Hell Spirit Cat Zhu Zhuqing (Part Three)

Bzzzt—!

A Soul Saint's aura, seething with fury, erupted from the hotel where Mo Yuan was staying and spread in every direction!

On the heels of that immense pressure, a furious, commanding voice thundered through the town, reaching every ear with perfect clarity!

"Who dares bully my student?! Who dares bully someone from Spirit Hall?!"

The instant his words fell, a figure strode through the air and hovered high above the crowd.

Mo Yuan's robes billowed around his upright frame. Soul power surged over his body, and his terrifying Soul Saint pressure spread unchecked, ruthlessly crushing everyone below.

Beneath that utterly terrifying suppression in rank, every Soul Master from the Iron Tiger Mercenary Group below, along with every spectating Soul Master—

Their legs instantly buckled, unable to support their bodies. One after another, they dropped to their knees with heavy thuds, trembling all over, their faces pale with terror.

Across the broad battlefield clearing, only Lin Chen and Zhu Zhuqing behind him remained standing steadily, untouched by the pressure.

A moment later, Mo Yuan slowly descended and landed firmly on the ground. His pressure still enveloped the entire clearing, intimidating everyone around him.

The instant he landed, he ignored the kneeling crowd entirely and looked straight at Lin Chen. His fury immediately gave way to anxiety. Striding forward, he carefully examined Lin Chen from head to toe and asked urgently, "Lin Chen! Are you hurt?!"

Lin Chen sensed Liuli rushing toward him. With a thought, he instantly recalled her from afar.

"Teacher, I'm fine."

Lin Chen gently shook his head, his tone steady, then quickly recounted everything that had just happened.

From beginning to end, he told Mo Yuan every detail without leaving out a single word.

He clearly explained the entire sequence of events: Lu Jia harassing the girl, bullying the weak with his strength, and the mercenary group surrounding them to block their escape.

Over the clearing outside town, the terrifying pressure filling the air slowly receded.

The mighty soul power surging around Mo Yuan ebbed like the tide. His Soul Saint aura, powerful enough to crush everyone present, vanished completely, and the world regained its usual peaceful atmosphere.

Yet even after the pressure faded, everyone present remained pressed flat against the ground. No one dared rise casually.

Though the pressure had now dissipated entirely, the fear in their hearts had yet to subside.

The members of the Iron Tiger Mercenary Group, in particular, all looked ashen, their clothes soaked with cold sweat.

They had never imagined they would suddenly provoke a genuine Soul Saint.

Now, nothing remained in their hearts but endless regret and terror. They lacked even the courage to raise their heads and look ahead, and could only huddle where they were, awaiting an unknown punishment.

Lin Chen swept his gaze over the crowd. Seeing them silent as cicadas in winter stirred no emotion in him.

These people had coldly watched Zhu Zhuqing being surrounded and bullied without lifting a hand to help. It was only fitting that they now cowered before someone stronger.

He turned toward Mo Yuan beside him, shifted slightly, and quietly signaled to him before walking toward an unoccupied spot at the edge of the clearing.

Mo Yuan understood and slowly followed Lin Chen. The two slipped out of everyone's line of sight and stood beneath the quiet shade of a tree, away from the terrified crowd.

Once he was certain no one nearby could hear their conversation clearly, Lin Chen lowered his voice and spoke earnestly:

"Teacher, the girl I just saved is no ordinary person."

"I watched her fighting for quite a while. Her soul power level is around that of a level twenty-six Soul Grandmaster. Reaching that level at such a young age already puts her far ahead of Soul Masters her age."

"What's most remarkable is her extensive combat experience. Her movements are tricky, her reactions incredibly fast, and she fights fiercely. Her resolve is also far stronger than most people's. She's absolutely a cultivation genius, one in ten thousand."

"If you're interested, you could admit her to our Soul Master Academy and nurture her carefully."

Every word Lin Chen said was true, without the slightest exaggeration.

Zhu Zhuqing came from the Zhu Family, one of the Star Luo Empire's foremost clans. From childhood, she had undergone the harshest Soul Master training and countless trials.

