Inside a personal office in the Outer Court's Martial Soul Department.
After returning from her mission, Zhang Lexuan rested for just one day before throwing herself back into the Martial Soul Department's development, helping the teachers improve the Soul Master training courses.
She had once sworn to protect Shrek for the rest of her life, and she was indeed doing her best to keep that promise.
During this time, Zhang Lexuan also made a point of keeping an eye on Beibei's daily life.
Beibei seemed to get along very well with the newly enrolled Sect Master of the Tang Sect. The little girl looked adorable and was diligent in her Soul Master training, making her quite suitable for Beibei.
But the one she cared about more was the junior schoolmate Yu Daoyun, who could tell stories.
So many days had passed. She had no idea what he was doing inside the Sea God Pavilion.
Just then, the office door swung open.
Zhang Lexuan looked up and saw that the person who had come in was Mu En.
She hurriedly greeted him. "Elder Mu, please have a seat."
Mu En waved his hand and casually summoned a chair. After sitting down, he cut off all probing spiritual power.
Zhang Lexuan was taken aback.
Did Elder Mu have something to tell her that he didn't want anyone else to know?
Mu En spoke frankly. "I came here to talk to you about something. I was wrong about what happened back then. I shouldn't have made you swear to protect Shrek or promise to be a child bride."
"From today onward, you don't have to keep that promise. Just treat the whole thing as if it never happened. Your future and your freedom should be in your own hands."
"I hereby formally apologize to you."
Zhang Lexuan started to say something, but the words caught in her throat. She choked up and couldn't speak for a long while.
She asked in disbelief, "Elder Mu, are you joking?"
Mu En shook his head and replied seriously, "I was confused back then. I shouldn't have interfered with your feelings or your future. Everything you have should belong to you, not all of it to Shrek."
"Let things between you and Beibei end here. I've watched the smiles on your face grow fewer and fewer, and it pains me. This old man was at fault, too."
Complex emotions suddenly appeared in Zhang Lexuan's usually placid eyes.
It was like she had suddenly lost the goal she'd been striving toward, and been set free all at once.
Yet she couldn't feel happy at all. The burden in her heart had grown even heavier.
Could this be Elder Mu testing her?
Thinking this, Zhang Lexuan said earnestly, "Elder Mu, don't worry. I won't break my promise. I'll protect Shrek properly, and I'll do what I promised you."
Mu En sighed.
Why couldn't this child see reason at a time like this?
This old man had truly brought this child so much suffering.
Mu En stressed, "I'm not testing you. I truly regret what I did. No matter how you look at it, I was wrong. I'm the one who hurt you."
Zhang Lexuan fell silent, tears slipping soundlessly from the corners of her eyes.
She didn't hate Mu En. On the contrary, she was grateful to him for saving her life back then.
It could be said that without Mu En, she wouldn't be who she was today.
At that moment, Mu En slowly stood up, patted Zhang Lexuan on the shoulder, and vanished from the room.
To keep her from feeling sad, he chose to stay out of Zhang Lexuan's sight for the time being.
Not long after Mu En left, Zhang Lexuan dissolved into tears, the emotions she had kept bottled up bursting forth at last.
No one knew how much she had suffered over the years. No one knew what was in her heart.
Only now could she finally be considered truly free.
More than ten minutes later, Zhang Lexuan seemed like a different person. Standing in front of the office window, she gazed toward the Inner Court and murmured, "Junior schoolmate, was it you who helped me untie this knot in my heart? Elder Mu isn't the sort of person who would say something like that."
"But you forgot that I'm a stubborn person. Even if Elder Mu lets me go, I might not let myself go."
"I... I'll protect you."
A few days later, in the morning.
After eating breakfast in the Inner Court and greeting a few friends, Yu Daoyun headed toward the Outer Court.
He planned to stroll around the Outer Court and, while he was at it, test his strength at the Beast Fighting Arena.
After fusing with the Dragon Core and part of the Golden Dragon King's power, he had no idea how strong he was.
An hour later, Yu Daoyun arrived at the Beast Fighting Arena.
The place was oval-shaped, with a four-story structure. It had dedicated viewing areas and Beast Fighting Zones, making it convenient for students and teachers to hold Beast Fighting classes.
At that moment, quite a few Outer Court students were taking classes in the Beast Fighting Arena, battling Soul Beasts.
Most of them were second- or third-year Outer Court students with little battle experience. Fighting Soul Beasts could improve their strength quickly.
Yu Daoyun glanced around and looked satisfied.
The Soul Beasts here were decent. They'd be good for honing his battle experience.
Just as he was about to sign up to fight a Soul Beast, he looked up and spotted a few familiar faces.
Beibei, Xu Sanshi, and Tang Ya were entering the Beast Fighting Arena together, also preparing to face off against a Soul Beast.
Beibei was about ten years old and already a fourth-year Outer Court student. He had entered the academy early.
Xu Sanshi and Tang Ya hadn't enrolled through the usual channels either; both had powerful connections.
Just then, Beibei turned around and noticed Yu Daoyun in his red Inner Court uniform.
It's him!
That distant cousin from the family who had awakened the Golden Dragon Martial Soul.
"An Inner Court student!"
Xu Sanshi cried out beside him, unable to believe his eyes.
That was a red uniform, the mark of an Inner Court student.
But that kid was clearly only eight years old!
He turned to Beibei and asked with a grin, "Beibei, do you know that Inner Court stu—senior? I think this is the first time I've seen him."
Tang Ya exclaimed, "He doesn't even look ten. Did he get into the academy through connections, like me?"
As expected, Yu Daoyun heard this.
The corner of his mouth twitched.
Peerless Number One Smartass—truly living up to the name. She didn't think before she spoke.
Beibei explained, "Tang Ya, Sanshi, let me introduce you. He's from our Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. He's Yu Daoyun, and he awakened the Golden Dragon, one of the Nine Great Dragon King Martial Souls."
Xu Sanshi and Tang Ya looked enlightened. So he was Beibei's cousin.
Xu Sanshi stepped forward with a grin, raised his hand, and patted Yu Daoyun on the shoulder. "Beibei's cousin is my cousin too. From now on, you're my little brother."
Am I even close to you...? Yu Daoyun had a whole bellyful of complaints. He slapped Xu Sanshi's hand away and said, "Don't touch me. You're an Outer Court student. Don't you know the difference in status? From now on, call me senior. I may be younger than you, but you're not necessarily stronger than me."
When Xu Sanshi heard this, he thought the kid had pulled strings to get in, and now he was throwing his status around.
As the Young Lord of the Profound Nether Sect, when had he ever had to put up with such an outrage?
However, Beibei stopped Xu Sanshi and asked, "Cousin Daoyun, what brings you to the Outer Court?"
Yu Daoyun pointed toward the Beast Fighting Zone. "I'm here to improve my battle experience."
"Don't let the Soul Beasts farm experience off you instead," Xu Sanshi said with a poisonous jab, sounding as if he were mocking him.
Yu Daoyun replied coolly, "A frog at the bottom of a well!"
At those words, Xu Sanshi immediately flew into a rage.
Beibei shot Xu Sanshi a glare and said with a grin, "As it happens, we're here to improve our battle experience too. Why don't we go together?"
Yu Daoyun nodded. "Then let's go together."
Before you continue