Douluo Continent: Who says evil soul masters can't achieve sainthood through merit?

The morning mist enveloped Mingdu, and the city gates were bustling with carriages and horses.

An inconspicuous black carriage slowly drove out of the city gate and headed northwest.

Inside the carriage, Ye Guyi sat upright with her hands folded on her lap, her posture as dignified as that of a lady from a prominent family.

Today she changed into a light blue long dress, and her golden hair was tied up with a simple wooden hairpin, making her look less sharp and more gentle like a young girl.

Looking at Li Qing, who was resting with his eyes closed, she finally couldn't help but ask, "What are you doing in Shrek City? Didn't you say that Shrek Academy wouldn't accept someone with an evil martial soul like you?"

Li Qing slowly opened his eyes, his dark pupils calm and unwavering: "Who said going to Shrek City means you have to join Shrek Academy? Can't I just go and have a look around?"

"Want to take a look around?"

Hearing this, Ye Guyi raised an eyebrow, her face full of disbelief: "I don't believe you went to Shrek City just to take a stroll. You must have something else on your mind."

"Then what do you think I could do there?" Li Qing asked in return.

"I'm not a mind reader, how would I know what you're thinking?" Ye Guyi rolled her eyes, looking completely different from the female angel who fought a bloody battle yesterday.

Li Qing smiled and closed his eyes again: "Don't ask too many questions or think too much. This has nothing to do with you. Since you're following me and don't want to go to Shrek Academy, then take your time to explore Shrek City and see what the city where the world's number one academy is located is like."

"Hmph, fine, if you don't want to tell me, I don't want to know anyway." Ye Guyi turned her head to one side, putting on an arrogant look, but she still secretly glanced at Li Qing out of the corner of her eye.

Seven days passed by during the bumpy journey.

The horse-drawn carriage traveled through fields and over hills, passing through several small towns along the way.

Ye Guyi discovered that Li Qing was exceptionally familiar with this route; he knew exactly where to resupply and where to take detours.

On the evening of the seventh day, the carriage finally entered Shrek City.

As the outline of the city wall appeared on the horizon, Ye Guyi couldn't help but lean out of the car window.

In the afterglow of the setting sun, the colossal city known as the "Number One City on the Mainland" stands majestically, possessing less of the cold, metallic feel of the Ming capital and more of the weight of history.

The city walls, which are tens of meters high, are made of bluish-gray boulders, and the green flag of Shrek Academy flies on the city tower.

The city gate was teeming with people, including young soul masters in Shrek Academy uniforms, merchants from all over the country, and ordinary civilians.

The carriage slowly drove in, and Ye Guyi was attracted by the bustling scene in the city—the wide streets were lined with shops, and the signs of various soul tools were flashing. The air was filled with the aroma of food and the noise of people.

"It's bigger than I imagined," she murmured.

"After all, it has a history spanning ten thousand years." Li Qing's voice came from across the way. He had opened his eyes at some point and was quietly looking at the street scene outside the window, his expression complex and unreadable.

The carriage stopped in front of a rather elegant-looking hotel in the city center.

Li Qing paid the fare and led Ye Guyi into the hotel.

The receptionist, a kind middle-aged woman, brightened up when she saw the couple: "Are you two here to visit Shrek City?"

Ye Guyi's cheeks flushed slightly, and she was about to explain when Li Qing interrupted, "Two rooms, preferably quiet ones."

The woman gave a meaningful smile and handed over the keys: "Third floor, two adjacent rooms, absolutely quiet."

Once inside the room, Ye Guyi finally breathed a sigh of relief: "Why didn't you explain earlier?"

"Explain what?"

Li Qing sat on the chair by the window, asked a question in return, and then explained, "If I say we're not in that kind of relationship, she'll ask even more questions. Sometimes, the simplest answer is the easiest."

Ye Guyi opened her mouth, but ultimately said nothing.

She walked to another window and looked down at the night view of Shrek City.

The lights of thousands of homes flowed like a river of stars, and the outline of Shrek Academy could be vaguely seen in the distance. The academy, which had been passed down for thousands of years, looked like a sleeping behemoth in the night.

"Take a rest, I'll take you out for a walk tonight," Li Qing's voice came from behind.

As night fell, the two left the hotel and blended into the crowds of Shrek City.

Unlike the metallic and orderly feel of Mingdu, Shrek City is more vibrant and lively.

The cries of street vendors rose and fell, and the warm glow of the soul-guided streetlights cast a warm glow. Young soul masters walked by in twos and threes, their faces radiating the vigor of their age.

Ye Guyi was initially a little reserved, but she was quickly attracted by the dazzling array of goods.

She stopped in front of a candied hawthorn stall, gazing longingly at the glistening hawthorn skewers.

"Want some?" Li Qing asked.

Ye Guyi nodded, then shook her head: "I didn't bring any money..."

Li Qing had already paid and handed her a string of candied hawthorns: "Try it."

Ye Guyi took it, carefully took a bite, and the sweet and sour taste melted in her mouth. Her eyes curved slightly, like two crescent moons.

In that instant, Li Qing looked at her cheeks, bulging from the candied hawthorns, and suddenly realized that this girl who had fought alongside him all along was actually just an ordinary girl who loved to eat.

The two wandered aimlessly, from East Street to West Market, from soul tool shops to snack stalls.

Li Qing didn't talk much, but he would give brief answers to whatever Ye Guyi asked.

Occasionally, Ye Guyi would stop and linger, attracted by some novel object, and Li Qing would patiently wait for her.

As they passed a pastry shop, Ye Guyi stared at the osmanthus cake in the window for a long time, so Li Qing went in, bought a box, and handed it to her.

"How did you know I wanted to eat this?" Ye Guyi asked in surprise.

"Your eyes are practically glued to the shop window," Li Qing said casually.

Ye Guyi blushed, lowered her head and ate the pastry in small bites, but a warm feeling rose in her heart.

As night deepened, the two arrived in front of a huge store in the city center.

The shop is five stories high and brightly lit, with the large characters on its signboard standing out prominently in the night.

"So big..." Ye Guyi looked up at it, still biting into the candied hawthorn.

Li Qing went in first: "Let's see if there's anything you need."

The store is filled with a wide variety of goods, from soul guides to daily necessities, from clothing and jewelry to rare materials.

Ye Guyi was like a curious child, looking around and touching things until Li Qing stopped in front of a certain area.

That was the women's clothing section, where all sorts of gorgeous clothes were neatly displayed, gleaming under the soul-guided lights.

Ye Guyi followed along, chewing on a candied hawthorn, and looked at Li Qing with a puzzled expression as he picked through the clothes racks.

His slender fingers traced across silk, brocade, and tulle, finally stopping in front of several exquisitely crafted dresses—one pure white as snow, one pale gold as dawn, and one light purple as lavender.

"What are you doing...?"

Ye Guyi blinked, suddenly realizing something. Her cheeks flushed slightly as she asked, "Did you buy this for me?"

Li Qing looked at her like she was an idiot: "Then how about I wear it?"

Ye Guyi smiled brightly, her golden eyes curving into crescents: "It's not impossible. By the way, I've never seen you wear women's clothes before. Why don't you put one on and show me?"

Li Qing's face darkened, and he immediately threw the clothes in his hand at her: "Go try them on and see how they look."

Ye Guyi pouted and said "Oh," then handed the candied hawthorn to Li Qing, telling him not to steal any before heading to the changing room with the help of a waiter.

While waiting, Li Qing leaned against the clothes rack, her gaze sweeping across the store.

Several young girls were secretly glancing at him and whispering among themselves. He ignored them, staring only at the locker room door.

The door opened.