Chapter 112: Unexpected Encounter with Zhu Zhuqing
Surveying the chaotic scene around him, Yang Potian carefully washed himself in the creek. No matter how hard he scrubbed, though, he couldn't seem to rid himself of the blood scent that clung to him.
To avoid attracting attention, Yang Potian changed into simple, coarse clothing and began traveling east, following a map. He made a point of avoiding towns and cities, choosing remote paths to prevent any unplanned encounters. He feared that if he clashed with someone, he might lose control and end up killing them.
After around four days of travel, he reviewed his map again. Based on the location, he estimated that it would take him another four to five days to reach Heaven Dou City. He guessed he was already within the borders of the Balak Kingdom.
Yang Potian couldn't help but recall Shrek Academy from the original story. Shrek Academy was located in Soto City, within the Balak Kingdom, and he happened to be seventeen now—the same age as the characters when they began at Shrek Academy. This meant it was likely that Tang San and his friends were enrolling around this time, though he wasn't sure of their exact schedule.
One night, Yang Potian was resting beside a creek. Ever since leaving the Slaughter City, he had grown particularly fond of staying near creeks, where he could frequently wash and soak, helping reduce the blood scent that lingered around him.
But suddenly, the sound of a fight reached him from a distance. Judging by the commotion, spirit masters seemed to be locked in combat—and they were heading in his direction.
Yang Potian wasn't inclined to get involved in every scuffle, yet these people were drawing ever closer. A closer look revealed that five figures in black were pursuing a girl in similar attire.
The girl was dressed in tight black leather, moving with agility and speed. Her silhouette felt oddly familiar to Yang Potian. The five pursuers were also dressed in black, and from what he could sense, they were formidable—two were Spirit Elders and three were Spirit Masters.
As he watched, a realization hit him: A group of five pursuing a girl in black leather… why does this feel so familiar?
He took a better look at the girl being chased. Wasn't she Zhu Zhuqing from the original story's Shrek Seven Devils? And since the five men pursuing her were all male, it was clear her sister Zhu Zhuyun wasn't among them.
Yang Potian was mildly exasperated. Are they serious? Two Spirit Elders chasing down a mere Spirit Grandmaster, yet she's still managing to escape? He had no desire to interfere in the Zhu family's affairs, figuring he'd only make things messier. With that in mind, he slipped into the forest, hoping to avoid the whole mess.
Yet luck seemed determined to put him in a bind. The black-clad girl, in an attempt to evade her pursuers, also slipped into the forest—and they collided face-to-face.
Yang Potian sighed. I went out of my way to avoid this, yet here we are. The girl in black seemed just as surprised, no doubt hoping to evade her enemies only to run into a stranger.
There was no time for either of them to react further. The five pursuers quickly closed in, surrounding them both.
The leader, a man clad in black, spoke up, "Second Miss, you should come back with us. Don't make this harder for everyone."
The girl glared back without hesitation. "I'm not going back. If I return to that cold-blooded Zhu family, I'll be dead."
The black-clad leader glanced at Yang Potian. "Second Miss, I didn't expect you'd be hiding in the woods with a man. This doesn't reflect well on the Zhu family's reputation."
Yang Potian, who had planned to stay an observer, suddenly found himself dragged into their mess. He spoke up in exasperation, "I don't even know this young lady. If you'd prefer, I'll just leave."
But before he could make his exit, the middle-aged leader cut him off. "Boy, I don't care who you are. You had the audacity to hide in the woods with our Second Miss, so there's no way we can let you walk away."
Yang Potian bristled. What do you mean by 'hiding in the woods'? I'm just minding my own business.
The girl spoke up then. "I have nothing to do with this man. Let him go."
The leader's expression hardened. "Whether you know him or not, he's in the woods with you. For the sake of the family's honor, we can't let him leave."
Yang Potian's face darkened. "I've already said I'm not connected to her in any way. Are you actually planning to kill me?"
None of the five black-clad men seemed to notice any spirit power from Yang Potian, taking him for a commoner based on his attire. Though they did sense an aura of danger about him, they assumed he was simply a hunter or butcher.
"Kid, you're just an ordinary person. What does it matter if we kill you?"
Yang Potian's expression turned icy. "So, you think that means you can just kill me at will?"
"We are from one of Star Luo Empire's most powerful spirit families. Killing someone like you is as easy as crushing an ant."
His four companions smirked in agreement with their leader's words, mocking Yang Potian.
Yang Potian ground his teeth, struggling to keep his murderous intent in check. "This is Heaven Dou Empire. You think Star Luo Empire's people can act like this here?"
