Xuan Zi

An earth-yellow light arrived in the blink of an eye. When it faded, a shabby old man appeared.

His tattered robes had long since lost their original color. His graying beard and hair formed one tangled mass, and his huge bare feet were caked with mud. It was Xuan Zi, who had rushed over after seeing the distress signal.

He caught the faint scent of blood in the air and sensed the feeble auras of the Inner Court disciples on the ground. Regret flashed through his clouded eyes before he glared at the black figure.

Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, red—nine Soul Rings rose beneath his feet, and an overwhelming pressure locked onto the Eclipse Moon Shadow Leopard.

"You beast! How dare you hurt people from Shrek!"

He reached out and closed one hand around empty air. The Shadow Leopard seemed to be seized by the throat and was dragged, struggling, into midair.

One punch!

The Eclipse Moon Shadow Leopard felt as though a mountain had crashed into it. All strength to resist vanished.

Another punch!

Every bone and meridian in its body shattered.

It was a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, yet before Xuan Zi, it was no different from a house cat.

"Xuan Zi!"

As the third punch was about to fall, Zhang Lexuan hurriedly called out. "This is a hundred-thousand-year Shadow Leopard, and it has an ability related to the moon. Could you let me finish it off?"

Xuan Zi's hand stopped. A little clarity returned to his eyes. "Look at my memory. Very well, I'll leave this beast to you!"

He released his grip, and the Shadow Leopard fell to the ground like a torn sack.

Zhang Lexuan landed unsteadily, but without pausing, she drew a dagger from her waist and stepped forward.

Under the Shadow Leopard's despairing gaze, she drove the dagger straight into its one remaining eye and twisted it inside its skull.

A blood-red Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring rose from the Shadow Leopard's corpse. Zhang Lexuan did not rush to absorb it. Instead, she stood and said to Xuan Zi, "Xuan Zi, our team has suffered terrible casualties. Please hurry and save the others!"

Xuan Zi had been drinking gloomily. Her words kindled a glimmer of hope, but he said with remorse, "This operation was my failure. Once we return to the academy, I'll resign as Vice Pavilion Master and head of the Inspection Corps!"

Without waiting for Zhang Lexuan to reply, he flew toward the spot where the signal flare had been launched.

Zhang Lexuan immediately called the others over. "No one is to tell outsiders what happened today. Bei Bei and the others only helped rescue the team members. Understood?"

Zhu Song looked puzzled. "But Sister Lexuan, I'm alive thanks to Brother Lu. Wouldn't saying that be—"

Zhang Lexuan looked at him, and the rest of his words caught in his throat.

"This matter is serious. If you want to thank him, do it in person. But keep everything else buried in your stomach. Understood?"

Seeing how serious she was, everyone nodded solemnly, though they did not understand.

Zhang Lexuan breathed a sigh of relief.

She had seen that there was much about Lu Yi that was unusual, from his Martial Soul and abilities to his storage tool. But Lu Yi's attitude had been unmistakable: he did not want to reveal too much.

Yet this incident would have far-reaching consequences, and Lu Yi could not protect his own secrets.

She needed to keep her promise and conceal his identity, lest it bring him trouble. She could not speak of it even if Xuan Zi asked.

She went over to Lu Yi and saw that he had gathered the contents of his bag. Most were battered books and assorted bottles and jars.

Zhang Lexuan took her belongings out of her storage bracelet, then pressed the torn bag and bracelet into Lu Yi's arms. "This bracelet has eight cubic meters of space. Use it for now. I'll compensate you further when we return to the academy!"

"This is too valuable, Sister Lexuan. I... I can't accept it!"

Lu Yi hurriedly tried to refuse, but Zhang Lexuan firmly pushed it back to him.

"Take it! Though if I do this, I won't be able to ask the academy to give you the treatment you deserve!"

Realizing that Zhang Lexuan was keeping his secret, Lu Yi did not know what to say.

His origins did raise plenty of questions for the locals. At a time when the situation across the continent was so sensitive, he could easily be taken for a pawn planted by a hostile power.

If that happened, he might never even get a chance to explain.

Zhang Lexuan was protecting him, so Lu Yi accepted the bracelet.

As he considered this, Zhang Lexuan spoke again. "But it isn't all bad. With your abilities, I'm sure you can earn the recognition you deserve!"

Holding the storage bracelet, Lu Yi nodded to her.

"Thank—"

"Thank you!"

They spoke at the same time, then looked at each other and smiled.

With everything settled, Zhang Lexuan sat beside the Soul Beast's corpse and took a recovery pill. After a brief period of meditation restored her condition, she drew a deep breath and began absorbing the Soul Ring.

The Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring held an immense amount of energy. The resentment in the Eclipse Moon Shadow Leopard's soul after death was also far beyond that of a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast. An equally brutal battle unfolded in Zhang Lexuan's Sea of Consciousness.

Cold sweat ran down her face, and her body trembled uncontrollably. She only gritted her teeth and held on.

The other team members worried for Zhang Lexuan. Lu Yi knew she would succeed in the end, yet he still broke into a cold sweat for her.

Before long, Xuan Zi returned with a dark expression, carrying the bodies of four fallen team members. Five others followed behind him, supporting one another.

Tang Ya and the surviving team members had told Xuan Zi what had happened.

It was rare for a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast to appear on the border between the Outer Zone and the Mixed Zone, but that did not erase his failure.

Still, compared with losing the entire team, losing only four members to a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast was a blessing amid misfortune.

Judging by their praise for Bei Bei, Tang Ya, and the others, those youngsters had indeed done a great deal.

That would also ease some of the pressure the academy would face.

At the thought, Xuan Zi suddenly felt a trace of relief.

The moment it arose, he realized how wrong it was and began beating his chest and stamping his feet.

"Xuan Zi, Xuan Zi, you senile old fool! How can you think like that after something so terrible has happened?"

Facing life and death together forged bonds faster than anything else.

When the two groups reunited, teammates who had once competed at every turn embraced like family meeting after a long separation.

Seeing Bei Bei safe, Tang Ya forgot all about appearances and threw herself into his arms.

Only after Bei Bei had comforted her for some time did Tang Ya remember that her disciple Huo Yuhao was beside them. She reluctantly pulled away.

Xuan Zi paid no attention to the two unfamiliar faces, Lu Yi and Huo Yuhao. He first looked toward Zhang Lexuan as she absorbed the Soul Ring.

The process looked difficult, but she did not seem to be in much danger. He nodded in satisfaction, then turned his gaze to the Shadow Leopard's corpse.

Besides the Soul Bone that a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast was certain to yield, its flesh was highly nourishing. It was far better than the chicken leg in his hand.

The flesh of a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast was something one could only chance upon. Even as Vice Pavilion Master of the Sea God Pavilion, he had eaten it only a few times in his life.

Zhang Lexuan would need a long time to absorb the Soul Ring. With nothing else to do, he might as well cook up some Shadow Leopard meat.

The craving stirred by such rare Soul Beast meat seemed to lift the gloom of his failure a little. Xuan Zi licked his lips. "Heh, these youngsters are in for a treat today!"

With that thought, he called out by habit, "Xiao Jie, prepare some of this beast's meat. We'll roast it in a bit!"

No one answered for a long moment. At last, Zhu Song pointed at the blood-soaked figure whose face was no longer recognizable and stammered.

"Xuan Zi, Xiao Jie died in battle!"