Questions for Zhu Zhuqing

Hearing Lan Hong's words, Dugu Yan asked with some displeasure.

"Lan Hong, do you know that girl?"

"No! But I know who she is!"

Lan Hong immediately moved and chased after them, blocking the black-clad assassins. By then, he had already put on the squirrel mask.

"This guy... doesn't tell me he likes that type, does he?"

Dugu Yan lowered her head to look at herself and muttered softly.

"I'm not bad either!"

The girl in leather was naturally Zhu Zhuqing. The people chasing her had been sent by Zhu Zhuyun, who was among them as well.

She was the one whose figure could not be concealed even by a loose black robe.

"Oh! Is someone trying to play the hero and save the beauty? You should first consider whether you have what it takes!"

Lan Hong did not waste words. After disguising himself, five Spirit Rings—two yellow, two purple, and one black—shone around him.

"Spirit King!"

The strongest among Zhu Zhuyun's group was only a Soul Ancestor. Facing a Spirit King was truly troublesome for them.

"You insist on meddling in this!"

"Your objective has already been achieved."

"You know who we are?"

"I still recognize the Hell Spirit Cat!"

Several people hidden in the shadows had faintly surrounded Lan Hong. Lan Hong swung his sword, and with a single move of Purple Bamboo Flying Immortal, all of them were injured by sword qi.

"Retreat!"

Zhu Zhuyun knew when to yield and chose to retreat. Yet her departure did nothing to ease Zhu Zhuqing's tense nerves.

"Who exactly are you? Why did you help me?"

"Rather than asking me that, you should worry about your injuries!"

Zhu Zhuqing had an arrow wound on her shoulder and several cuts across her body. Her Soul Power and physical strength had also been greatly depleted. She was currently holding on entirely through sheer willpower.

After Lan Hong reminded her and she realized the state of her body, her vision swam and she fainted on the spot.

Zhu Zhuqing fell to the ground, but Lan Hong did not touch her. Instead, he waited for Dugu Yan to come over.

"Here are some wound medicine and Blood-Replenishing Pills. Feed her the pills, and help bandage her wounds while you're at it!"

"Why do I have to do this? Why don't you do it yourself?"

"Men and women should not touch freely. It is proper etiquette!"

"Keep pretending!"

Lan Hong ignored her and walked some distance away. If he had been alone, then as one of the jianghu, he would not have bothered with such minor formalities.

But since there was a better option, he naturally would not deliberately take advantage of her.

Leaning against a tree, Lan Hong pondered Zhu Zhuqing's situation.

Saving Zhu Zhuqing had indeed been an impulsive decision. In truth, even if he had not saved her, she would not have died.

Several Soul Elders, one Soul Ancestor, and Zhu Zhuyun had still failed to capture Zhu Zhuqing after so long.

One had to know that Zhu Zhuqing was not even level 30 yet, merely a Soul Grandmaster.

Lan Hong did not believe Zhu Zhuyun had not held back. Perhaps there was still some sisterly affection between them. However, under the cruel rules established by the Zhu Family and the Dai Family, that affection would inevitably be worn away.

What Lan Hong needed to see next was Zhu Zhuqing's choice. Zhu Zhuqing had indeed chosen to resist, but she was only resisting within the rules.

She had never rebelled against the source of her cruel fate—the creator of those rules, the Star Luo Royal Family.

If Zhu Zhuqing did not even have the courage to resist the Star Luo Empire's royal family, there was no need for Lan Hong to help her further.

What Lan Hong needed was future assistance, not a pretty vase.

After a long while, Zhu Zhuqing woke up. She saw Lan Hong cultivating on the other side of the campfire. He had already removed his mask.

Sensing that Zhu Zhuqing had awakened, Lan Hong opened his eyes as well.

"You should be fine now!"

"Did you bandage my wounds?"

There was anger in Zhu Zhuqing's tone, which made Lan Hong somewhat displeased. His voice turned cold as well.

"You can look beside you!"

Only then did Zhu Zhuqing notice Dugu Yan dozing against the side.

"Um, sorry! Thank you for saving me!"

"There's no need to thank me! Even if I hadn't saved you, you wouldn't have died! You don't seriously think a Soul Grandmaster like you could flee for so long from the siege of several Soul Elders and a Soul Ancestor, do you?"

"You mean..."

"It's enough that you understand! I have heard a little about the competition rules the Dai Family of the Star Luo Royal Family and the Zhu Family established for selecting heirs! I will ask you a few questions, and I will decide how to treat you based on your answers."

"Who exactly are you?"

"Lan Hong, just a passerby! First question: do you think the Star Luo Royal Family and the Zhu Family's rules for selecting heirs are right?"

"Of course they're wrong!"

Zhu Zhuqing answered instinctively.

"Second question: if you were Zhu Zhuyun, would you still think those rules were wrong? I want to hear your true thoughts."

Zhu Zhuqing fell silent for a while before speaking.

"Even if I were the one benefiting from them, I still wouldn't think such cruel rules were right!"

"Mm! Third question: do you dare resist the Star Luo Royal Family?"

"That's impossible!"

Zhu Zhuqing answered instinctively. In her heart, the Star Luo Empire was a colossal entity that she simply could not resist.

She wanted to defy fate in order to survive, which was why she wanted to find Dai Mubai. Though the hope was slim, being with Dai Mubai at least gave her a trace of hope.

As for resisting the Star Luo Royal Family, which represented the entire Star Luo Empire, she had never considered it.

After all, Zhu Zhuqing was a young lady of the Zhu Family. She had received an aristocratic education from childhood, and the essence of aristocratic education was hierarchical education.

Thus, Zhu Zhuqing instinctively placed herself in an inferior position. That was likely also why she could accept that lecherous tiger Dai Mubai in the original story.

Lan Hong was greatly disappointed by Zhu Zhuqing's final answer. He had originally admired her greatly—she was determined and capable of enduring hardship—but Zhu Zhuqing was ultimately still a member of the aristocratic circle. Her resistance would only ever remain within the aristocrats' rules.

"At dawn tomorrow, I'll take you out of the Star Dou Great Forest. After that, go wherever you please!"

After saying that, Lan Hong closed his eyes. Zhu Zhuqing did not know what to say for a moment.

The words "resist the Star Luo Royal Family" echoed repeatedly in her heart, but she could never break through that shackle within her.

Because she still held on to a sliver of hope: Dai Mubai.

The next day, Lan Hong escorted Zhu Zhuqing out of the Star Dou Great Forest, then parted ways with her.

"Are you playing some kind of tactic where you feign indifference to capture her interest? Don't tell me you really like her figure!"

"It has nothing to do with that. She disappointed me, so now we are merely strangers!"

Lan Hong summoned the Flame Chariot and continued on his journey. This time, there were no accidents. Several days later, Lan Hong arrived in Nuoding City.

"This little city is where you grew up?"

"Not really. I only studied here for a year!"

Lan Hong went to Nuoding Academy to ask around and learned that Xiao Wu and Tang San had already graduated and left. He therefore did not linger in Nuoding City, purchasing some supplies before heading straight for Cat King Village.

Upon returning to Cat King Village, Lan Hong felt an unusual sense of warmth. However, he had changed so much that the villagers did not dare recognize him.

Only Old Cat Grandpa stepped forward and spoke.

"Little Hong, is that you?"

Here is the third chapter. Thank you for your support—please leave a bookmark and some recommendation votes, please!