Dinner with an Ex-Girlfriend and Meeting an Ex

"Evil Fire Phoenix!"

Lin Xun raised his hand and cleanly inserted the capsule in his hand into the slot on the sword hilt.

"Click."

A crisp sound rang out.

The originally plain yet gaudy pink blade instantly erupted with surging flames.

These flames were extraordinarily unusual.

They differed from Zhu Zhuqing's eerie, profound dark-purple flames, as well as Hu Liena's flamboyant purple-red demonic fire.

This was an incomparably deep dark red.

Crimson flames rapidly spiraled and spread along the sharp blade, burning around the entire sword before finally gathering at its tip.

In an instant, a lifelike avian silhouette slowly took shape within the flames.

It was not especially enormous, but its posture was distinct, its wings clearly defined.

Its wings spread wide, its entire body formed from pure flame. The edges of every fiery feather were wreathed in a golden-red glow—beautiful yet tyrannical.

The phantom of the fire phoenix hovered quietly above the sword tip, slightly raising its head as though crying out to the heavens.

Not a single sound emerged.

Yet everyone present felt their eardrums suddenly buzz and tremble, while an invisible oppressive force instantly blanketed the entire training ground.

The martial soul design engraved on the capsule in Lin Xun's hand was none other than the Evil Fire Phoenix, while its master was Ma Xiaotao.

Speaking of that woman, he had not liked her all that much back then, but for the breakup points, he had used a few coercive measures.

Yet unexpectedly, the stronger someone's personality was, the greater the contrast. She had actually been the sort who liked it more the more she was forced...

Wu Changkong's gaze darkened slightly as he fixed his eyes on the fire phoenix at the sword tip, raising the Heavenfrost Sword into the air.

The clear, crystalline ice-blue sword light faced off from afar against the dark, blazing crimson evil fire.

Two ultimate attributes—one cold, one hot—collided abruptly!

Thick white mist billowed and churned. Vapor from the clash of heat and cold spread layer by layer, blurring the two opposing figures within the hazy fog.

Wu Changkong had deliberately suppressed his soul power to level thirty at the moment, leaving his cultivation far below its peak. But that oppressive sensation from earlier had nothing to do with the strength of his soul power.

The Heavenfrost Sword possessed an ice attribute of utmost cold, its frigid frost capable of restraining all techniques.

But evil fire was precisely the nemesis of ice attributes.

Overbearing, tyrannical, and utterly unreasonable—it specialized in suppressing all ice attributes.

"Your martial soul truly can fuse with all kinds of special powers. It is by no means a simple matter of switching attributes."

Wu Changkong slowly raised his sword, its tip pointing straight upward.

In an instant, the ice-blue radiance around the Heavenfrost Sword surged severalfold, and piercing cold swept in every direction.

"But attribute suppression has never been the whole of victory. In a duel of swordsmanship, it ultimately comes down to the person."

Before his words had even faded, he had already struck first.

Without waiting for Lin Xun to attack, the long Heavenfrost Sword slashed diagonally down from above.

Cold air condensed to the utmost into an incomparably sharp ice-blue sword beam, which howled through the air with unstoppable force.

As the sword beam swept past, sword qi carved a long, straight white mark across the ground, while countless ice crystals exploded from both sides of the fissure.

The chill arrived before the sword beam!

Touched by that cold air, the ground beneath Lin Xun's feet rapidly froze over with a thin layer of ice.

Faced with this terrifying, freezing strike, Lin Xun charged straight ahead. The flames of the Ex-Girlfriend Sword flared wildly, and the Evil Fire Phoenix at its tip violently spread its wings.

Against the oncoming extreme cold, he thrust his sword forward without hesitation.

The phantom fire phoenix hovering above the sword tip let out a silent cry. Torrential dark-red flames poured down the blade, transforming into a thick, blazing pillar of fire that crashed head-on into the icy blue radiance.

"Boom!"

The two extremes of ice and fire collided!

A muffled, thunderous blast erupted!

The immense energy was tightly confined within the narrow space of their confrontation before abruptly exploding.

Blinding white vapor roiled madly as shards of ice mixed with scorching sparks, spraying wildly in every direction.

The sudden shockwave directly sent Xie Xie, who had been watching nearby, flying to the ground.

He scrambled up in a miserable state, his head and face covered in icy droplets and fine ice chips. His mind buzzed, and it took him a long while to recover.

"Damn it, why am I always the unlucky one? Who the hell did I offend?!"

