When Zhang Lexuan heard Toji's words, a flicker of disappointment crossed her eyes:
"Brother Toji, are you really not coming with me? I don't want to be separated from you. How about I don't join Shrek either?"
Toji reached out and ruffled her hair. "Don't be silly. Shrek is the holy land of every Soul Master on the continent. Nothing could be better than you getting to cultivate there."
"Don't let a moment of impulse hold you back for the rest of your life."
"Besides, if you did that, have you considered how your parents were willing to sacrifice themselves to keep you alive?"
Only then did Zhang Lexuan look at her parents. She bit her lip, tears glimmering faintly in her eyes, but she said nothing more. She could only nod silently and say in a low voice:
"Then you have to wait for me. Wait until I get stronger..."
Her parents also stepped forward. Her mother gently embraced her and said softly:
"Lexuan, take good care of yourself at Shrek. Don't make us worry."
Zhang Lexuan nodded. "I will, Mom."
Seeing that the mood had grown a little heavy, the middle-aged man smiled and stepped in to ease the tension:
"Child, you don't need to worry. Shrek Academy is the finest academy on the continent. You'll receive the best training there, and it's just about time for the new students to start. Shrek is also accepting applications."
"As for this young man, his circumstances are special. I'll report the matter to the academy as soon as possible. Perhaps a teacher there will take an interest in him and be willing to make an exception and admit him."
"Sorry for the trouble, Teacher." Father Zhang smiled with satisfaction. After all, the reason their family had poured all their resources into training Zhang Lexuan was to get her into Shrek Academy.
"It's no trouble." The middle-aged man nodded with a smile and looked at Zhang Lexuan. "I'll keep her safe and escort her all the way to Shrek. Would you two like to accompany her?"
Mother Zhang was about to say something, but Father Zhang raised a hand to stop her. He stepped forward and said to the middle-aged man:
"Teacher, with you escorting her safely, we can rest easy. But please understand that we can't go to Shrek with Lexuan right now. We still have some things to take care of."
Mother Zhang looked at Father Zhang in surprise.
What did they have left to do now? It was already fortunate enough that they could use Shrek's influence to escape the great family's pursuit. The best choice should have been to follow them and settle down in Shrek City.
"Is that so? In that case, child, go say goodbye to your parents. Once you're at the academy, you'll have to wait for the holidays if you want to come back and visit." The middle-aged man looked at Zhang Lexuan.
After saying goodbye to her parents, Zhang Lexuan finally came to Toji.
She said nothing. She merely rose slightly on tiptoe and quickly kissed him on the cheek. Then she immediately lowered her head, turned around with her face flushed red, and ran off.
All she left Toji time to register was that warm touch.
It made him instinctively raise a hand and touch his cheek.
That continued until he watched Zhang Lexuan say goodbye to him and leave with the middle-aged man.
"Dear, why aren't we going with them to Shrek City?" Mother Zhang looked at Father Zhang reproachfully. "Don't you know we've offended that great family? If we stay here, they could find us at any moment."
"It doesn't matter what happens to us, but what if Lexuan loses her parents?"
"Now, now, don't be so impatient." Father Zhang shook his head, then came up to Toji. "This child can't go to Shrek. If we leave, what will become of him?"
He had already liked Toji, and Toji had saved his family's lives. He could also tell that his daughter had feelings for Toji, so the way he looked at him now was rather like how one might look at a future son-in-law.
"That's true." Mother Zhang turned to Toji apologetically. "I'm sorry, for a moment... I was a little too happy. The two Soul Kings who held us hostage earlier obviously weren't their people."
"Child, if you have any difficulties, tell us about them. We'll help you as much as we can."
"Since you've both said so, I won't stand on ceremony." Only then did Toji tell them that he intended to kill Liang Wu, the owner of the Soul Fighting Arena.
Hearing this, Father Zhang nodded:
"Mm... I've heard of Liang Wu. He deals exclusively in gray-market businesses. He invited us to watch a match at the Soul Fighting Arena before, but we weren't very interested."
"If you want to deal with him, I can help you take him down. It would be far too dangerous for you to do it alone."
"If you're willing to help, Uncle, my chances of winning will be a little better. I can't thank you enough." Toji cupped his fists, his face full of gratitude. "If we take Liang Wu down, I may have to rely on you to help manage his businesses."
"You want me to manage those gray-market businesses?" Father Zhang looked somewhat worried. "I've never done anything like that before. What if I don't do it well..."
Toji said, "It's fine. Just treat it as a learning experience. Besides, this will also give you a chance for revenge. Don't you want to take revenge on that great family and then swallow it up?"
Father Zhang looked in surprise at the young man, who was only about fourteen.
His ambition was truly enormous...
"Child, I can tell that young man holds a special place in your heart." The middle-aged man looked at Zhang Lexuan, who was walking beside him. After thinking for a moment, he decided to say it.
"You have Innate Full Soul Power and outstanding talent. Growing at Shrek Academy, you'll surely reach the level of a Limit Douluo one day. But no matter how strong that young man's body is, he has no Soul Power and can't reach the pinnacle of the continent."
"You and he are destined to belong to different worlds."
"You're still young, so focus on cultivating. Part ways with him as soon as possible, lest it become heartbreaking and difficult to separate in the future. A short pain is better than a long one."
Zhang Lexuan was deeply displeased by what the middle-aged man said, but she didn't argue.
In her heart, Toji was strong. That was a fact. No matter how much she argued or explained to the middle-aged man, he wouldn't listen.
He doesn't understand Brother Toji at all.
Zhang Lexuan made plans in her heart. Once she grew stronger, the first thing she would do was find Toji...
The Body Sect, within the Heaven Dou Empire.
The Body Sect's mountain gate towered majestically, a murderous air seeping through the swirling clouds and mist.
Deep within the sect, in an ancient, unadorned hall, Du Busi, the current sect master, sat in the seat of honor. His face was livid as he looked at the disciple kneeling before him.
The disciple kept his head lowered, his forehead covered in cold sweat, and spoke in a trembling voice:
"Sect Master, every word I've said is true. Eight years ago, I did help a child surnamed Shen awaken his Martial Soul."
"That day, when his Martial Soul awakened, there really was a golden light, and it was a sign of Innate Full Soul Power. But for some reason, all his Soul Power ultimately vanished, and he became an ordinary person with no Soul Power."
Du Busi's face grew even darker, veins bulging on his forehead. He was so furious that he gnashed his teeth, wishing he could tear the disciple before him apart alive:
"You bastard! If no one had reported that you secretly awakened a commoner's child's Martial Soul eight years ago, were you planning to hide this information until you died?"
"Innate Full Soul Power, and a Body Martial Soul at that! More importantly, a golden apparition appeared the very first time his Martial Soul awakened. You bastard, do you even realize what that means?!"
"Never mind the Innate Full Soul Power. More importantly, he had the talent to reach Gold Grade through Martial Soul Second Awakening. That's the potential every past sect master of the Body Sect needed to have. He was certain to become a Limit Douluo!"
"And yet you hid this for a full eight years, and even lost track of him???"