Filthy Thoughts

The boy looked to be around twelve or thirteen. He stood tall and straight, dressed in a fitted red outfit.

He carried an oil-paper parcel containing several pieces of roasted meat, eating as he walked.

When he spotted the three people ahead, the boy paused, swallowed the meat in his mouth, and said, "Just passing through. Carry on."

This person was none other than Nezha.

After his fight with that black bear, the food in his storage Soul Tool had nearly run out. He had gone to the small town outside the Star Dou Forest to replenish his supply of dried rations and cooked food.

Having bought some roasted meat and begun his way back, he happened to pass through here and walk right into a murder scene.

The two assassins swept their scrutinizing gazes over Nezha. The boy was young, the Soul Power fluctuations around him seemed weak, and he was not wearing noble attire.

He looked like an ordinary Soul Master, nothing threatening.

But this was the Star Dou Forest.

For a boy to appear alone in a place like this was unusual in itself.

Besides, he had seen them hunting Zhu Zhuqing. If he went out and talked carelessly, and word reached the Zhu Family of the Star Luo Empire, neither of them would survive.

One of the assassins signaled to his companion, drew his blade, and headed toward Nezha.

Nezha frowned.

"I said I was just passing through. You kill your people, I walk my road. We won't get in each other's way."

The assassin did not stop.

Watching him approach, Nezha sighed.

"Why bother?"

Before the words had even faded, Nezha moved.

His figure vanished from where he stood. In the next instant, he was already in front of the assassin.

The assassin's pupils contracted sharply. Before he could even raise his blade, a palm had struck his chest.

Bang.

The assassin flew backward, the sound of his breastbone shattering clearly audible.

He flipped twice through the air before crashing into a large tree. The trunk snapped in half, and he slid down it to the ground, twitched twice, and went still.

The other assassin's expression changed drastically. He turned and fled.

Nezha did not chase him.

Standing where he was, he flicked his right hand. A streak of red light flew from his sleeve.

The Red Armillary Sash transformed into a crimson dragon, tracing a half arc through the air before instantly catching up to the fleeing assassin and binding him tightly.

The assassin struggled desperately, but the Red Armillary Sash only tightened further. He opened his mouth to shout something, but its end wrapped directly around his neck.

Crack.

The world fell silent.

The Red Armillary Sash released the corpse and flew back into Nezha's hand, automatically winding around his wrist and returning to an inconspicuous strip of red cloth.

Zhu Zhuqing leaned against an ancient tree, staring blankly at the scene before her.

From the moment Nezha attacked to the deaths of the two assassins, only a few breaths had passed.

Clean and decisive. Not a single unnecessary word, not a single unnecessary movement.

Supporting herself against the tree trunk, Zhu Zhuqing straightened up and solemnly bowed to Nezha.

"Thank you for saving my life."

Nezha waved a hand, bent down to pick up the oil-paper parcel that had fallen to the ground, and dusted it off. "No need to thank me. I only killed them to protect myself. If they hadn't come after me, I wouldn't have bothered."

Zhu Zhuqing shook her head. "Whatever your reason, you saved me. That is a fact."

She had fled all the way from the Star Luo Empire to the Heaven Dou Empire. She had not brought much with her to begin with, and there were even fewer things of value.

After thinking for a moment, she said seriously, "I have nothing of value on me right now, but I will repay you generously in the future."

After saying that, Zhu Zhuqing paused and looked at Nezha. "Benefactor, may I ask your name?"

"Jin Zha."

Nezha casually gave a false name. He did not place much trust in strangers, especially since this girl was clearly the target of a pursuit. She was bound to be carrying plenty of trouble.

Nezha looked Zhu Zhuqing over again. "Since you want to repay me, there's no need to wait until later. Repay me now."

Zhu Zhuqing froze. As she watched Nezha's handsome face draw closer and closer, the tips of her ears quietly flushed red. She instinctively stepped back half a pace, her voice tightening. "I... I'm not that kind of person."

Nezha stopped, looking at her with a strange expression.

"What are you thinking? Your mind is full of filth."

He held out one hand toward Zhu Zhuqing and curled his fingers. "I want Gold Soul Coins. Looking at those clothes you're wearing, and that Soul Tool at your waist, you should be pretty rich, right?"

Zhu Zhuqing's face reddened even more.

This time, it was from embarrassment.

"...I am."

"Then pay whatever you think is appropriate." Nezha leaned against the tree trunk and crossed his arms. "How much do you think your life is worth? It should be at least several thousand, maybe tens of thousands of Gold Soul Coins, right?"

Zhu Zhuqing glanced at him. Without hesitation, she began taking Gold Soul Coins out of her Soul Tool.

Clatter, clatter—

Gold Soul Coins poured out like a stream, piling into a small mountain. Their golden radiance reflected off Nezha's face, leaving even his expression frozen.

Nezha looked at the mountain of gold, then at Zhu Zhuqing, then back at the mountain of gold.

He had only said it casually. He had not expected this girl to actually be so wealthy.

Nezha's attitude visibly improved. He set the roasted meat aside, crouched down, and collected all the Gold Soul Coins into his storage Soul Tool.

Then he looked Zhu Zhuqing over once more. Someone who could casually produce so many Gold Soul Coins was definitely not from an ordinary family.

But why would someone so wealthy travel without even a single guard?

"What's your name?"

"My name is Zhu Zhuqing."

Nezha's hand paused as he gathered the Gold Soul Coins.

Zhu Zhuqing.

One of the Shrek Seven Monsters from the original story, the second daughter of the Zhu Family of the Star Luo Empire, Dai Mubai's fiancée. Her martial soul was the Hell Spirit Cat. She would become an agility-attack-type Titled Douluo, as well as the God of Speed.

Those details flashed through Nezha's mind, but his expression did not change as he continued putting away the remaining Gold Soul Coins.

Oh.

So that was all.

So what if she was one of the original story's protagonists? This was a real world. Zhu Zhuqing had nothing to do with him.

He had saved her life and taken her money. They were even.

Watching Nezha collect every last Gold Soul Coin, Zhu Zhuqing hesitated before speaking somewhat awkwardly. "This is all I can take out right now. I need to keep two hundred Gold Soul Coins to register at a Soul Master Academy."

"It's fine." Nezha waved grandly. "You can give me the rest later. I won't be in a hurry even if you take a few years to repay me."

Zhu Zhuqing nodded and took out a token from her Soul Tool, handing it to Nezha.

The front of the token bore the character "Zhu," while the back displayed the emblem of the Zhu Family of the Star Luo Empire.

"This is my identity token. Bring it to find me in the future, and I'll repay you with interest."

Nezha accepted the token and weighed it in his hand. It was quite heavy, and he put it into his Soul Tool as well.

Zhu Zhuqing paused, then spoke again. "I'm planning to register at Shrek Academy. Which Soul Master Academy are you planning to attend?"

"I haven't decided yet."

"Then you..." Zhu Zhuqing hesitated. "Would you like to go to Shrek Academy with me? I heard it's an academy that only accepts monsters."

She felt that Nezha was well suited for it.