"In that case—then you shall be the captain of the preparatory team," Xuan Zi said with a wave of his hand.
"Tomorrow, assemble here for training as usual. Dismissed!"
"Isn't his martial soul of the ultimate fire attribute?" Ling Luochen hesitated for a moment before asking anyway.
"Oh, he has twin spirits."
Ma Xiaotao's lips curled into a smile as bright as a flower.
"Ultimate Ice and Fire?!!" Ling Luochen's pupils shook with shock.
"Something like that—" Ma Xiaotao shrugged. The twin spirits she wanted to mention weren't Ice and Fire, but Fire and Eyes. As for where this ice attribute came from—heaven only knows. She only knew that Lu Cheng had gone to the Far North recently and returned like this—
Ling Luochen's gaze became increasingly fervent.
Her beautiful face, usually as cold as frost, now showed a hint of being moved.
Slap!
A crisp and loud slap.
A swollen mark immediately appeared on Dai Huabin's face. His eyes were fierce, but he kept his head lowered, not daring to let his elder brother see his expression.
"Useless," Dai Yueheng said coldly.
"The Xuanming Sect has already tasted the consequences of offending that youth, yet you still insist on offending him?"
If the conflict had arisen because Lu Cheng was arrogant and overbearing, he would have accepted it. But the problem was that from beginning to end, Lu Cheng hadn't said a single dirty word; he had merely stopped Dai Huabin.
Because of this, he had provoked a monster that even he was wary of, all because of this idiot.
"But that bastard insulted mother!" Dai Huabin said angrily.
"Don't use Mother as an excuse." Dai Yueheng snorted, seeing through the latter's trick at a glance.
"I don't expect you to repair your relationship with him, but from today onwards, do not appear in his sight again, and do not spread any more rumors about him. Otherwise—I'll kill you myself."
"Yes…" Dai Huabin said aggrievedly.
He waited until that figure disappeared before punching the ground in rage.
"Dai Yueheng, you were just born a few years earlier than me. If we're talking about talent, you might not necessarily surpass me. Why put on the airs of an elder brother? Just wait, you piece of trash; sooner or later I will trample you under my feet and humiliate you thoroughly!"
Sea God's Pavilion. Top floor.
A gentle breeze blew past, causing the clouds at their feet to ripple.
Mu En looked at Zhang Lexuan with a smile and nodded slightly. "You've grown up after all. I remember when I first saw you, you were only a little girl this tall." As he spoke, he gestured with his hand.
"Yes, time flies—" Zhang Lexuan wore a pale blue dress. Her exquisite face appeared elegant and dignified, even faintly carrying the majesty of a superior.
Her red lips curled into a faint smile as she echoed Mu En's words.
"For this trip, I plan to have Xuan Zi take them for some experience. Those Evil Soul Masters in the Mingdou Mountains would be a good choice. They will eventually join the Supervisory Group to exterminate Evil Soul Masters anyway, so they should adapt in advance," Mu En said leisurely.
"Elder Xuan?"
—
Zhang Lexuan's willow-like brows furrowed slightly.
The mission request she had previously submitted was to personally lead the team for this Continental Spirit Master Tournament, but now this old man suddenly proposed having Xuan Zi lead.
This was a disguised rejection of her mission application.
"Elder Mu, I have an objection," Zhang Lexuan said softly.
"I have doubts about Elder Xuan's leadership ability. If he were reliable, then that disaster in the Star Dou Great Forest back then wouldn't have happened."
Mu En's eye twitched.
He had originally intended to keep Zhang Lexuan at Shrek Academy and not participate in this tournament, separating her from Lu Cheng for a while. But now it seemed he had been too hasty.
Moreover, the point about Xuan Zi was an undeniable black mark. It couldn't be washed clean no matter what. He was indeed in the wrong.
"We might as well trust Xuan Zi—" Mu En pondered for a moment before slowly speaking. Over the years, he has changed a lot. That incident back then was a huge blow to him, and he has become more stable now."
"Then I apply to follow the team," Zhang Lexuan said calmly.
"I still maintain my view."
By now, Mother Jiang had already been secretly sent away by the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile School to the borders of the Heavenly Soul Empire. Meanwhile, the Shrek Outer Academy students related to Lu Cheng, such as Wang Dong'er and Xiao Xiao, were also participating in the Continental Spirit Master Tournament as members of the preparatory team. It could be described as a massive evacuation; for one tournament, everyone who could be moved was moved.
Except for her—if she didn't leave and Lu Cheng turned around to join the Body Sect, her situation at Shrek would be quite awkward.
Either Mu En might have even turned hostile immediately, or Mu En became increasingly conflicted, or he didn't think too much of it.
After all, Zhang Lexuan had been raised by Shrek Academy since she was a child. She had no parents and no ties; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call her a "death warrior." As for that case of her family's massacre, it had long since vanished into the dust of history and could not possibly be discovered by Zhang Lexuan. Currently, the only flaw was that she was too close to the variable "Lu Cheng," even abnormally close.
Therefore, he really didn't think of the word "betrayal." Otherwise, he wouldn't have tried to match her with Bei Bei.
"In that case, why not let Xuan Zi lead the team first? I still have tasks to entrust to you. You can set out a few days later. It just so happens that Xuan Zi and the others have to go south to the Mingdou Mountains to suppress bandits. You can meet them directly in Star Luo City then. How about that?"
"…Alright." Zhang Lexuan nodded slightly.
If she continued to argue, it would instead arouse Mu En's suspicion. A few days late was fine.
Although that fellow Xuan Zi was unreliable, Lu Cheng's current strength was enough for self-preservation.
"I heard from Bei Bei that you're very repulsed by him?" Mu En pondered for a moment before speaking.
"What do you mean by that, Elder Mu?" Zhang Lexuan's expression remained unchanged as she raised an eyebrow. "Where would repulsion come from? Perhaps that child misunderstood something. From beginning to end, I have only treated him as a younger brother, nothing more. I have never harbored any inappropriate thoughts. After all, the age difference between us is right there."
Mu En: " …"
The age difference between you and Lu Cheng is even larger than with Bei Bei. This excuse is a bit...
"Forget it, forget it. I won't meddle in the affairs of you young people. As the future Pavilion Master of the Sea Gods Pavilion, Lexuan, you should also be responsible for your future husband."
Mu En shook his head with a smile, seemingly changing the subject casually, but in fact, he was hinting at something.
"After all, the partner of the Pavilion Master of the Sea Gods Pavilion must also be one of Shrek Academy's own. If—I'm afraid the position of the Pavilion Master of the Sea Gods Pavilion might be somewhat unstable in the future."
Zhang Lexuan sneered inwardly.
Whoever wants to eat this "pie" can have it.
But she still put on a look of hesitation.
Hearing this, Mu En smiled knowingly. As expected, the position of the Pavilion Master of the Sea Gods Pavilion still held great temptation for this child.
In that case, he could try to use this to match her with Bei Bei.
As for that Lu Cheng—he really couldn't see through him.