A Noisy Carriage
"...If you want to become an exceptional soul master—"
"Tons… tons… ha!"
Inside the cramped carriage, Qin Ming's lecture was once again drowned beneath the sound of loud, rhythmic drinking. The wooden walls made every swallow echo like thunder.
Two seats sat empty—the Shi brothers had voluntarily chosen to walk beside the group rather than remain inside with him.
After Yu Tianheng's humiliating defeat weeks ago, everyone feared Lu Yuan more than ever. Aside from Ye Lingling and Dugu Yan, who clung fearlessly to his side, no one dared sit too close. One drunken swing could mean a trip to the infirmary. Or worse.
Qin Ming's soul was crying. Why is my job teaching, yet every day feels like a death mission?
An Unexpected Passenger
On the floor of the carriage, Zhu Zhuqing stirred. Her lashes fluttered as her vision cleared.
The first thing she saw was a pair of narrow, wine-blurred eyes staring back at her.
"Kitten, awake already? Want a drink?"
She blinked down, noticing hastily wrapped gauze around her arm. Memories rushed back—the ambush in the forest, her elder sister Zhu Zhuyun's relentless chase, Lu Yuan's terrifying rescue. Then darkness.
I fainted? In enemy territory? Horror creeped in at how careless that was. To collapse helplessly… in front of this eccentric drunkard.
Her cold guard rose immediately as she sat up. "I want to get off."
"Hic~ Little cat, the doors are welded shut!" Lu Yuan laughed, raising his jar again.
Ignoring him, she pulled the curtain back, ready to jump. But outside—the bustling streets of Star Luo City spilled into view.
Her blood froze. This is Xingluo City…
The Zhu family's home. Death itself for her.
If Zhu Zhuyun found her here again, it would only mean annihilation. She couldn't step out—not until she had the strength to confront her fate. Right now, ironically, the safest place… was beside this shameless drunk.
She clenched her fists and turned back to him. "Can I… travel with you?"
Lu Yuan beamed, unfazed. "Of course. Come, kitten, drink with me!"
"…I don't drink." She retreated slightly.
He shrugged. "Suit yourself."
Hotel Room Confessions
That evening, while the rest of the Emperor Team celebrated their fighting spirit matches at Star Luo Arena, two souls remained behind at the inn—Lu Yuan and Zhu Zhuqing.
Qin Ming, relieved, enjoyed the unfamiliar feeling of a quiet match day without constant tremors of dread. For once, he didn't have to monitor Lu Yuan.
Inside their room, Zhu Zhuqing sat across from him, silently watching. He had been drinking nonstop. From the moment they entered, he hadn't cultivated, meditated, or even checked his own body condition. He drank.
And yet his spirit rings…
Three purple. One black.
It violated every law of spirit master cultivation.
Her lips quivered before she finally asked, "Lu Yuan… how is your spirit ring configuration even possible?"
His unfocused eyes drifted onto her. "…Drinking, of course. Otherwise what else?" He raised his jar for emphasis.
"Tons… tons… tons…"
Zhu Zhuqing stared. For the first time, she heard such an insane claim—that drinking made you stronger. Every instinct told her not to believe it. Yet… her icy heart hesitated.
The temptation was too deep.
Her voice softened. "Then… let me try."
Kitten Drinks
Under Lu Yuan's prodding, she finally lifted a small cup.
"Ha! A toast to misery drowned!" he cheered, clinking his jar against her thin porcelain. She swallowed, stiffly.
Wine scalded down her throat like fire, burning bitter, leaving her gasping.
"Ugh…"
Lu Yuan chuckled. "Kitten, drink properly! Don't be lazy."
Her irritation flared. "Do you look down on me? Bring me a whole jar!"
Eyes sparkling at her challenge, he passed her one. She tilted her head back, letting the burning flow stream down. When she slammed it down, her pale cheeks tinged with scarlet.
"…Not bad," Lu Yuan chuckled. "Kitten, your alcohol tolerance isn't bad!"
For hours, the two of them sat in the dim candlelight, jars between them, passing drinks back and forth. The quiet young girl who never trusted anyone let her heart leak open for once.
"Lu Yuan… do you know?" she murmured, pale hand gripping the rim of her jar. "From birth, my sister and I were destined to be mortal enemies. We can't both survive. The family decided this. Only one of us will be allowed to stand."
Her dark eyes glistened. "And then… my fiancé—the coward—ran away. Left me to face her alone."
Rage flickered, then fell into endless weariness.
Lu Yuan leaned against her shoulder, still chuckling drowsily. "Kitty, don't think too much. Drink. Be drunk with me, eh? No sadness, no worries."
Their jars clinked again under the moonlight. "Cheers!"
Qin Ming's New Nightmare
Later that night, Qin Ming returned with victorious students, sighing in relief. Peace had lasted a day. But when he stepped into the inn's main hall—
He froze in horror.
Lu Yuan and Zhu Zhuqing were draped across the table, flush-faced, clinking jars like a pair of seasoned tavern drunks.
"…Another one," Qin Ming mumbled weakly. "Another drunkard."
The other students paled. Their excitement from earlier victories washed away in dread.
This team… cannot be led!
The worst part came moments later—Star Luo Royal Academy's teachers approached him directly. They wanted an inter-academy match, scheduled at the city's Arena in three days. It would be a fight between the Empire's royals.
Qin Ming's heart sank. Xingluo's imperial team was known to be vastly superior. Losing here would insult not only Tiandou Academy, but the entire Heaven Dou Empire. Refusal wasn't an option.
It was life, or humiliation.
Which left him one desperate gambit—
The Bargain
The next afternoon, Qin Ming nervously presented his "offering."
Two jars of the finest spirit wine he could afford in Xingluo. His entire month's salary gone, just to bribe one boy.
"Lu Yuan," he said, forcing a smile, "in three days, we face an important soul fight against Xingluo Royal Academy. This represents our academy's honor—our Empire's honor. I ask that you participate."
Lu Yuan sniffed the jar, his eyes brightening. "Good wine." He drained half in a single tilt.
"…But I don't like fighting spirits," he slurred. "Too many rules. Like being a monkey in a circus. I prefer chopping without rules!"
Qin Ming nearly fainted. Just convincing him to agree cost him another jar—for a single yes.
When Zhu Zhuqing suddenly sat up beside them, flushed and fierce from drink, declaring, "Fight! Beat them for me!" Qin Ming almost wept.
Another one lost to his drinking circle!
Lu Yuan, tipsy eyes watching her, finally nodded. "Fine, kitten. You drank with me today. I'll fight. I'll cut down those bastards for you."
Qin Ming cheered internally—until Yu Tianheng yanked him aside in panic.
"Teacher Qin, you're really letting Lu Yuan fight?!"
"What's wrong?"
"What if… what if he can't even tell teammates from enemies while drunk?!"
Silence.
Qin Ming's jaw slackened.
…He hadn't thought of that.
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