Dai Huabin: Setting the Facts Aside, Was She

Really blameless?

"Xiao Yudie, what do you think?"

Xian Lin'er had not directly asked Chu Ge, the "adult" beside her. Instead, she kept focusing on the little girl herself.

In her view, only genuine enthusiasm and a sense of belonging would allow the girl to truly embark on the path of the Soul Tool Department.

"Dean Xian Lin'er..."

Even Chu Ge fell silent at that moment, looking utterly at a loss for words.

His calm face carried a helplessness that almost made him laugh. There was really nothing to criticize about her attitude, and her respect for talented students was more than adequate. But the problem was...

How had Dean Xian Lin'er managed to step so precisely on a land mine?

Of all the people she could mention, why did she have to bring up Fan Yu and Zhou Yi?

Neither of those two had left the slightest favorable impression on Xiao Yudie. They had been the first to overturn her expectations after she arrived at this so-called "holy land of Soul Masters."

If there had originally been a one-in-ten chance of her agreeing, now that chance was absolutely zero.

Ma Xiaotao also looked as though she wanted to say something but held back.

During their earlier meal together, she had already heard all about what Zhou Yi had done.

Dean Xian bringing this up now would undoubtedly only strengthen the girl's resolve. Things were heading in precisely the opposite direction!

"Thank you, but there's no need."

Suppressing her discomfort, Huo Yudie shook her head and answered with the utmost respect.

This was a Titled Douluo-level expert, and she had treated her well. Of course Huo Yudie would not speak rudely to her. But this Soul Tool Department...

She really could not bring herself to join it at all.

Even if she truly became interested in things like Soul Tools later on, she could study them herself. It would still be difficult to join this Soul Tool Department, which she already viewed through a firmly fixed impression.

"Well..."

Now Xian Lin'er was the one at a loss. This made no sense. At Shrek Academy, the relationship and sense of unity between students and teachers should have been extremely strong.

Hearing about the relationship between the Soul Tool Department's director and her homeroom teacher should surely have made her feel even more drawn to it. Logically, no matter what, the situation before her should not have happened.

"Elder Xian, regarding that new student, should we start taking steps to recruit..."

Just then, a middle-aged man's voice rang out.

A moment later, he appeared before them. It was none other than Fan Yu, the director of the Soul Tool Department.

"Fan Yu, you've come at just the right time."

"This is our little genius Yudie, and beside her is her master, Chu Ge. Xiaotao is here too."

At the sight of him, a smile immediately spread across Xian Lin'er's face, as though she had found her savior.

Speak of Cao Cao, and Cao Cao arrived-here was Fan Yu. As Zhou Yi's husband, he would surely be more convincing!

"Huo Yudie, her master, and..."

"Ma Xiaotao, one of the Shrek Seven Devils?"

Fan Yu could not quite process it at first. His astonished gaze swept over everyone present, his face full of wonder. Clearly, he had not expected so many of them to gather here.

The girl already had a master? That was unexpected. And somehow, that detail felt particularly important...

What he also had not expected was for his master's wife to act so quickly. Had she already brought the girl to the Soul Tool Department?

"Fan Yu, Xiao Yudie hasn't decided to join the Soul Tool Department yet. Come have a proper talk with her. After all, she's a student in your wife's class."

As Xian Lin'er spoke, her face filled with anticipation. Surely there would be no more trouble now.

"Of course."

Fan Yu nodded with a broad smile, his gaze settling on Huo Yudie. He was even more eager than Xian Lin'er.

The Ultimate Individual Soldier Plan was an experimental research project he had launched based on his past knowledge of the Sun Moon Empire's Soul Tools. If the girl before him joined it, the results would surely be extraordinary.

Even if she already had a master, joining the Soul Tool Department as a core disciple and participating in his research was still essential.

As for whether she might refuse, that clearly did not warrant much concern. So long as she was not the student whose master was a Titled Douluo, everything would be fine.

Huo Yudie, the person at the center of all this, was lost in thought. Her gaze was perfectly calm as she looked at Fan Yu.

Because the man before her was precisely the person who allowed Zhou Yi to bully students almost at will in the outer court without ever facing punishment.

He was the very reason she had resolved to refuse. Who would have thought he would now come to persuade her?

"Fan Yu."

"So we've run into him too."

Chu Ge silently studied Fan Yu. This was his first time seeing the man, and he certainly had a nose and eyes in all the right places-a fine-looking fellow.

His only flaw was marrying such an outrageously unreasonable woman. Some of her poison had rubbed off on him too.

"Student Huo Yudie..."

"Director Fan Yu, you don't need to say anything."

A string of possibilities flashed through Fan Yu's mind. Just as he was about to deliver the speech he had prepared, she cut him off.

"I won't join the Soul Tool Department."

Huo Yudie's expression was exceptionally firm and serious.

Though she was only a little girl, there was an air about her that allowed no room for doubt.

"Well..."

Fan Yu was dumbfounded, while Xian Lin'er could not make sense of it no matter how hard she thought.

Why had she refused so decisively?

