Chapter 5: Zhu Zhuqing Takes the Initiative! Impressive, Young Master Dai!
Emotion points were enough, but...
'You sneaky system, are you pricing this based on my balance?'
[1 million is the standard price. You can check the "Store" for details!]
'Fine, let's do this!'
[Deducted 20,000 emotion points successfully. Unlocking Martial Soul Fusion Technique resonance with "Martial Soul: Hell Civet!"]
In the next moment, Zhuge Lan felt a mysterious connection with Zhu Zhuqing standing in front of him—vague, yet undeniably real.
Just as Zhu Zhuqing, who had just completed her check and was about to enter Shrek Academy, paused mid-step and abruptly turned around.
Their eyes met.
It was him?
Zhu Zhuqing recognized Zhuge Lan. As a descendant of the Zhu family, she knew exactly what this kind of Martial Soul resonance meant. But...
Why didn't she feel this resonance when she saw him from afar the other day?
Maybe it was just because the distance was too great.
Still, the Hell Civet had only ever resonated with the White Tiger for generations. Could it be that…
No! Perhaps there were other resonances in the past, but as a child of the Zhu family, her fate had always been sealed.
'Maybe that coward running away has actually given me a chance?' she thought.
Seeing Zhu Zhuqing distracted, Zhuge Lan smiled and approached Li Yusong.
"Registration fee, 10 gold soul coins," Li Yusong said with a smile. He was quite happy, having received four little monsters today.
But Zhuge Lan just spread his hands.
"What if I don't have money?"
Li Yusong's smile vanished, and his brow furrowed slightly.
You're kidding, right?
Shrek Academy was broke, so no way was anyone getting out of paying the tuition.
He was just about to get angry when Zhu Zhuqing suddenly stepped forward and stood between them.
"I can give you 10 gold soul coins," she said coolly, "but only if you're above level 23."
She wasn't being overly friendly, just weighing her options. After all, that coward not only ran away but had disappointed her for years!
But Zhuge Lan shook his head in refusal.
—He had been charging everything to Dai Mubai's tab these past few days, and the 100 gold soul coins from Spirit Hall hadn't even been touched.
But come on!
With twin martial souls, soul expert level, five thousand-year soul rings, and a million-year soul ring?
So exceptional.
Why should Shrek Academy make him pay tuition?
With a casual gesture, he brushed past Zhu Zhuqing and summoned his Thorn Armor, revealing three purple soul rings.
Purple! Purple! Purple!
[Emotion Points +666]
[Emotion Points +999]
A thousand-year soul ring?
Where was the yellow soul ring?
Even a white one would be acceptable!
But for the first, second, and third soul rings to all be thousand-year rings?! How was that possible?!
After a few seconds, Li Yusong was the first to react, darting forward to grab Zhuge Lan's hand and examine it.
No misunderstanding—he was checking his bone age.
[Emotion Points +888]
"Only 12 years old?" Li Yusong exclaimed. "Kid, what's going on with your soul rings?"
"Three thousand-year soul rings," Zhuge Lan said, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
[Emotion Points +233]
"That's not it! I know what thousand-year soul rings are!" Li Yusong nearly lost it. "But for your first, second, and third rings to all be thousand-year ones? Where are your yellow rings? Even white ones would make more sense!"
Wait a minute!
This was already three rings.
If he summoned one more, even if it was white, wouldn't that mean he was a soul sect?
Or worse...
"Ah!" Zhuge Lan clapped his hands, as if suddenly realizing something.
"A white soul ring? I have one."
He opened his right hand and summoned the Li Jing Longsword.
White! Purple! Purple!
Another martial soul! Another three soul rings!
[Emotion Points +999]
[Emotion Points +1299]
"Twin martial souls!!!" Li Yusong exclaimed with glowing eyes. "Forget the registration fee! No need for any further tests! You're in! Come, I'll personally take you inside!"
He threw an arm around Zhuge Lan's shoulder, already leading him into Shrek Academy.
What registration fee?
