Suotuo City basked in the warm afternoon breeze. Shops lined both sides of the street, and the air buzzed with crowds.
Mu Chen walked down the street with an easy smile. Tall and straight, with handsome, refined features, he had a natural charm that drew the opposite sex.
Countless girls and young female Soul Masters passing by couldn't help sneaking glances at Mu Chen.
Whenever Mu Chen looked their way, they would blush and shyly avert their eyes, only to sneak another look moments later and whisper among themselves.
"What a great place!"
Compared with a remote little town like Nuoding City, a royal capital like Suotuo City was many times more prosperous.
Suddenly, a clear, sweet voice rang out in front of him.
"Hello!"
A petite, dainty girl with skin as fair as jade stepped into Mu Chen's path.
Mu Chen lifted his eyes to look at her.
The girl had soft, ear-length hair and a pair of clear, bright almond-shaped eyes. Her features were exquisite, her lips a rosy pink, and her beauty utterly sweet.
She wore an elegant pale pink dress. Her graceful, lively air carried the poise of a young lady from a distinguished family, yet she showed none of the arrogance or bossiness one might expect.
Her big, watery eyes fixed on him without blinking, filled with admiration and curiosity.
Mu Chen looked at the sweet, lovely girl before him and asked warmly, "Can I help you, miss?"
Ning Rongrong didn't find his question presumptuous. Instead, the corners of her lips lifted, and her heart filled with delight.
"Could I treat you to a meal?"
"Let's get to know each other. My name is Ning Rongrong."
At her words, a gentle smile curved Mu Chen's lips.
The instant Ning Rongrong approached him,
he had noticed at least five pairs of eyes watching him.
They were clearly there to protect Ning Rongrong.
"My name is Mu Chen."
"I'd be delighted."
Mu Chen glanced at several spots on either side of them, then introduced himself and accepted Ning Rongrong's invitation.
At his agreement, Ning Rongrong's eyes curved, and she smiled especially sweetly.
The two walked side by side toward a delicately decorated dessert shop nearby.
The shop had an elegant atmosphere and was filled with the fragrance of sweets.
They found a seat by the window.
Mu Chen sat right next to Ning Rongrong instead of across from her.
Suppressing her shyness and nervousness, Ning Rongrong skillfully ordered a tableful of delicate pastries and fruit drinks.
Before long,
Mu Chen looked at the tableful of delicate pastries and fruit drinks, then turned to Ning Rongrong with a beaming smile.
Ning Rongrong had been sneaking glances at Mu Chen the whole time, and the more she looked, the more her heart fluttered.
For a moment, their eyes met.
Ning Rongrong hurriedly looked away, her cheeks already red to the tips of her ears.
She quickly started eating to cover her embarrassment.
"Ning Rongrong, you're not an ordinary person, are you?"
Mu Chen glanced outside from time to time. Through the glass wall, he could see several people staring in their direction.
"Why do you ask?" Ning Rongrong froze, then looked up at him in confusion.
"Ever since I started spending time with you, I've felt people watching me constantly," Mu Chen explained.
Ning Rongrong's cheeks reddened. "You're so handsome. Of course lots of girls are going to look at you!"
Mu Chen shook his head. "They're not girls. They're men. Take that one, for example."
Mu Chen pointed to someone in the street.
The man was dressed in white and standing by the roadside, glancing their way now and then.
Ning Rongrong followed Mu Chen's gaze and spotted the man. She furrowed her brows.
"And that one..."
Mu Chen pointed out five people in succession.
"Could they be..."
Ning Rongrong's heart gave a start.
"What?"
Mu Chen looked at Ning Rongrong with a beaming smile.
"Bad guys!"
Ning Rongrong quickly caught on. "They must be bad guys!"
Mu Chen smiled. "Then we'll deal with them later."
Ning Rongrong was startled. "Don't! You might get hurt. What if they're really strong?"
Mu Chen was unconcerned. "I'm strong too."
Only then did Ning Rongrong notice the fluctuations of Soul Power coming from Mu Chen.
"Still, let's not!"
"As long as they don't bother us, that's all that matters!"
Ning Rongrong urged him.
"Here, let's eat!"
"Let's ignore them!"
Ning Rongrong picked up a small cake, scooped up a bite with her spoon, and personally held it to Mu Chen's lips.
"Thank you."
Mu Chen smiled and accepted Ning Rongrong's kindness. At the same time, he considered how to talk her into becoming his disciple.
He couldn't let such a perfect opportunity slip by.
After thinking it over, Mu Chen turned his attention to the people protecting Ning Rongrong.
"Mu Chen, are you from Suotuo City?"
Ning Rongrong began probing into Mu Chen's background.
Mu Chen thought for a moment. "I only arrived in Suotuo City recently. I'm a teacher at Shrek Academy now."
At those words, Ning Rongrong froze completely.
She had assumed Mu Chen was about her age. She never imagined that, despite looking so young, he was already an academy teacher!
And not just any academy—the very Shrek Academy she was about to attend!
After the shock, delight surged through her heart!
She had left the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect all by herself and traveled a thousand miles to Suotuo City because she'd heard of an academy that accepted only monsters, not ordinary people, and wanted to see it for herself.
She hadn't expected that, just after arriving in Suotuo City, she would meet a boy who made her heart flutter—and that he would turn out to be a teacher at Shrek.
Overjoyed by this extraordinary stroke of fate, Ning Rongrong blurted out, "Really? I came all the way to Suotuo City specifically to apply to Shrek Academy! What a coincidence!"
Mu Chen's smile deepened. "Joining Shrek Academy isn't easy. Its admission requirements are extremely strict. Applicants under thirteen must have at least twenty-one ranks of Soul Power."
Ning Rongrong smiled confidently. "That's easy. I'm already at rank twenty-six, and I meet the age requirement too!"
Mu Chen smiled and nodded. "I didn't expect you to have already reached rank twenty-six at such a young age."
Ning Rongrong smiled shyly, then asked curiously, "Mu Chen, you seem about my age. Are you really a teacher at Shrek Academy?"
Mu Chen nodded with a smile. "Of course. I may only be a few years older than you, but my Soul Power cultivation has already reached rank seventy-four—the Soul Saint realm."
"!!!"
A rank seventy-nine Soul Saint!
Those few words crashed through Ning Rongrong's mind like a bolt of thunder!
She stood there completely dumbstruck, forgetting to pick up the dessert in her hand. Her beautiful almond-shaped eyes were wide with utter shock!
A Soul Saint only a few years older than her!
Shock, admiration, and reverence surged through Ning Rongrong all at once. Her initial fondness blossomed into deep admiration, and she didn't doubt for a moment whether Mu Chen was telling the truth.
"Come to think of it..."
"You're about the same age as my three disciples."
Mu Chen smiled at Ning Rongrong.
"Three disciples?"
Ning Rongrong exclaimed in surprise. "You've already started taking disciples?"
Mu Chen asked with a smile, "What? Am I, a Soul Saint, not qualified to take disciples?"
Ning Rongrong waved her hands. "No, no! I'm just surprised. You're only about my age, so I thought only older people took disciples."
Mu Chen took the opportunity to ask, "Would you like to become my fourth disciple?"
Without thinking, Ning Rongrong replied, "I want you to be my boyfriend!"
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