The Rabbit Everyone Looked Down On

"Leave?" A glimmer lit Zhu Zhuqing's eyes, then quickly faded. She shook her head, sorrow radiating from her. "Leave for where?"

Her fate had been decided from the moment she was born.

"Of course, you'll come back to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect with me. How about I ask Father to adopt you as his goddaughter? Then we can go to 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 and smiled brightly—a warm smile that could dispel the gloom in her heart.

"Anywhere would be better than here. Besides... I have a feeling that sticking with Tang San and the others is just asking for trouble."

Ning Rongrong furrowed her brows, hesitating before she spoke. "Actually... I know Qiankun Mingxin. More precisely, I know her family."

"Her older sister, Dugu Yan, is incredible. She's a twenty-year-old Soul King prodigy, with a Soul Ring Configuration of two purple and three black. She's a real monster. Father wanted me to study under her at Heaven Dou Royal Academy from the start, but I..." Ning Rongrong gave a bitter smile. Compared with Dugu Yan, Shrek Academy didn't stand a chance.

"I was too rebellious back then. And the Dugu Family has always been fiercely protective of its own. Xiao San holds grudges and always gets even, so I'm afraid... this won't end peacefully."

She had the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect behind her, and the sect had always maintained close ties with both the Dugu Family and the Heaven Dou Imperial Family. Senior Dugu was also a powerful Douluo who had risen to prominence in recent years. The two families absolutely couldn't afford to fall out.

Father had sent word earlier that another talented Soul Master had risen to prominence in the Dugu Family, a girl her age. He had urged her to reconsider joining Heaven Dou Royal Academy and make friends with her.

And she often saw Qiankun Mingxin with Dugu Yan, so she figured Qiankun Mingxin must be the new prodigy from the Dugu Family.

A flicker of hesitation crossed Zhu Zhuqing's eyes. "But if we leave now... shouldn't we wait until Third Brother and the others are out of danger?"

"Do you think we'll still be able to leave then?" Ning Rongrong scoffed. Grandmaster was so hypocritical; he probably wouldn't let them go without a fight.

"But..." Zhu Zhuqing still seemed unsure.

"If I'm not mistaken, Qiankun Mingxin is at Heaven Dou Royal Academy too." Seeing Zhu Zhuqing waver, Ning Rongrong played another trump card.

She knew Zhuqing was fascinated by Qiankun Mingxin. Ever since that defeat, Zhuqing had watched just about every one of Qiankun's Soul Fighting matches.

With everyone focused on Tang San and the others, she had to get Zhuqing out of here today before things got any more complicated.

A light appeared in Zhu Zhuqing's eyes. She nodded firmly. "All right!"

If her fate was already set, then she'd fight with all her strength to resist it.

At least she'd lived for herself.

They wasted no time. The two went back to their room, packed their belongings, and left the courtyard with small bundles on their backs.

"Rongrong, you're back?" Hearing movement in the courtyard, Xiao Wu emerged from Tang San's room, supporting herself despite her injuries.

Her face brightened when she saw the two of them, but Tang San was nowhere in sight. The light in her eyes slowly dimmed.

"Where's Third Brother? Did you kill that woman?" Xiao Wu asked, sounding disappointed. Heaven knew how badly she'd wanted to wake up and see the Third Brother she'd been thinking about so much.

But with Third Brother's abilities, there was no way that woman was still alive.

Ning Rongrong frowned and stepped forward. "Of course we didn't kill her. And now you've gotten your Third Brother killed, too. As for us, Grandmaster has already kicked us out of Shrek Academy."

If he'd told them to get lost, then they'd get lost! Grandmaster had better not regret it.

"What!" Panic showed plainly on Xiao Wu's face. "Rongrong, this has to be a misunderstanding. Could you wait until Grandmaster gets back before you leave?"

"No need. Since we've known each other for so long, I'll leave you with one last thing: Tang San is in the direction of West Street. Take care." A flicker of reluctance crossed Ning Rongrong's eyes. She turned away from Xiao Wu and led Zhu Zhuqing off.

After this parting, they would never meet again.

"Rongrong..." Xiao Wu struggled to chase after them, but fell to the ground.

No, Third Brother...

She gritted her teeth, pushed herself up, and staggered toward West Street.

After who knew how long, she finally saw a hundred-meter-long ice wall, along with Grandmaster, Flender, and the others.

"Third Brother!!!" Xiao Wu let out a heart-wrenching cry, then threw herself against the ice wall and wept uncontrollably.

At dawn, Qingxi woke from her sleep. A strange room greeted her. Her mind stalled for a moment, then she closed her eyes again.

Right, she'd been kidnapped.

Qingxi sat up, hugged her knees, and stared in confusion at the young man who was still cultivating.

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

Something she'd never felt in either of her two lifetimes...

"What's wrong?" Guang Ling opened one eye, smiling, and reached over to ruffle the girl's hair.

Qingxi shook her head, still looking at him in confusion.

Her dark-and-light eyes were clear, yet somehow distant. Guang Ling turned his gaze away, feeling awkward, and got out of bed. "Time to get up. I'll take you to breakfast."

Qingxi nodded and got out of bed too. Disposable toiletries had been laid out 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 and looked at the little girl with her hair sticking out in every direction in the mirror. "You look like a bird's nest. I'll do your hair, little girl."

Qingxi didn't refuse.

The room was quiet, with only the boy's gentle strokes as he combed her hair. Qingxi looked at herself in the mirror, and at the boy concentrating on the task.

Her heart gave a faint flutter, and the confusion in her eyes deepened.

Such a strange feeling.

"Big brother..."

"Hmm?" Guang Ling glanced at the girl in the mirror, then took a Tassel Hairpin from his Storage Soul Tool and tucked it into the back of her hair.

"Remember my name. Guang Ling. Guang as in light, Ling as in feather. You little brat." Guang Ling pinched the soft flesh of her cheek. It felt great.

"Got it."

When they left the room, they found themselves in a corridor of Spirit Hall. The patrol soldiers nearby all bowed respectfully when they saw Guang Ling.

Outside Spirit Hall, the streets were bustling. Guang Ling bought Qingxi snacks now and then, and before long they arrived at West Street, where the hundred-meter ice wall stood in plain view.

"Where are we going?" Qingxi followed Guang Ling into a restaurant. They went up to the second floor, where the wailing of a woman drifted faintly to them. It sounded familiar.

The restaurant stood barely a meter or two from the ice wall. Guang Ling led Qingxi to a seat by the window, and a server brought them a menu.

"This, this, and this. Bring us one of everything delicious you've got." Guang Ling practically ordered everything on the menu.

The server took the menu with a friendly smile. "Please wait a moment, esteemed guests."

On West Street, Flender had workers put up two tall, long wooden boards to block the view of Tang San and the other two. Xiao Wu was now sprawled on the ground, heartbroken behind the boards...

No one knew how long she'd been crying. Her voice had gone hoarse.

Because of the ice wall and Flender and the others' outrageous antics, the wide street had drawn a large crowd. Soldiers in gold riding uniforms were also negotiating with them.

Qingxi's gaze fell on Xiao Wu. Her brows drew together; she looked down on this Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast more and more. She wasn't even as good as someone who dug wild vegetables.

A hundred thousand years, and this was all she'd learned?

Guang Ling followed Qingxi's gaze, his expression scornful. "Want me to catch that Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast and make her into your Soul Ring?"

"No need." Qingxi shook her head, not bothering to hide her disdain for the rabbit. "She's too stupid. I don't want her. Let her fend for herself."