All... Lu Yuan's Task, That Was

While Elder Yi carried out the procedure, Lu Yuan carefully observed and studied the methods of this powerhouse who could be considered a Mage God—

First came a high-level spell, Mechanical Mind, used to suppress the unrest deep within Ma Xiaotao's soul and isolate the influence of the Evil Fire. Then there was a contract-type spell similar to those used by attendant knights on the Holy Demon Continent, which would make it easier for Lu Yuan to control Ma Xiaotao later.

After that, the remaining procedures were beyond Lu Yuan's understanding.

A moment later, through the perspective granted by Elder Yi's possession, Lu Yuan clearly saw the evil energy inside Ma Xiaotao gather toward the dantian in her lower abdomen beneath her navel, where it condensed into a strange pattern.

A marvelous sense of control rose within him, as though with a single thought, Lu Yuan could make that evil energy gather or scatter.

"Lu Yuan, I've already handed control of this mark over to you. But whatever you plan to do, do it quickly. I can already sense the aura of powerful people appearing!"

"Alright!"

Lu Yuan nodded, then awakened the sleeping Ma Xiaotao first.

"You are—" Ma Xiaotao's eyes were filled with confusion. She only remembered being eager to cultivate when the Evil Fire turned against her. Then it felt as if her head had been pierced by a steel needle, and she lost consciousness.

"Who I am isn't important." Looking at the somewhat dazed Ma Xiaotao, Lu Yuan said blandly, "What's important is that Senior Sister Ma Xiaotao, you openly attacked an Outer Court student at Shrek Academy and nearly caused serious losses. Shouldn't you offer me some compensation?"

"Me? Attack you?" Looking at the completely unharmed Lu Yuan and then at her own bedraggled state, Ma Xiaotao's fiery temper flared up. After briefly checking her Storage Soul Tool, she shouted at Lu Yuan, "Who exactly are you? What did you do to me?!"

"Watch your attitude when you speak to me!" Faced with Ma Xiaotao's questioning, Lu Yuan merely flicked the seal slightly.

"Mm!"

Ma Xiaotao suddenly groaned. An unusual flush spread across her cheeks as the evil energy began scattering through her body. The feeling of Evil Fire burning through her body made her collapse to the ground, nearly causing her to lose her mind again.

"Do you know how to speak properly now?"

As Lu Yuan activated the seal again, the roaming evil energy instantly settled down. An unusual freshness welled up in Ma Xiaotao's heart. Since her Martial Soul awakened and she began cultivating, she had nearly forgotten what it felt like to live without being troubled by that evil energy.

"Who exactly are you?!" Ma Xiaotao was both shocked and delighted. She was shocked that this unknown person in an Outer Court uniform could actually control the Evil Fire that had plagued her for years. She was delighted because, through him, she saw hope of continuing her cultivation, completely escaping the Evil Fire, and advancing further.

"I already said it. Your Evil Fire turned against you, and you attacked me. Therefore, it is perfectly reasonable for me to demand compensation from you!"

Although she vaguely remembered seeing a student while rampaging under the influence of her Evil Fire, Ma Xiaotao's Storage Soul Tool had now been thoroughly emptied, leaving her in a difficult position...

"If you can't compensate me, then let your teacher compensate me!" Prompted by Elder Yi's reminder in his mind, Lu Yuan knew Yan Shaozhe, who was searching for Ma Xiaotao, had drawn near. He immediately conveyed a message to Ma Xiaotao through the contract, then shut his eyes and collapsed straight down.

"Elder Yi, help me out. Shake up my Soul Power a little and make me cough up blood so my fainting looks more convincing."

"Lu Yuan, couldn't you just do that yourself?"

"I'm scared it'll hurt if I do it myself!" Lu Yuan said righteously.

Then, beneath Electrolux's strange gaze in the Spirit Sea and Ma Xiaotao's strange gaze outside, Lu Yuan's body trembled, and a trickle of blood ran from the corner of his mouth.

Now his fainting looked much more convincing.

"Xiaotao, Xiaotao! Are you alright?!"

When Yan Shaozhe heard that Ma Xiaotao's Evil Fire had erupted, he hastily organized people to search for her. At last, near Sea God's Lake by the Outer Court, they found Ma Xiaotao sitting limply on the ground.

