First Encounter with Zhang Lexuan

Zhang Lexuan's approach put the entire Soul Hunting Squad on guard, though their eyes held even more admiration.

After all, few people in the world could compare to Zhang Lexuan's beauty.

The captain stepped forward as well and asked in a fairly gentle tone, "Miss, did you come over because you need something?"

The captain was a Level 44 Soul Ancestor. In Zhang Lexuan's eyes, he was no different from an ant.

But Miss Zhang was not an unreasonable person. She said, "Brother, may I speak with that young man for a moment?"

"Of course. But you'll have to wait until he wakes up."

Zhang Lexuan nodded and slowly walked over to Lin Chen, who was steadily absorbing his Soul Ring.

When her gaze fell upon that sword and she sensed its peerless sharpness, she seemed to think of something. She murmured, "The Seven Kill Sword... is it about to reappear on the continent?"

Clearly, Zhang Lexuan had recognized Lin Chen's Martial Soul.

An hour later, Lin Chen finished absorbing the Soul Ring. The moment he opened his eyes, he saw Zhang Lexuan standing before him.

Lin Chen was instantly unable to look away. In his previous life... ahem, never mind.

The captain came over and patted Lin Chen on the shoulder. "Little Lin, this miss came to see you."

Lin Chen nodded and said to Zhang Lexuan, "May I ask what business Miss Zhang has with me?"

"Let me introduce myself first. My name is Zhang Lexuan."

Zhang Lexuan! Hearing that name, Lin Chen's mind jolted. Fuck, I'd run into someone powerful.

"My name is Lin Chen. May I ask what Miss Zhang needs?"

"Little Brother Lin Chen, which Soul Master Academy do you plan to attend in the future?" Zhang Lexuan asked directly.

"I want to attend Shrek Academy. I'm currently saving money to buy a recommendation letter from the city lord," Lin Chen answered honestly.

Though he had concealed a little calculation as well. After all, Zhang Lexuan truly could help him right now.

A trace of disgust flashed deep in Zhang Lexuan's eyes when she heard Lin Chen's words. She then asked, "Do your parents know?"

At those words, Lin Chen immediately lowered his head. "My parents passed away long ago. My purpose in joining Shrek is to become stronger, then take revenge!"

Hearing this, Zhang Lexuan looked at Lin Chen with some empathy, as though she saw her younger self in him. She said apologetically, "I'm sorry." Then she handed him an envelope. "This is a recommendation letter for Shrek Academy. I'm a disciple of the Inner Court."

"Thank you, Sister Lexuan."

"Little Earth!" Just as he was lost in thought, a voice interrupted Lin Chen.

Lin Xiaolei came running toward Lin Chen in a hurry, anxiety clear in her eyes. Zhou Mingxing followed behind her at a jog.

"What happened? Why are you in such a rush?" Lin Chen asked in confusion.

"L-Little Earth... something bad happened..." Lin Xiaolei said between gasps. It was clear she had expended a great deal of stamina earlier.

Zhou Mingxing took out a bottle of water from his Storage Soul Tool and handed it to Lin Xiaolei. "Let me explain. Xiao Xiao's Martial Soul was damaged during today's match. She's unconscious in the infirmary now."

Lin Chen instantly snapped to attention. Damn it, how had I forgotten about Xie Huanyue?

He immediately said, "Let's go check on Xiao Xiao."

When the three of them rushed to the infirmary, they found Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong standing beside Xiao Xiao's bed, their faces full of guilt.

"Is she all right?"

Naturally, Lin Chen was asking about Xiao Xiao.

"I'm sorry. Xiao Xiao was trying to buy time for me, so..." Wang Dong said with tears in her eyes.

"All right, hurry back and recover your Soul Power. There's another match this afternoon. We'll watch over her here." Lin Chen waved them off impatiently.

A girl disguised as a boy crying her eyes out—wasn't that awkward?

Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong left, while Lin Xiaolei sat beside Xiao Xiao's bed with a worried expression.

"It's all right, Xiaolei. Xiao Xiao will be fine," Lin Chen comforted her.

Having read the original work, Lin Chen naturally knew Xiao Xiao would be all right.

Only then did Lin Xiaolei's expression ease somewhat.

Zhou Mingxing took out a pill from his Storage Soul Tool and handed it to Lin Xiaolei. "This is a healing pill refined by an Elder from my clan. It can speed up recovery. Give it to Xiao Xiao."

