Chapter 196 Return Journey, Encounter with the Red Dust Siblings
But the one Zhu Ying cared about most was Ning Tian.
That afternoon, Zhu Ying specially invited Ning Tian to her warm chamber.
"Tian'er, come and try this osmanthus cake. It's fresh out of the oven," Zhu Ying said warmly.
Ning Tian gracefully picked up a piece of pastry, took a small bite, and said, "Thank you, Auntie. It's delicious."
Zhu Ying looked at the girl in front of her, with her short silver-gray hair and noble demeanor, and became more and more satisfied.
The young sect leader of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was highly capable of supporting other sects across the continent. She was very wealthy and possessed a strong sect foundation.
"Tian'er, how are you and Hua Bin doing at the academy?" Zhu Ying asked, seemingly casually.
Ning Tian put down the pastry, her tone frank.
"Hua Bin's strength is beyond doubt. My Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, combined with his ultimate attributes, can unleash combat power far exceeding that of others at the same level. We reached an alliance agreement a year ago."
"An alliance?" Zhu Ying raised an eyebrow.
"Yes." Ning Tian didn't hide anything. "I see his potential, and he needs our sect's resources. It's a win-win situation. However..."
Ning Tian paused, a faint blush appearing on her fair face.
"After spending a lot of time with him, I discovered that he has a unique kind of confidence. He doesn't care about worldly rules, yet he is extremely protective of his own people. Being able to stand by his side is a very reassuring thing."
Zhu Ying was overjoyed.
This wasn't an alliance; it was clearly an attempt to bring both the person and his entire sect over to their side!
"Good girl."
Zhu Ying held Ning Tian's hand. "In the future, you two should look after each other at the academy. The gates of the Duke's mansion are always open to you."
Ning Tian smiled and nodded. "Thank you, Auntie."
As a mother, Zhu Ying's thoughts were very simple now.
It was highly unlikely that the eldest son, Dai Yaoheng, would be able to produce offspring for the Duke's family.
But the second son, Dai Huabin, was different!
This child was not only incredibly talented, but his ability to attract women was also outrageous.
The White Tiger Duke's Mansion was destined to face many storms in the future. If it could receive support from geniuses like those from the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and Shrek Academy, then Dai Huabin's future path would be smooth.
"As for daughters-in-law, the more the merrier," Zhu Ying said, taking a satisfied sip of tea as she looked out the window at the courtyard full of orioles and swallows.
Happy times were always fleeting.
The five-day rest period passed in the blink of an eye.
The Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Battle Tournament was about to begin. The Shrek Academy team had to return to Star Luo City and check into the officially designated Star Emperor Hotel. The team also needed to practice together.
Early in the morning, outside the gates of the Duke's mansion, three luxurious carriages were ready.
Zhu Ying held Dai Huabin's hand, giving him countless instructions.
"Once you get to the competition field, safety comes first. Don't rely on your superior skills to fight recklessly. Listen to Le Xuan's advice."
Dai Huabin nodded repeatedly. "Don't worry, Mother. I know what I'm doing."
Zhu Ying then turned to look at Zhu Lu and the group of girls, a bright smile on her face.
"Girls, remember to come back to my house to play after the competition! Auntie will cook you something delicious!"
"Thank you, Auntie!"
The girls answered in unison.
Three spacious, luxurious carriages traveled smoothly along the main road of Star Luo City.
The carriages were furnished with soft animal-skin cushions and had plenty of space, but they still felt a bit too noisy after so many girls had been crammed inside.
Dai Huabin leaned against the soft cushion, listening to the chattering around him and feeling more tired than he would have after a fight.
"Auntie is so hospitable! She even gave me so many local specialties from Star Luo City when I left." Xiao Xiao held an exquisite food box, her face full of joy.
Wang Dong'er leaned against the side and rubbed her cheeks.
"They were enthusiastic, but they asked too many detailed questions. They even asked how many people are in my family and what I usually like to eat. How could I possibly answer all of those?"
Cui Yajie covered her lips and chuckled softly.
"That's your aunt checking on Huabin. You're usually so clever, so why do you get so confused at crucial moments?"
Wang Dong'er blushed and retorted, "Who wants her to vet me? I don't care!"
"Why are you blushing if you don't care?" Ma Xiaotao leaned against the other side of the carriage, her long legs crossed, her tone full of teasing.
Wang Dong'er was momentarily speechless. She simply turned her head away and stopped talking.
Dai Huabin felt very relaxed watching the group of girls bickering.
After spending five days at the White Tiger Duke's mansion, everyone's relationship had visibly improved.
As the matriarch, Zhu Ying had taken great care of everyone. Even the usually aloof Ling Luochen showed some reluctance when leaving.
"Speaking of which, Dai Yaoheng and the others are quite fast runners."
Wu Ming crossed her arms and couldn't help but laugh when she thought about the scene from that morning.
Zhang Lexuan sat at the very back, her tone gentle. "Those four grown men really couldn't stay in the mansion these past few days."
Dai Huabin nodded in deep agreement.
