Return to Shrek Academy

Lin Yun buried Chu Zhengzhang and stood there for a long time, lost in thought as he looked at the newly raised mound.

The aura in Flying Star City had long since dissipated following Lin Yun's absorption of that amber Holy Spirit Source Crystal, but the crystal itself had now lost its initial vitality.

It simply hovered quietly within his Sea of Consciousness, as if the process of resisting the Skeletal Bone Dragon had never occurred at all.

Lin Yun looked at the small object in his Sea of Consciousness; when it had first entered his mind, it had identified itself as a "Holy Spirit Source Crystal."

According to Lin Yun's deductions, this thing was most likely an existence similar to an Extraterrestrial Demon.

For some reason, it had descended upon this world, and for some reason, it had voluntarily shattered itself across this land.

This Holy Spirit Source Crystal was merely one of its corpse fragments, similar to the soul fragments of Electrolux.

This Douluo Continent was truly the center of the universe, a place where all nations came to pay homage: the Evil Eye, the Tang Buddha Ancestor who knew not from which wuxia or xianxia world he hailed, the soul fragments of Electrolux from the Divine Seal World, and himself, reincarnated from Blue Star.

For the first time, Lin Yun's worldview was reshaped on the Douluo Continent; he took a deep breath and looked at the grave before him.

Pulling his thoughts back to the introduction Chu Zhengzhang had given him, he turned and walked out of Flying Star City.

Strangely enough, although Lin Yun had taken the Holy Spirit Source Crystal that sustained the city, the people—or rather, the souls—who had lived by its grace did not dissipate from the world.

It was as if the Holy Spirit Source Crystal had bestowed a gift, granting these implicated people a second life.

Lin Yun also began to view the Holy Spirit Cult differently for the first time; perhaps the original "Holy Spirit" was not necessarily evil, but had simply strayed onto the wrong path.

Lin Yun muttered to himself in his heart that if that were the case, he would one day use his own methods to let the holy light truly shine upon the earth.

Upon exiting Flying Star City, the students sent by Shrek Academy to meet him were already in position, led by a young woman in her twenties with black hair cascading to her waist, a delicate and fair complexion, and a dignified, composed demeanor.

"You are Lin Yun?" The leading young woman had a hint of unnatural paleness on her face as she scrutinized Lin Yun.

Lin Yun looked rather disheveled at the moment; he had climbed mountains, traversed tunnels, nearly been offered as a sacrifice to the Holy Spirit, and finally carried two corpses out, one of which was now buried on a hill in Flying Star City.

The other had to be carried to the city gate to be handed over to the Shrek personnel, so he was currently covered in dust and grime, looking very much like someone who had put in a great deal of effort.

Lin Yun suppressed the displeasure he felt at being scrutinized and said calmly, "This Humble One is indeed Lin Yun, a captive and new student who has only just arrived at Shrek Academy."

After Lin Yun finished speaking, the young woman looked at him and said, "I know a little about your situation, so don't hold such a grudge against the academy. My name is Zhang Lexuan, the head senior sister of the Inner Court. Now, tell me what happened."

Lin Yun did not expose the matter regarding Chu Zhengzhang, instead generalizing the senior sister's death as having been killed by an Evil Soul Master.

In Lin Yun's report, he was merely the one who had collected the body.

This explanation did not arouse Zhang Lexuan's suspicion, and Lin Yun also roughly understood why Mu En had been so generous with the reward this time: the senior sister's family belonged to a sect that was neither small nor too shabby, and the compensation given to Mu En was worth significantly more than a Soul Bone.

After the official business was recorded, Zhang Lexuan seemed to hesitate for a moment; she coughed twice at Lin Yun and then said, "Um, when we reach the relay station, go wash up, and then ride in the same carriage as me on the way back."

Lin Yun narrowed his eyes and said to Zhang Lexuan, "If Senior Sister finds this junior too filthy, you could simply choose not to travel with me. In any case, most of my assets are now at Shrek Academy; I won't be running away."

"Absolutely not!"

A sharp, commanding shout erupted from Zhang Lexuan's throat, startling Lin Yun so much that he shuddered. This really wasn't because Lin Yun lacked backbone; it was just like an ordinary person in his past life talking to Mike Tyson—if the other party suddenly roared at you, anyone would be stunned.

Wiping the floating dust from his face, Lin Yun held his hands up in front of his chest as if trying to soothe a mother leopard.

"Whatever you say, you are the boss. I will run ahead to the nearest bathhouse right now. I guarantee I'll scrub myself clean. We're all from the same academy, so there's no need for violence."

Zhang Lexuan laughed, seemingly finding Lin Yun's reaction amusing, and waved her hand, saying, "Alright, go on then. I'll wait for you at the relay station ahead."

After Lin Yun left, Zhang Lexuan sat in the carriage, leaning against the backrest, thinking of Mu En's words.

Bei Bei had already confirmed that he did not like her, so Mu En, in his own words, had "thickened his skin" to beg Zhang Lexuan to change their previous arrangement.

Because of this, Mu En would no longer pursue the matter regarding Xuan Zi, and Mu En's idea was to see if he could get Zhang Lexuan to interact with Lin Yun.

When all was said and done, Mu En could not bear to lose a Martial Soul so powerful that even his own trembled, combined with the aptitude of Innate Full Soul Power.

So, after intimidation and inducement failed, he had decided to implement a "honey trap."

Lin Yun had also thought of this possibility while bathing, but he truly didn't believe he was worth Mu En going to such lengths.

Although Mu En had softened his mindset over the past two years, Zhang Lexuan was the card he had reserved for Bei Bei.

To just throw her out to recruit him? To recruit someone who had only just reached level thirty and had only managed that by fusing with a Holy Spirit Source Crystal?

Lin Yun couldn't be blamed for thinking it was impossible; it was just too absurd.

Lin Yun pondered, and after finishing his bath and changing his clothes, he realized there was no other way. He had two energy-devouring beasts in his head, and if he didn't fleece Shrek a little, he feared he wouldn't be able to afford to feed them even if he were sold by the pound.

People die for wealth just as birds die for food; if this really was a honey trap, Lin Yun would just play along with them slowly. There was no credit system here anyway, and as long as he didn't swear on his Martial Soul, the final interpretation of any words he spoke remained with Lin Yun.

As he boarded the carriage and saw Zhang Lexuan looking elegant but gripping the corner of her clothes, Lin Yun's judgment of the situation deepened.

After a while, as if making small talk, Lin Yun said to Zhang Lexuan, "Senior Sister, your complexion seems a bit pale. Is something the matter?"

Zhang Lexuan paused, then immediately said, "There was a bit of an accident previously, so my severe injuries haven't fully healed."

Lin Yun nodded and spoke to Zhang Lexuan.

"No wonder I didn't see you, Senior Sister, when I was rescued and brought back to the academy last time. It was that red-haired Senior Sister and Dean Yan who went."

Zhang Lexuan nodded, then said to Lin Yun:

"Yes, because during that time, we senior sisters made a mistake while out hunting soul beasts..."