Even if Flender, the stingiest man around, were here, they'd take him in without a second thought, even paying out of pocket if needed!
Li Yusong, in his excitement, completely forgot about the other person present.
It wasn't until Zhuge Lan stopped and called out to Zhu Zhuqing that she snapped out of her daze.
"Hey, are you not enrolling?"
Zhu Zhuqing gave Zhuge Lan a long, deep look.
[Emotion Points +1099]
[Emotion Points +1099]
Usually, one emotion only provides a single round of emotion points. But when someone's emotions are this intense, fluctuating back and forth, it's different.
It wasn't Zhu Zhuqing's fault that her emotions were unstable.
It was because…
She could feel resonance with both of Zhuge Lan's martial souls!
What did that mean?
Two Martial Soul Fusion Techniques!
And even without considering the age of his soul rings, Zhuge Lan was already at soul expert level, and he was only 12 years old!
Compared to Dai Mubai, wasn't he a far better option?
Zhu Zhuqing quickened her pace and caught up to Zhuge Lan.
"Zhu Zhuqing," she said. "11 years old, level 27 agility-type battle soul master."
Oh wow!
Zhuge Lan glanced at Zhu Zhuqing in surprise.
For such a cold girl to introduce herself voluntarily…
The temptation of two Martial Soul Fusion Techniques must be enormous for her.
"Zhuge Lan, 12 years old, level 35."
"As for my direction—"
"Guess I'm strong control and defense dual-type."
"The person outside the hotel the other day, that was you, right?"
Zhu Zhuqing nodded decisively.
Just at that moment, Dai Mubai and the other three were stopping at a grilled sausage stall nearby.
Zhu Zhuqing glared at Dai Mubai with a look of deep disgust.
Dai Mubai didn't even notice.
His attention was focused on Zhuge Lan, feeling both happy and terrified.
Happy to have such a powerful teammate.
Terrified because…
He was the examiner for the fourth round!
How could he fight?
Forget Tang San, Xiao Wu, and Ning Rongrong—just dealing with Zhuge Lan would be impossible!
Wait, who's that?
Only now did Dai Mubai notice Zhu Zhuqing, who was glaring at him in anger.
—Coward, you notice me last?
Sensing the resonance between their martial souls, Dai Mubai's gaze sharpened.
Could it be...
At that moment, Zhuge Lan stepped forward and casually draped an arm over Dai Mubai's shoulder.
"Hey, Young Master Dai, you're still alive!"
"After the state you were in the other day, running off with those twins like that—I almost thought I'd never see you again."
"You sure live up to being a beast martial soul user! What a body, man!"
"Hahaha—"
A barrage of praise left Dai Mubai frozen in place.
Sure enough, the disgust in Zhu Zhuqing's eyes was so intense it was practically overflowing.
[Emotion Points +2333]
Dai Mubai's expression turned ugly, but since it was Zhuge Lan speaking and he wasn't being outright offensive, he couldn't get angry.
He could only stand there, awkwardly.
"Why aren't you saying anything?" Zhuge Lan asked innocently. "By the way, what are you guys doing?"
Dai Mubai still said nothing.
Tang San and Xiao Wu, who had been rapidly generating emotion points since they arrived, weren't going to explain either.
Finally, the scruffy-looking Oscar spoke up cheerfully—
"Are you a new junior brother? Want a grilled sausage?"
"Oscar's Famous Sausages—delicious and nutritious! Only five copper soul coins each, or three for ten copper soul coins!"
Zhuge Lan picked up a sausage, inspecting it curiously.
Li Yusong, standing to the side, spoke up.
"Little Ao, how many times have I told you not to scam new students like this?"
"Make another one and show it to the juniors."
Oscar's face fell, and he looked at them with a pitiful gaze.
Not one of you is letting me make any money, huh?
But, orders were orders.
Reluctantly, he began chanting the spell—
"I have a large sausage!"
A sausage materialized out of thin air.
Oscar braced himself, ready for Zhuge Lan's disgust.
But then Zhuge Lan, once again, started to mess around!