At dawn, the training grounds of Shrek Academy were already bustling. The cool morning breeze carried the sounds of young men and women circulating their Soul Power. Yesterday's quiet warmth had long since been tucked away in a corner known to no one, and Lin Chen had returned to his usual mild, unassuming self, blending in with the crowd.
He ran at the back of the group, keeping pace with everyone else. His steps were steady, and his Soul Power remained at level thirty-six, not a fraction higher or lower. He perfectly concealed his true strength as a level-sixty-two Soul Emperor. The power of Star Hidden Grass followed him like a shadow, completely veiling every trace of his sharpness and unusual qualities. To anyone looking, he was simply an ordinary, reserved student at Shrek Academy.
Xiao Wu ran not far away. Every so often, she would sneak a glance at Lin Chen, a faint smile in her eyes, then quickly look away, never daring to linger. Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing ran alongside her, each with a different expression, their hearts quietly stirring with feelings they had yet to recognize.
Ning Rongrong had been born into the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and spoiled from a young age. She had seen more than enough people in the sect flatter and fawn over others, as well as gifted geniuses who held their heads too high. Yet Lin Chen gave her a very different impression.
The young man never indulged her the way others did, nor did he curry favor because she belonged to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. He was always courteous and mild, careful to keep an appropriate distance. The last time she hit a bottleneck in her cultivation and her Soul Power wouldn't flow properly, she had been so flustered she didn't know what to do. No one else could help, but Lin Chen had quietly guided her Soul Power under the pretext of sparring, clearing her meridians. Afterward, he had casually brushed it off as a coincidence and never once took credit.
Unlike the easygoing teasing she shared with Dai Mubai and the others, Ning Rongrong always paid Lin Chen a little extra attention. A young girl's heart was delicate, and though she couldn't put a name to what she felt, she couldn't help wanting to draw closer to this seemingly ordinary young man who somehow always made her feel at ease.
Zhu Zhuqing, meanwhile, had always been cool and taciturn, aloof by nature and rarely close to anyone. Her thoughts were consumed by cultivation and her determination to escape the fate her family had laid out for her. Yet on several occasions during combat training, Lin Chen had quietly helped her out of danger. Whenever Ma Hongjun or Dai Mubai struck too hard, Lin Chen somehow managed to stop them with an apparently casual move. When she ran into trouble cultivating a Soul Skill and nearly suffered a backlash from her Soul Power, Lin Chen had quietly steadied her mind with his own Soul Power, leaving no trace. He had preserved her pride while helping her through the ordeal.
Zhu Zhuqing was perceptive, far more so than most, and she could tell that Lin Chen was not as simple as his mild exterior suggested. She could also sense the quiet care he showed her. He never said much or tried to get close to her, yet his attentions were always perfectly timed, striking the deepest chord in her heart—the longing for warmth. The heart she had kept tightly wound for so long had begun to loosen, ever so slightly.
After morning training, Zhao Wuji arranged mixed-team sparring during the break, assigning them to groups of four to fight together.
By chance, Lin Chen, Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing ended up in the same group.
The four went to one side of the training grounds. Ning Rongrong was the first to activate her Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Martial Soul. The brilliant golden pagoda floated above her palm, and its Soul Power amplification light immediately enveloped the others. She looked up at Lin Chen, unusually serious. "Lin Chen, you take charge. We'll all follow your lead!"
The spoiled little princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was willingly taking orders from an "ordinary student." To anyone watching, it was merely good teamwork, but they had no idea how much Ning Rongrong already trusted Lin Chen.
Zhu Zhuqing silently activated her Nether Civet Martial Soul. Her cool eyes turned to Lin Chen, and she gave a slight nod without a word, expressing her agreement through her actions.
An almost imperceptible ripple passed through Lin Chen's eyes, but his expression remained calm. He quickly worked out a strategy, then spoke in a steady, clear voice. "Rongrong, keep everyone's Soul Power boosted. Zhuqing, circle around and strike from behind. Xiao Wu, hold them off from the front. I'll control the battlefield."
His strategy was concise and precise, perfectly suited to each of their Martial Souls, with not a single flaw.
The fight began, and the opponents' Soul Skills came one after another, each attack more aggressive than the last. Lin Chen remained unruffled. He circulated his Soul Power and unleashed his Soul Skills, controlling the opponents' movements with precision. His attacks seemed unremarkable, yet always sealed off the enemy at just the right moment, creating perfect openings for his teammates.
Xiao Wu followed the plan, darting nimbly about and using her Soft Technique to hold the enemy off from the front. Zhu Zhuqing became a black shadow, slipping silently behind their opponents to strike with deadly force. Ning Rongrong's boosts were always precise and timely, bringing all three of them to the peak of their abilities.
Their teamwork flowed like water, and they won without the slightest suspense.
