Zhang Lexuan walked out of the house in a dark purple dress. Her long hair was tied up now, and her features were as gentle as jade, quite different from how Huo Yuhao had first seen her.
At the sight of Huo Yuhao, an indulgent smile appeared in Zhang Lexuan's eyes. She naturally raised a hand and rubbed the top of his head.
"You've only just enrolled, and you're already coming to see me? How is it? What do you think of Shrek?"
Faced with Zhang Lexuan's concern, Huo Yuhao's expression softened. "Everything's going smoothly. Whenever I remember that incident, I get a little worried, so I wanted to see how you were doing, Sister Lexuan."
At the mention of that accident, a barely perceptible trace of sorrow flashed through Zhang Lexuan's eyes, but she soon forced her emotions back under control. "I'm all right. Ever since returning to Shrek, I've been refining that Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring. The power inside it is just too violent. I expect it'll take some more time."
Hearing this, Huo Yuhao offered some reassurance. "There's no need to rush, Sister Lexuan. Just take it slowly."
"Mm."
"Worried... violent... rush... take it slowly..."
Not daring to give too much away, Ling Luochеn could only listen for the gist without using soul power.
But those words... what exactly were those two doing? I really want to know!
An intense thirst for knowledge clawed at Ling Luochеn's heart, driving her to tiptoe a little closer.
She, Ling Luochеn, had always acted openly and aboveboard, yet today she was actually eavesdropping outside a wall. And still, she simply could not bring herself to leave.
Sensing the movements outside, Zhang Lexuan was curious too. What was Ling Luochеn trying to find out?
Yes, Zhang Lexuan had already noticed Ling Luochеn when she opened the door, but she had not paid her much mind. And now the girl had pressed herself right against the wall.
Besides, with Huo Yuhao's martial soul, he should have noticed her too...
Without betraying anything, Zhang Lexuan circulated her soul power and communicated directly with Huo Yuhao in his mind.
"Little Yuhao, do you know the person outside?"
Huo Yuhao's fingers paused briefly, but his expression remained unchanged as he replied, "This senior followed me all the way here. She doesn't mean any harm and might just be curious, so I didn't expose her."
Curious? Curious about her and Yuhao?
Suddenly, Zhang Lexuan's face flushed, and she turned it aside.
"Ling Luochеn is an ice genius and one of the current Shrek Seven Devils. She's extraordinarily talented, and she's always been cold and aloof. It's quite unusual for her to eavesdrop like this today."
"Ice..."
"Oh, right, Sister Lexuan. That Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion back then was actually my second soul skill, Simulation. I also have a second martial soul, which should be related to ultimate ice. That's why I could reproduce it so closely."
Zhang Lexuan's eyes suddenly trembled. An ultimate ice martial soul-an ultimate attribute that might not appear even once in ten thousand years.
"You're just going to tell me like that?"
With an open expression, Huo Yuhao took Zhang Lexuan's slender fingers and displayed his soul power as he replied, "I'll have to use it sooner or later anyway. Besides, if it's you, Sister Lexuan, it's all right to tell you."
Those sincere words reached Zhang Lexuan's mind, warming her heart and deepening the smile in her eyes.
Zhang Lexuan quietly sensed Huo Yuhao's ultimate ice soul power. At that moment, she seemed to understand why Ling Luochеn had followed him.
"Ling Luochеn's martial soul is ice. She might have sensed that you possess a martial soul of a higher order, which is why she secretly followed you."
"So that's why."
Huo Yuhao nodded in realization. He understood now too: when he secretly turned himself into a mobile ice source, he automatically attracted martial souls of the same type.
"Her curiosity about you definitely won't go away. How about this..."
Outside the courtyard, Ling Luochеn noticed that everything inside had gone completely silent.
The human heart was curious above all else. The less she could hear, the more she wanted to listen.
Ling Luochеn stood frozen in place. Just as she was debating whether to slip away, Zhang Lexuan's voice came from inside the courtyard, reaching her ears clearly.
"Luochеn, come in. There's no need to hide."
I'm done for.
The voice exploded like lightning in Ling Luochеn's mind. With nowhere to hide, her fair face instantly flushed scarlet. She bit her lower lip and walked into the courtyard, looking rather ill at ease.
Ling Luochеn wore a Cat-Shaped Crown and a sleeveless, off-the-shoulder dress with an Ice-Blue Gemstone set into its neckline. Paired with white over-the-knee lace stockings and slender-heeled white boots, she looked rather like a princess.
At that moment, her eyes were lowered and her ears were scarlet. She was deeply embarrassed.
"Eldest Senior Sister..."
Seeing her like this, Zhang Lexuan smiled faintly. She glanced at Huo Yuhao beside her, and when he nodded, she turned back and got straight to the point. "You're very curious about the ice aura coming from him, aren't you?"
Ling Luochеn trembled slightly and raised her eyes to the two of them. Her ice-blue eyes were filled with shock, but she still nodded.
"Y-yes. I sensed an extremely pure ice essence, so I took the liberty of following him."
Seeing her admit it openly, Zhang Lexuan nodded slightly. "Since you've noticed, I'll be frank. Little Yuhao's martial soul is indeed ultimate ice, but this is his second martial soul, so you'll need to keep it a secret for now."
Twin martial souls! Ultimate ice!
Ling Luochеn's pupils abruptly contracted. She stared blankly at the boy before her as towering waves surged through her heart.
That sort of talent was simply monstrous!
"I understand, Eldest Senior Sister. I absolutely won't tell anyone about this! If you need anything for your cultivation in the future, Junior Brother, just come to me!"
"Hmm-hmm-hmm."
Ling Luochеn was holding Huo Yuhao's little hand, humming a tune as she walked with light steps, as though she might take flight at any moment.
Even just staying with little Yuhao, she could feel her martial soul becoming a little purer.
Huo Yuhao followed beside her with his hand extended, feeling that she seemed somewhat unreliable.
As the temporary guardian Sister Lexuan had found for him, she looked so dependable on the surface, yet she was completely different in private.
"Sister Luochеn, where are we going next?"
Right, where were they going?
Although Eldest Senior Sister had asked her to look after Huo Yuhao for now, what should she actually do?
At this hour, it was about time to return to the dorms, wasn't it? But those outer court dorms...
Ling Luochеn recalled the miserable sight of an entire floor fighting over two bathrooms, then looked at the adorable little Yuhao beside her.
"It's so late. Come stay at my place today."
?
"Inner court students all have their own residences. The spiritual energy here is abundant, so cultivating here is much better than in your outer court dorms. Besides, I have a spare room. Just come stay with me."
Before Huo Yuhao could react, Ling Luochеn pulled him toward her residence.
"One side dark, one side bright."
Wang Dong looked at the dorm room under the lamplight. She had not cleaned the other side, waiting for her roommate to arrive and deal with it himself.
Yet it was almost night, and he still had not come. Honestly! Had he dropped out?
"Just you wait until I, this young... this great one, get my hands on you. When the time comes, all the cleaning will be your responsibility!"
After grumbling a few curses, Wang Dong took out the tools and began cleaning his side for him.
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