Shen Xi had someone take Ye Xinglan home.
The White-Haired Dumpling gazed at Xu Qingjia's bedroom door, a spark of intelligence flashing through her bright, watery eyes. A perfect plan took shape in her mind. A smug smile curled Na'er's lips, and she headed back to her room with light, jaunty steps.
Meanwhile, inside Xu Qingjia's bedroom, the classical decor exuded elegant refinement. Traces of a cozy daily life dotted the tidy, bright space, bathed in the gentle warmth of soft yellow lights.
"Click~"
Having finished washing up, Xu Qingjia pushed the door open and emerged. Crystal-clear moisture clung to the ends of his black hair, droplets slipping from the tips and leaving faint wet trails down his fair neck.
"Leng Yaozhu," Xu Qingjia murmured, recalling what had happened earlier.
The renowned Heavenly Phoenix Douluo-a domineering female CEO in every sense of the word.
She was one of only two female Limit Douluos in the entire Federation. As for the other, that was naturally Long Yeyue, the great "Long Runaway." When faced with the rank-twelve God-Slaying Fixed Soul Cannon Shells, all of Shrek's Titled Douluos had stepped up to face them. Yet that old woman, the most senior of them all and already halfway into her coffin, had vanished in a flash. Even the Holy Spirit Cult had been unable to stop her.
Xu Qingjia tapped at the keyboard, and a beautiful figure appeared on the screen.
Her pink-tinged crimson hair fell to her waist, like peach blossoms in full bloom in March, fiery and dazzling. Yet her eyes, the same shade, held none of a peach blossom's tenderness. Instead, they carried unquestionable authority and dominance. Her aloof expression and tall, slender figure made her seem like a peerless powerhouse standing atop a mountain, looking down upon the world.
She was certainly beautiful.
But love at first sight? Not necessarily.
Xu Qingjia had seen plenty of wealthy matrons and noble young ladies growing up. Although they fell short of the Heavenly Phoenix Douluo in both presence and looks, he also had Na'er by his side-the pinnacle of beauty in the Douluo series. Though she had yet to grow into her looks, in Xu Qingjia's experience, no one could rival the little girl's cuteness.
Still, having a beautiful teacher sounded pretty good.
Xu Qingjia had no particular preference about whether his future lay at home, at the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy, or at the Spirit Pagoda.
It was merely a change of cultivation environment.
As long as his cultivation resources weren't downgraded, that was fine. With his status, such a downgrade was impossible anyway.
He was no longer utterly incapable of protecting himself.
Want to hurt me? Send the Dragon God! (arrogant.jpg)
The Dragon God doesn't dare face me. Is it because kings never meet, or because he fears me a little?
That might have been a tiny bit arrogant, but with two Yin Marshal Ghost Messengers guarding him, no one below the gods could touch him.
Ding~
No system reward had arrived.
His soul guidance phone's screen lit up.
A text message appeared.
Golden Kitten (Ye Xinglan): Xu Qingjia, I'm home.
Young Fengdu (Xu Qingjia): Did you tell your dad?
Golden Kitten: ~(≧▽≦)/~
Golden Kitten: I did. Dad said I don't have to go to Shrek Academy anymore. I just need to follow Aunt Shen's arrangements from now on.
Young Fengdu: Good.
"Looks like my father-in-law knows what's good for him."
Of course, if the Ye Family insisted on going against Xinglan's wishes, his Xu Family knew a thing or two about throwing punches.
Betraying the Sun Moon Lineage to join Shrek Academy-did they really think Shrek Academy could protect them? Had they not seen how Shrek Academy, which once led the original Douluo Continent in resisting the Sun Moon Empire, now lived comfortably within the Sun Moon Federation, as though it had forgotten that chapter of history?
If Shrek had abandoned its foundations and followed the Star Luo Empire and the Dou Ling Empire to the other two continents, he could at least have respected it for having some backbone.
