"Host, the difficulty will automatically adjust the plot to the corresponding difficulty level on the Douluo Continent. There is no need to worry about being unable to fight back."
"Well, thank you so very much."
"You're welcome."
Lin Chen: "..."
Fine.
Speechless, Lin Chen headed toward Shrek City with Tang Ya.
Meanwhile, Bei Bei was nearly frantic with worry.
After Tang Ya and Lin Chen suddenly disappeared, a terrifying battle had erupted in the Star Dou Great Forest.
He had no idea how Huo Yuhao had known, but Huo Yuhao had led him away in advance. Afterward, he had witnessed a scene that looked like the end of the world.
If Tang Ya and Lin Chen had been on the battlefield when powerhouses of that caliber fought, they could not possibly have survived.
So Bei Bei comforted himself with the thought that they must have left beforehand.
He only hoped Tang Ya was alive. He did not even have time to wonder why Tang Ya and Lin Chen had disappeared together.
With Huo Yuhao talking him through it, the two hurried toward Shrek City.
Lin Chen was also going to attend Shrek Academy, and Shrek Academy was the only place Tang Ya could go. If they were still alive, they would definitely be there.
Sure enough, a day later, the four happened to meet at Shrek City's gates.
Seeing Lin Chen alive, Huo Yuhao was overjoyed as well.
"Brother Lin Chen! You're alive!"
"Of course I'm alive."
Lin Chen smiled.
Naturally, Bei Bei was also overjoyed to see Tang Ya alive.
"Xiao Ya!"
Bei Bei rushed forward in a few strides, his eyes reddening.
"As long as you're all right. As long as you're all right..."
Seeing that Tang Ya was unharmed,
Only then did Bei Bei have the mental space to think about other things.
He looked at Tang Ya and Lin Chen, his brows knitting.
"Xiao Ya, why are you two together? Don't you owe me an explanation?"
"What explanation?"
Tang Ya did not care what Bei Bei thought and had never intended to explain.
"Why did you disappear together that night?"
"What did you do?"
There was a hint of accusation in Bei Bei's tone.
"That's none of your business, is it?"
Tang Ya spoke coolly.
"I'm free to leave with whoever I want. You don't get a say."
Naturally, Tang Ya could not say she had left with Lin Chen to corrupt her martial soul, so it was better to say nothing at all.
Besides, she was already a Soul Emperor. In just a few days with Lin Chen, she had advanced from Soul Elder to Soul Emperor. Her foundation might have been shaky, but it felt incredible.
Bei Bei was no longer someone she had to look up to. Now he had to look up to her, and she no longer needed to dance to anyone else's tune.
After today, Shrek Academy would have a Blue Silver Grass prodigy-an unparalleled prodigy who had become a Soul Emperor at just fifteen.
On their way out, Lin Chen had already laid out the entire plan for her:
Once they reached Shrek Academy, she would conceal the secret of her martial soul's corruption and report everything else honestly. Nine parts truth to one part lie-that was how to make the story seamless.
She would describe her martial soul's corruption as a martial soul mutation. With Lin Chen's Nine-Turn Soul-Returning Lamp suppressing it, even a Limit Douluo would be unable to detect anything wrong.
Most importantly, there was nothing questionable about her background. She was the Tang Sect Master, with impeccable roots and credentials.
As long as her martial soul passed inspection and she could grow stronger at a frantic pace without any side effects, Lin Chen said Shrek Academy would very likely convene a Sea God Pavilion Meeting for her this time.
So what if Bei Bei was the Dragon God Douluo's great-grandson?
Now, Tang Ya only acknowledged Lin Chen, who had given her everything. Besides, she truly could not leave him.
She had to have intimate contact with Lin Chen once a week, four times a month. Even if nothing actually happened, it would still be unfair to anyone else.
It was better for her to stay single, then. Bei Bei would simply have to say goodbye to her. Keeping him dangling really was not right.
"Bei Bei."
Tang Ya took a deep breath.
"Even though we never really started."
"I still have to say this."
"Let's break up."
The moment Tang Ya said those words, shock appeared on Bei Bei's face. Huo Yuhao was equally stunned, and a chorus of sharp gasps immediately rose around them.
Tang Ya, Lin Chen, Bei Bei, and Huo Yuhao were standing right at Shrek City's gates, and their voices carried quite far. Many people had gathered to watch the drama. After all, juicy gossip like this did not come along every day.
"Xiao Ya, why?"
Even Bei Bei's voice was trembling.
"What did I do wrong?"
"Is it because of him?"
Bei Bei abruptly turned to look at Lin Chen.
"But you've only met him once!"
"What does he have that I don't?"
"This has nothing to do with him."
Tang Ya spoke coolly.
"We're just not right for each other."
As she spoke, Tang Ya released her soul rings one after another.
Two yellow, two purple, followed by two black-six soul rings in all.
Bei Bei's face instantly went pale at the sight. A day ago, Tang Ya had only been a three-ring Soul Elder. A day later, her soul power had soared thirty ranks, making her a six-ring Soul Emperor.
"Xiao Ya, what exactly did you do?"
Bei Bei's voice went shrill.
"What exactly did he do to you?"
"Why is your soul power..."
Before Bei Bei could finish, a formidable aura suddenly descended upon the city wall, enveloping Bei Bei, Tang Ya, Lin Chen, and the others.
The next moment, the four felt their bodies grow weightless as that power swept them away.
It was none other than Shi Xing, the City Lord of Shrek City.
Just now, he had received a soul tool communication from Shrek Academy's Sea God Pavilion. Although Shrek Academy lagged behind in soul tool technology, covering a single city with soul tool communications was still no problem, especially with the dedicated Shrek Direct Line.
Upon receiving his instructions, he immediately brought Tang Ya, whose cultivation was abnormal, and all the others into Shrek Academy.
In truth, Lin Chen had never expected to enter Shrek Academy this way.
Tang Ya was making such a spectacle of herself that there was clearly something deliberate about it.
Still, it did not make much difference. In fact, it worked out nicely. With Tang Ya stealing the limelight like this, Shrek Academy had no choice but to take her seriously. Once she gained a high standing at Shrek Academy, he would have an easy time of it there too.
By the time Shi Xing brought Tang Ya and the others to the Sea God Pavilion, Mu En had already convened a Sea God Pavilion Meeting, something that had not been held in quite some time.
Although the Taotie Douluo, Xuan Zi, and the eldest senior sister, Zhang Lexuan, were both absent, it did not matter. Mu En's presence at the helm was enough.
Mu En had taken notice of Tang Ya ever since she entered Shrek Academy.
Mu En valued Bei Bei deeply. Bei Bei was his only successor, and he even regarded Zhang Lexuan as a bride raised for Bei Bei. He had poured everything into Bei Bei, so how could he possibly let the two of them hunt soul beasts in the Star Dou Great Forest without supervision?
He had long since arranged for someone to protect Bei Bei, strictly from the shadows, without ever revealing their identity.
Thus, Mu En had already learned everything that had happened in the Star Dou Great Forest.
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