Barely Alive

Xu Jiawei took a deep breath and set the document down. He looked at Xuan Xiao with an unprecedented gravity and earnestness in his eyes, as though he were looking at a priceless treasure.

He knew that this young man before him had brought more than just a novel product.

He had brought an opportunity capable of changing the entire continent's balance of power—an opportunity that could allow the Star Luo Empire to soar.

If he could seize this opportunity, the Star Luo Empire would usher in unparalleled prosperity and strength. Surpassing the Sun Moon Empire and becoming the continent's foremost nation would no longer be impossible.

He fell silent for a moment before slowly speaking. His voice carried determination, decisiveness, and a barely restrained excitement.

"Good. I'll take this deal. How much land do you need? I'll approve it! So long as it is within the Star Luo Empire, any place you fancy can be yours!"

Xuan Xiao waved a hand and said casually, "It doesn't need to be too big. A few hundred square meters will be enough."

When he had purchased the soul spirits earlier, he had noticed that the system shop sold a simplified Hurricane Giant Tower.

The thing looked like a spinning top and took up very little ground. It only needed a small spot where its pointed base could grip the earth.

Xu Jiawei froze. He had assumed Xuan Xiao would want a large plot of land. After all, an auction house and a chamber of commerce would certainly require considerable space.

Yet the other party said he only needed a few hundred square meters?

"A few hundred square meters? Are you sure that's enough? Even an auction house would need more space than that, wouldn't it?"

Xuan Xiao gave a mysterious smile and said,

"It'll be enough. I have my own methods. Just approve the land, and I'll handle the rest myself. You'll understand when the time comes. I guarantee it'll be a huge surprise."

Xu Jiawei looked at his mysterious expression. Though curious, he did not press the matter and merely nodded.

"Fine. I'll allocate you a plot in Star Luo City's eastern district. It has a good location and is suitable for business. Tomorrow, I'll have the Ministry of Revenue deliver the land deed to you."

Xuan Xiao cupped his hands. "Then thank you, Your Majesty. A pleasant partnership."

Xu Jiawei returned the gesture with a smile. "A pleasant partnership."

Xuan Xiao rose to his feet and said to Xu Jiawei, "I'll have to trouble Your Majesty to put more effort into Zhu Lu's annulment. I'll go contact my family first and prepare for the relocation."

Then he suddenly remembered that, in the animation, the Hurricane Giant Tower had descended directly from space. The entire planet had practically been ruined by the impact.

Hardly any humans had survived; only the population of one small town had escaped by luck.

The commotion had definitely not been small.

He stopped, turned around, and added to Xu Jiawei in an offhand tone,

"Oh, right. Please have the craftsmen in Star Luo City reinforce the buildings. There may be quite a bit of noise when the time comes. If the houses collapse from the shaking, I won't be compensating anyone. I bear no responsibility."

The smile on Xu Jiawei's face instantly froze. It was as though someone had dumped a basin of icy water over him, chilling him from head to toe.

After being emperor for so many years, this was the first time he had heard someone planning construction in the city and reminding the emperor in advance to reinforce the buildings.

Just how much commotion would it take to collapse houses?

Seeing the serious expression on Xuan Xiao's face, Xu Jiawei's heart skipped a beat as an ominous premonition rose within him.

Seeing his expression, as though he had swallowed a dead fly, Xuan Xiao quickly reassured him.

"Relax, relax. I'm just moving the entire building from my home over here. There'll be some noise when it lands, but it won't cause much damage. At most, it'll shatter a few glass tiles or something."

Xu Jiawei's mouth twitched after hearing that. His entire mood was ruined.

Moving the entire building from his home?

Some noise when it landed?

How the hell was that not a big deal?

What if it shook the imperial palace down? Where would he, the emperor, put his face then? Would he have to work atop the ruins?

He wanted to say more, but Xuan Xiao ignored the expression on his face, which now looked as though he had eaten shit.

He directly released his soul rings. His second soul ring flashed, and he vanished from where he stood as though he had never appeared at all, leaving behind four utterly bewildered people.

Meanwhile, thousands of miles away at Shrek Academy, things were quite lively.

Because Xuan Xiao had dispersed Ma Xiaotao's evil fire, coupled with Mu En's suppression through his light soul power,

she slept incredibly soundly. She slept for more than a full week, and when she awoke, she was radiant and full of energy.

After waking, the first thing she did was seek out Yan Shaozhe. She wanted to look into the student who had helped extinguish her fire so he could continue suppressing her evil fire.

But after Ma Xiaotao finished describing that student's characteristics,

Yan Shaozhe was utterly devastated. His face instantly turned deathly pale, as if all the blood had been drained from it.

Seeing him like this, Ma Xiaotao froze for a moment before asking with concern,

"Teacher? What's wrong? Why do you look so awful? Are you feeling unwell somewhere?"

Yan Shaozhe opened his mouth, his voice hoarse and bitter. "No... no, it's nothing. I'm fine."

He felt like a living person who had just half-died.

Damn it!

That calamity had only just left, and now he was being told that he was his disciple's fire extinguisher?

How was he supposed to accept that?

In his heart, he cursed Xuan Zi eight million times, cursing him all the way from his days as a paramecium to the present.

He cursed with such gusto that he wished he could travel back in time and strangle the younger Xuan Zi to death.

If that old bastard had not gone and provoked Xuan Xiao, how could Shrek Academy have lost such a genius?

If that old bastard had not insisted on taking disciples, how could Shrek Academy have lost a set of hundred-thousand-year soul bones for nothing?

If that old bastard had not been incapable of accomplishing anything while ruining everything he touched, how could Shrek Academy have ended up like this?

The more he thought about it, the angrier and more stifled he became. He wanted nothing more than to charge off and fight Xuan Zi right now, beating that old face of his into a pig's head.

But he knew it was too late to say anything now. The man had already left, and regret would do no good.

Besides, no one knew where Xuan Zi was right now. Mu En had sent that old bastard off to hunt a hundred-thousand-year soul beast. Who knew which remote mountain forest he had run off to?

(Xuan Zi, eating hotpot and singing in the Star Dou Forest: Burp~)

One major demerit, but it would not go on his record.

He took a deep breath, suppressed the anger and frustration in his heart, and said to Ma Xiaotao,

"Come with me first. I'll take you to see my teacher. I can't make the decision on this matter. Teacher will have to decide."

Ma Xiaotao looked at his solemn expression. Though puzzled, she did not ask further and obediently followed behind him toward Sea God's Pavilion.

Mu En was resting with his eyes closed inside Sea God's Pavilion. Hearing footsteps, he opened his eyes and saw Yan Shaozhe and Ma Xiaotao enter.

"Shaozhe, what is it? Is something wrong?"

Yan Shaozhe opened his mouth but did not know how to begin. In the end, he could only sigh.

"Teacher, it's better if Xiaotao tells you herself."

Ma Xiaotao stepped forward and explained her situation in detail from beginning to end.

After hearing Ma Xiaotao's account, Mu En's blood pressure shot up with a buzz, and he nearly fell from his chair.

He clutched his chest and gasped for breath. His face reddened like a boiled crab.

Yan Shaozhe hurriedly stepped forward to support him and cried anxiously, "Teacher! Teacher, are you all right?!"

Mu En waved a hand to indicate that he was fine, but his trembling hand and ragged breathing exposed the turmoil in his heart.

He took several deep breaths and silently repeated to himself, Don't get angry. Don't get angry.

No! He could not swallow this outrage!

He suddenly opened his eyes, roaring bloodshot-eyed,

"Xuan Zi, you bastard! I'll skin you alive!"