"Mm-hmm, get some rest first. You've only just recovered. Once we reach town, we'll ask a physician to treat your injuries," Ning Rongrong said. She had just checked Zhu Zhuqing's body. Although she looked covered in wounds, her muscles and bones were unharmed; they were all superficial injuries.
"Mm," Zhu Zhuqing answered, then leaned against the carriage wall and closed her eyes to rest.
Ning Rongrong turned to Jun Yi and voiced her confusion. "Just now, I saw you take out that Soul King's heart. Did you kill him?"
Ning Rongrong had watched Jun Yi's fight from beginning to end. At first, she had worried about him. His opponent was a Soul King, after all. But when Jun Yi took out that Soul King's heart with a single move, she was truly stunned. She had never expected Jun Yi to be so strong that he could instantly kill a Soul King in one move.
"I didn't kill him. People call me the Surgeon of Life. I don't take lives," Jun Yi answered, wagging his head.
"Who are you trying to fool? I saw you pull his heart out!"
Ning Rongrong replied. What had been inside the transparent cube in Jun Yi's hand just now was definitely a heart.
"Uh, I did pull out his heart, but he didn't die. He only passed out."
"He didn't die after you pulled out his heart? Do you think you're fooling a child?" Ning Rongrong asked.
Jun Yi suddenly realized that he seemed never to have explained his abilities to Ning Rongrong. He smiled slightly, deployed his ROOM space to envelop the two of them, and began explaining.
"Inside my ROOM space, I can sense any object within it and freely cut, assemble, swap, control, or combine targets inside the space. People and living creatures whose bodies are cut by the ability user 'inside the space' won't die, bleed, or even feel pain."
"Like this."
Jun Yi drew his Soul Tool saber and cut off his own arm with one slash. Yet his left arm was completely undamaged, and not a drop of blood appeared at the cut.
Ning Rongrong watched, dumbstruck. She had originally thought Jun Yi could only swap positions within the space. She had never expected this blue space to have such a function as well.
Then Jun Yi reattached his left arm and said to Ning Rongrong, "Now you believe that Soul King isn't dead, right? I only took out his heart earlier. He merely fell unconscious. I reckon he woke up long ago."
Ning Rongrong nodded. "I believe you. What other abilities do you have that I don't know about? Tell me all of them."
"I probably couldn't finish even in three days and three nights. Someone's resting now. I'll tell you about them slowly another day."
By the time the carriage reached Suotuo City, the sun had already sunk. The evening sun descended in the west, and red clouds filled the sky.
Jun Yi looked at the sky and said, "Perfect timing. Let's find somewhere to rest."
"Mm-hmm. Let's go to the Seven Treasure Chamber of Commerce in Suotuo City first and find someone to treat Zhu Zhuqing's injuries," Ning Rongrong suggested.
"My injuries aren't a problem. I don't need any more treatment," Zhu Zhuqing hurriedly declined.
"Don't worry, Zhu Zhuqing. It's no trouble. Besides, we're going to be classmates, aren't we?"
As Ning Rongrong spoke, she even winked at Zhu Zhuqing, looking utterly adorable.
During the journey, Ning Rongrong had chatted with Zhu Zhuqing with easy familiarity. Girls always had endless things to talk about, and the two had grown much closer.
Although Zhu Zhuqing had a cool temperament, she was not aloof and did not reject Ning Rongrong's enthusiasm. Through their conversation, they learned that they would soon be classmates, which made Ning Rongrong even more enthusiastic.
The carriage drove into Suotuo City and stopped before a magnificent building. Looking up, they saw the particularly striking words "Seven Treasure Chamber of Commerce."
Several guards stood at the entrance. They were burly, with bulging muscles, and wore silver armor. Faint fluctuations of Soul Power emanated from their bodies, showing that their strength was considerable.
"Welcome to the Seven Treasure Chamber of Commerce," the guards called out in unison.
Hearing the guards, Jun Yi stepped out of the carriage. Ning Rongrong jumped down after him, then supported Zhu Zhuqing as they walked into the Seven Treasure Chamber of Commerce.
Jun Yi took a seven-colored crystal token from his Soul Tool and handed it to a guard. "Sorry for the trouble, but could you find us a Soul Master who can heal? Someone with us needs treatment."
The guard took the crystal token and examined it carefully for a moment. "Hello. Please wait a moment." With that, he left.
Several minutes later, the guard returned with an old man dressed in white robes, who walked slowly in with his hands behind his back.
"You must be Young Master Jun and Miss Ning. I am Ning Yu, president of Suotuo City's Seven Treasure Chamber of Commerce." The old man approached and greeted Jun Yi and his two companions with a bow.
"Hello, President Ning Yu." Jun Yi returned the greeting and continued, "My friend is injured. Sorry for the trouble, but please find an Auxiliary System Soul Master to treat her."
"I've already brought one." A female Soul Master accompanied Ning Yu. She summoned a yellow flower, and six Soul Rings appeared around her: yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, and black.
Several rays of light flew from the flower and shone upon Zhu Zhuqing. Her external injuries healed at a rate visible to the naked eye. In less than half an incense stick's time, all her injuries had healed.
"How is it, Zhu Zhuqing? Do you still feel uncomfortable anywhere?"
"Not anymore. Thank you for treating me." Zhu Zhuqing bowed to the female Soul Master in thanks.
Ning Rongrong waved her hand. "That's good. Thank you, Grandpa Ning Yu, and you too, big sister. We'll be going now!"
"It's already late. We've prepared rooms for you, Miss. You and Young Master Jun can stay here for the night," President Ning Yu said with a beaming smile.
"No, Grandpa Ning. We'll find somewhere ourselves. This is my first time traveling far from home, after all. I don't want to rely on my family," Ning Rongrong politely declined.
President Ning Yu's smile did not fade. "I'm sure the sect master would be pleased to know you think this way, Miss Rongrong. In that case, I won't keep you."
Jun Yi also cupped his hands. "Thank you for your help. We'll be leaving now, and we'll return the carriage to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect here."
"Mm. Safe travels."
Under President Ning Yu's gaze, the three figures gradually receded into the distance.
"What's going on? Why is every hotel full? If I'd known, we should have stayed at the chamber of commerce," Ning Rongrong complained.
The three of them had tried many inns, only to find every one packed. They could not find a single room.
"It's probably because the Soul Master Academies are recruiting students that the inns have no rooms. After all, many families bring their children here to register. That's probably why," Zhu Zhuqing guessed.
"What do we do, then? Are we really going to sleep on the streets?" Ning Rongrong said with a troubled expression.
Jun Yi shrugged. "If all else fails, we'll just go back to the chamber of commerce. What's the big deal?"
"No! I've already said all those fine words. If I go back now, wouldn't I be slapping my own face?"
Before Ning Rongrong finished speaking, she suddenly spotted something and pointed in that direction.
Jun Yi looked that way and saw a three-story hotel. Although it did not seem particularly large, its exterior was decorated entirely in rose red, and the whole building was styled like a giant rose.
"Jun Yi, look how pretty that hotel is! Let's go see whether they have any rooms!"
With that, Ning Rongrong grabbed Jun Yi with her left hand and Zhu Zhuqing with her right, then ran toward the hotel.
"Well, well. The Rose Hotel, huh?"
(End of chapter)