Since they planned to take Xiao Wu with them, they had to wait until nightfall. In the meantime, Ye Yu didn't turn down Ning Rongrong's lunch invitation.
The three of them headed into Soto City together.
Inside the city, Ning Rongrong picked the most extravagant hotel she could find and ordered a table full of premium dishes.
From spirit beasts that flew in the skies, ran on land, or swam in the seas — everything was on the menu.
There were even spirit power-infused delicacies crafted by Food-type Spirit Masters.
This spread would cost at least several thousand gold spirit coins.
To an ordinary person, that was a sky-high price.
But to a rich little heiress like Ning Rongrong, it was just spare change.
After lunch, Ye Yu prepared to leave the city with Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing.
As they walked through the bustling streets of Soto, Ye Yu suddenly felt something off — someone was tailing them.
He glanced back and spotted three shady, sneaky-looking figures following at a distance.
His brow furrowed slightly.
Still, since it was broad daylight and the streets were crowded, he didn't act on it. Pretending not to notice, he simply led Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing out of the city.
Once they were a fair distance beyond the city gates, the three shadowy figures finally dropped the pretense.
"Hey, kid in front — and you two little babes!"
"Hold it right there!"
Ye Yu turned around slowly, a cold smile on his lips.
Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing also turned, their expressions unimpressed.
Standing ahead of them were three men.
One was thin and sharp-featured, dressed in a black leather outfit with a wide-brimmed black hat. His face was rat-like — beady eyes, buck teeth, a greasy leer. He practically oozed sleaze.
The second was tall and broad-shouldered, with wild, unkempt long hair that gave off a rough, barbaric air. But his squinting eyes — nearly slits — ruined any semblance of menace.
The third was outright skeletal. Skin clung tightly to his bones, though his eyeballs were comically large — and yellow. He had drooping mustaches and deep crow's feet etched into the corners of his eyes, giving him a leering, vulture-like look.
One look was enough to provoke the reaction:
"Where the hell did these three goblins crawl out from?"
"Looking like that, they should've been tossed back in the furnace! What are they doing harassing me, your lady here?"
Ning Rongrong put her hands on her hips, her elegant, noble face full of disdain.
Hearing that, the perverted trio — Bu Le, E Kao, and Tian Ya — burst into raucous laughter.
Bu Le, the one who had shouted earlier, rubbed his hands together, his eyes glinting obscenely as he licked his lips.
"Ooh, spicy little lady. Just the kind I like."
"E Kao, Tian Ya, don't even think about fighting me for this one."
"Pft, relax. Nobody's fighting you," E Kao scoffed, waving a hand. His yellow eyes locked on Zhu Zhuqing as he licked his lips.
"This one's got curves to kill for. Now that's top quality."
"Damn, what a lucky day!"
"Running into two fine little things — and no adult guardians around?"
"Just running into a pair like this is once in a lifetime."
"Let alone having them all to ourselves."
"Let's wrap this up quick and then vanish."
"No argument there."
As they chuckled obscenely, Tian Ya raised a hand and summoned his Martial Soul — a jagged broken blade glowing with green light.
Beneath his feet, five Spirit Rings rose into view: one white, two yellow, two purple.
Next to him, Bu Le shouted:
"Heavenly Gauze Twin Covers!"
"White Goose Martial Soul, Possession!"
A white glow surged around him as his Martial Soul took form.
E Kao did the same, his body also lit by white spirit energy as he released his White Goose Martial Soul.
All three were Spirit Ancestors — mid-tier, but not weaklings.
Despite their aggressive advance, Ning Rongrong didn't show the slightest fear. She gave a snort, hand still on her hip, as if they weren't even worth her time.
And with Ye Yu beside her, she was absolutely right.
The Perverted Trio, huh?
Seeing Bu Le, E Kao, and Tian Ya appear — the three clowns from Purple Star Academy — left Ye Yu feeling a bit speechless.
And they actually had the gall to set their sights on Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing?
Ye Yu's smile turned cold.
With a thought, he summoned his Blue Silver Jade Tree Martial Soul.
He didn't even need to use any Spirit Abilities.
The roots of the Blue Silver Jade Tree plunged into the ground, spreading rapidly below the surface.
In the blink of an eye, over a dozen thick roots — sparkling like crystalline blue serpents — burst up from the ground and lunged toward Bu Le, E Kao, and Tian Ya.
"Break!" Tian Ya shouted, slashing down with his broken blade in an attempt to sever the roots.
But as a mere Spirit King, he was completely outmatched.
"What?!"
His broken blade bounced uselessly off the glowing roots. His expression changed in an instant.
A second later, the roots twisted around the three of them, wrapping them up like dumplings.
Then they lifted them into the air —
And began smashing them into the ground, over and over.
Screams and howls filled the air.
"Aghhh! Spare us! Have mercy!"
"Hmph! You actually dared lay a hand on me and Zhuqing?!"
"Ye Yu, kill all three of them!"
Ning Rongrong clenched her fists and shouted, her pretty face full of fury.
"Miss, please! We were wrong! Spare us!"
"We were just messing around, that's all!"
"We'll never do it again! We swear!"
Realizing Ning Rongrong had actually ordered their deaths, Bu Le immediately broke down in tears, sobbing and begging like his life depended on it — which it did.
"She's right! We really won't do it again!"
As their bones were pummeled to the breaking point, E Kao and Tian Ya also cried out in fear, echoing Bu Le's desperate pleas.
Just then, a small yellow object flew from Bu Le's body and hit the ground.
"Huh? What's that?" Ning Rongrong asked curiously, walking over.
Zhu Zhuqing followed beside her, equally curious.
They found a small yellow cloth pouch on the ground, something clearly tucked away on purpose.
Ning Rongrong picked it up and opened it.
Inside were several folded yellow paper packets.
Still curious, she opened one —
It was filled with fine powder.
"What is this?" she muttered, puzzled, leaning in to sniff it.
But right at that moment, a breeze blew by —
And the powder flew straight into her face.
She inhaled a full dose and immediately started coughing, her eyes watering.
Zhu Zhuqing, standing downwind, took the rest right to the face.
"HAHAHA! Hahahahaha!"
Despite being beaten half to death, Bu Le suddenly started laughing maniacally.
"You two idiots! You're so easy!"
"What you just inhaled — that's this grandpa's secret weapon!"
"So what if we didn't get our way?"
"You still won't escape today! Keh keh keh!"
Not good!
Almost instantly, Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing felt their bodies flush with heat.
A dizzy, feverish haze clouded their minds, and their thoughts started to spiral out of control.
From the side, Ye Yu facepalmed.
Seriously?
You just had to pick up something off Bu Le?
It's not like these guys are trustworthy!
As he watched the girls stagger toward him, their cheeks flushed and eyes misty, Ye Yu let out a sigh.
In a flash, he appeared in front of them.
He snatched up the remaining yellow packets —
And shoved them into the mouths of Bu Le, E Kao, and Tian Ya.
Then, scooping Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing into his arms, Ye Yu took off into the air —
Flying toward the distant forest, disappearing into the trees.
PS: Read Advance Chapters at https://www.patreon.com/c/ReadJin