The lights blurred into a hazy golden mist, and a soothing melody laced with seductive emotion wound through the air.
Luo Chen gently clasped Gu Yue's palm, drawing her toward him with a warm, steady pull. The distance between them abruptly shrank.
Gu Yue pivoted lightly, her soft skirt brushing Luo Chen's calf. Her waist instinctively bent, leaving her half nestled in his arms.
Their bodies pressed together through thin layers of clothing, each able to hear the other's rising and falling breath.
[Gu Yue's affection +1] [Gu Yue's affection +1] ... [Gu Yue's affection +1]
Gu Yue once again flooded Luo Chen's affection panel.
Meanwhile, several of Luo Chen's beloved women reacted intensely to the scene in the sky screen.
Qian Renxue: Well, well, well! You really used everything I taught you!
Hu Liena: Hmph! That woman's figure isn't as good as mine!
Ning Rongrong: When will I get to dance with him like that?!
Vina: Luo Chen, how are you still so good at this?!
The two danced gracefully across the floor, drawing quite a few gazes.
As the music stopped, everyone came to a halt.
Compared with Luo Chen and Gu Yue, Tang Wulin and Dai Yun'er beside them were an outright explosion waiting to happen!
"Had fun stepping on my feet, did you?!"
A mischievous smile flashed in Dai Yun'er's eyes, and she suddenly spoke loudly.
"I've always admired Shrek Academy on the Douluo Continent. Now that I've seen you today, you really are extraordinary. Would you like to be my boyfriend?"
Without waiting for Tang Wulin to speak, Dai Yun'er continued.
"But if you want to be my boyfriend, you have to be strong. I only like strong men, so as long as you win the upcoming All-Continent Young Advanced Soul Master Tournament, I'll agree to let you be my boyfriend. Good luck!"
As she spoke, she made an encouraging gesture at Tang Wulin and left the dance floor.
In an instant, Tang Wulin became the focus of the entire room.
Almost everyone's eyes fell on Tang Wulin and the departing Dai Yun'er.
"Still looking?" Gu Yue's voice rang out, tinged with sarcasm.
"That princess said whoever wins the All-Continent Young Advanced Soul Master Tournament can be her boyfriend."
"Isn't that championship yours for the taking? The Star Luo Empire's prince consort."
Luo Chen: ???
Wait, what?
When did I ever say I wanted to be Dai Yun'er's boyfriend?
Gu Yue, something's wrong with you!
You never used to be like this!
Gu Yue had also thought about a great deal lately. If what Luo Chen said was true, perhaps working with him offered a new way forward?
That way, she wouldn't have to be Luo Chen's enemy!
She could even face her own heart. She did, after all, like Luo Chen!
Yes, a little, just a little bit! Only a little!
Outside the sky screen, Ning Rongrong's eyes lit up when she saw Dai Yun'er act that way.
"So that's an option! I'll try it next time too!"
"Luo Chen, when are you finally going to come find me?"
Ning Rongrong pouted unhappily. The little princess of the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect had waited until even the flowers had withered.
She had never forgotten what Luo Chen had said the last time they met.
"Rongrong, be good and wait for me to come back."
Wait, wait, wait, wait! When will this waiting ever end?!
"If Luo Chen doesn't show up soon, I'm going to smash up the Tang Sect next door!"
Ning Rongrong spoke in utter frustration.
Just then, Luo Chen's inner voice came through the sky screen again.
[Dai Yun'er's personality is actually quite similar to Ning Rongrong's.]
Ning Rongrong: How is she anything like me? Hmph!
Qian Renxue: Luo Chen is still in contact with that little princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect?
Then Qian Renxue went over to Qian Daoliu and asked him a question.
"Grandpa, when are we attacking the Heaven Dou Empire?"
"There's no rush. Judging by the timing, those people should be reaching Heaven Dou City soon. Once news of Tang San's death spreads throughout the Heaven Dou Empire, our Spirit Hall Empire will swallow it whole in one stroke!" Qian Daoliu said.
"That's right, Xiao Xue. Don't be impatient. The day our Spirit Hall Empire unifies the continent is just around the corner," Bibi Dong added from beside them.
Lately, her relationship with Qian Renxue had gradually eased, and the two had talked openly about many things.
Come to think of it, she really had Luo Chen to thank for that. Why hadn't she realized how useful that boy was before?
The more Bibi Dong looked at Luo Chen now, the more she liked him...
