Chu Qing saw several Dou Ling Royal Academy students who had spoken disrespectfully crowding around him. Their looks could only be called fairly clean-cut; they probably weren't Xu Jiujiu's admirers.
"Hey!"
"Brat, why aren't you scramming?"
"Are you trying to make us use force?"
Chu Qing wasn't angry in the slightest. He was the one who had picked a fight in the first place, and he wore a faint smile.
Judging by their presence, they were only a little better than the students at Dou Ling Royal Academy.
Brilliant azure light burst from his eyes.
Battle Skill: Radiance of the Azure Eyes!
In an instant, the hands raised to shove Chu Qing froze in place. The group couldn't move, and their eyes were full of shock and doubt.
"You..."
They found it unbelievable. They hadn't seen Chu Qing release his Soul Rings. If this was a Self-Created Soul Skill, he was a downright genius.
Chu Qing put the fan sign into his Spirit Rhinoceros Ring and said slowly:
"Sorry, everyone. Please pass a message on to Her Highness Princess Jiujiu for me. I wanted to see her, and I had no choice but to resort to this."
Only after speaking did he withdraw his Soul Skill.
The group now knew they were no match for Chu Qing. Their tone softened considerably, though they still curled their lips.
"You know this is harassment, right?"
"If Princess Jiujiu weren't so kindhearted, you'd have been arrested long ago."
Chu Qing said shamelessly:
"Thanks for the reminder. Sorry for the trouble, then."
The group paused in surprise, then said:
"Wait here."
"We'll pass it on, but whether Her Highness will see you is another matter."
They left, glancing back at Chu Qing from time to time.
Seeing them return, Wang Shiying, who had been secretly watching from a distance on Xu Jiujiu's behalf, couldn't help wondering.
"What just happened?"
"Didn't I tell you to chase him away?"
The one in the lead rubbed his head and laughed awkwardly.
"Sister Shiying, look, after we warned him, didn't he obediently put the fan sign away?"
"I'm not blind." Wang Shiying rolled her eyes at him. "I saw his eyes flash azure, and then you all stopped."
"Come on, what happened?"
"It was probably a Self-Created Soul Skill. Once he stared at us, we couldn't move."
Wang Shiying's eyes lit up. Chu Qing had forced the group to retreat, which was enough to show that his cultivation was no ordinary matter.
She looked up at him, puzzled. A handsome guy with considerable strength-whose family was he from? How had she never seen him before?
"All right, I understand."
As she spoke, she took out a meal card.
"Go on. Jiujiu's treating you to a meal. As many set A meals as you want."
Chu Qing also noticed Wang Shiying. He thought her looks were barely passable, so she probably wasn't the princess.
Wang Shiying went to find Xu Jiujiu and teased her.
"Jiujiu, I just went and checked him out for you myself."
"He's so handsome. If you won't go, I'll go meet him in your place!"
Xu Jiujiu laughed and said:
"You boy-crazy fool, go if you want. I'm not interested."
But as she spoke, she grew puzzled.
"He still hasn't been chased away?"
She considered it.
"Looks like he's got some ability. Maybe I should call Huang Heyun and the others to beat him up."
Wang Shiying couldn't help thinking it would be a shame for a handsome guy like Chu Qing to get beaten up, so she urged:
"Jiujiu, I don't think that's a good idea."
"That man's strength is no joke. He scared off a whole group with a single look."
"If Huang Heyun and the others go and fall flat on their faces, this little matter that hardly matters could blow up beyond our control."
Xu Jiujiu nodded.
"True."
"Come on, let's go see whether he's really as formidable as you say."
Chu Qing waited in utter boredom. Wang Shiying, whom he had seen earlier, appeared at the academy gates again, accompanied by a young woman with a noble bearing. Her long golden hair was neatly tied in a ponytail, a faint smile graced her pretty face, and her bright blue eyes shone with a faint metallic luster.
Before they could approach, he went up to meet them.
"Forgive my presumption, Your Highness."
Xu Jiujiu looked at Chu Qing as he approached, a flicker of surprise in her eyes.
She was of noble birth and had seen who knew how many children of the powerful. At a glance, she could tell Chu Qing was no ordinary person.
