A Sense of Familiarity

The red mech clearly didn't want to fight Cai Yue'er Cai Yue'er kept dodging, while also firing a few missiles at the train.

It was clearly experienced—no matter how strong Titled Douluo was, it was impossible for them to protect the entire wrecked train at the same time.

Each time Elder Cai pursued, it would suddenly turn around to increase the distance, and at the same time launch two missiles from its shoulder launcher, which would crash into the overturned carriage with trails of flame.

"Shameless!"

Elder Cai's face turned ashen. Her Silver Moon Martial Soul flashed repeatedly, and a crescent moon shattered a missile. The aftershocks of the explosion caused her sleeves to flutter.

But another bomb had already landed near the carriage, sending debris and dirt flying everywhere.

Old Master Zhuo Shi was also incredibly fierce, his iron fists clashing head-on with the mecha. With one punch, the mecha's chest armor caved in, and it was unclear whether the pilot inside was stunned or killed by the shock.

He jumped down from a purple mech, flicked the metal shavings off his fists, and roared at the red mech in the sky, "You little brat! Come down here and fight your grandpa if you dare!"

The red mech ignored him completely and fired another salvo of missiles.

"Protect the carriages!"

Wu Zhangkong's voice was as cold as ice. His Frost Trace Sword drew sword curtains in the air, intercepting most of the missiles that were aimed at the remaining carriages.

But with so many missiles, some will inevitably slip through the net.

Yun Jingheng activated his gravitational field, deflecting the trajectories of the two missiles, causing them to fly diagonally into the distant fields, where they exploded, creating two fireballs.

"This can't go on."

Tang Wulin gritted his teeth, having already pushed the power of the Golden Dragon King to its limit.

Just then, a sharp whooshing sound came from afar.

Everyone instinctively looked up.

More than twenty dark figures swept in from the edge of the field, moving extremely fast, yet without making a sound.

They wore long black robes, their hoods covering most of their faces, and each of them was bathed in a cool, clear moonlight.

They were all Martial Soul with the same moon attribute.

The red mech clearly noticed this sudden change and immediately turned its cannon around, firing two missiles at the Black-Robed Figure.

The Black-Robed Figure at the front raised a hand.

Moonlight gathered in his palm, transforming into a translucent silver light wall.

The missile struck it, but there was no explosion, no fire; it was as if swallowed by moonlight, disappearing silently.

The red mecha's movements visibly froze for a moment.

The next second, more than twenty beams of moonlight shone simultaneously, like more than twenty silver blades, slashing at the remaining Green Skull Mecha.

There was no roar, no screams.

Where the moonlight passed, the mechs shattered, collapsed, and turned to dust as if they were made of paper.

The whole process took less than ten seconds.

Before the red mech could even escape, the Black-Robed Figure made a clenched fist, and a full Full Moon rose from his palm, its light condensing into a giant hand that he held in his palm.

The red mech's energy shield dimmed rapidly in the moonlight, and the entire machine began to deform and compress, eventually turning into a fist-sized metal sphere that fell into the Black-Robed Figure's hands.

The battlefield fell silent.

The Star Luo Empire's Mecha Guard Team stood frozen in place, unsure of who to aim their Soul Guidance Cannon at.

At the Shrek Academy, everyone was on edge.

Zhuo Shi strode to the front, his fists clenched, his Soul Power surging like a tide.

The Black-Robed Figure turned around.

Their gaze passed over the wreckage, over the flames, over everyone—

They all landed on Yun Jingheng.

The Black-Robed Figure at the front slightly raised his hood, his eyes calmly fixed on Yun Jingheng.

There was scrutiny in that gaze, and some indescribable emotion, but no hostility.

"Cai Yue'er is coming."

He said it softly, his tone as indifferent as if he were talking about the weather.

"Walk."

As soon as he finished speaking, more than twenty beams of moonlight simultaneously burst forth and then receded.

The Black-Robed Figure simply vanished, as if he had never existed.

Almost at the same moment they disappeared, Elder Cai's figure descended from the sky and landed beside Yun Jingheng.

"Jing Heng, are you alright?" She looked him up and down.

"Fine."

Yun Jingheng shook his head, his gaze still fixed on the direction where the Black-Robed Figure had disappeared. "They didn't hurt me."

By 7 p. m., the Shrek group had finally settled into the Star Luo Grand Hotel in Star Luo City, each with their own room.

Exhausted after a long afternoon, Master Yun collapsed onto the soft bed.

He couldn't help but recall the Black-Robed Figure he had seen that afternoon.

He rolled over, facing the ceiling, where a crystal chandelier hung, casting a warm yellow light.

Those Black-Robed Figure...

He closed his eyes, and the image of the cold, clear moonlight floated into his mind.

Crescent moon, half moon, Full Moon —each one so pure, so clean, like a sliver of moonlight plucked directly from the ancient night sky, condensed into weapons, into armor, into themselves.

What he cared about most was that inexplicable sense of closeness.

It's not as simple as "not disliking" it.

It's that kind of... how to put it, like walking on an unfamiliar road and suddenly meeting someone who speaks your native dialect, that kind of familiarity and comfort that seeps into your bones.

From childhood to adulthood, Yun Jingheng has always had an inexplicable feeling about his Martial Soul.

His Martial Soul is very strong; there's no doubt about that.

But today, the moment the Black-Robed Figure appeared, my Martial Soul hummed in my mind.

It's... a response to them.

Like two moons gazing at each other from afar, they are both aware of each other's existence.

"Knock knock knock."

The knocking interrupted his thoughts.

Yun Jingheng sat up in bed and went to open the door.

Outside the door stood Ye Xinglan, holding a tray with several small dishes and a bowl of steaming rice on it.

"I knew you didn't go down for dinner, so I brought it up for you."

Ye Xinglan walked in and placed the tray on the bedside table. "The hotel restaurant is pretty good. This barbecue smells especially good. I gave you a few extra pieces."

Yun Jingheng glanced at her, then sat back down on the edge of the bed and picked up his chopsticks.

Ye Xinglan didn't stand on ceremony and plopped down in the chair, crossing her legs as she watched him eat.

"Those people," Ye Xinglan said in a low voice.

"What do you think its origin is?"

Yun Jingheng chewed on some roasted meat and mumbled, "I don't know."

Aren't you curious?

"Curious."

"Then why don't you seem worried at all?"

Yun Jingheng swallowed the food in his mouth and looked at Ye Xinglan seriously. "What's the use of being anxious? If they wanted to harm me, they would have done it this afternoon."

"They don't. If they want to have anything to do with me, they will. I don't need to look for them; they will come to me."

Ye Xinglan was taken aback by these words, then rolled her eyes dramatically. "Your mentality... is really stable."

"It's not about having a stable mindset."

Yun Jingheng lowered his eyelashes, picked up a piece of grilled meat, put it in his mouth, and chewed slowly. "There's a... strange feeling. I can't explain it, but I just feel that those people won't hurt me."

Ye Xinglan was silent for a moment, then patted her thigh and stood up. "Alright, as long as you understand. By the way, Elder Cai wants you to go to her room at seven o'clock tomorrow morning. She said she has something to tell you."

Yun Jingheng paused slightly and nodded.

Ye Xinglan walked to the door, then suddenly turned back, her expression serious. "Jing Heng, no matter what those people do, you are a member of Shrek, you are our partner. That will not change."

"I will always be with you, always."

After saying that, she opened the door and left, her footsteps echoing in the corridor as they faded into the distance.

Yun Jingheng watched the door close behind him, a slight smile curving his lips.