Xuan Zi: Lexuan, Do You Like Su Ling?

"Ultimate Ice!?"

Huo Yuhao, who had just sat down, shot to his feet.

"That's right, the same ultimate attribute as your Big Brother Su Ling's~"

Tian Meng swayed his alluring insect body, every word and gesture carrying an unusual temptation.

"When the time comes, Little Yuhao, I guarantee that everyone who looked down on you will see you in a new light. And your strength will quickly catch up to that Su Ling—perhaps even surpass him!"

The more Huo Yuhao listened, the more excited he became. His face flushed red, and he wished he could break through to Rank 20 right now.

He could possess an ultimate Martial Soul just like Big Brother Su Ling's!?

Wonderful!

That way, Huo Yuhao would be qualified to stand beside Big Brother Su Ling and fight shoulder to shoulder with him, rather than hiding beneath Big Brother Su Ling's wings as he did now.

As for Tian Meng's claim that he could surpass Big Brother Su Ling?

Hmph, such rebellious thoughts should never exist!

Big Brother Su Ling would forever be the noblest and strongest!!

"Time waits for no one. I need to focus on cultivating!"

Huo Yuhao sat cross-legged and began circulating the Mysterious Heaven Skill, unwilling to waste even this brief lunch break.

Dormitory 106.

The sound of running water continuously came from the bathroom. Wang Dong was doing the cleaning, having become sensible enough to do it without Su Ling needing to tell her.

"Little Dong, I left some Gold Soul Coins on the table. Later, go buy yourself a bed from a furniture shop in Shrek City."

Last night, Su Ling had noticed that Wang Dong's makeshift bed let in drafts and provided little warmth. After all, it had been assembled from cabinets.

The weather was turning colder. To prevent her from causing trouble again, he might as well get her a proper bed.

"At least you have some conscience!" Wang Dong grumbled, but her hands scrubbing the clothes became noticeably lighter.

Hearing the water running in the bathroom, Su Ling shook his head. He sat cross-legged on the carpet he had specially bought and began circulating his Soul Power.

"My Soul Power is already at the peak of Rank 35. Breaking through to Rank 36 should happen within the next few days. Keep it up!"

Shrek Inner Court.

Several small wooden cabins had been built in the southeastern area near Sea God Pavilion. The surroundings were beautiful, peaceful, and free of noise.

Students were forbidden from entering this place without permission, for it was the private residence of the Inner Court's core disciples.

The foremost and largest wooden cabin belonged to the senior disciple, Zhang Lexuan.

At that moment, Zhang Lexuan sat at her desk, rubbing a piece of yellow cloth between her fingers. It was stained with black scorch marks and blood, the very half of Su Ling's yellow shirt.

"Su Ling..."

Zhang Lexuan murmured, her gaze unfocused as scenes of her kiss with Su Ling in the quiet room resurfaced in her mind.

The more she thought about it, the more she pressed her lips together. Her ears had already turned so red that they seemed ready to bleed.

Just then, a familiar fluctuation of Soul Power approached.

Zhang Lexuan held her face and shook her head. She hurriedly stuffed the half-shirt into the bookcase before using her Soul Power to calm her restless heart.

She opened the door and walked into the courtyard, bowing respectfully toward the figure seated on a stone bench and eating a chicken leg.

"Elder Xuan, why are you here?"

The visitor was none other than Xuan Zi.

He lifted his gourd and took a swig of wine, wiped his mouth with his sleeve, then turned around with a smiling face. "Lexuan, come, sit, sit."

Zhang Lexuan nodded lightly and walked over to the stone table, sitting opposite Xuan Zi.

"That boy Su will come over to your place after school."

Xuan Zi got straight to the point.

"Elder Xuan, you mean Little Brother Su Ling... will come here?"

Zhang Lexuan's beautiful eyes lit up, and delight appeared on her lovely face. But when she noticed Xuan Zi watching her, she quickly suppressed her emotions.

"Hehe, there's no need to hide what's in your heart. Tell me, do you have that kind of feeling for that boy Su?"

