The moonlight grew deeper.
The four of them strolled together beneath the night sky.
Rongrong was silent the whole time, while Li Zhexian and the other two laughed freely as they wandered down the long street.
By the time they parted, it was already the fourth watch of the night.
Li Zhexian returned to his quiet courtyard.
After a simple wash, he lay down and slept soundly, with no burdens on his mind.
Tonight, aside from Zhu Zhuqing's beauty in her light purple gown, there was nothing worth lingering over.
Well…
There was one more thing.
The candied figurines sold at the end of Jinxi Bridge had been quite delicious.
Next time, he would buy a bigger one.
—
At the inn where Shrek Academy was staying—
Zhu Zhuqing, Ning Rongrong, and Xiao Wu bid each other good night and returned to their rooms.
Xiao Wu had only just reached her door when Tang San called her back.
"Xiao Wu, did you go meet that Sword Wine?"
Xiao Wu stuck out her tongue and nodded, admitting it.
Tang San's brows furrowed tightly. He sighed.
"Xiao Wu, I've told you many times already."
"Sword Wine crippled Ma Hongjun, and even drove away the Dean and Grandmaster."
"We cannot possibly be friends with him."
Xiao Wu pressed her lips together. "Third Brother…I think Ma Hongjun brought that upon himself."
"Don't ever say that again." Tang San's gaze turned stern as he said seriously: "Although Ma Hongjun used commoner women to vent his frustration, as the Dean and Grandmaster said, those commoner women did it voluntarily."
"What's more, Ma Hongjun was once our teammate. In both reason and sentiment, we ought to demand justice for him."
Xiao Wu lowered her head and replied sullenly, "I understand."
Tang San's expression softened with a faint smile. "Go rest early, Xiao Wu."
"And remember what I've said."
—
Meanwhile.
Inside Ning Rongrong's room.
She tossed and turned, unable to sleep, staring blankly at the dark blue heavens through the crack of the window lattice.
"Brother Zhexian…"
"How could it be that you're Sword Wine, famed across Heaven Dou…"
Back when she was still in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan,
Li Zhexian's Spirit Power had not advanced a single step in six years.
Clearly born with innate full Spirit Power, yet unable even to absorb his first Spirit Ring.
That was the very reason she had hardened her heart to break things off with him.
A cool sensation pressed against her chest.
Pulling her scattered thoughts back.
Through her clothes, Ning Rongrong unconsciously gripped the object she wore close to her body.
She recalled their night stroll through Heaven Dou just now—
Her emotions had surged, yet that youth remained utterly calm, as if they were strangers
A trace of sorrow surfaced in Ning Rongrong's eyes.
"Why act like we're strangers…"
"Brother Zhexian… do you resent me… for abandoning you back then?"
If not for Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing being there,
she might already have blurted the question aloud to Li Zhexian.
Her thoughts tangled into a thousand knots, more chaotic than the stars in the night sky.
She sat there in a daze.
Suddenly.
A figure silently appeared outside her window
Ning Rongrong trembled in surprise.
"Zhuqing?"
"You…"
The person outside the window was none other than Zhu Zhuqing.
Her right hand's sharp claw hooked lightly on the wooden frame, as she reached toward Ning Rongrong with a soft smile.
"Rongrong, I can't sleep. Keep me company and let's chat."
A flicker of complexity flashed in Ning Rongrong's eyes, but she quickly hid it.
Forcing a smile, she reached out her hand.
Zhu Zhuqing clasped it.
The two girls climbed up lightly under the bright moonlight, settling on the slanted rooftop of the inn.
Ning Rongrong had just sat down when—
"Ah—" she yelped as her body wobbled, about to slip.
Zhu Zhuqing reacted swiftly, steadying her with a quick grasp.
And so the two of them sat side by side, hugging their knees, high up on the roof.
High above.
The long night breeze tousled their hair.
"Rongrong, here~~" Zhu Zhuqing handed her a fruit with seven-colored skin.
Ning Rongrong's beautiful eyes widened slightly. "Seven Treasure Honey Pear?!"
