[Sorry 1 chapter only today]
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"In that case, Xiao Tao, can you explain yourself?"
In the dormitory.
Zhang Lexuan tightly clung to Xu Cheng's arm, asserting her dominance. Her normally gentle demeanor suddenly turned cold as she stared at Ma Xiaotao with a faint, scrutinizing gaze.
"Cough, cough, Senior Sister, I swear, I'm innocent!" Ma Xiaotao protested awkwardly, standing to the side.
"Am I really the petty one here?" Zhang Lexuan's delicate hand slid down to Xu Cheng's waist, gently pinching the soft flesh, and she leaned in close to his ear, her eyes slightly reddened.
They could openly be in a relationship, and she wouldn't even be jealous.
But just a few days ago, Ma Xiaotao had complained about Xu Cheng's flirtatiousness. Now, the two were playing the role of enemies, yet in the blink of an eye, they'd already grown closer, teasing and flirting. It seemed like Xu Cheng had driven her away to sneak around...
"This really is all a misunderstanding," Xu Cheng said sincerely, his hand placed reassuringly on the beautiful girl's waist.
He understood that Zhang Lexuan was a very serious person. When she was cold, she was like an ice mountain, but once she melted, she loved passionately. However, honesty was crucial.
"Hmm~" Zhang Lexuan smiled, her beautiful eyes locked onto Xu Cheng's, the unspoken message being, "I'm waiting for your explanation."
"It's like this, Xiaotao's martial soul seems to have mutated again..."
A few minutes later.
Zhang Lexuan looked at Ma Xiaotao in surprise, "Your martial soul... has it advanced?"
"Sort of," Ma Xiaotao pouted. The direction of her advancement, however, was a bit awkward.
"And since you went to your family, this is the first time I've seen Xiaotao today," Xu Cheng continued, "Her 'evil fire' turned into 'desire fire,' and she didn't deal with it in time. It was still suppressed in the old way until today, when we met, and it got out of hand."
"How coincidental," Zhang Lexuan said skeptically.
"Really, it's that coincidental," Xu Cheng said helplessly.
"Hmph, I believe you now~" Zhang Lexuan grinned and, releasing Xu Cheng's arm, stood up to walk over to Ma Xiaotao, lightly poking her forehead.
"Still pretending in front of me? Now it smells good, doesn't it?"
"Uh~ hehehe…" Ma Xiaotao shrank her head, quickly hugging Zhang Lexuan, her face full of flattery.
"So, Senior Sister, does this mean you're really planning to avoid this situation indefinitely?" But Ma Xiaotao broke the peaceful atmosphere.
"I don't know..." Zhang Lexuan stiffened.
Her expression turned somber. She had thought many times about running away, but after receiving so much care from Shrek Academy, the gentle face of Mu En appeared in her mind. He was there, silent, but his calm gaze pierced her heart like a needle.
Facing Xu Cheng, she felt like an old cow eating tender grass. After all, they were more than a year apart...
At the Residence, she felt a sense of relaxation she had never experienced before. Her mother and brothers treated her so well. This familial love was precious, but also somewhat ill-timed.
"Xiaotao," Xu Cheng waved his hand.
"Sigh..." Ma Xiaotao sighed lightly.
Senior Sister had finally found love and family, but...
"Why are you looking so worried?"
Xu Cheng sat carelessly in the hall of Mingde Hall.
"You brat..." Jing Hongchen, with his slicked-back hair and large belly, plopped down into his seat, his eyes showing a bit of envy. "How come you guys are all so tall? I'm almost sixty, but I'm still not even five feet tall..."
In his younger days, had he been as tall as Xu Cheng, with his good looks, he would have had countless girls chasing him around the Royal Soul Master Academy.
"Hmm..." Xu Cheng glanced at Jing Hongchen, who was short and, well, finely shaped.
On Douluo Continent, even ordinary men were usually over 1.7 meters tall, let alone soul masters, who had plenty of nourishment and were mostly over 1.8 meters.
Jing Hongchen was not so much short as he was... cut down in size.
But since he was the elder, Xu Cheng refrained from making a comment. "So, did you suddenly start eyeing some young girl?"
"Do old people not deserve love?" Jing Hongchen grumbled.
