Douluo Dalu: Beginning with Signing in with Yan Lingji

Chapter 160: Stay Behind Me

Morning arrived.

The soft light of dawn streamed into Zhao Ming's room.

He woke up with a gentle smile, looking down at the sleeping face of Meng Yiran in his arms.

Under the morning sunlight, Meng Yiran's delicate face glowed warmly, her skin as smooth as porcelain.

Last night, Zhao Ming had held Meng Yiran the entire night. She was soft, fragrant, and beautiful.

Of course, he hadn't harbored any impure thoughts; he simply held her. He knew that, given the situation last night, if he had wanted to go further, Meng Yiran wouldn't have stopped him.

But he wasn't that kind of person. He would never take advantage of Meng Yiran's vulnerability. Such a significant step required a special setting—like a bed covered in rose petals.

Zhao Ming adjusted the blanket, covering Meng Yiran warmly before holding her close again.

Perhaps disturbed by Zhao Ming's movements, Meng Yiran gradually opened her eyes, still half-asleep.

"Sorry, did I wake you?" Zhao Ming asked softly, feeling the warmth in his arms.

"It's okay. It's about time to wake up anyway. If we sleep any longer, we'll miss class," Meng Yiran replied, shaking her head. She looked at Zhao Ming and suddenly recalled the events of the previous night.

She had broken through to Rank 33, and in her excitement, she had stayed with Zhao Ming overnight.

Thinking about it now, she felt a mix of embarrassment and nervousness. As a girl, staying overnight in a guy's room was something that made her feel shy, even if it was her. She was still just an ordinary girl in this regard.

But she was relieved that Zhao Ming hadn't done anything to her. Though her clothes were a little wrinkled, they weren't messy.

He hadn't touched her.

"Why didn't you… last night?" Meng Yiran asked in a low voice, her eyes looking shyly at Zhao Ming.

"How could I bear to?" Zhao Ming smiled and kissed her forehead gently. "I want to go to your Beast Clan first to propose marriage. Only then can I truly have you. Without your family's blessing, how could I take you so casually?"

"Is that so?" Meng Yiran's gaze softened as she looked at him.

"I'll wait for you to come to my Beast Clan and marry me."

"I will," Zhao Ming replied with a bright smile.

To propose to the Beast Clan, he knew he needed to reach the level of a Titled Douluo. Only then would he have a firm foothold in this world and the peace of mind to think about such matters.

By that time, Meng Yiran would also be stronger and even more beautiful.

After washing up, Zhao Ming held Meng Yiran's hand, and they headed to the dining hall.

In the dining hall, Zhu Zhuqing and the others were already there.

It was a large round table with two empty seats.

Clearly, they had been waiting for Zhao Ming and Meng Yiran.

"The food looks delicious. Why didn't you call me for breakfast?" Zhao Ming grinned, rubbing his hands together. With the money he had earned at the Great Spirit Arena, the quality of life for Shrek Academy's students had improved significantly.

"Hmph, we didn't want to interrupt your fun," Ning Rongrong said, pouting and feigning annoyance.

Meng Yiran hadn't returned all night, and they were well aware of it.

"What fun? I didn't do anything last night." Zhao Ming laughed, pinching Ning Rongrong's nose before taking a seat next to Xiao Wu.

"Who would believe you?" Ning Rongrong muttered, not entirely convinced.

"Believe it or not, nothing happened between Yiran and me," Zhao Ming said casually, picking up his chopsticks and grabbing a piece of meat.

Could it really be true? Ning Rongrong blinked her bright eyes at Meng Yiran. She had even set things up for her last night.

Could it be that she didn't take the chance?

"Rongrong, don't overthink. It's not what you're imagining. Last night, with Zhao Ming's help, I absorbed the soul bone and then fell asleep. Nothing happened," Meng Yiran said, feeling embarrassed by Ning Rongrong's bold words.

"You've already absorbed the soul bone?" Zhu Zhuqing and Xiao Wu looked at Meng Yiran in surprise, sensing her enhanced aura.

"My spirit power has increased by two levels; I'm now at Rank 33 and close to Rank 34. If I meet someone like that guy from yesterday again, I'm confident I can beat him," Meng Yiran said confidently. She recalled the scene from the day before, feeling a shiver. With her increased strength and the soul bone, she could now hold her ground against a Rank 35 Spirit Elder.

"Make sure to protect yourselves. If I'm not around and you encounter an enemy you can't defeat, don't push yourself. If any of you get hurt, it will break my heart," Zhao Ming said seriously.

"If we always avoid danger, how will we grow stronger?" Zhu Zhuqing rolled her eyes at Zhao Ming.

"Isn't that what I'm here for? With me around, you don't have to work so hard." Zhao Ming laughed.

"No matter what happens, I'll stand in front and bear everything. You just need to stay behind me."

Hearing Zhao Ming's confident and protective words, the girls remained silent.

But in their hearts, the urgency to grow stronger became even more intense.

Zhao Ming was incredibly talented, and his strength was growing so rapidly that it was becoming a challenge to keep up.

Even though Zhao Ming assured them they didn't need to push themselves, how could they accept that?

They, too, were the pride of their respective families, each with their own ambitions.

They wanted to keep up with Zhao Ming's pace, to stand beside him and help him with whatever he wanted to accomplish. Not just stay in the academy, unaware of what he was facing outside.

Even if they couldn't match Zhao Ming's talent, they didn't want to hold him back or become a burden. If that ever happened, they knew they'd feel terrible, regardless of how Zhao Ming felt.

The four quickly finished breakfast. Zhao Ming was about to wash the dishes when Zhu Zhuqing took the bowl from his hands.

"This is something I should do." Zhu Zhuqing said softly, her lips curving into a gentle smile before heading to the sink.

His dear Zhuqing was indeed the best.

Even though her reserved personality wasn't as lively as Rongrong's, every time she was with him, it warmed his heart.

Although Zhao Ming was back, the girls' training continued as usual.

However, Zhao Ming's case was different. After his strength increased, Flender didn't hold him to the same strict standards as the girls.

Moreover, he still needed to complete his new task.

He was determined to make the beautiful Huo Wu his disciple.