was in the middle of being checked by the guards.

"Name and origin!"

The guard's tone wasn't exactly pleasant, but at least it wasn't lewd.

Although she had never encountered a flirtatious guard in person, she had heard rumors of them long ago.

"Phantom Star Academy disciple, Zhu Zhuqing."

When she produced her pass, the guard's expression shifted strangely, as if he doubted its authenticity, but he registered it nonetheless—this document was genuine, after all.

"Everything is in order. You may enter, miss."

"Uncle, may I ask why your expression changed so noticeably when I mentioned Phantom Star Academy?"

There were few people entering at the moment, so the guard had time to answer, and since Zhu Zhuqing's attitude was quite polite, he was willing to indulge her.

"Cough, cough. Phantom Star Academy is famous around here for being unable to recruit students. I took my own child to look at the academy last year, but in the end, we didn't choose it."

Having said that much, the man stopped talking. Zhu Zhuqing understood and didn't press for details.

The man was just a worker trying to make a living; why make things difficult for him? He hadn't done anything to deserve a death sentence.

She walked inside on her own, lost in thought.

The academy only has two students right now. Next time Master recruits, I must help out.

This was only a minor setback; the guard didn't go around talking about it afterward. He still felt that even if Zhu Zhuqing was a student of Phantom Star, she wouldn't stay for long.

Suotuo City couldn't compare to other major cities. After seeing it, Zhu Zhuqing even felt that Suotuo City was inferior to Phantom Star.

Aside from lacking facilities like a Spirit Fighting Arena, she had heard that her Master intended to introduce subjects like blacksmithing.

He planned to convert a patch of mountain land behind the academy into a fighting ring, but she heard he was waiting for the right opportunity.

"If I'm not mistaken, this should be the place."

Zhu Zhuqing stood in front of the Rose Hotel, though she had no intention of checking in.

She had scouted a few other spots earlier and found no sign of her target. Based on the intelligence she had gathered back in Star Luo, unless he was at these specific locations, there was no way that "Master Dai" would be obediently cultivating at his academy.

"Excuse me, do you have a double room for a couple? The highest tier available."

Zhu Zhuqing put on a disguise and walked up to the front desk to ask.

Knowing him as she did, he certainly wouldn't stay in a cheap room. He was, after all, of Star Luo royal blood; she herself hadn't even adjusted to life at Phantom Star yet.

Not to mention, this prince carried more money on him than she did.

The receptionist replied with professional regret, "I am sorry, miss, but we are fully booked for today."

Zhu Zhuqing acted as if it were nothing and, without further conversation, left the front desk.

She was currently playing the role of a tourist.

Once she stepped outside, she considered just heading back.

She had no interest in going to his academy to look for him, especially since she was already a student of Phantom Star.

"Hiss, that's not right."

She muttered to herself, a premonition stirring in her heart that she might be able to run into him if she waited here a while longer.

She didn't know where this feeling came from; it didn't feel like a sixth sense or intuition, yet it lingered in her mind, making her feel somewhat restless.

At the same time, another feeling urged her to leave immediately, or else she would soon be in a lot of trouble.

"Talismans..."

Zhu Zhuqing looked down at the spatial ring her Master had given her a few days ago, and her confidence grew significantly.

What am I afraid of? I have the talismans Master gave me.

As soon as that thought surfaced, the two conflicting feelings vanished.

Her mind cleared instantly. That's right, with Master's backing, what is there to fear? It's not like I'm doing anything wrong.

With that settled, Zhu Zhuqing found a nearby restaurant, ordered some food, and kept her eyes fixed on the hotel.

So, this is my fiancé? He doesn't look as handsome as Master, and his temperament isn't as outstanding as Junior Brother's.

After waiting for a while, a man actually emerged from the Rose Hotel. Although she was watching from a distance, Zhu Zhuqing had sharp eyes. The double pupils, the deep blue irises, and that specific aura—it couldn't be faked.

One look told her he was out indulging in debauchery; she just wondered which girl he was ruining this time.

Zhu Zhuqing felt nothing but disdain for such behavior. Even though she had received a noble education, that didn't mean she could accept such conduct.

"Hm? Why do I feel like someone is watching me?"

Dai Mubai possessed a fair amount of strength, and as a bearer of the White Tiger Martial Soul, he was particularly sensitive to such sensations.

When Zhu Zhuqing noticed Dai Mubai's gaze fixed upon her, she had no intention of dodging, continuing to stare straight back at him.

It is a pity there is a betrothal, but if he were to die, would the betrothal not be rendered void?

That was what she thought, and the more she pondered it, the more feasible the idea seemed.

Compared to Zhu Zhuqing, Dai Mubai could not help but feel a tremor of unease upon seeing her.

Given Zhu Zhuqing's attire and the agitation of his own Martial Soul, how could he fail to recognize her identity?

"Boring."

Zhu Zhuqing muttered, beckoning the owner over to settle the bill, intending to return to the academy.

At this moment, Dai Mubai stepped forward and hurriedly called out.

"Wait a moment."

Zhu Zhuqing let out a cold snort, having no desire to pay him any mind; her thoughts were not on him at all.

Seeing that Zhu Zhuqing ignored him, Dai Mubai acted as if he had lost his wits and forcibly made a move.

Perhaps accustomed to throwing his weight around, as few people in Suotuo City dared to defy him, he subconsciously reached out to grab Zhu Zhuqing.

"Young Master, please mind your behavior."

Zhu Zhuqing, who had dodged the grab, did not look pleased; her impression of Dai Mubai had been poor to begin with, and now it was even worse.

"Who exactly are you?"

Dai Mubai lowered his gaze, staring at Zhu Zhuqing as he growled.

Zhu Zhuqing was slightly startled, thinking to herself that this young master must have never been rejected before, to fly into such a rage just from being ignored.

"None of your business."

These words struck Dai Mubai like a needle to the spine, instantly igniting his temper.

"Hmph, since you don't want to talk, then don't leave."

Having suffered a slight, the young master felt compelled to regain his face, and he immediately launched an attack.

"Truly worthy of being a young master, acting without restraint in the middle of the street."

"Say what you will. As long as I drag you into the dungeon, the guards won't dare say a word."

Although Dai Mubai had initiated the attack, he still did not dare to go all out, primarily because there were too many onlookers.

"Crude technique, unworthy of the grand stage."

Relying on her martial arts, Zhu Zhuqing parried Dai Mubai's attacks with ease; as long as he did not use his Soul Skills, he was nothing special.

"Forget it, I won't play with you anymore. If you have this much spare time, you'd be better off worrying about your little lovers."

Changing her claw into a palm, she pushed him back, forcing Dai Mubai to retreat two steps.

She could see the astonishment in his eyes, and she imagined he was thinking:

How is this little kitten so formidable?

While he was stunned, Zhu Zhuqing had already pulled away. When he looked up toward the Rose Hotel, one of his mature-type lovers was indeed peeking her head out to watch.

The guards he expected did not arrive on the scene, so a frustrated Dai Mubai had no choice but to return to his Shrek Academy, where Flender asked him about the incident later that evening.

A slightly embarrassed Dai Mubai gave a deceptive account of the events before returning to his room in a foul mood.

Conversely, Zhu Zhuqing was merely questioned by the guards about the situation before being allowed to leave; no measures were taken against her.

After buying some ingredients and souvenirs, she left Suotuo City, and on the road, she remembered:

Oh right, Master actually thought I would invite this scumbag. Hmph, bad Master, never thinking of anything good.