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"I don't have time."
Michele politely yet firmly rejected Dai Mubai's invitation.
"Don't be so quick to refuse. After all, I am a prince. If I truly fall in love with you, you could become the princess of the Star Luo Empire."
"That's far better than selling milk tea here."
Michele laughed coldly at Dai Mubai's audacious words, "Should I be thrilled to climb into your bed? I'm not some naive girl. You might fool an inexperienced woman, but I won't get involved with someone like you, not even for a fling."
Dai Mubai, unfazed, walked into the shop. Seeing Tang San and the others, he was taken aback. "Someone recognizes me, and you're not leaving? Uh... sorry to disturb you."
Upon recognizing Tang San and Lingxi, Dai Mubai's smile froze, and he quickly turned to leave without a backward glance. If it had just been Tang San, Dai Mubai might have stayed, considering there were many imitators in Tian Dou City. But seeing Lingxi, a powerful figure from Ling Tang Tech Unlimited, confirmed that this was the real deal.
Provoking Tang San now would be foolish. The Star Luo Empire wouldn't defend him if things turned violent. Shrek Academy, though loyal, couldn't match Tang San's power, and Tian Dou Empire might even dissolve Shrek to appease Tang San. With Shrek's already tarnished reputation, angering a big shot like Tang San would mean facing severe consequences.
Thus—
Dai Mubai's grand entrance contrasted sharply with his hasty, embarrassed exit.
"Not going to teach him a lesson?" Gu Yuena asked, glancing back.
"No grudge, no reason to teach him a lesson. He's not causing trouble here," Tang San replied. "Just because other customers left when they saw him doesn't mean I should punish him."
"True," Gu Yuena nodded, continuing to devour her fried chicken, her mouth greasy.
"Thanks." Michele approached, carrying three giant hamburgers, each as big as a head. "These are a reward, on the house."
Gu Yuena's nose twitched at the meaty aroma. She grabbed one and took a big bite. "Mmm, delicious! What meat is this?"
"Flame Bull meat, a hundred-year-old soul beast. Limited supply: only fifty available every six months. Soul beast meat isn't easy to sell," Michele explained, reaching to pat Gu Yuena's head, only to have her dodge. She didn't like strangers touching her.
"Wow, this little girl has quite a temper," Michele laughed.
"I'm a Soul Ancestor. Is it a problem if I have a bit of a temper?" Gu Yuena, finishing her first hamburger, grabbed a second and glared at Michele.
"Soul Ancestor!"
Michele was shocked, looking at Tang San for confirmation. Seeing him nod, she exclaimed, "How old is she? She's already a Soul Ancestor? I'm only at level 48."
"Don't be fooled by her looks..." Tang San felt a pinch on his thigh and quickly corrected himself, "She really is young, only eight years old."
"Is she one of those with a golden finger?" Michele asked, becoming serious.
"She's not one of those; she's a local," Tang San shook his head. "She's just exceptionally talented. I estimate she'll become a Titled Douluo before she turns twenty."
"That's right, I'm just that amazing," Gu Yuena nodded while finishing her second hamburger.
In truth, if she weren't worried about causing a sensation, she could already display nine soul rings, becoming a genuine Titled Douluo. Unlike other ten-thousand-year soul beasts that needed to restart their cultivation, she was running a secondary account, able to share cultivation from her dormant main body. No ordinary soul master or re-cultivating soul beast could compare to her speed.
"It's truly enviable, your cultivation speed. If I could train that fast, my Snowy Honey City would be everywhere in the Tian Dou Empire, and I'd be a milk tea tycoon by now," Michele said with a hint of envy. She then asked Tang San about his soul power level. "So, what level have you reached, you genius among geniuses?"
"Soul Emperor, about to break through to level sixty-eight." A trip to the Golden Ancient Tree had passively absorbed a vast amount of pure heavenly energy, naturally boosting his soul power.
"You're the real prodigy!" Michele had long given up trying to catch up. "Considering your age, you're only sixteen, seventeen at most, including your nominal age, and you're nearly at the Soul saint level. How are other soul masters supposed to live?"
"It's not about comparing with me. Everyone has their own path, like you, running a milk tea shop," Tang San smiled.
"True, but I've noticed that the classification of soul masters seems mostly combat-oriented. Your 'Soul Master's Self-Positioning Analysis' was just more detailed... but soul masters aren't a professional combat army; they're small groups. There's no adventurers' guild-like organization on the continent."
Michele's tone turned slightly serious. She waved away the other customers and hung a closed sign on the glass window before discussing the continent's situation. "This lack of regulation is why most civilian soul masters are free agents. There's no dedicated force or system to guide what they should or shouldn't do."
"Now, the Spirit Hall is trying to implement some regulations, but it will take time. And the upper echelons of the two empires probably don't want to see this happen. They'll surely cause trouble secretly, won't they?"
"So—"
"Is it safe to say that a war is about to break out on the continent?"
Lingxi smiled, "Miss Michele, it's not that severe. War won't break out, at least not now. Although the major families and sects have intense competition, they don't want war."
The reason major families and sects didn't want war was simple:
Training direct disciples wasn't easy. War would cause significant casualties, and recovering from that wasn't just about having children. Cultivating soul power and obtaining soul rings required resources and effort.
"That makes sense, but don't the leaders of the three major forces all aim to unify the continent?" Michele felt she needed to prepare for the worst. If a war broke out, she couldn't stay neutral. She'd have to side with Tianshui Academy, which supported the Tian Dou Empire due to its location in Tian Dou City. Unless Tianshui defected.
"That's true, but as for when war will break out, I really don't know," Tang San admitted. "Even though I'm the Holy Son, I have no real power. I don't participate in high-level discussions within the Spirit Hall. I focus on research, training, and offering constructive urban development suggestions."
"As for whether the war will affect me, I can only say I'm strong enough that whichever side wins, they'll have to give me some face."
Michele was speechless.
(End of the chapter)