Holy shit, there's a bull!

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Chapter 12: Holy shit, there's a bull!

Although Tang Ya was cheerful by nature, she had suffered one blow after another: her parents had died, and the Tang Sect estate had been seized. Now, even Shrek Academy, which had once shared close ties with the Tang Sect, refused to lend a hand.

No one could understand the despair in her heart, and the moment she saw Ye Xixuan, her emotions finally collapsed.

Tang Ya simply clung to Ye Xixuan and sobbed. Only after soaking the entire front of his clothes did she raise her head again, her eyes red and swollen.

The stirring of Ye Xixuan's martial soul had already subsided. Looking at Tang Ya's tear-blurred face, he said gently but firmly, "Sister Xiaoya, no matter what happens, I'll help you. Just like you looked after me before."

"You sound like such an old man. You're not even as old as I am." Deeply moved, Tang Ya let out a snorting laugh, nearly blowing a snot bubble as she spoke in a heavily nasal voice. Once her taut nerves relaxed, overwhelming exhaustion swallowed her up again, and she fell fast asleep against Ye Xixuan's shoulder.

She had been utterly exhausted these past few days, both physically and emotionally.

Ye Xixuan gently crouched down and let Tang Ya settle onto his back. Supporting her soft, firm thighs with both hands, he lifted her up. After advancing to become a Soul Master, his physical strength and the Bloodline Power within him had undergone another fundamental improvement. Tang Ya's weight was no burden to him at all.

"Senior Brother Bei, please tell Mu En that I won't be returning to the Sea God Pavilion tonight. I'm taking Sister Xiaoya into Shrek City first." With Tang Ya on his back, Ye Xixuan turned toward Bei Bei, who stood at Shrek Academy's main entrance. Under the soft glow of the Soul Guidance Lamps, Bei Bei's short, dark blue hair shone with a lustrous, gemlike sheen.

Tang Ya's hair hid her face, but judging by her height, Bei Bei could still roughly tell that she was a girl around his age.

Though gentle and refined on the surface, he actually had a secretly mischievous side. Especially when he was with Xu Sanshi, the two often discussed matters between men and women. Of course, it was all merely warfare on paper.

Bei Bei first gave Ye Xixuan a thumbs-up, then patted his own chest with a broad smile.

"Don't worry, Xixuan. Leave it to me. But you'll have to explain things to our eldest senior sister yourself. Grand Ancestor said she'd be guiding your cultivation tomorrow. She's rather stubborn, and if she can't find you tomorrow, I'll be in trouble." He had always regarded Zhang Lexuan as his own older sister, though the awe he felt toward her outweighed even his familial affection.

Ye Xixuan nodded solemnly. "I will, Senior Brother Bei. I'll come back once I've settled Sister Xiaoya in Shrek City."

"All right, then I'll head back first. Remember to enter through the north gate. It's the closest one from here, and the main road is wide the whole way." Bei Bei chuckled and turned to return to Sea God Island.

Yet just as he turned, a sudden impulse made him glance back. He happened to catch Ye Xixuan and Tang Ya's figures melting into the darkness. Compared with him standing beneath the Soul Guidance Lamps, they looked like two entirely different paintings.

It was an intersection of light and shadow, yet also like two overlapping realms of space and time.

Bei Bei remained completely oblivious to this. The corners of his mouth curved into a teasing, wicked grin. "So Xixuan likes older girls. Unlike that turtle, who only dares to run his mouth. He's always privately picking apart Xiaotao's figure, but when he actually sees her, he can't get away fast enough."

"Ah, life in the outer court is looking more and more interesting. Judging by his age, Xixuan should enroll three years after us..."

Shrek City covered a vast area. Carrying Tang Ya on his back, Ye Xixuan took nearly an hour to circle around from the East City Gate to the north gate. With his current stamina, he hardly felt tired, and he spent the journey pondering a few things.

If something inside Tang Ya could make his martial soul stir, then no matter how he thought it over, the only possibility was the Dark Blue Silver Grass's special innate ability to devour life force. It was simply that Tang Ya had yet to fully awaken this ability herself, so the sensation from his own innate ability, the Mind Demon Mark, was not particularly strong.

But besides Tang Ya, there was another person at Shrek Academy on whom he could test it: Ma Xiaotao, who possessed the evil fire phoenix martial soul.

;psme&;psme&

If Ye Xixuan's sense of his innate ability was correct, the Holy Spirit Cult's Fire Phoenix Saintess and Blue Silver Saintess from his past-life memories would never appear again.

If he had the ability, he was naturally willing to help Tang Ya and Ma Xiaotao resolve the hidden dangers in their martial souls.

As one of the most prosperous cities in the central Douluo Continent, Shrek City remained bustling even at night.

The moment he entered the city, Ye Xixuan felt himself surrounded by bustling crowds and all manner of clamorous sounds. Everywhere he looked, people packed the streets.

"Where are we?" Tang Ya woke groggily on Ye Xixuan's back and rubbed her slightly reddened eyes.

Even without turning around, Ye Xixuan had already sensed that Tang Ya was awake. His perception grew sharper at night, which was most likely related to his martial soul as well.

"Sister Xiaoya, we're in Shrek City."

"Xixuan, thank you. Without you, I'd be all alone again." Tang Ya gradually came to her senses. Seemingly oblivious to the surrounding clamor, she wrapped her fair arms tightly around Ye Xixuan's neck and buried her face deep in his soft hair, choking out the words in desolation.

"Is there still a place for me in this world?"

"Of course there is, Xiaoya";psme&;psme&

"You can rebuild the Tang Sect with your own abilities. You don't necessarily need the academy's help. Besides, I told you, no matter what, I'll help you," Ye Xixuan comforted her gently.

"Why not start by getting into the outer court? We're both still young. Who can say what the future holds?"

"Such a little grown-up. You've even learned to comfort your big sister." Tang Ya gave a sweet little huff, but his words had encouraged her immensely. If Ye Xixuan understood these things despite being younger than her, how could she give up so easily?

"But you're right. I have to stay and rebuild the Tang Sect with my own abilities, forging its former glory anew!"

"Put me down."

Just as Ye Xixuan was about to say something else, Tang Ya hopped off his back, then scooped him up in her arms. His cheek pressed tightly against her chest, and her warm, soft voice sounded beside his ear.

"Xixuan, thank you."

"Mm." Ye Xixuan smiled faintly and reached out to hug Tang Ya in return. Their skin brushed together as they felt each other's warmth.

Both were lost souls adrift at the ends of the earth, yet each had become the other's support, here in the worldly splendor of Shrek City.

(End of chapter)