The moment Zhu Zhuqing's consciousness succumbed to the depths of her exhaustion, her body going limp in his arms, Zhang Tian wasted no time. The gentle, crimson vine that had rescued her retracted into his body. He readjusted his grip, holding her securely in a bridal carry. Her warmth and surprising weight were a grounding reality against the cold, abstract calculations swirling in his mind.
With a thought, the power of the Blue Silver Emperor's Right Leg Spirit Bone surged. He pushed off the ground, not with a jump, but with a smooth, silent ascension, levitating through the dense canopy before rocketing towards the sky.
The wind whipped past them, but a subtle barrier of spirit power shielded Zhu Zhuqing from its bite. Below, the Star Dou Great Forest became a sprawling green carpet, shrinking with every passing second as he flew towards the distant silhouette of Suotuo City.
'She's injured,' he noted, glancing down at the unconscious girl. Her black clothes were torn, revealing scrapes and bruises. There were deeper cuts on her arms and legs, oozing blood. He could feel the strain on her spirit power pathways, the internal bruising from her desperate fight.
He channeled his power into the spirit bone again, this time activating its second, more profound ability. "Wildfire Cannot Destroy the Grass, It Grows Again With the Spring Wind."
A gentle, emerald-green light, tinged with the golden hue of imperial vitality, enveloped Zhu Zhuqing's body. It was a warm, soothing glow. Zhang Tian watched with detached fascination as the cuts and scrapes on her fair skin sealed themselves, leaving not even a hint of a scar.
The deeper bruises faded, and the strain on her internal pathways eased. He could feel her ragged breathing even out, her body instinctively relaxing as the pure life force mended her.
Within minutes, she was physically healed, her only ailment now the profound exhaustion of her mind and spirit.
He entered Suotuo City from an unpatrolled section of the wall, landing silently in a dark alleyway before walking the rest of the way to his shop. The streets were quiet at this hour. He carried her through the darkened storefront, up the stairs, and into the guest room he had prepared but never used.
He placed her gently on the clean bed and pulled a light blanket over her.
For a moment, he stood there, observing her. The moonlight filtering through the window traced the sharp, beautiful lines of her face, now peaceful in sleep.
'A valuable piece on the board,' he thought dispassionately, before turning and leaving the room, closing the door softly behind him.
He returned to his own room, sinking into a comfortable chair. He closed his eyes, his consciousness immediately entering the crimson expanse of his Spiritual Sea.
Ah Yin was waiting for him, her expression a mixture of pride and curiosity. "Your control in battle has improved remarkably, Zhang Tian. You handled that situation with both power and precision."
"Your guidance was invaluable, Ah Yin," he replied. "I plan to go to Shrek Academy in a few days. The reports I've heard suggest the new students have arrived."
A flicker of pure, maternal joy lit up Ah Yin's garnet eyes. "My son... he will truly be there?" Her voice was soft, filled with a longing that a hundred thousand years of existence could not erase. She quickly regained her composure. "Do not worry. I will not be rash. I understand the plan. The future of our clan depends on you, on us. I am counting on you to help them."
She paused, a hopeful, pleading note entering her voice. "But... if you could, perhaps interact with him more? Just so I can see him, learn how he is living his life. It would mean the world to me."
"I can do that," Zhang Tian agreed without hesitation. It fit his own plans perfectly.
Relief washed over Ah Yin's features. Then, her regal expression melted away, replaced by a mischievous, teasing smile that completely altered her demeanor, making her look surprisingly playful. "So," she began, her voice lilting. "That was a very dramatic rescue. Why did you save that young girl? She is quite the beauty. Did she catch your eye?"
Zhang Tian felt a familiar sense of helplessness at her teasing. "It was nothing of that sort," he said, shaking his head. "I simply overheard her attackers. They spoke of crippling her. I found the notion... distasteful. It was a simple matter to intervene." He feigned ignorance, pretending the girl was a complete stranger to him.
"A simple matter?" Ah Yin giggled, a sound like tinkling crimson bells in his mind. "You swoop in like a hero from a storybook, carry her away in your arms... Be careful, Zhang Tian. A girl saved so dramatically by a man as handsome as you... what will you do if she falls in love with you?"
