Zhu Zhuqing Hosts, Ye Xuan Gifts

"Nothing much, I was just passing by and thought I'd come over to say hello."

Zhu Zhuqing said, sounding somewhat nervous.

Over the past few days, she had actually found herself constantly reminiscing about the time she spent traveling with Ye Xuan.

Although it was brief, it had given her a sense of peace she had never experienced before.

She had been thinking these past few days that if she saw Ye Xuan again, she would have so much to tell him.

But now that she was actually seeing him, she found that she couldn't get a single word out.

However, while she was too shy to speak, Ning Rongrong spoke up for her.

"I even heard Zhuqing talking in her sleep and calling your name yesterday. Why don't you go for a walk with her?"

As soon as Ning Rongrong said this, Zhu Zhuqing's face flushed bright red.

She said indignantly, "I did not! Rongrong, stop spreading rumors about me."

"I'm not spreading rumors. If you don't believe me, ask Xiao Wu if she heard it too," Ning Rongrong said earnestly.

"Is that true?" Zhu Zhuqing asked Xiao Wu.

"Mm-hmm!" Xiao Wu nodded gently.

At this, Zhu Zhuqing's face turned even redder.

Ye Xuan felt a bit awkward himself; he hadn't expected that his escort mission would leave such a deep impression on Zhu Zhuqing.

Ye Xuan then asked Zhu Zhuqing, "How are things at Shrek Academy?"

"They're alright. The teachers at Shrek Academy are quite good, and I've been able to learn a few things there," Zhu Zhuqing replied.

"But if you ask me, following Shrek Academy is probably not as good as following you. The one you just defeated is the strongest teacher in our academy," Ning Rongrong chimed in.

Ye Xuan knew why Ning Rongrong was praising him; it was because this pampered little witch had suffered setbacks at Shrek Academy.

Therefore, seeing him teach Zhao Wuji a lesson had clearly made her very happy.

"I don't understand martial souls, so I can't teach anyone in that regard. The things I know, others wouldn't be able to learn," Ye Xuan said seriously.

"Brother Ye, will you be staying here from now on?" Zhu Zhuqing asked.

"I'll be staying here for a while. I'll head over to your academy in a few days, and then I might leave this place," Ye Xuan said.

"Leave? I heard that Zhuqing hired you to escort her to Soto City. If I pay you to do some things for me, would you be willing?" Ning Rongrong asked.

"Oh? What do you want to hire me for?"

Ye Xuan knew that Ning Rongrong was a little heiress; she certainly wasn't short on money.

But what could she possibly want to hire him for?

To help her teach Zhao Wuji and the others a lesson?

To become the backing for her future arrogance?

That certainly sounded like something she would do.

"Hire you to be my bodyguard until we graduate, how about that? How much money do you want?" Ning Rongrong asked.

"Not interested." Ye Xuan shook his head.

He wasn't bored enough to become a bodyguard.

"..."

Ning Rongrong fell silent; she hadn't expected Ye Xuan to refuse so bluntly.

Fortunately, Zhu Zhuqing spoke up to break the awkwardness. She said to Ye Xuan, "Brother Ye, I'm sorry for bringing you so much trouble because of my situation. Let me treat you to a meal to make amends, what do you think?"

"It wasn't really any trouble, but I don't mind a free meal," Ye Xuan said with a smile.

At this moment, Xiao Wu asked, "Senior, would you mind if we joined you?"

She called Ye Xuan "Senior" for two reasons: first, because of his strength, and second, because she felt that Ye Xuan had rejected Ning Rongrong's job offer because he thought she was being rude.

"Since Zhuqing is the one treating, it's naturally up to her. Besides, don't call me 'Senior.' I'm only two years older than you; you can call me what Zhuqing calls me. Of course, I don't mind if you just call me by my name," Ye Xuan said kindly.

"Since Brother Ye has said so, let's all go together!" Zhu Zhuqing said.

"Brother Ye, are you really only two years older than us?" Xiao Wu asked curiously.

Perhaps to fish for information, she also naturally called him "Brother Ye" to get closer to him.

