Lu Feng noticed the sunlight streaming through the window. Carefully, he took out the Blue Silver Emperor from his soul tool and placed it on the windowsill.
The Blue Silver Emperor stretched out its soft, glowing blue tendrils, gently wrapping around Lu Feng's hand.
It was as if she was thanking him for always keeping her in his thoughts and taking such tender care of her.
No human or spirit beast had ever treated her with such kindness and consideration before.
Looking back, when she was with Tang Hao, it had always been her doing the giving. Tang Hao was deeply set in his chauvinistic ways, and at the time, she hadn't realized she was trapped in the web of lies he had spun.
But ever since she had been with Lu Feng, her true form had flourished. Now, a single day of growth for her was equivalent to ten years in that dark, desolate cave.
Who even knew what Tang Hao had been thinking, planting her in such a barren, shadowy place?
Still, the reason for her astonishing growth, hundreds of times faster than before, was largely due to the incredibly precious spirit soil Lu Feng used to nurture her.
Most importantly, his martial soul, the Starry Sky Tree, was the progenitor of all plants, the very source of life itself. Simply by staying close to him, she received an endless stream of healing and nourishment, and her soul power recovered at an incredible rate.
When Ah yin had sacrificed herself, her soul had chosen to remain with her true form. Now, she could perceive everything around her with increasing clarity, she just couldn't speak yet.
'Master, just wait a little longer. Soon, I should be able to use my soul power to temporarily form a projection and speak with you, to keep you company.'
Back in Star Luo City, at the Zhu family estate, when Lu Feng had mistaken Zhu Zhuqing's sister, Zhu Zhuyun, for her and well, thoroughly expressed his affection or during the Zhu family banquet, when Xu Ruyun had shamelessly teased him with her long, fair legs and even used her hands to.... grab his dick, Ah yin had seen it all.
At first, she had found it unbearably embarrassing, but over time, she grew used to it. Her master was simply too gifted, too charismatic, and, well he was a young man in his prime. These things were only natural.
But now, with one man and two women sharing a single guest room, A'yin had a feeling something even more scandalous was about to happen.
Just then—
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
The sound of rushing wind cut through the air outside.
Hundreds of soul masters—men and women alike—converged on the Rose Hotel from all directions. Some flew through the sky, others sprinted down the streets, and a few darted across rooftops…
"Who dares cause trouble in a Merchant Alliance establishment?!"
A loud, booming voice rang out as a tall, lean middle-aged man with a goatee, glasses, and neatly tied-back hair appeared at the hotel entrance.
"Steward Ao, lower your voice, the matter has already been resolved," Manager Wang quickly whispered to him.
Though Suotuo City was small compared to Star Luo City, it was home to a renowned Great Spirit Arena.
The man who had just arrived was none other than Steward Ao, the manager of the Suotuo Great Spirit Arena, a level 79 Soul Sage, half a step away from becoming a Soul Douluo.
Originally, he had only been a supervisor, but when Lu Feng took over the arena, he recognized Ao's management skills and promoted him to steward, putting him in charge of the Merchant Alliance's Suotuo branch.
Stewards, like managers, were ranked from one to nine. Above a ninth-rank steward came elders, and above them, grand elders.
When Steward Ao heard that someone had caused trouble at the Rose Hotel, even daring to threaten to wreck the place, he had immediately mobilized all the soul masters under the Merchant Alliance's Suotuo branch and rushed to the scene.
Now, seeing the lobby in complete disarray, with staff and a pair of twin sisters cleaning up the mess, his fury burned so hot it seemed ready to erupt from his eyes.
Under his management, very few dared to cause trouble for the Merchant Alliance on his turf especially not after the emergence of the legendary Peerless Douluo elder who had shaken the world.
After hearing Manager Wang's whispered explanation, Steward Ao's expression softened. He quickly straightened his attire and respectfully cupped his fists toward the upper floors of the hotel. Whether or not the elder upstairs could see him, proper etiquette had to be observed, a small but telling detail of his high emotional intelligence.
The elder hasn't visited the branch office, nor has he revealed his identity. That means this trip is meant to be discreet. Naturally, Steward Ao wouldn't dare make a scene about it.
"This young elder seems to have a fondness for sisters," Manager Wang added in a hushed tone, emphasizing the word 'fondness'. "He already has a pair upstairs, and he specifically asked to take care of this twin set as well."
Steward Ao's gaze shifted to the twin sisters Manager Wang had pointed out. A knowing smile curled on his lips as he nodded. "Understood. They'll stay here for now, but if the elder visits the Great Spirit Arena, I'll have them brought over. Their looks and figures aren't bad, they could learn dancing to improve their flexibility. A little extra skill never hurts."
"As expected of Steward Ao, always thinking ahead," Manager Wang praised.
"As for that so-called 'Young Master Dai', daring to provoke our elder and threaten to smash up the hotel? That level of arrogance can't go unpunished." Steward Ao's voice turned cold. "What did he look like, and where did he go?"
Having a high-ranking elder visit was a rare honor, yet someone had caused trouble right under his nose. Steward Ao was both furious and anxious. He needed to take decisive action to prove his competence to the elder.
Otherwise, if word got back to the Alliance Master, the very man who had promoted him, he might start doubting Steward Ao's capabilities.
After all, the power to appoint or remove stewards lay solely in the hands of the Merchant Alliance's leader.
"He couldn't have gone far…"
Manager Wang briefly described Dai Mubai's appearance.
"Doudou," Steward Ao called out toward the sky, "head in that direction and look for a man with blond hair wearing a white suit."
"Understood, Steward Ao."
A sweet voice responded as a beautiful young woman with pristine white wings, Doudou, detached herself from the dozens of soul masters hovering above and took off into the sky.
It didn't take long.
Doudou pointed toward the direction of the Spring Bliss Pavilion. "There he is!"
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Hundreds of soul masters surged forward like a tide.
Dai Mubai, rejected by the twin sisters, had no choice but to seek solace in the pleasure house. Just as he was about to step inside, an overwhelming pressure of soul power descended from above, locking him in place as if the very air had solidified.
Before he could react, hundreds of soul masters swarmed around him, sealing off the entire street.
Pedestrians turned to stare.
Even the courtesans of Spring Bliss Pavilion were startled by the commotion.
"Merchant Alliance business!"
At Doudou's sharp declaration, bystanders quickly scrambled back, not daring to interfere. The madam, who had been about to greet Dai Mubai, promptly swallowed her words and retreated inside.
"So, you're the so-called 'Young Master Dai'?"
Steward Ao strode forward, hands clasped behind his back, his cold gaze fixed on Dai Mubai.
"Y-yes… What do you want?" Sweat beaded on Dai Mubai's forehead as hundreds of hostile eyes bore into him. Did I just kick a hornet's nest?!
Steward Ao's voice rang out, clear and authoritative. "By the authority of the Merchant Alliance's Suotuo Branch, I hereby declare this person persona non grata, permanently barred from all Merchant Alliance establishments in Suotuo City. No services shall be rendered to him, no transactions made."
"Understood!"
The thunderous response from hundreds of soul masters shook the very street.
"Y-you can't do this!" Dai Mubai paled, realizing he had unwittingly provoked the wrath of the Merchant Alliance's local steward. The implications hit him like a hammer blow, this wasn't just a beating; it was a crippling restriction.
The Merchant Alliance dominated Suotuo's key industries, food, lodging, travel, equipment trade all under their influence. Most devastating of all was the Suotuo Great Spirit Arena, his primary source of income and combat training. Being banned meant losing everything.
****
Support and read advance chapters on patreon.com/queen_of_fate