Xuan Zi: Elder Mu Has Defected!

Shrek Academy, Zhang Lexuan's office.

"Senior Sister, when do you think that kid Long Yaochen... will be back?"

Ma Xiaotao rested her chin on her hand and spoke with a bored look.

Zhang Lexuan glanced at her, then lowered her head to continue reading the documents in her hands. She merely replied, "What? Missing your dream man?"

Over the past few months, not only had Long Yaochen and Zhang Lexuan's relationship progressed by leaps and bounds, but Ma Xiaotao and Zhang Lexuan had also grown much closer.

"W-What are you talking about?!" Ma Xiaotao's face reddened at Zhang Lexuan's sudden remark.

For some reason, when Long Yaochen was not by her side but she knew he was in the Outer Court, she did not feel much about it.

But this time, he had gone away for several days. Although he had told her beforehand, Ma Xiaotao still could not settle her heart.

And he had promised it would only be seven days... This was already the eighth day, yet he still had not returned!

Ma Xiaotao was not the only one feeling this way. Zhang Lexuan was no exception.

As she looked down at the documents, a trace of complexity flashed through her eyes.

What kind of magic did that kid possess? It was one thing for Xiaotao to miss him day and night.

But why even...

Just then, a streak of black light cut across Shrek's skies, shooting straight toward Sea God Island.

"This is..." Ma Xiaotao recognized the origin of that streak at once. Without hesitation, she turned and headed outside.

Zhang Lexuan's gaze sharpened as well. She casually tossed the documents onto the desk and followed Ma Xiaotao toward the Inner Court.

Sea God Pavilion.

The black streak flew into Sea God Pavilion without concealing itself in the slightest. Several auras within the pavilion instinctively rose, only to slowly subside amid Mu En's silence.

"Old bastard, I heard quite a few people in your Shrek have their eyes on my precious disciple."

The moment Long Xiaoyao entered, he dropped himself onto a seat in the Sea God Pavilion's main hall, acting as though he were in his own home.

"With Xiaochen's talent and appearance, isn't it perfectly normal for people to admire him?" Mu En lay in his recliner and raised his eyelids, looking at Long Xiaoyao with some surprise.

This old bastard actually dared to swagger directly into Sea God Pavilion now?

Was he not afraid Mu En would attack him?

With that thought, Mu En looked again at Long Yaochen, who stood silently nearby.

This kid... felt as though something had changed about him.

It seemed this trip had brought him quite a harvest.

Long Yaochen, meanwhile, watched the two old men with a strange expression.

The Holy Spirit Cult's chief consecrator was sitting in Sea God Pavilion drinking tea... Wasn't this opening a little off?

"Perfect. Since I'm here this time, call over all those disciples who admire Xiaochen." Long Xiaoyao spoke arrogantly. "I'll pick a few suitable ones and arrange a few engagements. We can hold all the weddings together later."

Mu En's face darkened.

What did this old bastard take Shrek for?

And he wanted to pick a few suitable ones?

Just as Mu En was about to speak, two graceful figures entered from outside Sea God Pavilion.

The red-clad figure in front, in particular, rushed straight toward Long Yaochen at incredible speed.

The next moment—

Ma Xiaotao threw her arms around Long Yaochen.

"Mm—!"

Long Yaochen felt himself sink into a patch of softness.

"Long... You brat, you're finally back! Didn't you say one week?" Ma Xiaotao said with some displeasure. As she spoke, she instinctively sniffed Long Yaochen's scent, confirming that the familiar aura was still there.

That familiar sacred aura finally eased the anxiety that had hung in her heart these past few days.

Behind Ma Xiaotao, Zhang Lexuan paused for a moment at the sight before continuing toward them.

"Mm... Let go of me first!" Long Yaochen struggled free from Ma Xiaotao's embrace.

Her sudden sneak attack had nearly left him unable to breathe.

"Not bad. Little girl, you're even prettier than before. You're almost catching up to Xiaochen." Long Xiaoyao smiled as he stroked his beard.

Over the past few months, as Long Yaochen had continuously helped Ma Xiaotao suppress her Evil Fire, the faint sinister aura that had once clung to her had faded considerably. Instead, her temperament now carried a little more sacredness.

"E-Elder Long, Elder Mu."

Ma Xiaotao's face reddened. She had been too excited just now and forgotten there was a whole group of people here.

"We could have returned a few days ago, but my teacher and I took care of something else along the way, so we were delayed for a few days." Long Yaochen straightened his wrinkled clothes and offered an explanation.

This was not an excuse. He and Long Xiaoyao had made a side trip to Sunset Forest.

Although the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well was in a relatively conspicuous location—one only needed to look where it was poisonous—

it had still taken them quite some time to determine its exact location.

That way, once Long Yaochen reached Rank 40 at the end of this semester, he could head straight for his destination.

It would also give Elder Yi time to refine the Soul Spirit System.

"As long as you returned safely." Zhang Lexuan finally spoke.

"Senior Sister." Long Yaochen grinned.

Mu En watched Zhang Lexuan instantly recover from the somewhat low mood she had been in these past few days.

Long Xiaoyao's words from earlier unconsciously echoed in his ears, and he suddenly felt dizzy.

Was my decision back then... really the right one?

For the first time, he doubted his own decision. A feeling that his family fortune was about to be handed over to someone else welled up in his heart.

Just then, footsteps sounded from the stairs of Sea God Pavilion.

"Elder Mu... Why do I feel an extremely powerful aura entering Sea God Pavilion? Who has come to visit?"

A disheveled figure walked down from upstairs as he spoke.

"Who did I think it was... So it's you, Xuan Zi."

Long Xiaoyao gave a disdainful snort. He had not seen this fellow during his last visit, otherwise he would have beaten him up along the way.

"Long... Xiaoyao?" After Xuan Zi saw the figure before him clearly, his face instantly darkened. "Long Xiaoyao, you actually dare to trespass onto Sea God Island?"

"Oh? What? What can you do to me?" Long Xiaoyao rose to his feet, standing with his hands behind his back.

The atmosphere in Sea God Pavilion instantly turned tense, like drawn swords and bent bows.

Mu En felt a headache coming on at the sight.

"Enough! Xuan Zi, you've barely come out and you're already looking for trouble?" Mu En shouted in a low voice.

"Elder Mu, you..." Xuan Zi's eyes instantly filled with disbelief.

What was going on?

This was Long Xiaoyao, the Holy Spirit Cult's chief consecrator!

He had merely gone into seclusion. Had Elder Mu defected to the enemy?!

"Long Xiaoyao is Xiaochen's teacher. We are no longer enemies, at least for now," Mu En said helplessly.

"Elder Mu! Have you lost your mind? Long Xiaoyao belongs to the Holy Spirit Cult! Then this kid must be from the Holy Spirit Cult too! How can you let them come to Shrek?!" Xuan Zi shouted.

...If you had become a Limit Douluo sooner, would we even be in this situation today?

Mu En cast Xuan Zi another disappointed look before explaining, "Xiaochen is not a member of the Holy Spirit Cult. Xiaoyao's circumstances are more complicated than you think. At the very least, he is not Shrek's enemy right now."

Hearing Mu En's explanation, Xuan Zi looked at Long Xiaoyao standing there with his hands behind his back and a smile on his face. He unconsciously took two steps back, with only one thought remaining in his mind:

It's over, Elder Mu has defected!

Sea God Pavilion... was no longer a place he could stay!