Lin Xiaolei carefully placed the pill into Xiao Xiao's mouth.

Because Xiao Xiao had fallen unconscious, Huo Gua and Wang Dong charged into the top four as though they had been pumped full of adrenaline. Unlike in the original work, Lin Chen's team replaced Cao Jinxuan's team in reaching the semifinals. The other two teams were Huang Chutian's team and Dai Huabin's team.

With the help of Zhou Mingxing's pill, Xiao Xiao returned early, during the semifinals.

"Little Earth, who do you think we'll draw tomorrow?" In the Cafeteria, the recovered Xiao Xiao asked Lin Chen.

"Our team," Lin Chen answered without hesitation.

"Why?" Huo Yuhao asked from the side.

Lin Chen's three-person team was eating in the Cafeteria when they happened to run into Huo Gua's group. At Xiao Xiao's urging, the two teams sat together.

"It's simple. The academy won't let two Class One teams take first and second place at the same time."

"Why?" Wang Dong was even more puzzled. She felt that Class One winning both the championship and runner-up positions would make Teacher Zhou extremely proud.

"The academy can't consider only one class. If our class took both first and second place, it would definitely cause dissatisfaction among the other teachers and students. This is Shrek Academy, but it's also a small society. Otherwise, why would the academy establish the Outer Court at the request of the three great empires? You should know that only Inner Court disciples are considered Shrek's true disciples," Lin Chen explained.

"Huh? It's that complicated?" Xiao Xiao grabbed her twin ponytails, feeling as though her brain had been fried.

Lin Chen tapped Xiao Xiao's little head. "All right, hurry up and eat. I won't go easy on you tomorrow."

"We won't go easy on you either," Wang Dong said first. No matter when, Wang Dong was always as competitive as ever.

The next day, on the Soul Fighting Platform.

"No way." Zhou Mingxing, Lin Xiaolei, Xiao Xiao, Huo Yuhao, and Wang Dong stared at the draw numbers of the two teams in shock.

Lin Chen had actually called it.

"Match begin!"

Wang Dong immediately spread her wings and charged at Lin Chen without hesitation. Both were Attack System Soul Masters, and both possessed a thousand-year second Soul Ring. Naturally, the competitive Wang Dong wanted to determine who was stronger.

Lin Chen summoned the Seven Kill Sword and met her head-on. Lin Chen's Soul Power was at the peak of Level 25, two levels higher than Wang Dong's. Their Martial Soul qualities were evenly matched, so he handled her with ease.

Unless Wang Dong used the Clear Sky Hammer.

"Mingxing, let's take out Huo Yuhao first." Lin Xiaolei spoke to Zhou Mingxing. This was Lin Chen's reminder to them: take out Huo Yuhao first; his Spiritual Detection Sharing was extremely troublesome!

Zhou Mingxing nodded, pulled out a Level Two Soul Tool Saber, and charged toward Huo Yuhao alongside Lin Xiaolei.

"Watch this! First Soul Skill, Cauldron Shock!" Xiao Xiao controlled the Three Lives Soul Suppressing Cauldron and smashed it toward the two of them.

Though this little girl acted gentle and dependent around Lin Xiaolei in private, she showed absolutely no mercy in a fight.

"Dumpling, Dumpling, my Mango Dumpling." Zhou Mingxing boosted Lin Xiaolei's Soul Power.

"Second Soul Skill, Qin Sound Surrounding the Beam." Lin Xiaolei activated her Second Soul Skill, attempting to break through.

But the Three Lives Soul Suppressing Cauldron was, after all, a top-tier Tool Martial Soul. Even with Zhou Mingxing's support, all it did was make it somewhat difficult for Xiao Xiao to hold them back; they still could not break through.

"I'm joining in too." Zhou Mingxing muttered, raising his Soul Tool Saber and hacking wildly at Xiao Xiao's Three Lives Soul Suppressing Cauldron.

"First Soul Skill, Spiritual Detection Sharing."

With Huo Yuhao's assistance, Xiao Xiao could always find the point requiring the least force to block Zhou Mingxing's attacks. It could be said that she alone held back two enemies.

Seeing his companions trapped, Lin Chen changed direction and rushed toward Huo Yuhao.

"Get past me first! Second Soul Skill, Butterfly God's Light!"