Douluo Continent: Tonight, a Fairy Tale Descends

Zhu Mansion.

Zhu Zhuqing was gazing absently at a black bamboo in the courtyard outside the window.

Her figure was still quite young, but her dark eyes already held a calmness and maturity far beyond her years.

The news that Dai Mubai had secretly infiltrated the delegation to Tian Dou naturally reached her ears as well.

Chapter 101 Chat Room

Zhu Zhuqing's delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly, and a faint look of surprise flashed in her eyes.

The prince who she thought only frequented brothels and was self-destructive actually had such a bold and proactive side.

This is somewhat different from what she had previously thought.

But that's all.

After the initial surprise, what welled up in my heart was still my disgust and alienation towards Dai Mubai.

After all, his frivolous and unrestrained image was already deeply rooted in Zhu Zhuqing's mind, and it was by no means something that could be changed by a single unexpected action.

Dai Mubai's actions were nothing more than a struggle for his own precarious position; what did it have to do with Zhu Zhuqing?

Although they are an engaged couple bound together by fate, they are, in reality, each other's most direct competitors and potential threats that could drag the other into the abyss at any time.

In comparison, the pills that allowed Soul Masters to absorb Soul Rings beyond their level were more appealing to her.

If... if she could also obtain this kind of elixir, would she be able to increase her strength more quickly and gain the power to break free from the shackles of this cold fate more quickly?

Even if it's just a sliver of hope, it's worth fighting for.

The head of the delegation was her father, Zhu Tianlin.

This thought stirred a ripple in Zhu Zhuqing's tranquil heart.

Although her father always prioritized the interests of the family and the empire, was incorruptible, and rarely showed the sisters the tenderness of an ordinary father, this was ultimately an opportunity.

Should she, or could she, express this desire to her father in some way?

Zhu Zhuqing's thoughts were silently weighing between the cold reality and the faint light.

……

Inside a quiet lounge at the Star Luo Royal Junior Soul Master Academy.

Levin was currently staring intently at the strange area in his mind that only he and the other fairy tale characters could perceive—the fairy tale chat room opened up by the system.

In the chat room, information flowed very slowly, and most of the time it was in a state of near silence.

After all, everyone is scattered across the mainland, their relationships are unfamiliar, and some even have old grudges. They are more inclined to contact each other individually rather than communicate on public channels.

However, there are always exceptions.

[Pinocchio]: The grilled pork ribs at the college cafeteria tasted really good today! But they seemed a little overcooked, so hard they could break your teeth, haha!

[Pinocchio]: In the afternoon practical class, the teacher praised my dodging movements for being very agile! Although I know he actually meant to say that my attack power was too weak...

Pinocchio: I saw a bird with exceptionally beautiful feathers flying past the window! I really want to ask it if it can take me for a spin!

Pinocchio appears in the chat room almost every day, sharing snippets of his life—trivial, exaggerated, and sometimes even containing descriptions that are clearly exaggerated for the sake of being funny.

Pinocchio felt too lonely.

Alone, I arrived in this completely unfamiliar world, with no familiar faces around me. There was no Grandpa Geppetto, no Mr. Cricket, and no Blue Fairy, whom I had reconciled with but who wasn't really a friend at first.

The competition at Xingluo Royal Academy was fierce, and he knew that his classmates were close to him because of his talent; no one really wanted to be his friend.

But Pinocchio also longs for communication and attention.

Therefore, before this chat room existed, he could only attract attention by telling harmless little lies.

Lies can activate his martial spirit, bring a slight improvement to his cultivation, and even make him temporarily forget that he is a human being.

Now, with this chat room, filled with people from the same fairytale world as him, they respond to him.

Therefore, Pinocchio regarded this place as a confessional, a place where he could freely communicate.

He knew he had exaggerated some of his words, and even contained a little bit of untruth, but he comforted himself: "I only said a little bit, just to make everyone feel a little more interesting. When I make real friends here in the future, I won't do this anymore, and I will definitely tell the truth!"

But recently, a new person has been appearing frequently in the chat room: the witch Gothel.

Unlike Pinocchio, she doesn't spam the screen, but every now and then, she clearly lists the names of several potions, their effects, and the reputation points required to exchange for them.

【Godot】: Resilience Potion, which can slightly and permanently increase physical strength. 30 reputation points are required to exchange for it.

【Gedo】: Spirit Vision Potion, enhances mental perception, requires 30 reputation points to exchange.

【Gedo】: Energy Extraction Liquid, accelerates soul power recovery, requires 10 reputation points to exchange.

These are all genuine products of her witchcraft, with clear descriptions of their effects; they are by no means simplified versions of elixirs used to fool the nobles of the Heavenly Dou Kingdom.

In front of her fellow villagers whom she knew well, Ge Duo did bring out some genuine items, though these potions were by no means cheap.

