Hearing this, Huo Yuhao seemed to think of something.
The words Ye Fan, Jing Hongchen, and the others had said still echoed in his ears:
"Big brother, I see that your Martial Soul is your eyes. I heard there's a Body Sect on the continent. Their creed is that all Body Martial Souls under heaven are one family. I suggest you try finding them. Your eye Martial Soul might develop quite well there, you know?"
At this moment, Huo Yuhao's expression was somewhat unnatural. But when he thought of that person's promise to him, he immediately regained his composure.
Before Huo Yuhao could explain anything,
Bei Bei, standing nearby, seemed to recall something as well. "It's you? I never expected you to be participating in the Continental Soul Master Tournament too."
"The world really is small."
"Hmm, Bei Bei, you know people from the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy too?"
At this moment, Xu Sanshi and the others from Shrek turned their gazes toward Bei Bei. Xu Sanshi wrapped an arm around Bei Bei's shoulders and asked curiously.
As soon as he said this, even Huo Yuhao looked toward Bei Bei.
He was curious too. "Bei Bei actually knows my benefactors?"
Feeling everyone's gazes, Bei Bei lowered his voice and told Xu Sanshi and the others what had happened.
Hearing this, Xu Sanshi immediately squeezed Bei Bei's shoulder. "Brother, don't worry. Your wife's enemy is our enemy."
"When the Continental Soul Master Tournament begins, I'll definitely get even for you."
The moment those words came out, an intense smell of gunpowder erupted between the Shrek group and Ye Fan's group.
This left Huo Yuhao extremely awkward.
Just then, a scruffy old man emerged from inside Shrek's residence. He held up a chicken leg, his body covered in grease and grime, with a wine gourd hanging at his waist.
A woman in red stood beside him.
The Shrek students respectfully called out, "Elder Xuan."
Following everyone's gazes, Ye Fan discovered that the newcomers were Xuan Zi and Zhang Lexuan, whom he had met in the Star Dou Great Forest a year ago.
Ye Fan could not help but think to himself, The world really is small.
Before Ye Fan could finish marveling, Zhang Lexuan stepped forward first to greet Ye Fan and the others.
"Oh? So you're the ones representing the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy."
"Heroes truly emerge from the young."
Zhang Lexuan said this to Ye Fan, Xiao Hongchen, Meng Hongchen, and the others.
Ye Fan did not know whether she meant it sincerely.
Still, instinctively, Ye Fan returned her smile.
Just then, Jing Hongchen precisely twisted the knife at Xuan Zi. "Likewise. It seems the students from your academy participating in the Continental Soul Master Tournament this time are young and promising, with quite remarkable strength."
"Someone who didn't know better might think Shrek Academy's younger generation had suffered a gap in succession."
As he spoke, Jing Hongchen's gaze swept over Huo Yuhao, Bei Bei, Xu Sanshi, and the others, causing Bei Bei and the rest to look rather displeased.
Of them all, Xuan Zi's expression was the ugliest.
Xuan Zi felt that Jing Hongchen was stabbing him right in the heart. Ignoring Zhang Lexuan beside him, he viciously glared at Jing Hongchen before slinking away in disgrace.
Zhang Lexuan exchanged looks with Huo Yuhao and the others, then said to Jing Hongchen's group, "Sorry. We'll be leaving first."
Afterward, Zhang Lexuan went after Xuan Zi. Bei Bei, Xu Sanshi, and the others looked at one another before following Zhang Lexuan. In the end, only Huo Yuhao reluctantly bid farewell to Ye Fan and the others. "Benefactors, let's catch up again when we have time."
Before long, everyone from Shrek Academy had vanished.
Ye Fan and the others did not linger between the two areas either. The officer who had initially led them brought them to their respective resting area.
Before Jing Hongchen could finish assigning rooms, another servant-like attendant delivered an invitation.
The invitation stated that the Xingluo Empire was inviting everyone from the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy to a banquet prepared for the various academies.
Jing Hongchen casually accepted the invitation and said to everyone, "Take half an hour to get yourselves sorted out. We'll meet in the main hall afterward."
Half an hour passed in the blink of an eye.
Everyone from the Sun Moon Academy changed into luxurious formal attire. Xiao Hongchen wore a fitted white suit, standing tall and straight with a noble, aloof air.
Meng Hongchen wore a pure white, dreamlike dress. Its skirt was light and elegant, making her look graceful and captivating.
Jing Hongchen wore a purple evening gown, dignified and composed, with extraordinary bearing. Ma Rulong, Xiao Xiafeng, and the others were also all neatly dressed.
