As dusk fell, several hours had passed since they began shopping.
After much deliberation, Dugu Yan, Ye Lingling, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing had finally chosen several outfits they were happy with.
When they exited the last boutique, the four girls were already chatting and laughing like close friends, arms linked, animatedly discussing the various outfits they'd seen during their shopping trip.
Having shopped to their hearts' content, Ye Yu decided it was time to treat the girls to dinner.
While the girls were browsing clothes, Ye Yu had already chatted up the shop assistants and learned which restaurant in Spirit City was the most renowned and where to find it.
So, after finishing their shopping, Ye Yu led the group toward that restaurant.
Before long, they arrived at a four-story, elegant and luxurious establishment, exuding classical charm.
The plaque hanging above the entrance bore four large golden characters:
Tian Yue Pavilion
"We're here. Let's go in," Ye Yu said, smiling with anticipation on his handsome face as he led the four girls inside.
Inside the restaurant, the first floor was already bustling, packed with guests.
Aside from local Spirit City residents, there were also Soul Masters from all over the continent — spectators and participants of the Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament, including teams from the Star Luo Empire and the Heaven Dou Empire.
Ye Yu and the others made their way up to the third floor.
Suddenly, Ye Yu's gaze flickered with surprise — he spotted several familiar figures.
It was the Shrek Seven Monsters: Dai Mubai, Tang San, Ma Hongjun, and Oscar, all seated at a table.
However, gathered beside them was another group of people.
Leading them was a tall, well-built young man clad in elegant robes of black and deep purple. His long blond hair was neatly combed and draped down his back. Though handsome in appearance, his aura was laced with arrogance and a faint shadowy intensity.
Beside him stood a striking woman dressed in a tight black leather outfit. Her voluptuous curves were impossible to ignore, and her long black hair was coiled into a bun. Her features were exquisitely beautiful and carried a sharp, confident air. She stood with arms crossed, surveying the room with disinterest.
Behind the pair stood several others.
"Oh? Isn't this Mubai?" the blond youth said with mocking amusement. "What's this? You're actually participating in the Continental Elite Tournament too?"
"Oh, that's right. Zhuyun mentioned that Zhuqing went looking for you."
"Where is she now?"
"Don't tell me… she dumped you because you're too useless?"
Dai Weisi burst into laughter at his own taunt.
Hearing Dai Weisi's mockery, Dai Mubai clenched his fists so hard that his knuckles cracked. His expression turned ashen with fury.
Tang San, Ma Hongjun, and Oscar were visibly outraged as well.
Although Ye Yu hadn't met these people before, based on Dai Weisi's words — and the woman who bore a six- or seven-tenths resemblance to Zhu Zhuqing — he instantly deduced:
This must be Dai Weisi and Zhu Zhuyun of the Star Luo Royal Team.
At that moment, Zhu Zhuqing quietly reached out and gripped Ye Yu's wrist. Her pure and delicate face was shadowed with complex emotions, her teeth gently biting her lower lip as she whispered:
"Brother Ye Yu… That woman in black is my sister, Zhu Zhuyun. And the one mocking Dai Mubai — that's Crown Prince Dai Weisi of the Star Luo Empire."
Zhu Zhuqing had already confided her background to Ye Yu after choosing to stay by his side.
However, Ning Rongrong, Dugu Yan, and Ye Lingling were still unaware of her past.
At this moment, as Dai Weisi continued mocking Dai Mubai, Zhu Zhuyun, who had been looking around idly, suddenly noticed Ye Yu and Zhu Zhuqing.
A charming smile curled across her beautiful face as she gracefully walked over, her steps soft and deliberate.
"My dear little sister. What a surprise to see you here~"
"And this gentleman by your side… who might he be?"
"Could it really be just as Weisi said?"
"You abandoned Dai Mubai and ran off into another man's arms?"
Zhu Zhuyun's eyes sparkled with amusement as she teasingly assessed Ye Yu, clearly trying to discern what kind of man could make her little sister throw away her royal engagement — abandoning the centuries-old union between their Hell Spirit Cat Family and the Star Luo Royal Family — to choose him instead.
Having noticed Zhu Zhuyun's departure, Dai Weisi also turned to look.
His eyes narrowed when he saw Zhu Zhuqing — and the young man standing beside her.
His expression immediately darkened.
Despite mocking Dai Mubai moments ago, claiming Zhu Zhuqing had surely left him…
As the Crown Prince of the Star Luo Empire, a direct beneficiary of the imperial family's longstanding marital alliance with the Hell Spirit Cat Family…
And as the man who believed himself destined to become Emperor of the Star Luo Empire…
Dai Weisi fully embodied the saying: "Where you stand determines how you think."
He absolutely could not tolerate Zhu Zhuqing breaking off her engagement with Dai Mubai and choosing another man.
Such an act would be tantamount to trampling the sacred union between their family.
It would destroy the "Gu-raising inheritance system" — their method of selecting the most capable among the royal heirs and their fiancées by pitting them against each other in deadly competition.
If Zhu Zhuqing could walk away from her engagement, fall for someone else, and escape both punishment and the fate reserved for losers in the system…
It would encourage all future losers to rebel.
That would completely undermine their generational alliance, and the entire survival-of-the-fittest system would collapse.
Dai Weisi would never allow such a thing to happen.
So, with a cold expression and arms crossed, he strode forward and barked:
"You! Who are you?!"
"Do you have any idea who the woman beside you is?"
"She is a noble daughter of our Hell Spirit Cat Family, betrothed to my brother, Third Prince Dai Mubai, of the Star Luo Imperial Family."
"By standing beside her like that, you're trampling the dignity of the Star Luo Royal Family!"
"I order you — immediately, right now — to return Zhu Zhuqing to my brother!"
"Otherwise, I will take this as a blatant act of defiance and provocation against the Star Luo Royal Family!"
His eyes gleaming with cold light, Dai Weisi issued his threat directly.
Hearing these words, Zhu Zhuqing turned pale. She gripped Ye Yu's arm tightly, fear and anxiety flashing across her beautiful face.
Ye Yu noticed this too.
He glanced at her briefly — then without hesitation, pulled his right arm free and wrapped it firmly around her waist, smirking coldly as he lifted a leg and kicked straight at Dai Weisi.
Caught completely off guard, Dai Weisi took the full force of the blow square in the gut.
Bang!
Even though Ye Yu held back more than ninety percent of his strength, Dai Weisi was still launched backward.
His body doubled over like a shrimp, eyes bulging as he slammed against the wall by the staircase and collapsed to the floor — butt first.
His face twisted in agony.
The pain in his abdomen was unbearable — as if his insides had been torn apart.