"I did everything I could, but I still didn't account for you, little rogue," Aoi Kenshin said with a lazy grin.
Hearing that, Zhu Zhuqing froze. Wait… am I the peeping rogue now?
"You… you—!" She pointed at him, trembling with fury. Raised in a noble household, she had never encountered such a shameless scoundrel. Her normally serene composure completely shattered.
Soul power surged across her body. One eye glowed a ghostly green, the other a crystalline blue, pupils constricting into almond shapes. Her long black hair tumbled past her waist, some strands twisted atop her head like cat ears. A ribbon-like tail floated behind her, swaying with her aura.
Aoi Kenshin let out a small whistle, surveying the transformed girl with interest.
"A cat-type Martial Soul?"
Zhu Zhuqing's slender, sharp fingers dug into a boulder the size of her head and slammed it toward Aoi Kenshin in the stream.
He raised his right hand, extending his index and middle fingers like a blade, and a jet of cyan soul energy shot out.
Ssshh—!
The boulder split cleanly in two, smooth as a mirror, and dropped into the water with a double splash.
"Hmm?!" Zhu Zhuqing's almond pupils shrank even further. "This person's soul power… so sharp!"
Remaining in the stream was suicide. Who knew what else this cat-MC girl might throw at him?
"I won't play with you any longer!" Aoi Kenshin leaned back, sinking completely beneath the water. Ripples distorted around him as he surged upstream like a silver flash.
"Rogue! Don't run!" Zhu Zhuqing arched her back and bent her knees like a nimble cat. Lightly tapping her toes, she bounded across stones along the water's edge, chasing the boy in the stream.
Back and forth, the chase continued.
Slowly, Zhu Zhuqing began to realize—her speed couldn't match this rogue boy's. The distance between them kept widening.
What kind of Martial Soul does he have? She wondered. My Ghost Cat should be faster than this…
Splash—! A sudden crash of water interrupted her thoughts. About four or five meters away, a pale figure leapt ashore, snatched up a bundle, and vanished into the forest.
Again! Zhu Zhuqing caught sight of him once more, even clearer this time. She stumbled slightly, almost falling. Her face burned crimson.
"Rogue! Today, I will teach you a lesson!"
Without hesitation, she sprinted into the forest. As she ran, she untied the bundle, revealing the only spare white shirt she had.
Aoi Kenshin's hands flicked, and the robe floated to him, arms sliding into the sleeves. He performed a midair flip, the fabric fluttering to perfectly cover his torso. He tied the belt around his waist and turned to see the enraged cat-girl catching up.
"Why are you still chasing me?" he asked helplessly. "You were the one who saw me naked. I wasn't even mad—so why are you angry?"
Standing before him, water dripping from his hair and clothes clinging to his toned frame, Zhu Zhuqing opened her mouth to scold him. Then, realizing the truth, she froze. She did see him.
Her chest rose and fell rapidly, betraying her emotions.
"You…" she ground her teeth. "I saw you and… I wanted to test your strength!"
Aoi Kenshin shrugged and turned to walk away. "Not interested. I usually don't fight women."
Whoosh—! A sudden gust of wind sliced past.
A slender, sharp hand whistled past his ear.
"Hm?" He glanced at the girl, her aura flaring with soul power. "You really want to fight me?"
Her cat-like eyes gleamed. Perfect… this is the thrill I crave.
"You're fast, I'll give you that. I, Zhu Zhuqing, Level 27 Great Soul Master, officially challenge you!"
Aoi Kenshin's brow arched. As expected—it's Zhu Zhuqing.
He had already guessed her identity when she revealed her cat-type Martial Soul. At her age, with a beauty like hers and over level-20 soul power, there was only one: Ghost Cat Zhu Zhuqing.
He plucked a leaf from a branch, held it lazily between his teeth, and drawled:
"I'll fight you. But if I win, you have to grant me one thing."
Seeing her puzzled expression, he added, "Don't think of anything silly. A gentleman has things he will and will not do."
Her cheeks flamed. "I agree!"
Her heterochromatic eyes glinted coldly. Her form blurred into shadow as two golden soul rings hovered at her feet.
First contact! She unleashed two soul skills immediately, showing her respect for Aoi Kenshin:
"Ghost Stab!""Hundred Claws!"
Her already lightning-fast speed surged further. She streaked toward him, scattering leaves in her wake. Claw shadows rained down like a violent storm, tearing through the air with sharp whistles.
Aoi Kenshin smirked, spitting out the leaf. His palm shot forward, summoning the Azure Lotus Sword. In that instant, the forest shimmered with a cold cyan light.
Zhu Zhuqing's heart tightened. What a sharp sword!
As he gripped the hilt, his lazy gaze sharpened instantly.
"First Soul Skill—Azure Edge Sever!"
The purple soul ring flared. Lotus patterns along the blade bloomed fully, the tip carving a mysterious trajectory. Every claw shadow that crossed its path vanished.
Whoosh—!
Aoi Kenshin's speed became nearly impossible to track. In an instant, the sword tip hovered three inches from Zhu Zhuqing's throat, wind ruffling her bangs.
The cyan light reflected her stunned face.
"You lost." He retracted the blade, and the leaf he had spat out drifted gently to the ground.
"Im… impossible…" She looked up, disbelief in her eyes.
"Purple soul ring? Millennium in age?"
"Why… why is your first soul ring purple?"
She had seen many prodigies, and was confident in her own talents. But this white-robed youth in the Star Dou Forest had shown her the harsh truth: there's always someone stronger, beyond what you can imagine.
Aoi Kenshin shrugged casually.
"Because purple suits me," he said offhandedly.
Zhu Zhuqing blinked, stunned.
"Enough." He pulled out the Celadon Wine Gourd from his back, gulped deeply, and said, "You lost. And now, you owe me one favor."