Chapter 81: Almost Kicked an Iron Plate

At this moment, Zhao Wuji pointed to a seemingly ordinary hotel in front of them and said, "Let's stay here for the night. We'll set off again tomorrow morning."

No one had any objections. When traveling, having a place to rest was enough; the hotel's grade didn't matter much.

The hotel was a two-story wooden building. The first floor served as a restaurant, while the second floor was for lodging—simple and unadorned.

Zhao Wuji was quite generous this time, booking one double room and two triple rooms.

He shared the double room with Dai Mubai, who had been subtly excluded, while the two triple rooms were allocated to three male and three female students respectively.

"Teacher Zhao, how come you're being so generous this time?"

Seeing that Zhao Wuji even paid for the rooms, Oscar asked curiously.

This was indeed rare. In the past, whether Zhao Wuji or Flender led the group, food and lodging were always their own responsibility.

"Oscar, have I ever been stingy?"

Zhao Wuji paused and gave Oscar a blank stare.

"Uh, no, no!"

Oscar quickly waved his hands in denial. Even though that's exactly what he was thinking, he wouldn't dare say it outright.

"Hmph, good to know."

After glaring at him, Zhao Wuji took the keys and went upstairs.

Generous? Not really. It was just that this time, Flender had given him some funds.

Before, the academy was poor, and Flender couldn't even scrape together a few coins, so naturally, everyone had to cover their own expenses.

But now, the academy had a bit more money. It was still far from enough for major improvements, but at least they didn't have to be as frugal as before. Staying at a hotel and eating out weren't going to break the bank.

Upstairs in the guest rooms, it was still early. With nothing else to do, Chu Chengzhou lay on his bed, closing his eyes to cultivate his Refining the Mind technique.

Among the seven current students of Shrek Academy, Chu Chengzhou considered himself the second most diligent in training—because he didn't think anyone could claim first place over him, not even Zhu Zhuqing.

It wasn't that she didn't want to work harder—on the contrary, she was very dedicated to training. However, meditation required mental energy, and the amount she could practice each day was limited. Since there wasn't much else for her to train in, her total cultivation time fell far short of his.

As for who was the laziest? That title was undoubtedly a competition between Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu.

"Boss Chu, I always see you dozing off during the day. Are you sure you're not just too exhausted at night?"

Seeing Chu Chengzhou enter his usual "sleepy" state, Ma Hongjun grinned meaningfully.

"Of course! Our Boss Chu has a girlfriend, after all!"

Before Chu Chengzhou could respond, Oscar picked up the conversation.

"You two need to behave yourselves."

Chu Chengzhou opened his eyes and shot them a glare.

You guys have no idea—I'm cultivating my mental energy! Do you think I'm like you two, wasting my days away obsessed with women?

"Cultivating? Boss Chu, don't tell me this is the legendary dream cultivation?"

Ma Hongjun exaggerated his expression in mock amazement.

"Fatty, you're so ignorant. Just wait—one day when Sister Xiao Wu has a baby, Boss Chu's 'great technique' will be perfected!"

Oscar said to Ma Hongjun with a wink.

"I'm not wasting my breath on you guys. Don't disturb my training."

Rolling his eyes, Chu Chengzhou ignored them and resumed meditating.

Ma Hongjun & Oscar: "…"

Sleeping is just sleeping—why bother calling it training? No wonder he's the boss. If nothing else, just the thickness of his skin was unmatched!

As night fell, Zhao Wuji led the seven students downstairs for dinner.

It was peak mealtime, and the restaurant on the first floor was bustling with customers.

Scanning the room, they found two empty tables in the corner and quickly occupied one.

A menu was already placed on the table. Zhao Wuji sat down boldly and waved his hand. "Order whatever you like!"

"Really, Teacher Zhao?"

Ma Hongjun looked surprised.

"Of course!"

Zhao Wuji waved dismissively.

