The dead silence in the forest lasted for a long time.
The Shrek girl and the Little Boy stood there blankly, their eyes hollow as they looked at the seven corpses lying on the ground, as if their Soul had undergone Soul Emergence.
It wasn't until warm blood gurgled from the wounds of the Evil Soul Masters, merging into pools of striking blood, and a thick bloody scent permeated the air, that they suddenly snapped out of it like waking from a dream.
The girl's gaze moved with difficulty from the corpses to the youth standing quietly with his back to her, her voice trembling with a hint of disbelief.
"This... you did all this?"
Liu Yuan slowly turned around, a faint smile on his face as if he had only done something insignificant.
"Otherwise? Was it you?"
Hearing this counter-question, the girl couldn't help but give a bitter smile.
She glanced at the seven Evil Soul Master Spirit Kings on the ground who had been killed in a single blow, and the shock in her heart was beyond measure.
"It seems... this time, I really completely misjudged you."
She originally wanted to ask more about his identity, his Spirit, and his inconceivable speed.
But Liu Yuan interrupted her directly: "Take the child and leave first. The smell of blood here is too strong, lest any more accidents occur."
Hearing this, the girl immediately realized that now was not the time for such inquiries.
She hastily retracted her Spirit, walked to the side of the still-stunned Little Boy, and softly comforted him.
The two of them didn't delay any further. Liu Yuan cleared the way in front, while the girl held the Little Boy's hand, quickly leaving that forest which resembled a shura field.
After returning to the small town, under the child's guidance, they soon found his home.
When they saw the child return safe and sound, the child's parents were first stunned, then erupted into earth-shattering cries.
They tightly hugged the child they had lost and regained, crying and laughing; it was a moving scene.
Upon learning that Liu Yuan and the girl had rescued the child from the Evil Soul Masters, the simple couple was moved to tears of gratitude, even wanting to kneel down and kowtow on the spot to show their thanks.
Liu Yuan supported them in time. He didn't take any credit, instead smilingly pushing all the merit onto the girl beside him.
"It was this sister from Shrek Academy who rushed in to save your child regardless of the danger. I just lent a helping hand."
The girl looked at Liu Yuan with some surprise. It was clearly his merit, yet he pushed it onto her instead? What a strange fellow.
Amidst the parents' repeated thanks, they finally left that household.
Walking on the streets of the small town, the girl turned her head to look at the calm youth beside her, her emotions somewhat complex.
He hadn't just killed those Evil Soul Masters and saved the child; he had also invisibly saved her life.
Yet he himself seemed to seek nothing, not even a word of thanks or a share of the credit.
"You... you're a good person," the girl said sincerely. "People like you are really rare nowadays."
Liu Yuan smiled upon hearing this and said casually, "Seeing injustice on the road and drawing one's sword to help is only natural."
After saying that, he stopped his footsteps and cupped his fists toward the girl: "Alright, let's part ways here. I still have to continue my journey."
Seeing that he was really about to leave, the girl felt a surge of urgency and subconsciously called out to him.
"Wait a moment!"
She looked at Liu Yuan, her eyes shimmering with sincerity, as she solemnly extended an invitation: "Why don't you join us at Shrek? With your strength and Heart-Nature, I feel you're very suitable for our Inner Court!"
Liu Yuan's footsteps paused.
He was slightly stunned, then couldn't help but laugh.
He admitted that he held respect for the students of the Shrek Inner Academy who silently gave their all to protect the peace of the continent.
But this respect did not mean he was willing to become a tool to be arbitrarily exploited by the higher-ups of Shrek Academy.
He shook his head, a gentle yet firm smile on his face as he declined the other's kindness.
"If one needs to join Shrek to punish evil and eradicate vice, then it's not at all necessary."
"After all, no matter what my identity is, it doesn't affect me doing so, does it?"
Having said that, Liu Yuan didn't linger for even a moment. He turned around, waved his hand, and his figure elegantly disappeared at the end of the street.
Leaving only the Shrek girl standing alone on the spot, left in a daze in the night wind.
"What... just acting cool, and didn't even tell me his name before leaving..." she muttered softly, her tone carrying a trace of unnoticeable annoyance.
The mission was already complete, and she intended to return to Shrek Academy immediately to report back.
However, just as she left the town and set out on the path back to the academy, she unexpectedly ran into two familiar figures halfway.
Leading them was a tall, handsome young man wearing the uniform of the Shrek Inner Academy, his brilliant golden hair extremely dazzling under the sunlight.
After seeing the girl, the youth showed a surprised expression and took the initiative to greet her: "Xi Xi? Why are you here? Are you also on a mission?"
The girl called "Xi Xi" stopped her footsteps. Seeing the newcomer, she was also somewhat surprised.
She took off the mask from her face, revealing a clear and beautiful face.
"Dai Yueheng? Why is it you?"
The person was none other than the Genius student of the Shrek Inner Academy, the eldest son of the Duke of White Tiger, Dai Yueheng.
Beside Dai Yueheng was a lean and capable man wearing plain clothes, who was a scout from the academy's Supervision Team.
Dai Yueheng explained simply: "I've taken on an emergency mission from the Pavilion."
He originally didn't want to be too detailed, but suddenly realizing that Xi Xi was returning from the direction he was headed, his heart stirred, and he directly stated the reason.
It turned out that ever since he had taken on the task from Xuan Zi...
He had immediately headed to the vicinity of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy to investigate.
But after arriving, he received another piece of intelligence from other colleagues—the target seems to have already left Bright Capital and is heading all the way north toward the Extreme North Land.
At this moment, he was following this clue to investigate.
"Xi Xi, you came from that way. Have you seen anyone fitting the description?"
Dai Yueheng described the target's characteristics: "About fourteen or fifteen years old, with very conspicuous short red hair, extremely strong, and a student of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy."
Xi Xi had only been listening casually, but when she heard this series of familiar descriptions, the back of the person waving goodbye and departing elegantly instantly surfaced in her mind.
Age, red hair, extreme strength, Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy...
All the characteristics perfectly overlapped with the youth she had just encountered!
Xi Xi's eyes instantly lit up.
"Could it be... him?!"
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