Bonus Chapter. Enjoy!
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Star Luo City truly lived up to its reputation as the capital of the Star Luo Empire and one of the few great cities on the entire continent.
As dusk fell, the bustling clamor of the day's traffic began to settle, yet it did not truly subside; instead, it transformed and continued to flow with a different face.
With the fall of night, the entire world was enveloped in a deep ink-blue. In the night sky, besides a lone crescent moon hanging high, there were also scattered, twinkling stars.
However, in stark contrast to the tranquil starry sky overhead, Star Luo City on the ground remained extraordinarily lively. As the evening lights flickered on, the spirit lamps hanging along both sides of the long streets lit up one by one, their warm yellow glow illuminating the entire thoroughfare as if it were day.
The entire city seemed to have just woken up; the nightlife of Star Luo City was only just beginning. The Star Emperor Hotel was the highest-rated and most luxuriously specified hotel in the entire Star Luo Empire.
Upon learning that Huo Yuhao had come to Star Luo City, Princess Xu Jiujiu directly arranged for the entire top floor of the hotel to be at his disposal.
Huo Yuhao was no stranger to this place. Back when he followed Shrek Academy to Star Luo City for the All-Continent High-Rank Soul Master Academy Soul Dueling Tournament, he had stayed in one of the suites on the top floor of this very hotel.
After dinner, the trio of Huo Yuhao, Leng Yaozhu, and Gongyang Mo moved to a spacious and elegant reception room on the top floor.
The interior decor was luxurious without being ostentatious. The three sat on leather sofas, waiting for tonight's guest.
They didn't have to wait long before there was a gentle knock on the door.
Gongyang Mo stepped forward to open the door, and a slender figure appeared in Huo Yuhao's line of sight.
Princess Xu Jiujiu had clearly dressed up meticulously today, yet it wasn't the usual dignified and magnificent formal princess attire.
She wore only a simple white gown with a clean and elegant design. There were no excessive jewels for adornment, but the waist was perfectly tapered, outlining her tall and graceful curves.
Her long golden hair was loosely pinned up with a single silver hairpin, with a few stray strands hanging casually by her ears. Her exquisite face was free of makeup, yet she was naturally beautiful; even without cosmetics, she remained stunningly radiant.
This attire lacked some of the aloofness and majesty of a royal princess, adding a touch of a young woman's elegance and softness.
She stepped into the room, her gaze landing on Huo Yuhao. The corners of her lips curled into a beautiful arc as she greeted him with a smile, "Young Master Huo, long time no see."
Huo Yuhao stood up politely and returned a proper smile, "It hasn't been that long. By my count, it's only been about a month."
Princess Xu Jiujiu sat down gracefully on the sofa opposite Huo Yuhao, her skirt spreading out like flowing water.
Hearing this, she tilted her head slightly, her bright eyes containing a faint hint of a smile. She said in a tone half-joking and half-serious, "A month is not short. I actually wish Young Master Huo could stay in Star Luo City forever."
Leng Yaozhu's gaze swept over Princess Xu Jiujiu imperceptibly. The corners of her mouth curled into a meaningful arc. While her expression remained calm, she used her Spirit Power to wrap a strand of sound and transmit it silently into Huo Yuhao's ear.
"Yuhao, this girl isn't bad either."
"If you could enter a political marriage with the Star Luo Princess, wouldn't the Star Luo Imperial Family have to put all their effort into paving the way for the Spirit Pagoda's affairs in the future?"
Huo Yuhao was just lifting his teacup to his lips and almost choked on the tea upon hearing this.
He forced himself to stay calm as he set down the teacup, maintaining a polite smile on his face while hurriedly transmitting a voice back, his tone carrying a hint of embarrassment and helplessness.
"Aunt Leng, please don't play matchmaker randomly. Princess Jiujiu and I are just in a cooperative relationship."
Leng Yaozhu laughed inwardly. Seeing Huo Yuhao's appearance—steady as a mountain on the outside but frantic on the inside—she found it quite amusing.
However, she was not someone who didn't know her limits. A bit of teasing was enough, so she immediately put away her playful thoughts and stopped talking nonsense.
She redirected her gaze toward Princess Xu Jiujiu, the smile in her eyes slowly fading, replaced by a calm and sharp expression.
According to the plan they had formulated beforehand, it was now time for her to make a move.
"Bang!"
An abrupt, loud noise shattered the elegant and quiet atmosphere of the reception room.
The door was slammed open from the outside, the heavy wooden door hitting the wall with a dull echo. A figure rushed in like a gust of wind, instantly shielding Princess Xu Jiujiu.
Princess Xu Jiujiu was startled by this sudden turn of events. Taking a closer look, an unexpected expression appeared on her face as she called out in confusion, "Grandma Manyi?"
The newcomer was her personal bodyguard and an Enshrined Guardian of the Star Luo Imperial Family, the Nebula Douluo, Manyi.
In Princess Xu Jiujiu's impression, Grandma Manyi had always been steady and composed. Unless something extraordinary had happened, she would never have broken into the room so rudely.
Princess Xu Jiujiu's heart tightened slightly, and she subconsciously followed Manyi's gaze. She discovered that the direction Manyi was staring at intently was none other than the cold and glamorous woman beside Huo Yuhao.
