Hotel Gossip

What was this girl imagining?

Glancing back at Zhu Zhuqing, Yang Yunhai saw her with her head slightly lowered and her lips gently bitten, and the corner of his mouth twitched.

He swore to heaven and earth, he had asked Zhu Zhuqing to accompany him to Flender's Black Shop only because he had guessed that Flender might jack up the price on the spot, just like he had done to Tang San in the original story. So he had thought of bringing along Zhu Zhuqing, this little rich girl—if worst came to worst, he could borrow some money from her.

It was just that Flender's asking price had been outrageously shady, so he had decided to play hard to get and haggle it down.

Given his and Zhu Zhuqing's cultivation, he believed that as long as Flender could see through them and he expressed his intention to enroll at Shrek Academy, Flender definitely would not be able to stay calm. Two genius Spirit Masters wanted to join the academy—how could he possibly bear to let them slip away?

Especially since Zhu Zhuqing wore two Storage Soul Tools. Flender could not possibly fail to suspect that she came from a prominent family. With talent and backing, students like them would undoubtedly bring countless benefits to the academy if they joined.

For example, they could occasionally contribute funds to solve the academy's financial shortages, or help publicize the academy through their families after graduation. Wouldn't that be better than him shouting himself hoarse?

Would a shrewd merchant like Flender fail to think of that? Making Shrek Academy famous throughout the world was Flender's lifelong dream!

So, there was a good chance he would lower the price himself.

Besides, Flender clearly did not know Hair Crystal's true value. In the original story, he had even given it to Tang San for free in the end.

"So, Zhu Zhuqing doesn't think I brought her there specifically so she could see Shrek Academy for what it was and recognize Flender's true face as a crooked merchant, does she?" Yang Yunhai turned back, and the thought suddenly crossed his mind.

Girl, you're overthinking it. I'm really not that nice. That was what he thought inwardly.

He had only pointed out Flender's identity earlier because he wanted to take the opportunity to disgust Shrek Academy a little. Wasn't Zhu Zhuqing still planning to go to Shrek Academy? With the groundwork he had laid before, plus this firsthand experience, he absolutely did not believe Zhu Zhuqing would not become wary.

In that case, could the Shrek Seven Devils still remain united in the future?

And if Zhu Zhuqing could influence Ning Rongrong a little too, that would be even more interesting.

Heh, a gentleman's revenge is never too late, even if it takes ten years? I'm no gentleman! You jacked up the price to swindle my money, huh? Just wait and see whether I dig a pit for you. Glancing from the corner of his eye toward Flender's shop, Yang Yunhai puffed out his chest slightly and strode forward into the lingering glow of the setting sun.

As he walked, the footsteps behind him suddenly stopped. "???" He could not help turning around.

Zhu Zhuqing stood quietly where she was, staring in a certain direction. Her face was frosty, and her eyes brimmed with coldness.

"No way. They ran into each other even here?" Yang Yunhai instantly thought of something and followed Zhu Zhuqing's gaze.

Beside a fork in the road paved with smooth stones off the main street, a burly blond youth dressed in formal attire had his arms around two young women in tight purple cheongsams that accentuated their lovely figures.

The three chatted and laughed as they headed toward a three-story building in the distance shaped like a scarlet rose. The youth's hands occasionally brushed against their prominent curves.

She had really caught him red-handed. Yang Yunhai sighed inwardly.

At that moment, Zhu Zhuqing turned back. Her expression returned to its usual calm as she said, "Let's go."

"Mm." Yang Yunhai said nothing more. He turned around and continued onward.

Before long, they arrived beside a clothing store. Yang Yunhai stopped, lowered his head to glance at his clothes, then turned to Zhu Zhuqing. He indicated that he had no spare clothes to change into and wanted to buy two sets. Zhu Zhuqing nodded, following Yang Yunhai into the store.

Having just arrived, Yang Yunhai had no idea which inns in the city had vacant rooms. So, while choosing clothes, he took the opportunity to ask the owner.

Naturally, the owner was enthusiastic toward a customer and quickly recommended several places that usually had vacant rooms.

Around two hours later, Yang Yunhai emerged onto the street again with Zhu Zhuqing, carrying several bags.

After some more time, the two arrived at their intended inn. Walking through the entrance, Yang Yunhai looked around. Sure enough, just as the clothing store owner had said, although the inn was somewhat out of the way, its interior decor was indeed excellent and looked exceptionally neat and clean.