The white mist filling the sky slowly dispersed, revealing the scene on the field.

The two figures still stood firmly where they were. Neither had retreated even half a step.

Wu Changkong lowered his eyes to look at his sword. No frost had formed on its blade; it was covered only by a thin layer of moisture.

The utterly frigid icy aura from before had actually been forcefully melted away by the Evil Fire, leaving it no chance to frost over again, not even for an instant.

Soul power suppressed to level thirty was ultimately limited. He and Lin Xun had reached an almost even stalemate in terms of attributes, though he indeed had not used his full strength.

But he had now thoroughly grasped the nature of these flames.

Normally, ice and fire countered each other. Fire melted ice, ice froze water, and if the flames weakened even slightly, the water would freeze again.

But this Evil Fire was completely different.

It was an utterly corrosive type of flame. It did not rely solely on searing heat; more than that, it used the tyrannical devouring power of its fundamental attribute.

It directly incinerated the icy aura completely, turning it into water vapor that dispersed without a trace, cutting off any possibility of restoration.

"Interesting."

Wu Changkong lightly flicked the blade with a finger, shaking off every drop of water. His expression remained cold, but a trace of surprise surfaced in his eyes.

"Neither high-temperature flames nor ordinary fire. This is an extremely rare ultimate attribute."

In truth, Soul Masters of this era had already become somewhat vague in their understanding of ultimate attributes. Still, they roughly knew their significance.

"Fine, we'll stop here today. We'll continue tomorrow. I'll be more serious then."

"Teacher Wu, you're joking, right? Even more serious?"

"Looks like Xie Xie hasn't practiced enough. Come here. I'll give you some extra training."

"Ah, nooo!"

Wu Changkong sheathed his sword, flicked his white robe, and turned to torment Xie Xie.

Before long, Xie Xie's screams came from the other end of the field, so miserable they sounded like he was suffering some inhuman treatment.

In reality, that was pretty much the case.

Lin Xun withdrew the Ex-Girlfriend Sword into his body. The Evil Fire Phoenix capsule was still hot to the touch when he pulled it out.

Ma Xiaotao's capsule was like this every time after use. Its residual heat lingered for a long time, like a burnt briquette. He had once suspected it was a remnant of her personality.

He turned to look at Gu Yue beside him.

The girl was lowering her head as she adjusted her cuffs, her movements unhurried. A small section of her fair, lotus-root-like arm was exposed. Sensing Lin Xun's gaze, she lifted her eyes. Her black pupils looked quietly at him, devoid of any unnecessary emotion.

Lin Xun rapidly calculated things in his mind. Gu Yue was currently his deskmate. They saw each other every day, yet aside from class and training, they practically had no private interactions.

Her attitude toward everyone was at the same temperature—probably the sort that neither froze nor thawed. Logically, asking her to dinner at a time like this would have about the same success rate as asking Wu Changkong to sing karaoke and do the Social Shake: infinitely close to zero.

After all, her purpose in coming here was definitely the Golden Dragon King bloodline. A somewhat talented ordinary human like him probably did not even register in her eyes.

But she was, after all, his primary target.

Those generous breakup points...

If he did not take the initiative, was he supposed to wait for her to come to him? Gu Yue was not the type to make the first move. She had not been ten thousand years ago, and she was even less likely to be now.

"Gu Yue. Want to get something to eat together?"

Lin Xun was the ultimate player himself. He had plenty of experience with certain things, especially getting girls to fall for him.

But Gu Yue was no ordinary girl. Still, the Silver Dragon King did have that lovestruck trait, so perhaps sweet talk could work after all.

Ahem...

He was getting sidetracked.

This first attempt would probably end in rejection.

If she rejected him, he would go eat with Xie Xie instead and laugh at how Wu Changkong had beaten him into a pig-headed mess. At this stage, Gu Yue's attitude toward humans should have been distant.

He had to take it slow.

But unexpectedly, Gu Yue gave a slight nod.

Lin Xun did not react at first.

She had actually agreed?

He had not expected that. The Gu Yue from before had not been nearly this easy to get along with. Last time, he had only managed it after working hard at riding dragons and pedaling for ages before feelings developed.

Was it because he had won their last practical battle, or had Divine Might Suppresses Hell given her some indescribable sense of familiarity?

Just as he was thinking, a figure suddenly cut in from the side, bringing a gust of wind as she stepped directly between him and Gu Yue.

