Neighbors?
Qian Renyue pouted. What did she need Guang Ling as a neighbor for? By the time she returned, her own palace would probably be repaired, so she would have no need to stay in the Angel Hall.
Although that was what she thought, Qian Renyue could hardly say it so bluntly. She readily agreed to Qian Daoliu's suggestion, treating it as a little punishment for Guang Ling.
Guang Ling would have no sweet fruit to taste in the Angel Hall. He would probably have to follow Qian Daoliu's example, never stepping beyond the gates and spending all his time meditating and cultivating.
"Sigh."
Guang Ling let out a soft sigh. Though he looked very reluctant, he felt it was no great matter if this could soothe Qian Renyue's anger. After all, he had plenty of time to spare; he could afford to spend a few months without it affecting anything. His only fear was that some pig outside might root up his family's precious cabbage. So, to be safe, he went to ask his third and fourth brothers for help. Those two were reliable and had less on their plates. With them watching over Qian Renyue, surely no other wolf cub would carry her off.
After choosing a room she liked in the Angel Hall, Qian Renyue asked Azure Luan Douluo to take her to Heaven Dou City.
The team competition at the Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena would begin in a few days. If she did not make it back in time, the Imperial Fighting Team would probably lose again, without any surprises.
It was only because she was in a hurry that she chose to ride a bird this time. Otherwise, a carriage would have worked just fine.
Meanwhile, in a lounge at the Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena.
The Shrek Seven Devils had all performed exceptionally well in their individual matches, so the arena's manager had specifically raised their team badge by one rank to match them against the Imperial Fighting Team. Yu Xiaogang and Flender had already met Qin Ming before receiving the Imperial Fighting Team's information. Flender and Qin Ming shared a deep bond as teacher and student and chatted at length. Yu Tianheng saw Yu Xiaogang, but did not approach him to say hello. His expression was somewhat conflicted. In the end, he avoided Yu Xiaogang and pretended he had not seen him.
Yu Xiaogang handed the Imperial Fighting Team's member profiles to Tang San and the others, having marked Qian Renyue as a particular focus. Yet Tang San had no heart to listen to his explanation. Looking at the photograph of Qian Renyue smiling so freely on her profile, he suddenly felt a faint ache in his heart. It seemed he truly had lost the younger sister he had cared for since childhood.
"Little San, don't get distracted." Yu Xiaogang noticed Tang San's wandering attention at once and reprimanded him quietly, looking somewhat displeased. To be honest, he did not believe Qian Renyue was Tang Yue. That child's martial soul had been far too ordinary, and her innate soul power had been only half a rank. Yu Xiaogang simply could not believe she had leaped all the way to rank thirty-five in a mere three months.
Rather than believing Qian Renyue was Tang Yue, it seemed more likely that she merely bore a seventy or eighty percent resemblance to Tang Yue. After all, the world had never lacked people who looked alike.
"I'm sorry, Teacher."
Under Yu Xiaogang's gaze, Tang San felt a little guilty. He frowned slightly and lowered his eyes, knowing he could not keep going on like this. He quietly apologized to Yu Xiaogang, then stopped dwelling on Qian Renyue.
Seeing this, Yu Xiaogang nodded in satisfaction and continued analyzing Qian Renyue's soul skills. Flender had also learned from Qin Ming that Qian Renyue's third soul skill was extremely powerful. Although Qin Ming had not stated it outright, his assessment of her led Flender to suspect that Qian Renyue still had quite a few hidden cards she had yet to play. After all, no one had seen her use her third soul skill to date.
Yu Xiaogang naturally knew she was a troublesome opponent. Still, there was no denying that, troublesome as she was, she would also make an excellent whetstone for Tang San and the others. Even if they lost in the end, they would not come away empty-handed.
This time, the money-obsessed Flender did not choose to bet on his own team. He wagered his entire fortune on the Imperial Fighting Team, waiting for the money to fill his pots and bowls to the brim. Of course, this was not because he lacked faith in his own people. Qian Renyue was simply too great a variable. Even with all the trump cards Tang San could use, he still fell somewhat short of Qian Renyue as she was now. So, holding to his principle of never losing money, and hoping to earn some meal money for the academy and improve their food, Flender had staked his entire fortune on the Imperial Fighting Team.
That was the explanation he gave Yu Xiaogang.
