Chapter 7: Kitten, the Amount of Alcohol is Not Bad

In the carriage, Qin Ming continued his lecture, though there were two notable absences: the Shi brothers.

The other students admired the Shi brothers for managing to escape the carriage. Lu Yuan was drunk again, and ever since he nearly knocked Yu Tianheng out with a single punch, everyone kept their distance—except for Ye Lingling and Dugu Yan. They were the only ones brave enough to stay near him.

"Gulp, gulp, gulp… Ha!"

The sound of someone drinking stirred Zhu Zhuqing, who slowly opened her eyes to see a pair of narrow, blurred eyes staring at her.

"Kitten, want a drink?" Lu Yuan offered, his voice slurred.

Zhu Zhuqing noticed the rough gauze wrapped around her arm. She vaguely remembered being chased by Zhu Zhuyun in the soul beast forest, and then Lu Yuan rescuing her. After that, everything was a blur.

The realization that she had passed out in such a dangerous situation sent a chill through her. But why did she feel oddly safe around this man, who seemed to do nothing but drink?

"I want to get off!" she said, her voice tense.

"Hiccup~ Kitty, the door is welded shut!" Lu Yuan grinned, teasingly.

Zhu Zhuqing pulled back the curtains, intending to jump out of the window, but when she saw the familiar streets outside, she froze.

Star City.

They were in Xingluo City—the city that symbolized death for her. The carriage had just passed the Zhu family's residence.

No… how could I have come back here?

She had fought so hard to escape, and now she was back. If Zhu Zhuyun found her, she would undoubtedly try to kill her again.

She couldn't go back. She couldn't let that happen. She wanted to live.

Now, Xingluo City was crawling with Zhu Zhuyun's spies. If she tried to move freely, Zhu Zhuyun would know within hours. Her best chance of survival was to stay close to Lu Yuan.

"Can I stay with you?" Zhu Zhuqing asked, her voice low.

"Of course!" Lu Yuan replied, taking a sip of his wine. "Little kitty, let's drink together!"

"I don't drink."

Zhu Zhuqing retreated slightly, uneasy.

Lu Yuan didn't push her.

Later, at the Star Hotel, the other members of the Emperor Fighting Team were busy preparing for their matches. Meanwhile, Qin Ming was relieved that Lu Yuan didn't seem interested in joining them. It was the most relaxed he had felt in a long time.

Back in the hotel room, Zhu Zhuqing watched Lu Yuan closely. He had spent the entire day drinking, without once cultivating like the others. How was it possible for him to be so powerful? And how on earth did he end up with such a terrifying combination of spirit rings—three purple and one black?

Curious, she broke her silence. "Lu Yuan, how did you get your spirit rings?"

Lu Yuan's blurred eyes shifted toward her. "Drinking, of course! What else?"

"Gulp, gulp, gulp…"

Zhu Zhuqing had never heard of anyone becoming stronger by drinking. She didn't believe it, not even for a second.

"Kitty, you look like you've got a lot on your mind," Lu Yuan said, taking another sip. "Why not try it? Get drunk and forget your troubles!"

"Try it?" she echoed.

Despite her reservations, Zhu Zhuqing found herself sitting beside Lu Yuan, holding a jar of wine.

"Haha… wine is great, isn't it?" Lu Yuan laughed.

"Do you think I'm weak?" Zhu Zhuqing challenged, glaring at him. "I don't want your leftover wine. Give me a full jar!"

"Gulp, gulp, gulp…"

"Kitty, don't slack off!" Lu Yuan teased as they drank together.

For the first time in her life, Zhu Zhuqing opened up to someone. "I've lived in a cruel family my entire life. From the moment I was born, my sister and I were destined to be enemies. Only one of us can survive."

"Gulp, gulp…"

"Later, with all the pressure, that cowardly bastard ran away. Can you believe it? He just ran, leaving me to face everything alone."

"I have wine now," Lu Yuan said, swaying as he rested his head on Zhu Zhuqing's shoulder. "So stop thinking about it. Let's just drink and forget!"

"Cheers!" she responded, raising her jar.

When Qin Ming returned to the hotel, he was shocked. Another one of his students had gotten drunk! It was too much. How was he supposed to manage this team?

Their victories in the individual and team competitions had caught the attention of the Xingluo Royal Academy. After the match, their teachers had approached Qin Ming, proposing an exchange of skills in three days at the Star Luo Arena.

Qin Ming knew the strength of the Xingluo Royal Team far outmatched his own. A loss in this fight could bring disgrace to their academy and the entire Heaven Dou Empire. But refusing wasn't an option either.

Back at the hotel, he stared at Lu Yuan, wondering if he could use him in the upcoming match. Qin Ming set two jars of the best wine he could find in front of Lu Yuan.

"Chichih~" Lu Yuan sniffed the air. "Good wine!"

"Lu Yuan, in three days, we'll have a match against Xingluo Royal Academy. It's crucial for the honor of our academy and the empire. Could you help us out?"

"Will there be good wine?" Lu Yuan asked lazily, uninterested in fighting unless it involved drinking.

Qin Ming's heart sank. It had cost him a month's salary just to get this wine, and now he had to convince Lu Yuan to fight.

"Beat them for me, okay?" Zhu Zhuqing suddenly said, still clutching her half-finished jar of wine.

Qin Ming felt a headache coming on. Not another one!

First Lu Yuan, and now Zhu Zhuqing?

"Um…" Lu Yuan looked at her with bleary eyes. "Alright. Since you drank with me today, I'll help you teach those bastards a lesson."

Outside, Yu Tianheng pulled Qin Ming aside. "Teacher, are you really going to let Lu Yuan fight?"

"What's the problem?"

"Can he even tell the difference between friend and foe when he's drunk?"

Yu Tianheng had a deep psychological scar from his last encounter with Lu Yuan. Now the thought of fighting alongside him filled him with dread.

Qin Ming hadn't considered that. Lu Yuan, drunk and in battle… Could he really distinguish his teammates from his enemies?

It was too late to back out now. If Qin Ming tried to refuse, Lu Yuan might turn his fists on him.

"Ahem… Just be cautious during the match. It'll be fine. Think of it as a test," Qin Ming said, trying to calm Yu Tianheng's nerves.

Yu Tianheng: "…"

This was the first time he'd ever prepared for a fight by worrying about his own teammates.

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