Chapter 8: Not Even Married Yet, and Already Being Cuckolded?

"Thud, thud, thud!"

Dai Mubai staggered back seven or eight steps before steadying himself. His face alternated between green and white, his arms numb, cold sweat soaking through the clothes on his back.

Li Yusong withdrew his staff, gave Ning Ze a long look, cleared his throat, and loudly announced:

"The combat assessment is over. Young friend Ning Ze's combat ability is beyond doubt and fully meets Shrek Academy's standards! I hereby declare that you have officially passed the assessment and are admitted!"

The entire crowd erupted.

They looked at Ning Ze as though he were a monster wearing human skin.

Others might have accepted it, but Ning Rongrong refused to.

The little devil stormed forward furiously, grabbed Ning Ze's sleeve, and pointed at Li Yusong's nose.

"Hey! Old man! Aren't you being way too biased?! My Ning Ze was about to knock that big white cat flat! Why did you suddenly stop the fight?! This isn't fair!"

Li Yusong was left speechless by her retort and stroked his beard.

Ning Ze rubbed Ning Rongrong's head as his two purple soul rings dissolved into specks of light and returned to his body.

"Alright, Rongrong. It was only an entrance test, so there was no need to take things too far. Getting into the academy was enough. Why bother deciding who won or lost?"

Ning Rongrong huffed and grudgingly reined in her temper.

Dai Mubai hurriedly dismissed his White Tiger Vajra Transformation, forced down the bitterness in his chest, and squeezed out a smile as he cupped his hands.

"Ahem... Brother Ning Ze is right! It was just a spar, so we should stop at the right point! Brother Ning Ze's strength is unfathomable, and I, Dai, truly admire such bearing!"

Yet his trembling fingers and frozen smile could not hide his embarrassment.

Just as the atmosphere began to ease, a cool female voice came from behind the crowd.

"Excuse me, is this where one registers for Shrek Academy?"

Everyone turned toward the voice.

At the edge of the crowd stood a young girl in tight black leather, her short hair reaching her shoulders.

Her figure was fiery and alluring, but her face was as cold as frost, keeping strangers at a distance.

It was Zhu Zhuqing.

The sunlight shone brilliantly.

The moment her cool words fell, everyone's gaze gathered on the black-clad figure at the village entrance.

She was a girl of twelve or thirteen, black leather wrapping around a graceful figure far more developed than those of her peers.

Her shoulder-length hair was neat and sharp.

Her features were exquisite, yet the chill surrounding her pushed everyone far away.

The instant Dai Mubai saw her face, his entire body stiffened. He rubbed his eyes.

"She looks so familiar... Where have I seen her before?"

His mismatched eyes swept repeatedly over the girl, filled with amazement, confusion, and an uncontrollable heat.

Feeling that clingy gaze fixed on her, Zhu Zhuqing frowned, making no attempt to conceal the disgust in her eyes.

But when her gaze passed Dai Mubai and landed on the white-clad youth standing with his hands behind his back, her tense expression relaxed slightly, and a ripple stirred in her eyes.

It was Ning Ze!

He had indeed come to Shrek Academy too!

Ning Rongrong did not miss that glance.

"Hmph!"

Ning Rongrong immediately wrapped her arms tightly around Ning Ze's arm and pressed herself against him. She raised her chin and glared viciously at Zhu Zhuqing—her look said it all:

What are you looking at?! He belongs to me! You thieving cat, don't even think about taking another look!

Seeing her act so possessive, Zhu Zhuqing found it a little amusing and a little helpless.

She withdrew her gaze and walked straight to the wooden table.

"Sir, I'm here to register."

Li Yusong was still reeling from Ning Ze's punch. Hearing that someone else had come to register, he steadied himself and grasped Zhu Zhuqing's wrist.

"Bone age: twelve. Qualified. Release your martial soul."

Zhu Zhuqing nodded.

"Buzz—!"

An aura of the nether spread out.