Nodding in satisfaction, Yang Yunhai strode to the front desk and said politely, "Hello, please book two single rooms for me."

"Single rooms?" The attendant, who had already risen to greet them, swept her gaze over the two of them and shook her head slightly. "Esteemed guest, I'm terribly sorry, but all our single rooms have already been booked. Only double rooms remain available."

Then she explained apologetically, "Esteemed guest, as you know, this is the period after the New Year when people are returning to work, so quite a few people enter the city every day. Our inn is also a little out of the way, so our single rooms are relatively affordable. That's why they tend to be booked more often."

Yang Yunhai nodded and asked, "Then do you have two double rooms?"

"We do." The attendant nodded, then asked to confirm, "Esteemed guest, are you sure you wish to book two double rooms?"

"Yes, please..." Yang Yunhai had barely begun to speak.

"One double room will do." Zhu Zhuqing's voice suddenly rang out.

"We're only staying for one night anyway," she added quietly.

? What was this girl thinking? Yang Yunhai was immediately baffled.

He instinctively turned his head. Zhu Zhuqing's expression remained calm, revealing no emotion.

"That works too." Yang Yunhai nodded slightly, then looked back at the attendant. "Then please book one double room for me. Thank you."

"Please wait a moment." The attendant nodded and began handling the paperwork.

Before long, Yang Yunhai paid, took the key, and led Zhu Zhuqing upstairs. They soon arrived at the designated room.

He took out the key, unlocked the door, and pushed it open.

Sweeping his gaze around the room, he found that it was fairly spacious and clean. The overall color scheme was creamy white. Two neatly made large beds stood side by side on the right, with a balcony beside them. Near the door were the changing room and bathroom.

"Zhuqing, go wash up first. I'll organize my things, then wash up later," Yang Yunhai said as he walked farther inside.

"Alright." Zhu Zhuqing nodded and headed straight into the bathroom. All her belongings were in her Soul Tool, so there was nothing for her to organize.

Having a Storage Soul Tool really was convenient. Yang Yunhai sighed inwardly as he walked to the bed near the door and began sorting his things.

After finishing, he took out a newly bought set of clothes and placed it aside, then walked over to the wooden chair by the window, where he sat down, closed his eyes, and waited.

Half an hour later, the bathroom door creaked open. Zhu Zhuqing stepped out with her long hair flowing and her wine dimples faintly flushed. She wore a loose black nightgown, with a large expanse of empty fabric over her lower abdomen. Clearly, something farther up was simply too exaggerated to be contained.

"..." Seeing Yang Yunhai looking at her, Zhu Zhuqing subconsciously lowered her head slightly and padded over with catlike steps to sit on the bed by the window.

Seeing this, Yang Yunhai did not delay. He quickly walked to the bedside, picked up a change of clothes, and strode into the bathroom.

Fifteen minutes later, Yang Yunhai emerged from the bathroom, dressed in fitted blue robes. His blue hair drifted behind him, and his handsome features were refreshed.

Looking over, Zhu Zhuqing had already taken out some food and arranged it on the small table by the window. "Come eat," she said softly with her head lowered.

"Thanks." Yang Yunhai smiled faintly and strode over to sit across from her.

Only then did Zhu Zhuqing reach for the food and begin eating in small bites.

Yang Yunhai, on the other hand, ate with far less restraint. He wolfed everything down and quickly ate and drank his fill.

"I'll go cultivate first." He wiped his mouth and said cheerfully.

"Mm." Zhu Zhuqing nodded slightly, watching from the corner of her eye as Yang Yunhai got up, walked to the bed, climbed into the middle, and closed his eyes to cultivate.

"..." The moment her gaze shifted to Yang Yunhai's face, a trace of struggle and confusion inexplicably flashed through her eyes.

She had felt it clearly along the way. Ever since she had expressed her desire to come to Suotuo City, Yang Yunhai had deliberately begun keeping his distance from her.

"Does he think that by choosing to join Shrek Academy, I chose Dai Mubai?" she could not help but wonder inwardly.

After a long silence, she gently shook her head, stood up, and began clearing away the food.

Once she was done, she tiptoed to the bed, climbed on, and closed her eyes to cultivate.

