"Who upset you this time?"
Mu Guiyun shook his head, his tone full of helplessness. Though they were nearly five years apart, they had grown up together like childhood sweethearts, and he knew Ma Xiaotao's habits all too well.
"Hmph, who else could it be? Those bastards in the inner court. They actually call me the Flame Madman behind my back!"
Ma Xiaotao angrily took a bite of chicken leg and ground her teeth. "Dare to badmouth me behind my back? Just you wait till I catch you!"
With that, Ma Xiaotao picked up a bun from the side and stuffed the whole thing into her mouth.
"Chomp, chomp, chomp~"
Mu Guiyun: ...
So your nickname had finally arrived, huh?
He silently mourned for three seconds for some poor soul who didn't know what was coming. With Ma Xiaotao's personality, if that unlucky bastard fell into her hands, they were in for a world of pain!
The food on the coffee table disappeared at lightning speed. Even Liangzi would have had to admit defeat in the face of such an astonishing appetite.
Mu Guiyun had long since gotten used to it. Who was Ma Xiaotao? She was the tough girl who'd claimed the Shrek Outer Court's biggest eater title in her second year!
Still, to be fair, Ma Xiaotao absorbed all the nourishment from the ingredients, and it all went exactly where it needed to.
Before long, the coffee table was completely cleared. Ma Xiaotao even smacked her lips, looking a little reluctant to stop.
"Gulp, gulp, gulp~"
She took the juice Mu Guiyun handed her and drained it in one go. Only then did Ma Xiaotao nod in satisfaction. She promptly stretched out sideways on the sofa, brazenly resting her jade feet on Mu Guiyun's legs.
Because she was wearing a nightdress, her two ample curves were instantly pressed together on one side.
Mu Guiyun couldn't help marveling at the sight. Was this the legendary "seen from the front, a range of peaks; from the side, a sheer slope"?
"I heard Dean Xian came to see you today?"
Ma Xiaotao wiggled her toes, her tone carrying an unmistakable hint of meaning.
Well, she sure got the news fast.
Mu Guiyun didn't need to think to guess who had let Ma Xiaotao in on it. It had to be Yan Shaozhe.
"That's right. Senior Sister wants me to join the Spirit Tool Department."
Without hiding anything, Mu Guiyun told Ma Xiaotao the whole story.
"So what do you think...?"
After hearing him out, Ma Xiaotao sat upright and looked at Mu Guiyun with teary eyes. She didn't need to spell out what she meant.
She didn't know much about the struggle between the Spirit Tool Department and the Spirit Department, but Ma Xiaotao still hoped Mu Guiyun would join the Spirit Department.
If he did, the two of them would have much more time together. Besides, Yan Shaozhe, the Spirit Department dean, was her adoptive father and teacher.
Seeing the anticipation in Ma Xiaotao's eyes, Mu Guiyun only smiled and shook his head slightly. "I haven't made up my mind."
"Tch. What a waste of my effort."
When she didn't get the answer she wanted, Ma Xiaotao stopped pretending, rolled her eyes at Mu Guiyun, then got up and headed for the bathroom.
Mu Guiyun had actually already made up his mind: stall, and stall hard!
With his talent, Mu Guiyun was certain neither the Spirit Department nor the Spirit Tool Department would be willing to give up on him. In the end, they'd definitely take the matter to Mu En.
Knowing his teacher, Mu En would most likely make him the first-ever dual-core disciple!
Only children made choices. Mu Guiyun, for one, wanted it all!
As long as Mu Guiyun kept to the three principles of not taking the initiative, not rejecting anyone, and not taking responsibility, Yan Shaozhe and Xian Lin'er would surely pursue him relentlessly.
As the saying went, what you couldn't have would always keep you restless. It was just like wives: other people's always seemed sweeter...
That evening, at Yan Shaozhe's house.
"Guiyun, you're still growing. You should eat more."
Cai Mei'er smiled as she placed a piece of braised Soft Bone Rabbit in Mu Guiyun's bowl, her eyes full of affection.
"Senior Sister, Senior Sister, I really can't eat another bite!"
Looking at the small mountain of food in his bowl, Mu Guiyun couldn't help but twitch the corner of his eye. He felt helpless, but at the same time, a warm feeling rose in his heart.
Yan Shaozhe, sitting nearby, had long since gotten used to it. Ma Xiaotao, who had been wolfing down her food with her head lowered, suddenly froze, her expression turning strange.
Senior Sister...
For some reason, every time Mu Guiyun called Cai Mei'er "Senior Sister," Ma Xiaotao felt an inexplicable wave of embarrassment.
Mu Guiyun was of the same generation as her teacher. Wouldn't that mean she had to call him... Little Martial Uncle?!
And when she thought about her relationship with Mu Guiyun, Ma Xiaotao suddenly found that the food in her bowl didn't taste so good anymore.
Wasn't this another kind of...
"I'm full!"
Ma Xiaotao, once again caught in a storm of thoughts, left the table as if fleeing after tossing out those words.
The three of them naturally noticed how strange she was acting. Normally, Ma Xiaotao needed three bowls to get started and five and a half to feel full, yet today she'd eaten only two big bowls.
"What's wrong with Xiaotao? Did she not like tonight's food?"
Cai Mei'er was especially concerned. When Yan Shaozhe had once competed for her hand, her remarkable tea skills had helped her win—but her cooking had also played a crucial role.
"The flavor's fine."
After sampling a bite, Cai Mei'er only grew more puzzled.
After dinner, Yan Shaozhe and Mu Guiyun went to the study, while Cai Mei'er went to Ma Xiaotao's room to sound her out.
"Guiyun, try this. It's Golden Silk Tea, specially supplied by the Star Luo Royal Family. It tastes pretty good."
Noticing that Mu Guiyun's Soul Power had advanced again, Yan Shaozhe's eyes flashed with surprise.
Hadn't it been less than three months since his last breakthrough? And he'd broken through again?
Such talent was simply terrifying!
At the thought, Yan Shaozhe became even more determined to bind Mu Guiyun firmly to the Spirit Department.
After taking a sip of tea, Mu Guiyun felt the Soul Power throughout his body grow more active.
As expected of something specially supplied to the royal family.
"Would you consider studying in the outer court?"
Yan Shaozhe began plotting in his mind and said with a beaming smile, "Bei Bei, who's the same age as you, has already advanced to the second year."
"Besides, look at you. You spend every day with a bunch of old folks like us. Where's the energy a young person ought to have? It can only do you good to go out and spend time with people your own age."
Yan Shaozhe added one last thing: "Oh, right. I've already spoken to my teacher about this. Whether you go to the outer court is up to you."
Yan Shaozhe's words made Mu Guiyun pause. A sense of wariness immediately rose in his heart.
"Uh... Senior Brother, if I remember correctly, the enrollment period for our academy ended ages ago, didn't it?"
Mu Guiyun had no objection to studying in the outer court, but his instincts told him that Yan Shaozhe was definitely cooking up some sort of scheme.
This was promising!
Seeing that Mu Guiyun seemed hesitant, Yan Shaozhe was delighted, though his expression remained perfectly composed. "Well, you're a genius. You get special treatment wherever you go. Even Shrek Academy is no exception."
"Then it's settled. Come report to the outer court tomorrow!"