Brother Bei Bei, since you've truly fallen for Tang Ya, then I, Sister Le Xuan, will accept you!

"Bei Bei, do you really intend to give all the resources Ancestor Xuan gave you to Tang Ya without keeping a single bit for yourself?"

At Shrek Academy, on Sea God Island, two youths with remarkably similar features but vastly different hairstyles appeared to be in the midst of a heated discussion.

The shorter one, whose hair was styled in sharp, angular spikes reminiscent of a crab, was the first to speak.

The youth opposite him, whose hair was so silky it could have starred in a shampoo commercial and whose temperament was far more scholarly and gentle, looked visibly awkward at the question.

"Xiao Jie, my own cultivation is already on the right track, and the resources I enjoy within the Sea God Pavilion are more than sufficient."

"As for Xiao Ya, although her talent is indeed quite good among Blue Silver Grass soul masters, the Blue Silver Grass martial soul is inherently weak. Furthermore, she is now homeless. Since Ancestor Xuan asked me to help her, I must naturally do my utmost."

Although Bei Bei tried his best to provide a rational explanation for his actions, in the eyes of You Jie, these were nothing but excuses.

Since when does a genius with level nine Innate Soul Power see their cultivation speed slow down significantly after breaking through to level thirty?

Does he really think the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon is some kind of ultimate attribute martial soul that suffers from the debuff of slow cultivation speed between level thirty and level seventy?

If it were Turtle Xu, who was in cahoots with Bei Bei, one might attribute his slow progress to the psychological baggage caused by his martial soul "evolution," but Bei Bei's sluggish growth was entirely due to wasted resources and the squandering of precious time on romance and the study of Soul Tools.

Even though Soul Tools were the future mainstream of this era, starting from the very basics of blacksmithing to learn Soul Tool manufacturing was a massive waste of time.

Even the original protagonist, Prisoner Huo, had been advised by Xuan Ziwen to focus his primary energy on design and stop handling the manufacturing of Soul Tools himself.

"Hmph, 'Xiao Ya,' you say it so affectionately! Bei Bei, don't tell me you haven't fallen for her!"

"Ancestor Xuan only asked you to help her, he didn't tell you to help her to the point of delaying your own cultivation, or even dragging yourself, the one shouldering the family legacy, into the mud!"

"Not to mention that the gap between our cultivation levels is closing, how do you expect Zhang Lexuan to look at you?"

"You used to use your status as an older brother to pressure me, back when you told Zhang Lexuan..."

"Xiao Jie, say no more!"

Seemingly struck in a painful spot, Bei Bei, who had been maintaining a scholarly smile, immediately donned a mask of agony, his expression visibly crumbling.

A surge of soul power erupted from his body, forcing You Jie to take a step back.

"Bei Bei, you really have become lazy. The dragon might of your Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon can now only force me back a single step."

"At this rate, once I reach level thirty in a few days and ask Zhang Lexuan to help me obtain my third soul ring to become a Soul Elder, you won't be my match anymore, Bei Bei."

Having stepped back, You Jie wore an expression of disappointment, as if looking at someone who had failed to live up to expectations.

He had considered his cheap brother a hopeless romantic, but he hadn't expected him to show symptoms of an incurable disease this early on.

"...Xiao Jie, you don't know how much our Shrek Academy and our family legacy owe the Tang Sect."

"Besides, Xiao Ya is truly different. She is a genuinely good person, if only..."

"Fine, brother, go tell all that to Ancestor Xuan and Zhang Lexuan. But since you've already chosen Tang Ya, you can't try to silence me anymore, can you?"

The symptoms Bei Bei displayed were even more hopeless than You Jie had imagined, leaving him with an expression identical to that of a famous doctor.

However, since his cheap brother had chosen the weed under the carriage wheels, then...

"...Alright, since you know about Zhang Lexuan, and I have already failed her, I can only entrust her to you. You must..."

Before he could finish, Bei Bei turned and fled, leaping onto a small boat docked at a nearby wooden pier and rowing frantically toward the Outer Courtyard.

You Jie strolled onto the pier, watching Bei Bei use his soul power just to row the boat, and couldn't help but sigh.

Although Bei Bei's appearance as his cheap brother allowed him to abandon Zhang Lexuan—the "nanny" and "child bride" designated for them by Mu En—with a clearer conscience and dump her affections onto You Jie, it was still frustrating.

But judging by Bei Bei's attitude just now, his current mindset was more like "eating from the bowl while looking at the pot."

Otherwise, he wouldn't have fled Sea God Island so wretchedly before even finishing his sentence.

Last year, when they accidentally ran into Ma Xiaotao on the island while her evil fire was raging out of control, Bei Bei hadn't run away this fast!

"Bei Bei, how can you be even more indecisive than Aojia!"

Thinking of this, You Jie finally gave up on his cheap brother completely. Once Bei Bei had vanished from the lake, You Jie planned to return to his quarters to focus on his cultivation.

His mutated twin martial souls, Synchron and Resonator, would only be able to unleash their true potential once You Jie reached the level of a Soul Elder.

By then, even if Bei Bei decided to go back on his word, kick Tang Ya to the curb, and try to return to Zhang Lexuan's embrace, You Jie would be able to handle it with ease.

To hell with the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon; he could take his Scrap Iron Fist and Tamashii and go!

However, just as Bei Bei's figure had yet to fully disappear, a gentle presence appeared behind You Jie, pulling him into an embrace from behind.

Although the soft sensation against the back of his head was exceptionally enjoyable, You Jie could feel that the person holding him was not at peace.

Otherwise, with her level of cultivation as a Soul Douluo, why would her body be trembling ever so slightly?

"Zhang Lexuan? When did you arrive..."

Feeling Zhang Lexuan's reaction, You Jie immediately had a rough answer in his heart.

Clearly, his conversation with Bei Bei just now had been overheard by Zhang Lexuan.

Otherwise, the only things that could make Zhang Lexuan so unsettled would be a certain Holy Spirit Cult elder continuing his schemes, or a certain fire-breathing chicken losing control of her evil fire again.

But Mu En had not left Shrek Academy, Xuan Zi had not led a team out during this period, and Ma Xiaotao had no opportunity to set fires.

Then...

Zhang Lexuan did not speak, simply holding You Jie from behind just like that.

She had indeed heard the conversation between You Jie and Bei Bei, though it was merely an accident, and she had not heard the entire exchange.

She had started listening roughly from the moment You Jie told Bei Bei to "go say whatever you have to say to Great-Grandmaster Xuan and Sister Lexuan."

Regarding Bei Bei's change of heart, Zhang Lexuan had sensed it even earlier than You Jie, but due to the room for interpretation in Mu En's original command, and because she had become resigned to her fate after the drastic changes in her family, she had calmly accepted the fact.

Yet, You Jie's words today still caused ripples to stir once more in Zhang Lexuan's heart, and they forced her to reorganize her perspective on him.

Perhaps, the ten years of devotion she had given should be entrusted to none other than the crab-haired youth before her eyes.

"Little Jie, what are your thoughts regarding your third soul ring?"