"That's unlikely," he said flatly. "And unwise. From her Martial Spirit, the Hell Civet, it's almost certain she is from the Zhu family of the Star Luo Empire, a Dukedom. Their family has a long-standing tradition. Their daughters, the ones who awaken the Hell Civet, are betrothed to the princes of the empire who awaken the Evil Eye White Tiger. It's for the sake of their Martial Fusion Skill. She almost certainly has a fiancé."
The moment he said 'Evil Eye White Tiger,' Ah Yin's teasing expression vanished, replaced by a frown. She searched through the memories Zhang Tian had shown her, the gossip he had collected over the past months.
"Evil Eye White Tiger..." she murmured. Her eyes then flashed with a hint of anger and profound unhappiness. "That boy from the Shrek Academy... Dai Mubai. He has that spirit, does he not?"
"I believe so," Zhang Tian confirmed.
"That... that piece of shit," Ah Yin spat, the word laced with royal disdain. "The one who lives a promiscuous life, throwing his money at women in that Rose Hotel? That is this girl's fiancé?" A wave of pity for the girl washed over her. "She must have come to Suotuo City for him. Poor girl. To risk her life, fighting her own family, only to find the man she is bound to is... that."
"It's likely him, but I cannot be sure," Zhang Tian said, planting the seed of doubt and letting it grow on its own. "In any case, it is not my concern."
He withdrew from their conversation, deciding to get some rest himself. The flight and the constant use of his domain had drained him more than he'd let on.
A few hours later, a subtle shift in his domain woke him instantly. It wasn't an external threat, but an internal movement. One of the small strands of Blood Silver Grass he kept in a pot in each room, a silent security system, had swayed. Zhu Zhuqing was awake.
He remained in his room, listening through the senses of his plants. He heard the soft creak of the guest room bed, the light, cautious footsteps on the wooden floor.
Zhu Zhuqing's eyes fluttered open. The first thing she noticed was the absence of pain. Her body, which should have been a canvas of agony, felt... whole. Rested. She sat up, pulling the blanket away, and saw her own flawless skin. The cuts, the bruises—all gone.
'Where am I?' she thought, her mind racing. This wasn't the forest. The room was simple but impeccably clean. The bed was soft. The air smelled faintly of lavender and sandalwood. It felt... safe. A feeling so foreign it was almost frightening.
Her survival instincts kicked in. She slipped out of bed, her movements silent as a cat's. She crept to the door and listened. Hearing nothing, she opened it a crack and peered out into a quiet, moonlit hallway. Cautiously, she began to explore the small house, her mind replaying the last moments she remembered: the overwhelming despair, the sudden eruption of vines, and the handsome, blue-eyed face of her savior.
Her exploration led her to a closed door. She could feel a presence inside, a calm, steady aura of spirit power. It was him. Taking a deep breath, she raised her hand and knocked softly.
The door opened immediately, as if he had been waiting. There he stood, bathed in the moonlight from his own window. If anything, he looked even more handsome now that she wasn't on the verge of fainting.
"You're finally awake," Zhang Tian said, his voice a calm, pleasant baritone. He gave her a gentle smile. "I used a healing Spirit Tool to treat your injuries. You should be fully recovered, without any scars." He lied smoothly, having no intention of revealing a spirit bone ability.
Zhu Zhuqing stared at him for a long moment, then bowed her head in a deep, formal gesture of gratitude. "Thank you for saving my life."
"There's no need for that," he said, stepping forward and gently stopping her. "My name is Zhang Tian. I'm twelve years old, a Level 27 Spirit Grandmaster. My Martial Spirit is Blood Silver Grass."
His directness put her at ease. She straightened up, her own cool composure returning. "I am Zhu Zhuqing. I am also twelve. Level 27 Spirit Grandmaster. My Martial Spirit is the Hell Civet."
"A pleasure to meet you, Zhu Zhuqing," Zhang Tian nodded. He then asked, "Are you hungry?"
As if on cue, a loud, mortifying grumble echoed from Zhu Zhuqing's stomach. A deep blush spread across her pale cheeks, a stark contrast to her usually icy demeanor. She nodded shyly, unable to meet his gaze.
He chuckled softly. "Come. I'll make us something to eat."
He led her downstairs to the kitchen. The lunch he prepared was simple—a fragrant noodle soup with fresh vegetables and sliced meat—but for Zhu Zhuqing, who had likely been eating cold rations for weeks, it tasted like the most delicious meal she'd ever had.
