Xuan Zi: What Happened?

"Brother, what if someone bullies me?"

"I'll beat them up for you."

"What if you can't beat them either?"

"They'll have to step over my corpse."

"What if you aren't by my side?"

"Where do you get all these what-ifs..." The boy's eyelid twitched as he gave the girl a rather speechless look, but she remained persistent, her pale blue eyes full of stubbornness and hope. Looking into her sparkling eyes, he deflated helplessly.

Beneath the starry sky, he lay on his back on the grass, gazing at the stars filling the heavens, and slowly spoke.

"Fine. If you're in danger and I'm not by your side, shake the bell on this hairpin. Then I'll appear and save you like a hero riding auspicious clouds. Happy now..."

The girl smiled like a blooming flower and carefully nestled into the boy's arms, gently breathing in his scent, her pretty face full of joy and contentment.

"..."

She returned from her memories to reality.

Zhang Lexuan stared blankly at Lu Cheng, who had suddenly appeared.

She shook her hairpin, and a melodious, ethereal chime rang from it.

Was it because of this?

Had he really appeared before her?

"Lu Cheng, long time no see..." Ruomu leaned against an ancient tree, her face pale, her expression complicated as she studied the black-robed man standing on another ancient tree, smiling down at them.

After three years apart, this fellow had changed so much.

But his appearance was probably a calamity even more terrifying than a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast.

After all... he was an Evil Soul Master. Saving people? Not a chance.

There was nothing but a mortal feud between them. If her Soul Power had not been exhausted, leaving her like fish on a chopping block, at his mercy, she would have charged at him long ago.

"Heh, after three years apart, you've all gotten yourselves into quite a sorry state..."

"Where are Shrek Academy's teachers? Surely this isn't some life-and-death trial?"

Lu Cheng leisurely surveyed the Shrek disciples, revealing a warm yet sinister smile.

Quite a few inner court disciples gradually fell silent, clearly sensing something strange about the atmosphere. Both newcomers wore black robes and plainly were not reinforcements sent by Shrek Academy...

That young man in particular had astonished many disciples with his terrifying strength.

At his age, he probably could not be much older than them, yet with the might he had just displayed, a single arrow had pierced straight through a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast's defenses and nearly crushed it to death.

Even if he faced the Blood-Eroding Devil Python alone at its peak, he probably would not be at much of a disadvantage.

Was there such a freakishly talented genius on the continent?

None of them seemed to have heard of one.

"Lu Cheng, stop making snide remarks. Spare Lexuan, and I'm willing to die in her place." Ruomu panted softly and straightened up, staring at Lu Cheng with a trace of pleading in her eyes.

Zhang Lexuan was Shrek Academy's future.

The designated heir to the Sea God Pavilion, a generation down the line.

Even though the girl had said those irresponsible words, as her senior sister, Ruomu still had to do everything she could to keep her safe.

"Senior Sister Ruomu!" Another Soul Saint's eyes filled with anxiety.

"My mind is made up. Don't try to dissuade me." Ruomu's emerald eyes were resolute as she spoke.

Only then did the other inner court disciples realize.

This man seemed... not to be reinforcements.

Had they just escaped the tiger's jaws only to enter the wolf's den?

"Senior Sister Ruomu, this is between him and me," Zhang Lexuan said softly, her pale blue eyes turning indifferently toward Lu Cheng. "Lu Cheng, let them go... I'm willing to go with you."

"My silly little sister, you won't even call me brother anymore? You used to follow me around every day. I couldn't shake you off even if I tried." Lu Cheng chuckled.

The inner court disciples were all dumbfounded.

Their eldest senior sister, as cold as a fairy beneath the moon, had pestered him, calling him brother? Just who was this man?

Soon, however, quite a few disciples recalled a taboo rumor from the inner court three years ago. Complicated emotions and shock flashed through their eyes. If he really was the name from that rumor, today's events would probably be difficult to settle peacefully.

Zhang Lexuan clenched her fair hands and lightly gritted her teeth, staring coldly at Lu Cheng. "Kill me or carve me up, do whatever you want. Don't humiliate me like this."

"Tsk, tsk. How do you know I won't kill you, but will take you away instead?" Lu Cheng asked with a smile.

"..."

Zhang Lexuan froze, her pretty face growing even paler.

If Lu Cheng took her away, she would probably return to that demonic lair, the place known as the Evil Soul Masters' headquarters...

There, life would probably truly be worse than death.

"Scared already?"

Lu Cheng moved, appearing opposite her, his gaze leisurely roaming over Zhang Lexuan.

Her beautiful pale blue eyes stared fixedly at Lu Cheng, her fists clenched. The face she had cursed countless times, longed for, and even gnashed her teeth over during these three years had appeared before her again, yet she found it difficult to remain as calm as she had imagined.

He was thinner and taller, but his presence was still familiar.

Facing that gaze looking down at her from above, Zhang Lexuan's eyes gradually grew evasive, and she turned her head away.

"Raise your head."

Lu Cheng gently pinched her chin between his fingers, lifting an exquisitely beautiful, pitiful face that was nevertheless trying to feign composure...

"Too weak..."

Lu Cheng's smile faded. Contempt and disgust flashed through his eyes as he slowly shook his head.

"With the physique and foundation I honed for you, you've only reached Peak Soul Saint after all these years? You didn't even dare attempt a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast for your seventh Soul Ring, choosing a fake hundred-thousand-year one just over ninety-nine thousand years old instead?"

"The way you are now... you aren't worthy of being killed by me."

"..."

Zhang Lexuan's heart abruptly missed a beat.

For some reason, she felt no relief at having escaped death. Instead, her mind was filled with Lu Cheng's disgusted, contemptuous gaze, which stung her until anger surged uncontrollably.

"I won't kill you..."

Zhang Lexuan gritted her teeth and spoke each word distinctly.

"Lu Cheng, if you still dare to spare me, I'll spend my entire life defeating you, crippling your Martial Soul and meridians, then imprisoning you in Heaven Dou City to kowtow and beg forgiveness from the innocent people who died."

Lu Cheng: "..."

He froze for a moment.

Looking at the stubborn Zhang Lexuan before him, his lips moved slightly.

Then a mocking smile slowly curled his lips, and he suddenly burst into laughter, utterly unbridled and arrogant.

"Hahahahaha..."

"Fine, then I'll wait for you to come cripple me."

Only after a long while did Lu Cheng seem to have laughed enough, wiping away the tears that had spilled from the corners of his eyes.

"Ruomu, I'll be borrowing her for now..."

"Remember to pass a message to Mu En for me."

With that, he rose into the air with Zhang Lexuan, becoming a streak of light that flew into the distance.

"Lexuan!!!"

Ruomu roared, but her body had long since been drained dry. She dropped to one knee with a thud and struggled to lift her head, Zhang Lexuan's figure growing smaller and smaller in her sight.

Then she fainted.

"Senior Sister Ruomu!"

"Ruomu..."

The surrounding inner court disciples who, despite their severe injuries, could still barely move gathered around her.

"Whoosh!"

Another few breaths passed.

An immense presence arrived from the horizon in an instant. Holding a wine gourd and a chicken leg, Xuan Zi surveyed everything, his face utterly bewildered.

"What happened?!!"