"One pear blossom weighing down the begonia..." Xu Cheng leisurely set down his tea cup, sighing.
"You brat, forget it, just a simple lament. After she left, I've gotten used to the dull life these past few years," Jing Hongchen said.
"So, you called me over for next month's Mingde Hall assessment?" Xu Cheng asked with a smile.
"Yes and no," Jing Hongchen handed him a list. It showed the photo of an eleven- or twelve-year-old girl with snow-white hair and an exquisitely delicate face. Her expression was tight, as if indifferent to everything around her.
"Snow... Little Snow?" Xu Cheng was stunned.
He remembered this girl was only six when she first took human form. How could she have...
"This is a hot potato," Jing Hongchen sighed, "Had I known it was her, I wouldn't have agreed to your request back then." At the time, Xu Cheng had mentioned that she was a transformed Hundred-thousand-year soul beast, a friend, and requested protection. Jing Hongchen didn't pay much attention, agreeing without a second thought. However, recently, this "friend" had arrived with soul master strength and wanted to join the first-year class. Such top-tier talent had caught his eye.
Then he met her in person...
Isn't this a hundred-thousand-year soul beast?
One of the Three Kings of the Extreme North, the true ruler of the extreme northern lands, a snow woman with a cultivation level likely surpassing six hundred thousand years—such a prehistoric beast joining the academy made even him feel a bit shaken.
To be honest, the temptation was simply too great. Forget about other forces, even his old pals were having a hard time resisting, almost slapping themselves twice to keep from getting tempted by the allure of the Snow Woman's soul rings and bones.
And by coincidence, she wanted to participate in this academy competition as well.
But once the Snow Woman appears, whether Shrek Academy gets jealous and sends people over, or whether the "own people" from the Sun Moon Empire can resist the temptation—who knows?
"So your point is..." Xu Cheng pondered for a moment.
"It's best if she doesn't participate. Once she's stronger, like Soul Sage or Soul Douluo level, she can join. But in a place where so many people are watching, with such a mixed crowd, you never know when news of the Snow Woman might leak out."
Jing Hongchen also took a sip of his tea and waved his hand, dismissing the maids.
He leaned in close and whispered, "Not to mention the Sun Moon Empire, even your bunch from the Spirit Sect would be like wolves pouncing on her..."
"..."
Xu Cheng thought for a long time before nodding slightly, "Don't worry, I'll ask her and have someone come by tomorrow with an answer for you."
"Good," Jing Hongchen said with a smile.
A few minutes later.
At the Sun Moon Empire Royal Academy.
The Soul Guidance Department, Class of the New Term.
At this moment, an intense competition was underway.
The practical soul guidance system doesn't demand much from crafting. It focuses more on battle experience. Don't be fooled by the fact that Xu Cheng, Jing Hongchen, and Ma Rulong could research the soul guidance system while also having terrifying combat power.
Most others either focus on one path or the other.
For instance, the crafting system usually leads to research positions, while the practical soul guidance system tends to push people towards the army or the city's defense forces.
On the stage.
A thick layer of frost covered everything.
Only a girl, frozen solid into an ice sculpture, remained, her eyes still rolling inside.
"Seventh match, Xue Ling'er wins!" The teacher quickly came up to announce the result.
Across from the ice sculpture stood a white-haired beauty, who indifferently pointed at the frozen figure, causing the ice to shatter. Inside, Nan Qiuhuo, whose body trembled and knees buckled, was kneeling on the ground, unable to speak clearly.
"Wow, she's so strong..."
Nan Qiuhuo, currently in a martial soul-possessed state, had faintly pink-scaled armor covering her key parts, with a soft dragon tail swaying gently behind her. She looked like a cute girl, but she was clearly struggling.
In the Earth Dragon Sect, she had been a small tyrant, not just in status but in talent, a one-of-a-kind presence.
But after coming to the Sun Moon Empire, she truly witnessed the vast difference in strength.
If she wasn't mistaken, this little girl should be a year or two younger than her, but her strength... was terrifying.
"This girl's strength... seems so strange."
From the audience, a girl, her face hidden behind a black veil, murmured softly.
"What's wrong, Wanwan? Do you notice something odd about her?" Ning Chen asked curiously.