"You... where did you get this?"
Zhu Zhuqing smiled. "I knew you wanted to eat this for a long time, so I secretly bought it on the street during the day."
"Don't tell Xiao Wu."
'I won't!' Ning Rongrong nodded repeatedly and impatiently took a bite. The crisp, sweet taste melted in her mouth, making her squint her eyes in satisfaction.
The Seven Treasure Honey Pear was cultivated by the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan.
It was quite expensive.
With Shrek Academy's straitened circumstances, they couldn't afford such luxuries.
The Grandmaster had even forbade her from secretly buying them, or having her family send some, under the pretext of "remembering past hardship, savoring sweetness, tempering one's will."
She had been craving it for a long time.
"Zhuqing, you should have some too."
Zhu Zhuqing shook her head. "You eat it."
Nibbling the pear, Ning Rongrong murmured softly: "Among the Shrek Seven Monters, you're the only one who doesn't listen to Grandmaster's instructions."
"The dean and the others say you've been led astray, but since your Spirit Power has been advancing so quickly, they just let you be."
She paused, warmth flickering in her gaze. "Zhuqing, do you remember?
"You, me, and Xiao Wu used to sneak out like this, just to wait for the rain."
Zhu Zhuqing's lips curved faintly. "Mm. Xiao Wu said that mushrooms are easiest to find in the forest after rain."
"That pot of mushroom soup, we didn't even wash the dirt off."
The smile in Ning Rongrong's eyes grew wider. "But it was the most delicious soup I've ever had."
"And that other time, when we set out at midnight just to catch the morning market in Nuoding City…"
In the night wind—
The two girls chatted back and forth.
As they reminisced over those carefree days, warm smiles spread over both their faces.
"Yeah, when we have time, let's go back and see!" Zhu Zhuqing replied.
Her voice suddenly paused, and she turned her head to ask softly, "Rongrong, during the night stroll earlier…"
"You seemed weighed down by thoughts. What was wrong?"
The smile on Ning Rongrong's face froze.
She raised her hand, tucking back a strand of hair blown loose by the wind.
"It's nothing."
Zhu Zhuqing simply looked at her without speaking.
Ning Rongrong turned her face aside unnaturally. "R-really, nothing. Maybe… I just wasn't feeling well."
"Sorry, Zhuqing. I made you worry."
A hint of sadness flashed across Zhu Zhuqing's pretty face, and she said in a low voice, "I'm glad you're okay."
After finishing the honey pear, Ning Rongrong clapped her hands and stood up. "Zhuqing, let's go back. It's almost dawn."
"I want to sit a little longer."
"Then I'll go first."
Although Ning Rongrong wasn't as agile as Zhu Zhuqing, as a Spirit Elder, it wasn't difficult for her to get down on her own.
Looking at her tiptoeing figure, Zhu Zhuqing suddenly said, "Rongrong, now that you've seen Li Zhexian, what do you think of him?"
Ning Rongrong didn't stop and said without looking back, "He's quite good."
Her figure vanished from the rooftop.
Zhu Zhuqing remained there alone, staring blankly at the orange light of dawn slowly seeping into the horizon.
In the past—
She and Ning Rongrong had often sat like this until dawn, just to watch the sunrise together.
—
Before daybreak—
Li Zhexian was jolted awake by Xue Qinghe's urgent voice.
"Li Zhexian! Something's happened to the Imperial Battle Team!"
Sleepiness scattered in an instant.
Li Zhexian sprang up, grabbed his clothes, and rushed out the door.
As they hurried through the streets, he asked in a low, steady voice: "What exactly happened?!"
"What's their situation now?!"
"The Imperial Battle Team isat the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. Who would dare to attack one of the Upper Three Sects?!"
At this, Li Zhexian was instantly startled.
There really is! But the timing... was off!
Xue Qinghe, who was being held by the wrist, had a fierce glint in his downcast eyes.
"The Imperial Battle Team went training in the Star Dou Forest."
"They encountered the Golden Generation of Spirit Hall."
"They're now at the Ye Clan residence…"