Seeing that Ma Xiaotao was still conscious, Yan Shaozhe finally let out a sigh of relief. However, when his gaze swept over the Outer Court student lying unconscious beside her, his expression turned grim again.

"Fortunately, he only fainted because Xiaotao's Soul Power pressure caused the Soul Power in his body to fluctuate. He hasn't suffered any actual injuries."

After releasing his Martial Soul and examining Lu Yuan's body, a healing Soul Master surnamed Li who had accompanied them signaled this to Yan Shaozhe.

Yan Shaozhe relaxed and said, "Thankfully, no great mistake was made. It seems Xiaotao still retained some awareness at the critical moment. Teacher Li, send this student back later. Tell them to forget what they saw earlier. Anyone who spreads word of it will be expelled. Give them generous compensation. We're leaving."

"Teacher!" Just as Yan Shaozhe was about to settle the matter of this attack, Ma Xiaotao, who was sitting limply nearby, struggled upright. Looking at Yan Shaozhe, she seemed to want to say something.

Seemingly guessing Ma Xiaotao's intentions, Lu Yuan stirred his mind slightly, and the seal on the evil energy loosened another fraction.

"Mmgh!" Ma Xiaotao groaned. The burning sensation from her lower abdomen interrupted her thoughts. She involuntarily pressed her legs together, an unusual flush appearing on her face. Her legs weakened, and she nearly collapsed again.

"Xiaotao, are you alright?!" Yan Shaozhe hurriedly supported his disciple. After investigating and finding that she was merely exhausted from resisting the Evil Fire, Yan Shaozhe finally relaxed.

"Teacher," Ma Xiaotao said softly, now not daring to make any more small moves after realizing Lu Yuan truly seemed able to see through her thoughts. She could only follow Lu Yuan's instructions. "This matter began because of me, so I want to give this junior more compensation. Otherwise, my heart won't be at peace."

"Good, good, good!" Yan Shaozhe agreed repeatedly. He himself had suffered a flaw in his state of mind because of reckless actions in his youth, making it difficult for him to advance any further. Hearing his beloved disciple say this, Yan Shaozhe naturally dared not leave her with a lingering knot in her heart. He hurriedly said, "I understand. I'll increase this student's compensation right away. Add two Mysterious Water Pills. What do you think?"

"Not enough!"

"Then add some heavenly treasures for healing and cultivation?" Even a miserly iron rooster like Yan Shaozhe painfully raised the stakes when faced with his beloved disciple's request.

"Still not enough!"

"Then tell me, Xiaotao. How do you think we should compensate this student? As long as your teacher can do it, I'll do my best to make it happen!"

Listening to the voice in her heart, Ma Xiaotao revealed a troubled expression before stiffly saying, "Uh... Teacher, aside from pills and heavenly treasures, it would be best to also give this student thirty thousand—no, fifty thousand Gold Soul Coins!"

?

Could seeking peace of mind really involve such an exact amount, down to the number of Gold Soul Coins, like haggling over vegetables?

Yan Shaozhe cast a strange glance at the unconscious Lu Yuan. If this student had not been unconscious, he would have thought the victim was bargaining with him.

However, after seeing Lu Yuan's commoner clothing, Yan Shaozhe understood—

Xiaotao must have thoughtfully noticed that this child came from a commoner background. Therefore, aside from cultivation resources, she had also thoughtfully compensated him with some Gold Soul Coins for his daily living expenses!

That had to be it!

At that thought, Yan Shaozhe's gaze toward Ma Xiaotao softened even further. His beloved disciple Xiaotao was clearly suffering the torment of the Evil Fire herself, yet she was still thinking of others!

Under Yan Shaozhe's gaze, Ma Xiaotao had grievances she could not voice. Yet whenever she tried to explain, the burning sensation in her lower body made her blush furiously and left her limp all over.

I'm sorry, Teacher. This was all... that guy's task~

"Alright, your teacher agrees!"

Yan Shaozhe had no idea what his beloved disciple was thinking. He only found Ma Xiaotao more pleasing to the eye the more he looked at her. Usually stingy, he was unusually generous for his disciple's sake this time. He even took the initiative to add more compensation when instructing Teacher Li, who was responsible for sending Lu Yuan back.