章 29: Chapter 29: Promises and Prodigies

One Day After the Big Results, at the Winged Dragon Family's Estate.

Inside the grand walls of the estate, maids whispered furtively about the scene unfolding before them. Guards stationed at the entrance struggled to keep their composure, stifling laughter each time they glanced inside.

The sight truly was... unusual.

Zhu Xiangju, the rising star whose name was spreading throughout Glory City as the greatest prodigy of his generation, was kneeling on the floor, his head bowed, his expression one of utter confusion.

Standing before him was the golden girl of the Winged Dragon Family, Xiao Ning'er. Her forehead vein throbbed, her foot tapped furiously against the floor, and her arms were tightly crossed. Her glare was sharp enough to pierce steel, radiating an aura of betrayal—as if Zhu was the worst traitor to ever walk the earth.

"Ning... I already told you! I didn't show up yesterday because I was with the guys! You can ask anyone!" Zhu pleaded.

Xiao Ning'er's face twisted, as though his words disgusted her.

"With the guys, huh?" she said coldly, clearly unconvinced.

"I messed up, okay? You asked me to come over, but we started celebrating our results and... kinda lost track of time," Zhu said, scratching the back of his head. He had already repeated this explanation at least five times, but with every repetition, she seemed to grow more irritated.

Her foot tapping grew even more impatient, and she closed her eyes as if trying not to incinerate Zhu with her glare.

"Look... okay, I get that you're mad. But..." Zhu hesitated, gauging her reaction before continuing. When he noticed her willing to listen, he pressed on.

"But you were already upset when you called me yesterday. What happened?"

BAM!

Xiao Ning'er stomped hard on the floor, a faint blue aura bursting from her.

"OKAY THEN, SMART GUY! YOU REALLY WANT TO KNOW WHY I'M MAD?"

She took a step closer to Zhu and pointed an accusing finger at his face.

"WHY IS YE ZIYUN SO STRONG?" Ning'er shouted, her frustration boiling over.

For a moment, Zhu Xiangju's mind went blank, doubting his own hearing.

"...What?"

"Don't play dumb! You've been training with her, haven't you? YOU WERE WITH HER YESTERDAY, WEREN'T YOU?!" Xiao Ning'er's voice remained sharp, though she was trying to keep it down after her initial outburst.

A stunned silence fell over the room. The guards and maids held their breath, as though they were witnessing the climax of a dramatic soap opera.

And then...

"Pfft—HAHAHAHAHA!" Zhu Xiangju erupted into laughter.

"HAHAHAHAHA—MY STOMACH—HAHAHA!" Zhu clutched his sides, laughing like he'd just heard the funniest joke of his life.

"W-What are you laughing at? Did you lose your mind because I caught you?" Xiao Ning'er tried to maintain her fiery tone, but a small smile began to tug at the corner of her lips, thanks to Zhu's infectious laughter.

'He looks so handsome when he laughs... His voice is so lovely... NO! FOCUS, GIRL!' Ning'er shook her head to snap herself out of it.

"No, haha, no... Ning... I only have eyes for you, you know that," Zhu said between gasps, still clutching his stomach.

"Then why did she score 15 points higher than me in the strength test? Why did the crystal explode during her Soul Force test? And how did she get so strong so quickly? You've been helping her too, haven't you?"

Zhu stood, brushing the dust off his clothes. He ran a hand through his hair before meeting Ning'er's eyes.

"She was ONLY 15 points ahead of you in the strength test. That's such a tiny margin it might've just been a calibration error. And why are you mad about the Soul Force test crystal exploding? The crystal you used ALSO exploded!"

Zhu took a step closer, placing his hands gently on her shoulders, his face now just inches from hers.

"And as for how she got stronger... You know the answer to that. You saw it with your own eyes. She worked for it. She trained hard—with us."

Hearing those words, Xiao Ning'er fell silent. For the longest time, she'd felt insecure around Ye Ziyun, believing that outperforming the Snow Wind Family's prodigy in these classification tests would finally make her an equal in Ziyun's eyes.

