The Disliked Foolish Rabbit

"Leave?" A flicker of light ignited in the depths of Zhu Zhuqing's eyes, only to vanish into darkness a moment later. She shook her head, her entire being radiating a sense of sorrow. "Leave? Where could I possibly go?"

Her fate had been sealed since birth.

"To the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect with me, of course. How about I ask my father to adopt you as his goddaughter? Then we can go to the Heaven Dou Royal Academy together; the teachers there are every bit as good as those at Shrek Academy." Ning Rongrong gently took Zhu Zhuqing's hand, a brilliant smile blooming on her face—a gentle smile capable of dispelling the haze in one's heart.

"Anywhere is better than here, and... I have this feeling... that staying with Tang San and the others will only invite disaster."

Ning Rongrong frowned slightly, speaking with a hint of hesitation. "Actually... I know Qiankun Mingxin. To be precise, I know the family behind Qiankun Mingxin."

"Her older sister, Dugu Yan, is a formidable individual. A genius Soul Master who reached the Soul King rank at only twenty years old, with a soul ring configuration of two purples and three blacks—she is a monster in the truest sense. My father originally wanted me to enter the Heaven Dou Royal Academy to learn from her, but I..." Ning Rongrong offered a wry smile. Compared to Dugu Yan, Shrek Academy didn't even measure up.

"I was too rebellious back then. Besides, the Dugu Family has always been fiercely protective of their own, and Xiao San's personality is one that demands an eye for an eye. I fear... this won't end well."

Behind her stood the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, and the sect had always maintained close ties with the Heaven Dou Imperial Family, just as the Dugu Family did. Furthermore, Senior Dugu had recently emerged as a powerful Douluo; the two clans could absolutely not afford to become enemies.

Her father had sent word previously that a new genius Soul Master had emerged within the Dugu Family, one of her own age, and urged her to reconsider joining the Heaven Dou Royal Academy to build a rapport with them.

Since she often saw Qiankun Mingxin with Dugu Yan, she assumed that girl must be the rising genius of the Dugu Family.

A flash of hesitation crossed Zhu Zhuqing's eyes. "But if we leave now... couldn't we wait until Third Brother and the others are safely out of trouble?"

"Do you really think we'll be able to leave by then?" Ning Rongrong scoffed. Grandmaster was hypocritical to the extreme; she doubted he would let them go so easily when the time came.

"But..." Zhu Zhuqing remained hesitant.

"If I'm not mistaken, Qiankun Mingxin is also at the Heaven Dou Royal Academy." Sensing Zhu Zhuqing's wavering, Ning Rongrong played her final trump card.

She knew Zhuqing was deeply interested in Qiankun Mingxin; ever since that defeat, Zhuqing had attended almost every one of Qiankun's soul duels.

While everyone's attention was fixed on Tang San and the others, she had to take Zhuqing and leave today to avoid any complications.

Light sparked in Zhu Zhuqing's eyes as she said firmly, "Alright!"

If her ending was already set in stone, then she would fight against it with everything she had.

At the very least, she would have lived for herself.

They acted without delay, returning to their room to pack their belongings before slipping out of the courtyard with small bundles on their backs.

"Rongrong? You're back?" Hearing the commotion in the yard, Xiao Wu, supporting her injured body, emerged from Tang San's room.

Her eyes lit up at the sight of them, but when she didn't see Tang San, the light in her eyes gradually dimmed.

"Where's Third Brother? Did you kill that woman?" Xiao Wu asked, disappointed. Heaven knew how much she had wanted to see her beloved Third Brother the moment she woke up.

But with Third Brother's ability, that woman couldn't possibly still be alive.

Ning Rongrong frowned slightly, stepping forward. "Of course we didn't kill her. Not only that, but your Third Brother is about to be killed because of you. As for us, we've already been expelled from Shrek Academy by Grandmaster."

Since he told them to get lost, they were getting lost! She just hoped Grandmaster wouldn't live to regret it.

"What!" A visible panic washed over Xiao Wu's face. "Rongrong, this must be a misunderstanding. Please, wait for Grandmaster to come back before you go."

