"What are you looking at?!"
Ma Xiaotao finally could not hold it in any longer. She slammed her palm onto the desk, and the pressure of a Soul Emperor burst forth. "Keep staring, and I'll burn your entire class to ashes!"
Whoosh—!
The freshmen, who had been passionately discussing things just moments ago, instantly erupted with speed comparable to agility-type Soul Masters. They packed their bags, climbed out the windows, kicked open the back door—within three seconds, the entire classroom had been cleared out. Not even a scrap of paper remained.
Can't afford to provoke her, can't afford to provoke her. What a fiery temper...
No wonder her fiancé had fled to the Outer Court.
Once only the three of them remained in the classroom, Ma Xiaotao immediately turned around and grabbed Long Yaochen by the collar. Her eyes brimmed with resentment. "You have to give me an explanation today! Do you know how worried I was about you in the Inner Court?!"
Long Yaochen brushed her hand away and rubbed his brow helplessly.
Hadn't he absorbed the Evil Fire? Why did it feel as though Ma Xiaotao had been affected by it even more?
During class just now, he had already briefly explained everything that had happened over the past few days to her through voice transmission.
What else was there to explain?
"Nothing I could do. I was the one who angered Zhou Yi into leaving, and Mu En asked me to take care of Senior Sister. Consider it cleaning up the mess," Long Yaochen said casually. He knew that Ma Xiaotao merely had an explosive temper; in truth, she was fiercely protective of her own.
"Don't use Mu En to pressure me! Does Senior Sister need a tiny Soul Elder like you to take care of her?"
Ma Xiaotao snorted, but her tone had clearly softened.
She looked Long Yaochen up and down, and a trace of barely perceptible heartache flashed through her eyes.
"Right, I heard from that stingy old Dean Qian that you suffered hidden injuries and specifically asked for that sinister 'Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife.'"
"Yes, I need it quite badly." Long Yaochen nodded.
"I told Dean Qian not to bother preparing it." Ma Xiaotao placed a hand on his shoulder and, incidentally, let a little Evil Fire overflow into him.
Long Yaochen's complexion grew rosier, and he looked at Ma Xiaotao in surprise.
"You... are still too young." As she spoke, Ma Xiaotao straightened Long Yaochen's collar before continuing, "It's just a carving knife with a fearsome reputation. It's only a hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins, and they'd practically have to beg you to take it."
"There's absolutely no need to spend a school favor on it. Your injuries aren't something a mere hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins can solve!" Her voice was unusually gentle. If she had known he would run into that madwoman Zhou Yi after coming to the Outer Court...
No matter what, Ma Xiaotao had to keep him by her side.
Hearing Ma Xiaotao's words, a trace of surprise flashed through Long Yaochen's eyes. She was quite considerate toward him.
Then the corner of his mouth twitched.
No wonder Qian Duoduo had agreed so quickly back then.
What a miser...
"Perfect. There's a Treasure Appreciation Fair in the center of Shrek City tonight to welcome the new students. That vicious knife is on the auction list. I have a VIP card as a core disciple of the Inner Court, so come with me tonight. I'll pay for that knife for you!"
Ma Xiaotao crossed her arms and slightly lifted her chin. Beneath her red veil, she wore an expression of extravagant wealth.
"That wouldn't be right. I'd be making you spend money again." Long Yaochen smiled, but his body honestly leaned back against the chair, clearly showing no intention of refusing.
"Cut it out. Since the two of us have a marriage contract, it's only natural for me to look after you."
Ma Xiaotao raised an eyebrow and declared this with immense dominance.
However, before Long Yaochen could speak,
Wang Dong, who had been sitting beside them without saying a word for ages, as though she were invisible, completely snapped.
Smack!
Wang Dong abruptly slapped the desk and rose to her feet.
She glared at Ma Xiaotao with her pink-blue eyes, puffing out her cheeks like a little tiger whose territory had been invaded and whose fur had stood on end.
First she fixed his collar, then she offered to pay... and tonight, a man and a woman were even going out alone...
No! I really can't stand this anymore!
