Inner Court Big News

Hmm?

Yang Jian turned around, somewhat puzzled, and was struck by the sight of Ma Xiaotao leaning slightly forward, revealing a glimpse of fair, creamy skin. Her expression was incredibly earnest: "Our original agreement was for you to help me suppress the Evil Fire, but now, not only have you helped me suppress it, you've even extracted a portion of the Evil Fire from my body."

"You gained benefits from my Evil Fire, but that is your own affair and has nothing to do with me. This is different."

Ma Xiaotao emphasized the last few words.

Looking at Ma Xiaotao's expression, Yang Jian smiled lightly.

In his view, he had already gained plenty from Ma Xiaotao, enough to offset the help he provided. But since she had put it that way, he naturally wouldn't say anything more:

"Then let's just say you owe me a favor."

"No problem."

Ma Xiaotao agreed without a moment's hesitation, patting her own chest with great bravado, causing a wave-like motion: "In Shrek Academy, I've got you covered!"

As the words left her mouth, Ma Xiaotao suddenly realized something was off.

Yang Jian had easily defeated an Outer Court teacher with six-ring cultivation and a 40,000-year-old Two-Headed Lion King; it seemed... he didn't need her to cover him at all.

"Alright, you cover me."

Yang Jian responded with a smile, not wanting to bruise her ego.

Seeing this, a strange look flickered in Ma Xiaotao's eyes once more. The crimson flush on her cheeks turned into a seductive, pale pink, and she bit her lip slightly as she spoke:

"So, in your heart, you actually think I'm quite young too, and that there isn't much of an age gap between us, right?"

Yang Jian's movements paused slightly.

A question mark slowly rose in his mind.

When I cast a question mark, it's not because I have a problem, but because I think you have a problem!

However, Yang Jian had to admit that, free from the torment of the Evil Fire and in a peaceful state, Ma Xiaotao was actually quite beautiful. With her delicate features, hot figure, and charming demeanor, possessing both the allure of a young girl and the grace of a mature woman, she was undoubtedly a rare beauty.

It was just... seeing this expression on Ma Xiaotao, Yang Jian couldn't help but feel a sense of dissonance.

"Let's go, I'll take you for a more thorough tour of the Inner Court. The teacher must have forgotten to tell you earlier, but he wants to promote you directly to the Inner Court as an exception. What do you think?"

Noticing the look on Yang Jian's face, Ma Xiaotao curled her lips and changed the subject quite naturally.

Promotion to the Inner Court?

Yang Jian frowned slightly and began to think seriously.

Currently, he was essentially performing a dimensional strike in the Outer Court; moving to the Inner Court was indeed a good choice. With Ye Qingyuan's talent, she would likely be promoted directly to the Inner Court before long, so there was no real need for him to linger in the Outer Court.

Moreover, if he could remain near the Golden Tree, his cultivation speed would increase significantly.

The only trouble was that becoming an Inner Court student meant automatically joining the Shrek Inspectorate—the Shrek Inspectorate was dedicated to maintaining the stability and harmony of the continent. Because the status of soul masters and commoners was unequal, some soul masters would use their power to harm civilians, and the major empires were sometimes unable or unwilling to regulate certain malicious incidents; thus, the Shrek Inspectorate was born, tasked with overseeing the behavior of all soul masters.

For example, hunting down Evil Soul Masters, wiping out gangs of bandits who burned, killed, and looted, or handling dangerous missions targeting soul beasts.

Overall, joining the Inner Court was a choice with both advantages and disadvantages.

After a brief moment of reflection, Yang Jian gave his answer.

"Promoted to the Inner Court? I think that sounds pretty good."

Hearing this, a flash of joy appeared in Ma Xiaotao's eyes, and she hopped off the bed, her movements becoming much lighter.

"Wait, you aren't planning on going out like that, are you?"

Seeing Ma Xiaotao intending to walk straight out of the room, Yang Jian hurriedly called out to her, pointing at the wrinkles on her clothes.

"Oh, I forgot."

As she spoke, Ma Xiaotao began to tidy herself up right in front of Yang Jian without the slightest bit of avoidance.

"Alright, we can go now."

Watching the figures of Yang Jian and Ma Xiaotao leave the Sea God Pavilion one after the other, Yan Shaozhe couldn't help but sigh.

Although he could feel that Ma Xiaotao's condition had improved significantly, he still felt a sense of regret.

What a pity.

"Where do you want to go for a stroll?"

Ma Xiaotao tilted her head slightly, her gaze falling on Yang Jian beside her. The sight of her looking so uncharacteristically gentle made the passing students feel as if they had seen a ghost in broad daylight.

Ma Xiaotao, one of the two "living volcanoes" of the Inner Court, was actually showing such a gentle expression?

And she was being this gentle toward a boy!

This was a piece of explosive news that could shake the entire Inner Court!

However... who was that boy beside Ma Xiaotao? Why had they never seen him before?

"You're the tour guide, so of course I'll listen to you."

Yang Jian replied casually, his gaze falling toward the Soul Fighting Zone nearby.

Seeing this, Ma Xiaotao immediately explained, "That over there is the Inner Court Soul Fighting Zone. The rules are similar to those of the Outer Court Soul Fighting Zone. The difference is that the Inner Court only has one Soul Fighting Arena, unlike the three found in the Outer Court."

"If you want to go in and take a look, I can take you. If I remember correctly, there happens to be a self-arranged soul fight today. I think you should know one of the participants."

"Dai Yueheng, you know him, right?"

Yang Jian nodded, a face appearing in his mind.

Back when he was at the Star Luo Empire Offering Hall, he had dealt with Dai Yueheng quite often.

To be precise, they had practically been fighting each other since they were children. Before Dai Yueheng entered Shrek Academy, he had spent some time studying at the Offering Hall. During that period, the two of them often couldn't stand the sight of each other and would come to blows at the slightest disagreement.

Strangely enough, however, as they kept fighting, their relationship didn't worsen; instead, they became friends.

Listening to Yang Jian's account, a hint of surprise appeared in Ma Xiaotao's eyes:

"I never expected you and Dai Yueheng to have such a history, but... that guy is really quite shameless. You must have only been a few years old back then, right? How could he bring himself to do that?"

"Hmm... I think I had just obtained my first soul ring at the time, and he was probably not even twelve years old yet."

Yang Jian explained casually, then immediately looked up at the magnificent Soul Fighting Arena before him.

Although the Inner Court only had this one Soul Fighting Arena, judging by its footprint alone, it was likely no smaller than the Outer Court Soul Fighting Zone. Even before entering, a cacophony of shouting and cheering could be heard from within.

"The Inner Court Soul Fighting Zone is open all day, unlike the Outer Court's. This time of day is when the audience is at its peak, so it's normal for it to be a bit noisy. Tell me, do you want to go up and give it a try?"

"With your strength, I think you'll give those Inner Court students a taste of hardship."

The smile on Ma Xiaotao's face widened significantly.

It wasn't just that she wanted to watch Yang Jian bully that group of Inner Court students; she was feeling a bit restless herself.

No longer being plagued by the Evil Fire—just thinking about it made her blood boil with excitement!