Amaterasu! Zhang Lexuan: Brother, Please, Come Home with Me, Okay?

"Lexuan?" a disciple of the Inspection Corps asked in astonishment. "What does this have to do with Eldest Senior Brother?"

"..." Ruomu's gaze flickered. She waved a hand, then looked with concern at the girl who had suddenly flown into a rage. "Lexuan, what happened?"

"This is my brother's jade pendant! It carries the traces of Soul Power he and I nurtured it with." Zhang Lexuan pointed at the black-robed figure's waist, her voice brimming with murderous intent.

"Senior Brother Lu Cheng?!!"

"Has Eldest Senior Brother fallen victim to foul play too?"

"..."

The surrounding inner court disciples' pupils trembled violently. Connecting this with Lu Cheng's earlier absence, all sorts of conjectures sprouted wildly. After all, this fellow was supposedly proficient in spiritual power and illusions. The slightest carelessness could leave them ambushed.

Though Eldest Senior Brother was formidable in combat, even he could capsize in a gutter...

"Speak!"

Zhang Lexuan grew ever more furious, her fair hand pressing the black scythe deeper. A visible wound opened across the black-robed figure's neck, and fresh blood flowed down the beauty's arm.

Yet the black-robed figure kept his head lowered.

Beneath the shroud of his black robe, his eyes could not be seen.

"Lexuan..."

Ruomu narrowed her eyes slightly and reached over to remove the mask, but just as her hand was about to touch it-

The black-robed figure slowly raised his head.

The corners of his mouth curled upward.

Intricate patterns emerged in the blood-red eyes beneath the demon mask, gleaming with an eerie crimson light.

"Amaterasu!"

"This is bad! Watch out!"

As Ruomu's cry rang out, several inner court disciples watching Lu Cheng closely stiffened, then toppled crookedly to the ground as though they had lost control of their bodies.

"A single mirror image kept you entertained this long. Not bad..."

A voice rang out leisurely.

Startled, Ruomu looked into the distance. Atop another ancient tree stood a figure identical to the man in black.

Meanwhile, crisp cracking sounds came from all over the badly wounded black-clad figure. He shattered layer by layer like a mirror, dissolving into specks of faint shadow beneath the gentle moonlight.

"Damn it..." Ruomu's expression turned exceedingly grim.

With methods this uncanny and unpredictable, could Lu Cheng really have been caught in an ambush...?

"No! When the mirror image shattered, his true body was injured too!" a disciple of the Inspection Corps who specialized in spiritual power suddenly declared.

"After him!"

Lu Cheng glanced at Zhang Lexuan, whose eyes were vacant as though she had fallen into a nightmare. He casually stunned an Inspection Corps disciple, evaded the attack, and darted deeper into the Star Dou Great Forest.

"Let's see how many mirror images you have!"

The Inspection Corps disciple skilled in spiritual abilities roared, shattering another of Lu Cheng's mirror images. The true body revealed afterward grew a shade paler, his movements increasingly sluggish.

Lu Cheng frowned slightly.

He glanced around.

Although his other Martial Soul had also gained four Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings, it still was not enough...

"Nowhere left to run, is there?"

The inner court disciple completely blocked Lu Cheng's retreat, his gaze stern as he bellowed, "Tell us! How exactly did you get that jade pendant?!!"

Lu Cheng remained silent, calculating a way to leave.

Ruomu's brows knitted even tighter. "Enough. Let's subdue him first and take him back to the inner court for interrogation."

With that, she formed hand seals again, a black Soul Ring flashing beneath her feet.

But the next instant-

Zhang Lexuan stopped her.

"Lexuan?" Ruomu looked in surprise at the girl beside her, a trace of bewildered inquiry flashing through her eyes.

Yet the beauty stared dazedly at Lu Cheng, her gaze somewhat tentative, yet somewhat afraid of puncturing this cruel truth. Only after hesitating for several seconds did she take a gentle step forward and move toward him.

"Be careful!"

Ruomu frowned deeply and was about to step forward.