Xuan Zi took another sip of wine, his eyes fixed on Zhang Lexuan with a meaningful smile.

"Ah? Elder Xuan, what are you talking about? I promised Elder Mu that I would become Bei Bei's partner... How could I possibly have such thoughts about Little Brother Su Ling!"

Zhang Lexuan's heart jolted, though her expression remained calm.

Why would Elder Xuan ask that?

Has he noticed that I have developed unusual feelings for Su Ling? Or did Elder Mu send Elder Xuan to test me?

"Hahaha, don't worry. I'm not here to hold you accountable. On the contrary, I'm here to bring the two of you together~"

"Besides, Lexuan, aren't you giving yourself away? How did you know the feelings I meant were the kind of feelings in your heart? Hehehe~"

"Elder Xuan! How could you... I... I..."

Seeing Xuan Zi laugh like an old child, Zhang Lexuan could no longer maintain her composure. She lowered her head with a flushed face, her voice growing softer and softer.

"Lexuan, tell me honestly. Do you like that boy Su?"

"I... I... like him!" Zhang Lexuan raised her head and answered firmly, but she soon remembered something, and her expression turned desolate.

"But I already promised Elder Mu that I would become Bei Bei's... Yet everything I have today was given to me by Elder Mu, given to me by Shrek. I can't simply follow my own selfish desires and..."

Xuan Zi waved a hand to cut her off, unconcerned. "It's fine, it's fine. It was merely an old promise. Besides, the one Bei Bei likes is that girl Tang Ya, so you needn't bind yourself too tightly."

"Since you have feelings for that boy Su, I can rest easy. My painstaking efforts to bring you two together have not been in vain."

As he spoke, Xuan Zi stood, clasped his hands behind his back, and gazed out over Sea God Lake.

"That accident five years ago... I wronged you. I wronged Shrek, and I wronged those children. Whenever I think of it, my heart aches with sorrow!"

His voice was heavy with grief as he sank into his memories.

Five years ago, Zhang Lexuan had broken through to Rank 80. He had personally led her and eleven Inner Court disciples into the Star Dou Great Forest to train and hunt soul beasts.

But because of the flaws in his Martial Soul, his gluttony, and his drinking, he had become separated from them and they encountered an attack from a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast!

The outcome had been horrific. By the time he rushed there, every Inner Court disciple except Zhang Lexuan had perished.

Worse still, Zhang Lexuan's Martial Soul had been damaged, causing her cultivation to fall back to Rank 75...

"Elder Xuan, this cannot be blamed on you. No one could have expected a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast to be lurking in that area. Besides, after five years of nourishment from the Golden Ancient Tree, my Martial Soul has long since fully recovered."

Zhang Lexuan spoke to comfort him. All this time, she had never blamed Elder Xuan.

The incident had happened too suddenly. Even she, who had been there herself, had failed to save those sacrificed Inner Court disciples in time, much less Elder Xuan, who had rushed over afterward.

Hearing this, Xuan Zi let out a long sigh. "I wronged you. If not for that accident, with your talent, you would probably be approaching the peak of the titled ranks by now."

"Elder Xuan, you must not think that way. Over all these years, I have witnessed your contributions to Shrek. You have long since atoned for your mistakes. Besides, my Soul Power loosened last night, and I have now broken through to Rank 79..."

"Good... good." Upon hearing Zhang Lexuan's words, a trace of relief flashed through Xuan Zi's eyes. He then took out the gourd at his waist once more and gulped down a mouthful of wine.

"But I want to make amends. And that boy Su is the perfect match I found for you. The two of you possess unparalleled talent, a handsome man and a beautiful woman. From the very moment I witnessed Su Ling's talent, I had already decided to bring you two together."

Hearing this, Zhang Lexuan suddenly understood.

"So the soul hunt from a few days ago wasn't meant to train them. It was because Elder Xuan wanted to bring us together..."

"That's right." Xuan Zi nodded in admission.