After the Matter

Ma Xiaotao slowly came to and opened her eyes. The faint pink, once tinged with allure, had vanished, replaced by clarity. Evidently, her Evil Fire had been successfully suppressed, restoring her reason.

"Awake? Do you remember what you did just now?" Yan Shaozhe released Ma Xiaotao and asked gently.

Ma Xiaotao smiled sheepishly. In front of her teacher, Yan Shaozhe, she was nothing like her usual fiery self; she was as docile as a little lamb.

Then she looked around, a hint of expectation in her eyes. But when she saw only the solid ice radiating Forest White Cold Qi, along with Yan Shaozhe and herself, disappointment crossed her face.

Yan Shaozhe took in her expression, his eyes glinting with amusement. "Looking for that boy? He hasn't gone far. Want me to call him back for you?"

"Teacher!" Ma Xiaotao cried out, her face quickly flushing a bashful red.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Have you fallen for him?" As soon as he said this, Yan Shaozhe's smile vanished, and his voice turned stern.

"Do you realize you nearly caused a disaster just now? If you hadn't happened to meet Mo Yuan, who could suppress your Evil Fire, there's no telling whether an ordinary student would have made it out of your hands unharmed! If you'd caused a real calamity, it would have been a huge loss for the academy!"

"Teacher, I know I was wrong." Ma Xiaotao immediately admitted her mistake.

Seeing her like this, Yan Shaozhe no longer felt like reprimanding her. He let out a long sigh.

"But I suppose this was a blessing in disguise. You met Mo Yuan, who possesses an attribute close to Extreme Ice. I struck a deal with him. For the next two years, whenever you need help suppressing your Evil Fire, you can go to him."

"Mo Yuan..."

Ma Xiaotao softly repeated the name of that peerless genius. She couldn't help recalling his flawless features, as well as the shameful thing she had done when her Evil Fire flared beneath Sea God Lake. The blush on her face deepened.

Then she suddenly came back to herself. "Teacher, did you say Mo Yuan has an attribute close to Extreme Ice? How is that possible?"

"Why wouldn't it be?" Yan Shaozhe's voice was full of admiration.

"Though it's hard to believe, it's the truth. His Martial Soul is a body-based elemental type. So far, he's displayed three elements: wind, fire, and ice. None of them are weak, and his ice element is especially close to Extreme Ice."

Hearing this, Ma Xiaotao's mind conjured a hazy image: a Fire Dragon Roll that reached from the sea to the sky, raging across Sea God Lake, with howling gales and blazing flames. It had been terrifying.

Yan Shaozhe grew more and more excited as he spoke. His eyes burned with fervor, and his voice trembled slightly.

"I'm certain that boy Mo Yuan's Martial Soul is extraordinary! And I suspect he hasn't even shown us everything he can do!

"Even setting that aside, he's eleven years old with forty-one Soul Power, and his Soul Ring Configuration surpasses the limits of conventional theory! If nothing goes wrong, he can at least reach Xuan Zi's level!"

"Whether he can go even further remains to be seen..."

Yan Shaozhe spoke the last sentence so quietly that almost no one but himself could hear it.

The more Ma Xiaotao listened, the more astonished she became. "What?! He's only eleven?! How could anyone become a Soul Ancestor at that age?"

"Hard to believe? But the world is full of peerless geniuses like him." Yan Shaozhe gazed fervently toward the Outer Court, as though he could see Mo Yuan there.

"That's why I struck a deal with him. He's willing to help suppress your Evil Fire. If the two of you grow close and become a couple within the next two years, then not only will your Evil Fire problem be solved, allowing you to devote yourself fully to cultivation, but the academy will also gain two top-tier geniuses with extraordinary talent!"

"Besides, Mo Yuan has an exceptionally clean background! He was born in the Heaven Dou Empire, lost both his parents at a young age, and grew up on his own to reach where he is today! Other than the blank and unknown parts of his childhood, he's the perfect successor for Shrek Academy!"

By this point, Yan Shaozhe's voice had grown almost fervent. His teacher, Mu En—the current Dragon God Douluo and master of Sea God Pavilion—had gradually declined after his battle with Du Bisou. He had even told the Senior Elders himself that he had less than ten years left to live.

