"Where do you two want to go? I know everything about Notting City! "
Xiao Wu declared confidently to the pair, then asked, "Also, what's your name? "
"I'm Qingzhu Zhu."
The young noble girl stated her name.
"Qing Zhu Zhu? What a strange name. What were your parents thinking, giving you such a... down-to-earth name? Did your family get rich raising pigs or something? "Xiao Wu asked bluntly, completely lacking in social tact.
The maid twitched at the corner of her eye.
But Qingzhu Zhu found it amusing. At home, she was constantly learning this and practicing that, and ever since awakening her martial soul, her days were filled with cultivation. The people around her never dared to ask such rude but honest questions. Life was far too serious.
"No, just call me Qingzhu," Qingzhu Zhu said.
"Qingzhu—that sounds much nicer."
Xiao Wu nodded, swaying her head theatrically. Then she asked, "So, where do you want to go? "
"Recently, the lords of Notting City and Falling Star City were planning to hold a Soul Master tournament, right? The venue should be ready by now. Take us there for a look," the maid answered.
"You actually believe those rumors? "Xiao Wu raised her brows.
"Rumors?"
The maid froze. "Are you saying the tournament venue isn't ready yet? "
"Ready for what? A few days ago, a century-old soul bone caused a huge commotion. The city lord's probably scrambling to clean up that mess. How would he have the time or energy to organize a Soul Master tournament? I bet someone just made it up. Right now, Notting City is crawling with Soul Masters, and rumors are flying everywhere," Xiao Wu explained.
After a moment of silence, the maid realized that indeed, the city lord hadn't officially announced any tournament—there were only vague rumors circulating.
After a pause and receiving a nod from Qingzhu Zhu, the maid said to Xiao Wu, "Actually, the tournament will be held within the next two or three days."
"How do you know? "
"We just came from Falling Star City. We got reliable information—"
According to the maid, the two city lords had already discussed the tournament a few days ago and had agreed to hold it.
And the opportunity to become nobility wasn't just wishful thinking.
The soul bone incident in Notting had drawn the attention of the nearby Star Luo Royal Battle Team. One of their leading elders whimsically decided to recruit some servants to attend to their reserve team members.
"Servants? And that's your so-called chance to become nobility? "Xiao Wu scoffed.
"Plenty of commoner Soul Masters don't even have the qualifications to seize this opportunity," the maid said with a hint of pride. "Better a feather on a phoenix than the head of a chicken! "
"Tch, getting all smug over being a servant," Xiao Wu sneered.
"You—!"
The maid was furious but was held back by Qingzhu Zhu, who shook her head gently.
"Kid, you don't talk much, do you? "Xiao Wu asked Qingzhu Zhu as they walked.
"Mm."
Qingzhu nodded.
"What do you like to eat? "
"Fish."
"I heard from your maid that you're from the Star Luo Empire? "
"Yes."
"What's the difference between the Star Luo Empire and this place? "
"I don't know."
"How can you not know? Aren't you from Star Luo? "
"I'm only six."
"I'm six too, but I already know a bunch about Notting City. For example, the Adventurer's Guild is full of nice people, the restaurants in the north serve the best food, the shops in the south sell beautiful clothes shipped in from bigger cities, and there's a lively market street along the river running through Notting, plus a blacksmith shop over there."
Along the way, Qingzhu Zhu barely spoke, but Xiao Wu kept chatting non-stop, like a big sister caring for a younger one, introducing everything she knew about Notting City.
In Xiao Wu's eyes, Qingzhu Zhu was like a frightened little kitten—wary of everyone, yet forced to wear the polite smile of nobility.
It all felt so fake.
So Xiao Wu decided to try cheering her up. Qingzhu Zhu reminded her of her own childhood, when she was scared and her mother comforted her in her arms.
"Please stop talking nonsense," the maid couldn't take it anymore. She had no interest in Notting City's small-town geography. "Just tell us where the Soul Master tournament is most likely to be held."
"You're so annoying." Xiao Wu stuck out her tongue. "Zhou Qing said, 'If you're too hasty, you'll ruin your meal.' Why are you in such a rush? When the tournament starts, people will naturally flock there. Why even ask? "
The maid clenched her chest, trying to suppress her anger in public. She forced herself to say, word by word, "We want to grab a good seat early."
"Well, why didn't you say so sooner?! Why didn't you! Say! So! "Xiao Wu deliberately stretched out the words, making a cheeky face on purpose since she knew they wouldn't dare attack her in broad daylight.
The maid was practically at her breaking point.
"Pfft!"
But Qingzhu Zhu suddenly laughed.
"Haha, you finally laughed." Xiao Wu rubbed Qingzhu Zhu's head. "Life's better when you smile. When we first met, you were smiling too, but I could tell it was fake. People can always tell the difference between a real smile and a forced one. So you should try smiling from the heart more often. Life's no fun otherwise."
"I can't do that," Qingzhu Zhu said, her smile fading as thoughts of her family troubles returned, leaving only sadness on her face.
"Of course you can. You just have to believe in yourself," Xiao Wu said, giving her a motivational speech she'd heard from Zhou Qing.
"Oh."
Qingzhu Zhu didn't react much. After all, she'd heard plenty of these kinds of speeches at home—but unlike Xiao Wu's gentle tone, her family's words were always cold and stern.
Then she suddenly asked, "If you had a fiancé, and your fate was tied to his, and the only way to survive was to win a battle... But your fiancé was scared and wanted to run away—what would you do? "
"You have a fiancé? "Xiao Wu rubbed her chin and gave Qingzhu Zhu a curious look.
"No... It's my friend. A very close friend," Qingzhu Zhu quickly clarified. "I want to help her, but I don't know how. All I can do is give her some advice, but... I'm not very smart."
"Oh, I see."
Simple-minded Xiao Wu believed her and offered her honest advice. "If it were me, I'd beat that useless fiancé senseless, then break off that stupid engagement! My life is mine to control! "
The maid's lips twitched violently at that.
But Qingzhu Zhu lowered her head and muttered, "That probably won't work. My friend's family is too powerful. Maybe only if she becomes a Soul Douluo—or even a Title Douluo—could she resist. But... She only has about twenty years. It's impossible... She can't control her own fate."
"Then she'll just have to accept her rotten luck," Xiao Wu blurted out without thinking.