"What else would I be, some kind of old monster?" Ye Xuan laughed.

Ning Rongrong also jumped into the conversation, saying, "Fourteen years old—is it really possible to reach such a realm of cultivation?"

"There is nothing impossible in this world," Ye Xuan said.

As they chatted back and forth along the way, they soon arrived at a high-end restaurant.

After entering the restaurant and finishing their order, Zhu Zhuqing asked, "Brother Ye, where do you plan to go after you leave here?"

"I don't know, I'll see when the time comes," Ye Xuan said.

He might travel from city to city, or he might head straight for a few cities that interested him.

He had no plans for the future.

If his strength were mediocre, he might have carefully mapped out a path for his own growth.

But given his current power, Ye Xuan was certain that even a Titled Douluo would be no match for him.

He just wasn't sure how he compared to those Limit Douluos.

Possessing such formidable strength, he naturally saw no need to plan for the improvement of his martial soul.

For others, a martial soul was almost the only way to become stronger.

But for him, it was merely an embellishment.

Whether it could be improved or not was of little importance.

"You don't know?"

Zhu Zhuqing had truly experienced Ye Xuan's carefree nature; she had never really met anyone who had absolutely no plans for the future.

Especially not a powerful genius.

Logically, the more powerful a genius was, the stricter they were with their own future planning.

"You all need to cultivate your martial souls and improve yourselves, but I am different. I mostly just want to travel the world and see the scenery," Ye Xuan said.

"Then, Brother Ye, do you not have any family or friends?" Xiao Wu asked curiously.

"Family, friends, you say?"

Ye Xuan hadn't expected to hear such words from Xiao Wu.

He shook his head and said, "No."

"Brother Ye, can I count as your friend?" Zhu Zhuqing asked.

However, as soon as the question left her lips, she felt a twinge of regret.

She was afraid that if Ye Xuan replied with a "no," how would she be able to face him?

Moreover, doing so in front of others would be nothing short of self-inflicted humiliation.

Ye Xuan looked at her, noticing her nervousness and a glimmer of hope.

"Of course you can. You were the first person I met after coming down the mountain. We are fated, so naturally, you are my friend," Ye Xuan said affirmatively.

Upon hearing this, Zhu Zhuqing's tension vanished completely, and a look of joy appeared on her face.

"Thank you, Brother Ye. It is my honor to be your friend," Zhu Zhuqing said solemnly.

"An honor? It is my honor as well," Ye Xuan said.

"Stop with the pleasantries; if you don't eat, the food will get cold," Ning Rongrong said.

Because of her status as the little princess of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, she wouldn't act subserviently even after witnessing Ye Xuan's power.

"She's right, let's eat first!" Ye Xuan said with a chuckle.

Before long, the meal concluded.

After walking out of the restaurant, Ye Xuan asked Zhu Zhuqing, "Do you have any jade pendants or anything similar on you?"

"I do."

As she spoke, Zhu Zhuqing took out a jade pendant she kept close to her and handed it to Ye Xuan.

Ye Xuan reached out to take it, infused a strand of sword energy into it, and said, "If you ever encounter danger in the future, this pendant can serve as your protective talisman."

"Thank you, Brother Ye." Zhu Zhuqing put it away very carefully.

"Um, Brother Ye, could you give me one too?" Ning Rongrong pleaded with a pitiful look in her eyes.

Ye Xuan couldn't help but marvel at the little witch's acting skills.

If she were in his past life, she would definitely have been a natural-born actress.

"Sure, give me a jade pendant." This cost Ye Xuan nothing, so he agreed.

If there ever came a day when Ning Rongrong actually needed to use it, perhaps it might even earn him an extra spirit ring.

Ning Rongrong quickly produced a jade pendant and handed it to Ye Xuan with both hands.

Ye Xuan infused it with a strand of sword energy just the same and returned the pendant to her.

As for Xiao Wu, she did not ask for one.

Afterward, the three of them said their goodbyes and departed.

Once the three had walked far away, a tall man dressed in black and wearing a black hood approached.

"Friend, would you care for a spar?"