"Dean Xian, since you know Yudie used to be in Zhou Yi's class, don't you know about the conflict between Zhou Yi and the two of us, master and disciple?"

"Xiaotao, Yudie, let's go."

Only when Chu Ge walked past them and his calm voice rang out did the bewildered Fan Yu lose the ability to speak, standing frozen in place.

Master and disciple. A gifted disciple and her teacher.

He should have realized it long ago. He should have realized...

Huo Yudie's master was that Titled Douluo!

Was the world really this small...?

"They... left?"

"How could Huo... how could this happen...?"

Bewilderment filled Xian Lin'er's face. Watching the group walk farther and farther away, she sank into thought.

Was it her imagination?

Why did it feel as though Fan Yu speaking had only made Huo Yudie even less willing to join the Soul Tool Department?

"And another thing."

"What was that about Zhou Yi? Fan Yu, did something happen between you two and that master and disciple?"

Xian Lin'er asked slowly, her expression darkening.

"Elder Xian, here's what happened..."

Facing someone who was both the Soul Tool Department's dean and his master's wife-one of his own people-Fan Yu sighed helplessly. He concealed nothing and recounted everything that had happened.

That included Zhou Yi getting fired for stirring up trouble in the outer court, and him getting fired as well because he was her husband, among other things.

Notably, throughout his account, Xian Lin'er's brows remained knitted, and she was completely absorbed in thought.

"So you're saying..."

"Zhou Yi picked a fight with that master and disciple, and she did it with the Soul Tool Department as her backing. Is that right?"

Xian Lin'er's face was full of deep contemplation.

"No, seriously..."

"What kind of creature did you marry?"

She frowned, unable to stop herself from snapping in anger.

It was not that she looked down on Zhou Yi, but under these circumstances, was there any way left to whitewash what the woman had done?

"In that case, it's no wonder they refused."

Xian Lin'er sighed helplessly.

Fan Yu remained silent.

He wanted to know just as badly what kind of creature he had married! A Titled Douluo-someone at that level was not an existence he could afford to provoke lightly...

"So the world..."

"Really is this small."

Meanwhile.

In a house within Shrek City.

At that moment, Dai Huabin was lying peacefully on the bedroom bed, and most of the injuries on his face had healed.

"The young master is out of danger now. None of his injuries are life-threatening."

A man in white stood beside him, exhaled deeply, and spoke with a smile.

He was a healing-type Soul Master from the Dai Family. Though his cultivation was only at the five-ring level, treating Dai Huabin posed no problem for him.

"Thank you, senior..."

Only then did Zhu Lu, who stood nearby, breathe a sigh of relief. She murmured her thanks, her heart full of unease as she looked at Dai Huabin lying there.

Following someone like this...

Had she really made the right choice?

"Where is this?"

"Where's that trash Huo Yudie? Didn't I break her legs and make her kowtow to me?"

Not long afterward, Dai Huabin woke up too. Yet the scene in his mind was still his idealized version of the battle with Huo Yudie.

Soon, when he felt the lingering pain inside his body, his fragile resolve shattered instantly. His expression darkened along with his mood.

"Huabin, you've only just woken up. Don't think about those awful things. Get some proper rest."

Realizing something, Zhu Lu hurriedly spoke.

He did not even need to say it for her to know he was thinking about revenge. But with his strength, how was he supposed to get it?

"No."

"I'll make her pay the price she deserves..."

"Trash. A piece of trash made me kneel and admit I was wrong. This is the shame of my life. I'll make her pay with her life to repay all of it-"

Dai Huabin's face was filled with viciousness as he spoke through gritted teeth.

He could not accept it. He could not accept a lowly maid's daughter humiliating him like this. He had to find an opportunity to deal with her.

He was the son of a distinguished duke, a wealthy genius who had grown up with a golden key in his mouth. Yet today, he had actually been...

"Pfft-"

"When Shrek assigns some missions outside the academy, I'll have the family elders take action..."

"Huo Yudie, you trash! Born to a mother, but never raised by one!"

Though he coughed up blood again from sheer anger, Dai Huabin paid it no mind. His face was cold as he muttered.

As soon as such an opportunity arose, he would eliminate her as quickly as possible.

"Huabin, don't."

"Your state of mind isn't stable at all right now. Stop getting yourself like this over plotting against other people. Can't you cultivate properly and focus on yourself, like you used to?"

"You'll only hurt yourself again if you keep this up."

Hearing his words, Zhu Lu immediately frowned and could not help speaking bluntly. No. This absolutely would not do.

If this continued, he would probably suffer another attack of rage that struck straight at his heart. What would they do then?

"Shut up."

But the response she received was a cold bark.

"Now you know to care about me? Why are you trying to make yourself noticed?"

"Why didn't you stop me before?"

Dai Huabin stared at her coldly and spoke without mincing words.

Of course he knew he had brought this upon himself. But so what? Was he really the only one responsible?

Setting the facts aside...

As his fiancée, was Zhu Lu really not even the slightest bit at fault?

(End of chapter)