"No! He can't go alone with you! It's only a hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins. Why are you acting like no one else can afford it?!"
When it came to money, Wang Dong had never conceded defeat to anyone.
Ma Xiaotao frowned and looked down dangerously at the handsome youth half a head shorter than herself. "Who the hell are you? I'm taking my own man to the Treasure Appreciation Fair. Is it your turn to butt in?"
"I..."
Wang Dong was left speechless by the retort.
She truly had no standing, and she was even disguised as a man right now...
But seeing Ma Xiaotao acting as though she were declaring ownership, the unwillingness to lose and pride belonging to the young master of the Clear Sky Sect surged up within her at once.
She grabbed Long Yaochen's arm and shouted righteously, "I'm his roommate! What if you sell him off outside?! As his roommate, I have an obligation to mon... protect his safety! So I'm going to the Treasure Appreciation Fair tonight too!"
Just as Wang Dong and Ma Xiaotao were locked in a standoff, a cool and gentle voice came from nearby.
"Since you're going to the Treasure Appreciation Fair, consider it a chance to relax. Bring me along too."
The group turned their heads and discovered that Zhang Lexuan, who should have left, was parked at the doorway in her wheelchair, quietly watching them.
"Senior Sister? You didn't leave?" Ma Xiaotao was stunned for a moment.
"I happened to need to buy some calming herbs in the city, and I overheard outside that you were going to the Treasure Appreciation Fair." Zhang Lexuan's expression was calm as her gaze swept over Long Yaochen. "Since you're my teaching assistant now, it shouldn't be too much to ask you to push this injured patient there, should it?"
Another one?!
Almost simultaneously, this thought arose in Long Yaochen, Wang Dong, and Ma Xiaotao.
Long Yaochen felt his brow throbbing. The Divinity that had begun to emerge in abundance also made him feel an inexplicable irritation.
So, deciding to stop caring altogether, he took the initiative and stretched out both arms, naturally draping one around Ma Xiaotao's shoulders and the other around Wang Dong's.
As both of their bodies instantly stiffened, he looked at the gentle Zhang Lexuan. The curve of his lips carried a touch of wildness. "Since everyone wants to go, then we'll go together. Perfect—I'd like to see just how much foundation Shrek's Treasure Appreciation Fair truly has."
Shrek City Gate.
"Little Yuhao, just grill twenty fish. It won't take up too much of your time." Tang Ya giggled as she spoke to Huo Yuhao.
"I understand, Sister Tang Ya." Huo Yuhao nodded obediently.
"Oh, right. That old hag Zhou Yi didn't make things difficult for you, did she?" Tang Ya suddenly remembered this and asked.
"Tang Ya..." Bei Bei frowned. "Teacher Zhou may be strict, but she does it for the students' benefit."
Tang Ya made a face at Bei Bei and did not respond.
Huo Yuhao, however, hesitated before saying, "Uh... Teacher Zhou was indeed a little excessive... But because she attacked students, the academy has completely expelled her and driven her out of Shrek."
"What?" Tang Ya and Bei Bei cried out in unison.
This was far too surreal, wasn't it?!
On the first day of school, Zhou Yi, the so-called terror of the Outer Court, had been thrown out just like that?
Under their repeated questioning, Huo Yuhao briefly explained what had happened in the classroom that day.
"Wow! Your classmate is way too cool! He dared to go head-to-head even with a Soul Emperor? Introduce me to him sometime! He's perfect for joining our Tang Sect!" Tang Ya waved her little fist excitedly, as though she had experienced it firsthand.
Bei Bei, on the other hand, frowned even more deeply.
Senior Sister Lexuan...
She was seriously injured? And she even went to teach in the Outer Court?
As he recalled the past, a surge of guilt welled up in his heart.
Should I go visit her? But Tang Ya is right here...
"Eh, Sister Tang Ya. That's him!"
Just as Bei Bei was struggling with this, Huo Yuhao pointed toward the city gate in surprise.
Bei Bei subconsciously raised his head in that direction.
With just one glance, his signature refined smile completely froze on his face.
Before you continue