'In the end... I was just competing with myself.' Tears began to well up in Ning'er's eyes as she lowered her head.

Seeing this, Zhu panicked, darting his eyes around the room as if searching for help. He glanced at the guards, who simply gave him a thumbs-up before shutting the door, leaving the two of them alone.

'WHAT DO I DO? I MADE HER CRY!' Zhu frantically looked for something to dry her tears, but the tablecloth nearby didn't seem like the right choice.

With no other options, he wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly in a protective embrace. If a Legendary Rank beast attacked at that moment, Zhu's love alone would have been enough to shield Ning'er from all harm.

Ning'er responded by wrapping her arms around Zhu's chest, crying softly into his shirt.

"There, there, it's okay..." Zhu's voice felt awkward, like he was speaking to a baby, but it seemed to work.

She looked up at him, her tear-streaked face still nestled against his chest.

"I-I'm sorry, Xiang... I know you're not like that. I just..." She buried her face back into his chest, his scent calming her like a warm blanket.

"S-Sorry," she said, her voice muffled and pouty.

Without warning, Zhu planted a soft kiss on her forehead.

"Apology accepted."

A Few Hours Later, at the Training Grounds.

The air was tranquil, the trees swaying gently in the breeze, and the nearby stream and waterfall added a soothing backdrop.

Under a tree, Lu Piao was pretending to meditate but was actually fast asleep. Wei Nan stood shirtless atop a small hill, performing a two-finger handstand to show off his monstrous strength. Zhang Ming meditated beneath the waterfall, letting the powerful currents crash against his back.

Meanwhile, Zhu Xiangju and Du Ze filled the air with the sounds of their sparring, their powerful blows shaking the ground as Ye Xiu, a Black-Gold Rank Spiritualist, observed like a stern referee.

BAM! CLANG! BOOM!

"Xiangju! You're wasting too many movements! Du Ze, you could've landed that hit if you'd been a bit quicker!" Ye Xiu barked, his voice sharp but tinged with satisfaction.

Zhu and Du Ze, hearing his critique, charged at each other with renewed vigor. Zhu wound up for a massive punch, pulling his arm back like a coiled spring, while Du Ze calmly advanced, ready to throw him to the ground.

Ye Xiu's eyes narrowed as he watched Zhu. His talent was undeniable, but his temper was... concerning.

'If he's not properly guided, he could become a real threat in the future.'

As the two clashed, Nie Li cracked an eye open, shaking his head.

"He's lost control again," Nie Li muttered.

Just as Ye Xiu prepared to intervene, Zhu stomped hard on the ground, stopping just outside Du Ze's reach. In an instant, Zhu pivoted, turning his powerful punch into a lightning-fast jab that sent Du Ze sprawling—but not injured.

Du Ze sat up, holding his face in surprise.

"That was... surprisingly weaker than I expected."

"Heh, that was the idea," Zhu said with a grin, giving a thumbs-up before turning to Ye Xiu.

"Master Ye Xiu, how did I do? Did I impress you?"

Ye Xiu crossed his arms, a faint smirk on his face.

"Du Ze deserves praise. He stayed composed throughout the fight, held his ground, and defended well despite the power difference. I'll give him an 8."

Du Ze's eyes lit up, but his disappointment quickly followed. An 8 wasn't perfect, and he wasn't settling for less than perfection.

Zhu, on the other hand, spread his arms wide, his smile practically shouting, "It's my turn now!"

But the praise never came.

"And that's all I have to say," Ye Xiu said, turning to leave.

"WHAT ABOUT ME?" Zhu shouted after him.

"You're my disciple. Don't expect what you showed today to even come close to decent!" With that, Ye Xiu walked away, leaving Zhu with a bitter taste in his mouth.

Zhu clenched his fists. His master was right. There was no time for praise—not yet. He had to become stronger. Much stronger!