Chapter 113: The Advance of a Lovestruck Dreamer
At the rest area of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy, silence pervaded the air.
"Do we really have no chance at winning a championship?" Captain Ma Ruilong asked with a wry smile, his face the picture of dejection.
Du Qianjue was too powerful, his strength so overwhelming that it left them without a glimpse of victory.
Xiao Hongchen was having a crisis of confidence; every match of Du Qianjue was a slap in his face. He had once insisted that Du Qianjue's level was a fraud, but in reality, his performance surpassed even that of an ordinary Soul Saint.
After watching the match, Xiao Hongchen's heterochromatic eyes were filled with question marks.
Blocking a seventh-level soul guiding Thunder Cannon with his body? Was he even human?
Beside Xiao Hongchen, a fourteen or fifteen-year-old girl stood quietly, her wine-red hair smoothly cascading down her back, her slender and full figure outlined beneath her luxurious white school uniform dress, her chest impressively burgeoning.
Matching her figure was her nearly flawless pretty face, her ice-blue eyes as clear as the sky.
If one could overlook her lovesick expression at the moment.
She would be a knockout.
Unfortunately, she wasn't killing anyone with her looks; standing next to Xiao Hongchen, this girl was clearly his sister, Meng Hongchen.
As a true face connoisseur, since Du Qianjue's first appearance in the arena, Meng Hongchen had been captivated by him. Match after match, he stood like a war god upon the stage.
Meng Hongchen's obsession with Du Qianjue grew stronger, nearly beyond her control.
She didn't even spare a second glance for the originally infatuated Wang Dong.
"He's so handsome..."
"Eh? Meng, what did you say?" Xiao Hongchen, in the midst of his existential crisis, was taken aback, not catching what Meng Hongchen had said.
Meng Hongchen clasped her hands in front of her chest, her face dreamy.
"He's so handsome, brother, I want to marry him!" Meng Hongchen's startling declaration shocked the other competitors from the Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy.
"Why not make him your brother-in-law then?"
Xiao Hongchen's face darkened, veins throbbing on his forehead.
Facing Meng Hongchen's dewy-eyed look, Xiao Hongchen was frustrated: "He's from the three nations of the Douluo Continent, and moreover, he's from the Body Sect. You, as a citizen of the Sun Moon Empire, how could you marry our arch-enemy, the Body Sect?"
Meng Hongchen rolled her eyes coquettishly, huffing, "What does it matter if he's from the Douluo Continent or the Body Sect? I just want to marry him."
"I might as well find a way to bring him over to our Sun Moon Empire, right?"
"Good! Meng Hongchen, I support you!" Ma Ruilong slammed his hand on the table, shouting excitedly.
"Thank you, Senior Ma Ruilong," Meng Hongchen smiled sweetly.
Only Xiao Hongchen remained grim-faced, his expression even darker, Ma Ruilong's words almost making him crooked with rage.
"Senior Ma, I hope you dare to repeat that in front of my grandfather," Xiao Hongchen said menacingly through clenched teeth.
Ma Ruilong's scalp tingled, a cold sweat breaking out on his back, managing only a forced smile before slumping back into the couch as if dead.
"I don't care, I'm going to marry him," Meng Hongchen tossed her smooth wine-red hair, glaring at Xiao Hongchen, "I'm off, I'm going to find my destiny!"
With that, Meng Hongchen, in her high heels, bounced away from the waiting area.
Truly a case of Xue LingLong! / Confirmed
Xiao Hongchen stretched out a hand, petrified on the spot, staring blankly as Meng Hongchen's figure receded into the distance.
"Why do I have such a bizarre sister?!" Xiao Hongchen roared inwardly.
Ma Ruilong gave Xiao Hongchen a sympathetic glance, then quietly slipped away with the other competitors, their expressions matching Ma Ruilong's.
Poor Xiao Hongchen, his carefully raised sister was now being charmed away by a foreigner from the Douluo Continent.
Pity Xiao Hongchen for three seconds.
Besides feeling sorry for Xiao Hongchen, they were also somewhat envious; Meng Hongchen, as the granddaughter of the Mirror Sect's sect leader, held a status in the Sun Moon Empire even higher than many princesses.
And she herself was a stunning beauty.