Everyone around the training grounds marveled at their victory, assuming it came down to sound tactics and perfect coordination. Only Lin Chen knew he had secretly intervened several times during the fight: when an opponent tried to ambush Ning Rongrong, he had silently deflected the attack with his Soul Power; when Zhu Zhuqing was surrounded, he had secretly set up a Soul Power barrier to avert the danger; when Xiao Wu ran out of strength, he had quietly sent her a thread of gentle Soul Power to keep her going.
He concealed every bit of his aid with the power of Star Hidden Grass, leaving no opening at all. No one else could have noticed.
After the match, Ning Rongrong hurried over to Lin Chen. Her usually playful face was bright with excitement as she blurted out, "Lin Chen, you were amazing! Your strategy was spot-on!" She moved a little closer. The faint scent of plants clung to him, and her cheeks flushed slightly as she praised him without the slightest attempt to hide it.
Zhu Zhuqing came over too. A rare warmth glimmered in her cool eyes, and she spoke softly but with complete sincerity. "Thank you."
She had seen more clearly than Ning Rongrong. Without Lin Chen's secret help, she would have fallen behind.
Lin Chen smiled faintly, his tone even. He deliberately kept an appropriate distance, neither drawing close nor seeming cold. "It was just teamwork. Everyone did their part."
He carefully suppressed every emotion, not daring to let anything show.
He knew all too well that after so many unremarkable moments spent together, and all the times he had watched over them, he had developed feelings for Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing. But he was a player in a game of intrigue, his identity concealed and danger lurking all around him. He already had a secret understanding with Xiao Wu. If he revealed his feelings for the other two as well, it would inevitably invite endless trouble. It would not only disturb Shrek's peace but expose the plans he had laid in secret.
Xiao Wu stood nearby, watching them. A trace of bitterness stirred in her heart, but she said nothing. She could feel that Lin Chen treated her differently, and she understood his difficulties. She simply walked over to him and quietly tugged at his sleeve. In a voice only the two of them could hear, she said, "I understand."
Lin Chen's heart warmed. He looked down at Xiao Wu, a hint of tenderness in his eyes, and gave the back of her hand a quick, reassuring pat.
Without making a fuss, he put some distance between himself and Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing, maintaining the air of an ordinary classmate and hiding every feeling in his heart.
For now, he had to deal with the undercurrents swirling around Spirit Hall and the Clear Sky Sect while carefully maintaining these secret ties to several people. He could let no one discover what he felt, and he could not allow these affairs of the heart to become a flaw in his plans.
At lunchtime, the group sat together as usual.
Ning Rongrong occasionally put food on Lin Chen's plate, her manner casual and girlish. Zhu Zhuqing said little, but she quietly picked out the ingredients she disliked and set them aside, carefully avoiding the things Lin Chen preferred. Her thoughtfulness showed in the smallest details.
Lin Chen accepted everything and thanked them politely, maintaining just the right distance throughout. He neither refused their kindness nor grew overly familiar, so Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun, and the others thought it was nothing more than ordinary friendship between classmates and didn't suspect a thing.
After the meal, Lin Chen used cultivation as an excuse to head alone to a secluded spot behind the academy.
He sat cross-legged in the bamboo grove and circulated his Soul Power, carefully sorting through the feelings in his heart.
The system panel quietly appeared. Besides the proficiency of his concealment skill and his Soul Power Level, a line of text appeared for the first time: [The host's emotional bonds have deepened. Secret Protection Permission can now be unlocked, strengthening the concealment and protection of those bound to the host.]
Lin Chen's fingers shifted slightly. His decision was already made.
Since he had fallen for them, he would not let them down. But the time was not yet right. He would remain in hiding and secretly protect Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing, keeping the outside turmoil from reaching them and ensuring they were never put in danger because of him.
Once he had grown strong enough to control every storm, once he no longer had to hide his identity, he would give them an answer.
For now, all he could do was keep up the act and remain unobtrusive, hiding all his affection and protectiveness where no one could see.
The sun sank toward the horizon, and dusk deepened. Lin Chen rose, settled his thoughts, and once again resumed his mild, unassuming air as he walked back to the dormitory.
At the edge of the training grounds, Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing stood together, all gazing toward the direction from which he was approaching. Each had feelings in her eyes, but all three quietly hid them, revealing nothing.
Life at Shrek remained peaceful as ever. Yet beneath that calm lay not only the game Lin Chen was quietly setting in motion, but also four feelings, secretly intertwined and impossible to speak of, slowly taking root and spreading where no one could see.
Lin Chen knew that from here on, he would have to keep the outside undercurrents under control and protect the rare warmth he had found by his side. He would proceed one careful step at a time, never allowing anyone to disturb this peace, and never allowing those he cared about to suffer even the slightest harm.
Before you continue