You Have to Live for Yourself

Seven or eight hours later, they arrived in front of a cave.

"This is the Crimson Sky Tiger's cave. It's around a thousand years old, just right for Rongrong."

Sunday stood behind a tree as he spoke to Yu Feng and the others.

Yu Feng and the others nodded, four soul rings flickering beneath their feet.

He, Osler, and the Shi Brothers had all obtained their soul rings.

They had been lucky, really. Along the way, they had found suitable soul rings without much effort.

Ning Rongrong, on the other hand, had searched for ages without finding her ideal soul beast.

With no other choice, Sunday had finally brought them to the Crimson Sky Tiger's cave.

Shi Mo and Shi Mo took positions at the front and rear, one serving as their first line of defense while the other protected Ning Rongrong and Ye Lingling.

"Osler."

Yu Feng looked at Osler, who nodded. A Ghost Leopard appeared behind him as he charged into the cave.

Meanwhile, Yu Feng activated his Wind Chime Bird martial soul possession and flew into the air to keep watch.

Roar!

Osler had only been inside for a moment when a deep beastly roar came from the cave.

A black shadow shot out immediately afterward and ducked behind Shi Mo.

At the sight, Shi Mo let out a shout and planted his feet in a firm horse stance.

"Black Tortoise, possess me!"

An enormous crimson figure burst out and slammed hard into Shi Mo's Black Tortoise shell.

With a muffled bang, the tremendous force drove Shi Mo back two full steps.

Seeing this from above, Yu Feng dove straight down and sent two Wind Blades at the Crimson Sky Tiger's vital points.

Osler, behind Shi Mo, also seized the opening, swiftly circling behind the Crimson Sky Tiger to launch a sneak attack.

Ning Rongrong summoned the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda and began enhancing all three of them.

"Nine Treasures Have Names. First: Strength. Second: Speed."

Six beams of multicolored light descended. Shi Mo immediately stopped losing ground and heaved the Crimson Sky Tiger away.

Yu Feng and Osler were both agility-attack soul masters to begin with. With Ning Rongrong's enhancements, their speed rose another notch.

Several attacks struck home. The Crimson Sky Tiger, barely over a thousand years old, simply could not withstand the attacks of two Soul Ancestors.

It was sent flying and crashed heavily to the ground, scattering droplets of blood.

The Crimson Sky Tiger let out a pained howl and struggled to its feet, trying to attack again.

But the instant it rose, Shi Mo descended from above and smashed his shield onto its head.

That blow left it collapsed on the ground, twitching nonstop as red and white matter poured from its mouth.

"Rongrong, hurry!"

Seeing that Shi Mo had given the Crimson Sky Tiger a concussion, Yu Feng immediately pulled a dagger from inside his clothes and tossed it to Ning Rongrong.

Ning Rongrong stepped forward, caught the dagger, and plunged it into the Crimson Sky Tiger's throat without the slightest hesitation.

Blood sprayed across the ground. A hoarse roar rasped from the Crimson Sky Tiger's throat before it unwillingly breathed its last.

A pale purple soul ring condensed above the Crimson Sky Tiger's corpse. Ning Rongrong immediately sat cross-legged and began absorbing it.

Osler whistled, walked over to Yu Feng, and draped an arm over his shoulders.

"That was easy."

Yu Feng nodded in agreement. The potions Sunday had given them were indeed powerful. After absorbing their fourth soul rings, every one of them had gained at least three levels.

Yu Feng and Osler had gained four and five levels respectively, already reaching the middle ranks of Soul Ancestor.

By the time the Continental Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament began, every member of the Imperial Fighting Team would be at least a mid- or high-ranked Soul Ancestor.

Only Spirit Hall Academy could boast a lineup like that. They were determined to claim the championship this year!

After roughly half an hour, Ning Rongrong finished absorbing her third soul ring.

"Rongrong, what's your soul skill?"

When Ning Rongrong stood up, Yu Feng and the others all approached her and asked curiously.

Ning Rongrong gave a couple of smug little hums and summoned the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda.

"Nine Treasures Have Names. Third: Soul Power."

Hearing that Ning Rongrong's third soul skill still enhanced soul power, Sunday raised an eyebrow.

"All right, now that we're done, let's hurry back. You still need more time to adjust."

Ning Rongrong and the others all answered.

"Yes, teacher."

The group soon left Sunset Forest and returned to Soul Hunting Town. The people they had rescued the previous night had already been settled in villages near Seven Treasure City by disciples of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

The law enforcement team had only taken a few statements. There was nothing else they could do-Sunday had ground the culprits into powder, leaving them with no one to arrest.

Once they learned that His Excellency Sunday, an Imperial Offering of Heaven Dou, had done it, they did not even dare let out a fart.

After recording the deeds of Teling Duke's Mansion, the law enforcement team returned to Heaven Dou City and submitted the records to the Ministry of Justice, which passed them up to the penal authorities.

Two hours after boarding their carriage, the group returned to Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

After saying goodbye to everyone, Sunday headed alone toward Heaven Dou City. He needed to give these blueprints to Xue Qinghe so he could begin building an army.

As for why he did not give them to Xue Ye, those who understood would understand. He might hand them over one moment, only for the nobles' private forces to be equipped with these things the next.

As he considered how to explain these things to Xue Qinghe, he unexpectedly ran into someone.

Looking at Zhu Zhuqing, who stood before him looking awkward and hesitant, Sunday frowned.

"Have you thought it through?"

As he spoke, Sunday glanced at an alley a short distance behind her.

Zhu Zhuqing clenched her hands and bit her lip as she looked at Sunday.

"I..."

Seeing her like this, Sunday shook his head and stepped around her to leave.

"It seems you haven't made up your mind. In that case, don't waste our time."

Seeing Sunday about to leave, Zhu Zhuqing turned and spoke with some urgency.

"I want to know exactly what's wrong. Why won't you sell me the potions?"

Sunday turned to look at Zhu Zhuqing, folding his arms across his chest.

"What do you want the potions for?"

"To become stronger, to improve my strength!"

"And then?"

"To change my fate."

They exchanged questions and answers, and Zhu Zhuqing answered without hesitation every time.

"Then what exactly do you mean by changing your fate?"

"To win, to survive, to be free!"

Zhu Zhuqing grew more impassioned as she spoke. These were all things she pursued.

Hearing this, Sunday spread his hands.

"Haven't you already achieved that, then?"

"What?"

Zhu Zhuqing was startled. "What do you mean, I've already achieved it?"

"Being alive and being free-haven't you already achieved both?"

"That's different. The Dai Family and the Zhu Family..."

Zhu Zhuqing instinctively argued back, trying to fob him off with her old explanations.

Sunday interrupted her without hesitation.

"How is it different? Is someone trying to kill you here in the Heaven Dou Empire? Is someone trying to imprison you?"

"N-no."

After answering Sunday in a quiet voice, Zhu Zhuqing lowered her head, her face somewhat pale.

Sunday continued pressing his attack.

"Then why do you have to go back? Why take part in that Deathmatch? Why exhaust every means to drag Dai Mubai along?

"You've been trapped within the framework and rules of the Dai and Zhu families for so long that you don't even know what you truly want anymore.

"If your so-called changing your fate means struggling within rules someone else laid down, then your fate really is laughable.

"Think carefully about what you truly want. You have to truly live for yourself, not for someone else."