Manyi did not answer Princess Xu Jiujiu's call, nor did she even shift her gaze toward her for a second. Her entire body was tensed to the limit, her internal Spirit Power operating at high speed. Her eyes were locked onto Leng Yaozhu, as if facing a formidable enemy.
Just moments ago outside the door, she had suddenly felt an extremely obscure yet powerful aura rise abruptly from within the reception room.
Although that aura was only briefly released and then retracted, at Manyi's level, even a momentary leak was enough for her to make an accurate judgment. That was an aura of at least the Super Douluo level, perhaps even higher.
How could she not be terrified when a Super Douluo, a total stranger, appeared silently in Princess Xu Jiujiu's room?
Even though that aura didn't show any ill intent, her duty was to protect Princess Xu Jiujiu's safety; she couldn't overlook even the slightest potential threat.
So she hadn't hesitated to break in, needing to stand in front of Princess Xu Jiujiu at the first possible moment to prevent any accidents.
Manyi's expression was more solemn than ever before as she stared at Leng Yaozhu and asked in a deep voice, "Who is Your Excellency?"
Facing Manyi's defensive posture, Leng Yaozhu simply picked up her teacup and took a sip with a calm expression.
That aura from before had naturally been released by her intentionally. If she hadn't deliberately leaked it, it would have been impossible for someone of Manyi's cultivation to see through her depth.
And her reason for doing so was simple. She had come to Star Luo City this time specifically to demonstrate her strength.
However, the Star Luo Imperial Family was a partner that Huo Yuhao had recruited; their relationship was built on interest and trust. She naturally couldn't use her aura to suppress them as she had done at Shrek yesterday.
So she could only resort to this "inferior tactic," subtly revealing a trace of her aura to let the experts of the Star Luo Imperial Family find her themselves.
Now it seemed the "plan" had indeed worked.
Leng Yaozhu sat poised on the sofa, her expression composed and indifferent. Her slender fingers rested lightly on the porcelain of the teacup, and she didn't even lift an eyelid.
It was as if the Titled Douluo across from her, who was releasing her full aura and ready to strike at any moment, simply didn't exist.
At this moment, Huo Yuhao stood up at the right time.
Looking at the defensive Manyi, he wore a gentle smile and introduced in a relaxed tone, "Senior, please don't be nervous. This is my teacher, Leng Yaozhu!"
As soon as these words were spoken, the tension on Manyi's face visibly relaxed.
Since she was Huo Yuhao's teacher, she likely wasn't an enemy. She secretly breathed a sigh of relief and retracted her released aura, though a few traces of solemnity remained in her eyes.
Princess Xu Jiujiu also took the opportunity to step out from behind Manyi. Although she had been startled by Manyi's sudden intrusion, she quickly regained the composure befitting a princess.
She bowed slightly to Leng Yaozhu in a Junior's salute, her tone sincere yet elegant: "I did not expect Senior to grace us with your presence. Jiujiu has failed to welcome you properly; please forgive our poor hospitality, Senior."
Only then did Leng Yaozhu look up at the Star Luo Princess.
A faint smile appeared at the corners of her mouth, and her tone carried a rare hint of warmth: "There is no need for such formality. It was we who did not notify you in advance and came uninvited; the Princess cannot be blamed."
"However, speaking of which, I am very satisfied with Princess Jiujiu's arrangements."
Hearing this, a smile unique to being praised by an elder involuntarily appeared on Princess Xu Jiujiu's face. But that smile only lingered for a moment before a contemplative look resurfaced in her eyes.
She lifted her eyes with an elegant posture and smiled, "The Spirit Tools Young Master Huo provided to the Starlight Auction House are in no way inferior in quality to those produced by the Sun Moon Empire's Illustrious Virtue Hall. In fact, many works are even superior in ingenuity and craftsmanship."
"Every time these Spirit Tools appear at an auction, they cause a frantic scramble among various factions."
As she spoke, Princess Xu Jiujiu's eyes sparkled. She extended her slender hand, and in her previously empty palm, a flash of light appeared. Out of thin air, a sphere emerged, crystal clear and shimmering with a faint starlight.
This was precisely that top-tier ninth-grade defensive Spirit Tool Huo Yuhao had produced earlier—the Starry Glazed Shield.
At the time, it had been auctioned off at the Starlight Auction House for a high price of eighty million gold coins to a mysterious buyer. No one knew that it was actually the Star Luo Imperial Family who had stepped in personally to quietly add this rare treasure to the imperial treasury.
Holding the Starry Glazed Shield, Princess Xu Jiujiu's gaze fell upon Leng Yaozhu.
Her bright eyes held a trace of cautious probing as she said softly, "This ninth-grade Spirit Tool is truly incredibly powerful. The craftsmanship and might it displays can be described as peerless in this world."
"And to be able to teach a Disciple as brilliant as Young Master Huo, Senior's strength and vision must surely far exceed those of ordinary Titled Douluo."
"Jiujiu ventures to ask, would Senior be willing to deign to serve as an Enshrined Guardian for my Star Luo Empire's Imperial Family?"
"You may raise any conditions. Jiujiu promises here that as long as it is within the capability of my Star Luo Imperial Family, we will absolutely not refuse."
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A/N:
5 Power Stones = 1 Extra Chapter
2 Reviews = 1 Extra Chapter
I hope all of you are enjoying this story so far. I would appreciate some Power Stones if you can spare any. Leave a review if you like the story. Thank you.