"Heaven Dou Empire is nothing but a weak country. Even if we kill you, they wouldn't dare say a thing."
Yang Potian's eyes turned blood-red. Summoning his Soul-Breaking Spear without even releasing his spirit rings, he lunged at the leader.
The middle-aged leader looked shocked. He hadn't expected this forest "commoner" to be a spirit master. He summoned his own spirit—a Ghost Cat—to block the attack.
But the outcome shocked everyone. Yang Potian's first strike shattered the leader's defenses, and the man fell dead, a gaping wound in his chest.
The remaining four black-clad men were horrified, immediately summoning their spirits to fight. But Yang Potian ignored their attacks, slashing through them with his spear. Moving in a flash, he appeared beside another man and stabbed him through the throat.
The last three men turned to flee, but Yang Potian's bloodlust had been triggered. There was no chance he would let them escape.
In under a minute, all five attackers lay dead, each felled in a single blow. Two had their bodies pierced, one was speared through the throat, another had his neck severed, and the last was sliced in half. The entire forest clearing was drenched in blood.
The girl in black stood frozen in shock, trembling. She had never witnessed such brutal, unrestrained violence before. Yang Potian glanced at her, fighting to restrain his bloodlust. He pulled a Calming Pill from his soul tool and swallowed it, then leapt into the nearby stream, which turned red as his blood-soaked body entered the water.
The chill of the stream and the effects of the Calming Pill slowly helped him regain his composure. Once he returned to the shore, the girl hadn't fled. Instead, she stood there, dazed.
Ignoring her, Yang Potian changed into a fresh set of clothes in the nearby woods, preparing to leave without another word. But then, the girl suddenly spoke up. "Who are you? Do you realize who you just killed? Those men were from the Zhu family of the Star Luo Empire. If they find out what you've done, they'll send experts to hunt you down."
Yang Potian scoffed. "The Zhu family of the Star Luo Empire, with their Ghost Spirit Cats. They're just subordinates of the Dai family. If they're unafraid of death, they can come after me. I wouldn't mind killing them all."
With that, he walked off, leaving the girl to look around at the bodies before reluctantly following him. After a short walk, Yang Potian found a new spot to rest, as it was still the middle of the night and he wasn't in the mood to continue his journey.
The girl trailed behind him, keeping a cautious distance—neither too close nor too far.
For Yang Potian, rest didn't mean meditating or even sleeping. He couldn't focus on practicing his spear techniques either, as the overwhelming killing intent within him made it impossible to find peace. Instead, he spent the night strategizing ways to control his bloodlust. He already had some ideas, but he needed a quiet place back with his clan to truly master them.
While Yang Potian was lost in thought, the girl looked troubled, seemingly preoccupied by her own worries.
By morning, Yang Potian had packed up, ready to leave, but noticed the girl had fallen asleep nearby. He shook his head in exasperation. Does she have any awareness of danger? Sleeping in a place like this without a care…
Before he could think further, the girl woke with a start, like a startled deer, looking very uneasy.
Before Yang Potian could walk away, she stepped in his path. "Wait… Where are you going?"
He looked at her briefly, then replied, "Soto City."
A flicker of excitement crossed her face. "I'm heading there too. Let's travel together."
"A young girl traveling alone—isn't that dangerous?" He raised an eyebrow. "Especially with someone like me."
A shadow passed over her face. "I had no choice but to leave home. Given your strength, you could kill me easily if you wanted to. Being with you would actually be safer."
"Fine," he said, "but stay quiet. I don't like chatter."
"Thank you. My name is Zhu Zhuqing, from the Zhu family of Star Luo."
"Yang Potian, from the Po Clan."
At that, her face shifted slightly. "The Po Clan… No wonder you didn't hesitate to kill members of the Zhu family."
In recent years, the Po Clan's reputation had spread across the Douluo Continent. Its leader, Yang Wudi, had reached the rank of Titled Douluo, and his offensive prowess was unmatched. Few Titled Douluo dared to challenge him.
Additionally, the clan was allied with the Shi Clan, as their leaders were in-laws. The four single-attribute clans had always been allied, collectively commanding over a thousand spirit masters—powerful enough to avoid conflicts with the top three sects.
Despite their low profile in recent years, no one dared to underestimate the Po and Shi Clans' combined strength. Even Elephant Armor Sect, the leader of the lower four clans, would avoid confronting them. Over the last decade, the Po Clan had also become the continent's largest supplier of medicinal products, establishing connections with various influential forces and amassing considerable wealth and influence.
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