What to do?
At this moment, Su Cheng also felt it was tricky.
Zhu Zhuqing nowadays was decisive and somewhat stubborn. If not handled properly, it could easily lead to tensions between them.
Casual banter might work in normal situations, but in this situation, it might only worsen things.
Should he just directly tell her the plan?
About the hidden secrets within the Martial Soul Hall, the divine inheritance, Xiao Wu's hundred-thousand-year-level soul ring, and so on.
No, it wouldn't work.
Su Cheng couldn't fully grasp Zhu Zhuqing's current mindset, but he was certain that if he revealed everything, she wouldn't remain indifferent. There was a high probability that she would choose to take action quietly.
This wasn't solely Su Cheng's matter.
It involved Qian Renxue, and he had no right to use this information to gain Zhuzhu Qing's trust.
Moreover, Zhu Zhuqing's strength was insufficient, and she had no one to back her up. It was too dangerous for her to get involved.
As for joining the Martial Soul Hall, even if she was willing, Su Cheng wouldn't allow her to do so. It wouldn't benefit her at all.
The growth path of the Hell White Tiger determined that after her Martial Soul was completed, she was not suitable to join any faction.
Su Cheng's eyes flickered, feeling somewhat uncertain.
The situation arose suddenly, and he never expected Zhu Zhuqing to meet him for Qian Renxue's matter, let alone react so strongly.
Leaving aside the fact that Qian Renxue hadn't taken control yet, the Martial Soul Hall shouldn't spread news about her existence.
Even if Zhu Zhuqing knew about it, there was no reason for her to dwell on it.
He didn't understand the nature of the simulated world, whether it was a parallel world that interacted with the real world or just a virtual game.
But the Zhu Zhuqing in that world had been his companion for decades. Regardless of its authenticity, he couldn't just watch her take risks.
So he mentioned Qian Renxue's situation at the last moment, but he didn't expect her to remember such trivial matters so clearly.
"..."
Seeing Su Cheng silent, the anger, skepticism, and mockery on Zhu Zhuqing's face gradually subsided, finally turning into a calm expression.
Her gaze also gradually dimmed, and the five fingers grasping his collar slowly loosened.
"I'm tired," Zhu Zhuqing said softly. "I don't want to be used by you anymore, or cooperate with you in those role-playing games. I will fulfill what I promised, and help Xiao Wu enter the finals."
Her hands hung down as she took a step back.
"Then I will leave the academy with Dai Mubai. I won't participate in the finals anymore."
After saying that, she gave Su Cheng a deep look and prepared to turn around and leave.
Su Cheng was taken aback by her words.
This seemed to be the best direction for things to develop.
Xiao Wu and Tang San would go to the Martial Soul Hall to participate in the competition, and he could cooperate with Xiao Xue to plan for the hundred-thousand-year soul ring.
And Zhu Zhuqing could take the opportunity to break free and wait for the future to promote her Martial Soul into the Hell White Tiger.
Then the two would part ways.
Just as he had said before, let the other party have no worries from then on.
But...
"What exactly does Zhu Zhuqing mean to me?"
Watching her actions and words, Su Cheng felt a sinking feeling in his heart.
A tool?
He didn't need to use someone close to him as a tool.
He had many ways to maneuver according to circumstances.
A friend?
If that was the case, then he should let go now.
The relationship between gentlemen is as light as water, and they don't need to demand too much from each other.
But...
Zhu Zhuqing's slightly fragile shoulders were held by a powerful hand.
She looked up angrily.
"You—"
Before she could finish her words, a shadow enveloped her.
Her red lips were sealed, and her subsequent words were forced back, turning into a soft moan.
Under the moonlight, two figures overlapped.
Zhu Zhuqing's originally somewhat cold cheeks froze for a moment.
Soon, her eyes became hollow and vacant, as if shrouded in mist.
After a moment, Zhu Zhuqing's absent-minded eyes suddenly trembled slightly, and focus returned to them.
Her eyebrows furrowed, and the corners of her mouth lifted—
"Hiss..."
Su Cheng let go of her, raising his hand to cover his mouth as he tilted his head back.
There was a strong taste of blood in his mouth.
"Are you a dog!"
Zhu Zhuqing's face flushed red as she glared at him, her high chest heaving, leaving captivating traces.
Then she raised her right hand and forcefully wiped her lips.
"What are you doing!"
"I—"
"You stuck out your tongue! Disgusting!"
"You—"
"Disgusting!"
Without giving Su Cheng a chance to speak, Zhu Zhuqing scolded him and turned away, quickly leaving the forest.
