Xu Cheng lowered his hand, and Xiao Hongchen instantly looked away.
Another stroke, an instant glance.
Hand down, eyes away.
Another stroke, an instant glance.
Down...
A goddamn Concept God!
Xu Cheng could not help thinking.
It felt as though whenever he and Meng Hongchen had any intimate contact, this brat would inevitably appear from somewhere as if nothing had happened, then feign surprise. "Oh, what a coincidence! You're here too?"
Still, she was the family's delicate flower. Had it been anyone else, Xiao Hongchen probably would not have aimed his gaze at them, but the infrared targeting beam of a fixed-installation soul guidance cannon...
As Xiao Hongchen put it, beating his chest in anguish... "She's only fifteen, you goddamn animal!"
"Are you taking part, Tang Ya?"
Xu Cheng looked at the other girl with a smile.
As time passed, the little eleven-year-old girl had blossomed into a graceful fifteen-year-old, like a flower waiting to bloom on the Douluo Continent, a land where people already matured early.
Her tall, slender figure stood at 175 centimeters, complemented by a stunning face, a pair of silky ponytails, and a fair chin lifted like a swan's. Everything about her showed how much she had blossomed...
If Bei Bei saw her now, could he still hold himself back?
Three years earlier.
Not long after the conflict with the Fourth Prince ended, the new school term arrived.
Just before enrollment closed, this girl had shown up at the academy in the nick of time, pretending not to care.
Afterward, Xu Cheng had also had a profound conversation with her.
Would she live for Tang San, or for herself?
Did she want to carry on the former glory of the Tang Sect, or cut ties with it and build the Tang Sect of her dreams, starting with herself?
But Tang Ya had nearly broken down. "I'm an Evil Soul Master. I can only grow stronger through slaughter. What right do I have to build the Tang Sect I dream of?"
Xu Cheng answered, "Slaughter isn't the goal, but a means. It depends on what you want to achieve, whether you choose to hold your fate in your own hands or let others manipulate you..."
In any case, the operation had been very... successful.
"Of course I am. Why wouldn't I?" Tang Ya lifted her chin, her beautiful eyes glaring at Xu Cheng. "And is someone really so confident he won't have to take part either?"
"What do you mean?"
Xu Cheng froze for a moment.
"Elder Cheng specifically asked me to remind you that you must take this assessment. Otherwise, it'll affect your graduation..." Nana spoke up beside him.
"My graduation? I..."
Xu Cheng opened his mouth.
Looking at Ghost Nana, who stood 180 centimeters tall with wheat-colored skin and a stunning, wild-leopard physique that gave her a distinctive charm even among these beauties, Xu Cheng's lips twitched.
"What does Master mean by this?"
After Xu Cheng became Elder Cheng's disciple, Nana gradually came to Elder Cheng's attention as well. He understood just how loyal she was to his disciple, and her tragic background made him regard her as his own child. He was only a step away from taking her as his goddaughter.
Thus, Xu Cheng often found himself listening in bewilderment as Nana relayed Elder Cheng's instructions...
"Elder Cheng said actual combat is the best tool for finding and filling gaps. Shrek Academy isn't simple. Even with you there, the Sun Moon Empire will face a hard battle when the time comes. Victory is by no means certain."
Nana spoke earnestly.
"And this time, it isn't just the Sun Moon Empire's academy. Mingdu Soul Engineer Academy will also be joining the inter-academy tournament..."
"Mingdu Soul Engineer Academy? You mean... Xu Tianzhen?"
Xu Cheng's lips twitched.
That Little Demoness was coming?
Nana slowly nodded.
Xu Cheng shook his head helplessly.
That was the real point, wasn't it?
As for the earlier mention of Shrek Academy.
Master only thinks that because I, the Holy Spirit Cult's supreme elder, haven't made my move yet...
Speaking of which, two years earlier, he had summoned seven Titled Douluo experts to help Aunt Qing break through to Titled Douluo and advance to Level 9 Soul Engineer. Afterward, Huo Qing gradually took control of the Fire Phoenix Soul Engineer Corps, becoming its sole deputy commander.
She now held real power.
At the time, Xu Cheng had thought that since he was already there, perhaps he should meet that Evil Soul Master in the Mingdou Mountain Range who was practically using cheats.
But on second thought, he decided not to disturb the worldline.
Trust Xuan Zi. He'll deliver his usual performance...
He shook his head helplessly.
Since this was his master's instruction, it naturally came from good intentions.
Over the past three years, his research abilities had soared under his master's guidance. In these big shots' eyes, however, his actual combat skills were far too weak-he had politely declined many tests and had barely fought at all during those three years.
In that case, he would take the assessment.
Xu Cheng nodded.
"Interesting! If you're taking part, so am I!" Xiao Hongchen said excitedly.
"Then I'm taking part too!" Meng Hongchen raised her hand.
