Surprise? Mix-Up!

Unlike the deserted shores of the past, Sea God Lake was destined not to be quiet tonight.

The lakeside blazed with lights. Inner courtyard students gathered in groups of twos and threes, discussing matters animatedly on the stone steps by the shore.

The reason for all these changes was an annual event Shrek Academy held for the sake of its inner courtyard students' lifelong happiness.

The Sea God Fate Matchmaking Convention!

During this event, the participating inner courtyard students would undergo layer upon layer of trials set by the academy. Whether they could ultimately win the beauty's heart would depend on their own abilities.

Soon, all the lights along the shore went out at once, leaving only the rippling lake surface glowing faintly.

"It's starting! It's starting!"

Some senior students began cheering, because the convention was about to officially begin!

Sixteen pillars of light suddenly rose from the tranquil lake, each spaced a certain distance apart. Beneath each one floated a huge water lily.

Standing atop the water lilies were sixteen graceful young women. Every one of them wore the same snow-white long dress, with a round bamboo hat on her head and a three-foot veil drifting softly beneath it.

They looked like sixteen fairies descended into the mortal world.

Then, two brighter white beams lit up, and two figures appeared.

On the left stood Yan Shaozhe, dressed in a snow-white robe.

On the right was Zhang Lexuan, the inner courtyard's senior sister, wearing a pale yellow dress.

Wondering where Yu Wuyi was?

He was currently standing on a water lily with his eyes shut, his face full of question marks.

Zhang Lexuan had first made him change into this white dress, then told him to close his eyes before placing a bamboo hat over his head.

She brought him here, then told him:

"I'm going to prepare a surprise for you now. You can't open your eyes until I come back or until you feel an attack, okay? Otherwise, the surprise will be ruined!"

Did she really need to go this far?

Although Yu Wuyi was puzzled, the Limitless Technique meant that ordinary dangers could not even touch him, so he agreed.

Still, he vaguely felt that this outfit looked familiar, as though he had heard of it somewhere before.

It was not until a brilliant beam of light shot up from beneath his feet that he instinctively opened his eyes.

Though the white veil blocked his view, its material was fairly transparent, allowing him to vaguely make out the shimmering lake before him.

Then he glanced down at the soft, tender "ground" beneath his feet.

When he realized it was a massive water lily, his heart skipped a beat.

Sea God Lake, white clothes, white dress, bamboo hat, water lily, lights.

This couldn't be...

"Sea God Fate upon Sea God Lake, Shrek Academy for ten thousand years, one move to decide the time of love. Welcome, everyone, on this wonderful night, to..."

Yu Wuyi could no longer hear the rest, because his mind was filled with the "surprise" Zhang Lexuan had mentioned earlier.

You called this a surprise?

It was one thing for a man like me to show up at a matchmaking convention, but I was even on the women's side?

Thinking about his current situation, Yu Wuyi felt utterly helpless.

I thought that after obtaining the Limitless Technique, no physical attack could hurt me anymore. Who knew there were still mental attacks?

Fine, fine. So this is how you want to play it.

Thirty-two pillars of light had already risen not far ahead of him, arranged in three rows, each one corresponding to a water lily.

The many inner courtyard senior students by the lakeshore had already begun using every trick they had to seize the water lilies in the front rows.

But since I'm already here, I might as well have some fun.

If I remember correctly, the first round is lifting the bamboo hats. I'd like to see who can lift mine today.

Yu Wuyi revealed a villainous smile.

The senior student on the first water lily had already made his move. A flash of brown lightning streaked past, and he crossed the vast distance in an instant. After removing the bamboo hats of three fairies, he leisurely landed back on his own water lily.

"Senior sisters, thank you for letting me win!"

He flashed what he believed was a handsome smile.

Then the second person moved. A pair of green wings appeared behind him, and he flew over at incredible speed, heading straight for Yu Wuyi!

Oh? You've got some nerve.