Levin's gaze lingered on the toughening potion for a long time.

Improving physical strength is a great attraction for any Soul Master in the Douluo Continent, and it is the same for him.

He is exceptionally talented, but if he could become even stronger, who would refuse?

Levin glanced at his accumulated reputation points. As a genius with innate full soul power, and in a high-profile place like the Star Luo Royal Academy, the reputation he had quietly accumulated was quite considerable, more than enough to exchange for a toughness potion.

However, he hesitated for only a moment before looking away.

The role of reputation points goes far beyond this.

Within the system, reputation points can not only be used to exchange for ready-made items and to draw rewards containing the power of miracles, but also are related to unlocking more features in the future.

That's where reputation points should really be used.

While Gordoy's potions are good, in Levin's opinion, using precious reputation points to exchange for a fixed enhancement with known effects is not the best choice.

He prefers to accumulate reputation points and use them for more critical purposes, or to exchange them for benefits that are exclusive to the system and cannot be obtained from outside sources.

"Let's wait a little longer."

Levin exited the chat room, having already made his decision.

He believed that, through his own talent and hard work, he could improve his physical strength, not just by relying on potions.

……

Deep sea, fishbone cave.

Ursula's enormous octopus tentacles coiled around a pearl that emitted a dark glow and embedded it into a complex magic circle on the cave wall.

Stealing a moment from her busy schedule, she also drifted into the chat room.

Ursula let out a low laugh as she looked at the list of potions that Godor had drawn up.

【Ussula】: @Gedo, old sister, are you doing business with your own people? Your Vision Potion doesn't sound as effective as my Deep Sea Jelly's Gaze. Want to consider stocking up? I'll give you a discount~ You can also exchange it for your local specialties.

Ursula didn't forget to take this opportunity to promote her seafood; she even considered buying materials from Godot.

Chapter 102 Seller's Market

Ge Duo's reply was swift, tinged with sarcasm.

[Ge Duo]: No need. Your stuff that's been soaking in seawater has too strong a fishy smell, which will affect the purity of my medicine. Besides, people who need it will naturally buy it.

Ursula didn't care about what Gedo said; it wouldn't affect her anyway, so she let it go.

She continued to watch the chat room with a smile, not particularly interested in Gothor's potions; the deep sea had plenty of unique resources.

She was more interested in the chat room itself, and in using it to sense the movements and locations of her compatriots scattered throughout the mainland, which would allow her to better grasp potential trading or exploit opportunities.

……

Inside the Simulation Cultivation Room of the Heavenly Dou Imperial Palace.

Snow White, who had just finished a round of soul power cultivation, slowly opened her eyes, and the chilling aura surrounding her gradually dissipated.

She habitually focused her attention on the system interface in her mind, glancing at the quiet public chat room filled with Pinocchio's nonsense and Gothic advertisements.

The effects of the potions listed by Godot caught her eye, causing her azure pupils to flicker slightly.

As the most dazzling genius in the Tiandou Empire and a beloved princess, she has indeed gained considerable prestige through this identity and previous rumors of extraordinary encounters.

Exchanging for Gothor's potion was no problem for Snow White.

Her slender fingers unconsciously traced patterns on the hem of her skirt as she hesitated for a moment.

But soon, that hesitation disappeared.

"Using reputation points to exchange for it doesn't seem worthwhile," Snow White thought calmly.

Reputation points are closely linked to system functions and may have even more important uses in the future.

And the materials that Godot needs...

Snow White's gaze swept over the jade boxes in the corner of the cultivation room, which were sent by the royal treasury and were available for her to use at will. Inside were several kinds of rare and precious herbs and flowers.

Among them were several items that happened to be marked on Ge Duo's exchange list.

Since she can directly exchange these rare and precious materials offline, which are not particularly valuable to her, why waste her precious reputation points?

As an imperial princess, the resources and conveniences she possessed were a huge advantage in themselves.

Having figured this out, Snow White stopped paying attention to the transaction information in the chat room and decisively exited the interface.

She plans to find a suitable opportunity to contact Godot directly for an offline transaction.

……

Deep in the forest at sunset, the eye of both ice and fire.

The red and white spring waters remain distinctly separated, with the extreme cold and heat mingling to create a dreamlike mist that nourishes countless rare and exquisite herbs and plants in the surrounding area.

Godot stood in front of her little house, built of strange vines and glowing crystals, mixing a pot of newly brewed dark green potion in her hands. The bubbling liquid emitted a strange aroma that was both invigorating and slightly dizzying.

The veil covering her face had long since been removed, revealing a pale yet still undeniably beautiful face. At this moment, a hint of undisguised pleasure curved her lips.

Her attention had just left the system chat room that connected fairy tale characters; she wasn't there to post ads, but to receive information.

A brief message from Eva in Tiandou City.