Undercurrents Beneath the Calm, Lin Chen's Secret Scheme

Twilight swallowed the horizon, and the lights of Shrek Academy flickered on one by one. The heart-stopping upheaval of the day was like dust covered by the night, gradually cast aside by everyone.

The training grounds had already been cleared, the cracked earth simply repaired by Flender with soul power, leaving only faint traces to remind everyone of what had transpired. The students returned to their dorms, and the tension sparked by the mysterious powerhouse dissipated entirely, replaced by the consensus that the "mastermind" was merely an ordinary intelligence-gathering soul master.

Lin Chen held Xiao Wu's hand, walking slowly along the path back to the dorms as the evening breeze brushed through the treetops, bringing a wave of coolness. Xiao Wu leaned against his side, the lingering fear of earlier long gone; her lively eyes were filled with reliance as she whispered, "Lin Chen, I'm so glad it was just an insignificant intelligence soul master. Otherwise, I would have been worried for so long."

Lin Chen lowered his gaze, a faint smile flashing in his eyes. His tone remained as gentle as ever as he reached out to stroke the top of her hair. "Don't worry, with me here, nothing will happen. The conflict between Martial Soul Hall and that mysterious person has nothing to do with us. Just focus on your cultivation."

His voice was calm and gentle, carrying a reassuring strength. Xiao Wu nodded vigorously, never noticing the profound depth and coldness hidden deep within the young man's eyes, a stark contrast to his gentle exterior.

The concealment power of the Star Hidden Grass still shrouded him like a thin veil, sealing the soul power of his level 62 Soul Emperor cultivation so tightly that even while standing this close, Xiao Wu could only sense the mundane soul power of a level 36 Soul Elder. There was not a hint of abnormality.

The walk was silent. After seeing Xiao Wu back to the girls' dormitory, Lin Chen turned toward his own. Along the way, he encountered a few Shrek students who greeted him with smiles. In everyone's eyes, Lin Chen remained that gentle, mediocre, and unremarkable student—a world away from the mysterious figure who had orchestrated the day's events.

Back in the dorm, Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun, and the others were already there. The conversation still revolved around the day's events, but all wariness had vanished, replaced by casual chatter.

"At the end of the day, that mysterious person was just playing petty tricks, relying on intelligence gathering to hide in the shadows. If it came to a direct confrontation, they might not be that strong," Dai Mubai said, leaning against the headboard and rubbing his fingertips with a relaxed tone. "Still, they did us a favor by removing Tang San, that hidden threat. It saves us from him causing more trouble for the academy later."

Ma Hongjun slumped in his chair, chewing on dry rations as he mumbled in agreement, "Exactly, exactly. Who cares who they are? As long as they aren't targeting Shrek, they can do whatever they want. From now on, we should focus on our cultivation and strive to break through to Soul Emperor and Soul Saint as soon as possible—that's what really matters!"

Oscar, who was silently making sausages, looked up at these words. "Dean Flender already said not to mention this matter again. There's no need for us to dwell on it. The most important thing right now is to improve our own strength to handle the upcoming cultivation assessments."

The group chimed in one after another, not giving the mysterious mastermind a second thought, even viewing the person as an inconsequential character not worth the mental effort.

Lin Chen sat on the edge of his bed, quietly listening to their discussion. He maintained a gentle smile, occasionally chiming in with a word or two, performing exactly like the others and blending perfectly into the seemingly calm conversation.

Deep down, however, he was silently reviewing the entire process of his scheme: from noticing Tang San's intent to sneak back into the academy, to precisely relaying the information to trigger the Martial Soul Hall Adjudication Hall Secret Guard, to deliberately guiding everyone's judgment to clear himself of all suspicion. Every step had been executed perfectly, without leaving a single flaw.

[Host's disguise is perfect. Identity concealment maintained at 100%. Surrounding characters harbor no suspicion.]

[Layout completion rate is extremely high. Concealment skill proficiency increased. Star Hidden Grass concealment effect slightly strengthened.]

The system's notification sounded slowly in his heart. Lin Chen remained calm, though his thoughts had already drifted far away.

He knew clearly that this was only the first step. Martial Soul Hall would never let this go after taking Tang San. Between the grudges of the Clear Sky Sect and the ambitions of Martial Soul Hall, this storm was destined not to subside easily. What he needed to do was remain hidden in the shadows, using this identity as an ordinary student to continue his layout, clearing obstacles step by step to secure more opportunities and power for himself.

Meanwhile, outside the dense forest, the Martial Soul Hall secret guards had already taken Tang San far away from the vicinity of Shrek Academy.

Tang San was tightly bound by soul power ropes, his own soul power sealed. His face was as pale as paper, his eyes filled with unwillingness and resentment. He could not understand how, despite his meticulous planning, he had been so precisely ambushed by Martial Soul Hall. Who was the person who had secretly sent the message?

Damn it! Who is trying to ruin me! Tang San roared frantically in his heart. He had suspected everyone at Shrek, but he never once cast a glance at the unremarkable Lin Chen. In his eyes, Lin Chen was merely a weak, cowardly, and ordinary student who lacked the means and ability for such a feat.

The leader of the secret guards, Ghost Fiend, glanced at the resentful Tang San behind him, his eyes cold and emotionless. He didn't care about Tang San's frustration; the mission was simply to bring the target back to Martial Soul Hall, and everything else was irrelevant.

As for the mysterious informant, Ghost Fiend had already abandoned the idea of pursuing the matter. In his view, the person was just a soul master skilled in stealth and intelligence—perhaps a Soul Douluo, or maybe just a high-level Soul Emperor. Though their methods were mysterious, it wasn't enough for the Adjudication Hall to waste energy on a manhunt. If they encountered them again, they would simply be cautious; there was no need to provoke them.

The group did not stop, soon disappearing into the boundless night, galloping toward the direction of Martial Soul Hall.

Back at Shrek Academy, the discussions in the dorms gradually ceased. Everyone began their meditation and cultivation, and the academy fell into complete silence.

Lin Chen sat cross-legged on his bed. On the surface, he was circulating his soul power, but in reality, he was sinking his consciousness into his body, carefully feeling the concealment power of the strengthened Star Hidden Grass.

After this layout, the ability of the Star Hidden Grass had become even more refined. Even a soul master below the level of a Title Douluo would never be able to detect the slightest abnormality in his soul power. Even if someone probed him with spiritual sense at close range, they would only perceive him as a most ordinary level 30-something Soul Elder.

He slowly opened his eyes, a sharp light flashing within them before being instantly masked by gentleness.

He remained that unremarkable Shrek student. Everyone was blinded by the facade he had constructed; no one knew that this seemingly ordinary youth was the true chess player stirring up this storm.

The turmoil in the outside world, the movements of Martial Soul Hall, and the potential crisis of the Clear Sky Sect were all within his grasp.

Lin Chen's lips curled slightly, his next move already planned in his heart.

The current peace was merely a temporary facade; the true game of chess had only just begun. He would continue to lurk among the crowd in this ordinary guise, waiting for the most opportune moment to strike again, bringing all factors that were unfavorable to him under his complete control.

The night deepened, and all was silent. Beneath the tranquility of Shrek Academy, the secret schemes belonging to Lin Chen were quietly unfolding, unnoticed and unknown to all.