"A martial soul based on snow is quite rare. And with such a pure martial soul, it's comparable only to extreme attributes. Could she be from a hidden sect near the northern extreme regions?" Yu Tianlong also mused.
"Heh, there are plenty of powerful sects on Douluo Mainland, but if she's come to the Sun Moon Empire, that means the force behind her must place great importance on the Sun Moon Empire," a tall and muscular boy, like a small mountain, laughed.
"Huyan Nian, we're from the top three sects, you joining us doesn't feel odd?" Ning Chen joked.
"Joke, my Huyan clan was once one of the Seven Sects, ranked fourth. We're all in the same branch anyway, these old legends don't mean much..." Huyan Nian rolled his eyes, folding his arms.
"Still, the Sun Moon Empire doesn't have many strong ones," Ning Chen boasted.
Upon hearing this, the other talents fell silent.
In the Sun Moon Empire Royal Academy, they all tended to group together, as in their eyes, only geniuses were their true peers.
At the age they were, there was naturally a certain arrogance.
"The Sun Moon Empire's soul masters aren't quite up to par," Ye Wanwan said softly. "But their recruitment focuses mainly on the locals, whereas Shrek Academy recruits talents from across the entire continent. If you look at it like that, it's not quite fair. Moreover..."
"The Sun Moon Empire's specialty is soul tool. Last year, the team led by Senior Xu Cheng kept Shrek Academy from entering the top 16. Even if Shrek Academy hadn't been injured, with Senior Xu Cheng's demonstrated leadership, they would still be helpless."
The moment the girl mentioned Xu Cheng, a bright light flashed in her eyes.
Xu Cheng's portrait hung in the hall of outstanding alumni. His handsome face and fiery red pupils had captured the attention of countless girls, who would secretly look up at it whenever passing by.
What's more, the legendary deeds he had done were widely known.
Shrek Academy tried hard to suppress information about him, while the Sun Moon Empire couldn't wait for everyone to know.
Thus, in the Sun Moon Empire, Xu Cheng had attained an incredibly high status, nearly becoming a legendary figure.
Of course, his accomplishments could easily support such fame. At just fifteen years old, he had dared to challenge one of the world's top-tier powerhouses, injuring him in the process, and then left with style.
Such deeds would make any Sun Moon Empire student's blood boil.
Before Ye Wanwan and the others arrived, they had already heard stories about Xu Cheng from their brothers and elders. The more they learned, the more they admired him.
"Yes, but we didn't meet that generation," Yu Tianlong said. "If we had been in the same year as Xu Cheng, you wouldn't be saying this. Two of the Sun Moon Empire's top talents came out that year."
"Senior Hongchen is also strong. At our age, I wouldn't have been able to beat him, nor you, Daxiang," Yu Tianlong said.
"Uh..." Huyan Nian awkwardly scratched his head.
"Actually, there are many more. Ghost Spirit Nana, who has already joined Mingde Hall and is now Sister Meng Hongchen's disciple; Sword Master Ji Juechen, and Tang Ya from Tang Sect. Any of them would dominate in our class. And the one leading them, Senior Xu Cheng, was as strong as the legendary immortal warriors of ancient times..."
"However, in our generation, there's also been a monstrous talent," Ning Chen's gaze shifted toward the arena.
The teacher's helpless voice sounded once again: "Match eight, Xue Ling'er wins!"
The stage was covered in frost.
And the delicate figure still stood indifferently.
It was as if she were an invincible warrior, silently overlooking everyone.
"I really feel like she's cheating," Nan Qiuhuo leaned in and muttered quietly.
"Yeah, only Qiuhuo, Tianlong, and Huyan Nian can last a round. The others are all instantly frozen," Ning Yuan's eyes were serious as he spoke for the first time.
"And this girl is so cold. Although she's absolutely beautiful, almost as stunning as Wanwan, she gives off a chilling feeling. Just looking at her makes you feel cold to the bone," Yu Tianlong sighed.
"Classic ice queen."
"Xue Ling'er, His Highness Xu Cheng is looking for you, he's just below the arena." The teacher suddenly interrupted Xue Ling'er, whispering urgently in her ear.
As soon as the words were spoken, a slight change appeared on Xue Ling'er's indifferent face.
Her beautiful eyes became more lively, quickly searching for that familiar figure below.
(End of chapter)