"What's wrong with you? Your smile looks weird… kind of silly."
Xiao Wu blinked her bright eyes, staring at Lu Feng with curiosity.
"Uh… it's nothing, really."
Lu Feng's face flushed slightly. Zhuqing's figure was just too distracting, merely thinking about it had made him zone out.
Though, to be fair, it was a relaxed moment, and the night air had a way of stirring restless thoughts…
Xiao Wu seemed to think of something as well, lowering her head as a faint blush crept onto her cheeks.
"Lu Feng-gege, my hair's a mess… can you help me comb it?"
Shyly, she stretched out her small hand, revealing a sandalwood comb resting on her palm.
After the day's battles, her scorpion braid had indeed become tangled.
Lu Feng's heart leapt. "Of course."
He took the comb without hesitation, stepping behind her as he gently loosened her long, silky braid, its length cascading past her petite waist. The strands were soft and carried a faint, sweet fragrance.
He had once daydreamed about this very scene: carefully combing through the hair of someone he cherished, even tying it into intricate braids.
In fact, he'd spent his free time over the past two years learning from the most skilled royal hairdressers, just for moments like this.
Xiao Wu had only asked him to comb her hair.
But he didn't stop there, he meticulously styled it into a braid.
Under the silver moonlight…
The lake lay still as a mirror, reflecting the starry sky, while fireflies danced above the grass like tiny spirits.
Xiao Wu sat gracefully by the shore, slipping off her shoes to dip her jade-like feet into the clear water, playfully stirring ripples across the surface.
Lu Feng worked behind her, his fingers deft and gentle as he wove her hair.
Looking at her slim, elegant figure, with a tiny waist he could wrap his hand around and her hips curving seductively as she sat on the meadow, he couldn't stop his mind from wandering.
He remembered how it felt when she was on top of him, his hands holding her perfectly curved butt.
Her incredible flexibility made her seem almost boneless, able to move into all sorts of tantalizing positions.
Just thinking about being with her like that was enough to send a thrill of pure bliss through him.
"Y'know, my hair gets messed up too," he teased, unable to resist. "Next time you're on top of me, try not to ruin my hairstyle, okay?"
"..." Xiao Wu's breath hitched. "I-I didn't mean to that time…"
His words flustered her. How embarrassing!
But then she realized he was just messing with her. Pouting, she fake-glared. "Oh, so now you're complaining after taking advantage? Hmph! There won't be a next time! …Are you done yet? I'm going back!"
Oops. Pushed too far.
Lu Feng chuckled sheepishly. "Almost done."
Soon, the scorpion braid was complete.
Xiao Wu's eyes sparkled with surprise. "Wow, it's even better than when I do it! It's like… art. Lu Feng-gege, you're amazing."
He shrugged playfully. "Well, if I ever can't rely on my looks, at least I've got skills to fall back on."
"Pfft—" Xiao Wu giggled. "So you are just a pretty face?"
"Pretty much. In business, image matters."
Smiling, Lu Feng pulled out an elder's token and handed it to her. "If you're ever in danger or need help while I'm gone, take this to any Merchant Alliance branch. They'll assist you."
"The Alliance sounds great. I wanna join too!"
"You already are."
"Huh? As what?"
"Consider yourself… my assistant."
"Does it pay?"
"Yep."
"How much? Ten gold soul coins a month? What exactly would I do?"
"How about a million gold soul coins per month? Your job is to give me hugs."
"You're joking again! I'll hit you! Xiao Wu-jie isn't someone to mess with!"
"With the Waist Bow?"
"I wouldn't use Waist Bow on you! I'll use my second spirit skill—hey, don't run!"
Amid laughter and playful bickering, Lu Feng walked her back to the girls' dormitory, where she now had a room to herself.
Under Xiao Wu's reluctant gaze, he waved goodbye and left.
The next day.
Lu Feng arrived at a secluded cave.
With a flying-type martial soul, his travel speed had doubled.
Inside grew the true body of Blue Silver Emperor, Ah Yin.
In the dim, sunless environment, deprived of rain and natural energy, her growth had slowed to a crawl.
But Lu Feng knew Ah Yin was conscious.
He read Tang Hao's confession aloud to her.
