Changes

Actually, from a personal perspective, Ning Huan had never felt the slightest annoyance toward Zhang Lexuan.

On a broader scale, she was one of his and the academy's most steadfast allies.

She played a tremendous role in dealing with Shrek, passing along intelligence, and providing future fighting strength.

In terms of importance alone, she was no less valuable than Ning Hao and the others.

No matter what, she wasn't someone they could casually give up.

On a smaller scale, it came down to what he felt in his heart.

Of course, it wasn't because he admired her strength, nor was it because he felt affection or romantic attraction toward her as a member of the opposite sex.

The truth was, he simply pitied how hard her life had been.

As a child, she had witnessed the destruction of her family with her own eyes, then been driven by hatred to swear an oath for life.

After that, weighed down by gratitude and responsibility, she had buried herself in cultivation, daring not to rest for even a moment.

Only after becoming Shrek's youngest Soul Douluo had she finally paused, at least for a while.

How much she had sacrificed and given up along the way, even she probably couldn't have tallied.

That was precisely why Ning Huan was so accommodating about all sorts of trivial matters related to her.

Otherwise, why would he have let Zhang Lexuan spend so much time by his side in Spirit Body form? He'd have to be out of his mind.

Wasting Soul Power, wasting time, and even eating his snacks...

Alas, it was all fate~

Coming back to himself, Ning Huan couldn't help sighing inwardly.

He reached for the table, then suddenly remembered it had long since been cleared. His expression grew even more helpless.

This big sister really dumped all the girlish feelings she'd hidden for over a decade on me!

She's even harder to deal with than Tian'er!

"Forget it. I'll treat it as raising a daughter ahead of time and getting some practice."

It was just then that Ning Huan, having only just comforted himself, saw Zhang Lexuan drop the last piece of osmanthus cake onto the bed.

The veins in his forehead throbbed, and the little warmth in his heart vanished in an instant.

That was a brand-new bedsheet he'd changed only this morning!

"Zhang Lexuan, it's about time you left."

"Ah, you're kicking me out again!"

With an unwilling cry, Zhang Lexuan sprang upright in a kip-up and sat facing Ning Huan.

Her waist was slender enough to fit in his hands, her figure graceful and alluring, and her eyes glimmered like autumn waters.

The two soft mounds on her chest swayed in every direction, forcing him to quickly look away as he clicked his tongue to himself.

That figure... Mm... top quality!

Alas, I'm still underage. This is torture!

"Xiao Huan~ Ahem~"

"Cough, sorry. I got distracted."

Under the girl's teasing gaze, Ning Huan hurriedly gathered his thoughts before they could wander any further, then spoke in a low voice:

"Although we've confirmed that during the summoning, you enter a special state of deep cultivation, with nothing unusual happening..."

"Shrek is ultimately unlike the other factions. They're far too special, with the favor of the gods upon them."

"Without knowing what cards they're holding, I can't guarantee nothing will go wrong."

"If you're exposed, you, I, and the Nine Treasures Glazed Academy will all suffer the consequences."

As he spoke, he suddenly became utterly serious, as though his earlier awkwardness and guilt had never existed.

Seeing this, Zhang Lexuan, who understood what mattered most, stopped fooling around and gave a slight nod.

"Mm, I'll be careful."

Then, as though she'd remembered something, her mood suddenly sank.

She sat on the edge of the bed like a helpless girl, her red lips pressed together, her words carrying a strange uncertainty.

"Xiao Huan... do you think I can hold on until the truth comes out?"

"...You definitely can, but first you need to explain why you're feeling so down."

"Hmph! It's your fault!"

"???"

Ning Huan was left staring at her in bewilderment.

He hadn't been stirring up trouble across the continent lately, so how had she managed to pin this on him?

Unreasonable?

Fine!

But there had to be a limit!

"You'd better give me a reasonable explanation!"

Seeing the boy's expression grow darker, Zhang Lexuan didn't hesitate any longer and laid out the grievances in her heart.

"Ever since I learned the secret of my Martial Soul, I've always felt like I don't belong at Shrek."

"I can't forget how they raised me for more than a decade, but the mystery of my birth makes it impossible for me to fully trust those elders."

"My sense of right and reason are at each other's throats, and you've gone into seclusion instead of coming to help. I'm having a hard time!"

Hearing this, Ning Huan slapped his forehead.

Only now did he understand why Zhang Lexuan came to his place whenever she had free time.

She came to eat, to cultivate, to read, to sleep...

Oh, she hadn't come to sleep!

So she'd been under too much pressure, afraid someone would discover something was wrong with her!

Then how could they solve this?

There was only one answer!

They couldn't!

Not everyone had a complicated past like Zhang Lexuan.

Every student who entered Shrek Inner Court had passed through layer after layer of background checks!

As if talent alone could get you in!

Of course, it wasn't that there were no options.

He could go!

If he showed them his true strength, Shrek would probably welcome him with drums and gongs.

But getting in was easy; getting out was hard.

Who knew if those old geezers would play dirty and pull some disgusting stunt?

Just then, however, Ning Huan seemed to think of something, and his brows furrowed slightly.

If I treated Tang San as the hypothetical enemy and Huo Yuhao as a chess piece...

Whether to control the situation or observe up close, there were plenty of reasons I had to go to Shrek.

The one crucial point was that I couldn't stay there too long. Ideally, I'd leave once the Freshman Assessment was over.

I'd still have to keep a careful eye on how far to take things...

Before long, after weighing the pros and cons time and again, Ning Huan finally made up his mind.

Go!

He had to go!

He'd take Ning Tian with him. With that protective charm at his side, there was no need to worry about them getting any ideas.

Besides, she'd been curious about Shrek for ages.

Letting her look around and satisfy her curiosity was better than having her pester him with questions.

Thinking this, Ning Huan gave an almost imperceptible nod, then looked at Zhang Lexuan and said softly:

"Mm, go back for now, and remember not to request a summoning during this period."

"When Shrek starts its term, I'll take Tian'er there as a visiting student for three months. That should ease your worries."

"Okay... What?!"

Before her reply had even finished, Zhang Lexuan came to her senses and cried out in alarm.

"No! Absolutely not!"

"How is that any different from walking straight into a trap?"

"I went to all that trouble to shift the elders' attention from you to Dai Huabin!"

Actually, when she'd heard the first half, she'd felt a little disappointed.

But then the second half had mentioned willingly going to Shrek.

There was no way that counted as a pleasant surprise.

"Don't worry. I know what I'm doing."

"When have you ever known me to act on impulse?"

Watching her panic, Ning Huan's smile widened until it was dazzling.

"Besides, don't we have a willing target over there to draw their fire for us~"

Zhang Lexuan understood immediately and shot him an exasperated look.

"I should've known. How could someone with a White Tiger Martial Soul have a talent that abnormal?"

"Fine, then I'll head back first. Just remember to come soon."

"Okay."

With that, her Spirit Body vanished in an instant, as though fleeing for her life.

Ning Huan was left sitting by the window, veins throbbing as he ground his teeth.

"Zhang Lexuan!! You finished the food and didn't clean up again!"