Parting

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

"Mm." Huo Yuhao pulled his hand free as he spoke, then lifted his foot and headed outside.

"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.

In her fair, delicate palm, the Light Goddess Butterfly-shaped pendant sparkled. Looking at it, two identical faces flashed through Huo Yuhao's mind, weighing heavily on his heart. He did not take it.

"You don't need to thank me. If not for me, you wouldn't have encountered enemies of that level." Huo Yuhao spoke sincerely. Without him, Zhu Zhuqing could have safely arrived here. It was only because he had interfered and killed those groups that the final two had been drawn out.

"As for this necklace, it was meant for you in the first place. Even without what happened that day, I would have found an opportunity to give it to you. It's only happened sooner than planned."

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

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

Hearing that, Zhu Zhuqing clenched the necklace in her hand. A defensive soul tool capable of blocking the power of a Soul King, as rare as a ten-thousand-year soul bone—he was simply giving it away. She could tell he was not lying. He truly did not care.

Yet he would give such a precious thing to her without hesitation, but he was unwilling to tell her his name...

"At the Continental Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament a year and a half from now, 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 meet a powerful enemy, channel soul power into it... With it, you won't lose." Huo Yuhao paused, then left without looking back.

This was Soto City, the birthplace of Shrek.

Many of his precious memories were connected to Shrek, but that was Shrek ten thousand years in the future. It had nothing to do with the Shrek of this era.

Besides, Tang San was there at this point in time.

He could not guarantee that he would be able to restrain himself upon seeing Tang San. Once 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 his time on meaningless matters.

Pulling aside the curtain, he found himself in the main hall of a pharmacy. Huo Yuhao asked the clerk at the counter for a sheet of paper and began writing down the medicinal herbs he needed. Fortunately, despite the gap of ten thousand years, the writing had not changed much. Otherwise, Huo Yuhao would have had to face the awkward situation of becoming 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. Her eyes merely reddened little by little.

The clerk packed everything quickly. Throughout the entire process, the young man never looked at her again.

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

She really was being 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. When that happened, she would certainly see him again.

Thinking this, Zhu Zhuqing left the pharmacy and headed toward the place she had already asked about.

By the time she reached the location of Shrek 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 that somewhat familiar figure.

The distinctive golden hair and evil eyes, as well as his rare good looks, stood out. Yet compared to that young man, the gap in their bearing was far too great.

He was much taller and sturdier than that young man, but Dai Mubai should have been older. 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 a lecherous gaze toward a girl standing ahead in line.

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

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

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

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

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

But soon, she felt a scorching stare settle on her. When she looked up, it was indeed him.

Zhu Zhuqing kept a cold expression and did not spare him a single glance. Instead, she focused on the commotion ahead and easily heard the admission requirements.

Zhu Zhuqing walked straight to the front, just in time to take the crystal ball from the hands of a girl in a white dress.

The crystal ball quickly lit up.

Listening to the praise from the testing teacher and the onlookers, Zhu Zhuqing felt completely 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 had told her one thing—soul power rank and combat strength were two entirely different things.

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

With that thought, Zhu Zhuqing could not help placing a hand over her chest, completely unaware that to others, she looked both pure and alluring.

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

Boss Dai really is the same, no matter in this life or the last!

What a pity Zhu Zhuqing doesn't know how to cherish what she has!

The final entrance examination was soon made clear.

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

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

"Teacher Zhao's martial soul is the Mighty Vajra Bear. His defense is astonishing, and his entire body has no weak points. Not only you, even if I joined in, it would still be hard for us to come out unscathed under his hands."

As she listened to Dai Mubai explain Zhao Wuji's strengths, Zhu Zhuqing's expression grew solemn. Zhao Wuji was undoubtedly the strongest opponent she had encountered since leaving the Star Luo Empire. Even if this was only an entrance examination, she had to face it carefully.

With Ning Rongrong's Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda supporting her, her speed rose to another level.

Tang San and Xiao Wu worked well together.

Zhu Zhuqing also attacked whenever she found an opening.

But they still failed to land an effective blow on Zhao Wuji. With a casual counterattack, Zhao Wuji sent Xiao Wu flying. The next instant, Zhao Wuji's palm struck toward Zhu Zhuqing.

Just as that palm was about to hit Zhu Zhuqing, a crimson-gold barrier instantly enveloped her. But the difference in strength between Zhao Wuji and her was simply too vast. The barrier shattered after lasting only a second.

Yet that brief moment was enough for Zhu Zhuqing to adjust her posture in midair. In that flash of lightning, she remembered the young man's words before they parted.

She immediately poured all of her remaining soul power into the pendant.