Senior, Did I Say You Could Leave?

The next morning, after breakfast at the hotel, the two headed for Shrek Academy's east gate along the route Beibei and Tang Ya had instructed them to take.

It was currently Shrek's admissions season. Young boys and girls could be seen everywhere on the streets, traveling in small groups of three or five, their faces filled with anticipation and nervousness.

Qian Renxue wore a moon-white dress. Her beauty was peerless, and her temperament cold and refined. Walking among the crowd, she stood out like a crane among chickens, drawing countless glances over shoulders. Even many accompanying parents could not help looking at her.

If not for the icy aura she naturally exuded, plenty of people would likely have come over to strike up a conversation.

Noticing the gazes around her, Qian Renxue's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.

Since childhood, she had either lived in seclusion at Spirit Hall or disguised herself as Xue Qinghe while mingling with the Heaven Dou Imperial Family. She had never appeared in such a bustling crowd in her true form.

"Nervous?"

Lu Chen walked to her side and asked with a quiet smile, "You've never properly gone to school, have you?"

"Relax."

"You were Xue Qinghe for so long. Now that your body has reverted to twelve years old, you should enjoy the youth you ought to have had and experience academy life properly."

Qian Renxue glanced sideways at him and gave a soft hum.

She truly had never attended school properly.

When she had been at Spirit Hall, her grandfather, Qian Daoliu, had personally taught her.

Later, while she had been infiltrating the Heaven Dou Imperial Family, they had also hired tutors to give her one-on-one instruction.

As they spoke, the two had already reached the vicinity of the east gate. From afar, they could see the imposing academy entrance.

The plaza before the gate was packed with people, with students in uniforms of various colors constantly coming and going.

"We're different from Yuhao. He got in through the Tang Sect's internal quota, while we have to pass the Freshman Assessment fair and square." Lu Chen turned to Qian Renxue with a smile. "But with our foundation, there definitely won't be any problem."

With that, Lu Chen led Qian Renxue toward the registration line.

But before they had taken more than two steps, someone stepped diagonally into their path.

The newcomer wore a bright yellow uniform and looked around fourteen or fifteen. There was a frivolous, roguish air between his brows as his eyes brazenly traveled over Qian Renxue's face. A teasing smile curved his lips. "This junior sister looks unfamiliar. You're a new student here to register, right? My name is Zhao Feng. I'm a third-year student. Zhao Lei from the Inner Court is my biological brother."

Zhao Feng deliberately stressed the words "Inner Court," his tone carrying a hint of boastfulness. "Shrek Academy is huge, and the registration procedures are complicated. Without someone to guide you, you'll take plenty of wrong turns. How about this senior takes you over?"

Qian Renxue's expression instantly turned cold, and an extremely faint killing intent flashed through the depths of her violet eyes.

In all her life, no one had ever looked at her with such frivolous eyes.

At that moment, Lu Chen stepped forward half a pace and calmly shielded Qian Renxue behind him. His tone was even and placid. "No need to trouble yourself, Senior. We can find it ourselves."

Looking at the tall, straight back shielding her, Qian Renxue's heart stirred slightly, as though a thread of warmth had quietly spread through it.

So this was what it felt like... to be protected behind someone, to be held in someone's heart.

"Kid, who the hell do you think you are? You think you deserve to speak to me like that?" Zhao Feng shot Lu Chen a sidelong look. Seeing that he was young and not particularly finely dressed, arrogance immediately appeared on his face. "If you know what's good for you, get lost. Don't go looking for trouble."

Quite a few candidates around them recognized Zhao Feng and began whispering in low voices.

"It's Zhao Feng. That brat is bullying new students again."

"That girl is way too beautiful. What a pity Zhao Feng has set his sights on her."

"What can anyone do? His brother is in the Inner Court. Who would dare provoke him?"

"That kid is probably in for it..."

The discussion was quiet, but it clearly reached the ears of those involved.

Hearing the crowd's words, Zhao Feng lifted his chin even higher, the smugness in his eyes nearly overflowing.

"So, Senior came here looking for trouble?"

Lu Chen slowly rolled his wrist, a trace of coldness flashing in his eyes.

He and Qian Renxue had just arrived and did not want to cause trouble, but they were never afraid of it.

Especially when this guy had set his sights on Qian Renxue.

"What, you want to fight me?" Zhao Feng's gaze darkened, a gloomy shadow passing through it.