This wasn't a high-class hotel, and Flender had given him a decent amount of money, so he didn't mind being generous.

"Teacher Zhao, you truly are our most beloved teacher! I'm great at ordering food—leave it to me!"

Ma Hongjun beamed, his chubby face shaking with excitement as he pounded his chest in assurance.

He quickly signaled for a waiter and started marking items on the menu.

"Fatty, what are you ordering? Since Teacher Zhao is treating us, can't you pick something better?"

Oscar glanced at the menu and couldn't help but complain.

Blue Silver Grass Stir-fry? Even pigs wouldn't eat Blue Silver Grass—what's so great about stir-frying it? And you actually dared to order Spicy Rabbit Head when Sister Xiao Wu is sitting right here?

"Waiter, cancel all the dishes I marked. Instead, bring everything else on the menu!"

Ignoring Oscar, Ma Hongjun handed the menu to the waiter.

"Pfft—!"

Zhao Wuji, who had been sipping tea while watching Ma Hongjun order, suddenly spat out his drink—right onto Dai Mubai's face.

At first, he was pleased to see that Ma Hongjun had only marked cheap, ordinary dishes, thinking the kid was helping him save money.

But who would've thought that this rascal had a trick up his sleeve? He went for the grand slam!

"This little brat is ruthless! Giving me the illusion of saving money, then hitting my wallet with a fatal blow!"

Zhao Wuji coughed awkwardly. "Uh… Mubai, sorry about that."

Dai Mubai: "…"

Rolling his eyes, he got up to wash his face.

"Teacher Zhao, do you want to add anything else?"

Ma Hongjun asked innocently.

"Teacher Zhao, I think Fatty has ordered enough. No need to spend extra."

Chu Chengzhou added.

"Yeah, yeah! We shouldn't waste food!"

Oscar chimed in.

The three girls, though silent, clearly shared the same opinion.

"…Fine, just leave it as is."

Seeing his students united in their scheme to fleece him, Zhao Wuji could only sigh and accept his fate.

Before their food arrived, the restaurant suddenly fell silent. Sensing something was off, the group turned toward the entrance.

Three new guests had arrived—two men and one woman.

The two middle-aged men, one short and fat, the other tall and thin, wore black cloaks with hoods, exuding a deep and restrained aura. They looked like bodyguards as they followed behind the woman.

The young woman was stunning. Clad in a pure white robe with a hood, her ethereal beauty and noble presence were impossible to conceal.

Her flawless skin, elegant nose, and sharp yet enchanting phoenix eyes, combined with her golden hair, made her look like a divine angel who had descended to the mortal world.

The entire restaurant had fallen silent, captivated by her beauty.

"Qian Renxue?"

Chu Chengzhou's pupils shrank slightly. He instantly recognized the woman, whose presence radiated nobility and power.

Even he had to admit—Qian Renxue's beauty was breathtaking.

But angels were not only noble; they were also dangerous.

Without enough strength or backing, it was best to stay far away. Otherwise, the Spirit Hall's intelligence network would soon uncover everything about him.

Moreover, as his talent continued to shine, he would inevitably become a major target. If he had no intention of serving the Spirit Hall, he would only invite disaster upon himself.

At the same time, Chu Chengzhou secretly felt relieved. Fortunately, Xiao Wu had already learned his control technique, allowing her to suppress the aura of a transformed soul beast. Otherwise, encountering two Titled Douluo could have led to unimaginable consequences.

After all, someone as blind as Dugu Bo in the original story—who not only failed to recognize the value of celestial herbs but also couldn't identify a 100,000-year transformed soul beast—was just an exception.

However, Chu Chengzhou was also puzzled. Why had the angelic young lady come to the Star Dou Forest?

Anyone appearing here was surely looking to hunt for a spirit ring, but the Sunset Forest—one of the three major soul beast habitats—was right outside Heaven Dou City. Why would Qian Renxue go so far instead of choosing the closer option?