Over the past few days, the back courtyard had completely become the domain of the girls.
Dai Yaoheng, Gongyang Mo, Chen Zifeng, and Yao Haoxuan were sandwiched among a group of stunningly beautiful girls, unable to get a word in edgewise.
Every day, aside from eating, they would hide in the martial arts arena to spar. It was incredibly frustrating.
Early that morning, Dai Yaoheng and the other three had made a hasty escape under the pretext of "getting used to the environment of Star Luo City in advance."
As he left, Dai Yaoheng patted Dai Huabin on the shoulder and said, "Take care, brother," his tone filled with relief.
"I'm hungry."
Di Lingxi, barefoot, stepped onto the mat and moved closer to Dai Huabin, grabbing his arm and shaking it.
"Hua Bin, when are we going to eat?"
Zhu Lu took out a plate of snacks from a hidden compartment and handed it to Di Lingxi. "Lingxi, eat some of this to tide you over. We'll be at the hotel soon, and then we'll have a big meal."
Di Lingxi immediately released Dai Huabin, took the snacks, and began eating them heartily.
Seeing Di Lingxi's carefree attitude, Ning Tian shook her head slightly and turned to look at Dai Huabin.
"The competition is about to start. When will we have joint training?"
Dai Huabin abandoned his casual attitude and spoke seriously.
"Tomorrow morning. Everyone should return to the hotel and get a good night's rest today to get into top shape. Tomorrow, we'll go to Star Luo Square to familiarize ourselves with the venue and finalize the starting lineup."
The carriage gradually slowed down and finally stopped in front of the main entrance of the Star Emperor Hotel.
The carriage door opened, and Zhang Lexuan was the first to step down.
She was wearing a plain white robe today, exuding a dignified and elegant air.
Following her, Ma Xiaotao, Han Ruoruo, Wu Ming, and Ling Luochen, several senior students from the inner academy, got off the carriage one by one.
Following them were Wang Dong'er, Xiao Xiao, Cui Yajie, Ning Tian, Zhu Lu, Bing Hanyue, Xue Qingyao, and Di Lingxi.
The sight of more than a dozen girls with different styles and stunning looks appearing at the hotel entrance at the same time was truly breathtaking.
The Soul Masters and guests coming and going through the lobby all stopped in their tracks. The entire hotel entrance fell silent instantly, and everyone's eyes focused on the group of girls.
Dai Huabin was the last to step down from the carriage.
Today, he was wearing a well-tailored dark suit. His posture was upright, and his long golden hair was casually draped over his shoulders. He exuded a composed and noble air.
As soon as he got out of the carriage, the girls naturally gathered around him.
This scene immediately brought the jealousy of those around them to its peak.
"Who is this man? Why is he making such a big fuss?"
"Didn't you see the badges on their chests? The green monster heads—those are Shrek Academy students!"
A murmur of discussion arose from the surrounding area.
Dai Huabin was already used to these stares. He turned around and called to everyone, "Let's go in and get the rooms assigned."
As the group was about to walk into the lobby, the revolving glass door at the entrance was pushed open, and two people walked out from inside.
A boy was walking in front.
He was wearing a silver-blue school uniform with gold trim, the collar slightly open, his hands in his pockets, and his posture extremely lazy.
His short, silver-white hair was fluffy and slightly wavy, and his features were so exquisite that there was not a single flaw.
Following behind him was a girl with the same silver-white hair.
The girl had long, curly hair that reached her waist, tied with a large blue bow at the back of her head. She had delicate features and a noble air.
They were Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen, siblings from the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy.
Xiao Hongchen was tilting his chin up as he talked to his sister.
He looked up and bumped right into Shrek's large group.
He first noticed Zhang Lexuan and Ma Xiaotao walking ahead and paused for a moment. Then, his gaze swept over Wang Dong'er, Zhu Lu, Ning Tian, Di Lingxi, and the others.
Xiao Hongchen's eyes widened more and more.
He considered himself well-traveled and knowledgeable, having seen many beautiful women in Mingdu, the capital of the Sun Moon Empire.
But the visual impact of having a dozen or so stunning beauties gathered together, each with her own unique charm, was simply overwhelming.
Meng Hongchen was also stunned.
Looking at Wang Dong'er's long, light blue hair and delicate features, and then at Xue Qingyao beside her with her aloof demeanor, she couldn't help but marvel inwardly.
Xiao Hongchen's gaze finally fell on Dai Huabin, who was surrounded by a group of women in the middle.
Looking at Dai Huabin's handsome, aloof face and the beautiful women around him, Xiao Hongchen felt a surge of bitterness welling up inside him.
Who was he laughing at in this mortal world?
The number one genius of the Sun Moon Empire!
The number one handsome guy!
As a result, when he went out today, this blond kid across the street stole all the limelight!
Xiao Ho
ngchen stopped in his tracks, looked Dai Huabin up and down a few times, and chuckled softly.
"The entourage is quite impressive, but unfortunately, it's still not as handsome as me!"
\[end of the chapter\]
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