Though she was still young, her combat experience, resilience, and martial soul talent were far beyond anything ordinary Soul Masters in these borderlands could match.

Letting such exceptional talent slip away would be a terrible pity. It would also mean missing a perfect opportunity to snatch her away from Shrek and strengthen Spirit Hall's ranks.

A flicker of surprise crossed Mo Yuan's eyes at those words. Following Lin Chen's gaze, he looked toward Zhu Zhuqing, who stood quietly a short distance away.

His gaze was calm yet exceedingly sharp as he carefully examined the black-clad girl from head to toe.

She was slender and stood tall. Despite having endured a vicious battle and exhausted her soul power, she remained perfectly upright, her features cool and aloof, her bearing unworldly.

Even her torn clothes and weary expression could not conceal the air of exceptional talent surrounding her or her cool, exquisite beauty.

After a brief examination, Mo Yuan already had a fair idea of her capabilities.

He then turned to the earnest-looking Lin Chen beside him. His stern, taut expression abruptly softened, and the corners of his mouth lifted into a teasing smile.

His tone carried a hint of amusement:

"Oh? Exceptional talent? Extensive combat experience? I think you've just seen how pretty that little girl is and felt your heart stir, haven't you?"

The sudden teasing left Lin Chen momentarily stunned and utterly speechless inside.

He had never imagined that his teacher, who rarely smiled at the academy and treated everything with such rigor, would become so unserious at a time like this.

Before Lin Chen could explain, Mo Yuan had already patted him on the shoulder.

With a playful smile, he continued in a confident tone:

"Fair enough. All you ever do is cultivate and go out for training. You work hard every day without ever slacking off, and you haven't a trace of a young man's liveliness. Now that you've finally taken an interest in a girl, of course your teacher will lend you a hand."

With that, Mo Yuan lingered no longer. He walked straight toward Zhu Zhuqing, composed and unhurried, his steady presence carrying the natural dignity of a powerful, accomplished teacher.

Lin Chen stood where he was, the corners of his mouth twitching hard several times, helplessness filling his heart.

He had clearly only wanted to recruit a genius, lay the groundwork for the future, and cut off an opportunity meant for Shrek.

Yet in his teacher's eyes, it had somehow become a young man awakening to romance, tempted by a pretty face.

He truly had not expected the normally steady, old-fashioned Mo Yuan to have such a gossipy, teasing side. The contrast caught him completely off guard.

Helpless though he felt, Lin Chen could only follow silently and see how things unfolded.

At this point, further words would serve no purpose. He could only let his teacher do as he pleased.

Meanwhile, Zhu Zhuqing still forced her overtaxed body to remain quietly upright.

Her soul power had run completely dry, and her physical strength was utterly spent. Every muscle and bone ached unbearably, and each second she remained standing demanded tremendous effort.

But the pride and resilience in her bones kept her from readily showing weakness. She gritted her teeth and held on.

She showed not the slightest sign of frailty. Her cool eyes watched the approaching Mo Yuan warily, her heart filled with caution.

Mo Yuan stopped before Zhu Zhuqing, putting away his earlier teasing expression and returning to the steady gentleness of a teacher:

"Young lady, there's no need to be nervous."

"My student was the one who saved you just now. I'm his instructor."

"I already know the full story of what happened."

Zhu Zhuqing remained silent and merely gave a slight nod. A trace of distance and wariness lingered in her cool eyes, and she did not readily lower her guard.

Years spent amid the Zhu Family's strife and schemes had long since taught her to tread carefully and never trust others lightly.

Mo Yuan did not mind. He continued gently, extending a sincere invitation:

"Your martial soul talent is exceptional, your resolve is strong, and your combat skills far surpass those of Soul Masters your age. You're a rare, promising young talent."

"The Soul Master Academy where I teach has excellent instructors and ample resources. We can offer you the best cultivation environment and resources for your growth, and protect you so you can cultivate in peace."

"If you're willing, you can join our academy. From then on, you'll cultivate and grow alongside my student Lin Chen, and I'll personally guide your training."