Iron Heart Lin Xun

"Ape God, activate!"

Zhou Changxi fused with the Great Strength Ape, his entire body covered in a layer of brown fur. His once-rounded figure became far more muscular, especially his arms, which bulged with knotted muscles and raw power.

His opponent was Tang Wulin.

"You pathetic little grass, watch this ape pull you up by the roots!"

Zhou Changxi roared, slammed both arms into the ground, and launched himself forward like a cannonball.

The Bluesilver Grass had only just burst from the ground and had not yet had time to coil around him when Zhou Changxi charged before Tang Wulin. The grass wrapped around his ankles, but he paid it no heed and took a huge stride forward.

"Hahaha! It tickles! Feels like a scratch!"

Zhou Changxi swung his right arm and smashed it straight at Tang Wulin's head.

His fist was even bigger than Tang Wulin's face.

Knowing that Tang Wulin was merely a Bluesilver Grass Soul Master, he believed that this frontal punch was undoubtedly the most efficient way to end the match.

Lin Xun, who had been chatting with Xie Xie, raised an eyebrow at the sight.

This Zhou Changxi really was admirably brave.

Comparing strength with Tang Wulin, who possessed the Golden Dragon King bloodline.

And that was indeed how it turned out. Tang Wulin, who had originally intended to use Bluesilver Grass to restrain him, froze for a moment and was forced to raise his hand and meet the attack with a punch.

Bang!

A dull thud rang out.

Zhou Changxi traced an arc through the air before crashing to the ground with a boom. Stars filled his vision, and he no longer knew heaven from earth.

It really was the most efficient way to end the match... except he was the one who got ended.

Tang Wulin merely scratched his head where he stood, blinking his large eyes with an innocent look.

But seeing Zhou Changxi's miserable state, that innocence seemed entirely meaningless.

The next match worth watching was Gu Yue against Yun Xiao. Poor Yun Xiao was not particularly skilled at fighting to begin with, and the stinking Silver Dragon's elemental attacks battered him until he cried for his parents. In the end, he raised both hands, becoming the only person in the class to surrender.

After watching the entire class fight, Wu Changkong promptly decided on the candidates for the promotion match.

Lin Xun, Xie Xie, and Gu Yue would be the main team, while Tang Wulin would be the substitute.

No one in the class objected to this decision. Although Xie Xie had lost miserably to Lin Xun, the latter possessed two purple thousand-year soul rings and was a two-ringed Grand Soul Master. His strength was undeniable.

Xie Xie also had twin martial souls. Though they were twin martial souls of the same origin, they were still twin martial souls, and his cultivation talent was there for all to see.

After class.

Lin Xun went to the cafeteria with Xie Xie. Along the way, he kept looking at the soul communicator in his hand, occasionally typing a couple of words.

As the times progressed, his methods of farming system points had also begun to evolve.

Online dating.

Two of them were female characters with considerable importance in the storyline. He had spent system points to obtain their soul communicator contact information from the system.

One was called "Haihai Xiaoyan."

IP: Donghai City.

The other's IP changed frequently. Her online name was Hidden Radiance.

Getting along with the first one had been easy. She had already reached the threshold where he could earn breakup points, and in a few more days, it would probably be about time. The other one was progressing more slowly, but it was still gradually increasing.

Lin Xun opened his soul communicator. Haihai Xiaoyan's seal avatar was bouncing around.

[Haihai Xiaoyan]: Mumu! There was a super-fat cat in Eastsea Park! It ran away before I could take a picture. It must have been too shy because of my beauty!

[Wayfinding Wood]: It was scared off by you. After all, like repels like. It's perfectly normal for a cat to run when it sees a seal.

The other side fell silent for two seconds before three angry little seal stickers were spammed in a row.

[Haihai Xiaoyan]: You're the seal! I'm cute—the number one beauty in Donghai City!

[Haihai Xiaoyan]: I was going to mail you some cookies, but now? I'd rather feed them to a cat than give them to you!

[Wayfinding Wood]: Are the ones you make even edible? Last time, you mixed "Flameflower Essence" with chili oil and drank three whole pots of ice water yourself.

