Chapter 188: The Next Battle, Tianshui
As Dai Yao looked at the familiar door before him, he hesitated. Slowly, he pushed it open, cautiously sticking his head in to check around the room.
Seeing that Zhu Zhuqing wasn't there, he exhaled in relief.
Although the events in the illusion were fake, the emotions he'd shared with Ning Rongrong in that dream were genuine. Back in reality, Dai Yao couldn't shake a sense of guilt every time he thought of Zhu Zhuqing, even if he technically hadn't done anything wrong.
"You're back."
A cool, emotionless voice sounded from behind him just as he was about to close the door.
He froze. A chill ran down his spine as he turned around sheepishly.
In the moonlight streaming through the window sat a figure with an almost ethereal, serene beauty—Zhu Zhuqing. She had swapped her usual tight combat suit for a loose, black dress, but even in this, her curves were impossible to hide.
She slowly approached him, then wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug, her cool voice now tinged with concern.
"I was so worried about you, out so late."
Dai Yao caught a faint scent that stirred a hint of suspicion in Zhu Zhuqing's eyes. She knew his scent better than anyone's, and now there was something extra—a lingering, delicate fragrance. One that reminded her of a person she'd only met a few times before: Ning Rongrong of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Clan.
"Could he have spent the entire night with Ning Rongrong?" she wondered. "It would make sense, given that Ning Fengzhi had sent him on an errand... but for the scent to be this strong, they must have spent quite a long time together."
The thought made her chest tighten with a flicker of sadness, which passed before Dai Yao could notice her expression.
Hearing her concern, Dai Yao's guilt deepened, and he murmured, "I'm sorry. Something came up on the way back."
Zhu Zhuqing gave a gentle smile. "As long as you're back. If you're hungry, I can get you a midnight snack."
"No need. You should rest soon too; we have a battle tomorrow."
The more considerate she was, the heavier his sense of guilt grew.
...
After washing up, Dai Yao lay in bed, staring at the bright moon outside. But he couldn't sleep.
He hadn't told Zhu Zhuqing about the attack because she would be helpless to stop such things, and there was no sense in worrying her.
Rummaging through his pouch, he pulled out two items.
The first was a dark purple soul bone, emanating a faint energy—a head soul bone from Shinian, whom he had defeated in their battle.
The other was an ordinary black bone, a thousand-year soul bone he had obtained when he killed that Zhu Clan assassin at Star Luo Academy six or seven years ago.
He had originally given it to Zhu Zhuqing, but as his strength grew, she had grown increasingly hesitant to absorb it. For any other soul master, even an unsuitable soul bone was precious enough to be absorbed on sight, yet Zhu Zhuqing worried that doing so would hinder her own potential, leaving her unable to keep up with him.
Eventually, she returned the soul bone to Dai Yao.
Looking at the two bones, Dai Yao sighed. The black soul bone suited agile attack-types, yet Zhu Zhuqing didn't want it. As for Shinian's soul bone, it was more suitable for jewel-type and control-type soul masters, enhancing mental power.
But it wasn't an ideal fit for Dugu Yan either. Dai Yao had his eye on the Spirit Condensation Wisdom Skull, the soul bone awarded in the Wuhun Palace tournament, which was the best match for her. So, this purple-black soul bone remained without a suitable owner.
To most soul masters, possessing two soul bones would be a dream come true. Dai Yao, on the other hand, found himself at a loss for what to do with them.
This soul bone would be perfect for the gem-type soul masters of Canghui Academy, but he had no intention of giving it to them. Should he follow the original plan and gift it to Ning Rongrong?
"No... that would only complicate things further after what happened with Shinian's attack," he thought, shaking his head.
Studying the soul bone again, Dai Yao muttered, "Such a precious piece, yet it's gathering dust in my pouch."
"Maybe if we don't win the championship, I'll give this one to Dugu Yan as well."
Winning a soul bone through a rare, tough encounter should have been satisfying, yet he felt nothing but annoyance. Dai Yao set them aside; they held no appeal for him.
He placed them back in his storage, his thoughts drifting back to the attack.
Reflecting on the attack by Shinian, he still felt a chill. If not for the power of his second spirit, he might not have survived.
He had left no clues as to Shinian's motivation. Shinian's entire body had disintegrated, leaving only his soul bone behind. He had no way to deduce why Shinian had attacked him.
In the original story, Shinian attacked Tang San out of a mix of sadistic pleasure and to eliminate a competitor for Canghui Academy. Shinian's arrogance was staggering; attacking during such a public tournament was brazen, disregarding the tournament organizers entirely.
Dai Yao's recent performances might have provoked Shinian, but he couldn't shake the feeling there was a hidden hand behind the attack.
"Who would be behind it?" he mused.
"There's a chance it was the Heaven Dou imperial family," he thought. "But I just turned down Xue Qinghe's invitation. If they wanted me dead, they wouldn't have struck so quickly, as it would obviously draw suspicion back on them. That would be too reckless.
"And Xue Qinghe is actually Qian Renxue in disguise, which also complicates things. She wouldn't have a reason to kill me."
Other factions could be suspects, and given his allegiance to Wuhun Palace, they likely resented him. The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan was his prime suspect.
Dai Yao's gaze grew cold. "But without any evidence, I can't accuse them. I'll let Bishop Salas investigate. No sense in wasting an ally as powerful as the Wuhun Palace."
"Even if they become curious or demand an explanation about my defeat of Shinian, it's no matter; they'll see it as further proof of my worth."
...
The next morning.
Auckland's battle was scheduled for the afternoon, so Dai Yao made his way to the Wuhun Palace in Heaven Dou City early to inform Salas of Shinian's ambush.
Salas's expression darkened instantly, though he was surprised by Dai Yao's strength to kill Shinian. Nevertheless, he refrained from prying further, as Dai Yao was already under significant Wuhun Palace scrutiny. With such an affront against Wuhun Palace's chosen, Salas's web of spies was mobilized.
As Dai Yao turned to leave, Salas added, "Don't worry, Dai Yao. In a few days, someone will be assigned to personally handle your safety."
On his way to the Grand Spirit Arena, Dai Yao considered Salas's words.
Anyone whom Salas, a Spirit Douluo, referred to as "Sir" could only be a person of exceptional status.
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