Tang San Beaten Again, Zhu Zhuqing in Peril

"Level twenty-five?"

"You fought for so long, and this is all you've got?"

Dai Mubai swayed unsteadily, his voice hoarse from drinking.

After Ye Hua had thrown him out of the Rose Hotel, he had been left with a bellyful of Evil Fire and nowhere to vent it.

Then this blind fool had happened to cross his path, competing with him for the last room!

"I'm a level thirty-seven Soul Elder. A level twenty-five Great Soul Master like you thinks you're worthy of fighting me?"

Tang San lay sprawled on the ground. What churned in his chest was not only the taste of blood, but humiliation.

Six years!

He, Tang San, had spent a full six years at Notting Junior Soul Master Academy, yet his soul power had only barely broken through level twenty-five. Even his hidden weapons were all old!

And Ye Hua? Before graduation, he had already become a level thirty-eight Soul Elder!

Damn it! If that bastard hadn't set me up and cut my monthly income in half, I wouldn't have been unable to afford making hidden weapons!

"Cough, cough..." Tang San coughed up a mouthful of bloody phlegm and struggled to prop himself up.

Seeing Dai Mubai's fist about to fall again, he abruptly raised a hand, his voice cracking into a shriek.

"Wait!!!"

"My teacher! My teacher is Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang!"

"He and the dean of Shrek Academy are close friends!"

"If you beat me to death, my teacher won't let you off!"

Dai Mubai's fist stopped in midair, his expression turning strange.

Seeing his hesitation, Tang San acted as though he had seized a lifeline and hurriedly pulled out a recommendation letter from his clothes.

Dai Mubai took the letter and glanced at it. His brow rose as he casually tossed it back onto Tang San's face.

"It really is a recommendation letter for the dean."

"So that beating you took was for nothing."

"What do you mean?" Tang San's heart pounded wildly.

Dai Mubai shot Tang San a glance and shrugged. "I'm a student of Shrek Academy."

"Senior?!" Tang San's mouth twitched furiously. Had he known the recommendation letter worked so well, he should have taken it out from the start!

But he did not dare complain, and could only force a smile. "So you're a senior. Then regarding the academy..."

"Enough, get up." Dai Mubai interrupted, forcibly stuffing Tang San's attempt to ingratiate himself back down his throat.

He stood and dusted off his hands, then tossed the room keycard in front of Tang San.

"You can have this room. Consider it me giving the dean's friend some face."

"The day after tomorrow, get your ass to Shrek and register!"

Though he said that, he still looked down on Tang San from the bottom of his heart.

Level twenty-five was just enough to meet Shrek's enrollment threshold. Once inside, he would still be bottom-of-the-barrel trash!

He shook his head, his mismatched eyes fixed on Tang San's bruised and swollen face as the stench of alcohol spilled from his breath.

Tang San felt as though he had been granted amnesty. He scrambled up to grab the room keycard, ignoring the agonizing pain from his broken bones as he limped toward the room.

Watching his retreating back, Dai Mubai gave a disdainful snort and turned toward the hotel exit.

Dawn was almost here. He needed to return to the academy too. Embarrassing as it was, he still had to ask the dean to treat his injuries.

Soto City's dawn was gray and hazy. Early-rising vendors had already begun setting up their stalls, while the fire beneath a flatbread stand burned brightly, steam dispersing in the morning breeze.

Dai Mubai pulled his coat tighter. His hangover made his temples throb, while the internal injuries Ye Hua had inflicted ached faintly.

"Damn it, I've really had rotten luck today!"

"I didn't get to sleep with the twins, and some junior even stole my room!"

He spat out a mouthful of blood-tinged saliva and was about to head toward Shrek Academy when he suddenly stopped.

Fighting sounds came from an alley at the street corner, mixed with muffled groans and a familiar female voice!

"Help! Help!"

Dai Mubai instantly sobered up a little, but then frowned. "Impossible. She's still in the Star Luo Empire. How could she be here?"

"I must be hearing things!"