But Zhang Lexuan stopped her with a gesture and slowly walked toward Lu Cheng.

The surrounding Inspection Corps disciples did not understand, but could only watch warily, ready to act at any moment.

"Little girl, aren't you afraid I'll rip out your soul and refine your spirit?" Lu Cheng studied Zhang Lexuan with interest from mere inches away, a hint of amusement in his eyes.

"Brother?"

"..."

The beauty's voice held a tremor, as well as a question.

Her beautiful pale-blue eyes fixed on Lu Cheng. She stopped, her red lips slowly uttering that single word.

Everyone fell solemnly silent.

The many Inspection Corps disciples froze and looked around, but saw no sign of Lu Cheng. When their gazes finally converged on that black-robed figure, their pupils trembled violently and their scalps prickled...

"Lexuan, what nonsense are you talking about?" Ruomu's face was blank with shock.

As though she had heard none of this, Zhang Lexuan simply gazed at Lu Cheng in a daze. "Brother, you can fool anyone, but you can't fool me..."

"Your eyes... After ten years together, day and night, I know them all too well..."

"Silly girl, calling just anyone your brother isn't a good habit." Lu Cheng slowly raised his head, his blood-red eyes glinting with mockery and coldness.

Boom!

But the next instant-

Zhang Lexuan seized the opportunity to draw upon the might of the silver moon behind her. A silver beam struck the black-robed figure's face, instantly blasting the demon mask to powder.

A face both familiar and unfamiliar, its lips curved in a rather sinister smile-that handsome face that had made countless inner court girls swoon-gradually appeared before everyone's eyes.

"Lu Cheng! What the hell are you doing?!!!" Ruomu shouted furiously, her face filled with disbelief.

"Eldest Senior Brother?"

"Could tonight be a drill arranged by the academy?"

"..."

Countless inner court disciples wore a riot of expressions, their eyes filled with disbelief.

Shrek Academy's foremost genius, the strongest figure whom countless inner court disciples admired and looked up to, Lu Cheng, respectfully addressed as Eldest Senior Brother, was actually the Holy Son of the Holy Spirit Cult? This... how was that possible?!!

"But those people... really are dead." The healing-type Soul Master's eyes filled with terror, their throat bobbing.

"And the ones we surrounded and attacked were indeed Evil Soul Masters."

"..."

A deathly silence fell.

"Brother, say something! Tell them you're innocent! How could you possibly be an Evil Soul Master? You..." Zhang Lexuan's eyes were filled with panic and helplessness. Her lips trembled as she clutched Lu Cheng's sleeve.

"Pfft..."

The girl suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood and flew backward. Ruomu, in midair, reacted swiftly and caught her.

Lu Cheng slowly lowered his palm. Looking into Zhang Lexuan's disbelieving eyes, he gave a mocking laugh and rolled his neck, his presence rising inch by inch. "I never expected a bunch of sticking plasters like you to latch onto me and even force me to reveal my identity..."

"Perfect. After lurking in Shrek Academy for so many years, I can finally lay my hands on you lot."

A scorching presence surged from within him.

That familiar presence of the great demon king, which had once cast a dark cloud over the entire inner court, truly emerged before everyone.

"Lu Cheng! Have you lost your mind?!"

Ruomu shouted furiously, "She's the little sister you grew up with! How could you strike her so hard?!"

Yet Zhang Lexuan struggled in her arms, trying to break free of Ruomu's protection, and once again rushed madly toward Lu Cheng. A trace of humble pleading filled her eyes as she barely managed to catch his hem and pressed herself into his embrace. Trembling, she drew Lu Cheng's arm around her waist, then tilted her head up, her eyes panicked like a kitten afraid of being abandoned. Her voice shook as she said, "Brother, did Lexuan do something wrong? Why don't you want Lexuan anymore...?"

The girl clutched Lu Cheng's hem tightly with both hands, desperately feeling that trace of familiar warmth.

Her little face was blurred with tears.

"Please, brother, tell me this is all an academy drill. Let's stop acting and go home, okay?"