She was also an auctioneer at Starlight, with an exceptional eye. She could see that Chu Qing's black-and-azure python robe was unmistakably the work of a royal tailor from the Dou Ling palace.
"We haven't met before. You've come from afar, and I must say it's an honor."
She saw none of the infatuation other boys showed in Chu Qing's eyes, so she spoke with easy grace:
"I should do the honors as your host and treat you to some of Star Luo's specialties."
Chu Qing didn't refuse.
"Sorry for the trouble."
The reason he had come to Xu Jiujiu was that she ran operations at the Starlight Auction House. They shared an identity as merchants.
Watching them, Wang Shiying felt something wasn't quite right and teased:
"All right, I won't be a third wheel between you two, then."
She ran off laughing.
Chu Qing grew a little embarrassed.
"It's all right."
Xu Jiujiu spoke first.
"At least, you should be the strongest among my many admirers."
She could sense the fluctuations of Soul Power coming from Chu Qing. His were far more abundant than hers.
She already had four rings, and at her age, that kind of talent counted among the best.
As she spoke, she looked at Chu Qing curiously.
Chu Qing understood what she meant and said:
"I'm all right, I suppose. I was lucky enough to get five rings."
Xu Jiujiu's pupils trembled at once. Chu Qing looked a little younger than her, yet he really did have five rings.
Chu Qing explained:
"Princess Jiujiu, forgive me. I came to Star Luo City alone."
"This was the fastest way for me to meet you."
"Don't worry. I came to you because I have something I want to work with you on. I won't disappoint you."
Xu Jiujiu grew quite curious. She considered herself fairly clever, but she still couldn't work out what Chu Qing wanted with her.
"Oh, I forgot to introduce myself."
"My name is Chu Qing, president of the Soul Fighting Society."
The moment she heard his name, Xu Jiujiu couldn't help covering her mouth and snickering, nodding repeatedly.
"Mm, I've heard your great name for a long time. I finally get to meet you today, haha~"
Chu Qing found it a little strange.
"What is it?"
Xu Jiujiu took several portraits from her Star Ring and handed them to Chu Qing.
"I can't take it. See for yourself."
Chu Qing took them, leafing through them and complaining all the while:
"This guy has a pretty distinctive face."
"Who is he?"
He chuckled along, then his expression suddenly froze.
"Oh! It's me!"
Xu Jiujiu took the portraits back. Although she had composed herself, her face was still slightly flushed from holding it in.
She said seriously:
"Now we're even."
She watched Chu Qing's expression. He showed not the slightest anger, only speechlessness. She nodded slightly and said:
"Let me guess?"
"You came to ask me to sell cards for you?"
"Brilliant, just as the rumors say. You truly are the most talented member of the Star Luo Imperial Family in a hundred years..."
He didn't skimp on the praise.
"Stop, stop, stop!"
Xu Jiujiu hurriedly cut him off.
"I can do it."
"But I have one condition."
Chu Qing listened attentively.
"Tell me first, then I'll decide whether to refuse."
Xu Jiujiu smiled faintly.
"I don't care. If you refuse, there's no deal."
"My demand isn't unreasonable. A deck of your Soul Fighting Cards has thirty cards in all. I'll take care of every region in the Star Luo Empire for you, and once you become a Titled Douluo, you'll do thirty things for me."
"Don't worry, I won't ask too much."
"Let's get this straight first, then. Just don't make me marry you."
Chu Qing shamelessly gazed at Xu Jiujiu, admiring her world-class beauty.
Xu Jiujiu met his gaze without flinching, showing none of a shy young woman's affectation.
"I didn't expect you to be so full of yourself."
"Have you looked enough?"
"The country's become more open-minded these days. Otherwise, in the past, a frivolous fellow like you would have had his eyes gouged out for giving this princess one extra glance."
"You really are quite pretty."
Chu Qing gave his assessment sincerely.
Xu Jiujiu gave a soft hum, pleased with herself, and led the way.
"As if I needed you to tell me that."
"Everyone knows this princess is beautiful enough to topple kingdoms and cities."
Chu Qing followed behind her, chuckling.
"You've got quite a thick face yourself. I'd be embarrassed to praise myself like that."
"This princess isn't praising herself. I'm simply stating a basic fact."