God-Tier Awakening: The Dead Can Still Level Up

Chapter 8: The Banquet

The rest of the day passed through other classes, and as soon as the final class ended, Xingluo returned to her dorm with her friends.

The moment she sat down, Yun Xia looked at her with shining eyes and said, "Well, well, now our great beauty Luo should dress up properly for the banquet. You have to look your best."

Xingluo was clearly resistant at first, but after being surrounded by the three of them for several moments, she finally agreed helplessly.

In her mind, it was only a casual banquet, so preparing a little more should not hurt anything.

Just as she was about to change, Xingluo glanced toward Shen Wuxia and silently signaled him to turn around.

Seeing this, Shen Wuxia sighed and turned away, though his mind was still fixed on what he could possibly do to help her.

If something truly happened to Xingluo tonight, he did not even know what would happen to him afterward.

More than the strange binding itself, the thought of watching her fall into Qin Haoran’s hands while being unable to stop it made his mood sink further.

While Shen Wuxia remained lost in thought, Yun Xia and Su Lan helped Xingluo choose a suitable outfit, while Ruan Mei simply sat nearby and nodded from time to time with a lollipop in her mouth.

After several rounds of debate, they finally decided on a dress, and only then did Yun Xia, Su Lan, and Ruan Mei leave for their own work and dorms.

After the room quieted down, Xingluo finally looked toward Shen Wuxia and said with a softer expression, "Now, now, why are you being so sour? Cheer up a little.

I did not mean to scold you earlier, it is just that I have my own circumstances." She paused slightly before turning in place with a faint smile. "Tell me how I look."

Hearing this, Shen Wuxia turned around and looked at her properly for the first time.

For a brief moment, his expression froze because Xingluo looked almost flawless beneath the soft dorm light, yet his mood soured again the next instant when he remembered that Qin Haoran was the reason she had prepared like this.

Even then, he still suppressed everything and said quietly, "It looks good." Hearing his answer, Xingluo immediately cheered up a little before walking toward the mirror and combing her hair.

Shen Wuxia watched her for several moments before finally speaking in a more serious tone. "Miss Xingluo, would you mind listening to me for a moment?"

Xingluo turned around with a questioning expression, and Shen Wuxia continued after taking a breath. "First, please look at this normally and believe that I do not mean any harm to you.

I understand your condition, and I know you have your own problems, so I will not say anything more about Qin Haoran himself."

His eyes sharpened slightly before he continued in a lower voice. "The only thing I want you to remember is this.

Do not go anywhere private if he says he wants to move somewhere quieter, try to stay in public surroundings, and do not drink anything he personally offers you."

Hearing this, Xingluo looked at him for a moment before sighing helplessly. "Do not treat me like a foolish kid. I can take care of myself."

Then, seeing his expression still remain heavy, she added with a small shrug, "But since you are saying it so strongly, I will take care, Mister Ghost."

Hearing this, Shen Wuxia could only sigh in return because he knew this was already the maximum he could do for now. What happened next would depend on Xingluo herself and the situation inside the banquet.

After Xingluo finished preparing, she left the dorm and boarded a bus toward the banquet location.

Not long afterward, they arrived before a magnificent building, where lavishly dressed guests stepped down from their own mana-powered vehicles one after another.

As Shen Wuxia looked around, his expression gradually became colder because he recognized many people entering the hall.

Most of them were Tianchen University students, and more precisely, many were members or followers connected to Qin Haoran’s circle.

When Xingluo reached the entrance, the guards stopped her and asked for a pass.

She showed the invitation Qin Haoran had given her, and after confirming it, the guards allowed her to enter the magnificent hall filled with bright lights, music, and people moving through the crowd with confident smiles.

Xingluo appeared slightly nervous as she stepped inside, her fingers subconsciously clutching together while she looked around the unfamiliar surroundings.

But just then, a man suddenly appeared behind her, and the moment Shen Wuxia saw him, his gaze instantly turned murderous.

It was Qin Haoran.

Xingluo turned around in surprise after hearing his greeting, then hurriedly greeted him back with an awkward smile.

Qin Haoran looked at her with a gentle expression and said, "I was waiting for you, Miss Luo. For a moment, I thought you might not come tonight."

Hearing this, Xingluo smiled somewhat stiffly and replied, "How could I not come after Young Master Qin invited me personally?"

As she looked around the hall again, Qin Haoran smiled faintly and spoke in a natural tone. "Most of the people here are members who will enter that large-scale dungeon together.

Let me introduce you to some of them first." After saying that, he led Xingluo through the banquet hall while introducing her to many people one after another.

Qin Haoran laughed and spoke with complete confidence, appearing gentle, noble, and utterly charming in front of everyone around him.

Shen Wuxia floated beside them silently with a cold expression, giving Qin Haoran a murderous look almost the entire time.

Yet he did not dare speak casually because if Xingluo reacted to him in front of everyone, it would only make her seem strange and draw unnecessary attention.

As the banquet slowly continued, servants began passing through the hall with food and drinks while soft music started ringing through the air.

The atmosphere around them became more relaxed, but Shen Wuxia’s eyes never once left Qin Haoran.

As they continued moving through the banquet hall while talking, Qin Haoran eventually picked up a glass of wine from a passing waiter and offered it to Xingluo with a gentle smile.

Looking at the glass in his hand, Xingluo suddenly remembered Shen Wuxia’s warning and politely refused. "I do not drink," she said with an awkward smile, trying to keep her tone natural.

Hearing this, Qin Haoran only smiled as if he did not mind at all. "How disappointing, Miss Luo, but there is no pressure. Then just drink something light instead."

As he said that, he casually picked up a glass of juice from the tray of a nearby waiter and handed it to her.

This time, Xingluo hesitated for a moment but could not find a proper reason to refuse, especially when the glass had clearly been taken from a tray meant for many people.

There should be nothing wrong with this, right? He could not possibly tamper with one drink in front of so many people.

Thinking this, Xingluo finally accepted the glass and raised it toward her lips.

Seeing this, Shen Wuxia’s expression changed instantly, and he hurriedly shouted for her to stop, but the music ringing through the hall swallowed most of his voice before it could properly reach her.

By the time Xingluo faintly heard something and paused slightly, the juice had already touched her lips.

Nothing happened immediately afterward, and the banquet continued as usual, causing her own nervousness to ease a little as she finished the glass.

Shen Wuxia, however, did not relax at all, a few minutes later, Xingluo suddenly felt the bright lights around her begin to blur slightly.

The laughter, music, and moving figures inside the hall slowly twisted together, and when she tried to steady herself, her feet became weak for a brief moment.

Just as she stumbled, Qin Haoran approached her again with the same gentle smile, but this time Shen Wuxia clearly saw the beast-like glint hidden deep within his eyes.

He stretched out his hand naturally and placed it near Xingluo’s waist as if he were only trying to support her.

"It seems the crowd and music are getting to you, Miss Luo," Qin Haoran said softly. "Let us move somewhere quieter for a moment."

Seeing his hand touch her, Shen Wuxia’s anger almost exploded through his skull.

Even Xingluo sensed that something was wrong, but her head had already started hurting so badly that she could barely understand what was happening around her.

She tried to move away, yet Qin Haoran’s grip tightened just enough to guide her without making it obvious to the people nearby.

Shen Wuxia shouted again and again beside her, but his voice reached her only as a distant echo buried beneath the music and the dizziness spreading through her mind.

Under the cover of the lively banquet, Qin Haoran continued leading her toward the side door with a calm smile still resting on his face.