The Senior Doesn't Like It?

That day.

Shrek Academy, Mimic Forest.

Lu Lin still liked coming here to cultivate. As a Plant System soul master, his own martial soul also had a faint life attribute.

The environment here greatly benefited his cultivation.

A gentle breeze brushed by, and the leaves rustled.

Lu Lin usually came alone, but things were different now.

A girl named Xu Yaoyao sat quietly in the distance, holding a book and lowering her eyes to read instead of cultivating.

Every so often, she brushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear, glanced toward Lu Lin, then gently looked away.

The girl was as lovely as a painting, with a serene, timeless air about her.

It had to be said, the scene was rather pleasing to the eye.

But Lu Lin found it incredibly irritating!

Why was Xu Yaoyao clinging to him like a plaster that wouldn't come off?

By all rights, after all these days, Xu Yaoyao should have discovered his true identity and learned that he was just a new student who had only recently enrolled.

Xu Yaoyao was a princess of the Star Luo Empire, yet she'd been tricked into calling a freshman a year younger than her "senior."

By normal logic,

Xu Yaoyao should have been either mortified with anger or, at the very least, grown to hate Lu Lin for deceiving her. She certainly shouldn't have wanted to spend any more time with him.

But Xu Yaoyao acted as if she had no idea.

Ever since she'd met Lu Lin that day, whenever he came to the Mimic Forest, she was sure to show up too.

Like some NPC!

And that wasn't all. Whenever Lu Lin went to the cafeteria to eat, Xu Yaoyao would come over and sit with him.

Thanks to Xu Yaoyao,

Lu Lin's reputation in the Outer Court was growing by the day. Before this, no one had ever heard of Xu Yaoyao being so close to any boy.

But Lu Lin just wanted to cultivate in peace!

And why would someone with a Star Crown Martial Soul come to the Mimic Forest anyway?

Lu Lin truly couldn't figure out what Xu Yaoyao was up to.

As he brooded, he saw Xu Yaoyao close her book and walk toward him with graceful steps.

"Senior, how's your cultivation going today?"

Lu Lin's mouth twitched. "Princess Yaoyao, what exactly do you want?"

Xu Yaoyao tilted her head, her lovely eyes twinkling.

"Nothing at all. Unless there's something you want from me, Senior?"

"..."

What a drama queen.

Lu Lin gritted his teeth. He refused to believe Xu Yaoyao hadn't found out that he was only a freshman.

"By the way, didn't Xiao Lingchen challenge you to a duel, Senior? Aren't you going?"

At that, Lu Lin asked in return,

"Just because he challenged me, I have to go? The academy doesn't have a rule like that."

Xiao Lingchen was the second-year student who wanted to duel Lu Lin.

Qin He had told him that Xiao Lingchen was one of Xu Yaoyao's admirers.

After spending the past few days so close to Xu Yaoyao, Lu Lin knew he'd annoyed her other suitors. He didn't care about that, of course.

The problem was that his peaceful, stagnant life had been disrupted.

The scenario Lu Lin had imagined was that Xu Yaoyao, feeling tricked by him, would send one of her admirers to teach him a lesson and vent her anger.

It was only a duel, after all. No one was going to die.

At worst, Lu Lin could pretend to put up a fight and then concede.

As long as Xu Yaoyao stayed far away from him, Lu Lin figured that was a small price to pay.

But as things stood, Xiao Lingchen had come after him entirely on his own. It had nothing to do with Xu Yaoyao!

That made all the difference.

Xu Yaoyao hadn't expected Lu Lin to say that. She blinked. "If you don't accept his challenge, won't people say..."

Lu Lin said helplessly,

"Princess Yaoyao, I can't help wondering whether you might have something to do with all this."

"What does it have to do with me?"

The girl blinked, looking completely innocent.

"Xiao Lingchen said that if I lose to him, I have to disappear from Princess Yaoyao's sight."

Lu Lin smiled at Xu Yaoyao and spoke slowly, word by word.