Only Ye Fan remained in plain, old everyday clothes, completely out of place among the others. Xiao Xiafeng and a few others quietly mocked him.
Xiao Hongchen immediately stopped them coldly. He approached with Meng Hongchen and handed Ye Fan a spare white formal outfit of his own.
After changing into the new clothes, Ye Fan's aura completely transformed. The pure white fabric accentuated his refined figure, making him seem holy and translucent. His pair of clear, dazzling golden eyes carried an aura of radiant divinity. He was so beautiful it made one's heart tremble, and Meng Hongchen was briefly dazed by the sight.
"Xiao Fan, you look really good in formalwear."
Meng Hongchen could not help staring at Ye Fan with infatuation.
"Uh, does that mean I don't look good when I'm not wearing formalwear?"
Ye Fan took the opportunity to tease Meng Hongchen.
"That's not it. Without formalwear, the holy aura around you gets covered up."
"You're not as irresistible."
Meng Hongchen blushed as she tried to patch things up.
"Oh? Then how do I compare to that blue-haired guy from Shrek?"
"He's not bad either, but compared to you, he's far too feminine."
"Your big sister still prefers your type, Xiao Fan."
As she spoke, Meng Hongchen did not forget to pinch Ye Fan's cheek with her soft, smooth hand.
Hearing this, Ye Fan smiled as well. I finally pulled Meng Hongchen ashore.
If Meng Hongchen had fallen for that neither-man-nor-woman Wang Dong,
then it really would have been my fault.
Just then, Jing Hongchen shouted loudly.
"Alright, since everyone is ready, let's set off for the Star Luo banquet."
Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen flanked Ye Fan on either side, enclosing him between them. Jing Hongchen walked at the front of the group, while everyone else followed behind.
Along the way, students from various academies kept pointing and whispering about Ye Fan and Xiao Hongchen.
"Wow, how can one person be handsome, masculine, and youthful all at once?"
"Yeah, especially that handsome guy with golden hair. He's ridiculously handsome."
"I want to have his babies."
As soon as those words were spoken, Meng Hongchen viciously pinched Ye Fan's lower back.
Enduring the pain, Ye Fan looked toward Meng Hongchen. "Senior sister, you...?"
Before Ye Fan could finish speaking, another group of boys began praising Meng Hongchen. "Wow, look! They're students from the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy. That girl in the white dress is so cute and beautiful!"
Only then did Ye Fan finally understand Meng Hongchen's jealous feelings.
He supposed it was payback for what Meng Hongchen had done to his lower back.
Thus, under the guidance of an attendant, Ye Fan and the others soon arrived at the banquet hall of the Xingluo Imperial Palace.
At this moment, the banquet hall was already filled with leading teachers and students from the various academies.
Naturally, this included Bei Bei, Huo Yuhao, and the others from Shrek Academy.
They were chatting in small groups, though Xuan Zi and Zhang Lexuan were nowhere to be seen.
The moment Ye Fan's group entered, an attendant quickly came forward and greeted them. "Your Excellency Toad, His Majesty requests your presence!"
Hearing this, Jing Hongchen glanced toward the second floor of the banquet hall and roughly understood the Star Luo Royal Family's intentions.
He then gave Ye Fan, Xiao Hongchen, and the others a few instructions. "Look around as you please. I'll go meet the Xingluo Emperor."
"Yes~"*n!
Afterward, Ye Fan, Xiao Hongchen, Meng Hongchen, and the others split up in small groups.
The luxurious private room on the second floor was bright and open, and one could overlook the entire banquet hall from its railing.
Three extraordinary figures stood before the window. In the center was a middle-aged man wearing an imperial robe embroidered with golden dragons. His face was stern and composed, carrying an imposing majesty even without anger, while an oppressive aura unique to an emperor surrounded him.
At his side stood a charming young woman in white. Her features were delicate, her figure slender, and her brows and eyes gentle yet lively.
On the other side stood a burly man clad in silver armor. He was tall and sharp, with resolute, piercing features and the iron-blooded aura of a battlefield warrior. The three of them silently watched the students from the various academies entering below.
Among them, the ones they paid the most attention to were naturally Shrek Academy and the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy.
When they saw that Shrek Academy's participants this time were all teenage boys and girls, they were already surprised.
But when they saw Ye Fan of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy, they could hardly believe their eyes.
"Dai Hao, Jiujiu, what do you think of that white-clothed boy from the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy? He looks only six or seven years old."
"Hmph, he's nothing but a pretty face."
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