Mu Tianyi's First Kiss, Shy Zhang Lexuan, Target Recruitment Finalized

Under Yan Shaozhe's deliberate arrangement, the matter between Mu Tianyi and Zhou Yi was left unsettled.

When Fan Yu returned from his business trip and heard about the incident, his expression remained grim for several days.

He went to find Qian Duoduo, the Dean of the Soul Guidance Department, but Qian Duoduo didn't say much, merely tossing out a single sentence:

"That person is someone you cannot afford to provoke; don't ask any further."

Fan Yu fell silent for a long time, not uttering another word.

The exploits of Mu Tianyi fermented wildly throughout the Outer Court.

Rumors like "one-shotting Teacher Zhou," "treating a five-ringed soul master like a toy while only having four rings," and the "Bright Sacred Dragon" martial soul spread, with each version becoming more mystical than the last.

With both looks and strength, combined with his performance in front of the dormitory building on the first day of school, Mu Tianyi was privately dubbed the "Freshman King" by the new students.

Wherever he went, people pointed and whispered; Gongyang Mo basked in his reflected glory, receiving greetings from others whenever they walked down the road.

Mu Tianyi himself, however, remained completely indifferent to all of this.

Weekend.

An Inner Court courtyard.

The leaves of the phoenix trees had begun to turn yellow, and the afternoon sunlight filtered through the branches, casting mottled shadows onto the living room floor.

Mu Tianyi leaned back on the sofa, flipping through the intelligence files sent over by Yan Shaozhe.

They contained information on Gongyang Mo, Ling Luochen, Chen Zifeng, Xixi, and Yao Haoxuan.

The martial souls, Soul Power Level, family backgrounds, and personality traits of all four were written down in meticulous detail.

He already had some plans forming in his mind.

"Still reading?"

Zhang Lexuan walked out of the kitchen, carrying a plate of freshly sliced fruit.

She set the fruit platter on the coffee table and tilted her head to glance at the stack of papers in Mu Tianyi's hand, but she didn't ask any questions.

Mu Tianyi looked up, set the documents aside, and reached out to wrap his arm around Zhang Lexuan's waist, pulling her to sit beside him.

Zhang Lexuan didn't resist, following his lead as she leaned in, her shoulder brushing against his, and she picked up a grape from the platter to hold it to his lips.

"Open up."

Mu Tianyi bit down on the grape, taking the opportunity to brush his lips against her fingertips.

The tips of Zhang Lexuan's ears turned a faint red; she pulled her hand back and pretended to look at the phoenix tree in the courtyard outside the window.

The two had long since ceased to be as distant as they were three years ago.

At their current age, in the Douluo Continent, it was the prime time for hearts to stir.

Holding hands, draping an arm over a shoulder, or sharing an occasional hug had become the most natural things in the world.

Sometimes, when Mu Tianyi was tired from cultivation, he would rest his head on her lap for a nap; when Zhang Lexuan was cooking, he would wrap his arms around her waist from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder as he watched her chop vegetables.

Neither of them felt there was anything improper about it.

"Is it sweet?" Zhang Lexuan asked.

"Sweet," Mu Tianyi replied vaguely, chewing the grape.

"I was asking about the grape."

"So was I."

Zhang Lexuan couldn't help but laugh, reaching out to tap his arm lightly.

"You rascal, were you doing that on purpose?"

Mu Tianyi didn't deny it, a smile playing on his lips as he just looked at her.

Zhang Lexuan felt somewhat uneasy under his gaze; she lowered her lashes, her fingers unconsciously twisting the edge of the fruit platter.

The afternoon sunlight slanted in from the window, landing on her profile and casting a glow over that thin layer of blush, making her look like a perfectly ripe peach.

She hadn't tied up her hair today; her black tresses cascaded over her shoulders, accentuating the fair skin of her neck, the lines of which were impossibly soft.

Mu Tianyi watched her, and suddenly, he felt something stir within his heart.

He reached out, gently cupping her chin to turn her face toward him.

Zhang Lexuan's gaze drifted, her eyelashes fluttering slightly as if she sensed what was about to happen, yet she did not pull away.

Mu Tianyi lowered his head and kissed her.

It wasn't a fleeting touch, but a firm, solid press of his lips against hers.

