You're Really Ugly

On the cold, deserted street, dark clouds churned overhead.

The Vague Man walking ahead never looked at her, until Mu Xiaoyan finished saying, "Yes."

The Vague Man continued, but his question instantly froze the atmosphere.

"Do you always go around ruining your friends' reputations behind their backs?"

The question came far too suddenly, far too directly.

The pitiful expression on Mu Xiaoyan's face instantly stiffened.

A clear flash of panic crossed her eyes. She hurriedly waved her hands in explanation, her voice even beginning to stammer.

"I... I didn't... Brother, you misunderstood. I was only..."

"You often come looking for me. Are you interested in me?"

The Vague Man gave her no chance to defend herself, cutting her off again in that same calm tone.

"Or did you see Jiang Zhu coming to see me so often, and come here just to prove that you're more charming than her? Or perhaps to take what belongs to her?"

"Drip... drip..."

Just then, even the sky seemed unable to stand the sight any longer. The rain it had been gathering for so long finally poured down in torrents.

The two stopped beside a flower bed.

For the first time, the Vague Man halted, turned around, and faced the rain-soaked girl before him.

Mu Xiaoyan met his gaze and clearly felt that there was not the slightest trace of admiration in the look falling upon her—only undisguised...

Disgust.

"Everything you say and do disgusts me."

That short sentence made Mu Xiaoyan's eyes fly wide open. Shame and fury surged from the depths of her gaze.

Her breathing became ragged, her chest heaving violently, but she gritted her teeth and forced out a strained smile, her voice trembling.

"Y-you asked whether we were friends, didn't you?"

"Didn't... didn't you want to know more about me?"

Seeing that she was still putting on an act, the Vague Man seemed to lose interest.

He turned away again and looked down the rain-blurred street ahead.

"Mm. I've learned enough today."

"So you'd better understand one thing."

He tilted his head slightly and left her with words that pierced straight through her heart.

"Compared to her, you're nowhere close."

"Whether it's this face or this heart."

At those words, Mu Xiaoyan's disguise completely shattered. Her features twisted with jealousy and rage, her teeth grinding audibly.

But the Vague Man clearly had no intention of sparing her any dignity and continued twisting the knife. "Someone as ugly and twisted inside as you..."

"No wonder all those male friends around you abandoned you to go find her."

"After all, no one is blind."

After saying that, he dusted off his shoulder as though he had touched something filthy.

"Stay away from me from now on. Don't come disgust me."

With that, he opened an oil-paper umbrella that had appeared from nowhere and left without looking back, leaving Mu Xiaoyan standing there alone.

Cold rain lashed against her twisted, furious face, making her look utterly miserable.

That reversal came far too fast.

After a brief silence, the entire continent erupted into uproarious discussion.

"Damn, that was awesome!"

"So this is the legendary tea-detector Grandmaster? Those eyes are terrifyingly sharp!"

They had thought the Arena Master was just another ordinary man bewitched by beauty. Who would have expected him to be so clear-headed?

Shrek Academy.

Ma Hongjun's mouth hung open. He even forgot to take another bite of the chicken leg in his hand as he said blankly, "What a clear-headed man..."

"Honestly, if it were me, seeing that little girl looking so pitiful, I really wouldn't have caught all the hidden twists in her words."

"I might've gotten completely played."

Dai Mubai, meanwhile, furrowed his brows tightly, his mismatched eyes filled with enormous confusion.

Stroking his chin, he pondered deeply. "Something's not right..."

"If there are so many beautiful women around this guy, why haven't we seen him get handsy with any of them?"

"He won't even take the ones throwing themselves at him?"

"Does he not have any desire at all?"

Oscar rolled his eyes speechlessly beside him and complained, "Boss Dai, your focus seems a little different from ours."

"He's keeping himself clean. You're the only one who welcomes everyone who comes along."

Tang San, who had been tense all this time, relaxed slightly as well.

Since there were so many beauties in that mysterious Duel Arena, the chances of Xiao Wu making the list were much lower.

He speculated, "Could there be another possibility...?"

Tang San analyzed in all seriousness, "Could he like men?"

"Gasp—!"

The moment those words came out, the nearby youths sucked in a breath and simultaneously rubbed the Goosebumps on their arms.

Ma Hongjun even instinctively shrank back. "Third Brother, that joke was a little too cold."

Although Tang San's words were rather absurd, everyone had gained a new understanding of the Arena Master.

The Heavenly Curtain flickered and shifted again.

The rainy street vanished, replaced by the sunny Xiachun Square.

Only this time, the relationship between the two was clearly much closer.

The Vague Man still lay lazily on the soft grass, sunbathing with both hands tucked behind his head.

But Jiang Zhu was no longer sitting beside him as she had before.

She lay on her side, gently resting her head against the Vague Man's shoulder, her face overflowing with a happy smile.

"I have some good news for you!"

Jiang Zhu happily shared her joy.

"These next few days, our academy is organizing students whose Soul Power has reached level 29 to obtain Soul Rings. We'll be heading into the Star Dou Forest for training."

"Teacher Yang and a very formidable Teacher Shi will be leading us. It'll probably take around ten days."

At that, she raised her head, her eyes sparkling as she looked at the Vague Man.

"If everything goes smoothly, when I come back, I'll be an impressive level-30 Soul Elder!"

"Teacher Yang also said that after we return, they'll select outstanding students to form a team!"

Hearing that, the Vague Man reached out and gently smoothed her crimson hair, which the breeze had ruffled, his tone warm.

"Is that so? That's good."

"Once you return safely, I'll prepare a gift to celebrate."

"Really?"

Jiang Zhu pushed herself up, her Big Eyes filled with anticipation. "You can't lie to me!"

The Vague Man smiled and nodded. "I won't."

Having received his promise, Jiang Zhu nestled against him again, her face brimming with happiness.

However.

Everyone watching this scene could not help twitching their mouths.

Based on the Plot so far, whenever someone said they would celebrate after returning, nothing good ever followed.

Sure enough.

The next moment, the scene abruptly changed.

The warm, bright atmosphere instantly shifted. Amid the pitch-black night, shadows of trees swayed.

The group of students Jiang Zhu was with had formed a circle, and every face was filled with tension.

Although three Soul Rings glowed around Jiang Zhu's body, showing that she had successfully advanced to become a Soul Elder.

Their current situation, however, was dire.

Within the shadows of the dense forest around them, countless pairs of faintly glowing Green eyes lit up, packed together like ghostly flames.