Scheming Unending, Sweetness Hidden

As the sun climbed to the zenith, the cafeteria of Shrek Academy was filled with a boisterous din. Students sat in small groups, enjoying their lunch while chatting and laughing, the tension of the previous day completely vanished as they returned to their lively, routine cultivation life.

Lin Chen carried a simple meal and walked slowly to the table where Dai Mubai and the others were sitting. His expression was calm, and his movements were entirely natural. He remained the same gentle and reserved person, eating in a measured, unhurried manner and occasionally chiming in with the group's banter, blending perfectly into the spirited youths without a hint of awkwardness.

Xiao Wu, sitting opposite him, poked at the food in her bowl while her gaze couldn't help but drift toward Lin Chen, her eyes hiding an irrepressible sweetness. Yet, whenever Lin Chen's gaze inadvertently swept over, she would quickly lower her head, pretending to be focused on her meal, her earlobes flushing a faint red as she feared Ning Rongrong might notice something amiss.

Ning Rongrong, gnawing on a piece of bread, sensed Xiao Wu's distraction and nudged her with her elbow, raising an eyebrow in curiosity: "Xiao Wu, why are you so distracted today? Did you not sleep well last night?"

"N-no, I didn't!" Xiao Wu jerked her head up and waved her hands, her lively eyes blinking rapidly as she forced down the panic in her heart and laughed with feigned naturalness, "I was just thinking about this afternoon's training, worried that Teacher Zhao might give me a hard time again."

As soon as these words left her lips, Ma Hongjun, sitting nearby, immediately chimed in with a bitter face: "You said it! Teacher Zhao Wuji's training intensity is enough to wring a person dry; just thinking about it makes my legs go weak!"

The group burst into laughter, and the conversation naturally shifted to the afternoon's training schedule. Xiao Wu quietly breathed a sigh of relief and snuck another glance at Lin Chen, meeting his smiling eyes just in time. Her heart warmed, and the corners of her mouth couldn't help but curl upward.

The two averted their gazes with a tacit understanding, locking that sweetness belonging only to them deep within their hearts. In front of everyone else, they were nothing more than ordinary classmates; all their tenderness and care could only be transformed into secret exchanges of glances, never daring to reveal even a fraction of the truth.

Lin Chen lowered his eyes to his meal, his face calm and unruffled, while his mind raced, calculating his subsequent plans.

Tang San had been taken away by the secret guards of Martial Soul Hall. While the matter seemed to have reached a temporary conclusion, Lin Chen knew well that as a direct descendant of the Clear Sky Sect, harboring the secrets of the Tang Sect's supreme techniques and Twin Martial Souls, Martial Soul Hall would never let him go easily. They might be holding him in secret confinement for interrogation for now, but it wouldn't be long before they made their next move.

As for the Clear Sky Sect, even though they had been in seclusion for many years, they would never sit idly by while a direct descendant was abducted by Martial Soul Hall. They were merely held back by past grievances for the time being, but once a suitable opportunity arose, a conflict with Martial Soul Hall would be inevitable.

With these two storms intertwined, Shrek Academy was caught in the middle. It appeared to be an outsider, but in reality, it had long since been swept into the undercurrents.

Flender and Zhao Wuji appeared to have put the matter behind them, but in truth, they were deliberately avoiding risks, not wanting Shrek to be dragged into the feud between the Clear Sky Sect and Martial Soul Hall. Yet, they did not know that the origin of all this turmoil was the inconspicuous Lin Chen sitting right before their eyes.

Lin Chen gently rubbed the rim of his bowl with his fingertips. The concealment power of his Star Hidden Grass was constantly active, sealing the soul power of his level 62 Soul Emperor cultivation so tightly that even Flender, sitting not far away, could only perceive the mundane fluctuations of a level 36 Soul Elder, harboring no suspicions whatsoever.

What he needed to do now was to continue lying low, steadily improving his strength using the resources of Shrek Academy while keeping a close watch on the movements of Martial Soul Hall and the Clear Sky Sect, waiting for the next moment to strike. At the same time, he had to carefully protect Xiao Wu, ensuring she would never be caught in the crossfire of this storm.

After lunch, the high-intensity afternoon training began on time.

Zhao Wuji maintained his swift and decisive style, immediately arranging sparring sessions. He paired the students up to practice against each other in the training arena to improve their combat capabilities. The students paired off, the sounds of clashing soul power and the shouts of sparring echoing one after another, making the entire training ground exceptionally lively.

Dai Mubai and Oscar were paired together, Ma Hongjun practiced his soul skills alone, Ning Rongrong provided support from the sidelines, and Xiao Wu was assigned to be in a group with Lin Chen.

The two walked to a corner of the training ground and stood facing each other. The surrounding attention was drawn to the intense sparring in the center, and no one noticed them.

"Lin Chen, we..." Xiao Wu looked at the youth before her, her cheeks flushing slightly, her voice dropping to a whisper.

"Stop at the first sign of contact, don't show any openings," Lin Chen said softly, his tone gentle, his eyes carrying a hint of imperceptible doting. "Go ahead and attack; I will follow your lead."

Xiao Wu nodded vigorously, her heart filled with warmth.

As the words fell, Xiao Wu moved. Her Soft Bone Rabbit martial soul quietly manifested, her figure becoming increasingly agile. With a fragrant breeze, she lunged toward Lin Chen, her movements fluid and nimble, fully displaying the dexterity of the Soft Bone Charm Rabbit.

