"Burp~"
Xiao Wu let out a satisfied burp and looked at Lin Chen expectantly.
"How was it?"
Lin Chen reached out to wipe the corner of her mouth, then patted her head.
"Great."
"Hehe!"
Having received praise, Xiao Wu grinned like a fool.
"I'll continue massaging Master."
Xiao Wu returned to Lin Chen's side and placed his head on her thighs.
Lin Chen was more than happy to enjoy it.
The carriage sped along the official road, kicking up billowing clouds of dust.
Three days later.
The carriage carrying Lin Chen and Xiao Wu entered Suotuo City.
Suotuo City was far more prosperous than Nuoding City.
The streets bustled with people, while vendors along the roadside called out without pause.
All kinds of shops, restaurants, and hotels stood side by side.
Even the architectural style was clearly a tier above that of Nuoding City.
It felt like going from a small county town to a major city.
I wonder roughly when Zhu Zhuqing will arrive in Suotuo City. If I'd known, I should've checked when Tang San left and what carriage he hired.
Lin Chen silently pondered as he searched for a restaurant.
"Master, this place looks pretty good."
Xiao Wu suddenly stopped and pointed at a restaurant by the street.
Lin Chen took a closer look.
The decor was indeed quite nice, though he had no idea how the food tasted.
Still, when visiting an unfamiliar place, stepping into a bad restaurant was unavoidable.
"Then let's give it a try."
Without thinking much of it, Lin Chen led Xiao Wu inside.
"Right this way, you two!"
A waiter immediately came over and guided them to a window-side table.
"Please take a look and see what you'd like to eat."
The waiter handed over a menu, but Lin Chen passed it to Xiao Wu.
"You order."
As he spoke, his gaze casually drifted toward a table some distance away.
A blond young man and twins. What a coincidence?
Even if Tang San had left on the same day as them, he probably could not afford a carriage of the same grade. The timeline seemed a little off.
Could the system have interfered?
That shouldn't be possible. Could the system have sent Zhu Zhuqing to Suotuo City ahead of time?
Or had she actually arrived in Suotuo City long ago?
That did not seem impossible. What if she had wanted to secretly observe what Dai Mubai had been doing these past few years?
If that was the case, then Lin Chen's script seemed somewhat unreasonable.
"Master, does this look okay?"
Xiao Wu picked several dishes before passing the menu to Lin Chen.
"This is fine."
Lin Chen merely glanced at it before handing the menu to the waiter.
"Please wait a moment, you two!"
The waiter took the menu and turned to leave.
"Master, why aren't we going to any of the academies that sent us admission letters?"
Xiao Wu asked curiously.
Their information had long since been submitted to many intermediate Soul Master Academies. Even quite a few advanced Soul Master Academies had sent them exceptional admission notices.
Yet Lin Chen had chosen none of them and brought her here instead.
Lin Chen smiled. "Do I look like someone who needs an academy's instruction?"
"It does seem like you don't."
Thinking of Lin Chen's situation, Xiao Wu murmured thoughtfully.
Back when they were at Notting Academy, she had never seen Lin Chen attend more than a few classes, nor had she seen him read many books. Yet all kinds of knowledge came to him with ease.
There was even less need to mention cultivation.
Although Xiao Wu did not understand human Spirit Masters very well, she knew how terrifying a twelve-year-old high-level Soul King was. That was beyond what mere talent could explain.
Tang San's level alone was enough to prove that.
Most absurd of all was Lin Chen's terrifying Spirit Ring configuration. Even she, a Spirit Beast, had been shocked by it.
She had seen plenty of human Spirit Masters in the Star Dou Great Forest, but she had never seen one with such a horrifying Spirit Ring configuration.
Xiao Wu asked again, "So does that mean we don't need to attend a Soul Master Academy?"
"Master?"
Xiao Wu waved a hand in front of Lin Chen's eyes, then could not help following his gaze.
A girl with a voluptuous figure stood at the restaurant entrance, staring coldly at a table not far from them.
Seeing the girl's curvaceous figure, Xiao Wu subconsciously looked down at herself.
She did seem to fall a little short.
"Hmph, small is cute too. Besides, I'm not that small."
Lin Chen: "..."
Looking at Xiao Wu's unconvinced expression, Lin Chen was somewhat speechless.
But that was not the important matter right now. The important thing was that Zhu Zhuqing and Dai Mubai had met, but not at the Rose Hotel as the script had called for.
The script seemed to have gone off course, yet somehow, it had not gone completely off course.
Meanwhile.
Dai Mubai felt a chill run down his back. He instinctively turned around and saw Zhu Zhuqing standing at the entrance, glaring fixedly at him.
After all these years apart, Zhu Zhuqing had long since changed greatly.
Yet the stirring from his Martial Soul gave him some idea of her identity.
Her gaze was enough to confirm it as well.
When Dai Mubai thought of the possibility that she was his fiancée, who had traveled thousands of miles to find him, he could not help feeling apprehensive.
After all, his current situation was hardly suitable for meeting her.
Just as Dai Mubai did not know what to do, Zhu Zhuqing suddenly shot forward. At the same time, a glimmer of light emerged from between her brows and spread across her entire body.
As the light spread, a pair of cat ears quietly grew atop her head, while a slender cat tail emerged behind her.
Her fingers flexed, and sharp cat claws sprang out from her fingertips one after another.
In the blink of an eye.
By the time two brilliant yellow Spirit Rings rose beneath her feet.
She had already charged in front of Dai Mubai.
"No... Zhu Qing, listen to my explanation."
At that moment, Dai Mubai was finally certain of her identity.
He did not dare fight back and instead dodged to the side.
He ran while shouting, trying to stop Zhu Zhuqing this way.
Unfortunately, she acted as though she could not hear him.
"Swish, swish, swish..."
Sharp cat claws swept past his clothes, instantly leaving several tears, but they failed to injure the flesh beneath them.
"First Spirit Skill, Hell Stab!"
Zhu Zhuqing decisively poured her Soul Power into her first Spirit Ring.
Seeing her Spirit Ring light up, Dai Mubai's expression abruptly changed.
"Zhu Zhuqing, don't go too far!"
As Dai Mubai shouted furiously, he rapidly retreated, golden light blooming from between his brows.
But...
Zhu Zhuqing's first Spirit Skill was a short-range explosive dash. By the time Dai Mubai tried to use Martial Soul Possession, it was already too late.
Before his Martial Soul Possession was complete, Zhu Zhuqing had already rushed in front of him, her claws slashing mercilessly toward his face.
Frightened, Dai Mubai raised his arms and crossed them to block. He protected his face, but completely offered his arms to Zhu Zhuqing.
"Puff, puff, puff..."
Her claws tore through his clothes, leaving several bone-deep wounds on Dai Mubai's arms.
"You're asking for—"
Before Dai Mubai could finish his curse, his chest took a heavy blow.
"Bang!"
Zhu Zhuqing's strength was not outstanding, but it still forced Dai Mubai to stagger back several steps before he managed to steady himself.
Before you continue