Ever since his brother had entered the Inner Court, how long had it been since anyone dared speak to him like this?

In his eyes, Lu Chen's words were naked provocation.

Lu Chen narrowed his eyes. Just as he was about to throw a Light-Speed Fist and teach this guy why flowers were so red, a familiar voice suddenly rang out from the crowd.

"Zhao Feng, what are you doing here?"

Everyone looked toward the voice and saw Beibei approaching quickly with Tang Ya and Huo Yuhao.

"It's Senior Beibei!"

"This is great. With Senior Beibei here, Zhao Feng won't dare act so arrogantly."

"Of course. Thunderbolt Beibei is one of the Outer Court Twins. Even if Zhao Feng's brother is in the Inner Court, he'd still have to show Beibei some respect."

The murmurs around them rose again, and it was easy to hear Beibei's prestige among the students.

"Lu Chen, Renxue, are you all right? How did you end up provoking him?" Tang Ya hurried over and asked with concern.

Though she had never dealt with Zhao Feng, she had heard of his misdeeds—relying on his brother's status in the Inner Court to frequently bully new students and stir up trouble.

Shrek Academy happened to uphold the principle that strength was supreme. Most teachers turned a blind eye, so many students who had been bullied only dared to swallow their anger.

Qian Renxue withdrew the killing intent in her eyes and gently shook her head. Her voice was light but certain. "It's fine. Lu Chen will handle it."

She disliked anyone other than Lu Chen interfering in her affairs.

No matter how things ended today, this person named Zhao Feng had already been placed on her kill list.

On the other side, the moment Zhao Feng saw Beibei, the arrogance on his face froze.

His brother was in the Inner Court, so he knew a little of the inside story—Beibei had a close relationship with the Inner Court's First Senior Sister, Zhang Lexuan.

He was absolutely not someone Zhao Feng could afford to offend.

But in front of so many people, he was unwilling to lose face. He could only force himself to invoke his backing. "Beibei, this is a private matter between me and these two freshmen. My brother will be back from training soon. I advise you not to meddle in other people's business."

"What does it have to do with me whether your brother comes back or not?"

Beibei stepped forward and stood beside Lu Chen and Qian Renxue. His tone was calm, yet carried an unquestionable pressure. "But these two are my friends."

The meaning could not have been clearer—these two were under his protection.

Zhao Feng's face shifted between green and white. He had not expected Beibei to give him no face at all, nor that even his brother's name could not suppress him.

Zhao Feng shot Lu Chen a venomous glare, then looked warily at Beibei. In the end, he gritted his teeth and threw out a parting threat. "Fine. I'll remember today!"

Then he pointed at Lu Chen, his tone vicious. "Kid, you got lucky. Just you wait!"

With that, he turned and tried to slip away.

Just when everyone thought the matter was over, Lu Chen's voice suddenly rang out, calm yet clear enough to spread through the entire plaza. "Senior, isn't it a little inappropriate to just leave like that?"

Zhao Feng stopped in his tracks.

The surrounding whispers abruptly fell silent as well. Everyone's eyes turned toward Lu Chen, their faces filled with disbelief.

No one had expected that this freshman, who should have known when to stop, would instead refuse to let the matter go.

"Kid, what do you mean?" Zhao Feng suddenly turned around, his face so dark it looked as though water could drip from it.

It was one thing for Beibei to deny him face, but now even some brat who had not stepped through the academy gates dared to push his luck!

"Nothing much." Lu Chen put both hands in his pockets, his tone unruffled. "I've long heard that Shrek Academy is full of exceptional talents. I'd like to spar with Senior and see the gap between us."

"Senior wouldn't happen to be... afraid, would you?"

"Good! Good! Good!" Zhao Feng was so furious that he laughed. He said "good" three times in a row, his eyes filled with cruel gloom. "Beibei, did you hear that? He's the one courting death. It's not that I refused to leave!"

Zhao Feng had already made up his mind. Later, he would cripple this ignorant brat and vent his anger properly.

Beibei said nothing. He merely looked at Zhao Feng as though looking at an idiot.

Others did not know Lu Chen's true capabilities, but Beibei knew them all too well—someone who could instantly kill a Millennium Nether Wolf and wipe out dozens of Century-Old Soul Beasts was not someone a bully like Zhao Feng could handle.

This new junior was not seeking justice at all. He was clearly using Zhao Feng's face to establish his own authority.