Meeting the Three Dancers Again

"Was he the one who bullied you?" Dugu Yan watched the middle-aged man walk away, her gaze icy. Her master had never spoken harshly to an outsider.

"Should we tell Grandpa? We can poison him and the force behind him. Not a single one of them gets away."

Qingxi rose onto her tiptoes and tapped Dugu Yan on the head. The killing intent in Dugu Yan's eyes vanished at once. She hugged her head and pouted. "What?"

"Why are you so bloodthirsty? They're only a few children. They don't deserve to die."

After all, a few children weren't worth her concern.

But that Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast...

Qingxi's gaze settled on Dugu Yan, her expression unreadable. "What level is your Soul Power now?"

"Level fifty-three. Why?" Dugu Yan asked, puzzled. Her master had never cared about her cultivation before. Why ask all of a sudden?

Ever since she formed her core, she had undergone some fundamental change. Even when she wasn't cultivating, Azure Wood Heart Sense kept circulating on its own, and she had even started absorbing Soul Power.

In three months, she had risen two levels. Even the elders of Heaven Dou Academy were amazed.

"Keep it up. Work hard." Qingxi patted Dugu Yan on the shoulder. Just then, the staff finished recording her bet and returned her Soul Fighting badge.

Seeing this, Dugu Yan's eyes darted about. She took out a bag of Gold Soul Coins and tossed it onto the betting counter. "Thirty thousand. Put it all on Shrek Team to win."

Only a fool would pass up a chance to make money.

Lately, she had been busy cultivating and traveling with everyone, with no time to sell pills for some extra cash.

And she had no idea which bastard had bought so many medicinal ingredients, ransacking the supplies in several cities.

The thought made Dugu Yan grit her teeth in anger.

The two wandered around the Soul Fighting Arena a little longer, then returned to the Imperial Fighting Team's Resting Room. The Imperial Fighting Team's group match was already over.

"There's not a single worthy opponent in all of Suotuo City."

"Tell me about it. I wonder if they can arrange better opponents tomorrow. This is so boring." Osler agreed with Yu Feng, and the group took their seats on the sofa.

"When will my brother and I get to use our ultimate move?" The Shi Brothers sat cross-legged nearby, looking somewhat dejected.

In the past two days' matches, the two brothers had mostly served as meat shields up front. They hadn't even had a chance to show off.

"Come on, ultimate moves are for the very end. You're the trump cards of our Imperial Fighting Team." Yu Feng dashed over to the brothers, acting as if they were the best of pals.

"That's true." The brothers immediately found Yu Feng's reasoning convincing and nodded in agreement. They were the aces, after all. How could they make a spectacular entrance too soon?

"Brother, remember to protect me first in tomorrow's match. Don't let my handsome face get scratched."

Osler picked up an apple from the table and threw it at Yu Feng. "Give me a break. You're a flying Soul Master, and you want two Black Tortoises to protect you? Have some shame."

Even Ye Lingling, who was usually so aloof, couldn't help laughing softly. The group had always been close.

Dugu Yan wore a smile, but when her gaze met Yu Tianheng's, she turned away awkwardly.

Watching the strange atmosphere between the two, Qingxi couldn't help clicking her tongue.

With the match over, there was no reason to linger. After resting for a while, the group left Suotuo City together.

It was the Imperial Fighting Team's second day in Suotuo City. Yu Tianheng offered to treat them, so they had another late-night meal and a little wine before parting ways.

Dugu Yan drank herself under the table. Yu Feng offered to walk Qingxi back to the hotel, but she refused.

A gentle night breeze blew along the road. Qingxi had drunk a little, her cheeks flushed and her head swimming, but she still remembered the way back.

Along the way, she ran into two ill-intentioned men. The Universe Staff shot out and chased them down, beating them black and blue.

By the time she returned to the inn, it was already past midnight. Qingxi leaned on the stair railing as she climbed, found her room in a daze, stumbled inside, and collapsed onto the bed, falling straight asleep.

In her haze, she seemed to see the window blown open by the wind. Moonlight spilled into the room, and a cold presence settled beside the bed.

"Where have you been all these years? You've grown so much. Oh, and you've been drinking?"

"I'll be back soon. Be good..."

The voice was playful and childlike, and an icy touch brushed her face.

It hurt.

Qingxi bolted upright, staring dazedly at the familiar furnishings until she was sure she was in her own room.

Sunlight poured into the room. She rubbed her aching forehead and saw that the clock on the wall had reached three in the afternoon. Her gaze fell on the blanket covering her and the neatly folded coat beside her.

Had the little stick done it?

Qingxi frowned slightly, her mind in a jumble. She could barely remember last night. She rarely drank, so she called out to the Universe Staff in her sea of consciousness.

The staff was soaking in her spirit sea, pretending to be dead and not moving an inch. It seemed to have a guilty conscience.

