vncnus Chapter 16 A Night Visit to Zhu Zhuqing, A Sparring of Physical Skills
Chapter 16 A Night Visit to Zhu Zhuqing, A Sparring of Physical Skills
Ye Chen wiped his mouth with satisfaction and patted Oscar on the shoulder: "You've worked hard. I'll treat you to dinner tomorrow."
Oscar looked at him, his eyes filled with tears, his lips trembling, wanting to say something, but he didn't even have the strength to speak.
Flander watched this scene from the edge of the playground, his lips twitching slightly.
But he didn't say anything, he just pushed up his glasses.
This kid is interesting.
Flander announced the disbandment and told everyone to get a good rest tonight and set off for the Star Dou Great Forest early tomorrow morning.
The crowd dispersed.
Ma Hongjun helped Oscar back to his dormitory. Oscar cried as they walked, "That Ye Chen... he's a devil... he's a devil..."
Ma Hongjun comforted him, "It's alright, it's just a few sausages you ate. You'll be back to your old self tomorrow once your soul power recovers."
"You don't understand..." Oscar cried even harder, "He didn't just eat a few... he ate at least twenty... all my soul power is gone... not a single drop left..."
Ma Hongjun paused for a moment, then said, "Indeed, it's a bit excessive."
Dai Mubai walked behind, watching Oscar being helped away, then glancing in the direction Ye Chen had left, his lips twitching slightly.
He suddenly realized that being entangled with Ye Chen wasn't so unacceptable after all.
At least, Ye Chen didn't drain his soul power.
Ye Chen walked back to his dormitory alone, looking at the prompts from the Martial Soul Enhancement Device the whole way.
That sausage meal just now brought him great rewards.
[Ding! You've had a close encounter with Oscar, and your energy level has increased significantly!]
[Oscar Card - Collection Progress: 23%]
Ye Chen's lips curled up, his heart filled with joy.
This meal was quite fruitful!
I need to eat more Oscar sausages from now on.
He glanced at the progress of the other cards:
Zhu Zhuqing's card: 58%
Ning Rongrong Card: 44%
There's still some time before we finish collecting them all, but we've already accumulated quite a few.
Ye Chen closed the dormitory door, lay on the bed, looked at the ceiling, and began to plan for tonight.
Tomorrow we're heading to the Star Dou Great Forest. If I can improve my strength and get an extra card before we set off, my chances of survival will be much greater.
He turned over, and two people came to mind—Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong.
Zhu Zhuqing's cards are already at 58%. If we can play another match against her, we might be able to get them to over 70%.
As for Ning Rongrong...
Ye Chen thought for a moment and realized that Ning Rongrong's card collection mainly relied on physical contact.
This requires skill; you can't be too deliberate or too impatient.
He sat up, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes.
I'll go find Zhu Zhuqing tonight.
As night fell, Shrek Academy fell silent.
The nights in Soto were much more lively than in Notting, with the occasional bark of a dog and the noise of a tavern drifting from afar.
But Shrek Academy was built outside the city, surrounded by wasteland, and was as quiet as a tomb after nightfall.
Ye Chen did not return to his own room, but went to Zhu Zhuqing's dormitory.
Ye Chen stood in front of Zhu Zhuqing's door, took a deep breath, and knocked.
"Who is it?" came Zhu Zhuqing's cold voice from inside.
"I am Ye Chen."
After a few seconds of silence, the door opened a crack, revealing half of Zhu Zhuqing's face as she looked at him warily.
She was wearing a black nightgown, her long hair cascading over her shoulders, a look that was softer than her aloof demeanor during the day.
"Is something the matter?" she asked.
Ye Chen didn't beat around the bush and stated his purpose directly: "I want to spar with you."
Zhu Zhuqing frowned slightly: "Haven't you had enough during the day?"
"I won't use my martial spirit." Ye Chen looked at her seriously. "I'll only rely on physical skills, not soul power. I think your close combat skills are very strong, and I'd like to ask you for some pointers."
Zhu Zhuqing remained silent for a few seconds, seemingly trying to determine whether he was lying.
Ye Chen stood there, letting her gaze scrutinize him, without any guilty expression on his face.
Finally, Zhu Zhuqing opened the door.
"Come in."
Ye Chen entered the room and closed the door behind him.
Zhu Zhuqing's dormitory is very simple, with only a bed, a table and a chair.
The bed was neatly made, and there was a comb and a small mirror on the table. There were no other items besides that.
Compared to Ning Rongrong's room, this place was practically the dwelling of an ascetic.
"Not using martial spirits? Just relying on physical skills?" Zhu Zhuqing confirmed.
"No need, pure physical techniques."
Ye Chen took off his coat, draped it over the back of the chair, and assumed a starting stance.
Zhu Zhuqing nodded and said no more.
Her figure moved instantly, as fast as lightning. Her black nightgown left a blur in the candlelight, and her right hand, fingers pointed like a knife, aimed straight for Ye Chen's throat.
This is a killer move.
Ye Chen didn't expect Zhu Zhuqing to be so ruthless right from the start, but he reacted quickly, turning his head to avoid the attack while simultaneously hooking her wrist with his right hand.
Zhu Zhuqing flipped her wrist to avoid Ye Chen's grip, and then swept her left foot across, kicking Ye Chen's knee.
Ye Chen took a step back, and Zhu Zhuqing's toes brushed against his trouser leg, creating a gust of wind.
The confrontation between the two unfolded in the cramped dormitory room, the sounds of fists and feet clashing densely and dullly.
Ye Chen discovered that Zhu Zhuqing's physical skills were indeed exquisite.
She is an agility-type Soul Master, and her Martial Soul, Netherworld Cat, grants her extraordinary agility and flexibility. Every movement she makes is as light and deadly as a cat.
Moreover, she has a strong fighting spirit and is not the type who can only follow a set pattern.
She is adept at using the terrain, anticipating her opponent's movements, and even adjusting her tactics at the moment of engagement.
Ye Chen became more and more engrossed in the fight, and he also unleashed his fighting instincts.
Although he didn't use his martial soul, he had previously fused with the cards of Tang San, Xiao Wu, and Dai Mubai, which subtly enhanced his physical abilities and combat awareness, allowing him to fight Zhu Zhuqing on equal terms.
The two fought back and forth, from the bedside to the door, and then from the door to the table.
Zhu Zhuqing kicked over a chair, and Ye Chen stepped back, grabbed the overturned chair to block her pursuit, and then threw the chair back.
Zhu Zhuqing dodged to the side, and the chair hit the wall with a dull thud.
The two separated again, looking at each other from three steps apart.
Zhu Zhuqing was slightly out of breath, fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead, and a few strands of hair clung to her cheeks. Her eyes were brighter than usual, and a rare look of surprise flashed in them.
"Your physical skills... are better than I imagined," she said.
Ye Chen, also panting, smiled and said, "You too. I've learned a lot from sparring with you."
Zhu Zhuqing remained silent for a moment before making her move again.
This time she was faster and her attacks were more ferocious, as if she was going to use all her skills.
Ye Chen was not to be outdone. Instead of retaliating, he chose to deal with Zhu Zhuqing.
He deliberately exposed an opening to lure Zhu Zhuqing into close combat, then blocked or dodged at the moment of contact.
With each punch and kick, his martial spirit enhancement device was quietly collecting energy.
Zhu Zhuqing's card: 58% → 61% → 64% → 67% → 71% → 74% → 77% → 80%...