Parting

"You're leaving?" Zhu Zhuqing's eyes filled with panic as she suddenly grabbed the young man's hand.

"Mm." As he spoke, Huo Yuhao pulled his hand free and started toward the door.

"Don't, wait. Can I know your name? And thank you for saving me... Take this back."

Seeing this, Zhu Zhuqing immediately removed the necklace from around her neck and looked at the young man expectantly.

The Light Goddess Butterfly-shaped pendant glittered in her fair, delicate palm. Looking at it, Huo Yuhao saw two identical faces flash before his eyes. His heart felt heavy, and he did not take it.

"You don't need to thank me. If it weren't for me, you wouldn't have encountered enemies of that level."

Huo Yuhao meant it sincerely. Without him, Zhu Zhuqing could have safely arrived here. It was his interference, and the people he had killed, that had drawn out those final two opponents.

"As for this necklace, it was meant for you from the beginning. Even without what happened that day, I would have found a chance to give it to you. It's only happened a little earlier."

"If you don't like it, you can throw it away."

Huo Yuhao spoke calmly. He had decided this on the first day he met Zhu Zhuqing.

Zhu Zhuqing tightened her grip on the necklace. A defensive Soul Tool capable of blocking the power of a Soul King, as precious as a Ten Thousand Year Soul Bone—he was simply giving it away. She could tell that he was not lying. He truly did not care.

Yet he could give something so precious to her so casually, while refusing to tell her his name...

"At the Continental Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament in a year and a half, I'll have a life-or-death duel. Can you come see me one last time?" Zhu Zhuqing lowered her head and spoke in a muffled voice.

"If you encounter a powerful enemy, pour Soul Power into it... With it, you won't lose." Huo Yuhao paused, then left without looking back.

This was Suotuo City, the birthplace of Shrek.

Many of his precious memories were tied to Shrek, but that was the Shrek of ten thousand years later, unrelated to the Shrek of this era.

More importantly, Tang San was there during this period.

He could not guarantee that he would restrain himself after seeing Tang San. If he made a move, Tang Hao would definitely hunt him down. He could fight Tang Hao to the death, but he still had things to do. He could not waste time on meaningless matters.

Pulling aside the curtain, he found himself in the main hall of the apothecary. Huo Yuhao asked the clerk at the counter for a sheet of paper and began writing down the medicinal ingredients he needed. Fortunately, despite the gap of ten thousand years, the writing had barely changed. Otherwise, Huo Yuhao would have had to face the awkward realization that he had become illiterate.

Zhu Zhuqing lifted the curtain and watched the young man's focused expression as he wrote.

She did not know what she was feeling. The corners of her eyes simply reddened little by little.

The clerk packed everything quickly. Throughout the entire process, the young man did not look at her again.

Only after his figure had completely vanished did Zhu Zhuqing wipe the corner of her eye and pull herself together once more.

She was being far too greedy. With this necklace, she would definitely survive her duel with her sister. And someone like him would surely become famous across the continent soon enough. Then, she would definitely see him again.

With that thought, Zhu Zhuqing left the apothecary and headed toward the place she had long since asked about.

By the time she reached the location of Shrek that she had learned of, the line was already very long.

She was not in a hurry. She simply stood quietly at the very back and waited.

The line moved quickly, and before long, she saw a somewhat familiar figure.

The distinctive golden hair and evil eyes, along with his uncommon looks, were unmistakable. Yet compared with that young man, the difference in their bearing was enormous.

He was much taller and sturdier than that young man, but Dai Mubai should have been older than him. She wondered who would be taller in another two years.

As she thought this, she saw Dai Mubai chat with a black-haired young man for a while, only to soon turn his lecherous gaze toward a girl standing ahead in the line.

Zhu Zhuqing's gaze did not follow Dai Mubai. Instead, she focused on the young man speaking with him.

The young man's looks could only be called ordinary, but around his waist was a belt extremely similar to Huo Yuhao's—or rather, exactly the same.

It was not just the belt. Something deeper about him was also very similar to that young man.

Perhaps because she had stared for too long, the young man seemed to sense it and turned to look at her.

Zhu Zhuqing immediately lowered her head and did not meet his gaze.

But soon, she felt a scorching gaze fall upon her. When she looked up, it was indeed him.

Zhu Zhuqing's face turned cold. She did not spare him a single glance, instead turning her attention to the commotion ahead. It was easy to hear the admission requirements.

Zhu Zhuqing walked directly to the front and happened to take the crystal ball from the hands of a girl in a white dress.

The crystal ball soon lit up.

Listening to the praise from the testing teacher and the surrounding onlookers, Zhu Zhuqing remained calm. In the past, she might have felt a trace of pride, but after meeting that young man, she could no longer summon even the slightest pride.

Everything she had experienced along the way told her one thing—Soul Power Level and combat strength were two different matters.

He could fight opponents above his level, while she could not. That was the true gap between them.

As she thought this, Zhu Zhuqing could not help placing a hand over her chest, completely unaware that, in the eyes of others, she looked both pure and alluring.

Dai Mubai's eyes nearly popped out of his head, leaving Tang San beside him clicking his tongue.

Boss Dai really was the same, regardless of past life or present life!

Unfortunately, Zhu Zhuqing was someone who did not know how to cherish what she had!

The final admission test soon became clear.

They had to fight Zhao Wuji, the academy's vice dean and a seventy-sixth-level Soul Saint, for the time it took an incense stick to burn.

As a senior student, Dai Mubai explained Zhao Wuji's martial soul characteristics to the group taking the test.

"Teacher Zhao's martial soul is the Mighty Vajra Bear. His defense is astonishing, and his whole body has no weaknesses. Not only you, even if I joined in, it would be hard for us to fare well against him."

As she listened to Dai Mubai describe Zhao Wuji's strength,

Zhu Zhuqing's expression grew grave. Zhao Wuji was undoubtedly the strongest opponent she had encountered since leaving the Star Luo Empire. Even if this was only an entrance test, she had to face it carefully.

With the support of Ning Rongrong's Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, her speed rose another level.

Tang San and Xiao Wu's coordination was indeed quite good.

Zhu Zhuqing also attacked whenever she found an opening.

But they still failed to land any effective attacks on Zhao Wuji. With only a casual counterattack, Zhao Wuji sent Xiao Wu flying. In the next instant, his palm struck toward Zhu Zhuqing.

Just as that palm was about to hit Zhu Zhuqing, a reddish-gold shield instantly enveloped her. But the gap between Zhao Wuji and her was simply too great. The shield lasted only a second before shattering.

But that brief moment was enough for Zhu Zhuqing to adjust her posture in midair. In that split second, she recalled the young man's words before their parting.

At once, she poured all her remaining Soul Power into the pendant.