Lin Chen deliberately restrained his soul power, showing only the strength expected of a level 36 Soul Elder, calmly parrying Xiao Wu's attacks. His movements appeared defensive, yet he always managed to subtly shield Xiao Wu, preventing her from stumbling due to overly vigorous motions.

Their sparring was not intense; in the eyes of others, it was merely a standard practice between classmates. Only they knew that the accidental brushes of their fingertips and the tenderness in their exchanged glances held a sweetness that belonged only to them.

After a few exchanges, Xiao Wu was slightly out of breath, fine beads of sweat forming on her temples. Lin Chen stopped at the right moment and handed her a clean handkerchief, his movements natural, his tone indifferent: "Wipe your sweat."

Xiao Wu took the handkerchief and lowered her head to wipe her face, unable to hide the smile at the corners of her mouth, her heart feeling sweet.

This scene, in the eyes of others, was merely normal care between classmates. After all, Lin Chen was a gentle person by nature and was not distant with anyone, so it did not arouse the slightest suspicion.

During a break in training, Flender gathered everyone together and spoke with a serious expression: "For the next period, everyone focus on cultivation. Stay away from the outskirts of the academy and don't go looking for trouble. No matter what happens in the outside world, it has nothing to do with us at Shrek. Remember that!"

Clearly, Flender remained wary of the feud between the Clear Sky Sect and Martial Soul Hall, deliberately cautioning everyone to avoid getting burned.

The group nodded in agreement. Lin Chen, blending into the crowd, remained calm, though he understood everything in his heart.

Flender's caution provided the perfect cover for his own concealment. As long as Shrek did not actively involve itself in external affairs, he would have more time to lay his plans and better protect Xiao Wu.

As the sun set, the day's training finally ended. The students, exhausted, returned to their dormitories to rest.

Lin Chen followed the others as usual, but as he passed by Xiao Wu, he gave her a subtle, almost imperceptible look.

Xiao Wu understood immediately. She slowed her pace without drawing attention, and after saying goodbye to Ning Rongrong, she used the excuse of wanting to see the night view to sneak toward the back mountain of the academy.

Once the others were far away and Lin Chen had confirmed no one was watching, he flashed into the night, silently slipping into the secluded bamboo forest.

By then, Xiao Wu was already waiting. Seeing Lin Chen arrive, she ran over quickly. With no one else around, she no longer needed to hide the joy in her heart, grabbing Lin Chen's sleeve with a beaming smile: "Lin Chen, you're here."

Lin Chen took her hand in his, the warmth of the young girl's palm flowing into his own. His eyes were filled with tenderness as he shed all his disguises and defenses: "I've kept you waiting."

The bamboo forest was quiet, the night breeze cool. The two sat side by side beneath the bamboo, not needing many sweet words, simply leaning against each other and enjoying this undisturbed time.

Xiao Wu rested her head on Lin Chen's shoulder, feeling the reassuring scent of him, and all her exhaustion vanished: "Being with you is so nice."

"From now on, whenever I have time, I will be with you," Lin Chen promised softly, raising his arm to gently pull her to his side, his tone firm. "I will become stronger as quickly as I can. One day, we won't have to be so secretive."

He was unwilling to let this relationship remain in the shadows forever, and even more unwilling to remain in passive seclusion. If he wanted to protect Xiao Wu openly and control the situation, he had to possess the strength to crush all opposition.

Xiao Wu looked up into Lin Chen's deep eyes and nodded firmly, her heart filled with trust.

After they leaned together for a while, Lin Chen stood up. He sent Xiao Wu off first, then carefully cleared away any traces of soul power in the bamboo forest. Only after confirming there were no flaws did he return to the boys' dormitory.

When he returned, Dai Mubai and the others were already meditating, and the room was silent.

Lin Chen sat cross-legged on his bed, appearing to be cultivating his soul power, while in reality, he reopened the system to check his status.

[Host: Lin Chen]

[Level: Level 62 Control-type Battle Soul Emperor]

[Disguise Level: Level 36 Control-type Battle Soul Elder]

[Concealment Skill: Max Level (Undetectable below Title Douluo)]

[System Task: Observe the situation and await the movements of the Clear Sky Sect and Martial Soul Hall. Reward: Hidden Soul Bone Fragment]

Looking at the system panel, a sharp glint flashed in the depths of Lin Chen's eyes.

The Hidden Soul Bone Fragment; if he could collect them all, he would be able to perfect his concealment abilities. By then, even a Title Douluo would find it difficult to easily detect his presence.

The night deepened, and Shrek Academy fell into a complete slumber. Everyone was resting peacefully, save for Lin Chen, who remained clear-headed in the darkness.

He lay on his bed, closing his eyes to rest his mind, while constantly deducing all sorts of future possibilities. A web of schemes was quietly spreading in the shadows.

With sweet affection hidden in his heart on one side and the undercurrents of a chess game sweeping across the continent on the other, Lin Chen's gaze was resolute.

He would both guard this secret tenderness to protect Xiao Wu's peace for a lifetime, and firmly grasp the chess game in his hands to sweep away all obstacles, carving out his own path to the heavens on this Douluo Continent.

No one knew that under the cover of this calm night, the youth's plans were steadily advancing toward a deeper and more distant horizon.