Even though the Sunset Forest was much smaller than the Star Dou Forest and the Extreme North, it still had many ten-thousand-year-old soul beasts. For a Soul Master below seven rings, there was usually no need to travel such a long distance to the Star Dou Forest.

Actually, Chu Chengzhou had overlooked something—the Six-Winged Angel Martial Spirit had a holy attribute, and soul beasts with the holy attribute were rare. Furthermore, Qian Renxue had high requirements for the age of her spirit rings. The Sunset Forest might not have what she needed, which was why she brought two bodyguards to the Star Dou Forest.

At the same time, even someone as composed as Chu Chengzhou was stunned by her beauty, let alone Oscar and Ma Hongjun.

However, Oscar was the reserved type. Though he appreciated beauty, he wasn't an outright lecher. He was amazed but didn't react excessively.

On the other hand, the more openly flirtatious Ma Hongjun was different. Without thinking, he blurted out, "Such a beautiful... mmm mmm mmm—"

At the critical moment, Chu Chengzhou reacted swiftly, covering Ma Hongjun's mouth before he could utter the word "girl."

"Fatty, are you trying to get yourself killed?" Chu Chengzhou glared at him.

This fool was truly daring. Qian Renxue wasn't some escort at a shady nightclub who would flirt back if teased.

Moreover, she had two loyal Titled Douluo bodyguards with her! Daring to flirt with her was a death wish.

Although She Long and Ci Xue were among the weaker Titled Douluo, they were still Titled Douluo—far beyond what they could afford to provoke.

Besides, while Qian Renxue was undeniably beautiful, apart from moments when she fell under the protagonist's "lowered IQ halo," she was a decisive and ruthless individual.

Chu Chengzhou could guarantee that if Ma Hongjun had dared to say something inappropriate, he would have ended up either dead or severely injured—and they might have gotten caught up in the fallout.

The restaurant was quiet, so Qian Renxue naturally heard Ma Hongjun's "Such a beautiful... mmm mmm mmm."

However, "Such a beautiful... mmm mmm mmm" and "Such a beautiful girl" were two different things. As long as the word "girl" wasn't spoken, it remained a compliment rather than harassment. Thus, she wasn't offended or disgusted.

Still, because of this, Qian Renxue glanced at Chu Chengzhou.

When she saw Ning Rongrong sitting at the same table as him, her expression froze slightly, and a trace of surprise appeared in her eyes.

Wasn't this her nominal junior sister, Ning Rongrong? What a coincidence.

Over a decade ago, she had used her family's inherited Angel Head Spirit Bone to disguise herself as the Crown Prince, Xue Qinghe, and infiltrate the Heaven Dou Empire.

To solidify the royal family's alliance with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, she had acknowledged the sect master, Ning Fengzhi, as her master while acting as Crown Prince Xue Qinghe. As a result, Ning Rongrong became her nominal junior sister.

But now, she was the Holy Maiden of the Spirit Hall, Qian Renxue, not Heaven Dou Empire's Crown Prince. She had no intention of greeting Ning Rongrong.

Looking around, Qian Renxue saw that there weren't many empty seats in the restaurant. She led Ci Xue and She Long to an empty table near Chu Chengzhou's group.

Though she was breathtakingly beautiful, her presence was overwhelming, and no one dared to approach her. Soon, the restaurant returned to its lively atmosphere.

At that moment, Dai Mubai, who had been washing his face after getting tea sprayed on him, returned.

When he casually glanced around and caught sight of Qian Renxue's stunning beauty, he stopped in his tracks.

This girl is gorgeous!

And not only that—she had golden hair, just like him!

Dai Mubai had seen plenty of beautiful women, but never one as stunning as her.

Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing were also beautiful, but because they were still young and hadn't fully matured, they couldn't compare to Qian Renxue.

For a moment, Dai Mubai was entranced.

"Kid, put away that look in your eyes and get lost!"

