Dai Mubai's body lurched to a halt as he erupted with spirit power, trying to blast through the roots but they were far tougher than he expected. The floor tiles shattered under the force, yet his legs remained trapped. With a snarl, he slashed wildly with his razor-sharp claws, slicing the roots into fragments that scattered across the floor.
But that momentary struggle was all the opening Lu Feng needed.
Before Dai Mubai could react, emerald-gold vines slithered around his body, coiling and tightening like living chains. In an instant, he was ensnared, thick vines as sturdy as iron cables crushing against his White Tiger-enhanced frame.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
With a roar of fury, Dai Mubai hacked at the vines with everything he had but his claws only bit halfway through, sparks flying as if striking metal. Not a single vine severed completely.
Then, the vines squeezed.
Dai Mubai gasped as venom seeped into his veins. His spirit power dwindled, his muscles numbed, and his vision blurred. The once-proud White Tiger was now a bound, green-tinged prisoner, his strength leaching away with every second.
He looked up at Lu Feng, standing just inches away, and for the first time, fear flickered in his eyes.
He'd unleashed his full power, yet he hadn't even touched a hair on Lu Feng's head. Instead, he'd been utterly immobilized, poisoned, weakened, and humiliatingly turned green.
This… this is terrifying.
Lu Feng hadn't even stepped back. A control-type spirit master who didn't need distance was one who hadn't even tried yet.
Not that Dai Mubai could've hurt him anyway Eight treasure wishful soft armor, wasn't just for show.
"Hahahaha! Magnificent, my lord!"
Manager Wang and the clerk burst into applause, their cheers infectious enough that even the gathered crowd at the entrance joined in.
Even the usually reserved Zhu sisters couldn't help but clap softly, their eyes glowing with admiration and something warmer.
The twin beauties were no exception. One clutched her chest, sighing:
"That was breathtaking! And that young spirit master is so dashing!"
"Not to mention his status…" her sister murmured, gaze lingering on Lu Feng with undisguised fascination.
Dai Mubai, slumped in his vine prison, croaked: "L-Let me go… I admit defeat."
His dream of reclaiming pride through combat had shattered. Now, he was just a spectacle, a bound, green-striped fool for everyone to gawk at.
Lu Feng's voice was ice. "From now on, stay away from me and Zhuqing."
Defeated, Dai Mubai could only nod weakly, head hanging.
With a flick of his wrist, Lu Feng dissolved the vines and neutralized the poison. This had been a duel, not a death match.
"Already forgetting your promise?"
Lu Feng's words froze Dai Mubai mid-retreat.
The bet.
Gritting his teeth, Dai Mubai tossed a pouch of gold spirit coins to Manager Wang, compensation for the wrecked lobby.
Then, under the eyes of the crowd, he dropped to the ground…
…and rolled toward the exit.
A crown prince, reduced to literally rolling away in public. If the earth could've swallowed him whole, he'd have begged for it.
Why did I agree to this bet? Why did I provoke him at all?!
At least no one here knew he was royalty. Except the Zhu sisters.
"Pfft—" Zhu Zhuyun couldn't hold back her laughter.
Even Zhu Zhuqing covered her mouth, shoulders shaking with silent giggles.
Dai Mubai reached the door, dusted himself off, and, with what little dignity remained, muttered to the twins:
"Let's go. I'll take you somewhere else."
Zhu Zhuqing was already out of his reach, but the twin sisters were still tempting he couldn't just give up on them, and there was no need to hold back anymore.
Frustration and anger simmered inside him, and he planned to take it all out on the twins.
"We're not going. We don't even know you."
The beautiful twin sisters threw Dai Mubai's own words back at him, rejecting him outright. They had their pride.
Exchanging a glance, as if reading each other's thoughts, they stepped forward in unison, their long legs swaying gracefully as they walked toward Lu Feng.
Dai Mubai was stunned.
