Ye Xinglan, you wouldn't want...

Ye Xinglan heard Yun Ze confirm the content of the assessment once more, and she immediately raised her hand, causing the Star God Sword to materialize in her grasp.

"Since that's the case, then I won't hold back, and I hope you'll be prepared for that."

Yun Ze couldn't help but laugh, then held his spear with one hand, pointing the tip slightly downward at Ye Xinglan as he said, "Remember this: at Shrek Academy, never be arrogant, and that goes double for the world of soul masters. Otherwise, you're liable to die without even knowing why."

Although Yun Ze claimed that matters of character were none of his business, the memory of Ye Xinglan's arrogant and domineering attitude upon her arrival made him decide to nip that habit in the bud.

It wasn't for the sake of benefiting Tang Wulin; it was simply that Yun Ze couldn't stand such arrogance.

Ever since she awakened her martial soul, Ye Xinglan had never been treated with such contempt, and in the past, she had often defeated opponents with two rings while only possessing one herself.

Now, being looked down upon by Yun Ze, a small fire of indignation ignited in her heart. She bent her knees and charged straight at him.

Gripping his Heaven-Propping Spear, Yun Ze kept his eyes locked on the Star God Sword in her hand.

It was a longsword, bright yellow in its entirety, with countless starlight flickers dancing across the blade; its brilliant radiance was striking even in the middle of the day.

After one exchange, Yun Ze didn't use any soul skills. Relying purely on the strength of his hand, he knocked Ye Xinglan's longsword flying and used the butt of his spear to lightly tap her left cheek.

Yun Ze usually fought with dual spears, meaning he was accustomed to wielding a long spear—which would normally require two hands—with just one.

The strength in his hand was naturally extraordinary, and after two years of practicing spear techniques and engaging in daily combat with Guan Yue, his skill was immense.

For a young girl like Ye Xinglan to run into the current Yun Ze, being defeated in an instant was the only possible outcome.

The Star God Sword was embedded in the ground, still vibrating slightly, a testament to the sheer force behind Yun Ze's strike.

Ye Xinglan stared at the Star God Sword in the distance in disbelief. After a long moment, she swallowed hard and said, "Again! I don't accept this!"

Yun Ze smiled, tossed the Heaven-Propping Spear in his hand, caught it with one hand, pinched the shaft between two fingers, and then said calmly to Ye Xinglan, "If you don't accept it, pick up your sword and come again. I'll hold my spear like this for this round."

The old man beside them was about to advise Ye Xinglan not to clash head-on with Yun Ze, but Yun Ze silenced him with a look and then mouthed the words, "Opportunities to temper one's character are rare. At most, I'm just letting her suffer a little now; if she doesn't change this temperament, she'll lose her life in the future."

The old man certainly knew about Ye Xinglan's personality issues, but the Ye family had rarely produced a wielder of the Star God Sword in so many years.

The entire family treated her like a treasure, unable to bring themselves to scold or punish her, which was the only reason they had considered sending her to Shrek Academy.

Now, after Yun Ze's reminder, the old man agreed with his assessment.

Yun Ze truly only let Ye Xinglan suffer a little bit, though most of that suffering was directed at her face.

By the time the sun began to set, Ye Xinglan was sprawled on the ground, so exhausted that she couldn't even move a single finger.

Yun Ze had long since retracted his martial soul; in the final rounds, once Ye Xinglan was drained, he didn't even need to use his soul power.

Looking at Ye Xinglan before him, Yun Ze looked up and said to the old man, "The child's talent is indeed excellent, and her combat instincts are passable. Even without rigorous, systematic training, she was still constantly trying to find openings in my defense."

"On behalf of Shrek Academy, I formally invite her to be a special recruit for the Inner Court."

Ye Xinglan looked at Yun Ze, ignoring the burning pain on her face as she forced herself to stand up.

"I will definitely surpass you one day!"

Yun Ze nodded and said to Ye Xinglan, "Ambition is a good thing, but next time, remember: when you don't have the ability to back it up, it's best to wait until the other person has left before you talk tough."

With that, Yun Ze simply scooped up the exhausted Ye Xinglan.

"We'll be heading out now," Yun Ze said to the old man.

The old man nodded and turned his back, pretending not to see their actions. Ye Xinglan was too weak to resist and could only glare at him fiercely.

After carrying the exhausted Ye Xinglan out of Ye Family Village, Yun Ze looked at the girl who was still glaring daggers at him and couldn't help but say with a wicked grin, "Ye Xinglan, you wouldn't want to... fall out of my arms, would you?"

"These are stone steps; it wouldn't feel very good if you actually fell."

Ye Xinglan bit her lip and said, "Are you really from Shrek? You're a total jerk!"

Yun Ze laughed and replied, "Compared to real jerk soul masters, I'm still far off. If you ever actually encounter those kinds of jerks, you'll realize that my current actions are practically saintly."

In the luxurious cabin of the Shrek-exclusive train, Ye Xinglan sat in the corner of her seat, still so drained that only her eyes could move.

Yun Ze had shed his harshness from the battle and was holding a bowl of porridge, feeding her.

Ye Xinglan initially refused, but upon seeing Yun Ze reach for his large spear again, she had no choice but to obediently concede.

After finishing the bowl of porridge, Ye Xinglan asked curiously, "Where are we going? This doesn't seem to be the direct route to Shrek."

Yun Ze explained calmly.

"I still need to pick up another student, one highly recommended by their family, who is about on par with you."

Ye Xinglan gave a hum of acknowledgment, looking toward the private compartment.

"Then tonight..."

Yun Ze chuckled, took off his outer robe, and to Ye Xinglan's horrified expression, draped it over her, patted her shoulder, and said, "Get a good night's sleep. After all, we fought way too hard during the day, especially you—every move you made was aimed at sheer, heavy force."

"Your joints and limbs are completely exhausted right now; you won't recover unless you get a proper night's sleep."

"There is an ore in the pocket that can nourish your energy and muscles, so don't shake the clothes onto the floor. If I see the clothes on the floor when I wake up in the morning, I will use my spear to give your backside a harsh reward."

After finishing his sentence, Yun Ze stood up and walked to the door of the Soul Guidance Train compartment, reached out to turn off the lights for Ye Xinglan, closed the door, and headed to the adjacent compartment.

Ye Xinglan was left flustered by Yun Ze's words, a crimson flush spreading across her face. Once her face had turned red to the point of extremity, she felt a warm current originating from Yun Ze's pocket spreading throughout her body.

It felt as if she were soaking in a hot spring, causing her previously stiff and immobile muscles to slowly relax.

This sensation proved that what Yun Ze had just said was no lie, and Ye Xinglan closed her eyes while harboring complex feelings toward him.

The next morning, Ye Xinglan had already regained the ability to move her hands and feet. She folded the clothes neatly, placed them on the seat, and looked toward the room next door...