Whoever married Meng Hongchen would ascend to the heavens in one step within the Sun Moon Empire.
With her grandfather, the ninth-grade soul master and leader of the Mirror Sect as a backing, walking sideways in the Sun Moon Empire wouldn't be a problem.
They were all teenagers under twenty, so how could they not harbor thoughts about Meng Hongchen?
They could only lament that Meng Hongchen hadn't noticed them...
After leaving the soul fighting arena, Du Qianjue, having nothing else to do, went back to the street where he had sweets yesterday. Yesterday's visit was interrupted when he was dragged away by Du Busi, and today he intended to finish exploring the other half.
"Give me one of those sugar figures," Du Qianjue said, grabbing a candied haw on one hand and stuffing cotton candy into his mouth with the other, as he stopped in front of a candy shop.
"Alright! Please wait a moment..." The shop owner smiled and lifted his head, but upon seeing Du Qianjue's unforgettable handsome face, his words stuck in his throat.
"You... you are...!" The candy shop owner's face turned red with excitement.
This was the star contestant of the current tournament, the strongest Soul Saint from Di Ao Academy, Du Qianjue!
"Hello, Soul Master!" The owner bowed deeply at ninety degrees, then skillfully pulled out a pen and notebook from behind.
"Could you please autograph this for me, Soul Master? I love your matches; I've watched every one of them!"
Du Qianjue was stunned, a bit at a loss for words.
Although he had encountered fans before, this was the first time someone had directly asked for an autograph like this shop owner.
"Sure, no problem. I'll sign for you, and you make that sugar figure for me," Du Qianjue said with a smile, stowing his food into his soul-guiding device and taking the notebook from the owner.
"Don't worry, Soul Master, I will make you the most delicious sugar figure!" The candy shop owner's face was radiant, excited to meet his idol.
Du Qianjue chuckled, signed his name in the notebook, and then with a flick of his hand, left an imprint of a roaring dragon on the page using his ice and fire elemental powers. He might as well make his first fan autograph a bit more special.
Being treated like an idol was quite refreshing, even for Du Qianjue.
"Soul Master, could you sign one for me too?" Other onlookers who had been watching came over, their faces filled with excitement.
They hadn't dared to approach before, more out of fear of a soul master's authority and not wanting to impose.
In this world, the status of soul masters was unbelievably high; to ordinary people, soul masters were lofty figures, indifferent and ruthless killers.
How could centuries-old perceptions be easily changed?
Especially when their idol was Du Qianjue, the strongest competitor who had dominated this tournament, they were even more reluctant to approach.
But unexpectedly, Du Qianjue was quite approachable, even chatting amiably with a candy vendor.
The scene exploded in an instant.
Du Qianjue's popularity in Star Luo City was terrifying; on this street, ninety-eight percent were fans of his.
They adored Du Qianjue's strength and admired his heroic stature.
"Alright, alright, don't push, be careful, line up and everyone will get one," Du Qianjue cheerfully shouted.
Hearing Du Qianjue, the crowd orderly stopped pushing and formed a long line.
"Du Qianjue is so gentle!" In the line, a pretty commoner girl exclaimed with stars in her eyes.
"Yes, he's not like other soul masters at all. Du Qianjue has such a good personality, I admire him even more now, what to do?" A middle-aged man next to her said with a smile.
"Uncle, you're also a fan of Du Qianjue?" The girl was surprised.
"Of course, I haven't missed a single one of his matches!" the uncle said proudly, patting his chest, "Although each of Du Qianjue's matches ends very quickly, the impact they bring, other matches can't give us!"
"Yes, the scenes from Du Qianjue's matches, I will never forget in this lifetime."
"He's so handsome on the stage!"
"Not a single person can withstand a move!"
"Watching Du Qianjue's dominating matches is simply a pleasure!"
"This is the first time I've seen a hundred thousand-year soul ring in person, thanks to Du Qianjue giving me the opportunity!"
...
People in the front of the line excitedly spoke to Du Qianjue, their voices stuttering a bit, but just being able to speak with him left them fully satisfied.
Those in the back of the line also eagerly discussed, watching the gently smiling Du Qianjue in front with reverent eyes.
However, their autographs weren't like the candy shop owner's; they only had his name, without the ice and fire elemental dragon imprint.