Golden hair in a high ponytail, school uniform jacket tied around her waist, and an overly brilliant smile on her face.

Mu Xi.

As though she had not seen Gu Yue at all, she threw an arm around Lin Xun's shoulders, her movement as natural as if she were slinging an arm around a buddy she had known for years.

"Junior Lin Xun, want to go eat together?"

Before Lin Xun could answer, a shadow moved in the corner of his eye.

Gu Yue's steps paused. Only for an instant, she turned her head, her black eyes sweeping over the hand Mu Xi had draped around Lin Xun's shoulder.

After just one glance, she withdrew her gaze, turned around, and walked away without hesitation.

"Gu..." He had just started to call out when Mu Xi's arm tightened by another fraction, firmly pinning him in place.

The crowd heading toward the cafeteria quickly swallowed Gu Yue's retreating figure.

Lin Xun stared in that direction for a moment in silence, then sighed.

"Senior Mu Xi."

He spoke patiently. "I already made things very clear to Senior Zixin last time. I broke up with her. There's no possibility of getting back together. You don't need to do this."

Mu Xi blinked, her smile unchanged—if anything, it grew even brighter.

"What Zixin? What does this have to do with Zixin? I came to find you on my own today."

With her hands behind her back, she leaned forward slightly and moved a little closer. "What, you can't even treat me to a meal?"

"Me?" Lin Xun paused, looking at her suspiciously. He couldn't figure out what Mu Xi was plotting.

Mu Xi was a female character with a decent amount of screen time, so she had some breakup value as well. But after what had happened with Ouyang Zixin, she must have hated him to the bone.

Lin Xun had therefore concluded that it was nearly impossible to get breakup value from her, so he had never entertained the idea.

Mu Xi smiled naturally and casually tilted her head. "What, no? We've known each other for quite a while. Can't you at least give me the honor of treating you to a meal?"

Lin Xun remained silent, swiftly reviewing Mu Xi's unusual behavior in his mind.

Just a few days ago, she had blocked him beneath the dormitory building, grabbed his collar, and cursed him out as a scumbag. Yet today, she had come over of her own accord, smiling as she offered to buy him a meal.

The change was absurd—more impossible to read than even Xie Xie's preferences.

Something was definitely wrong.

This was one hundred percent a trap.

But he didn't refuse.

There was no denying that Mu Xi was stunning. Her bright golden hair set off her striking, flamboyant features, and she was the sort who always drew the most glances wherever she went. She was no less beautiful than Ouyang Zixin.

But Lin Xun only wanted to uncover Mu Xi's true intentions.

If she had come to test him on Ouyang Zixin's behalf, then he could use this opportunity to make things completely clear. If not, then her sudden goodwill warranted even deeper scrutiny.

"Alright." Lin Xun raised a hand and naturally moved the arm draped over his shoulder aside, his movements unhurried. "Then thank you, Senior."

Mu Xi's smile deepened, and a flash of triumph flickered through her eyes, though she hid it well.

The third floor of the cafeteria was a dining area reserved for the advanced division and faculty. The environment was far better than downstairs. Instead of crowded stainless-steel tables, there were neat square tables for four. The windows offered a wide view of the training grounds and distant Donghai City, and meals could be ordered individually rather than being limited to the fixed set meals downstairs.

Lin Xun ordered a serving of braised pork, while Mu Xi ordered only a vegetable salad and a cup of lemonade.

They sat by the window. Warm light streamed through the glass onto the table, making Mu Xi's golden hair shine even more brightly.

Lin Xun picked up a piece of meat and got straight to the point. "Why did you suddenly want to treat me to a meal today, Senior?"

Mu Xi idly poked at the lettuce with her fork, her tone relaxed and casual, as though they were merely chatting. "Nothing much. I just wanted to treat you. I was too impulsive under the dormitory building last time, and thinking back on it, that was inappropriate. What happened between you and Zixin is between the two of you. As an outsider, I shouldn't have interfered or lost my temper. Consider this meal my apology."

Lin Xun nearly choked on his mouthful of meat.

An apology?

That hot-tempered senior was now calmly telling him that her attitude had been wrong?

That was more absurd than the sun rising in the west.

Yet Mu Xi's expression was open and sincere. Her eyes curved with her smile, her tone was easy, and there wasn't the slightest trace of an act.

Lin Xun suppressed his surprise and went along with her words. "You're too polite, Senior. I didn't handle this matter well to begin with."