"We are in Suotuo City," he told her as they ate. "This is my home."
Relief washed over her. "Suotuo City... I've reached it."
After they finished their meal, Zhang Tian made an offer. "Since you're new here, would you like me to show you around the city?"
Zhu Zhuqing, who had nowhere else to go and felt a strange sense of security with this powerful, mysterious boy, accepted readily.
The city was a vibrant, chaotic place. As they roamed the bustling streets, Zhang Tian pointed out various landmarks. But his path was not aimless. He was leading her. Soon, their eyes fell upon a scene that made Zhu Zhuqing freeze.
A handsome, blonde-haired young man with arrogant, icy blue eyes was walking down the street. He looked to be about fifteen. On each of his arms was a beautiful girl, identical twins, and he was laughing loudly, openly flirting with them, his hands roaming freely.
Zhang Tian showed no reaction, but he felt Zhu Zhuqing beside him go rigid. Her small hands clenched into tight fists at her sides, her knuckles white. A cold, furious fire ignited in her eyes.
'So this is him,' she thought, a bitter, acidic taste filling her mouth. 'This is Dai Mubai. The man I risked my life to find. The man my fate is tied to. Enjoying himself... while I was fighting for my life against our family.'
But years of brutal noble education took over. The fire in her eyes was banked, replaced by an icy calm. She forced her fists to unclench. She understood the world. She knew what princes and nobles were like. As long as he could change, as long as he could become strong enough to help her survive their family's cruel traditions, she would endure this. She had to.
Zhang Tian, pretending not to notice her internal struggle, spoke in a casual, informative tone. "That's Dai Mubai. He's something of a local celebrity. He's a student at the Shrek Academy here. They say he's a patron of all the beauties in the city. He uses his talent and his wealth to enjoy the company of many women, often at the same time. Going to a hotel room with two or three girls is quite normal for him."
Each word was a perfectly aimed dart, subtly increasing the poison of hatred in Zhu Zhuqing's heart.
As if drawn by fate, Dai Mubai and his twin sisters swaggered towards the entrance of the grandest hotel in the area: the Rose Hotel. Just as they were about to enter, they were blocked by a pair of kids who looked to be their age. A plain-looking but determined boy, and a vibrant, pretty girl with a long scorpion braid.
"Move it, kids," Dai Mubai said dismissively.
The confrontation escalated quickly, just as the original story dictated. Voices were raised, spirit power flared, and a fight broke out in front of the hotel entrance.
Dai Mubai, a Level 37 Spirit Elder, against Tang San, a Level 29 Spirit Grandmaster.
From a safe distance, Zhang Tian and Zhu Zhuqing watched the spectacle unfold.
Zhu Zhuqing clenched her fists again, this time in disbelief and rising fury. Dai Mubai, with a significant advantage in rank, was not overwhelming his opponent. The smaller boy, with his seemingly useless Blue Silver Grass, was moving with an impossible grace, dodging Dai Mubai's powerful tiger claws with ease. The Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track was on full display.
"He's a Spirit Elder, and he can't even defeat a Spirit Grandmaster?" she hissed under her breath, her disappointment turning to contempt.
Meanwhile, in Zhang Tian's Spiritual Sea, Ah Yin was watching with a completely different kind of fury.
"That blonde bastard!" she raged, her crimson form vibrating with anger. "How dare he attack my son! And he... he called my Blue Silver Grass trash!"
Ever since Zhang Tian had opened her eyes to her responsibilities, her pride in her clan had become fierce and protective. To hear her own spirit, the spirit of emperors, called trash by this arrogant philanderer was an unbearable insult. The slight against her son was bad enough, but the slight against her entire race was unforgivable.
'Calm yourself, Ah Yin,' Zhang Tian projected smoothly. 'Getting angry now will not help. Observe. Learn your enemy's weaknesses.'
"Weaknesses?" she scoffed. "His entire character is a weakness! Arrogant, lecherous, and now, I see he is weak in battle as well!"
'Indeed,' Zhang Tian agreed, watching as Tang San dealt with Dai Mubai's moves while using his Blue Silver Grass's spirit ring abilities to counter Dai Mubai's spirit ring abilities. 'But do not worry. Soon, very soon, I will make him pay the price for belittling the Blue Silver Grass. He will learn what true power looks like.'