Within the sky screen, on the way back.
Tang Wulin was still hanging his head in dejection.
"Can I withdraw from the tournament?"
Xu Xiaoyan comforted him from beside him.
"Don't worry, Captain. With this guy here, how much of a wave do you think those people from the Star Luo Empire can stir up?"
Xu Xiaoyan pointed at Luo Chen, who was walking ahead.
"Oh, right!" Hearing that, Tang Wulin perked up again.
The sight of Luo Chen challenging all of Shrek Academy alone still hung over every Shrek student's head.
After that incident, quite a few students had withdrawn and joined the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy. It had even affected Shrek's recruitment to some extent.
That was also when Xu Xiaoyan had begun stealing glances at Luo Chen whenever she found the chance.
Most girls, when they were young, had dreamed of a prince on a white horse coming to protect them.
For Xu Xiaoyan, she hoped that prince would be Luo Chen.
But just as Xu Xiaoyan was lost in her fantasies, Yue Zhengyu came over.
He deliberately pretended to ask in jest.
"Xu Xiaoyan, don't tell me you like Luo Chen?"
Xu Xiaoyan rolled her eyes and admitted it openly. "Of course I do! Who wouldn't like someone like Luo Chen?"
Against Xu Xiaoyan's award-winning acting, Yue Zhengyu was still a little too green.
And among them, Xu Xiaoyan wasn't the only girl paying attention to Luo Chen.
Yuanen Yehui's circumstances were actually somewhat similar to Luo Chen's. Both had twin martial souls, and because of one of those martial souls, others often mistook them for evil soul masters.
That was why Yuanen Yehui rarely displayed her second martial soul, the fallen angel, for fear of being misunderstood.
Luo Chen was the exact opposite. He used his Devouring Ancestral Talisman martial soul almost every day.
Once, Yuanen Yehui had even specifically sought his advice. "Aren't you afraid people will mistake you for an evil soul master?"
She remembered Luo Chen's answer.
"Since I have this martial soul, why shouldn't I use it? If I don't use it, wasn't awakening it a complete waste?"
"They say I'm an evil soul master? Fine, then I'll be one and show them!"
"Yuanen, remember this. If one day you really become an evil soul master, it must be because someone else forced you into it!"
"If you can blame others, blame them. If you can't, blame the rotten times!"
"Look at things now. Nobody calls me an evil soul master to my face anymore, do they?"
Luo Chen had even thoughtfully given Yuanen Yehui examples of things he had done. If word of those deeds got out, there would be little to distinguish him from an evil soul master.
The Nether Emperor and Ghost Emperor might even set off firecrackers to congratulate him!
Compared with his days in the Federation, Luo Chen was keeping a much lower profile now.
"If I weren't carrying out a Federation mission, I'd have turned Star Luo City upside down long ago!"
Among them, Ye Xinglan had always believed that strength reigned supreme. Her gaze brimmed with fighting spirit as she looked at Luo Chen.
"Luo Chen, one day, I'll defeat you!"
To her surprise, Luo Chen heard her.
"No problem. I'll give you time to catch up, until you can't even glimpse me in the distance." Luo Chen suddenly turned to address them.
Actually, Luo Chen did feel rather regretful about these people.
[Their talent far surpasses the two generations of Shrek Seven Devils from twenty thousand and ten thousand years ago, yet they never became gods.]
[Especially Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun. Even those two, propped up by immortal herbs, could become gods? The Divine Realm really is blind.]
At that moment, Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun, who had just returned to Heaven Dou City, erupted again upon hearing those words.
"We earned our strength through genuine cultivation! If you've got the guts, transport us over there and let us compete with them! Let's see who's stronger!"
Within the sky screen, Ye Xinglan met Luo Chen's gaze without a trace of fear in her eyes.
Under everyone's shocked gazes, Ye Xinglan replied, "All right. One day, I'll challenge you with the sword in my hand!"
Just as everyone thought Luo Chen would lose his temper, he instead said something unexpected.
"I'll wait for the day you challenge me."
"As for that Soul Master Tournament, you don't need to worry. I can take on all the young competitors of the Star Luo Empire by myself!"
Hearing that, Yu Xiaogang, the theoretical Grandmaster outside the sky screen, had something to say again.
"Just you? Taking on an entire country alone? Do you really think you're a god?"
"Even if you're a Titled Douluo, you'll eventually run out of soul power! You want to challenge an entire country's young soul masters? Keep bragging!"
Before you continue