"Rongrong, I have so healing pills here."
Zhu Qing took out a bottle of dicinal pills from her ring-shaped storage soul tool and handed it to Ning Rongrong.
These were pills refined by Xu Yunhan.
Compared to the current era, the pills from the Peerless Tang Sect period ten thousand years later were far more advanced. Xu Yunhan knew a thing or two about them and had gathered herbs in Suotuo City to refine so.
"Thank you."
Though she had her own healing dicine, Ning Rongrong didn't want to refuse Zhu Qing's kindness—she was still trying to win her over, after all.
Ning Rongrong glanced at the ring on Zhu Qing's finger and remarked, "The ring is beautiful. Storage soul tools like this are quite rare."
She couldn't help but speculate that Zhu Qing's possession of such a precious item ant her background was anything but ordinary.
Zhu Qing touched the ring and smiled. "Yes, it's lovely. Xu Yunhan gave it to ."
There was a hint of deliberate emphasis, as if subtly declaring her special relationship with Xu Yunhan.
Zhu Qing had her own little sches too—she was worried Ning Rongrong might try to steal Xu Yunhan away.
"Him?"
Just who was Xu Yunhan? Ning Rongrong grew curious.
She studied Zhu Qing, thinking that if Xu Yunhan had given her a ring—a storage soul tool with such symbolic aning—their relationship must indeed be unusual.
"Zhuqing, are you and Xu Yunhan... together?" Ning Rongrong asked with a smile, though she felt a faint sourness in her chest.
Zhu Qing's eyes curved happily. "Mhm. We haven't known each other long, but he treats very well."
The words stung Ning Rongrong, who quickly changed the subject. "By the way, how long have you been at Shrek Academy? When did Xu Yunhan and the others arrive?"
Seeing that Zhu Qing didn't continue talking about the ring, she felt a little disappointed. "I just got here recently. I t Yunhan in Suotuo City, and he invited to join Shrek Academy."
So that's how it happened. Ning Rongrong listened intently.
Zhu Qing continued, "Yunhan, Oscar, and Ma Hongjun arrived at Shrek Academy around the sa ti, about six years ago. As for Dai Mubai, he's been here for a little over three years."
She paused, her expression turning somber. "Yunhan, Oscar, and Ma Hongjun... they're all orphans. The academy teachers found them or saved them from the streets."
"All three of them are orphans?" Ning Rongrong was surprised. The world seed peaceful enough—she had traveled from Heaven Dou City to Suotuo City without any trouble.
But Zhu Qing, who was now effectively an orphan herself—unable to return ho and having survived countless assassination attempts—understood Xu Yunhan's struggles all too well.
"Nowhere is truly peaceful. Life is hard for ordinary people." Along her journey, Zhu Qing had witnessed firsthand the hardships commoners endured.
"Is it really that bad?" Ning Rongrong couldn't relate—she had been sheltered her entire life.
Douluo Continent was, after all, a feudal society with rigid class divisions. The existence of slavery, both overt and covert, combined with the overwhelming power of soul masters over ordinary people, made life incredibly difficult for the lower classes.
Ning Rongrong and Zhu Qing were both part of the aristocratic elite, and under normal circumstances, neither would have understood the struggles of commoners. But Zhu Qing had seen glimpses of it during her escape from the Star Luo Empire.
"Rongrong, Zhuqing... where are we?"
At that mont, Xiao Wu woke up, her head still a little fuzzy.
"Xiao Wu, you're awake!"
"I'll go tell Tang San!"
Ning Rongrong and Zhu Qing brightened imdiately.
"No, not yet."
Xiao Wu stopped Zhu Qing. "Give a mont... I need to clear my head."
Zhu Qing nodded, then asked with concern, "How do you feel? Should we get Teacher Shao Xin to take a look? He's a food-system soul master."
Food-system soul masters often doubled as healers.
"I have so healing pills here," Ning Rongrong offered.
Xiao Wu smiled weakly. "It's nothing serious—just a backlash from my spirit power. I'm still a bit dizzy, but I'll be fine after resting a little longer.
Thank you both for staying with ."
Ning Rongrong waved it off. "It's nothing. Oh, this is our shared dormitory. The three of us will be living together from now on."
Xiao Wu bead. "That's great! The more, the rrier."