Seeing this reckless fool staring lecherously at their mistress, She Long immediately scowled and barked at him.

Had Dai Mubai done anything more, or if She Long didn't care about maintaining his image as an elder of the Spirit Hall, he would have slapped him right then and there.

Hearing this, Dai Mubai snapped out of it and glanced at She Long.

"My name is Dai Mubai. May I ask for your name, miss?" He ignored She Long and smiled at Qian Renxue.

A beautiful woman was in front of him; his attention naturally wouldn't be on some middle-aged man.

Besides, judging from this man's slightly reserved posture, he probably wasn't the girl's elder but rather a bodyguard or attendant, so Dai Mubai didn't care much about him.

Qian Renxue glanced at Dai Mubai and remained silent, only looking toward She Long.

"Kid, are you deaf? I told you to get lost!"

Receiving his mistress's cue, She Long immediately released a powerful soul pressure and shouted at Dai Mubai.

Boom!

A Titled Douluo's soul pressure was not something a mere three-ring Soul Elder could withstand. Dai Mubai's mind went blank, and with a "thud," he was crushed to the ground by the terrifying force.

Fortunately, She Long only exerted his soul pressure for a brief moment. Otherwise, Dai Mubai would have been completely incapacitated.

"Senior, please forgive us. It was my lack of discipline. I hope you will show mercy!"

In the next second, Zhao Wuji stepped forward, grabbed the dazed Dai Mubai, and respectfully bowed to She Long.

Among those present, aside from She Long and Ci Xue, Zhao Wuji had the highest soul power.

Even though the earlier soul pressure hadn't been aimed at him, Zhao Wuji could tell that this lean middle-aged man was far stronger than him.

Against weaker opponents, he could throw punches. But against a powerhouse, he had to be submissive.

Cowardice? No, this was called knowing when to yield!

A Soul Master who doesn't know when to back down isn't a good Soul Master?

Well, that's what Flender says. Zhao Wuji never claimed to be a good Soul Master.

Seeing Zhao Wuji's respectful attitude, She Long raised an eyebrow and looked toward Qian Renxue.

With a wave of her hand, Qian Renxue still didn't speak. To her, flies were meant to be shooed away, not dealt with seriously.

Understanding her meaning, She Long withdrew his pressure and sat back down.

Zhao Wuji breathed a sigh of relief and quickly dragged the pale and trembling Dai Mubai upstairs.

As for dinner? Missing one meal wouldn't kill them—it was better to avoid provoking this unknown powerhouse further.

"That was close! Almost stepped on a landmine!" Ma Hongjun muttered to himself, still shaken.

A difficult dinner ended. Before heading upstairs, Chu Chengzhou even packed a meal for Zhao Wuji.

After all, he was still their teacher—they couldn't just abandon him.

Dai Mubai: What about me?

The next morning, Zhao Wuji woke everyone up at dawn with his loud voice.

After breakfast, they left the hunting town and continued their journey.

Sitting atop the Fire Phoenix Summon, Oscar's heart surged with excitement as he made a decision.

His third spirit ring—he would target a flying thousand-year soul beast!

Having never experienced flying before, Oscar only knew that flying spirit masters had an advantage over regular spirit masters. However, he had never truly understood how significant that advantage was—until now.

If he could create flying sausages, he would be able to provide his teammates with powerful mobility.

Moreover, when facing a strong opponent, his team would have the upper hand whether they chose to fight or retreat.

Additionally, Ma Hongjun was a long-range assault-type spirit master. Although his mutated hen martial spirit had grown wings, he still couldn't fly at the moment, so flight ability would be of great help to him.

As for Ning Rongrong, a support-type spirit master, if she could fly, she wouldn't need her teammates' protection as long as the opponent couldn't fly. She could simply hover in the air and enhance her teammates' attributes from above.

It could be said that a sausage granting flight would provide an immense support effect in their current situation.