"If you're all taking part, what about me?" Ju Zi asked with a pout.
"As my secretary, you naturally have a secretary's duties. Besides, you're only in your fourth year, and your strength is still a little lacking..." Xu Cheng coughed twice.
"Fine. If I'd known, I would've chosen to enlist back then..." Ju Zi muttered.
"What did you say?"
"I said I'm so happy..."
Xu Cheng looked helplessly at Ju Zi, who seemed to have deflated.
This girl had considerable talent. In the middle and later portions of the original story, she had reached Level 7 Soul Engineer despite barely cultivating, her level rising as easily as drinking water.
Unfortunately, official duties kept her busy.
Ever since he had severed one of the Fourth Prince's arms three years earlier-the Royal Inspection Team.
Quite a few factions had flocked to him, openly or in secret.
Xu Cheng was no longer the prince with nothing but an empty title he had once been. He now controlled a considerable force.
Even some divisions stationed at the border had expressed goodwill.
With so many forces under him, there was naturally plenty to handle.
Ju Zi had therefore been appointed his secretary and left to deal with those miscellaneous matters...
Speaking of which, these people were all the core of his future administration, his most trustworthy "companions."
Xu Cheng looked around.
Although that word was a luxury for a prince who would most likely become emperor, Xu Cheng had laid his plans years in advance and knew the personalities of the various figures in Douluo thoroughly. He already had the whole bamboo painted in his heart.
"Let's go. Time to prepare for the assessment..."
The Dou Ling Empire.
Mystic Yin City.
This place had originally belonged to the Heaven Dou Empire. But as the Heaven Dou Empire collapsed and the sun and moon turned, it gradually split into two countries, and Mystic Yin City became part of the Dou Ling Empire.
Its name came from a reclusive sect, the [Mystic Yin Cult].
And in a remote corner of this city.
Inside a home in the slums.
A purple-haired girl leaned over a bed, her beautiful eyes red as she gazed at her bedridden mother.
"Cough, cough. Nannan, I'm fine. Go back to Shrek. I can take care of myself here..."
On the bed, a gaunt-faced middle-aged woman, whose features still hinted at the beauty she had been in her youth, struggled to cup the girl's cheek and forced a smile.
"Mom, you're the only family I have left." Jiang Nannan clasped her mother's hands tightly, her voice full of anguish.
As soon as she learned that her mother had fallen ill, she had immediately asked Shrek Academy for help.
She had tearfully begged to borrow some money to pay for her mother's treatment.
The most expensive pharmacy in the area could not cure her. Someone had pointed her toward the Mystic Yin Sect, saying its Mystic Yin Divine Pill was guaranteed to cure the illness as soon as it was taken. But the price was exorbitant, reportedly close to a million Gold Soul Coins at the very least.
Her homeroom teacher had merely shaken their head helplessly.
Shrek Academy's students were almost all children of nobility. Poor families like Jiang Nannan's were practically nonexistent, so it had almost none of the scholarship and assistance systems for the poor that were nearly perfected in the Sun Moon Empire.
Much less anything for a pill costing close to a million Gold Soul Coins...
And after coming here.
She had also sent a plea for help to the local Mystic Yin Sect.
But the answer she received was...
"Helping treat your mother is naturally no problem, but there is a price." A middle-aged man dressed like a steward looked her up and down with satisfaction.
"What price?"
"You..."
Jiang Nannan looked at her mother on the sickbed and silently made up her mind.
There was no one to blame. Nothing good came free in this world.
For her mother's sake, even sacrificing her chastity would be worth it.
"Mom, I'm going out to take care of something..."
Jiang Nannan wiped away her tears. Remembering the steward's promise, she resolutely stepped out of her home.
This was a waterside town.
Red bricks and green tiles made for lovely scenery.
But the girl had no heart to admire it.
She kept walking forward...
Elsewhere.
The steward wore a lecherous grin as he tugged Xu Sanshi by the arm.
Pink lanterns lined the entire route. Such was the Mystic Yin Sect's influence here.
At last.
They arrived at a secluded spot.
The steward pushed Xu Sanshi into a small, single-story house.
"Go on, Second Young Master. This is a girl I picked especially for you, a perfect match. I had my eye on her long ago. She's even a fellow student of yours at Shrek Academy..."
Xu Sanshi felt his blood surge.
His breathing grew heavy.
He headed straight toward the inner room.
But...
After entering, Xu Sanshi stared at the completely empty room, utterly bewildered.
"Where is she?"
P.S. Logically, this part of the story should have happened when the two were around eleven or twelve. But chapter 442 of the original explicitly gave an age: Xu Sanshi was fifteen, and it happened in his third year at the academy... All I can say is that Third Young Master contradicted his own established setting.
Since that's the case, I'll write them as fourteen and try to make everything fit as neatly as possible...
Before you continue