However, compared to when she arrived, her movements seemed somewhat embarrassed, as if she were fleeing for her life.
She didn't say anything about not participating in the finals or parting ways.
"..."
"Indeed, it's disgusting."
A gentle voice with indescribable emotions suddenly sounded beside him, making Su Cheng feel embarrassed.
"You don't understand."
"It's really shameless. Relying on a little girl's affection for you, you use such means to forcefully keep her. What about the words you said about me before?"
Listening to Ah Yin's soft words, Su Cheng couldn't help but feel tongue-tied.
Indeed, he was greedy and unwilling to let go.
His words sounded nice, saying that he hoped she would pursue her freedom, but in the end, he still provoked her like this.
...
..
.
The qualifiers in the Tian Dou District continued as usual.
After the battle with the Heaven Water Academy, Su Cheng didn't encounter any more surprises in his subsequent matches.
The Elephant Armor Academy had decent strength, but their martial souls and soul skills were nothing special. The whole team consisted of heavy tanks, so he quickly ended the battle.
After winning, Su Cheng, as before, approached Huo Yanli, who had a soul bone.
Unlike the conflicts with Feng Xiaotian and Shui Bing'er, Huo Yanli immediately showed strong interest.
In fact, they had already discussed this internally before.
At this point in the competition, the quota was mostly certain.
The Tian Dou Royal Academy, Sheng Feng Academy, and Lei Ting Academy were almost guaranteed a place in the finals.
With Zhuzhu Qing in the Shrek Academy team, they also had a good chance of advancing.
Among the remaining academies, the Heaven Water Academy and Blaze Academy were not weak. It would be extremely difficult for the Elephant Armor Academy to win and secure a top-five position in the standings.
What they sought mainly was to have a main spot.
This would give them a chance to shine in the finals, at least showing the Pope and Elders the potential of the Diamond Mammoth Martial Soul in the hands of the younger generation.
As for the Thunderclap Academy team behind them, Su Cheng's solicitation was unsurprisingly rejected.
Although their captain, Yu Tianxin, spoke politely, her attitude was extremely firm.
Su Cheng didn't mind.
This team had a great chance of advancing to the final competition.
Moreover, they had the support of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan behind them.
Given the family's style of doing things, it was unlikely they would allow their academy students to be mere ornaments in other teams.
A month passed quickly, and all the qualifiers in the Tian Dou City region were over.
According to the procedure, the award ceremony was about to take place to award the qualification certificates to the top five teams in the qualifiers.
The process of the ceremony was not complicated. Under the announcer's announcement, the top five teams' captains and vice-captains walked up to the stage together.
Among them, the Tian Dou Royal Academy ranked first, the Sheng Feng Academy ranked second, the Lei Ting Academy ranked third, the Shrek Academy ranked fourth, and the Heaven Water Academy ranked fifth.
Su Cheng and Ning Rongrong were the representatives of the Tian Dou Royal Academy.
Not far away were Zhu Zhuqing and Tang San, representing the Shrek Academy team.
During this process, Tang San, as the vice-captain of the Shrek team, occasionally glanced over with a hint of provocation in his eyes.
Tang San's cultivation had already reached the forty-level threshold for advancement.
During the waiting time for the advancement competition, he would focus on adding soul rings to his Clear Sky Hammer.
He believed that by the next stage of the competition, he would surely shine.
As the team captain, Zhu Zhuqing seemed to completely ignore Su Cheng when they stepped onto the stage, as if he didn't exist in her eyes. However, a faint blush flashed across her cheeks when she felt Su Cheng's gaze on her.
With the representatives of several teams standing on the platform, the host announced, "Next, His Majesty and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School Master Ning, along with Archbishop Salas from the Martial Soul Hall, will personally present the qualification certificates and bonuses to the five teams entering the advancement playoffs."
Both the Emperor and Ning Fengzhi cast satisfied glances at Su Cheng and Ning Rongrong. Especially the Emperor, whose eyes almost glowed with warmth.
On the other side, Salas, the representative of the Martial Soul Hall, kept his eyes low, seemingly indifferent to the proceedings. However, from an unnoticed angle, he occasionally glanced at Su Cheng with a calculating gaze.
The qualification certificates were actually letters, more of a formality since the qualifications of the top five teams were well known to everyone.
The top five teams received the same bonus - ten thousand gold soul coins awarded by the Tian Dou Empire. The prizes for the top three positions in the finals would be provided by the Martial Soul Hall.
The award ceremony quickly ended, and Su Cheng and Ning Rongrong walked out of the Tian Dou Great Spirit Arena together, where the other members of the academy were waiting outside.
