Goodbye Long Xiaoyao

Inner Court, Ma Xiaotao's dormitory.

Long Yaochen had just pushed the door open when a scorching gust of wind slammed toward his face.

He shifted his feet slightly, dodging it with practiced ease.

The next moment, Ma Xiaotao's voice, laced with a hint of anger, rang out.

"Who are you, sneaking into my girls' dormitory in the middle of the night?"

"Food delivery." Long Yaochen looked at the red-haired girl standing before him with her arms crossed and a hostile gaze, then closed the door quite naturally.

"So you finally know to come find me?"

"I'm here now, aren't I?"

"Who knows how many other girls you visited before finally coming to me." Ma Xiaotao sneered, her eyes growing increasingly dangerous.

Long Yaochen raised an eyebrow. "You knew about that?"

"Stop changing the subject." Ma Xiaotao walked up to him, reached out, and pinched his cheek, her tone fierce. "Your eyes were like that on the Soul Fighting Platform the other day—did you really think I wouldn't notice?"

With his face being pinched, Long Yaochen mumbled, "Minor issue."

"Minor issue?" Ma Xiaotao laughed in anger. "Say that again?"

Long Yaochen wisely shut his mouth.

Ma Xiaotao stared at him for a long while before finally letting go, saying irritably, "Sit down."

Long Yaochen didn't stand on ceremony and sat directly on the sofa.

It had to be said, the environment of the Inner Court dorms was far superior to those of the Outer Court.

Ma Xiaotao sat opposite him, the anger on her face not yet fully dissipated. "You never come to see me unless you're in trouble. Tell me, what did you stir up this time?"

Long Yaochen got straight to the point. "I'm leaving Shrek for a while."

Ma Xiaotao's expression changed instantly.

"Where to?"

"Going on a trip with my teacher."

"For how long?"

"About seven days."

Ma Xiaotao stared at him, her eyes narrowing bit by bit. "So you're just here to notify me?"

Long Yaochen gave a light cough. "I was just afraid you'd worry."

"You certainly know me well..." Ma Xiaotao fell silent for a moment before asking, "Is it dangerous?"

Long Yaochen looked at her.

This time, he didn't put on his usual playful grin.

"A little."

Ma Xiaotao's fingers tightened. "Do you have to go?"

"My Martial Soul—you know how it is." Long Yaochen leaned back against the sofa, his tone surprisingly calm.

Ma Xiaotao watched him, the fire in her eyes fading significantly.

Of course she knew.

Every time he helped her suppress her Evil Fire, she could feel that excessively scorching power within Long Yaochen's body.

It was like a sun that could spiral out of control at any moment.

Ma Xiaotao remained silent for a long time before gritting her teeth and saying, "Then come back early."

Long Yaochen smiled. "Can't bear to see me go?"

"I'm just afraid you'll die out there and leave no one to suppress my Evil Fire." Ma Xiaotao glared at him.

"A perfectly valid reason." Long Yaochen nodded.

Ma Xiaotao felt a tightness in her chest, frustrated by his attitude. She simply stood up and pointed to the daybed nearby.

"You're staying there tonight."

Long Yaochen was stunned. "Isn't that a bit inappropriate?"

"What are you thinking about?" Ma Xiaotao sneered. "Help me suppress the Evil Fire one more time before you leave. I don't want any issues while you're gone for those few days."

Watching her pretend to be righteous while clearly being worried, Long Yaochen couldn't help but chuckle.

"Fine."

Ma Xiaotao glared at him. "What are you laughing at?"

"Nothing." Long Yaochen closed his eyes, and a faint golden light began to glow around him. "Let's begin."

The scorching aura of the Evil Fire slowly rose.

But soon, that volatile phoenix flame was gradually suppressed, bit by bit, by a gentle and pure radiance.

The room fell silent.

Ma Xiaotao sat on the edge of the bed, feeling the long-lost tranquility within her body, her gaze softening slightly.

She looked at the youth not far away, who was adjusting his breathing with his eyes closed, her lips moving before she finally whispered, "Seven days. Not a day less, not a day more."

Long Yaochen did not open his eyes, merely responding with a smile.

"Understood."

The next morning.

Outside Shrek City.

Sunlight spilled over the wide official road, and while there were many pedestrians coming and going in the distance, it felt as if an invisible shadow shielded the area under an old tree outside the city gate from all prying eyes.

The old man in black stood with his hands behind his back.

He simply stood there, and the surrounding air seemed to grow heavy.

Long Yaochen walked out of the city gate and spotted that familiar figure at a glance.

"Teacher, long time no see."

Long Xiaoyao turned around slowly, his gaze landing on him.

"Cut the chatter, you brat better have a real reason for this," Long Xiaoyao said indifferently. "It wasn't a short trip for me to come all the way here."

Long Yaochen didn't beat around the bush and spoke directly: "Teacher, I need you to capture the Ice Empress."

The air went quiet for a moment.

Long Xiaoyao stared at him intently.

The next moment, the Dark Sacred Dragon was actually amused to the point of laughter, his tone dripping with the implication that the boy had lost his mind:

"The Ice Empress?

One of the three great kings of the Far North, the Ice Jade Empress Scorpion?

Do you think she's just some roadside cabbage, kid? You want to capture her just like that?"

Long Yaochen's expression remained unchanged. "Others couldn't, but Teacher certainly can."

"Don't try to butter me up," Long Xiaoyao snorted. "The Ice Empress may not be the Snow Empress, but she is still a hegemon of the Far North's core circle. Even for me, it wouldn't be easy to take her down on her own turf.

Besides, the Snow Empress certainly wouldn't sit idly by.

Unless you drag that old immortal Mu En along, I'd be digging my own grave if I went."

Long Yaochen nodded. "Naturally, I wouldn't ask Teacher to go and die with me."

"Wait, you're going too?" Long Xiaoyao interrupted him directly. "Your Martial Soul issue isn't resolved, so you're looking for a new way to die?"

"Of course not, this is a new method I've devised..." Long Yaochen began to outline the plan he had discussed with Electrolux.

Of course, he didn't mention Electrolux—not because he didn't trust Long Xiaoyao, but because Electrolux involved too many complications, and there would be plenty of time to explain later.

"Sun and Moon Shining Together? The fusion of Yin and Yang?" Long Xiaoyao looked at Long Yaochen in surprise. "Did that old thing Mu En give you this idea?"

Such an ingenious plan left even a Limit Douluo like Long Xiaoyao feeling enlightened.

"Of course not, you know your disciple is naturally gifted."

Long Yaochen's words were met only with a disdainful laugh from Long Xiaoyao.

"Fine. Since you're confident, I'll take you on a trip to the Far North."

Long Xiaoyao was never one to be indecisive; while he was no match for the combined might of the two empresses of ice and snow, he was confident in his ability to keep Long Yaochen safe and ensure they both retreated unscathed.

"How have things been with that girl, Xiaotao, lately?" Long Xiaoyao suddenly changed the subject.

"Things are going well enough, it's just..." Long Yaochen said, hesitating.

"What is it? Don't tell me you're being bullied by a woman?" Long Xiaoyao chuckled.

As if.

If I were a sycophant like you, I would have slammed my head into a block of tofu and died long ago.

"It's just that I accidentally attracted some other girls," Long Yaochen admitted truthfully.

"That's a good thing! Keep at it, and eventually, you'll hollow out the entire foundation of that old thing Mu En!" Long Xiaoyao laughed aloud, looking up at the sky.

Old thing, I ask you, what do your descendants have to compare with mine?

Especially that useless Dean of the Martial Soul Department in Shrek.