The twins wore short, form-fitting dresses resembling qipaos, deliberately hiking up the hems to reveal even more of their slender, pale legs.
With a seductive glance, they approached Lu Feng, bowing deeply. "We would be honored to serve you, my lord."
As they bowed, they lingered a bit longer, deliberately giving Lu Feng a clear view of their snow-white cleavage, putting in some serious effort to impress.
Lu Feng didn't need to turn around to feel the two icy glares burning into his back—Zhu Zhuqing and Zhu Zhuyun, no doubt.
Still, he had to admit, the twins were bold. They knew how to seize an opportunity to climb higher, but their approach wasn't exactly smart.
Clearing his throat, Lu Feng replied, "No need for 'serving.' If you're serious, I'd suggest joining the Merchant Alliance. Learn a proper skill, otherwise, you'll regret it when youth fades."
The twins' faces fell in disappointment.
One of them spoke up, "You're right, my lord. We'd love to join the Merchant Alliance, but would they even accept us?"
"Manager Wang," Lu Feng said, "if they're willing to work hard, give them a chance."
"As you command." Manager Wang bowed respectfully before turning to the twins. "With his lordship's recommendation, you needn't worry. We currently have openings for front desk attendants, interested?"
"Yes! We can start today!" The sisters beamed, thanking him repeatedly.
Before leaving to arrange their employment, Manager Wang shot Lu Feng a look one of those "I get what's really going on" glances.
Seriously? What's with that look?
Does he think I've got some future plans with these two?
I only helped them because they asked, nothing more!
But explaining would only make it seem more suspicious.
Sighing, Lu Feng shook his head and led the two women upstairs.
The door clicked shut behind them.
The rich, intoxicating scent of roses filled the air, carrying a hint of something almost teasing.
The room was bathed in deep rose-red hues, elegant, warm, and exquisitely arranged, lifting the spirits of anyone who stepped inside. At its center stood a massive heart-shaped decoration, woven entirely from fresh red roses. Their heady fragrance permeated every corner, wrapping the space in a dreamy, romantic aura.
Zhu Zhuqing and Zhu Zhuyun's eyes lit up instantly.
It was clear they were pleasantly surprised by the room's ambiance. Girls loved flowers, after all, and roses, with their passionate symbolism, were especially irresistible.
"Since you own shares in this hotel, you're practically the boss. Can't you just ask them to prepare another room for us?" Zhu Zhuqing said.
"We can't just kick out other guests. That would hurt the hotel's reputation," Lu Feng explained.
Truthfully, he could have the entire place reserved with just a word, shutting it down temporarily was no issue.
All he wanted was a room, a chance to finally be alone with Zhu Zhuqing, his little vixen, after days apart, to indulge in the passion they'd been craving. Tonight, you're all mine, he thought.
"It's fine. Just for one night, we'll manage. There's a separate area anyway," Zhu Zhuyun chimed in.
Zhu Zhuqing nodded."Alright. Then you take the sofa in the main room, and my sister and I will sleep inside."
"No problem."
Lu Feng grinned.
As long as they were under the same roof, he'd find his opportunity.
"Finally, no more carriage rides tomorrow. This bed is heavenly!" Zhu Zhuqing flopped onto the plush mattress, her body bouncing with a very noticeable ripple, one that made Lu Feng's heart skip a beat.
"Ugh, my bones are aching after all that travel. I'm taking a bath. And in two days, I'll have to endure the same journey back," Zhu Zhuyun grumbled, swaying her hips as she headed toward the bathroom.
"Rough trip, huh, sister? How's the bathroom?" Zhu Zhuqing asked, hopping up and padding over on her bare, flawless feet. "Wow, it's huge! Wanna bathe together?"
"T-Take a bath… together?" Lu Feng stammered, sucking in a sharp breath.
A guy like him, pure of heart, would never dream of using his True Sight Golden Pupil to sneak a peek… right?