Yu Wuyi raised an eyebrow. He had not expected someone to set their sights on him so quickly.

But the corners of his lips curled upward. Not only did he make no move to defend himself, he gently lifted the hem of his dress with both hands and slightly bent his knees, looking as though he were waiting to be plucked.

The senior student was instantly delighted when he saw this, and one of life's three greatest misconceptions arose in his heart.

She's interested in me!

Even the many senior sisters and brothers cried out in surprise at Yu Wuyi's actions, never expecting such a situation to occur!

Thinking that today he would most likely win the beauty's hand, the senior sped up even more, his right hand reaching straight for the conical hat!

However, just as he was about to touch it, the senior suddenly felt an enormous repulsive force surge from his hand, as though there were a solid wall in front of him!

To protect his right hand, the senior could only forcibly change direction, causing him to flip around Yu Wuyi as the center!

After spinning 360 degrees, he landed sprawled on his back in Sea God Lake!

Boom!

With a loud bang, water splashed in every direction!

However, the splashing water was blocked by Infinity before it could touch him.

According to the rules of the Sea God Fate Matchmaking Convention, this senior had already been eliminated.

He lay on the lake's surface with a dumbfounded look, his brain completely frozen.

Yu Wuyi did not even spare him a glance and lowered the hands that had been lifting her skirt.

This string of sudden events left everyone watching utterly stunned!

Even Zhang Lexuan, the host, stared in a daze, having no idea what that kid was doing.

"Qu Liusheng is eliminated! What are you doing, kid? Trying to pull some stunt?"

Speechless, Zhang Lexuan announced the result.

Yet Yan Shaozhe beside her stared hesitantly at the calm fairy, because Qu Liusheng's actions just now had been far too strange.

It seemed more like he had been forced to act that way.

To be safe, he asked in a voice only the two of them could hear:

"Lexuan, what is the name of Fairy Number Fifteen?"

Zhang Lexuan was somewhat surprised. Though she did not know why Dean Yan was asking, it was not exactly a secret, so she answered:

"Her name is Firefly."

Yan Shaozhe's breath caught. He had only heard that name associated with one person, but to be safe, he asked again:

"When did you meet her?"

"Probably yesterday afternoon. I'd never seen her before, so she should be a new student who only arrived recently. I saw that she was all alone and suffering from a terminal illness."

"To cheer her up a little, I brought her to the matchmaking convention. I hoped it would make her happier."

"Dean Yan, do you know her?"

Now Yan Shaozhe had finally confirmed it. It was indeed just as he had thought.

"She came to participate voluntarily?"

"No."

This was quite the misunderstanding...

Yan Shaozhe felt a headache coming on. He had never expected something like this to happen.

If that young lady did not want to, probably no one in the entire academy could remove her conical hat.

"You meant well today, but you ended up causing trouble. She isn't a student of Shrek Academy."

"But I confirmed it with her at the time?"

Zhang Lexuan looked utterly confused, not understanding what Yan Shaozhe meant.

"Think carefully. Did she really tell you that she was an Inner Court student?"

Yan Shaozhe did not dare jump to conclusions either. If the other party had deliberately concealed it, then Zhang Lexuan could not really be blamed.

Zhang Lexuan carefully recalled their conversation from yesterday.

"Classmate, are you alone?"

"Mm."

"I don't think I've seen you before. Did you recently enter the Inner Court?"

"Yes."

It seemed that she had not actually stated outright that she was an Inner Court student?

Seeing the strange expression on Zhang Lexuan's face, Yan Shaozhe already had his answer.

"Miss Firefly is an honored guest of Shrek Academy. Because we needed to convene a Sea God's Pavilion meeting, we let her rest and relax in the Inner Court."

"Who would have thought you'd end up bringing her here?"

He did not know whether to laugh or cry. Still, it seemed she liked Zhang Lexuan quite a bit, since she had not gotten angry even after this.