Silver Dragon King: Don't Leave, Guard the Door for Me

"I don't know."

Zhao Linchuan spoke with a hint of melancholy in his voice.

"I'm planning to take Xiao Wu and the others to find a Soul Master Academy, then get a few spots in the competition so we can enter this year's Soul Master Tournament."

"What a coincidence! That's what I was planning too!" Ning Rongrong's tone was genuine this time. "I happen to know a Soul Master Academy. How about we go take a look together tomorrow?"

"Mm..."

Zhao Linchuan thought for a moment, using a branch to poke at the campfire. The flames flared up, then settled back down.

After a while, he nodded.

"Fine. We'll go check out the place you mentioned tomorrow."

A long while later, the moon rose high overhead.

After eating and drinking their fill, the four of them returned to their respective tents.

The camp fell quiet. The bonfire was still burning, but it no longer had its earlier vigor. Only a few thick logs continued to smolder slowly.

Late at night.

Everything was silent.

Xiao Wu quietly slipped out of the tent she shared with Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong.

Hunched over, she crept step by step toward Zhao Linchuan's tent.

A moment later, Xiao Wu arrived in front of Zhao Linchuan's tent.

She reached out and gently lifted the flap, but before she could step inside, the sight before her made her body freeze.

Inside the tent, moonlight streamed through the ventilation window overhead, illuminating a silver-white figure rising and falling.

For some reason, a faint, barely perceptible trace of jealousy was on the Silver Dragon King's usually cold face.

She turned her head toward Xiao Wu and said coldly,

"Get out."

"My Sovereign, I..."

"Get out!"

Xiao Wu bit her lip and helplessly released the tent flap. Just as she was about to turn and leave, the Silver Dragon King's icy voice sounded again.

"Don't leave. Guard the door for me."

"You...!"

The moment those words came out, even Xiao Wu could not help but flare up in anger.

Her face turned bright red, and her lips trembled several times. She wanted to say something harsh, to talk back to her.

But in the end, all she could do was say the most pitiful words in the fiercest tone.

"Fine, I'll guard the door! But be gentle with my brother!"

With that, Xiao Wu took a step to the right and squatted down with her back against the tent.

She crossed her arms, rested her chin on her knees, and tilted her head to one side. Her cheeks were puffed up with anger, yet she could not stop muttering to herself inwardly.

The Sovereign... you have to be gentler...

My brother isn't in good health. What if you hurt his waist...

I haven't even done it once...

The next morning.

The thin mist dispersed, and the morning breeze carried the scent of earth and grass across the fields, bringing a refreshing chill.

Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong crawled out of their tent.

"Where's Xiao Wu?" Ning Rongrong looked around the camp, then poked her head into the tent. It was empty. Confused, she asked, "Why isn't she here?"

"I'm over here!" Xiao Wu's voice came from the nearby grass.

She quickly emerged from behind the waist-high grass and walked over to the two of them.

"I woke up early and just went to the bathroom."

"Oh, I see." Ning Rongrong answered casually, not giving it much thought.

Zhu Zhuqing then said gently, "Lin Chuan isn't up yet. Since it's still early, let's make breakfast."

"Sure!" Ning Rongrong laughed cheerfully. "I'll be your helper!"

About half an hour later.

Smoke curled up from the cooking fire, and the fragrance of the food drifted into Zhao Linchuan's tent on the morning breeze.

Xiao Wu set down the spoon she was using to stir the porridge, wiped her hands on her apron, and headed toward Zhao Linchuan's tent.

"You two keep at it. I'll go wake him up!"

"Okay! Hurry back..."

Inside Zhao Linchuan's tent.

Zhao Linchuan lay on his side, one hand tucked beneath his head and the other casually resting on the bedding, sleeping soundly.

Xiao Wu crouched down and reached out to pat Zhao Linchuan's face.

"Wake up, Brother, wake up! The sun's shining on your butt!" She gave him several quick pats. "Get up and eat, Brother!"

"Is it morning already?"

Zhao Linchuan slowly opened his eyes. His pupils were still unfocused, as though he had just been dragged out of a deep dream.

He blinked and tried to sit up, but the instant he exerted himself, a wave of soreness struck his waist, as if two hundred women had wrung him dry all night.

"Ow, my waist..."

Zhao Linchuan sucked in a breath, rubbing his lower back with one hand. His expression was both pained and confused.

He looked down at his waist, then up at Xiao Wu, his brows twisting into a knot.

"What happened to me?"

"Why does my waist hurt again?"

"Maybe it's some kind of aftereffect from before."

Xiao Wu's gaze drifted away as her fingers lightly rubbed against her knee, as though she were hiding something.

"Come on, Brother, get up already. Breakfast is ready."

"I'll head over first."

"Go ahead. I'll rest for a bit."

Zhao Linchuan answered casually, lay back down, and closed his eyes. One hand rested on his forehead while the other continued rubbing his waist.

After Xiao Wu left, Zhao Linchuan circulated his Soul Power and began treating himself.

A bluish-green glow flowed between his palm and his waist. Warm energy seeped into his muscles and bones, soothing the soreness and stiffness inch by inch.

His mind raced.

Did I go too wild with Rongrong yesterday?

But that shouldn't be it. I was completely fine when I came back yesterday.

And I didn't even fire the last shot. By all rights, my bullets should've been fully loaded by this morning...

So why do I feel so "calm" right now...? His brows furrowed tighter and tighter.

A moment later, Zhao Linchuan slowly sat up and rolled his shoulders and neck. Once he confirmed that his waist no longer hurt, he stood, put on his outer robe, and lifted the tent flap to step outside.

"The sun's already this high?" The sunlight made him squint.

"Come on!" Ning Rongrong, who had already laid out the food, sat at the stone table and waved at him. "We're just waiting for you!"

"Coming!"

A long while later.

After breakfast, the four of them followed Ning Rongrong's lead toward Shrek Academy.

Fields stretched endlessly along the way. Blue Silver Grass rolled in the wind, mountains rose and fell in the distance, and streams babbled nearby.

The four chatted and laughed as they walked, stopping now and then. They did not feel tired at all.

Zhao Linchuan had his own plans for entering Shrek.

When you came to Douluo Continent, you could ignore Tang San, but you absolutely could not pass up Yu Xiaogang and Dai Mubai.

If he did not take the opportunity to make things difficult for them, Zhao Linchuan would feel like he had wasted his journey through time.

Of course, that was merely incidental.

Zhao Linchuan's main targets were the Eight Spider Lances and Tang Hao.

Since he had nothing better to do anyway, he could treat it like fishing.