Zhu Zhuqing's Shock! Level 44 at Fourteen?

"Um... that's not necessary, is it?" Zhu Zhuqing bit her lip and refused.

"I can still walk on my own."

Seeing her stubbornness, Ning Chen was speechless. This woman would rather suffer than lose face.

"Your soul power hasn't recovered yet, and you're still carrying old injuries." Ning Chen mercilessly exposed her.

"It's the middle of the night, and the Star Dou Great Forest is full of danger. If we run into a powerful soul beast on the way, what are you going to use to run? Those long legs of yours?"

Ning Chen's words made Zhu Zhuqing's face turn pale, then flushed. She knew he was telling the truth.

In her current state, let alone facing high-level soul beasts, she might not even be able to defeat a Wind Baboon that was only a few hundred years old.

After weighing the pros and cons, Zhu Zhuqing finally compromised.

"Then... all right."

She carefully walked over to the sword, extended her fair hand, and placed it in Ning Chen's palm.

Ning Chen's hand was large, and his palm was warm. He grasped Zhu Zhuqing's hand and gave it a slight pull.

Zhu Zhuqing only felt her body lighten before she was pulled onto the flying sword.

Due to the momentum, she crashed directly into Ning Chen's broad back.

"Little kitty, hold steady," Ning Chen reminded her.

Then he activated the soul power within his body. The Emperor-Slaying Sword let out a sword cry, transformed into a dark crimson streak of light, and shot straight into the night sky.

The night wind howled past her ears.

Standing behind Ning Chen, Zhu Zhuqing tightly clutched his clothes with both hands.

The flying sword beneath their feet was incredibly fast, and the scenery around them rapidly receded.

In all her life, this was her first time experiencing what it felt like to fly through the sky.

Although she was somewhat afraid, she felt even more curiosity and wonder.

Looking at the broad back of the man before her, countless thoughts ran through her mind.

Who exactly was this man? Not only was he incredibly powerful, but he had recognized her identity at a glance earlier. That definitely wasn't a coincidence.

As they flew, Zhu Zhuqing could no longer suppress the curiosity in her heart.

"Hey!" Zhu Zhuqing shouted loudly against the wind.

"I still don't know your name. Can you tell me?"

Ning Chen stood at the front. Hearing Zhu Zhuqing's question, a mischievous smile appeared on his face.

He slightly turned his head and teased loudly:

"Oh? Why are you suddenly asking that? Did I make you feel so good in the river today that you want to find out my name so you can make me take responsibility later?"

Hearing this, Zhu Zhuqing's cheeks, which had been chilled by the night wind, instantly burned hot.

This bastard never said a single decent thing!

"You... you bastard!" Zhu Zhuqing cursed in embarrassment and anger.

"Tell me or don't! Next time we meet, I'll just call you a pervert and see whether you like it!"

She was so angry that she gritted her teeth. She had kindly asked for his name, yet he actually used what happened in the river to tease her again.

What a complete scoundrel!

Hearing the curses from behind him, Ning Chen couldn't help laughing.

This little wildcat got her fur up from just a little teasing.

"Look at you, I was only joking," Ning Chen said casually.

"You really are a little kitty who loves getting her fur up."

"Hmph, you're the little kitty!"

Zhu Zhuqing retorted, unconsciously tightening her grip before viciously pinching Ning Chen's waist.

Ning Chen sucked in a breath. This woman really fought dirty.

"All right, all right, I won't tease you anymore." Ning Chen put aside his joking manner and said seriously:

"My name is Ning Chen."

"Ning Chen?" Zhu Zhuqing quietly repeated the name under her breath.

She racked her brains, but among the major powers of the Star Luo Empire and Heaven Dou Empire, there seemed to be no family with the surname Ning apart from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

But the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had support-type martial souls. It was impossible for them to produce such a monstrous assault-type martial soul master.

"Hmph, that name sounds awful." Zhu Zhuqing curled her lips, deliberately taking a jab at him.

Ning Chen did not mind. He knew this woman was getting revenge for his earlier teasing.

After remaining silent for a while, Zhu Zhuqing recalled the battle from earlier, and the doubts in her heart grew even deeper.

"By the way, Ning Chen," Zhu Zhuqing asked doubtfully.

"What exactly is that armor martial soul of yours? I've never seen a martial soul like it. And what's with the Evil Fire you mentioned?"

Ning Chen controlled the flying sword as it flew steadily and answered casually:

"My martial soul is called the Scorching Heaven Evil Emperor Armor. Although it possesses offense, defense, and speed, making it a top-tier assault-type martial soul, it has an innate flaw."

"An innate flaw?" Zhu Zhuqing froze for a moment.

"That's right," Ning Chen continued.

"Because of that flaw, it comes with Evil Fire. This Evil Fire is beyond my control and can erupt at any time."

Zhu Zhuqing recalled what had happened in the river and immediately understood.

"Could that Evil Fire have been bred by your martial soul's innate flaw?" Zhu Zhuqing asked.

"Yes." Ning Chen nodded.

"When the Evil Fire acts up, my entire body burns unbearably, and it can make me lose my reason."

"So what happened in the river today, I really wasn't trying to take advantage of you."

After hearing that, Zhu Zhuqing blushed again.

"However, the Evil Fire isn't entirely bad." Ning Chen changed the subject and continued.

"Although every outbreak of Evil Fire is quite painful and must be suppressed with external help or extremely strong willpower, it can also be used to temper the body and spiritual power during the process."

Ning Chen paused, and a trace of confidence entered his voice.

"That's why my strength has improved so quickly. It's also one of the reasons why, at fourteen, my soul power has already reached level forty-four."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Zhuqing was completely stunned.

Fourteen years old, level forty-four!

She was overwhelmed with shock. She had always thought that reaching level twenty-seven at twelve was already quite impressive.

That so-called eldest prince of the Star Luo Empire, Davis, was nowhere near Ning Chen's strength even at fourteen.

Yet this guy named Ning Chen possessed a cultivation speed that was simply unheard of and unseen!

A monster! He was a complete and utter monster!

As Zhu Zhuqing looked at Ning Chen's back, the expression in her eyes grew complicated.

She had always believed that the strong were supreme. In order to escape her family's fate, she had cultivated desperately.

But seeing Ning Chen now, she finally understood that there was always someone stronger.

After that, the two of them flew through the night sky for an unknown amount of time.

When the horizon began to glow pale with dawn, Ning Chen guided the Emperor-Slaying Sword down slowly at the edge of a small town outside the Star Dou Great Forest.

This place was several dozen li from the Star Dou Great Forest. Many soul masters who hunted soul beasts usually stopped here to restock their supplies.

Dawn had just broken, and there were not many people moving about in the town yet.

Ning Chen put away the Emperor-Slaying Sword and turned to Zhu Zhuqing.

"We'll part ways here," Ning Chen said calmly.

"I still have some things to do."

Zhu Zhuqing froze, and an inexplicable sense of loss suddenly rose in her heart.

Their time together along the way had caused her to develop a strange sense of reliance on Ning Chen.

Now that they were suddenly parting, she actually found herself somewhat unaccustomed to it.

Looking toward the town, Ning Chen silently considered his plan.

It had been nearly two days since he ran away from Spirit Hall.

Based on his understanding of his bargain-bin teacher, Bibi Dong, she had definitely discovered that he had slipped away by now. She might have even sent people to capture him already.

He had to hurry. The immortal herbs at the Ice Fire Yin Yang Eyes and the Blue Silver Emperor's Right Leg Bone—he could not afford to let a single one of these opportunities slip away!