After listening to Yan Shaozhe's report, Mu En rose and looked at Gu Xingyue.
As for Gu Xingyue, how should he put it? He really did find it a little hard to look her in the eye. Fearing a god was normal, after all. He was afraid he would lose control of his expression. He was scared!
"Little fellow, lift your head and let me take a good look." Mu En spoke in a gentle voice that, more strangely still, carried a trace of a soothing effect.
Gu Xingyue lifted his head to look at Mu En and found that she was taller than him by who knew how much. He had to tilt his head up slightly to see her. And embarrassingly enough, a dragon martial soul was actually even more impressive than the Netherworld Spirit Cat. He had to hand it to her.
Just then, Mu En suddenly took his hand. Aah, that scared the life out of me! Gu Xingyue jumped in fright, nearly dying on the spot from his heart stopping...
"Relax. I won't eat you." Mu En seemed enveloped in pure white holy light at that moment. If Gu Xingyue hadn't known her martial soul was the Light Holy Dragon, he would have suspected it was an Angel.
Although he didn't know what Mu En was doing, he made no rash moves. Besides, her hand actually felt very comfortable to the touch.
A moment later, Mu En released his hand, stepped back half a pace, and smiled at him. "You have more than one martial soul, don't you?"
Gu Xingyue's heart lurched.
She'd exposed my secrets just like that?
Then he relaxed. With Mu En's Spiritual Power cultivation and her ability to create a spiritual combat technique on the level of "King's Presence," it was only natural that he couldn't hide it from her.
Besides, he had never intended to keep it hidden anyway. Playing the pig to devour the tiger had never been his style.
So he blurted out, "You have a discerning eye, Sister Mu."
The first to lose her composure at those words was Yan Shaozhe.
Her eyes went as wide as copper bells, and her mouth formed a circle-wait, this fellow had actually called her teacher "Sister Mu"??
But she quickly reacted.
Wait-a second martial soul?
Twin martial souls?!
Yan Shaozhe sucked in a breath of cold air.
Ordinary twin martial souls were one thing, but a martial soul that could stand alongside the Thunderclap Infernal Prison Vine... what did that mean?
One ultimate attribute was already enough to defy the heavens. Who would have thought there was an even greater contender, another stage beyond that?
She threw away every shred of her image as an expert on the spot and shamelessly switched into flattery mode. "Hahaha-had Heaven not brought forth our Shrek, the path of souls would be one long night for all eternity!" She raised her chin, her face glowing. "Our Shrek student, Gu Xingyue-has the makings of a god!"
Gu Xingyue gave her an indifferent glance and thought, Stop jinxing me with your praise.
Besides, if you knew I was planning to go after that pure and immaculate Sea God of yours, you'd probably chop me into fine mince right here.
He spoke without expression. "Dean Yan, wipe your drool. It's almost dripping onto the floor."
Lost in fantasies of Shrek's future golden age, Yan Shaozhe abruptly came back to herself, a glint of wisdom flashing through her eyes.
She instinctively wiped the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand, only to find it perfectly clean. There wasn't a trace of saliva.
She glared at Gu Xingyue.
Gu Xingyue gave her a provocative smile, then darted nimbly behind Mu En.
Yan Shaozhe's gaze followed him relentlessly, like a cat that had had its fish snatched away. Mu En spoke then, helpless amusement in her voice. "Enough. How old are you now, still acting so childish? Besides, he's still a child."
Hmph.
Yan Shaozhe gave a soft snort and finally withdrew her gaze, then asked Mu En, "Then how should I arrange his accommodation? The Inner Court disciple dormitory? Or should I give him a room right here?"
Mu En smiled faintly and answered with a question. "I won't take issue with whatever you called this child before, but now... what should you call him?"
A trace of confusion crossed Yan Shaozhe's face, but she soon seemed to realize something.
She gave Mu En a look that said, "I know what you mean."
She turned to Gu Xingyue, her tone suddenly becoming affectionate. "Little junior brother~ Where would you like to stay? Your senior sister can arrange a room for you."
"Since when did I become your junior brother?" Gu Xingyue looked bewildered.
Mu En stepped in to smooth things over. She turned to Gu Xingyue, her gaze gentle and solemn. "I wonder... would you be willing to become my disciple?"
Gu Xingyue froze for a moment and pointed at himself. "Huh? Me?"
Mu En nodded. "Apart from you, no one else seems qualified."
Before her words had faded, Gu Xingyue moved as swiftly as a gust of wind. "Master, please accept your disciple's bow!"
Mu En nodded in satisfaction.
She continued, "Tell me about your second martial soul in detail. I'll consider a cultivation direction for you. If twin martial souls have opposing attributes, there may be serious consequences."
Gu Xingyue nodded and, without further hesitation, summoned his second martial soul.
Emerald-green vines extended from his palm, winding and coiling, every leaf gleaming with a lustrous sheen of life that seemed ready to drip.
The instant the vines appeared, the surrounding life elements seemed to hear their sovereign's summons, gathering around Gu Xingyue like stars clustering around their ruler.
Even more astonishingly, the Golden Tree showed a visible reaction.
The shimmering green light in its crown suddenly brightened, like a sleeping giant awakening to awareness. The entire tree seemed to lean slightly toward Gu Xingyue.
Mu En's pupils abruptly contracted.
In more than two hundred years of life, she had never been as shocked as she was today.
The Golden Tree had acknowledged Gu Xingyue.
That meant Gu Xingyue might even be able to draw upon the Golden Tree's power in the future.
To Shrek, the Golden Tree was like the imperial jade seal to a dynasty: it represented the mandate of Heaven and was the true proof of sovereignty.
She quickly collected herself and regained her usual composure, though her tone was more solemn than before. "What is this martial soul called?"
"Evergreen Life Vine," Gu Xingyue answered.
Mu En lowered her head in thought.
Sure enough, it had the life attribute. When Gu Xingyue had stepped inside the Golden Tree earlier, the life elements had involuntarily gathered around him. She had already vaguely sensed something unusual then.
Now it seemed highly likely that this martial soul possessed the ultimate life attribute.
She began asking about the Evergreen Life Vine's specific effects.
After a little consideration, Gu Xingyue told her the truth-his Evergreen Life Vine could be consumed. Like immortal herbs, it could serve as a food-type martial soul for others to refine and absorb.
At the same time, it lacked the weakness of support-type soul masters' frailty, combining support and battlefield control in one.
He immediately plucked two emerald leaves from the vines and offered them to Mu En and Yan Shaozhe.
Without the slightest hesitation, Mu En took the leaf and refined it in an instant.
An emerald-green halo spread across her palm, flowing along her arm and through her entire body.
A moment later, she opened her eyes, her face flushed and her gaze filled with incredulous astonishment. Her origin had been damaged for a long time.
It was a lingering affliction left by the grievous injury she had suffered in her youth and the Dragon Pill's baleful energy. She could only nurture it slowly, taking each extra day of life as it came, never daring to hope for a full recovery.
Yet this leaf had actually repaired a small portion of the damage to her origin. That long-absent feeling of fullness left her almost speechless.
Before you continue