"The Emperor is really generous, granting titles of viscount to ten people directly, and if they win the championship, they can even be promoted further, with their own territory. Was the empire always like this?" Su Cheng asked casually, looking at the certificate in his hand.
He hadn't paid much attention to the rewards of the competition, as they hadn't participated for the prizes anyway.
"No," Ning Rongrong shook her head. "Not even baron titles were granted before, let alone viscounts. Even the noble titles given to soul masters were just honorary titles without land."
She continued in a low voice after looking around and confirming no one was listening, "Dad said that the conflict between the Tian Dou Empire and the Martial Soul Hall has escalated to the point of irreconcilability."
Su Cheng frowned at her words.
Not because he doubted the relationship between the Martial Soul Hall and the empire, but because he found it strange that Ning Fengzhi would tell Ning Rongrong these things.
Was this meant for him to hear?
"Su Cheng!"
Just as he was pondering, a sudden voice interrupted his thoughts.
Su Cheng turned to see a remarkably beautiful girl calling out to him. She had a tall and well-proportioned figure, with long red hair resembling burning flames.
It was Huo Wu, the control-type soul master from the Blaze Academy team, who had fought him before.
Her martial soul was also a shadow with herself as the core, similar to Feng Qingyu's, but with different attributes and lesser talent.
"What's up?" Su Cheng looked at her, waiting for her to speak.
Huo Wu stared at Su Cheng and said in a deep voice, "If we join the Tian Dou Royal Academy team, can we play as main members?"
The trip to the Soul Master Academy Competition for the Blaze Academy had already ended prematurely.
Although they had defeated the Elephant Armor Academy, they had not been able to win against the other elemental academies. Coupled with their losses to the Shrek Academy team and the Tian Dou Royal Academy team, they had no chance of making it to the final competition.
This was a big blow to the proud Huo Wu.
Su Cheng had made a routine invitation after the battle ended.
But the problem was, he had only offered two substitute spots at the time, which Huo Wu felt was insincere and unacceptable.
For this reason, she had been depressed for a long time.
Su Cheng glanced at her and then at the helpless Huo Wushuang beside her, shaking his head slightly.
He replied calmly, "I can't guarantee that. If the Heaven Water Academy's Shui Bing'er joins the team, then you'll only be substitutes."
Research on shadow martial souls only needed one person like Feng Qingyu.
Considering team battles, there was no need for too many control-type soul masters in the team.
If Shui Bing'er were to join the team, there would be no need for Huo Wu anymore, as the cooperation between fire and water would not be easy.
Moreover, Shui Bing'er could also help him with his cultivation.
But until now, Shui Bing'er had not given a definite answer.
Su Cheng was not in a hurry. He could wait until the playoffs were over to decide.
Huo Wu, on the other hand, was filled with anger at his words.
She clearly felt that the other party's remarks at this time implied that her strength was inferior. But there was not much she could do about it.
Su Cheng didn't mind, and even nodded to Huo Wushuang beside her.
"Captain Huo, my previous promise still stands. If you're interested in participating in the finals, you can consider coming to me."
"Okay, you too, keep up the good work," Huo Wushuang smiled.
He didn't feel repelled by Su Cheng's words.
The Soul Master Competition was ultimately about strength. From team selection to advancing step by step, it was all about this.
Since the Blaze Academy had been eliminated, it meant that they were not as skilled as their opponents, plain and simple.
Even willing to offer them a substitute spot was already quite good.
He didn't think that with Su Cheng's terrifying strength, he really needed any teammates' help in the subsequent battles.
"Who does he think he is!" After Su Cheng left, Huo Wu muttered angrily.
"Let's go find the Divine Wind Academy. We can be main players there, and with their martial skills, Feng Xiaotian will surely agree," Huo Wushuang suggested.
Hearing this, Huo Wu was taken aback.
She glanced at her sister beside her, her eyes thoughtful.
It was indeed an idea worth considering.
The advancement playoffs would take place a month later, during which time the members of the various academy teams could adjust their own conditions.
A month later, the advancement playoffs would still be held within the Tian Dou Empire, but the venue would change from the Tian Dou Great Spirit Arena to the Royal Arena. At that time, the ten teams selected from the five kingdoms and the empire through the preliminaries would also compete together.
However, this should be the least important part of the entire competition.
The final spots had already been determined, and the rankings in the advancement playoffs would only slightly advantage the teams in the finals.
Unlike the preliminaries, the advancement playoffs were individual arena battles, fought according to the list submitted for each match.
Su Cheng had already made up his mind to take it easy and see how things went, focusing mainly on fishing. As for the final ranking of the team, it was irrelevant.
