Playing hard to get

"Boom!"

"Bang!"

The moment Zhu Zhuqing finished fully absorbing her soul ring, Ghost Leopard and Demon Bear broke through Zhao Su's Sword Array.

With a sudden burst of force, they blasted Zhao Su away.

Zhao Su landed a short distance from Zhu Zhuqing and the others.

Seeing this, Zhu Zhuqing hurried over. As she helped Zhao Su up, she checked him from head to toe for injuries.

"How are you? Are you hurt?"

Her eyes reddened, Zhu Zhuqing asked Zhao Su with worry written all over her face.

"I'm fine!"

Seizing the opportunity, Zhao Su took Zhu Zhuqing's hand as though by accident.

The moment Zhao Su held her hand, Zhu Zhuqing's heart trembled, but she did not pull away.

Instead, she looked at Zhao Su with a complicated expression.

Zhu Zhuqing's hand was small, but so soft it seemed boneless, and exceptionally smooth, as though he were holding a supple piece of exquisite jade.

Though it felt a little cool to the touch, it was very comfortable to hold.

At that moment, Zhao Wuji noticed what was happening, shook off Hu Liena and her six companions, and came to Zhao Su's side.

Ghost Leopard, Demon Bear, and Hu Liena's group of seven began closing in on Zhao Su and the others.

For Ghost Leopard and Demon Bear, what had happened today was humiliating.

Even if they killed Zhao Su, this incident would remain a shameful stain on their names.

With two Titled Douluo standing guard, someone had still snatched away a soul beast that had been all but theirs.

If anyone who knew them found out, they would probably be laughed at for the rest of their lives.

"Brother Zhao, take them and go. I'll cover your retreat!"

Zhao Su reluctantly released that soft little hand, then spoke to Zhao Wuji.

"No. Let them go. I'll stay and fight them with you!"

By now, Zhao Wuji had come to regard Zhao Su as the person he admired most. Naturally, he would not let Zhao Su face danger alone.

Even if he died, he would fight shoulder to shoulder with Zhao Su.

Besides, he had never been afraid of death.

"Don't worry. Once you're all safe, they won't be able to keep me here."

There was no way Zhao Su would let Zhao Wuji stay. Demon Bear and Ghost Leopard Douluo belonged to Bibi Dong's faction; otherwise, she would not have assigned them to protect Hu Liena.

Moreover, raising a Titled Douluo was no easy task, so Zhao Su would not kill them.

"Are you sure you'll be all right?"

"I'll be fine. Trust me."

"All right, then be careful. We'll wait for you up ahead."

After hearing Zhao Su's assurance, Zhao Wuji stopped insisting and hurriedly called for Tang San and the others to leave.

Before leaving at Zhao Wuji's urging, Zhu Zhuqing looked at Zhao Su with a worried expression. Zhao Su happened to look her way as well and gave her a faint smile.

"Do you really think you can stop both of us on your own?"

Ghost Leopard and Demon Bear watched Zhao Wuji lead Tang San and the others away without any urgency, because they knew that once they killed Zhao Su...

They could kill the others whenever they pleased.

Zhao Su did not answer. Instead, he waited until Zhao Wuji and the others had completely disappeared from view.

Only then did he toss a token to Demon Bear.

When Demon Bear caught it, he saw another emblem besides the six symbols representing Spirit Hall.

It was six pairs of angel wings carved on the back of the Pope Token.

Back then, Zhao Su had spent less than a year at Spirit Hall, and most of that time had been spent cultivating in his room.

But as elders of Spirit Hall's headquarters, they naturally knew that Zhao Su had awakened the Twelve-Winged Holy Angel.

The instant they saw this special Pope Token, they realized who Zhao Su was.

"It's you?" Hu Liena had also seen the angel wings on the back of the token and realized his identity. "I was wondering why you looked so familiar. So you're Zhao Su!"

"Little Nana, it's been years. Did you miss me?"

Zhao Su looked at Hu Liena and asked with a cheeky grin.

"Why did you help someone else steal my soul beast?"

Hu Liena ignored his question and demanded an answer, her gaze hostile.

"I was helping you. That soul beast was too weak. It wasn't right for you," Zhao Su said casually, making light of the matter.

Seeing Hu Liena's murderous glare, Zhao Su lingered no longer and retrieved the token from Demon Bear's hand.

Then he turned and strode away.

"It's all right. There are plenty of soul beasts in the Star Dou Great Forest. We'll just find another one."

After watching Zhao Su leave, Ghost Leopard reassured Hu Liena.

Meanwhile, Zhao Wuji and the others had run some distance away and were gradually slowing down. Zhu Zhuqing kept looking back.

The moment she saw Zhao Su appear, she could not help smiling.

In truth, Zhu Zhuqing was quite beautiful when she smiled instead of wearing that stern expression.

"Phew, I finally shook them off!"

"How are you? You're not hurt, are you?"

Seeing Zhao Su return safely, Zhao Wuji breathed a sigh of relief and went over to ask.

"Those two couldn't hurt me. We'd better hurry away and find somewhere to hide for a while, just in case they come after us!"

After making sure Ghost Leopard and Demon Bear were not pursuing them, they found a sheltered spot to rest for a while before leaving the Star Dou Great Forest.

"Brother Su, here. Have something to eat!"

Holding a piece of soul beast meat roasted golden brown, Zhu Zhuqing approached Zhao Su, who was meditating cross-legged on a rock, and spoke softly.

Without realizing it, Zhu Zhuqing had changed the way she addressed Zhao Su.

Although she did not call him Big Brother Su like Ning Rongrong did, her form of address carried far more weight.

Ning Rongrong called him Big Brother Su not because she liked him, but because she wanted to grow closer to Zhao Su and get him to join the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

Even if she ultimately failed to recruit him into the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, getting Zhao Su to help upgrade her father and brothers' Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagodas into Eight Treasure Glazed Tile Pagodas would still fulfill her aim.

But Zhu Zhuqing calling him Brother Su meant that her feelings toward Zhao Su had undergone a fundamental change.

"Brother Su, thank you for taking such a huge risk to help me get my soul ring."

Zhu Zhuqing sat down beside Zhao Su on the rock, lowering her head and twisting two fingers together as she spoke.

"You don't need to thank me. It's what I should do. Not just for you-if we came across a suitable soul beast for Rongrong or Fatty, I'd do the same."

Zhao Su spoke casually as he ate the roast wild boar meat, glistening with fat.

Zhao Su was playing hard to get, because he knew it was not yet time to make Zhu Zhuqing his.

He still needed to use her to drive a wedge between the Shrek Seven Devils.

Besides, they were still young, so he was in no hurry. He had plenty of time.

"So that's how it is. I thought you were only this good to me!"

At Zhao Su's words, disappointment crossed Zhu Zhuqing's face, and her eyes immediately reddened as she murmured under her breath.

"What did you say?"

Whether Zhao Su truly had not heard her or was merely pretending not to, he asked the question casually.

"Nothing. Whatever the case, I should still thank you."

With those words, Zhu Zhuqing stood up and quickly left.

Zhao Su's words had once again doused the hope that had just kindled in Zhu Zhuqing's heart, sending her spirits plunging to rock bottom.