Xiao Wu knew Zhu Qing had come all the way from the Xing Luo Empire looking for a man—likely her fiancé—which brought her some relief.
[Ding! Congratulations to the host! The God of Speed has developed some affection and curiosity for you. Triggering a critical hit reward: the Xuanyuan Sword Scabbard. The age of your first soul ring has increased by 5,000 years.]
Xiao Tian, practicing in another tent, was baffled by the sudden system reward. He hadn't done anything to earn Zhu Zhuqing's favor, so why was she curious about him now?
It felt like a pot had fallen from the sky—but hey, he liked it!
Maybe Xiao Wu had said something to stir Zhu Zhuqing's interest. Either way, he was grateful for the unexpected assist.
But what use was this Xuanyuan Sword Scabbard?
Xiao Tian wondered if it was just for protecting swords. Since Fifteen was his own martial soul, it didn't need protection or maintenance, and normally it stayed hidden.
For now, the scabbard would gather dust in his soul guide. Maybe it would be useful when his sword evolved at level fifteen?
The next day at noon, Xiao Tian and his group arrived in Soto City.
"Let's find a hotel first, then explore the city!" Xiao Wu was excited.
Soto City was a large city—nothing like Notting City—and after traveling so long, Xiao Wu was eager to see it properly.
Everyone agreed.
Xiao Tian, Tang San, and the others suggested a small inn since they'd only stay one night.
But Zhu Zhuqing and Xiao Wu insisted on the best—Zhu Zhuqing was a noble and didn't need to save money; Xiao Wu was curious about big-city hotels.
By coincidence, both chose the largest hotel in Soto City—the Rose Hotel.
Xiao Tian quietly mourned Dai Mubai's luck. Could it be that he—of all people—would show up at the same time with the beautiful twins?
He couldn't recall when Dai Mubai had arrived; after all, these were trivial details.
At the front desk, the waiter showed no surprise seeing the party of five. Lazily, he asked, "How many rooms?"
"Two doubles and one single," Xiao Tian answered calmly.
It seemed Dai Mubai had not arrived yet.
In the original novel, the front desk clerk said only one room remained, given to Tang San and Xiao Wu. But Dai Mubai arrived later with the twins, realizing it was the very room he'd reserved, sparking the ensuing conflict.
After Xiao Tian paid the deposit and handed over room cards to Xiao Wu and Tang San, a voice called from behind.
"Waiter, where's my reserved room?"
Dai Mubai strode in, cradling the twins in his arms and kissing each of their faces.
The receptionist smiled brightly, "Mr. Dai, fear not: your room is ready with many trinkets, decorated to your specifications."
Xiao Tian shook his head helplessly. Dai Mubai really knew how to pick moments.
Still, Zhu Zhuqing had seen Dai Mubai's fondness for the twins in the original story and could only think: It's a blessing, not a curse—one you can't dodge. Good luck!
Dai Mubai casually tossed a Gintama coin as a tip. The waiter grinned—his monthly pay was only three coins, and this tip was a third of it at once.
Soul masters really had money to spare; Xiao Tian envied them. If he were a soul master, he wouldn't be working as a waiter.
Dai Mubai then turned, fixing about thirty percent of his gaze on Xiao Wu and seventy on Zhu Zhuqing.
From the start, he sensed a resonance from his martial spirit. Looking into Zhu Zhuqing's eyes, he felt an inexplicable familiarity, though they had never met before.
For Zhu Zhuqing, her face turned icy. Her eyes locked onto Dai Mubai's distinctive heterochromatic pupils—a hallmark of the Xing Luo Dai family's martial spirit, the Evil-Eyed White Tiger.
Combined with the unusual behavior of her own martial soul, she knew instantly the man was Dai Mubai—the third prince of Xing Luo and her childhood fiancé.
Ever since Dai Mubai fled the Xing Luo Empire three years ago, Zhu Zhuqing felt as if the sky was crashing down.
Dai Mubai was a coward!
He had abandoned her alone in the Xing Luo Empire, leaving her to face dangers like Davis and her sister.
That was why Zhu Zhuqing had trained so hard these past three years.
Yet she still clung to hope—maybe Dai Mubai tried to avoid royal scrutiny and intended to get stronger to cut off the root of their troubles.
She wanted to defy fate. More plainly, she didn't want to die, nor did she want her cultivation wasted.
Though she despised arranged marriages, she hoped to join Dai Mubai in the royal competition to prove herself.
She'd thought about escaping the Zhu family and the empire later, but knew her chances of eluding pursuit were slim.
She'd fled the Xing Luo Empire and suffered countless chases along the way—only luck had saved her.
After hearing Yu Xiaogang's words the day before, her hope swelled.
But now, seeing Dai Mubai's indulgent and careless expression, her hopes shattered completely.
Xiao Tian thought to himself: Innocent Zhuqing, tell me—is it possible your sister deliberately let you escape to find Dai Mubai? Otherwise, a high-level soul master with no practical experience like you wouldn't have escaped the empire's hunt, no matter how lucky.
Xiao Wu and the others by Zhu Zhuqing's side felt the chill radiating from her.
Each wore a different expression.
Yu Xiaogang said, "It's over. Could this really be Dai Mubai?"
Tang San looked detached, as if it didn't concern him.
Xiao Wu frowned: "Could this be the person Zhu Qing came looking for? He came all the way from Xing Luo Empire just to collect girls?"
Xiao Tian muttered, "Waiting for death..."
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