On the streets of Suotuo City, Lan Si and Zhu Zhuqing walked hand in hand, side by side.
"Ah Si, I never imagined you'd have such experiences." Upon learning that Ye Lingling wasn't Lan Si's girlfriend but his cousin, Zhu Zhuqing felt a wave of relief and couldn't help but feel heartache for Lan Si's past. Compared to Lan Si, though her fate had been uncertain, at least her parents were still alive, and she had a loving mother.
"Everything is in the past now. At least, I am fortunate enough to have met you," Lan Si said, stopping and gently holding Zhu Zhuqing's slender, smooth hands, moving his face closer to hers.
"Ah Si..." Zhu Zhuqing murmured, her heart in chaos. Instinctively, she closed her eyes and stood on her tiptoes, moving closer.
Just as their lips were about to touch, a furious shout echoed from afar: "Bastard!"
This was followed by the sound of something cutting through the air.
Dai Mubai appeared in a flash, his right hand glowing white. In an instant, he was between the two. His long legs bent as he leaped high into the air, aiming a powerful strike at Lan Si's head.
Lan Si's eyes narrowed. He paused the kiss with Zhu Zhuqing, wrapped his left arm around her waist, and raised his right hand. A circle of green and white flames surged from his palm to meet Dai Mubai's clawed hand.
Boom!
The two attacks collided, the green-white flames and the white glow entwining each other, creating a thunderous sound. The collision sent shockwaves through the air, producing ripples of green and white that spread outward.
The resulting gusts were so strong that the two auxiliary spirit masters, Ning Rongrong and Oscar, struggled to keep their footing. They nearly got blown away, but battle spirit master Ma Hongjun stepped in front of them, shielding them with his crossed arms.
The clash didn't last long before the rebound force sent both back. The difference in distance was telling—Lan Si, even while holding Zhu Zhuqing, was forced back less than five meters, while Dai Mubai was pushed back over ten meters. Lan Si had the upper hand.
"Ah Si, are you okay?" Zhu Zhuqing hurriedly checked on Lan Si the moment they stopped moving.
Lan Si smiled, shaking his head gently. "Don't worry. He can't hurt me." If anyone had suffered, it was certainly Dai Mubai. Although Lan Si's spirit power was five levels lower than Dai Mubai's, he had used the full power of his Sacred Universe Art in their clash. The force and heat it generated were immense—enough to easily crush a massive boulder, let alone withstand Dai Mubai's enraged strike.
If he had unleashed his Green Lotus Martial Soul, the power would have been several times greater.
Meanwhile, Dai Mubai wasn't feeling great. Although he hadn't released his martial soul during the clash, he had attacked with the intent to kill. He never expected Lan Si to counter him, and with enough force to give him a significant setback.
He looked down at his trembling hand, where signs of burns were visible, and thought, "This guy is strong. He looks to be about Zhuqing's age, yet he could block my full-strength attack in this situation. Who is he?"
"What do you mean by this, Dai Mubai?" With Lan Si safe, Zhu Zhuqing relaxed slightly, but her beautiful face soon turned icy. She glared at Dai Mubai coldly, demanding an explanation.
"What do I mean?" Dai Mubai laughed angrily, his expression turning vicious. "What do I mean? What do you mean, Zhu Zhuqing? Don't forget who you are."
Zhu Zhuqing glanced at Dai Mubai, her voice cold. "My affairs are none of your concern."
"You—" Dai Mubai had been suppressing himself and tolerating Zhu Zhuqing ever since she joined Shrek Academy. Now, the usually arrogant and aloof man could no longer contain his fury.
Just as he was about to make a move against Zhu Zhuqing, Lan Si patted her shoulder and stepped forward. "You must be Dai Mubai, the one Zhuqing mentioned."
"That's right," Dai Mubai replied arrogantly, his eyes flashing with pride. "Since you know who I am, why don't you get lost? Zhu Zhuqing is not someone you can meddle with."
At that moment, Ning Rongrong, Oscar, and Ma Hongjun also approached, standing behind Dai Mubai. Listening to their exchange, they realised Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing seemed to have an unknown history. It appeared that Lan Si's involvement had disrupted things, piquing their curiosity.
"Do you think that's possible?" Lan Si looked at Dai Mubai like he was an idiot, his face mocking and disdainful. He spoke coldly, "Where were you when Zhuqing was being hunted? Where were you when her life was on the line? I'll tell you—you were busy chasing skirts, indulging in luxury, moving from woman to woman more frequently than you changed clothes."
"Now you see that Zhuqing is beautiful and has a martial soul that matches yours, and you suddenly want to change your ways?"
"Let me guess your thought process. You think you're making a huge sacrifice by giving up your former girlfriends for Zhuqing, that you're somehow being wronged, and that Zhuqing should just fall into your arms, right?"
"Honestly, I've seen shameless people, but I've never seen someone as shameless as you. If Zhuqing did get together with you, I'm sure you'd discard her the moment someone better came along."
"You bastard..." Dai Mubai's face turned ashen at Lan Si's words. When he glanced at Zhu Zhuqing, her disdainful eyes grew even colder. In a panic, he stammered, "Zhuqing, don't listen to him. He's lying. If you stay with him, nothing good will come of it."
Lan Si sneered. "I'm the liar? You're the one with pure intentions? Dai Mubai, you really are something. You should've seen this coming the moment you fled three years ago, leaving Zhuqing to face danger alone."
Zhu Zhuqing's eyes showed determination. She took the initiative to hold Lan Si's hand. Lan Si responded with a reassuring smile, their fingers interlocking.
With a smile, Zhu Zhuqing turned her icy gaze toward Dai Mubai and said indifferently, "Lan Si is right, Dai Mubai. There's no affection between us. Now that I've decided to be with Lan Si, I'm prepared to face any consequences. No matter what happens, I will have no regrets."
Hearing this, Dai Mubai looked at Zhu Zhuqing and then at Lan Si, who wore a smug expression. Dai Mubai felt like his lungs would burst with rage.
"I'll kill you both, you filthy couple! White Tiger, Possession!"
A fierce white light suddenly erupted from his body. Dai Mubai stretched his arms out, his chest rising as he summoned his White Tiger Martial Soul.
His body underwent a drastic transformation into a towering humanoid white tiger.
Around him, two yellow and one purple ring of light appeared and rose quietly. As the soul rings rotated, an overwhelming surge of soul power emanated from him, crashing toward Lan Si and Zhu Zhuqing like a tidal wave.
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