After a pause, she straightened slightly and said formally, "Let introduce myself properly. My na is Xiao Wu—the Wu as in 'dance.' I'm from Notting City."
Ning Rongrong responded, "I'm Ning Rongrong, from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan in Heaven Dou City."
Zhu Qing added, "And I'm Zhu Qing, from the Star Luo Empire."
"Heaven Dou City and the Star Luo Empire... I've heard of them, but they're both really far from here," Xiao Wu mused.
As for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, she had heard Master Yu Xiaogang ntion it—so kind of powerful soul master faction.
It seed both Ning Rongrong and Zhu Qing had impressive backgrounds. Xiao Wu already had a good impression of them.
Zhu Qing turned to Ning Rongrong. "Rongrong, with your surna being Ning and your talent so outstanding... you wouldn't happen to be Clan Leader Ning's daughter, would you?"
Ning Rongrong smirked proudly. "So Zhuqing's heard of my father too?"
Zhu Qing gave her a deadpan look. "The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan is one of the Three Great Clans, with two Title Douluo under its banner. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda is hailed as the strongest support-type spirit. I'd be surprised if any soul master hadn't heard of it."
Two Title Douluo!
Xiao Wu's eyes widened in shock—and fear. After all, she was a spirit beast.
Ning Rongrong chuckled and countered, "Zhuqing, your surna is Zhu, and your spirit is the Nether Spirit Cat. You must be from the Duke Zhu family's main bloodline in the Star Luo Empire, right?"
Both of them had already guessed each other's identities—only Xiao Wu, with her limited exposure, was completely in the dark.
Zhu Qing's mood darkened. "I... have nothing to do with the Zhu family anymore."
Xiao Wu asked sympathetically, "Did they treat you badly at ho?"
Ning Rongrong thought for a mont before saying, "I've heard my father, Sword Grandpa, and Bone Grandpa ntion a few things.
They said the Star Luo Empire's rule is brutal, especially among the royal family—it's a fight to the death for power and status.
The Star Luo imperial family, the Dais, have always intermarried with the Zhu family because their Evil Eye White Tiger and Nether Spirit Cat spirits can fuse."
She studied Zhu Qing carefully. "Zhuqing, since your spirit is the Nether Spirit Cat... were you arranged to marry into the Dai family? Did you get caught up in the royal power struggles and flee to the Heaven Dou Empire?"
Though she knew little about commoners, Ning Rongrong was well-versed in noble politics.
Zhu Qing lowered her head. "It's... pretty much as you said."
She sighed before continuing, "I was actually Dai Mubai's fiancée."
That revelation made Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu's eyes widen in shock.
Dai Mubai—the sa Dai Mubai at Shrek Academy?
If she was Dai Mubai's fiancée, why was she so close to Xu Yunhan?
What was going on?
Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu were baffled.
Had Ning Rongrong known Dai Mubai's spirit, she might have guessed earlier.
Zhu Qing went on, "Four or five years ago, Dai Mubai fled the Star Luo Empire because he was afraid of dying—and he abandoned .
All these years, my elder sister Zhu Yun and Dai Mubai's brother Dai Weis have been targeting , sending assassins after . I had no choice but to escape the Star Luo Empire.
And then I found Dai Mubai here—living it up, indulging in won, enjoying himself without a care in the world!
I've severed all ties with him. I refuse to have anything to do with him ever again!"
She wanted to make her reasons clear and her stance firm. Zhu Qing didn't want Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu misunderstanding her.
As far as she was concerned, she had done nothing wrong—Dai Mubai was the one who had fled, who had abandoned her, who was now drowning in pleasure while she had suffered.
Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu exchanged glances, stunned by Zhu Qing's tragic and complicated past. They couldn't help but sympathize.
"That Dai Mubai is disgusting!" Ning Rongrong spat. "A crown prince with no backbone, no sense of responsibility—stay as far away from n like that as possible!"
Xiao Wu nodded fiercely. "Zhuqing, from now on, we're sisters. If anyone dares bully you, we'll beat them up together!"
Hearing their words, Zhu Qing couldn't hold back her tears any longer. The past few years had been too bitter, too lonely—she had needed soone to confide in, to comfort her, for so long.
===
Note: So far this story is published up to Chapter 35 on my patreon, go check it out.
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