"No need. For the sake of how long we've known each other, I'll tell you this one last thing: Tang San is in the direction of West Street. Take care of yourself." A trace of pity flickered in Ning Rongrong's eyes. She turned a cold gaze away from Xiao Wu, grabbed Zhu Zhuqing, and walked away.

This parting would be for good.

"Rongrong..." Xiao Wu struggled to chase after them, only to collapse to the ground.

No, Third Brother...

She gritted her teeth, pulled herself up from the ground, and stumbled toward West Street.

It wasn't long before she finally saw a hundred-meter-tall ice wall, along with the figures of Grandmaster, Flender, and the others.

"Third Brother!!!" Xiao Wu let out a shrill cry, then threw herself against the ice wall, sobbing uncontrollably.

At the first light of dawn, Qingxi woke from her slumber. Her eyes took in the unfamiliar room, and her mind remained sluggish for a moment before she closed her eyes again.

That's right, I was kidnapped.

Qingxi sat up, hugging her knees as she watched the boy who was still meditating with a sense of bewilderment.

There seemed to be something different about this silver-haired boy.

Something she had never felt in two lifetimes...

"What is it?" Guang Ling opened one eye, a smile in his gaze, and reached out to ruffle the girl's hair.

Qingxi shook her head, still watching him with a dazed expression.

Her black-and-white eyes were clear yet slightly unfocused. Guang Ling looked away unnaturally and rolled off the bed. "Time to get up. This Seat will take you to get some breakfast."

Qingxi nodded and climbed out of bed as well. Disposable toiletries had been placed in the bathroom.

She washed her face and brushed her teeth, then picked up a comb from the vanity to do her hair.

Guang Ling took the comb from her hand, looked at the little girl with the messy hair in the mirror, and teased, "It's like a bird's nest. This Seat will comb it for you."

Qingxi did not refuse.

The room was quiet, save for the boy's gentle movements as he combed her hair. Qingxi looked at herself in the mirror, then at the earnest boy.

Her heart gave a slight flutter, and her eyes grew even more bewildered.

Such a strange, peculiar feeling.

"Big Brother..."

"Hmm?" Guang Ling raised his eyes to look at the girl in the mirror, then took a Tassel Hairpin from his soul storage device and fastened it behind her head.

"Remember this old man's name, Guang Ling. The 'Guang' of light, the 'Ling' of a feather, you little brat." Guang Ling pinched the soft flesh of her cheek, finding the texture quite pleasant.

"Understood."

The two stepped out of the room and into the corridors of Spirit Hall. Upon seeing Guang Ling, the surrounding patrolling soldiers all bowed respectfully.

Once they exited Spirit Hall, they were met with the bustling, crowded streets. Guang Ling occasionally bought some treats to hand to Qingxi, and in the blink of an eye, the two arrived at West Street, where the hundred-meter ice wall came into view at once.

"Where are we going?" Qingxi followed behind Guang Ling into a restaurant. As they went up to the second floor, they faintly heard the wailing of a woman, which sounded somewhat familiar.

The restaurant was only a meter or two away from the ice wall. Guang Ling pulled Qingxi to a seat by the window, and a waiter nearby handed them a menu.

"This, this, and this—bring us one of every delicious dish you have in the shop." Guang Ling had ordered almost everything on the menu.

The waiter took the menu with a friendly smile, "Please wait a moment, honored guests."

On West Street, Flender had ordered his men to set up two tall, long wooden boards to shield Tang San and the others inside, while Xiao Wu was currently sprawled on the ground, grieving bitterly behind the boards.

It was unknown how long she had been crying; her voice had already turned hoarse.

On the wide street, because of the ice wall and the ridiculous antics of Flender and his group, a large crowd had already gathered. There were even soldiers dressed in golden riding gear attempting to negotiate.

Qingxi's gaze landed on Xiao Wu, her brows tightly locked. She looked down on this hundred-thousand-year soul beast more and more; she wasn't even as useful as someone digging for wild vegetables.

A hundred thousand years, and this is all she learned?

Guang Ling followed Qingxi's line of sight, his eyes filled with disdain. "That hundred-thousand-year soul beast—do you want this old man to catch her and turn her into a Soul Ring for you?"

"No need." Qingxi shook her head, making no effort to hide her disgust for the rabbit. "Such a stupid rabbit; I have no interest in her. Let her fend for herself."