[Haihai Xiaoyan]: Don't bring up old grievances!!

A few seconds later, a photo popped up. A pale little hand held up a plate of cookies. The little bear eyes were drawn all crooked, and one of them was even cross-eyed. A thumbs-up was posed beside them.

[Wayfinding Wood]: The cross-eyed one is very expressive. It looks like you.

[Haihai Xiaoyan]: Those are its eyes! Forget it, you don't understand art... When we meet, compliment me properly in person.

Lin Xun did not reply again.

Meeting up offline?

Absolutely impossible. Once he got the breakup points, he would run.

The other chat window was still stuck on three days ago. His own message was the last one, and the other party had never replied.

"She really does have a cold personality." Lin Xun shook his head. He could not rush things. After all, this was only online, and the results so far were actually pretty good.

Moreover, in the original story, she had always been somewhat aloof due to family circumstances. That was perfectly normal.

Inside the cafeteria.

Lin Xun and Xie Xie were eating the highest-tier luxury Grade-A meal when a dark shadow fell over them, appearing beside their table.

It was Ouyang Zixin.

The jacket she had tied around her waist while running was now on, though unzipped. Beneath it, she wore only a sports bra, her well-developed figure faintly visible through the open jacket.

As if completely unaware, she braced one hand against the table and leaned forward slightly, her expression indifferent. "We need to talk."

Xie Xie made to stand and leave, intending to give them plenty of space, but Lin Xun grabbed him.

"No need. I don't have time."

Lin Xun kept his eyes forward, not even glancing at the girl beside him. He appeared utterly heartless.

Of course, he felt guilty, but there was nothing he could do about it. Besides confirming their relationship, he had not done anything excessive with her, including anything intimate.

Once he had gotten the breakup value and system points, he had broken up with her immediately.

They had not even held hands.

It was all to avoid as much trouble afterward as possible. He had suffered too many losses over such matters in the past.

The girl remained standing by the table without moving.

Xie Xie felt rather embarrassed by this. The atmosphere was far too strange. Still, watching the drama unfold was pretty nice.

After all, watching drama was human nature.

Seeing more and more gazes gathering around them, Lin Xun sighed softly. He raised his head and said seriously, "Senior, I'm sorry, but I don't make a habit of getting back together with exes."

Ouyang Zixin pressed her lips together. Though her face remained cold, her faintly trembling hand exposed her true state of mind.

Just then, the crisp sound of chopsticks falling to the floor broke the deadlock between them.

At the table behind them sat Gu Yue. For some reason, her chopsticks had fallen. Facing the looks cast her way by Lin Xun and the others, she simply picked them up calmly without looking aside.

"Lin Xun, you bastard!" Ouyang Zixin's eyes reddened. Though she felt deeply wronged, she still could not bear to curse him too harshly.

Leaving behind only that sentence, she turned and walked away decisively.

"When words fail me, all I can say is, holy shit!" Xie Xie was utterly stunned. Any other person would probably have softened toward such a pitiful senior.

Yet Lin Xun's heart was as hard as stone. He simply refused her.

Some died of thirst while others drowned.

Shrek City.

Inside the Spirit Pagoda headquarters, a red-haired woman sat behind her desk, her long legs clad in black stockings crossed beneath her. With red-soled high heels and an imposing air, she looked every bit like a queen.

"How did it go? Were the clock and white chrysanthemums delivered today?"

"They were delivered." The female secretary beside her nodded, though she seemed hesitant to continue.

"Pagoda Master, perhaps we should let this go. This could worsen the conflict between us and the War God Hall. As for the military..."

"Don't worry about it." Leng Yaozhu snorted coldly. "The conflict between Yali and me is personal. Both sides understand that perfectly well. It won't affect the two organizations. Continue sending them next month. Unless I give the order, do not stop."

"Understood." The secretary gave a bitter smile. Even after all these years, their Pagoda Master still could not let it go. She was as childish as ever, unfailingly sending those things every month.

After the secretary left, Leng Yaozhu was the only one remaining in the office. She slightly raised her dark red eyes and gazed into the distance through the glass curtain wall.

"Yali, just wait. I won't let you off!"