"Oh?" Mu Xi set down her fork, propped her cheeks in both hands, and looked at him with sparkling eyes. "Then tell me—what did you handle badly?"

Lin Xun paused slightly.

It was a skillful question. It was completely different from the interrogative accusations of a few days ago, more like a gentle discussion.

It quietly brought the atmosphere between them much closer.

"I should have made things clear sooner." Lin Xun looked serious. "I shouldn't have waited until the feelings were deepest before suddenly bringing up a breakup. Even if I had reasons I couldn't help, it was indeed unfair to Senior Zixin."

His words were half true and half false.

Director Long's warning was real, and the breakup was real as well, but the true reason was the system's mandatory demand, something that could not be changed. Pulling away at the height of their feelings was the optimal breakup timing determined by the system. He could not reveal a single word of those secrets.

Mu Xi watched him quietly for a few seconds, then lifted her lemonade and took a sip, leaving a faint lip mark on the rim.

"Do you know how Zixin has been these past few days?"

Lin Xun replied softly, "I can roughly guess."

"She sits there dazed all day, constantly losing focus during training." Mu Xi's tone was calm, as if she were talking about something insignificant. "The stupidest part is that she hasn't said a single bad thing about you from beginning to end. We all told her to let it out, but she kept defending you instead. She said you weren't a scumbag, that you broke up with her for her own good, and that you stopped contacting her because you were afraid of holding her back."

Lin Xun fell silent, slowly chewing the meat in his mouth. For some reason, his heart felt heavy. Still, although he felt somewhat guilty about such things, he had ultimately grown used to them.

This was how it had gone countless times over the past twenty thousand years.

Mu Xi suddenly leaned closer, a few strands of golden hair slipping over her shoulder and falling onto the tabletop.

"A girl gets broken up with by you, yet she still thinks of you at every turn. Do you know what that means?"

Lin Xun avoided answering directly.

As a master of romance, he understood all too well.

That meant she still hadn't truly let go and still held onto hope.

He wasn't afraid of being hated or cursed by an ex. It was best to be clear-cut about love and hate, owing each other nothing. But someone like Ouyang Zixin—gentle, patient, and always making excuses for him—was the most troublesome.

Hurting someone like that would not only invite criticism from others; even he himself would feel more guilty about it.

"I understand what you mean, Senior," Lin Xun said evenly. "But feelings can't be forced. Senior Zixin and I really aren't suitable for each other."

"Then who are you suitable with?" Mu Xi pressed quickly, with a hint of probing in her tone. "Your deskmate, that girl named Gu Yue?"

Lin Xun replied casually, "She's just my deskmate. We're only classmates."

"You'd invite an ordinary classmate to eat alone with you?"

"We happened to eat together after training. That's normal."

"Oh..."

Mu Xi gave him a meaningful look but did not pursue the matter further. Instead, she smoothly changed the subject, casually chatting about daily training, the credit system, and Donghai City's weather.

She handled the distance between them perfectly—not overly warm, nor deliberately distant—like a gentle, easygoing senior chatting with a junior.

As she spoke, she picked all the cherry tomatoes out of her salad and placed them in Lin Xun's bowl. "I don't like these. Help me finish them."

Lin Xun looked at the cherry tomatoes in his bowl, and alarms instantly went off in his mind.

He had clearly seen Mu Xi eat with Ouyang Zixin before. She always cleaned every last cherry tomato out of her salad.

She was obviously doing it on purpose.

No one offered kindness without an ulterior motive.

Still, he ate them calmly. Whatever she was thinking, he would eat first and worry about it later.

The meal lasted around twenty minutes. Throughout it all, Mu Xi spoke naturally and smiled brightly, like a little sun. The atmosphere was so relaxed it hardly seemed real.

Lin Xun had to admit that, setting aside their previous conflicts, eating with Mu Xi was indeed comfortable. Compared to Gu Yue's cold silence and the awkward atmosphere of constant lulls, Mu Xi's talkative, cheerful nature made people relax much more.

But he never let down his guard.

The prettier someone was, the more likely sudden gentleness and enthusiasm concealed some purpose.

After finishing her meal, Mu Xi pushed aside her empty plate, stretched lazily, and casually picked up her coat. "I'm full. Let's go."

Lin Xun stood up in response, but the moment he turned around, his gaze suddenly sharpened.

At the staircase, a familiar orange-red figure slowly came up.

Ouyang Zixin.