Wu Feng didn't understand that people from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan had a natural admiration for strength.
This trait was due to the inherent characteristics of their martial soul. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda needed to pair with a powerful offense or control-type soul master to truly maximize its potential.
The stronger those around it were, the more powerful the Pagoda became. Conversely, the weaker they were, the weaker it would be.
Thus, Ning Tian needed powerful teammates to fully harness her abilities.
If Qianran weren't around, Ning Tian might have developed feelings for the next most powerful person, Wang Dong'er. In the original story, Ning Tian did fall for Wang Dong'er, only to be heartbroken upon discovering her true gender. But with Qianran's presence, Ning Tian was immediately captivated by him.
Qianran's strength far exceeded that of his peers, so it wasn't surprising that Ning Tian would be drawn to him.
If Wu Feng wanted to shift Ning Tian's affections and pursue a relationship with her, she'd need to elevate her strength significantly; otherwise, it was impossible.
…
With a light step, Qianran leapt onto the platform.
"Why don't you both come at me? After all, you have a martial soul fusion skill. If I beat you one-on-one, you'd probably just complain." Qianran directed his words at Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu, but his attention was focused on Zhu Lu. To Qianran, Dai Huabin was nothing more than a clown.
Even in Shrek Academy's uniform, Zhu Lu's curves were undeniable.
Her hips were wider than her shoulders, well-shaped and prominent, even lifting the loose fabric of her uniform. Her chest was equally well-developed, stretching the fabric tight. Qianran imagined how much more stunning she'd look in professional attire—a sheer blouse, pencil skirt, and thin black stockings.
While he wasn't fond of Huo Yuhao, Qianran despised Dai Huabin even more for his past actions. Abusing Huo Yuhao's mother and ultimately driving her to her death was pure cruelty. Qianran had no intention of showing him any respect.
"That guy is staring at Zhu Lu nonstop—what a lech," Wu Feng muttered, annoyed.
"He's amazing," Ning Tian giggled, amused by Qianran's boldness. Everyone knew Zhu Lu was off-limits as Dai Huabin's partner. Even if Dai Huabin didn't love her, he wouldn't tolerate others coveting her.
Qianran's open gaze was unmistakable. Could he actually intend to steal Zhu Lu from Dai Huabin?
After knowing Qianran for several months, Ning Tian was well aware of his tendency toward flirtation.
It seemed like the sort of thing he'd actually do.
"Young Master, you're obsessed," Wu Feng sighed, hoping to reduce Ning Tian's admiration for Qianran, but her attempt had no effect. Such is the loyalty of a diehard fan.
"Oh, you'll understand when you fall in love," Ning Tian replied, her cheeks reddening as she gazed at Qianran on the platform.
Under Qianran's intense stare, Zhu Lu's face turned bright red.
While slightly annoyed, she also felt a small sense of pleasure.
As a young woman, she cared about how others perceived her. The more people who found her attractive, the more appealing she must be.
Indeed, many people had overlooked Zhu Lu before, but now they were stunned by her appearance. Her figure was unmatched among the freshmen—a product of the Zhu family's refined lineage.
With Wang Dong'er cross-dressing, the top female looks among freshmen went Zhu Lu, then Ning Tian, then Wu Feng…
Most men rank female attractiveness as chest, hips, face, then legs. As long as the face isn't too plain, a striking figure tends to draw plenty of attention.
"Are you looking to die? You intend to fight us both alone?" Dai Huabin felt deeply insulted.
He had planned to defeat Qianran in a fair fight, earning himself the top freshman title and endless admiration.
But he hadn't expected Qianran to belittle him so openly.
Damn it!
A flicker of doubt crept into his mind. Could the rumors be true? Was Qianran really that strong?
Impossible!
He had researched Shrek Academy's freshmen from the past hundred years, and his own abilities were remarkable by those standards.
He and Zhu Lu had a powerful martial soul fusion skill—a rare advantage. Even the inner court had few students capable of such a technique.
"What else? You're welcome to face me alone; I don't mind." Qianran said nonchalantly. Whether he fought one or both made little difference to him. Mostly, he wanted to take this chance to put Dai Huabin in his place…
Dai Huabin didn't deserve such a stunning partner.
"Fine. Qianran, you asked for this. If you're so arrogant, be prepared to face the consequences."
A wave of blinding white light erupted from Dai Huabin as he spread his arms, raised his chest, and his entire body tensed. Muscles swelled, stretching his clothes tight. Each muscle was sharply defined beneath his uniform, and even the air around him seemed to ripple with energy.
His golden hair turned streaked black and white, predominantly white with striking black strands interwoven. A faint four-stroke pattern appeared on his forehead—three horizontal, one vertical, forming the character for "king."
Dai Huabin's posture became animalistic, his deep blue eyes like those of a killing machine.
Three soul rings appeared around him, two yellow and one purple, surging with a soul power that washed over the area like waves.
Zhu Lu followed Dai Huabin's lead, releasing her martial soul.
Her eyes darkened, her pointed ears stood up, and her slender body took on a more agile form. Razor-sharp claws extended from her fingers, not as physically imposing as Dai Huabin, but with a graceful, almost ethereal agility. Though not yet faster than Dai Huabin, her movements left a series of afterimages.
A cat-girl!
Why did she have to wear a school uniform with such an amazing figure?
Qianran recalled how Zhu Zhuqing in Douluo Dalu 1 often wore leather outfits that accentuated her curves, her chest and hips beautifully shaped, with the shiny material catching the sunlight, creating a look almost begging to be admired.
Qianran thought Zhu Lu's figure was equally impressive; in tight clothing, she'd be incredibly tempting. Unfortunately, Shrek Academy's strict dress code kept students in uniforms most of the time. Boring.
What an… alluring figure. Not necessarily larger than Jiang Nan-Nan or the others, but something about the Zhu family girls just made him want to tame this wild beauty.