After finishing Du Qianjue's sugar figure, the candy shop owner saw the scene of Du Qianjue signing and looked back at his own treasured autograph, his face flushing with excitement.
My autograph is the most special, even with an ice and fire dragon!
This was truly...
Spicy hot!
"To thank Du Qianjue, today my candy shop won't make any money!" the candy shop owner shouted, his face red.
"Anyone who got Du Qianjue's autograph can use it to get a free sugar figure!"
Others laughed heartily, giving thumbs up to the candy shop owner. Other bystanders who had gotten their autographs and were preparing to leave also came back to join in the fun.
A sugar figure was just a few copper soul coins, not anything precious.
And most people weren't lacking these few copper soul coins; almost no one was greedy for small gains, everyone was just there to join in the fun, sharing the joy.
After signing for the one hundred eighty-eighth person, Du Qianjue no longer signed personally, instead using his soul power to lift the pens and notebooks of people in the line, controlling the pens to sign remotely.
Hmm, only the first one hundred eighty-eight got a personal signature!
After finishing, Du Qianjue picked up the extra-large sugar figure made for him by the candy shop owner, planning to turn around and leave.
Others didn't dare to stop him, getting Du Qianjue's autograph was already an unexpected delight.
"Du Qianjue, could you sign one for me too?"
Just then, a crisp, pleasant voice rang out behind him.
"Of course!" Du Qianjue turned around smiling, then saw the lovely Meng Hongchen standing behind him.
"You are... Meng Hongchen from the Sun Moon team?" Du Qianjue raised an eyebrow as he recognized her.
Why is this girl also joining in the fun?
"You actually know me? I don't recall telling you my name," Meng Hongchen's heart fluttered, somewhat shyly fidgeting with her jade-like fingers.
Wow, he actually knows my name! Does he notice me? Does he secretly like me?
A brainstorm whipped up in Meng Hongchen's little head.
"After all, Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy has always been a strong contender in every tournament, recognized by all teams, so of course, I've looked into your team's members," Du Qianjue shrugged his shoulders.
It had to be said, Meng Hongchen really was beautiful, in Du Qianjue's view, her beauty even surpassed that of Jiang Nan Nan.
Turning into her martial soul form with white hair and red eyes could still add points.
"Really?" Meng Hongchen clearly didn't believe him; she still thought Du Qianjue had specifically learned about her.
"What else?" Du Qianjue took a bite of his sugar figure, mumbling indistinctly.
"You really want my autograph, huh? You're from the Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy, we're opponents."
"So what? Just tell me if you'll sign or not?" Meng Hongchen huffed lightly, pulling out a notebook with a winter plum cover and handing it to Du Qianjue.
Are you picking a fight? (Delusion)
Du Qianjue shook his head, clearing the bizarre scenarios from his mind, somewhat speechlessly massaging his temples.
"Alright then."
Du Qianjue didn't refuse, taking the notebook, and without using a pen, swiped his right hand, and a drawing appeared on the blank page behind the cover.
A black dragon roared to the sky, its claws entwined with ice, fire, wind, thunder, earth, and dark elements, beside it the characters 'Du Qianjue' in bold, fluid strokes.
Returning the notebook to Meng Hongchen, Du Qianjue continued munching his sugar figure, resuming his stroll.
There was still a short stretch of the street he hadn't explored; once done, he planned to return to the hotel and relax.
Meng Hongchen flipped open the notebook, seeing the lifelike dragon and Du Qianjue's signature, her face breaking into a thrilling smile.
"Du Qianjue... I must marry you!" A sickly flush rose on Miss Meng's face, her eyes growing hazy as she watched Du Qianjue's retreating figure.
Du Qianjue, while snacking, suddenly felt a chill down his spine and quickly looked back.
"Is there a villain out to get me?"
Du Qianjue looked around cautiously, finding nothing, and somewhat paranoid, he left the sweets street, the odd sensation of being watched sapping his interest in strolling.
Unbeknownst to him.
Miss Meng's possessive desires were beginning to swell and twist, heading irreversibly towards a dark transformation...
The villain's halo might reduce intelligence and turn one into a love-brained fool, while the hero's halo might distort someone's mindset into that of a deranged lover.
Du Qianjue's halo evidently had some side effects...
(End of Chapter)