In a sense, Shrek was also a thrice-sworn servant, biting the hand that fed it. Back then, it had led the original Douluo Three Kingdoms against the Sun Moon Empire. Heaven Dou was destroyed, while the Star Luo Empire and the Dou Ling Empire fled overseas. Shrek, however, had not fled with them, remaining within the Sun Moon Federation.
Yet Shrek still refused to behave, secretly keeping in contact with the Star Luo Empire and the Dou Ling Empire alongside its other half, the Tang Sect.
It claimed neutrality, but in truth, it was merely grass atop a wall, bending whichever way the wind blew.
If the Star Luo Empire and the Dou Ling Empire ever gained the strength to fight their way back into Sun Moon, Shrek and the Tang Sect would probably be the first to clamor, "Restore Douluo's rightful rule! Drive out Sun Moon!"
Golden Kitten: Oh, right, right! Aunt Shen also told me to take good care of you. Xu Qingjia, you have to listen to me, okay? (hands on hips)
Young Fengdu: Does that include scrubbing my back? (hopeful.jpg)
Golden Kitten: (blushing) You pervert!!!
"Tsk. Fickle women."
Just then, Xu Qingjia raised his head as though sensing something.
A wisp of seemingly illusory gray energy drifted through the window into his bedroom.
"Elder Yi," Xu Qingjia greeted him.
After Xu Qingjia had brought Elder Yi out of the Netherworld at noon, Elder Yi had said he wanted to see this world and gone out for a look around.
"My parents won't notice you, will they?"
"I only came in after sensing that those two presences, both close to this world's limits, had left," Elder Yi said.
"How are you feeling?"
"Alive, though it seems little different from being dead," Electrolux said evenly, looking utterly unconcerned with life and death.
"Come now, Elder Yi."
Xu Qingjia took a sip of chilled fruit juice. "Being alive is always better than being dead. Besides, you told me before that becoming a god in your world means the dissolution of the self. But that isn't the case in my world. In clearly documented written history, more than one being has ascended to become an immortal deity."
Only after losing one's life could one truly understand how precious it was.
"That's true," Electrolux said.
His family and friends had passed away many years ago, and he had already avenged the hatred etched into his bones and heart. He could be said to have no attachments left at all. But now that fate had given him hope of truly becoming a god, a chance at a new beginning, how could he simply give it up?
"Still, in my present state, it would be difficult for me to climb the steps to godhood again." He was now nothing more than a fragment of divine sense. Although this fragment was relatively large, there remained a considerable gap between it and his complete self.
"You have me," Xu Qingjia said confidently.
"Once I ascend to godhood, helping you recover or finding your other fragments of divine sense won't be difficult."
"You little rascal." Electrolux smiled helplessly.
How could he fail to hear the meaning beneath Xu Qingjia's words?
The boy had all but said outright, I have what it takes to become a god. Hurry up and help me.
"Does that mean you agree?" Xu Qingjia asked eagerly.
"Do I have any other choice?" Electrolux countered with a smile.
After three years together, Electrolux was very pleased with this boy who was something of a student to him. Both his character and temperament were excellent, and from what he had seen so far, the boy's talent even surpassed his own back in the day.
A smile curled Xu Qingjia's lips.
Electrolux, a million-year soul beast (Na'er).
Xu's cheat-powered opening lineup.
"With your help, Elder Yi, I'll truly be a tiger granted wings."
As his words fell, Xu Qingjia raised his hand and swept it through the air. Two divine plaques, one black and one white, abruptly appeared in his palm, the energies of life and death, yin and yang, intertwining around them.
"Black and White Impermanence, come before me at once."
A young boy's clear voice, an inhuman calm, and a divine indifference-the three voices overlapped and echoed through the room.
As the voices rang out, the two divine plaques descended on their own before Xu Qingjia, transforming into two figures, one black and one white. They dropped to one knee before him and bowed their heads respectfully.
One wore white robes, his golden hair falling over his shoulders.
The other wore black robes, looking like a phantom.
"White Impermanence, Yue Guan (Black Impermanence, Gui Mei), greets our lord!"