The academy's pillar of strength would soon be gone, a crushing weight on their hearts.

Moreover, Taotie Douluo Xuan Zi's Martial Soul had a flaw, while Yan Shaozhe himself was still too weak. Neither was fit to succeed Mu En as master of Sea God Pavilion. If Mu En passed away and the academy faced a powerful enemy, it would truly be the greatest crisis in its ten-thousand-year history. The slightest misstep could bring about its destruction!

But things were different now! Yan Shaozhe had seen hope in Mo Yuan! With the strength to overwhelm Soul Emperor Ma Xiaotao despite being only a Four-Ring Soul Ancestor, Mo Yuan would surely become one of the continent's top powerhouses once he reached Titled Douluo.

He might even recreate the First Generation Shrek Seven Devils' feat of ascending to godhood!

"Teacher, I'll make my own decisions about my life!"

Ma Xiaotao's face was flushed. Although she did have some feelings for Mo Yuan, she was proud by nature and instinctively wanted to rebel when her teacher started talking about marriage.

Yan Shaozhe had calmed down by now. He glanced at Ma Xiaotao's flushed face without saying anything. He understood that his disciple would have no problem following the plan he'd laid out.

It was Mo Yuan's response that remained uncertain.

Thinking over Mo Yuan's records and the information about those closest to him, Yan Shaozhe's eyes narrowed. He gave a cold snort.

"The Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan... Hmph. Ning Wanqiu, I wonder if your daughter will be able to lure away another academy genius, just as you did..."

Ma Xiaotao heard Yan Shaozhe muttering something and, unable to make it out, asked curiously, "Teacher, what are you talking about? What about the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan?"

"Nothing." Yan Shaozhe shook his head, unwilling to say more. Then he turned and headed toward the Inner Court.

"Come on. Let's go back to the Inner Court."

"Oh..."

Ma Xiaotao glanced at the white New Student Uniform she was wearing, then looked toward the distant Outer Court, its outline barely visible.

The familiar yet unfamiliar scent stirred her already-rippling Heart Lake, making it even harder for her to find peace.

By the Sea God Lake in the Outer Court, night had nearly fallen, yet the Soul Guide Lamps still cast a gentle glow over two figures beneath them.

The tremendous Fire Dragon Roll had vanished some time ago. Ning Tian had waited a long while without seeing Mo Yuan return. Just as she was about to ignore Xu Sanshi's protests and go search for him at Sea God Lake, a figure emerged from the gloomy darkness and landed lightly in front of her.

Recognizing him, Ning Tian's lovely face lit up with joy. Her voice carried a hint of concern.

"Mo Yuan, are you all right?"

"I'm fine. My Soul Power's a little drained, but I'm otherwise unhurt."

Looking at the girl whose eyes were fixed entirely on him, Mo Yuan smiled faintly. Compared to Ma Xiaotao, a living volcano, Ning Tian was practically perfect, aside from being a little lacking in the curves department.

"Junior... I mean, big bro, hello. I'm so glad you're all right. It's all thanks to your help tonight that..." Xu Sanshi's voice grew quieter and quieter. By the end, under Mo Yuan's amused gaze, he was barely audible. He hunched his shoulders like a quail, not daring to move, with none of the confidence or pride of an Outer Court Twin Star.

After all, this was the man who had beaten Soul Emperor Ma Xiaotao senseless despite being only a Four-Ring Soul Ancestor, and had come away unharmed.

He was already terrified of Ma Xiaotao, let alone Mo Yuan, who was even stronger than her.

And if Ma Xiaotao had been half responsible for what happened tonight, then the other half was more or less on him. If Mo Yuan really got angry and beat him up, Xu Sanshi didn't even have the strength to fight back, let alone any excuse to do so.

Mo Yuan naturally wasn't happy to see Xu Sanshi cowering like a turtle, but he wasn't about to beat him up. He'd done enough fighting tonight. All he wanted was to get back to his dorm and sleep.

"Xu Sanshi."

"Here!"

"Get lost!"

"Right away, bro!"

Xu Sanshi felt as if he'd been pardoned. Once he was sure Mo Yuan really had no intention of beating him, he spun around and darted into the woods, disappearing without a trace. He acted as if he were afraid Mo Yuan would call him back and give him a beating if he ran any slower.