"Who are you to dare interfere with the Huang Family Three Bandits? Do you have a death wish?"
The Wolf Bandit in the lead sneered at Yao Xuan, who had suddenly appeared before Zhu Zhuqing.
His voice brimmed with menace and murderous intent.
As for Zhu Zhuqing, her heart leaped with joy at the sight of Yao Xuan!
"A bunch of dead men don't deserve to know my name!"
With those words, Yao Xuan did not even glance at the three.
He merely waved a hand.
The three figures dissolved into drifting specks of ash before they could even scream, scattering without a trace.
Not even a scrap remained.
Zhu Zhuqing's pupils abruptly contracted.
One second, those had been three living, breathing people.
The next, not even their ashes could be found.
Could such power actually exist in this world?
Her lips moved, but she could not utter a single word.
Only half an hour earlier, these three men had driven her into an almost hopeless corner.
She had fled all the way, wounded and with most of her soul power depleted.
By the end, she had barely had the strength left to run.
She had even imagined the worst possible end for herself.
Yet now, the person before her had merely waved his hand.
As though crushing three ants, he had wiped away her certain doom without a trace.
"Thank you for saving my life, Senior!"
She hurriedly bowed, her voice still trembling slightly.
"Senior?"
Yao Xuan raised his eyebrows and looked himself up and down. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. Do I look that old?"
"Huh?"
Zhu Zhuqing froze briefly at his words.
"My name is Yao Xuan. Just call me Brother Xuan."
He withdrew his hand, his tone casual.
"Brother... Brother Xuan, thank you for saving my life!"
After a moment's hesitation, Zhu Zhuqing changed how she addressed him.
She raised her eyes and secretly studied the young man before her.
At that glance, her heart inexplicably skipped half a beat.
His hair was black as ink, his face like polished jade, his brows like swords, and his eyes like stars.
His face was impossibly young and impossibly handsome.
In her earlier desperation, she had simply assumed he was a senior who kept his true abilities hidden.
But looking again now, he was clearly a youth even younger than she was.
So young, yet already so powerful.
And that move of his earlier had truly dragged her back from the gates of the King of Hell's palace.
Something suddenly stirred in Zhu Zhuqing's heart, something even she could not explain.
She hastily lowered her head, not daring to look again.
"It was no trouble at all. You're quite badly hurt, though. Good thing you ran into me, or you'd have been in danger!"
With that, Yao Xuan raised his hand and lightly pointed at Zhu Zhuqing's wound.
The next moment, a strand of gentle, soothing energy flowed from his fingertip into the wound.
At that moment.
Zhu Zhuqing felt a sudden coolness wash over that searing wound.
The coolness spread through her limbs and every part of her body.
Her torn flesh slowly closed at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Color returned to her pale face.
Her scattered soul power gathered again, little by little.
It felt as though invisible hands were gently smoothing away all the exhaustion in her body.
She felt so warm and comfortable that she nearly moaned.
"This..."
She abruptly raised her head, her face filled with astonishment.
She had seen plenty of healing-type Soul Masters.
But those people either needed elaborate preparations or had to expend a great deal of soul power.
Someone who could make a wound heal on the spot with a casual touch, like this-she had never even heard of such a thing.
This was no longer a Soul Skill.
This was clearly the work of an immortal.
"Thank you, Brother Xuan."
She thanked him again, her voice more reverent than before.
At that moment, the way she looked at Yao Xuan changed completely.
Beyond gratitude, there was now something else that even she could not suppress.
She simply felt that this young man was the most powerful person she had ever met in her life.
And the one who made her heart race the most.
She even had a thought that she herself found absurd-
How wonderful it would be if I could always stay by someone like him.
"By the way, I haven't asked your name yet. And where are you headed?"
Yao Xuan waved a hand and asked, despite already knowing the answers.
"Brother Xuan, my name is Zhu Zhuqing. I was planning to go to Suotuo City, but then I ran into the Wolf Bandits..."
Still somewhat shaken, Zhu Zhuqing nevertheless answered truthfully.
"Perfect. I'm going there too. Come with me."
Yao Xuan smiled and invited her along.
"Well..."
Zhu Zhuqing hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Sorry for the trouble, Brother Xuan."
And so, Zhu Zhuqing followed Yao Xuan back to the carriage.
Along the way, Zhu Zhuqing did not say much.
But her eyes kept straying toward Yao Xuan.
With every extra glance, that feeling in her heart grew a little deeper.
Sometimes, even one or two casual remarks from Yao Xuan could leave her blushing for ages.
She could not explain what had come over her.
All she knew was that whenever Yao Xuan spoke, her ears turned red first.
Occasionally, when the wind lifted the carriage curtain and sunlight fell across his face, she would stare in a daze for ages.
Several hours later, the carriage entered Suotuo City.
Once inside, they parted ways.
Zhu Zhuqing still had her own business to attend to.
"Brother Xuan, we'll... see each other again, won't we?"
Before leaving, she gave Yao Xuan a long look, her voice filled with reluctance to part.
"We certainly will."
At her words, Yao Xuan gave a mysterious smile.
Having received Yao Xuan's affirmative answer.
Zhu Zhuqing's eyes lit up, as though she had received some extraordinary promise.
Her face reddened again, and she turned to leave.
After walking a few steps, she glanced back once more.
Even she had not noticed what was hidden in that glance.
Soon, Yao Xuan arrived with Gu Yuena, Wang Qiu'er, Qian Renxue, and Xiao Wu at an inn painted entirely rose-red, making it particularly eye-catching in the night.
The name "Rose Hotel" was written outside, making it seem especially romantic.
"Oh, honored guest, you've come at just the right time. We only have one vacant room left."
An attendant approached Yao Xuan, his face full of deference.
"All right, we'll take it."
Yao Xuan smiled and prepared to pay.
"Hold on! I, Dai Mubai, am taking that room!"
Just then, however, an overbearing voice came from behind him.
He could not even be bothered to look at Yao Xuan as he planted a hand on the counter, his tone outrageously entitled.
A closer look revealed one man and two women.
The young man in the middle had a burly build, golden hair hanging past his waist, and arrogance written all over his face.
Most striking of all, his eyes actually had double pupils.
A single glance was enough to send a chill down one's spine.
There was no need to ask. It was none other than Dai Mubai.
"Young master, this guest asked for the room fir..."
The attendant went pale at the sight and tried to explain.
"First?"
"Since when did anyone in Suotuo City get to lecture me about first come, first served?"
"No one has ever dared lay a hand on something I've set my sights on."
Dai Mubai cut him off with a sneer.
"As for you lot, you can get lost. This room was reserved by me, Dai Mubai, in the first place."
"If you have a problem with that, you're welcome to fight me. Heh heh heh heh!"
Then he turned his head and looked at Yao Xuan.
And when he clearly saw the faces of Gu Yuena and the other three women behind Yao Xuan, a sharp gleam instantly flashed through his eyes.
A vicious light of jealousy also surged in his gaze as he looked at Yao Xuan!
Before you continue