"Hahaha, of course! As long as there's money, anything can be discussed—oh, no, I mean, as long as you're here, anything can be discussed!"
When Su Ming saw that Ning Tian was willing to join his side, genuine delight shimmered in his eyes, and his tone grew noticeably lighter.
After that, Ning Tian and the others stayed in Su Ming's personal Soul Tool laboratory, patiently listening as he explained the basic construction of Soul Tools, the principles of rune arrangement, and the differences in quality between Thousand-Refinement and Hundred-Refinement materials.
They listened attentively, asking questions from time to time. Su Ming answered every question without reservation, passing on all the introductory knowledge he had mastered.
When it was time to leave, Ning Tian didn't hold back. She casually picked out a standard-issue, level-four Soul Tool.
It had been personally forged by Su Ming from premium Thousand-Refinement materials, and its quality far surpassed that of ordinary goods of the same level. Su Ming didn't mind at all and cheerfully gave it to her.
Once everyone had left the laboratory, Su Ming finally had a moment to himself. He stretched at length, and the bones and muscles throughout his body gave a faint series of crackles as they loosened.
"Ah, I've finally taken care of everything. Sure enough, with money to back you up, everything goes much more smoothly."
He casually shut the laboratory's alloy doors and strolled leisurely toward the Shrek dormitories.
Wandering at an unhurried pace, he soon found himself beside Sea God Lake. The surface shimmered in the light, and a breeze swept over it, stirring up layer upon layer of tiny ripples.
Su Ming glanced around casually and spotted three familiar figures standing on a shaded path by the lake. His heart stirred, and he walked over.
When he got closer, he saw that they were Bei Bei, Tang Ya, and Senior Sister Zhang Lexuan, whom he hadn't seen in a long time.
The moment he saw Zhang Lexuan, Su Ming's eyes lit up. A smile immediately spread across his face, and before he had even drawn near, he called out, "Sister Lexuan, you're back!"
All three turned toward the sound. When they saw Su Ming approaching with an eager expression, Bei Bei quietly let out a huge sigh of relief and thought, Our savior's finally here!
Su Ming walked up to them and, without drawing attention to it, shot Bei Bei a subtle look, raising his eyebrows slightly.
He was signaling for Bei Bei to make an excuse and leave with Tang Ya. Bei Bei immediately understood what Su Ming meant.
Bei Bei promptly stepped forward and addressed Zhang Lexuan respectfully:
"Sister Lexuan, Tang Ya and I still have plenty of Tang Sect business to take care of, so we'll be going first.
"Don't worry. From now on, I'll devote myself to cultivation and won't slack off."
Zhang Lexuan was an eight-ring Soul Douluo, with formidable spiritual power.
She had already noticed their little exchange of glances and was about to stop them.
But just then, Su Ming deliberately moved closer, grinned to show his white teeth, and gave her a silly, honest smile.
While Zhang Lexuan was distracted by his expression, Bei Bei immediately took Tang Ya by the hand. They hurriedly turned and slipped away down the lakeside path.
They had run a long way before Tang Ya finally stopped. She turned back curiously to look at Su Ming and Zhang Lexuan by Sea God Lake, then tilted her head and whispered to Bei Bei:
"Bei Bei, do you think... Su Ming likes Senior Sister? I've noticed that he's always polite and keeps his distance around other girls.
"But whenever he's with Sister Lexuan, he's always grinning like a fool. He's completely different from usual."
Tang Ya's words made inspiration suddenly strike Bei Bei, as if she had just opened his eyes.
That was right. Su Ming really did treat Zhang Lexuan differently.
He and Su Ming had known each other since they were a little over eight years old. Back then, Su Ming had been admitted to Shrek Outer Court with peerless talent, stunning everyone.
Quite a few beautiful, gentle senior sisters at the Outer Court had taken a liking to him, but Su Ming had always remained politely aloof, never treating any of them with particular warmth.
He was close friends with Su Ming, and because Zhang Lexuan had been entrusted by Shrek Ancestor to look after Su Ming, he often saw the two of them together.
Thinking back carefully on everything that had happened, he remembered how Su Ming used to ask him every now and then when Senior Sister would come by and take them to train together. He had always sounded so expectant. Now that Bei Bei thought about it, there really had been something to it.
At the thought, Bei Bei couldn't help feeling a little pleased.
He was in love with Tang Ya, but that old childhood betrothal to Zhang Lexuan had left the two of them in an awkward relationship, with no suitable way to break the stalemate.
