"Hey, stop sleeping—we've arrived."
Looking at Lin Xian sprawled out on the carriage, Zhu Zhuqing felt a wave of irritation.
She had thought he was cultivating.
But after barely half an hour, he had simply rolled over—
And fallen asleep.
His breathing was steady, a faint smile rested on his lips, and he looked completely at ease.
"Ah? Oh—okay!"
…
A complete slacker.
Being around him made Zhu Zhuqing feel like even her own determination was starting to slip.
After entering the city, the road became smooth.
Lin Xian glanced around. It looked just like he had imagined—shops lined both sides of the street, and people bustled back and forth.
The caravan stopped at the side entrance of the largest blacksmith shop in Soto City.
Blacksmithing was highly profitable, which was why they could afford to hire Spirit Masters as guards.
The caravan leader walked over to the two of them.
"You've reached your destination. This is Soto City—you can get off here."
"Alright, thanks."
"No problem. Oh, and this is your payment."
He handed a gold coin to Lin Xian.
Seeing their confusion, the leader smiled.
"This young Spirit Grandmaster helped us avoid two dangerous situations. She earned it."
With that, he pressed the coin into Lin Xian's hand and left.
Lin Xian weighed it briefly, then slipped it into his pocket.
"Let's go. How about we find a place to eat first, then figure out what to do next?"
"That coin is my payment."
"Same difference. Don't you want something good to eat?"
Zhu Zhuqing had no response to that.
After days of dry rations, even she was tired of the bland taste.
A proper meal in Soto City did sound appealing.
So she followed him into a small restaurant.
"Welcome! What would you like?"
There were few customers, and only the owner was present.
Lin Xian placed the gold coin in his hand.
"Get us a quiet private room. Bring one of each of your signature dishes—enough for two."
"Right away! Please, this way. The food will be ready shortly."
The private room was elegant, though a bit small.
Seeing Lin Xian spend so freely, Zhu Zhuqing frowned slightly.
"I'll pay you back in a few days."
"No need. My treat."
"…Fine. I'm not one to stand on ceremony with friends."
"You really don't stand on ceremony at all, do you?"
They looked at each other—and laughed.
Zhu Zhuqing found it strange.
Around him, her usual cold exterior seemed completely useless.
"What are your plans next?" she asked.
"Find someone."
"Who?"
"My fiancé."
Lin Xian nodded calmly, casually pouring tea.
Seeing his indifferent attitude, Zhu Zhuqing couldn't help but ask,
"You're not surprised?"
"What's there to be surprised about? Congratulations—after all that hardship, you're finally going to see your true love."
His words made her expression darken.
Hardship?
True love?
What a joke.
Just thinking about that person made her feel disgusted.
And yet…
A tiny sliver of hope still lingered.
What if he had changed?
Noticing her silence, Lin Xian handed her a cup of tea.
"Have you ever heard the name Cao Zei?"
"No."
"You will."
"…You're being cryptic."
She took a sip of tea.
"Then what about you?"
"I don't know. I'll go wherever life takes me. I was born to wander."
As he said that, memories of his previous life surfaced—
Bleak. Directionless.
For some reason, Zhu Zhuqing felt a faint ache in her chest when she saw his expression.
"Forget about me. Tell me more about you. I know a bit about Soto City—maybe I can help you find him."
"He's at Shrek Academy. The one that only accepts monsters."
"Under twelve years old, spirit power above Rank 20—that's their entry requirement. You already qualify."
"I plan to check it out. Maybe they have a way for me to grow stronger."
"There are still three months before enrollment. But you could go early and find your fiancé. Maybe they'll make an exception?"
"He's not worthy."
"So your relationship isn't great?"
"Great? He's nothing but a coward!"
Her emotions surged, and she slammed her hand onto the table.
Crack—
The table split apart instantly.
The table: I'm done for…
Lin Xian glanced at the yellow card that dropped beside her, looking completely innocent.
He had only meant to tease her a little—
He didn't expect her to react this strongly.
"Hey, take it easy. Now we have to pay for that."
Zhu Zhuqing said nothing—just glared at him.
At that moment, the door opened.
The owner froze at the sight.
"Guests… what happened here?"
"Sorry, she has a bit of a temper. Just deduct the cost of the table and tea set from that gold coin and move us to another room."
"No problem, no problem!"
The owner quickly led them next door.
Before leaving, he leaned toward Lin Xian and whispered sympathetically,
"Women need to be coaxed. Mine's a tigress too—if it weren't for my skills, I wouldn't have survived this long."
A killing intent filled the air.
The owner instantly straightened up, placed the dishes down, and hurried out.
As a Spirit Grandmaster, Zhu Zhuqing had heard every word.
"Forget about him," Lin Xian said casually. "Eat before it gets cold."
Without another word, he dug in.
He was starving.
Zhu Zhuqing didn't say anything further and joined him, quietly eating as well…