The Blue Silver Emperor's leaves trembled, as if shedding tears of blood. Some even began to wither, proof of her agony and heartbreak.
Lu Feng channeled a stream of Life Light into her, then pricked his finger, letting a few drops of blood fall onto her roots.
I hope the vitality of the World Tree and the power of the Dragon God's bloodline can help Ah Yin recover.
He also took out her soul bone and told her there was a strong chance of revival.
The effect was remarkable.
Ah Yin immediately regained her vitality.
Her branches bowed low, as if submitting to Lu Feng.
Whether it was the World Tree's energy or the Dragon God's bloodline, both were enough to make her revere him as her master, especially since he had also returned her soul bone to her.
She didn't want to die.
For over a hundred thousand years, she had grown step by step, endured hardships day after day, and faced countless dangers. It had taken immense strength to survive this long, why should she die for a deceitful, heartless man?
She wanted to be reborn.
She desperately wanted to come back to life… so she could kill Tang Hao with her own hands.
The deeper the love, the sharper the hatred.
Tang Hao was the one who had ruined her.
If not for him, she would still be living freely and happily, not buried in this dark cave, suffering for over a decade.
Lu Feng carefully placed Ah Yin inside his storage-type soul tool.
This particular tool was called the Eightfold Creation Belt, and like the Eight Treasures Soft Armor, it was near-divine in quality.
Compared to treasures like the Twenty-Four Moonlit Bridges or the Cosmic Sack, it was on an entirely different level. Its interior was like a miniature world where plants and animals could thrive naturally, even gaining nourishment over time.
This was one of the perks of vast wealth and a sprawling trade network.
If money could buy it, Lu Feng could have it.
Next Stop was Star Luo City.
With a flying-type martial soul, travel time was significantly reduced but even he couldn't fly indefinitely. The soul power drain was too intense.
Even a Soul Douluo like Bai He would rely on carriages for long journeys unless it was an emergency, conserving energy in case of unexpected threats.
Passing through a provincial city, Lu Feng handed Tang Hao's confession to a branch manager of the Commerce Alliance.
"Print tens of thousands of copies," he ordered. "Spread them with every merchant convoy, post them everywhere, make sure everyone knows."
Yes, he had promised Tang Hao he wouldn't publicize it.
"But I lied. So what?"
"You speak human words to humans, ghost words to ghosts and keeping promises to hypocritical scum is an insult to truly good people."
Besides, he'd made that promise under the name Li Xunhuan, a completely fabricated identity. That "earth-shattering flying dagger" stunt would likely never happen again.
....
That Same Day
Lu Feng returned to the Zhu Family's estate in Star Luo City.
Zhu Zhuqing wasn't there.
She had reached rank 30. A few days ago, accompanied by the Zhu family elders, she had gone to a distant spirit beast forest to hunt for her third spirit ring.
Lu Feng felt a pang of guilt.
When he had absorbed his spirit rings, Zhu Zhuqing had stayed by his side for an entire month.
Yet when it was her turn, he hadn't been there for her.
With the two ten-thousand-year spirit bones she'd absorbed, her physical strength and attributes had improved dramatically. A third spirit ring in the three to four thousand-year range shouldn't pose any problem.
Lu Feng returned to his courtyard.
A sharp whoosh of wind cut through the air, followed by an indignant shout—
"Lu Feng! How dare you disappear for so long without a word?"
He turned to see Zhu Zhuyun storming toward him, her expression accusatory.
As she ran, her full, voluptuous figure was impossible to ignore,
Especially the way her big breasts bounced with every step.
Damn.
Normally, she either walked with deliberate grace or moved so fast she became a blur. But today? Today, she was practically juggling them.
Lu Feng took a steadying breath. "Eldest Sister, I told Zhuqing it was urgent."
"Urgent or not, you should've explained properly! Do you have any idea how many people have been looking for you?"
Zhu Zhuyun planted herself in front of him, hands on her hips, her ample chest thrust forward as she glared up at him. "Don't think just because the royal family and my father favor you, you can do whatever you want. If my little sister can't keep you in line, I will. From now on, you report to me every time you leave. Understood?"
Lu Feng studied her, the regal, domineering aura of a future empress, and smiled faintly. Instead of answering, he countered:
"Your Majesty-to-be… do you remember our bet?"
****
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