But for the other team members, this was a good opportunity.
In addition to competing against the top talents of their age, they could also accumulate experience and receive additional rewards.
...
In the night, at the Shrek Academy.
In an unnoticed moment, a tall figure quietly appeared in Yu Xiaogang's room.The man wore a simple gray robe, his messy black hair cascading over his shoulders, and his weathered face etched with experience.
"Master."
The newcomer's voice was deep and hoarse.
Yet, upon hearing this voice, Yu Xiaogang immediately recognized the true identity of the speaker. They had met more than once before.
"Lord Haotian."
Yu Xiaogang quickly rose to greet him.
Tang Hao waved his hand, indicating that formalities were unnecessary. Then, in a low voice, he asked, "Are you planning to start San's training with the Haotian Hammer now?"
Although Tang Hao didn't always stay by Tang San's side, he kept a close watch on his son's progress. He couldn't remain unaware of the recent changes in Tang San's mindset. After all, news about Tang San's intention to switch to training with the Haotian Hammer had spread throughout the academy.
"Yes, indeed."
In response to Tang Hao's question, Yu Xiaogang's expression turned serious. He recounted the conversation he had with Tang San. He explained that he had sought advice from someone knowledgeable about Twin Martial Souls to ensure Tang San's smooth transition to using the Haotian Hammer.
Tang Hao remained silent for a moment before speaking with his gravelly voice, "But you may not know, San's Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul is not as simple as it seems. It's not just ordinary Blue Silver Grass; it's Blue Silver Emperor, a top-tier Martial Soul comparable to the Haotian Hammer."
"Blue Silver Emperor? What kind of Martial Soul is that?" Yu Xiaogang, who considered himself deeply knowledgeable about Martial Souls, had never heard of a Martial Soul called Blue Silver Emperor, especially one derived from Blue Silver Grass that could rival the Haotian Hammer.
"The Blue Silver Emperor is the king of the Blue Silver Grass clan, the only one of its kind among countless Blue Silver Grasses," Tang Hao explained with a complex tone, hinting at deep pain. "The Blue Silver Emperor lineage is unbroken throughout generations. Each generation, only one Blue Silver Emperor exists."
Observing Tang Hao's expression, Yu Xiaogang sensed something and realized, "That's San's—"
"That's irrelevant to this matter." Tang Hao waved his hand, abruptly cutting off Yu Xiaogang's words, his emotions seeming to momentarily spiral out of control. He quickly regained his composure and apologized, "I'm sorry."
"It's okay, I understand." Yu Xiaogang sympathized, sensing a similarity in their experiences.
Then, he continued, "The Blue Silver Emperor... However, based on my observations, San's Martial Soul doesn't seem to have any special characteristics."
"That's normal because his Martial Soul isn't truly the Blue Silver Emperor yet, nor is it close," Tang Hao explained calmly. "His Martial Soul needs to undergo another awakening to become the true Blue Silver Emperor, a genuine top-tier Martial Soul."
"I see." Yu Xiaogang suddenly realized the profundity of the situation, feeling a sense of wonder. Tang San's Martial Soul was far more complex than he had imagined.
"However, that's not the most critical issue," Yu Xiaogang continued after pondering for a moment, looking at Tang Hao seriously.
"The most crucial point is that Blue Silver Grass itself is considered a mediocre Martial Soul with limited potential. It would take too long for it to reach level sixty. By then, attempting to cultivate the Haotian Hammer might be too late. The difficulty of advancing beyond level sixty increases exponentially, and there might even be risks to his life."
"Indeed..." Tang Hao's eyes widened slightly, filled with a sense of fear.
"Moreover, now that we know San's primary Martial Soul is essentially on par with the Haotian Hammer, the solution becomes simpler," Yu Xiaogang continued confidently. "We can start San's training with the Haotian Hammer first. After he reaches level sixty, we can awaken his Blue Silver Emperor Martial Soul. It's a perfect plan. We could even wait until he reaches the rank of Title Douluo before attaching high-ranked Spirit Rings to the Blue Silver Emperor."
"Yes!" Tang Hao's eyes lit up with excitement. "You truly live up to your title of Master. Your wisdom is unmatched."
His previously cold expression softened slightly, reflecting a subtle change in mood.
At this moment, however, Yu Xiaogang's expression suddenly changed.
"Lord Haotian, considering what you said about Martial Soul awakening, should we try it with San first?"
"Hmm?" Tang Hao was taken aback. "Is that necessary?"
"Although starting with the Haotian Hammer is a viable option, fully developing San's primary Martial Soul first would maximize his potential advantage as a Twin Martial Soul."