Lu Feng smiled. "No, I just wanted to remind you that we've got an audience. Two sisters fighting over a man? It wouldn't be good if the words got out, is it? Besides, private duels are forbidden in Star Luo City during the Awakening Ceremony."
Zhu Zhuyun's expression stiffened as she scanned the area.
Sure enough, a few onlookers had gathered.
The alley might've been quiet, but it wasn't deserted, passersby and residents watched from windows.
And the Awakening Ceremony did prohibit private fights within the city.
"Hmph. A worthless trash with no soul power even if you escape today, can you escape tomorrow?" Zhu Zhuyun halted but refused to back down. "Kneel. Submit to me as my slave, and I'll spare your life."
If she couldn't fight, she'd intimidate.
The idea of Zhu Zhuqing's self-proclaimed "protector" bowing to her as a slave? Delicious.
Lu Feng shrugged. "A beautiful woman like you as gorgeous as goddess, radiant as peach blossoms, shouldn't always talk through violence. Let's settle this more peacefully, How about a bet?"
Zhu Zhuyun's cheeks flushed pink. Which woman doesn't enjoy when someone praise her beauty?
"Silver-tongued fool," she muttered, her voice softening. "What kind of bet?"
"You all act like ancestral rules are unbreakable. I say they can be changed. So I'll nullify Zhuqing's forced engagement. No more life or death rivalry between sisters." Lu Feng's tone turned serious.
With his system backing him, he was totally confident that he can do it. Plus, his main quest was winning Zhu Zhuqing. So, canceling her betrothal should be step one.
"You…" Zhu Zhuqing's eyes flickered, words caught in her throat.
She yearned for that but she also know it is her fate.
"Impossible!" Zhu Zhuyun blurted, then thinking for a moment, she smirked. "Fine. You have three days. If you can't do it then you will be my slave for whole life.
"And what if i succeed?"
"then.....you can so whatever you want with this lady"
"Deal"
Lu Feng grinned.
Zhu Zhuqing sighed, stepping closer to him she sneakly press a blackwood token into his hand. "Thank you," she whispered. "But reckless words won't help. Take this token, It will allow you to leave this city at anytime. I will stall her, you should leave Star Luo now."
The token in his hand carried her warmth, its scent faintly floral.
Lu Feng's heart swelled.
'Such kindness. Such honesty. A treasure of a girl.'
That Dai Mubai didn't cherish her at all. He'd abandoned her to face Royal family and Zhu family alone while he drowned in brothels and pleasure.
"Don't worry," Lu Feng said. "I'll handle everything."
He walked away decisively and unshaken.
Leaving behind Zhu sisters with complex emotions, while bystanders murmured in awe.
The Zhu family ranked just below Star Luo's royalty, and their daughters were both crown prince's fiancées, so no one dared to get close to them.
Yet this boy, not even a Soul Master, had faced them down.
Lu Feng stored the token in his soul guidance device and headed for the Awakening registration.
His soul guidance device held far grander tokens like the Star Luo Emperor's Seal, the Heaven Dou Imperial Edict, even the Spirit hall pope's Command Token. Each one of them was far more valuable than this token but for Lu Feng this humble blackwood piece was Priceless.
How'd he get them? Simple the Pan-Continental Trade Alliance had traded massive favors for them.
And the Trade Alliance's profits from those deals? A hundredfold of what they'd given.
Spirit Hall controlled 70% of the continent's Soul Masters while the Pan-Continental Trade Alliance controlled 90% of its trade, indirectly monopolizing many resources, employing millions, including more than 12,800 Soul Masters.
The Trade Alliance has adopted a contract based system, where they can sign up to work for their desire time and once the time was up, they were free to leave But why would they? Soul cultivation burned money, and no one paid better than the Alliance.
Lost in thought, Lu Feng reached the registration desk.
"Six years old?" The Soul Master eyed Lu Feng's tall frame skeptically.
"Twelve," Lu Feng corrected. "Second Awakening."
"Secon- nonsense! Get lost brat!"
"Let him through." The voice belonged to Su Yuntao.
After several years of hardwork, He has been promoted to Chief Deacon post and had been reassigned to Star Luo's main hall.
The word "Second Awakening" picked his interest.
In the Soul Master world, anything was possible.
He waved Lu Feng over, looking him up and down. "How do you know you'll awaken again?"
Lu Feng shrugged. "just a feeling. I can't really explain it."
His System was his ultimate secret, He would never reveal it to anyone.
"Then try, it will not take much time anyway. Release your martial soul and feel my energy"
Lu Feng extended his palm and released his martial soul. A small seed materialized, its dark-gold sheen subtle, other than that it was nothing special.
As Su Yuntao channeled his soul power, the seed sprouted and began to grow at visible speed.
Su Yuntao's eyes widened.
"He's… actually awakening again!"
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
The commotion drew attention from higher ups even from Star Luo's Emperor and Spirit Hall's envoy, Chrysanthemum Douluo, Yue Guan.
Every Awakening Ceremony, the Spirit Hall sent a Title Douluo to scout talents.
Soon, Luo Feng's martial soul grows into a small sprout before stopping.
Su Yuntao sighed and said, "The soul spirit is a small sapling. It's hard to see what it can do. It's a pity. Your second awakening soul spirit is still a useless soul spirit. Next."
"Pfft" Zhu Zhuyun burst out laughing, sneering at Zhu Zhuqing. "Oh, this is rich! Don't worry I'll spare your little lover. He's too entertaining."
Her thoughts raced as she imagined how she should humiliate Lu Feng as her slave to anger Zhu Zhuqing.
'Leashing him like a dog? or riding him like horse would be more better?'
'No Its too risky before marrying Dai Weis, Royal decorum demanded the crown princess to be virgin and have a spotless reputation, I have to wait until marriage'
While Zhu Zhuyun was lost in her thoughts, Zhu Zhuqing glared at her but then glanced at Lu Feng, sighing.
This boy, bold enough to publicly pursue her, had stirred something inside her.
In recent years, no man has dared to approach her fearing her status as fiancee of the crown prince, He was the only one.
That courage moved her.
Dai Mubai had fled, leaving her to suffer alone.
Whereas Lu Feng, with his useless martial soul, seemed a little silly, but he seemed to be silly in a rather cute way.
"Wait a minute. Increase your soul power output."
At some point Chrysanthemum Douluo had appeared behind Su Yuntao, his gaze locked on Lu Feng's sapling.