Yu Xiaogang did not believe a word of it. He shook his head helplessly, but did not interfere with Flender's decision. After all, even he was not entirely confident that the seven Little Monsters could win this time.
"Little San, come outside with me for a moment."
Something seemed to occur to Yu Xiaogang, and he suddenly frowned. He called Tang San out of the lounge so they could speak privately. Seeing this, Zhu Zhuqing also found an opportunity to be alone with Xiao Wu. Back at Heaven Dou Royal Academy, she had pressed Qian Renyue about what grudge lay between her and Xiao Wu, and why Xiao Wu became so agitated whenever they clashed. It was so unlike the Xiao Wu Zhu Zhuqing knew.
Yet Qian Renyue herself did not really know what grudge lay between them. The memories she had inherited had always been hazy. Apart from knowing that Xiao Wu truly did not get along with her, had framed her over certain matters, and that Tang San always wavered between the two of them, she knew little else.
Perhaps some memories had cut too deeply and were therefore engraved in her mind, while those so-called happy moments were not worth mentioning. At its root, it all came down to failing to hold the bowl of water level between them.
Unable to get a clear answer from Qian Renyue, Zhu Zhuqing had decided to ask Xiao Wu. But Xiao Wu had been staying with Tang San lately, and Zhu Zhuqing felt it would be impolite to disturb her at night, so she had kept putting off the question.
Now that Tang San had been called away by Yu Xiaogang, her chance had come.
"Xiao Wu."
Zhu Zhuqing called softly.
Xiao Wu withdrew her gaze from Tang San's departing figure and turned to Zhu Zhuqing. "What is it, Zhu Zhuqing?"
She asked softly, confusion on her spirited little face.
Zhu Zhuqing fell silent for a moment. Although she knew mentioning Qian Renyue in front of Xiao Wu might not be a good idea, some things still needed to be resolved. What if there was a misunderstanding between them?
Taking a deep breath, Zhu Zhuqing said with a complicated expression, "I really want to know why you hate Little Yue so much."
Her calm words also reached Ning Rongrong nearby. She pricked up her ears, thinking, Why are these two having a private conversation without me?
Pouting, the Little Demoness edged closer to Xiao Wu. To keep them from noticing she was eavesdropping, Ning Rongrong even held up the Imperial Fighting Team's profiles as cover, pretending to be earnestly analyzing their members.
The moment Xiao Wu heard the name "Little Yue," her expression grew noticeably uglier. Her brows knitted slightly, and she instinctively avoided Zhu Zhuqing's gaze. Clearly, she did not want to answer that question.
But Zhu Zhuqing kept feeling there was some misunderstanding involved. The Xiao Wu she knew was definitely not a girl who would readily want to kill someone. She did not believe Xiao Wu would target Qian Renyue without reason. Of course, she also trusted Qian Renyue unconditionally, which was precisely why she believed there must be a misunderstanding.
"Xiao Wu, I know you're not that kind of person. Something must have happened between you and Little Yue, right?" Zhu Zhuqing pressed, frowning. Ever since meeting Qian Renyue, she had never really paid attention to the relationship among the three of them. Only when Qian Renyue went missing last time had she realized something was wrong. She felt that Xiao Wu seemed to regard Qian Renyue as a romantic rival. Especially when Tang San called her "Little Yue," Xiao Wu's expression became strangely distorted. Several times, it had even been Xiao Wu's interruptions that led to Qian Renyue crossing blades with them...
Could it be...
Zhu Zhuqing's eyes flickered, as though something had occurred to her.
She looked at Xiao Wu in disbelief. "Xiao Wu, do you think Little Yue likes Tang San?"
"..."
Xiao Wu did not deny Zhu Zhuqing's suggestion. She pressed her lips together, her pink eyes shifting from side to side. It looked as though she was silently admitting Zhu Zhuqing was right.
Little Yue likes Third Brother?
Ning Rongrong felt as though she had stumbled upon some truly juicy gossip. Her expression was a sight to behold; all she lacked was a handful of sunflower seeds to munch on while listening to Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing's story.
But aren't Little Yue and Third Brother biological siblings? Isn't it perfectly normal for her to like him?
As Ning Rongrong was thinking this, Xiao Wu raised her eyes, her gaze conflicted, and spoke-
"She likes Brother as more than just a brother."
Before you continue