Was Bei Bei Blind?

Early the next morning, at the entrance to Shrek Academy.

A top-tier Soul Hunting team had assembled.

Aside from Ma Xiaotao and Huo Yuhao, who needed to obtain Soul Rings, the rest of the team was jaw-dropping: Zhang Lexuan, the senior disciple of the inner court; Wu Ming, the Golden Crow left on the shelf; Han Ruoruo, the inner court's number-one control-type Soul Master; and Xuan Zi, who was chewing on a chicken leg with bleary, drunken eyes.

Looking at Xuan Zi's devil-may-care appearance, Huo Yuhao's mouth twitched.

This was the legendary "Holy Spirit Cult Grand Elder," the "team-wipe machine" from the original story.

But fortunately, the reliable Zhang Lexuan was leading this time, while Xuan Zi was only there to hold the fort. There shouldn't... be any trouble, right?

The group activated their Flying Soul Tools and shot into the sky like streaks of light, heading straight for the Star Dou Great Forest.

Once they entered the mixed zone, Zhang Lexuan took full command of the team.

Though young, the senior disciple was composed in her actions and had the bearing of a great general.

They searched for the entire day. Although they didn't find a suitable target, no one lost heart.

As dusk fell, Zhang Lexuan ordered them to set up camp.

Huo Yuhao rolled up his sleeves and expertly set up the grill.

Before long, the rich aroma of grilled fish filled the camp. The golden, crispy skin sizzled with oil, and once he sprinkled on his special seasoning, the smell was practically irresistible.

"That smells amazing!" Wu Ming was the first to give in and come over. "Junior, I never knew you had a talent like this!"

"Yuhao's cooking speaks for itself," Ma Xiaotao said proudly.

Even Zhang Lexuan, usually so gentle and composed, showed a glimmer of surprise in her beautiful eyes after taking a bite, then nodded to Huo Yuhao in approval.

After dinner, everyone sat around the campfire to rest.

Huo Yuhao's gaze drifted of its own accord toward Zhang Lexuan, seated not far away.

Moonlight fell across her cool, elegant profile. She was breathtakingly beautiful, yet there was a lonely sadness about her that tugged at the heart.

"What are you looking at? Your eyes are about to fall out."

A delicate hand suddenly reached over and pinched Huo Yuhao's ear.

Ma Xiaotao leaned close to his ear with a teasing smile and lowered her voice. "Are you trying to get with the senior disciple?"

"Ahem! Xiaotao, you can eat whatever you want, but don't say whatever you want." Huo Yuhao shrank his neck guiltily. "I just think the senior disciple has... a very special air about her."

"Hmph, at least you know better." Ma Xiaotao let go and turned her gaze toward Zhang Lexuan, her expression growing complicated. "Even I have to show the senior disciple respect. She became an Eight-Ring Soul Douluo in her early twenties, has a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring, and is the Sea God Pavilion Master's successor two generations removed. If you dare mess around with her, you won't even know what killed you."

Huo Yuhao grinned, not taking her warning to heart.

"Actually... the senior disciple has had a hard life." Ma Xiaotao sighed, her voice dropping. "Mu En brought her back, and she grew up at the academy, devoting everything to Shrek. She was supposed to be Bei Bei's child bride..."

"But that Bei Bei must have had a screw loose. He had a supremely gifted, peerlessly beautiful senior disciple right there, yet he chose to chase after Tang Ya, whose Blue Silver Grass was a Trash Martial Soul."

A hint of resentment crept into Ma Xiaotao's voice. "Everyone in the inner court knows about it. They all feel the senior disciple was treated unfairly. It's practically an insult to her."

Huo Yuhao sneered. "Was Bei Bei blind? The senior disciple is leagues above Tang Ya in every way!"

Huo Yuhao's words made Ma Xiaotao feel a little better, but she immediately looked at him warily. "Hey, why are you so worked up? I'm warning you: I don't mind Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao, and I even feel sorry for the senior disciple. But if you really dare go after her, then... then I'll consider you the gutsiest man in Shrek Academy."

Though Ma Xiaotao said that, she felt a little helpless. She had come to terms with it. It was perfectly normal for the strong to have several wives and concubines, especially someone as monstrous as Huo Yuhao.

Still... that was Zhang Lexuan, the inner court's untouchable beauty. Could Huo Yuhao really win her over? She didn't believe it.

Huo Yuhao rubbed his nose and didn't dare reply, but in his heart he quietly mused: Bei Bei didn't want her? Then he didn't know what was good for him.

Early the next morning, the search continued.

They were in luck today. Close to noon, they found a massive Blazing Lion with a cultivation of sixty thousand years, its attributes a perfect match for Ma Xiaotao.

"Attack!" Zhang Lexuan ordered.

The battle erupted at once.

Eight Soul Rings rose beneath Zhang Lexuan's feet, and a cool, bright Full Moon appeared behind her. Moonlight sharpened into blades, instantly sealing off every escape route for the Blazing Lion.

"Golden Crow True Fire!" Wu Ming cried. She transformed into a Golden Crow and clashed head-on with the Blazing Lion with flames of terrifying heat, holding her ground without the slightest disadvantage.

The Gold-Binding Rope in Han Ruoruo's hand darted out like a nimble serpent, precisely binding the Blazing Lion's limbs. Its powerful control left the sixty-thousand-year Soul Beast unable to move.

This was the terrifying might of the inner court's top fighters!

"Roar—!" The Blazing Lion roared furiously, its flames surging as it tried to break through their encirclement.

Just then, an icy aura descended without warning.

Huo Yuhao stepped forward, the three Black Soul Rings behind him shining brightly.

"Emperor Palm—Great Cold No Snow!"

The aura of Ultimate Ice surged out like a tidal wave. The moment the once-rampaging Blazing Lion sensed it, the ferocity in its eyes turned to fear.

Its attributes were being suppressed!

Huo Yuhao's Soul Power was far inferior to the lion's, but Ultimate Ice was the natural enemy of all fire-attribute Soul Beasts!

"Be... suppressed!"

Huo Yuhao struck with his palm. The chill instantly froze the flames the Blazing Lion had spewed, and even frost formed on its mane.

The Blazing Lion's aura immediately weakened.

"What overbearing Ultimate Ice!"

The three senior disciples fighting nearby were all startled.

They had assumed Huo Yuhao was just tagging along to gain experience, but this junior had unleashed a trump card right out of the gate. His three-Black-Soul-Ring configuration, along with the chill that made even them shudder, completely overturned their understanding of him.

"This kid... no wonder Xiaotao is so smitten with him." A glimmer of admiration flashed through Wu Ming's eyes.

Zhang Lexuan also gave Huo Yuhao a long look, thinking to herself: This boy's future is limitless.

The three senior disciples were all at least Spirit Saints, and one of them was a Soul Douluo. With them suppressing the Blazing Lion, Huo Yuhao's timing had been crucial, and his attack had achieved an unexpected effect.

Otherwise, with his current cultivation, even with his attribute advantage, he could never have threatened a sixty-thousand-year Blazing Lion.

At that moment, Huo Yuhao was no longer merely Ma Xiaotao's boyfriend. He had won the inner court senior disciples' recognition through his own strength and truly entered the ranks of the Shrek Monsters.

With Huo Yuhao suppressing its attributes, the battle became simple. In just a moment, Ma Xiaotao landed the finishing blow, and the Blazing Lion's massive body crashed to the ground.