Time passed bit by bit. Soon, the night outside the window deepened, and the room was so quiet that the chirping of insects could be heard.

Zhu Zhuqing slowly opened her eyes and glanced at Yang Yunhai, who had yet to wake. After a moment of silence, she pulled over the blanket and lay down on her side.

Not long afterward, Yang Yunhai woke as well. He glanced in Zhu Zhuqing's direction, quietly pulled over the blanket, and lay down.

The room fell silent once more. Then, after several breaths, a faintly trembling call suddenly sounded through the darkness.

"Yunhai, are you asleep?"

"Not yet." Yang Yunhai, who had been half-asleep, abruptly woke up. "Is something wrong?"

Silence followed. Only after a long while did Zhu Zhuqing's voice come again, soft and somewhat restrained.

"I'm sorry. I have a reason why I must stay. This is something I owe them." Before this man who had saved her, she subconsciously wanted to explain herself.

"Hmm?" Yang Yunhai immediately turned over. A suspicion flashed through his mind, and he could not help asking, "So you insisted on joining Shrek Academy because you wanted to help Dai Mubai defeat your Elder Sister and Dai Weisi in the Soul Master Competition, so he could gain the right to compete for the throne. Then, you planned to use that as a bargaining chip to draw a clear line with Dai Mubai and bring things to an end? And give the Zhu Family, who raised you, an explanation as well?"

The Zhu Family had several daughters, and the Dai Family had several princes. This was hardly some secret. Notting City, where he had once lived, bordered both nations.

If Zhu Zhuqing asked how he knew this information, he could just say he had heard it from border merchants.

On the other side, after hearing him out, Zhu Zhuqing did not probe further. She merely replied in a low voice, "Mm."

Yang Yunhai fell silent as well before speaking again.

"Zhuqing, have you ever considered this? With your cultivation, could you truly escape Elder Sister's pursuit?"

The blanket across from him visibly trembled.

Yang Yunhai continued, "At Elder Sister's age, she is at least a Soul Elder by now. Your martial souls are the same, so I imagine the effects of your soul skills are not too different either."

"With a difference of an entire major realm in cultivation, how could you make up for that? Could you really get away?"

"Also, I examined your injuries. You had several arrow wounds, which means there was more than one person pursuing you."

"With an Agility Attack System Soul Elder stronger by an entire major realm leading them, while ranged martial souls accompanied them to limit your movements, how could you possibly break through such an encirclement, cross more than half of the Star Luo Empire, then pass through the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest to reach the Heaven Dou Empire's border?"

"And aside from the wound on your shoulder, all your other injuries were merely grazes. Have you ever thought about why?"

"There is only one possibility: your Elder Sister never intended to kill you."

"If I'm not mistaken, this looked like a pursuit, but was actually an escort. Elder Sister wanted to drive you out of the Star Luo Empire this way, to keep you away from the center of power. She wanted you to begin a new life in a foreign land, in an enemy nation beyond the Star Luo Empire's jurisdiction."

"Why... why didn't she tell me?" Zhu Zhuqing could no longer hold herself together. The blanket trembled faintly, and her voice took on a sobbing tone.

"Zhuqing, if she had told you, would you still have run?" Yang Yunhai asked in return, then sighed. "Perhaps she knew you were a proud person? Or perhaps she herself was proud, unwilling to directly speak her mind."

"So..." Yang Yunhai suddenly asked again.

"Zhuqing, do you still want to join Shrek Academy and help Dai Mubai deal with your Elder Sister? If you win and Dai Mubai successfully gains the right to compete for the throne, have you considered how he will deal with your Elder Sister after returning to the country?"

"I think no one understands the cruelty of the Star Luo Empire's struggle for the throne better than you do."

At those words, Zhu Zhuqing's face instantly turned pale beneath the blanket, and her sobbing, trembling body stiffened.

She did not know, but judging from past history, royal family members who lost the competition were either killed or had their Soul Power crippled before being imprisoned in some remote place.

Yang Yunhai said nothing more and quietly waited for Zhu Zhuqing's emotions to settle.

Only after a quarter of an hour, when the blanket on the other side had stopped trembling, did he suddenly speak again in an even tone.

"Zhuqing, how about coming to Heaven Dou City with me? You don't have anywhere else to go anyway."

At those words, Zhu Zhuqing's body shrank almost instinctively, her hands covering her chest. Moments from her time with Yang Yunhai continuously flashed through her mind.

