"Alright, Elder Nangong, you and Xiao Hu can return now. Cheng Gang, you'll stay in the Star Luo Empire and report to me immediately if anything unusual happens."
Jiang Jue put away Luo Bai and looked at the others.
"Brother Cheng, come early. I'll be waiting for you inside the Soul Refining Banner."
"Brotherhood, kept in the heart."
Nangong Wan patted his chest, pointed at Cheng Gang, and turned around with Xiao Hu, disappearing into the Soul Refining Banner.
Cheng Gang's face turned green as he heard that.
He didn't even look at Nangong Wan.
"Young Lord, then I'll take my leave."
Cheng Gang respectfully addressed Jiang Jue, though his expression was a little awkward. It felt strange for a grown man to call a youth "Young Lord."
Jiang Jue didn't mind. Since he held Cheng Gang's Soul Flame, the man would adjust in time.
"Alright, go ahead."
Cheng Gang quietly exited the room in a flash.
Looking like a "pig's head" right now, he was a complete mess—he'd be mortified if anyone saw him like this.
Though he'd been meek inside Jiang Jue's room, outside he was still the Star Luo Empire's Guardian Douluo.
"Ahh... Grandma Manyi, I messed up this time."
Xu Jiujiuming stood outside the Star Emperor Grand Hotel, her tone defeated.
She had grown up in the royal palace, steeped in the arts of reading people and managing power. She thought she could control hearts and minds. Who knew her attempt to recruit Jiang Jue would fail so utterly?
"Jiujiuming, this isn't your fault. That boy just doesn't know what's good for him. Our Star Luo Empire isn't lacking in talent."
Behind her, the kindly Manyi smiled and comforted her.
Manyi had watched Xu Jiujiuming grow up and treated her like a real granddaughter.
Seeing Jiujiuming like this, Manyi's heart ached.
"Please don't comfort me, Grandma Manyi. We both know what a genius with an extreme attribute means. And yet... I still blew it."
Jiujiuming lowered her head like a defeated swan, her proud posture slumped.
"You're overthinking it. If we really want to keep a genius, we could just imprison Jiang Jue in the Star Luo Empire, and then... ensure that his descendants serve us for generations."
A flicker of cruelty flashed in Manyi's eyes.
She hadn't stated it explicitly, but Jiujiuming understood. She wasn't some delicate flower—she knew palace intrigue often surpassed anything in the outside world.
"But... extreme-attribute Martial Souls usually don't pass on to offspring."
"That's fine too. Doesn't he have two high-quality Martial Souls? Either one would be worth passing down."
Manyi continued.
"But it's not that easy, Grandma Manyi. The Sun Moon Empire won't just stand by. That Rank-9 Soul Engineer earlier was probably sent to protect him."
"Jiujiuming, you weren't like this as a child. Remember? You used to say you'd be the emperor's right-hand. Now look at you—so defeated by one setback."
"If he won't join us, then beat him yourself on the competition stage. Show him just how powerful our little princess is."
Manyi gently stroked Jiujiuming's hair, comforting her again.
Jiujiuming's eyes lit up, and a new idea began to take root in her mind.
"Hm? Isn't that His Grace Julì?"
Suddenly, Jiujiuming noticed a sneaky figure sneaking out of the hotel.
She approached politely and greeted Cheng Gang.
"What a coincidence, Your Grace Julì. You're at the Star Emperor Hotel too?"
Cheng Gang was creeping out of the hotel, praying no one would recognize him. His face was bruised all over—Zhang Peng had really gone all in with those punches.
Unfortunately, the very thing he feared happened—someone recognized him.
As Jiujiuming and Manyi walked toward him, he didn't know whether to run or stay.
"Eh? Cheng Gang, what happened to your face?"
Manyi was startled by Cheng Gang's battered appearance.
As the Guardian Douluo of the Star Luo Empire, the three of them had all met and knew each other.
"Princess, Senior Manyi, greetings."
Cheng Gang forced a smile that was uglier than crying.
"I tripped yesterday. Just an accident. Anyway, if there's nothing else, I'll be going."
He gave an excuse even he didn't believe and quickly fled.
"He tripped? And ended up like that?"
After Cheng Gang left, Jiujiuming covered her mouth with a hand and chuckled, her gloom lifted.
"But who could beat up His Grace Julì so badly?"
Doubt stirred in Jiujiuming's mind. No matter how weak he might be in battle, he was still a Titled Douluo.
She glanced at the Star Emperor Hotel, then led Manyi back toward the palace.
Knock knock knock!
"Corporal Jiang Jue, your General Meng is here!"
A crisp female voice came from outside Jiang Jue's room.
"Zhang Peng, you go rest for now. You've helped me a lot these past few days."
Jiang Jue spoke to Zhang Peng in front of him.
"Everything I do is for the Young Lord."
Zhang Peng bowed respectfully, then turned into black mist and vanished out the window.
"The door's not locked. Come in."
Jiang Jue already knew who it was from the voice.
Sure enough, Meng Hongchen gently opened the door, poked her head inside, and, seeing only Jiang Jue inside, grinned brightly and skipped in.
"Jiang Jue! Catch me!"
Meng Hongchen leapt lightly toward him, and Jiang Jue caught her smoothly in his arms.
Meng Hongchen buried her head in his chest, inhaling deeply. There was always a scent on Jiang Jue's body that she adored.
"Don't you have any questions for me, Meng?"
Jiang Jue gently ran his slender fingers through her silky hair and asked softly.
"Nope. I believe that one day, when you're ready, you'll tell me. I'll just sit and listen quietly then."
Meng Hongchen looked up, placing her delicate hands on either side of Jiang Jue's head, aligning their gazes. She spoke with sincerity.
Jiang Jue looked at the lovely girl before him, a gentle smile spreading on his face, eyes full of warmth.
"Thank you, Meng."
"Then how are you going to thank me?"
Meng Hongchen teased with a playful smile.
Jiang Jue didn't reply—instead, he leaned in and kissed her soft lips.
"Ah!"Meng Hongchen gasped, pupils tightening, then slowly closed her eyes.
"Whoosh!"She swayed slightly, dazed, as if she'd sensed something. She quickly slipped down from Jiang Jue's arms.
Her face was red as a cherry, and she shyly protested,
"Not now! It's not time yet!"
"Meng, you're only lighting the fire without putting it out."
Jiang Jue chuckled, amused by her flustered state.
"Ah! Don't say that!"
Meng Hongchen covered her face with both hands, embarrassed, though a tiny gap between her fingers peeked out to secretly watch Jiang Jue.
Jiang Jue circulated his soul power to calm the burning desire in his heart.
Seeing him return to normal, Meng Hongchen nestled beside him again, wrapping her pink-white arms around his right arm and pouted sweetly.
"Jiang Jue, I'm hungry. Come buy food with me?"
"Let's go then."
Jiang Jue looked at the "arsonist" before him, chuckled softly, and stood up.
"Yay! You're the best, Jiang Jue!"
Eyes sparkling, Meng Hongchen grabbed Jiang Jue and pulled him toward the door.
Just as they exited the room, they bumped into a woman in red.
She had a tall, curvy figure and a stunningly beautiful face. With every step she took, her voluptuous chest swayed, and her eyes shimmered with a seductive charm. A faint red light flashed in her gaze, and her dark red hair flowed behind her.
Jiang Jue looked at the woman before him, and his eyes narrowed slightly.
This was Ma Xiaotao from Shrek Academy.
And the special attribute he had asked Wang Gengyin to add to Luo Bai...
Was related to her...
(End of Chapter)