Qingxi had already guessed it was responsible. She threw off the blanket, got up, and headed to the bathroom to wash up.

She had still been a little groggy, but the moment she saw two pinched marks on her face in the mirror, she woke right up.

"Universe Staff, get out here!" Qingxi summoned it. The stick clung to her sea of consciousness, unwilling to come out, but she forcibly dragged it out anyway.

"Tell me, was it you?" Qingxi bent the Universe Staff into an upside-down U.

The little stick whined twice, then split itself into several pieces and dropped to the floor.

"You're the one who should be feeling guilty! Pinch my face again, and I'll toss you into a latrine and seal you in there for two days." Qingxi let go of the broken pieces in her hand.

In her previous life, the Universe Staff had never developed a mind of its own. It was only after awakening as her Martial Soul in this life that she could occasionally sense its emotions.

The Universe Staff pieced itself back together, nuzzled Qingxi ingratiatingly, then burrowed back into her sea of consciousness to lie there playing dead.

Universe Staff: Your poor little stick... It's not easy.

Qingxi made the marks on her face disappear. After washing up, she changed her clothes and went out.

It was winter, but aside from a slight chill, the climate didn't feel much different from other seasons. With the sun blazing, it was even a little hot.

Qingxi wandered around the city's ironware and metal-ore shops. After searching for a long time, she finally found a few pieces of Mysterious Iron she liked.

She entered another shop that looked busy, with plenty of customers inside. After looking around, she spotted a piece of Mysterious Iron ore in a corner and placed her hand on it. Its purity was over eighty percent, and it was a good weight—the best she had seen in days.

"Boss, how much for this ore?"

"We'll take that ore." A hand with a pink bow-trimmed sleeve settled on the ore.

Qingxi looked up and met a pretty face.

Huh, a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast?

Xiao Wu glared at Qingxi, her expression utterly haughty. Her pretty little face was pink and tender, as if it could be squeezed until water came out. "What are you looking at? You haven't even paid for it yet."

Tang San followed behind Xiao Wu, shaking his head indulgently. When his gaze fell on Qingxi, he froze.

Why was it her?

Tang San nodded politely, his manner humble. "If you don't mind, could you let us have this piece of Mysterious Iron ore? I can trade you something for it."

As he spoke, he took a Godly Zhuge Crossbow out of his Storage Soul Tool. "How about I give you this? It's extremely powerful. Even a Soul Ancestor above level forty would have trouble defending against it. You can use it for protection, as an apology for what happened before."

Knowing that the woman had a Titled Douluo of level ninety-five behind her, Tang San naturally didn't dare provoke her. Better to make a friend instead.

Xiao Wu was a little surprised. Third Brother was actually giving his precious Hidden Weapon to a girl he'd just met.

She eyed Qingxi with suspicion and hostility.

When had Third Brother met this girl?

Qingxi shifted her gaze to the Godly Zhuge Crossbow, her eyes unruffled. She picked up the ore, which weighed a hundred pounds. "Sorry. This ore is important to me too."

Xiao Wu was so furious she practically blew her top. She thought Qingxi was unbearably dull. "Hey! Do you know how precious Third Brother's weapon is? You couldn't buy one even if you had the money. Besides, you haven't paid for that rock yet. Wouldn't it be better to get a Godly Zhuge Crossbow for free?"

Her Third Brother's weapon was naturally the best.

"A crossbow? In the end, it's just an external object." Qingxi glanced coolly at the fuming Xiao Wu, then carried the ore to the counter.

"How much is this?"

"Hey!" Xiao Wu rushed over, about to say something more, but Tang San stopped her.

"Forget it." Tang San shook his head and looked at Qingxi with a hint of approval.

He really liked what she had said just now.

The shopkeeper behind the counter lifted his eyelids, glanced at the ore, then closed them again. "A hundred thousand."

Qingxi took one hundred Gold Soul Coins, each worth a thousand, out of her Storage Bag and placed them on the counter. "Take a look. Is that enough?"

When the shopkeeper saw she was really buying it, he sprang upright. He counted the Gold Soul Coins on the counter, then broke into a bright smile. "That's enough, that's enough. Is there anything else you'd like, miss?"

"No." Qingxi kicked the Mysterious Iron ore into her Storage Bag and turned to leave.

Inside her sea of consciousness, the Universe Staff bounced happily twice. It knew its master was the best.

Watching the girl leave, Xiao Wu turned a reproachful gaze on Tang San. "Third Brother, why did you offer her a Hidden Weapon? I don't like her."

Tang San smiled helplessly and rubbed Xiao Wu's head. "I just wanted to make a friend. Don't overthink it, Xiao Wu."

"Blockhead Third Brother!" Xiao Wu huffed, left Tang San behind, and turned to go.