At that, the girl's eyes curved into crescents. She smiled, showing her teeth. "I see. Then you mustn't lose, Senior."

Lu Lin sighed. "Princess Yaoyao, I was wrong to deceive you before. I'm sorry.

"So, from now on... could you stop being so close to me?"

"Otherwise, there'll be no end to situations like Xiao Lingchen's."

"Huh? What did you deceive me about, Senior?"

Lu Lin's mouth twitched. He didn't know why, but hearing Xu Yaoyao call him "Senior" now gave him the creeps.

He'd really brought this on himself.

But there was nothing he could do about Xu Yaoyao clinging to him like this.

Was he supposed to stop coming to the Mimic Forest to cultivate?

When Lu Lin didn't answer, Xu Yaoyao smiled faintly.

"Don't you like hearing me call you that, Senior?"

"Anyway, don't lose to Xiao Lingchen. I'm looking forward to seeing what you can do, Senior."

After saying that, Xu Yaoyao turned and left.

Lu Lin had no choice but to set off after her.

Outside the Mimic Forest.

Qin He, a handsome young man in the Outer Court uniform, was waiting for Lu Lin.

But Lu Lin still hadn't come out. Qin He was so anxious he paced back and forth like an ant on a hot pan.

Xiao Lingchen was already waiting for Lu Lin in the academy's Soul Fighting Arena.

But Lu Lin, the one at the center of all this, wasn't worried at all. He'd even had the leisure to come to the Mimic Forest to cultivate.

Qin He was at a loss for words.

Before long, he saw Lu Lin emerge from the entrance in his green robe, walking at an unhurried pace.

His eyes lit up, and he was about to go over, but his feet stopped of their own accord.

His face filled with astonishment. Xu Yaoyao was right behind Lu Lin.

Xu Yaoyao had come out behind Lu Lin, so she naturally saw Qin He too.

But she didn't say a word. She gave Qin He a cool glance, then walked straight away.

Only after Xu Yaoyao had gone some distance did Qin He come up to Lu Lin.

"Ahem, well, Lu Lin... do you think Xu Yaoyao might be interested in you?"

Lu Lin rolled his eyes at Qin He and said irritably,

"No chance."

Qin He scratched his head, but there was a knowing look on his face.

You really don't get it at all, do you?

Qin He slapped his forehead, remembering the matter at hand.

"Let's leave that aside. Xiao Lingchen's already waiting for you in the Soul Fighting Arena?"

At that, Lu Lin grew even more annoyed. "I never agreed to go. What's he waiting there for?"

Yesterday, after reading the challenge Xiao Lingchen had sent, Lu Lin had tossed it aside.

The challenge was written in a very formal tone. More or less, it said the loser would have to disappear from Xu Yaoyao's sight.

It was obvious that Xiao Lingchen was an admirer, not someone acting on Xu Yaoyao's behalf to avenge her.

Naturally, Lu Lin wasn't interested. He hadn't even replied to Xiao Lingchen.

Then Xiao He told him Xiao Lingchen was already waiting in the Soul Fighting Arena.

What a ridiculous mess. Lu Lin stared wordlessly at the sky.

"Then let's go. Show me the way."

Lu Lin looked at Qin He and spoke listlessly.

Qin He thumped his chest, grabbed Lu Lin, and led him off. As they walked, he didn't forget to share what he'd learned.

"Lu Lin, Xiao Lingchen's a second-ring Soul Grandmaster. His martial soul is a Tool Martial Soul called the Azure Rainbow Sword, and he's an assault-type soul master.

"He's in the same class as Xu Yaoyao. I heard he's been pursuing her for a while.

"But Xu Yaoyao doesn't even give him the time of day."

To be honest, Lu Lin was impressed by Qin He.

In such a short time, Qin He had found out Xiao Lingchen's martial soul and rank.

But... only a second-ring Soul Grandmaster?

Lu Lin fell into thought.