With that thought, he turned and left without hesitation, completely failing to notice Zhu Zhuqing's pleading gaze from the corner.

Seeing Dai Mubai clearly hear her cry for help yet still turn and leave, Zhu Zhuqing's heart instantly went cold!

She had even cared enough about Dai Mubai's dignity not to call out his real name, lest these assassins recognize him!

And what happened? He did not care at all.

Of course. What could she possibly expect from a coward who abandoned his fiancée?

"Second Miss Zhu, who are you calling for help?"

"Hahaha, I advise you to stop struggling. Save yourself the suffering!"

"Actually, you can avoid suffering too. As long as you serve us well, we can give you a slightly more dignified death!"

Zhu Zhuqing stared at the black-clothed men surrounding her from every direction, trapping her completely. She gritted her teeth. "In your dreams!!!"

"My sister truly is ruthless. She sent so many clan members to hunt me down, determined to see her little sister dead!"

A black-clothed man covered his face and staggered back two steps, his voice suddenly turning grim. "You refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit. Don't blame us for being merciless, then!"

"Get her!"

Five Netherworld Spirit Cat martial souls erupted at once, their claws flashing coldly in the dawn light as they sealed off every possible escape route.

Zhu Zhuqing leaned against the icy wall, her chest heaving violently as her vision began to blur.

After a night of evasion and bitter fighting, her entire body was already drenched in blood. The excessive blood loss had left her dizzy and faint.

She knew she could not endure this round!

The killers' claws were right before her eyes. She could even smell the stench of blood.

Farewell, Sister. You won...

But I didn't lose. If anyone lost, it was only that coward!

Zhu Zhuqing no longer had enough soul power to maintain her martial soul. It reverted to its original form, and she collapsed heavily to the ground.

Just as she closed her eyes and accepted her fate, the death she expected did not come.

Roar—

A scorching wave of air surged in from the alley entrance,

Accompanied by a low, majestic dragon's roar,

A dark-golden staff shadow swept over,

The Five-Clawed Golden Dragon patterns on the staff blazed in the dawn light!

Boom!!!

The lead assassin was sent flying on the spot, slamming heavily into the wall as the smell of charred flesh spread from his chest.

Before the two beside him could react, a slender figure had already flashed into the alley, her Soft-Bone Rabbit martial soul fully unleashed.

One whip kick struck a temple, and another lashed into the groin!

The two howled in pain, spat out saliva, and fainted on the spot!

The remaining two assassins' pupils shrank as they turned and fled.

But Ye Hua held the Coiling Dragon Staff in one hand and pointed through the air.

Third Soul Skill, Mountain-Severing Bull-Striking!

Soul power pierced across several meters, accurately striking their hearts through the air.

Bang!

The black-clothed men fell facedown to the ground and never rose again.

In less than five breaths, all five assassins had been dealt with!

"Hey, hey, hey, are you okay?"

"Oh no, Brother, she's covered in blood!"

Xiao Wu rushed to Zhu Zhuqing's side and wiped at her with a handkerchief, but it was hardly enough.

Ye Hua also crouched beside Zhu Zhuqing, grasped her wrist, and sent soul power into her body to examine her. He let out a slight sigh of relief.

She was badly injured, but she could still be saved!

"Xiao Wu," Ye Hua said as he released her wrist, "good thing you insisted on dragging me out to the morning market today. Otherwise, she'd be dead."

Xiao Wu scratched her ear. "I don't know why either. Even though last night... I just feel really energetic this morning."

Ye Hua nodded. He knew this was the effect of the Life-and-Death Lock Link. No matter how wild the night had been, they could recover completely by the next day.

"Let's go. We need to get her to a clinic and find a healing-type Soul Master. If she loses any more blood, her life will truly be in danger!" Ye Hua lifted Zhu Zhuqing in his arms, while Xiao Wu walked ahead to clear the way.

But unexpectedly, Zhu Zhuqing suddenly cried out in terror, "No! Don't go to a clinic! I'll die!"