Xuan Zi, his face grim, handed the heavily injured Chen Feng to Han Ruoruo without a word, then turned and walked to the side, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked.
Standing at the edge of the group, Zhang Lexuan looked at Chen Feng's disheveled appearance and glanced at Xuan Zi's unpleasant expression, and she already understood.
It really was Toji just came back, stood up for her, and beat up the current captain of the Shrek Seven Devils.
Although he was discovered by Xuan Zi, it seems he really did escape from Xuan Zi's grasp.
This realization made the corners of her mouth twitch almost imperceptibly, but she quickly returned to normal.
" Xuan Zi, then... Toji?" Wu Ming couldn't help but ask, "The captain was just captured right in front of us, and he was so fast that we couldn't catch him at all. Could it really be Toji?"
"... His name is Toji, right?!"
Xuan Zi was so angry at this brat from the Body Sect that he was about to explode, and could only squeeze out two words through gritted teeth.
They got away.
"He escaped?" Wu Ming's eyes widened in disbelief. "You're Super Douluo! How could he, a mere Soul Ancestor, possibly..."
"Alright, alright, the captain is badly injured and needs treatment as soon as possible." Han Ruoruo interrupted Wu Ming in time. She was obviously more mature and guessed what was going on when she saw Xuan Zi's expression.
At this point, it's not the right time to expose them.
" Xuan Zi, shall we return to the academy first?"
Xuan Zi came to Chen Feng's side, squatted down, and quickly checked his injuries.
His wrists and finger bones were almost completely shattered, and there were obvious bruises and finger marks on his throat. He was weak and listless, clearly suffering great pain.
Xuan Zi took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his anger, and said in a deep voice:
"Get ready to go back."
All he wanted to do now was get out of this humiliating place as quickly as possible.
Xuan Zi once again channeled his Soul Power into Chen Feng's body, and after a moment, he awoke.
"Master Xuan..."
Looking at Chen Feng, Xuan Zi remained expressionless:
"Do you realize your mistake this time?"
"I... I made a mistake?" Chen Feng, who had just woken up, was a little confused.
Does the academy have any clear rules that prohibit excessive harassment of female students?
Xuan Zi stared intently at him.
"No, I didn't, I just..."
Seeing that he was about to argue, Xuan Zi shouted:
"Shut up!"
"If you dare to disturb her again and cause Zhang Lexuan to not want to participate in the competition, then the academy will unilaterally disqualify you from the competition, understand?"
Chen Feng's face paled, and he lowered his head.
Xuan Zi pressed further:
"I'm asking you, do you understand?"
"I understand." Under Xuan Zi's pressure, Chen Feng said, " Xuan Zi, I will not bother her anymore."
"If I find out again, you'd better leave the inner courtyard on your own." Xuan Zi snorted. He was fierce towards Chen Feng, but his attitude towards Zhang Lexuan was unusually gentle.
"If he dares to harass you again, you can report him to me; that's your right."
" Xuan Zi." Zhang Lexuan was also somewhat surprised. Why was Xuan Zi being so kind to her? Was it all because of what had just happened?
Xuan Zi nodded:
"Alright, let's head back to the academy now."
His kindness towards Zhang Lexuan stemmed from only a few reasons.
The main reason is that Zhang Lexuan was Innate Full Soul Power, and at the age of fifteen, she had already reached Level 53 in cultivation, and even had Domain Soul Skill.
She can be described as a genius among geniuses. As long as she is willing to work hard, becoming Seven-Ring Soul Sage before the age of twenty is not a dream.
If Zhang Lexuan develops a bad impression of the Shrek Academy because of Chen Feng alone, then it would be a huge loss.
Zhang Lexuan's potential reminded Xuan Zi of the issue of succession to the future Sea God Pavilion Master; she was definitely capable.
A secondary reason is that she is very familiar with that young man from the Body Sect, and perhaps she can learn about the Body Sect secrets through her.
That's a genius who can achieve Soul Core at the fifth ring level; he's an unprecedented, unparalleled genius.
Although Xuan Zi had a bad impression of him and was very angry about what had just happened, Xuan Zi had to admit it.
This guy is a genius.
Now that he'd calmed down, Xuan Zi was also thinking things over. The Body Sect was a group of beings that Du Busi; it was not a good idea to offend them.
Therefore, given all these factors, how could Xuan Zi easily offend Zhang Lexuan?
At the Shrek Academy, as long as you're talented enough, no matter what you do, someone will protect you—it's that simple.