A pair of black cat ears emerged above her head. One of her eyes turned black and the other green, while inch-long cat claws sprang from her fingers, gleaming with cold light.

Two yellow soul rings rose beneath her feet.

A level twenty-seven Soul Grandmaster!

"Hell Spirit Cat?!"

Dai Mubai froze. His pupils contracted, and his voice cracked.

"You... you're Zhu Zhuqing?!"

The Evil-Eyed White Tiger and the Hell Spirit Cat had intermarried for generations in the Star Luo Empire. They were also the only two components of the Martial Soul Fusion Skill, Hell White Tiger.

In all the land, the Nether Duke's Mansion alone possessed a top-tier Hell Spirit Cat.

Dai Mubai was both shocked and delighted, stepping forward to greet her.

But Zhu Zhuqing did not even raise her eyelids, as if he did not exist.

She had recognized this "fiancé" the moment she entered the village.

Thinking of how he had fled the Star Luo Empire like a stray dog, leaving her behind alone, then spent his days indulging in pleasure after arriving in Suotuo City, Zhu Zhuqing felt nothing but contempt.

For someone like him, even saying one extra word felt filthy.

Dai Mubai's outstretched hand froze in midair, his face flushing red and then turning pale.

Li Yusong gave a dry cough and handed her a wooden pass.

"Twelve years old, level twenty-seven agility-attack Soul Grandmaster, top-tier martial soul! Qualified. You are admitted!"

"Thank you, sir."

Zhu Zhuqing withdrew her martial soul, accepted the pass, and nodded.

Dai Mubai had not expected Zhu Zhuqing to ignore him.

She turned around, passed through the crowd, and walked straight toward Ning Ze.

Her voice was clear and cool, but gentler than before. "Young Master Ning, what a coincidence. We meet again."

Ning Ze smiled, his voice gentle.

"You're too polite, Miss Zhu. Now that we've both entered the academy, we'll be classmates from now on. Calling me 'Young Master Ning' is far too formal. If you don't mind, just call me Ning Ze."

At such close range, the warm scent lingering around Ning Ze drifted straight into her nose.

Zhu Zhuqing's ears visibly turned red.

For the first time, the decisive and ruthless cat girl lowered her head in flustered embarrassment. She tightly clenched the corner of her clothes, her voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz.

"Mm... alright, Ning Ze."

The new students watching were all dumbfounded.

Dai Mubai trembled with rage, his fists clenched so tightly that his nails dug into his palms.

Why?!

What the hell was this supposed to mean?!

It was one thing for that little princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Ning Rongrong, to throw herself at Ning Ze.

But why was even Zhu Zhuqing—his betrothed fiancée—treating him like air while blushing shyly at Ning Ze?!

When had they met?

What was their relationship?!

A dignified prince of the Star Luo Empire had been cuckolded before even getting married?

What utter humiliation!

Dai Mubai ground his teeth until they creaked, his eyes bloodshot. He wanted nothing more than to pounce on Ning Ze and tear him apart on the spot.

Unfortunately, no one paid him any attention.

When Ning Rongrong saw that Zhu Zhuqing truly dared to call him "Ning Ze" right in front of her, her cheeks puffed up. She hugged Ning Ze's arm even more tightly and shot Zhu Zhuqing a fierce glare.

Ning Ze's arm was being squeezed tight. Catching sight of Zhu Zhuqing's reddened ears, he found it both amusing and helpless, though his expression remained calm.

"Alright, we're all classmates now. Let's go in together."

"Okay, okay! Ning Ze, let's hurry up! I want to see what this lousy academy looks like!" Ning Rongrong replied sweetly, tugging Ning Ze away.

"Ning Ze, wait for us!" Xiao Wu abandoned Tang San and hurried after them.

Zhu Zhuqing watched Ning Ze's retreating figure, her lips twitching slightly before she stepped forward to follow as well.

Only Tang San remained, utterly bewildered, watching Dai Mubai stand there in the wind beneath the village's strange gazes, his chest so stifled that he nearly coughed up blood.