Evil Fire Phoenix?

"Ye Feng..."

Zhu Zhuqing silently repeated the name once, then nodded. "I'll remember it."

Just as she was about to rise and leave, Ye Feng's voice suddenly came from behind her.

"Take this."

When Zhu Zhuqing turned around, she saw a small storage ring flying toward her and instinctively reached out to catch it.

"I..."

"If you truly want freedom, don't refuse."

Ye Feng cut her off. "There's something inside that can make you stronger."

Zhu Zhuqing's hand, poised to return it, froze in midair. After gazing deeply at Ye Feng for a moment, she put it away.

"I will repay this kindness."

With that, Zhu Zhuqing turned resolutely and vanished into the woods after a few swift leaps.

Ye Feng remained where he was, watching her figure disappear. He rubbed his chin. "That girl is pretty interesting."

Shui Bing'er stood beside him and said softly, "Aren't you going to ask her to stay? I feel like, in that situation just now, if you had asked her to stay, Zhuqing most likely wouldn't have refused."

Ye Feng smiled and shook his head. "Her background is rather complicated. There are some things she can't run from and has to face herself."

Shui Bing'er wore a strange expression. "How do you know about Zhuqing's background? I don't remember her mentioning it."

At that, a mysterious smile curled Ye Feng's lips. "Secret."

Shui Bing'er's pretty face darkened as she pouted in threat. "Tell me, now!"

"Fine, fine, I'll tell you."

Ye Feng immediately surrendered. "Didn't you find those men in black just now a little strange?"

"Strange?"

Shui Bing'er tilted her head at him. "What was strange about them?"

"Think about it. First, their leader was a Soul King, and he had at least five or six Soul Ancestor-level thugs under him. And Zhu Zhuqing? She was a two-ringed Soul Grandmaster, injured, with more than half her Soul Power depleted."

"If those people had truly wanted to capture her, there was no way she could have escaped."

Shui Bing'er froze, her brows drawing together slightly. "Strange... Now that you put it that way, something really does seem off."

She lowered her head and paced two steps, her fingers unconsciously tapping her chin as her mind raced.

A moment later, she suddenly looked up. "Wait, are you saying Zhuqing... didn't escape at all? She was being 'escorted' out?"

Ye Feng raised an eyebrow, folding his arms as he watched her with interest. "Go on."

"Those dead soldiers were seemingly hunting her down, but they were actually controlling her route."

Shui Bing'er spoke faster. "If that Soul King leader had truly wanted to kill her, he should have succeeded when she was injured."

"That means their goal wasn't to kill her at all, but to drive her somewhere?"

Ye Feng was startled by Bing'er's analysis.

He hadn't expected this girl to be so intelligent. He had merely given her a small hint, yet she had deduced this much.

"Smart."

Ye Feng gave her a thumbs-up. "Let me give you another hint. In the Star Dou Empire, there is a Zhu Family that has married into the imperial Dai Family for generations."

Shui Bing'er fell silent for a moment before suddenly looking up at him. "How do you know so much?"

"A guess."

Ye Feng spread his hands, looking innocent. "I've never even been to the Star Luo Empire. What could I possibly know? I was just blindly guessing."

Shui Bing'er: "...Your guesses are pretty accurate."

"Of course. I've always had a wild imagination."

Ye Feng patted her shoulder and smiled. "Come on, don't overthink it."

Seeing how carefree he looked, Shui Bing'er suddenly sighed. "Aren't you afraid something might happen to her?"

"Afraid of what?"

Ye Feng did not even turn around. "If something really happens to her, then that's fate."

By the time the two returned to the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well, dusk was approaching.

The lingering glow of the setting sun spread over Sunset Forest, dyeing the entire mountain woodland a warm orange.

Only above the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well, red and blue mist lingered year-round, appearing ever more splendid beneath the light.

Snow Empress was still nowhere to be seen, and even the Blue Silver Emperor was gone.

Ye Feng did not think much of it. He dropped onto a rock beside the spring. "I'm exhausted. Home is still the most comfortable."

Shui Bing'er sat across from him. "When do you plan to go to Heaven Dou City?"

"Tomorrow."

Ye Feng stretched lazily. "Now that I have my fourth Soul Ring, I should go test it out."

The moment he finished speaking, a purple figure darted out from the woods.

"Ye Feng! You're finally back!"

Dugu Yan ran over, panting heavily. After standing with her hands on her hips and catching her breath for a few moments, she grabbed Ye Feng's arm. "Do you know the Soul Fighting Arena has practically exploded these past two days?"

Ye Feng staggered from her tug, then steadied himself and raised an eyebrow. "What, did someone come to wreck the place?"

"It's even more ridiculous than that!"

Dugu Yan rolled her eyes, her tone carrying a hint of gloating. "There's a fat guy called Evil Fire Phoenix. He's won five straight matches at the Soul Fighting Arena these past few days and has been unbearably arrogant. Yesterday, he even announced in front of everyone that he wanted to challenge you."

"Evil Fire Phoenix? A fat guy?"

After hearing Dugu Yan's words, Ye Feng raised an eyebrow, and that lecherous round face instantly appeared in his mind.

"Heh."

Ye Feng chuckled, a glint of coldness flashing through his eyes.

"So it's that scrub chicken."

Dugu Yan was stunned. "You know him?"

"I do. We're old acquaintances."

Ye Feng's tone was laced with amusement. "An arrogant fool who thinks that with his half-baked evil fire, he's the greatest phoenix in the world."

Shui Bing'er became interested as well. "That Evil Fire Phoenix... is he strong?"

"Strong?" Ye Feng sneered. "His little bit of evil fire isn't even a fraction of my Karma Fire. But since he wants a beating so badly, I can grant him his wish."

Dugu Yan's eyes lit up as she leaned closer. "So you're going to accept his challenge?"

"Of course."

Ye Feng stood and loosened up his muscles. "A punching bag delivered right to my door is a waste not to hit."

He turned to Dugu Yan. "Do you know when his next Soul Fighting match is?"

Dugu Yan thought for a moment. "I think he has a match tomorrow night, in the solo arena. He announced that he'll fight ten matches in a row, until you show up."

"Ten matches in a row?"

Ye Feng raised an eyebrow. "He's got quite an appetite."

Shui Bing'er frowned. "He's being this arrogant, and the Soul Fighting Arena hasn't done anything?"

"Why would they?"

Dugu Yan spread her hands. "The Soul Fighting Arena would love for someone to stir things up. The more attention it gets, the better ticket sales are. Besides, that fat guy's character may be awful, but he really does have some skill. Those five straight victories weren't fake."

After hearing that, Ye Feng rubbed his chin in thought for a moment, then suddenly grinned. "It's fine. Tomorrow, I'll grind every bit of his pride beneath my feet."

Suotuo City, an inconspicuous inn.

Zhu Zhuqing pushed open the door to her room, locked it behind her, and leaned against the door panel with a long sigh of relief.

She had hurried all the way, avoiding every possible watcher, and had finally found a place to stay before nightfall.

The room was small, with one bed, one table, and one oil lamp, but it was clean enough.

She walked to the table and sat down.

A delicate storage ring slipped from her palm.

It was the one Ye Feng had given her.

After pondering for a moment, Zhu Zhuqing sent her spiritual power into it.

The next second, her entire body froze.