Preventing the Grand Elder of the Holy Spirit Cult from Striking Again

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Chapter 35: Preventing the Grand Elder of the Holy Spirit Cult from Striking Again

The Library, on the top floor of the Sea God Pavilion.

The Sea God Pavilion's Library could be called the very foundation of Shrek Academy's ten-thousand-year heritage. It housed countless unique copies and out-of-print texts, as well as the cultivation experiences of past generations and records of everything they had seen and heard throughout their lives.

The secrets concerning Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear Soul Bones, for instance, came from a predecessor's research notes on the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear.

The entire Library had been built around the Golden Tree. Its furnishings were simple and antique, consisting of nothing more than rows of bookshelves and a few plain wooden tables and chairs. Weathered by the years, every mark seemed to be an inscription left by time, filling the place with an air of antiquity.

Ye Xixuan sat at a wooden table by the window, leafing through a book with a worn cover. Warm, gentle sunlight fell across his delicate, fair face. Against the backdrop of the Library, he looked as though he had crossed over from some distant age.

Another half a year had passed, and he was now ten years old.

He was nearly one hundred and seventy centimeters tall. His features had gradually shed their childishness, their contours growing more defined, while his gentle expression carried the vibrant energy of youth. Only his deep black eyes possessed a composure unlike that of others his age. The stark contrast made him especially eye-catching.

His medium-length black hair flowed like a waterfall, with a few strands fluttering across his forehead in the breeze, adding a touch of tousled, fragmented beauty.

Closing the book in his hands, Ye Xixuan stretched and gazed into the distance through the wooden window. Across Sea God Lake, the buildings of the Martial Soul Department and Soul Tool Department were veiled in the sunset's golden-red glow, hazy and beautiful as a scene in a painting.

Just then, a series of crisp, steady footsteps sounded outside the Library.

Ye Xixuan instinctively looked toward the entrance, and a lovely, breathtaking figure immediately came into view.

After half a year, Zhang Lexuan's complexion had almost completely recovered. Even her plain, solid-colored dress could not conceal her ethereal grace. Her long black hair likewise hung loose down her back, and a bright yet gentle smile graced her exquisite face.

"Xixuan."

"Sister Lexuan." Ye Xixuan immediately stood and walked over to her in delight. Zhang Lexuan was only around one hundred and seventy-five centimeters tall, not much taller than he was now. In a way, this change also softened the age gap between them.

Zhang Lexuan studied Ye Xixuan closely and smiled. "Why do I feel like you've grown taller again?"

"If I don't hurry up and grow, how long will I have to wait before you keep the promise you made back then, Sister Lexuan?" Ye Xixuan gently hugged her. As he grew older, and under the influence of Bei Bei and Xu Sanshi, he had become considerably bolder.

What encouraged him most, however, was that Zhang Lexuan never rejected these affectionate gestures.

Zhang Lexuan even responded of her own accord, letting Ye Xixuan rest more comfortably against her chest as she gently placed her delicate hands on his back.

She did not consider things as deeply as Ye Xixuan did. She acted purely out of the closeness she felt toward him from the bottom of her heart.

Or perhaps she had yet to notice the changes in his age and state of mind.

Ye Xixuan took Zhang Lexuan's hand and led her to a wooden chair by the window, asking with some concern, "Sister Lexuan, did the academy agree to what I proposed earlier?"

"That's exactly why I came to find you today." Zhang Lexuan gently held one of his hands and began giving him careful, earnest instructions.

"The academy has approved the plan to wipe out the Death Hand Bandit Group in the Ming Dou Mountains."

"Xiaotao will lead this mission, and several other Inner Court Disciples will take part as well. You'll set out with them in two days."

"But Xiaotao and the other Inner Court students will be the main force on this mission. You only need to assist from the sidelines. Put your own safety first."

"I understand, Sister Lexuan." Ye Xixuan nodded solemnly. His main reason for proposing that the academy wipe out those bandits in the Ming Dou Mountains was, naturally, to prevent Xuan Zi, that 'Grand Elder of the Holy Spirit Cult,' from working his magic again and sending another group of elite Inner Court students to their graves.

The bitter tragedy from half a year ago remained vivid in his mind.

The reason he had given the academy, however, was that he wanted to experience a genuine battle.

Over the past six months, Ye Xixuan's Soul Power cultivation had only risen by two ranks. He had reached rank thirty-three just recently.

Part of that was because his ultimate martial soul greatly slowed his cultivation, while another part was that the sinister energy produced by Ma Xiaotao's cultivation could no longer keep pace with his martial soul's absorption.

Even Ma Xiaotao herself probably would never have imagined that Ye Xixuan would one day find himself troubled by her evil fire being insufficient.

Zhang Lexuan continued, "Also, Elder Song of the Sea God Pavilion will follow you in secret. After all, you and Xiaotao are too important to the academy. Mu En really can't rest easy. But unless absolutely necessary, Elder Song won't intervene."

"Elder Song..." Ye Xixuan was not particularly surprised, and he was happy with the arrangement. He was going to wipe out bandits, not hand Evil Soul Masters a free helping of merit.

Elder Song's martial soul, the Azure Shadow Divine Eagle, was one of the finest agility-attack martial souls, and she herself was the continent's foremost agility-attack Titled Douluo.

Of course, there was another, more important point: Elder Song was far more reliable than Xuan Zi.

At the very least, she would never let a mere five-ring Death Messenger severely wound a group of Inner Court students and still escape unscathed.

With the business out of the way, Zhang Lexuan's gaze returned to Ye Xixuan. Although her smile remained gentle, her even tone made him feel an inexplicable pressure.

"The Outer Court will be starting its break in the next couple of days. Tell her in advance before you take part in this mission, so she won't worry about you."

"Yes." Compared with two years earlier, when he had gone to the Ming Dou Mountains with Zhang Lexuan to hunt Soul Beasts and obtain a Soul Ring, Ye Xixuan now felt distinctly guilty. The innocent boy he had once been was gone for good. Now that he understood certain things, he had only gained more worries.

Ye Xixuan stood and asked tentatively, "Sister Lexuan, can I still come to your place to cultivate tonight?"

"Come over." Zhang Lexuan smiled faintly. As she stood, she casually smoothed the silky black hair behind her. The charm of that fleeting moment left him rooted to the spot.

Only when Zhang Lexuan brushed past him and walked ahead did Ye Xixuan come back to his senses. She seemed to exert an instinctive attraction on him now, compelling him, almost as though possessed, to hug her from behind.

Zhang Lexuan stopped with an indulgent expression, but a blush instantly rose across her gentle, serene face.

"Xixuan really has grown up..."

I'm seriously putting myself in Ye's shoes. This little rat is feeling repressed.

;psme&;psme&

;psme&;psme&

;psme&;psme&

(End of chapter)