"Zhu Zhuqing, come to our room."
Seeing Zhu Zhuqing all alone, Xiao Wu invited her into the room.
Zhu Zhuqing peered through the crack in the door and saw Li Luo. She felt it might not be appropriate.
"Wouldn't that be a little improper?"
"What's improper about it? Come on, join us."
As she spoke, Xiao Wu grabbed Zhu Zhuqing and pulled her into the room, then shut the door.
In Dai Mubai's room.
Dai Mubai pressed himself against the door, watching Zhu Zhuqing through the peephole. He saw her enter Li Luo's room.
"Damn it, that bitch acts all high and mighty with me, but the moment she sees a powerful Soul Master, she throws herself at him."
Dai Mubai gritted his teeth and clenched his fists, wishing he could charge out, kick down Li Luo's door, and catch Zhu Zhuqing in the act so he could confront her.
"You escaped from the Star Luo Empire to find me, didn't you?"
"Why are you getting involved with another man? You're my fiancée, mine!"
Of course, that was all in Dai Mubai's imagination. He still didn't dare provoke Li Luo.
Besides, Dai Mubai was only lusting after Zhu Zhuqing's beauty. If he approached her on the strength of their engagement, he would have to face the struggle for the throne against his elder brother.
Dai Mubai had fled to the Heaven Dou Empire precisely to escape the political maelstrom of the succession struggle. Why would he willingly get caught up in it?
Put simply, this lecherous tiger was just lusting after Zhu Zhuqing's body. He was shameless, but he didn't want to accept the responsibility that came with it.
Otherwise, the moment he recognized Zhu Zhuqing, he should have told her who he was and promised to stand with her against Dai Weisi and Zhu Zhuyun.
But even now, five days after seeing Zhu Zhuqing, Dai Mubai still hadn't made his position clear. It was obvious he didn't want to take responsibility—he couldn't shoulder the burden.
At the same time, Dai Mubai couldn't bear to watch his fiancée in name fall into another man's arms. It made him feel as though he were the one being cuckolded.
Torn between these conflicting feelings, Dai Mubai lay awake all night.
It wasn't that he couldn't decide whether to come clean to Zhu Zhuqing. He was simply sexually frustrated because there was no beauty by his side in bed tonight.
In Li Luo's room, Li Luo lay in the middle of the soft bed, with Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong on either side. Zhu Zhuqing curled up on a small bed in the corner of the room.
The night passed in silence.
The next morning, the Shrek group gathered downstairs.
Everyone was in high spirits. Only Dai Mubai had dark circles under his eyes, clearly having spent the entire night awake.
Last night, Dai Mubai had kept cracking open the door to eavesdrop on what was happening in Li Luo's room.
When he heard nothing, he would go back to bed, only to repeat the same thing not long after. He went back and forth all night and never managed to fall asleep.
Once Zhao Wuji saw that the students had assembled, he ignored Dai Mubai's sorry state and swept a hand forward, ready to set out.
The whole trip couldn't be held up for one person. The sooner they got Oscar a Soul Ring, the sooner they could return to the academy.
The nine of them walked into the forest at an easy pace. Zhao Wuji led the way, scouting ahead.
Li Luo and Tang San kept watch on either side.
Zhu Zhuqing climbed into the trees and moved through the forest alongside the group.
Oscar kept making Recovery Big Sausages and Detoxifying Sausages in case they needed them.
Even the carefree Little Demoness, Ning Rongrong, had grown alert.
Only Dai Mubai seemed to be suffering from overindulgence. He trudged along with the group, barely able to stay focused.
Their footsteps crunched along the leaf-strewn forest path as a breeze stirred through the trees, rustling the leaves.
They walked at an easy pace for about two and a half hours.
Just then, Zhu Zhuqing suddenly grew alert and signaled for everyone to stop.
"Wait. Something's up ahead."
Li Luo asked, "What is it?"
"There's a flying snake coming this way."
Zhu Zhuqing replied.
"Describe what it looks like in more detail."
Li Luo said.
"It has a large, bright-red fleshy crest on its head, pale-red wings on either side of its body, and its whole body is light red."
Li Luo concluded, "It's a Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent."
During his years at Notting Academy, Li Luo had spent all his time in the academy library, poring over books and acquiring a wealth of knowledge.
Later, he had also made connections with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and asked Ning Fengzhi for many general reference books and rare collections. As a result, Li Luo had a deep knowledge of Martial Soul Theory and could identify the Soul Beast from Zhu Zhuqing's description alone.
"Take another good look. About how long is it?"
Zhu Zhuqing focused her gaze. The Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent was racing toward them, so she quickly relayed the news to Li Luo.
"It's about six to eight meters long. It's flying straight toward us."
As soon as Zhu Zhuqing finished speaking, the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent appeared in the Shrek group's sight.
The Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent saw the group but didn't veer away. It flew straight toward them, trying to pass right over their heads.
It was flying in a panic, as though something terrifying were chasing it.
Seeing this, Zhao Wuji immediately made his move. He activated Martial Soul Possession, and his Soul Rings appeared.
His Second Soul Ring flashed, and a single Vajra Palm struck the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent out of the air.
The group rushed over and surrounded the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent, which was still thrashing and hadn't yet breathed its last.
"This Soul Beast is called a Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent. Judging by its size, it's around 1,400 to 1,600 years old."
Zhao Wuji looked toward Li Luo, who understood and stepped forward to explain.
Oscar's eyes lit up at Li Luo's explanation. This Soul Beast's age was exactly within the range he could handle.
"Teacher Zhao, I want this Soul Beast's Soul Ring. It was flying very fast, so after I absorb its Soul Ring, I might get a useful enhancement Soul Skill."
Oscar first thanked Li Luo. His goddess, Ning Rongrong, paid him no attention and spent all her time clinging to Li Luo.
But Li Luo had identified the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent for him, and Oscar knew how to separate one thing from another.
Zhao Wuji nodded, indicating that Oscar could kill the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent and obtain its Soul Ring.
Oscar drew the dagger he carried with him, raised his arm, and aimed for the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent's vital spot.
Just then, a loud shout stopped him.
"Wait!"
The voice was old and hoarse, sounding like it came from an elderly woman.
Everyone looked toward the source of the voice. An old woman holding a serpent-headed cane approached, followed by a young girl carrying an identical Serpent Cane.
"You can't absorb the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent's Soul Ring."
The old woman's tone was firm and left no room for argument.
The young woman behind her nodded in agreement.
"Grandmother's right. You can't absorb the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent's Soul Ring, because it's mine!"