If Su Ming really did have feelings for Zhang Lexuan, and the two of them could get together, then Bei Bei's own awkward entanglement would be completely resolved, and all his problems would fall neatly into place.
With that thought, Bei Bei kept walking with Tang Ya, silently cheering his good friend on with all his might: Su Ming, you've got to pull this off! My happiness for the rest of my life is all in your hands! You've been holding back for a big move—don't let me down!
On the lakeside path, Zhang Lexuan watched Bei Bei and Tang Ya's retreating figures and shook her head helplessly. She raised her fair, slender fingers and lightly tapped Su Ming on the forehead, chiding him:
"You little rascal. You were obviously helping them sneak away. Did you really think I wouldn't notice your little tricks?"
Caught out, Su Ming bashfully held the spot she had tapped, a sheepish smile on his face.
Then he took the initiative and suggested that he and Zhang Lexuan walk and talk along the path beside Sea God Lake.
The evening breeze brushed past, and ripples spread across the lake. Zhang Lexuan gazed at the clear water and spoke slowly:
"Mu En specifically told me to keep an eye on Bei Bei's training. He said he's been spending too much time with that Tang Sect girl lately, letting his mind wander elsewhere, and getting more and more lax about cultivation."
"I'd only just started lecturing him when you came over and stirred up trouble. You really deserve a good knock on the head."
As she spoke, Zhang Lexuan pretended to raise her hand as if she were going to tap him on the head again.
Su Ming quickly hunched his shoulders and pulled his head back, putting on an expression of meek surrender. Then he teased her with a cheeky grin:
"Hehe, why bother lecturing Bei Bei yourself, Sister Lexuan? Just tell me, and I'll teach him a lesson for you.
"A few punches ought to sort him out. I guarantee he'll keep his head down and work hard from now on, without daring to slack off for even a moment."
"Besides, the young couple was still standing right there together. I was afraid you'd feel awkward, so I came over..."
Seeing him act like such a shameless rascal, Zhang Lexuan could only shake her head helplessly.
The two walked over to the railing by the lake and stopped side by side, quietly leaning against it.
The sun sank in the west, and its orange-red glow spread across the lake. The shimmering waves were tinged with a golden radiance, while the rosy clouds poured their light down over the world.
The earth, the trees, and the lake were all gilded in a gentle golden glow, painting a scene both tender and beautiful.
After a moment of silence, Zhang Lexuan turned to Su Ming. Genuine concern showed in her eyes as she asked softly:
"I heard that when you went to Star Luo City some time ago, you wiped out quite a few Evil Soul Masters there?"
"Was it dangerous? Were you hurt?"
Feeling Zhang Lexuan's heartfelt concern, Su Ming was warmed inside. He deliberately straightened up and raised a hand to show off his firm muscles, speaking with complete confidence:
"How could something that trivial possibly hurt me? They were just a bunch of rabble who'd fallen into evil ways. They weren't even worthy of being my opponents. I dealt with them in a few punches and kicks."
When he finished speaking, he lifted his eyes to the vast expanse of Sea God Lake. The evening breeze carried the fresh, cool scent of the water toward him.
It stirred the hair over his forehead and roused the burning passion in the young man's heart.
He took a deep breath of the evening breeze by the lake. Faint Soul Power stirred around him, coiling about his body. Then he straightened his back and shouted toward the boundless water.
His bright, clear voice rang out with steely resolve, brimming with lofty ambition. It swept away on the evening wind, rippling outward and echoing across all of Sea God Lake, lingering for a long time.
"I, Su Ming, swear that in this life, I will wipe out every Evil Soul Master under heaven!"
The setting sun melted into gold, and orange-red clouds poured across the sky. The shimmering lake was carpeted with waves of broken gold.
The afterglow stretched Su Ming's upright shadow long across the ground. He stood proudly by the lakeside railing, his expression bold and defiant.
His whole being radiated the exuberance of youth, a fierce fire burning in his eyes. He carried a young man's distinctive sincerity and over-the-top idealism, vivid and full of life.
Zhang Lexuan stood quietly beside him, gazing at him with gentle eyes.
Seeing how spirited and bold he was, with a touch of youthful stubbornness, she felt warmth bloom in her heart and could no longer hold back. Her slender hand rose to cover her lips.
Her eyes curved into a tender, sweet smile, her gaze brimming with the soft glow of the sunset and an unmistakable fondness and tenderness, all quietly captured in the lakeside scene at dusk.