The moment their lips met, both of their breaths hitched.

The young girl's lips were soft, carrying a hint of fruity sweetness, like cherries just plucked from the branch—plump and moist.

Mu Tianyi applied a little pressure, and her body trembled slightly, her fingers instinctively clutching his sleeve.

The feeling was truly wondrous.

It felt like someone shoving a hand warmer into your arms on a winter night, the heat spreading from your chest all the way to your fingertips.

It was also like standing by the Sea God Lake in the breeze; despite the chill in the air, your heart felt searingly hot.

Mu Tianyi closed his eyes and kissed her more deeply.

Zhang Lexuan's breathing grew rapid, her fingers gripping his sleeves tightening until her knuckles turned white.

She did not push him away; instead, she tilted her face up slightly, as if responding, or perhaps as if she had completely surrendered.

A muffled murmur escaped her lips, as light as a breeze brushing across the surface of the lake.

Mu Tianyi did not catch exactly what she said, but the sound of his sister's voice made his heart race even faster.

After a long while, Mu Tianyi pulled away from Zhang Lexuan.

Zhang Lexuan's eyes were half-closed, her eyelashes still trembling slightly, as if she had just been shaken awake from a dream and had not yet fully regained her senses.

Her cheeks were flushed with a faint crimson, and her lips were rosier than before, slightly parted as if she were catching her breath or had words she couldn't quite bring herself to say.

She subconsciously raised a hand to touch her lips, then quickly lowered it, pretending to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

This attempt to cover up her feelings made her look even more beautiful than before.

The corners of Mu Tianyi's mouth curled up slightly, though his tone remained very serious: "I have to get to work."

Zhang Lexuan pouted slightly, clearly dissatisfied with Mu Tianyi's "act," but she quickly composed herself.

She sat up straight, adjusted her collar to hide her little girlish emotions, and looked at the documents by Mu Tianyi's side.

"Who shows the most promise?" she asked first, her tone having returned to its usual composure.

Mu Tianyi opened the documents and pointed to the pages as he spoke.

"First and foremost is definitely my roommate, Gongyang Mo, the son of a wealthy merchant from the Heaven Dou Empire."

"He is the easiest to win over. As an auxiliary-type soul master, he naturally relies on others. Being the second son, his family's business seems to have been handed over entirely to his older brother, and he himself has shown signs of wanting to align with me."

"Ling Luochen, from the Star Luo Empire, her martial soul is ice. She comes from an ordinary family with no background, so the difficulty of winning her over is low."

"Chen Zifeng, from the Heaven Spirit Empire, ordinary family; Xixi, from the Heaven Dou Empire, also an ordinary family."

Mu Tianyi closed the documents and paused.

"Except for Yao Haoxuan, the other four have plain backgrounds. As for Yao Haoxuan, I won't consider him for now."

Zhang Lexuan nodded, looking as though she understood everything.

Mu Tianyi had introduced Gongyang Mo before; he had a feminine appearance and, if he dressed up, would definitely look more delicate than a girl.

Zhang Lexuan had seen him once at the start of the school year and had a deep impression of him.

She also had an impression of Ling Luochen; since Mu Tianyi had been close to her lately, they could already be considered friends.

As for Chen Zifeng and Xixi, they were from New Student Class 2 and Class 3 respectively, and Mu Tianyi had only met them once and had not yet formed a deep connection.

As Zhang Lexuan thought about this, she suddenly realized a problem.

Although Gongyang Mo was a man, that face of his... counted as half a woman.

Ling Luochen was a woman; Xixi was also a woman; and then there was herself...

She tilted her head and glanced at Mu Tianyi.

Damn it, is there a bit too much female company around this guy?

Zhang Lexuan pursed her lips, a sour feeling she couldn't quite name bubbling up in her heart.

She knew it was irrational—Gongyang Mo was a man, and Ling Luochen and Xixi were just ordinary classmates—but she just felt uncomfortable.

Mu Tianyi was looking down at the documents, pondering his next move, when he suddenly felt a chill on the back of his neck.

He looked up and met Zhang Lexuan's eyes, which were filled with a smile that didn't quite reach them.

The gaze was as gentle as ever, but hidden beneath that gentleness was a small blade, carving into him bit by bit.