Upon hearing the voice, Zhu Zhuqing's eyes clearly reflected her obvious disgust and displeasure.
She had publicly declared many times to outsiders that she and Dai Mubai were not in that kind of relationship, but there were always people who would flatter Dai Mubai by trying to persuade her!
Such scheming thoughts truly made Zhu Zhuqing feel nauseated.
Glancing at herself in the mirror once more, Zhu Zhuqing remained silent and began packing her things indifferently.
During this process, the golden line between her eyebrows faintly glowed, and the voice of the Evil-Eyed Holy King echoed again.
"I've already done my best to conceal your external changes. However, as someone who has inherited my power, you're still somewhat different from before. To avoid drawing attention, you should leave quickly."
"I understand, Lord Holy King," Zhu Zhuqing softly replied.
Meanwhile, the girl outside continued to relay messages, but Zhu Zhuqing's room remained as quiet as ever, as if no one was inside.
The girl tried several times to open the door to check if Zhu Zhuqing was inside, but the door was locked, and she didn't dare to break it down—it would be against school rules.
The girl outside had a pretty face. Though she wasn't as beautiful as Xiao Wu or Zhu Zhuqing, she was still considered a fine beauty. However, her furrowed brows and evident impatience ruined the charm.
"Damn it, shouldn't Zhu Zhuqing still be asleep in her room at this hour? She's not like me—has she seen Blue Tyrant at 5 a.m.? Oh wait, it's called Shrek now, right?
But why is she pretending? I know you're in there! You deserve this—you should be tied to that scumbag for life. Why are you acting so pure and aloof here?"
While knocking on the door, though the girl appeared gentle on the surface, her mind was filled with vicious curses.
Her innate soul power wasn't particularly high, and seeing Zhu Zhuqing—who joined midway—outshine her in popularity and cultivation within the academy naturally bred jealousy.
As for Dai Mubai, though he appeared dazzling on the outside, human nature was hard to change. His usual antics hadn't gone unnoticed by others in Shrek Academy.
A classic womanizer.
In this world, aside from parents and close friends who genuinely wish for someone's happiness, most people enjoy watching others fall into the dirt—and this girl was no exception.
Just as the girl was contemplating whether to sow discord or play some tricks, Zhu Zhuqing's tightly closed door finally opened.
"Oh!" the girl exclaimed in surprise, then said apologetically, "Sorry for disturbing your rest, Zhuqing. But your little boyfriend has been standing downstairs for a while, which is affecting our girls' dorm atmosphere. I had no choice."
At this point, Zhu Zhuqing was still just a 12-year-old naive girl. She didn't fully understand the malice behind the girl's words and missed the passive-aggressive tone.
Though annoyed by the misunderstanding about her relationship with Dai Mubai, Zhu Zhuqing nodded accommodatingly due to the trouble Dai Mubai caused. Then, she closed the door and left quietly.
Watching Zhu Zhuqing's naturally alluring yet aloof figure disappear, the girl's eyes revealed a sense of unwillingness. She began thinking of ways to drag this cold and distant presence down to earth.
Isolation?
No, that wouldn't work. Ever since Zhu Zhuqing joined Shrek, she had always acted independently, walking her own path. Isolation would have no effect.
Bullying?
Equally ineffective. To the outside world, Zhu Zhuqing's cultivation was nearing level 30, and none of the female students in the higher grades could match her.
And because of her stunning curves, the male students in the upper years might even side with Zhu Zhuqing and beat them up instead.
Poison?
That was even less feasible. Any soul master could resist toxins using their soul power the moment they were poisoned, and finding a healer would easily cure the condition. If it were discovered that she had poisoned Zhu Zhuqing, the consequences would range from expulsion to retaliation.
Moreover, while petty schemes like isolation or bullying might go unnoticed, any soul master attending an advanced academy would recognize the significance of the Netherworld Spirit Cat.
An open defeat would be acceptable, but if underhanded tactics were exposed, did she really think Zhu Zhuqing's family background was just for show?
"Zhu Zhuqing, how can you be so lucky?" the girl muttered venomously as she watched Zhu Zhuqing's retreating figure.
But as Zhu Zhuqing disappeared around the corner of the stairs, the girl revealed a sinister smile.
"A Netherworld Spirit Cat, paired with someone like Dai Mubai—should I say you're lucky or unlucky?
Even if your cultivation is later destroyed, you'll still be the main daughter of the Zhu family. Your life will never be as difficult as ours, commoners."
The girl whispered softly, then glanced down at Dai Mubai. Her slightly dry lips were moistened by her tongue, and a wave of desire surged within her.
"Since you're destined to suffer anyway, you won't mind if I add a little fuel to the fire, right, Zhu Zhuqing?"
At this moment, Zhu Zhuqing was unaware that a female soul master had already set her sights on Dai Mubai's body.
But even if she knew, Zhu Zhuqing would only find it disgusting and wouldn't care.
Because she was no longer the Zhu Zhuqing she used to be.
Besides, this was the prevailing attitude on the Douluo Continent. The weak longed to become strong and craved to attach themselves to the strong.
Hadn't countless commoner women in Suotuo City willingly given themselves to Ma Hongjun and Dai Mubai without asking for anything in return?
Wasn't it because these two had displayed quite impressive soul master potential?
Though they were irredeemable perverts and scum, their soul master bloodlines were treasures that commoners coveted.
However, it was strange—despite their promiscuous lifestyles over the years, neither of them had fathered any children!?
Ma Hongjun's lineage eventually spread across the Douluo Continent, but Dai Mubai's bloodline ended with him.
(Author's note: If secondary gods truly couldn't bring others with them, Dai Mubai would actually be among the smarter ones. After all, living eternally in the divine realm while letting his lineage grow old and die on the Douluo Continent sounds heartbreaking no matter how you look at it.)
Downstairs, Dai Mubai dressed impeccably. Normally fond of sleeping in, he had unusually risen early today to buy a bouquet of vibrant roses from a flower shop in the city.
He had realized yesterday that his words had been too impulsive, much like when he had once talked about forcing himself on Ning Rongrong.
Knowing full well that Zhu Zhuqing hated hearing him talk about such topics due to his promiscuity, he had still gone wild in the red-light district. Thus, he hoped that this groveling act of affection would reduce her aversion toward him.
------------------------------------------------------
Join my Patreon to read an exclusive novel – 'Douluo: Rebuilding Hao Tian Sect'
Support my writing journey: patreon.com/EphemeralShadow
40+ Chapters Ahead Guaranteed.