Though it had been an accident, from childhood until now, Yang Yunhai was the first person with whom she had shared such intimate physical contact.

Could I accept someone else doing that to me? Zhu Zhuqing kept asking herself, yet the answer was rejection. Merely imagining the possibility made resistance rise uncontrollably within her.

Without a doubt, she could not accept it.

But... did I really like Yang Yunhai?

Zhu Zhuqing fell silent. She had to admit that she felt favorably toward this man who had saved her. But it was still far from liking him. After all, they had known each other for far too short a time—there was no real understanding between them.

However, she truly had nowhere else to go now. Whether she went to Shrek Academy to help Dai Mubai or returned to the Star Luo Empire, she would be letting down Elder Sister's painstaking efforts.

Elder Sister had gone to such lengths to send her out of the Star Luo Empire precisely because she hoped Zhu Zhuqing would let go of the past, let go of that so-called Marriage Contract, and begin a new life somewhere new, wasn't it?

As thoughts surged through her mind, several seconds passed.

Perhaps I can try to get to know this man. After all, he was the first person to do that kind of thing with me. If possible, he would also be the last.

Let nature take its course... With a silent sigh, her curled-up body slowly stretched out. Gently covering her chest, she replied softly.

"Mm."

Yang Yunhai smiled faintly. "Then get some sleep early. We still have to get up early tomorrow and continue our journey."

"Good night." With that, he lifted the covers and lay down.

Yet his thoughts had not settled, and he could not help thinking, We're going to Heaven Dou City. I hope everything goes smoothly...

To be honest, he had once considered living in seclusion, keeping his head down and developing quietly, without involving himself in the affairs of the Soul Master world.

But after giving it some thought, he dismissed the idea.

What was the point of becoming stronger? Wasn't it to live well, live happily, give himself a better life, and marry a beautiful girl he liked?

But in this world where strength reigned supreme, such a life ultimately required great power to secure and protect. Peaceful days were not so easy to come by.

Besides, men always needed descendants. What father in this world would not want his child to be born with good talent and a bright future? Children in this world awakened their Martial Souls at the age of six—was he supposed to force his child not to awaken one?

And not send them to a Soul Master Academy to interact with others?

Humans were social creatures, after all. Wherever there were people, there were conflicts. Blindly hiding from the world was never a good strategy.

Only by being strong enough could he avoid all risks. In this world, the biggest fist was the only real truth.

Therefore, even for the sake of his future children, he had to find every possible way to raise his cultivation, perhaps even become a god.

And Immortal Herbs were undoubtedly excellent things capable of improving one's talent and aptitude. If he had the chance to obtain them, why not give it a try? The higher his cultivation realm became, the stronger the talents of his future descendants would be, and the greater their potential for growth. That way, even if he died someday, his children and grandchildren would still have the ability to protect themselves.

He was so handsome—what if his wife gave birth to a stunning daughter, while he or his descendants lacked strength, and someone forcibly abducted her?

The cat girl at the grand Auction House in the original novel was a typical example.

Furthermore, if he merely kept his head down and did nothing, allowing Tang San to obtain Immortal Herbs and greatly improve his cultivation aptitude, defeat the Spirit Hall team and obtain the Wisdom Skull, greatly increase his Spiritual Power, successfully undergo a second awakening of his Martial Soul... and finally watch Tang San become a god—then the eventual destruction of Spirit Hall would only be a minor matter.

What was even more disgusting was that, years later, things like the Tang family's God Realm and the Abyss's ten-thousand-year grand plan would probably be impossible to avoid.

For all he knew, his descendants might be among the dead.

So, even if not for himself, he had to prepare for the future and take a gamble for the sake of his descendants.

Besides, as a fellow transmigrator, how could he be willing to fall behind Tang San? Especially when he possessed the advantage of knowing the plot and foresight. Why should he give that up?

With those thoughts, his consciousness gradually sank away.

On the other side, Zhu Zhuqing wiped at the corners of her eyes. "Good night," she murmured softly, then lifted the covers and pulled them over herself as well.

PS: It seems I've caught the flu—or tested positive again. My throat feels awful, and my head is spinning. This chapter feels like a complete mess, sigh. It's a transitional chapter, so I won't split it up. I'm posting all 4,400 characters at once to transition past the Shrek storyline.