After making this significant discovery, Xuan Zi was focused on returning to the Shrek Academy to report to Mu En.
Star Dou Great Forest, Lake of Life.
As night fell, the deep lake shimmered with a faint silver light, and ancient trees towered all around, occasionally revealing the scarlet eyes of Soul Beast among the branches.
The air was filled with rich spiritual energy, yet it also concealed a chilling and malevolent aura.
The Scarlet King lowered his three heads and walked slowly ahead, each step cautious, as if afraid of disturbing the tranquility of this forbidden land.
Behind him, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion followed slowly, its golden fur gleaming in the moonlight, its third eye slightly closed, as if deep in thought.
Suddenly, ripples appeared on the lake's surface, and a tall, slender figure appeared silently on the lakeshore, standing before the Scarlet King and the Three-Eyed Golden Lion.
He stood with his hands behind his back, his long black robe hanging down, the hem fluttering even without wind. His vertical pupils coldly stared at the returning Three-Eyed Golden Lion, and the invisible pressure made the surrounding air seem to freeze.
" Di Tian, I've brought the Auspicious Beast back safely." Seeing that the other party's aura was a bit off, the Scarlet King swallowed and whispered.
"Okay, you can go now."
Di Tian watched the Scarlet King leave, then looked at the Three-Eyed Golden Lion.
"Leaving the Core Zone without permission and making contact with dangerous humans..." Di Tian's voice deepened, "Do you know just how dangerous that is? What if they try to exploit you and then turn against you?"
The Three-Eyed Golden Lion raised its head, its golden eyes staring directly at Di Tian, looking somewhat aggrieved.
"I was just lured there by the food, you know I'm a picky eater... and I'm so bored. You all have things to do, but I'm the only one who spends all day thinking about what to eat, doing nothing. Can't I even go to the Mixed Zone to play?"
Di Tian's gaze darkened, as if he wanted to say something, but he sighed instead, like an old father:
"Little one, I understand your difficulties, but... I'm very worried about your safety."
"But aren't I perfectly fine now?" The Three-Eyed Golden Lion's tone unusually carried a hint of stubbornness. "Moreover, my cultivation has even improved."
Di Tian frowned slightly, his gaze sweeping over the fur on her body.
Indeed, her aura was much stronger than before she left, and it even faintly touched the threshold of 20,000 years of cultivation.
"You were lucky this time, but what about next time?"
" Di Tian."
The Three-Eyed Golden Lion suddenly looked calmly at Di Tian and asked, unusually:
"If I lose the function of the Auspicious Beast and can no longer provide you with enhancements in your cultivation, will you still treat me this well?"
Di Tian's expression turned serious. Her intuition told her that the Three-Eyed Golden Lion seemed to have changed... but it hadn't.
She seems to have matured, but that's not a bad thing.
"Little one, may I know why you want to ask that?"
"It just suddenly occurred to me." The Three-Eyed Golden Lion certainly wouldn't say that it was influenced by Toji.
"Little one, if you hadn't been of any use to the Soul Beast Realm from the beginning, we naturally wouldn't have treated you this way," Di Tian said gently and slowly. "But after ten thousand years together, if your abilities suddenly cease to function, I will still treat you as my friend, as a junior, even as my child."
"Anyone who tries to harm you, I, Di Tian, will surely suffer eternal damnation."
"Thank you, Di Tian," said the Three-Eyed Golden Lion. "However, I suddenly feel like giving myself a human name."
"... What?" Di Tian thought he had misheard.
"I want a name, like a human's, or something like yours," the Three-Eyed Golden Lion said earnestly. "And... I'd like to share your surname, is that alright?"
Di Tian's expression also froze for a rare moment, but he quickly smiled and said:
"Of course, I'd be very happy if you were willing to share my last name."
"But have you decided on your name yet?"
The Three-Eyed Golden Lion's eyes lit up instantly:
"Then I'll call --"
" Di Qiu'er."
After a moment's thought, Di Tian said:
Why?
"The Emperor of the Di Tian, the 'Autumn' of autumn."
The Three-Eyed Golden Lion said in a cheerful tone:
"Autumn is the season of harvest, and also a turning point in life, so I'll call myself Di Qiu'er. What do you think?"
"That's great! But how come you suddenly have such a deep understanding of human culture and knowledge?"
The Three-Eyed Golden Lion —no, it was now called Di Qiu'er —stubbornly raised its chin:
"Can't I even learn about it out of boredom?!"