Shocked.
At this moment, Dai Yueheng's heart and mind were completely filled with shock.
He stood there in a daze, the biting cold wind blowing against his stiff face, yet it did nothing to pull him back from the massive shock.
How could it be like this?
He never expected that the other party would respond to him this way!
That was the Shrek Inner Academy! A Holy Land that countless Spirit Masters could never reach in their entire lives! A personal recruitment from the Sea Gods Pavilion! A supreme Opportunity that could allow any Genius to soar to the heavens in a single step!
Every single condition he offered, if taken individually, would be enough to make any Sect or Family on the continent go crazy and fight for it at any cost.
But now, he had offered all of this as a package, and the other party... actually refused?
And he refused so nonchalantly, as if what he had just said wasn't a heavenly blessing, but something as insignificant as asking "how's the weather today."
This defied logic! This was simply impossible!
Dai Yueheng's brain worked frantically, trying to find a rational explanation for this absurd scene.
Was it because the conditions weren't enough? No, this was already the highest specification the academy could offer; even he himself was envious of it. It was impossible for there to be anything higher.
Was he putting on an act, wanting to hold out for a better price? That didn't seem like it either; the other party's eyes were clear and steady, without a hint of hypocrisy or greed.
Could it be... he didn't hear clearly? Or, he answered incorrectly?
Yes! It must be that!
It must be that he spoke too quickly just now, or the conditions were too shocking, causing him to fail to react in time and misspeak!
This thought was like a life-saving straw, instantly occupying Dai Yueheng's mind.
He was unwilling and absolutely refused to believe that the supreme honor of Shrek Academy would be discarded so lightly like a pair of worn-out shoes!
Forcing down the turbulent waves in his heart, he took a step forward, a smile more painful than crying squeezed onto his face. Using a tone that was almost guiding, even pleading, he subconsciously asked again:
"This... this brother, what... what did you just say? Did you... not hear clearly? Or, was it a slip of the tongue? What I said just now was, as long as you nod your head..."
"I heard you very clearly."
However, Liu Yuan calmly interrupted him once again, the expression on his face not changing in the slightest, as if he were stating an unshakeable fact.
"Thank you for your kindness, but I have no interest in joining Shrek Academy."
The second time!
This was the second confirmation!
If the first time was a clap of thunder, then this time was a divine punishment of ten thousand pounds that completely crushed Dai Yueheng's last shred of wishful thinking!
"Why?!"
This time, not only Dai Yueheng, but even the Supervision Team scout behind him, who had been acting as a background character, could no longer hold back and blurted out in shock.
On both of their faces hung the same expression of ghost-seeing shock and bewilderment.
Why?
They really couldn't understand, just why?!
What kind of reason could make someone reject such a heavenly temptation? Was there a more powerful force behind him? Or did he himself have some deep-seated hatred for Shrek Academy?
"Can you tell us the reason?" Dai Yueheng's voice had become slightly raspy. He stared intently at Liu Yuan, desperately needing an answer.
Even if it was a failure, he wanted to fail with full understanding!
However, Liu Yuan only shook his head gently.
He looked toward the distant snow-capped mountains, his gaze far-reaching, seemingly disinclined to dwell on this question any longer.
"There is no reason."
He said indifferently.
"But, I just don't want to go."
"You..."
This light, almost perfunctory answer was like an invisible slap, harshly striking Dai Yueheng's face.
No reason, just doesn't want to go?
What kind of contempt! What kind of arrogance!
An uncontrollable surge of anger and humiliation rushed to the top of Dai Yueheng's head. He was about to step forward to press for more, even wanting to use force to compel the other party to give a "rational" explanation.
But at the very moment his body leaned forward—
Liu Yuan, opposite him, seemed to have completely lost his patience for talking with them.
Liu Yuan withdrew his gaze from the distance and gave them a flat glance.
In the next instant.
"Buzz—!"
An indescribable, terrifying aura erupted from within Liu Yuan like a volcanic eruption!
It wasn't spirit power, yet it was purer and more condensed than spirit power, carrying a vastness and dominance that seemed to come from ancient primordial times!
An emerald-green light instantly covered his entire body. Following that, countless mysterious golden patterns spread across his skin like living things, outlining a magnificent and majestic mysterious totem.
There was no need to see clearly what it was; just that aura alone made the Souls of Dai Yueheng and the scout tremble in unison!
Before they could even react to the shock of this aura.
Liu Yuan's figure moved.
Without any extra movement, he simply tapped his toe lightly on the snow.
"Whoosh—!"
A green-gold afterimage, like a lightning bolt tearing through space, instantly vanished from the spot!
Fast!
Extremely fast!
So fast that Dai Yueheng's dynamic vision couldn't even capture his trajectory!
He and the scout could only watch helplessly as that green-gold stream of light, with a Extreme Speed that completely exceeded their understanding, flashed past and turned into a small black dot on the horizon in the blink of an eye, then completely disappeared at the end of the vast snowy plains.
The entire process didn't even take a second.
On the spot, only a gust of wind and snow kicked up by the airflow remained, along with two people who were completely petrified.
"..."
"..."
Dai Yueheng and the scout stood there, unmoving for a long time.
The expressions on their faces had shifted from shock to a deeper level of horror and... fear.
What was that just now?
What kind of Spirit was that? What kind of speed was that?!
That aura... that was definitely not a power a youth should possess!
After a long time, the Supervision Team scout finally swallowed hard and spoke with a dry voice: "Young Master Dai... is this... is this his strength? So... so fast..."
He hadn't even clearly seen the other party's spirit ring before they had already vanished.
No, he even suspected that the other party hadn't released a spirit ring at all!
Dai Yueheng's face was deathly pale. He slowly closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, only endless bitterness and defeat remained.
Fast?
That could no longer be described by the word "fast."
That was a crushing defeat! A crushing defeat in terms of absolute strength!
He even had a feeling that if the other party had wanted to strike just now, he probably wouldn't have even had time for Martial Soul Possession before being instantly killed!
"Young Master Dai... should we... continue to pursue?" the scout asked cautiously.
Hearing this, Dai Yueheng gave a self-deprecating laugh.
"Pursue?"
He asked back, his voice filled with a sense of powerlessness.
"What could we do if we caught up? Do you think the two of us... could forcibly take him away?"
The scout fell silent instantly.
Yes, judging by the tip-of-the-iceberg speed the other party had just displayed, even if they chased him to the ends of the earth, they would probably only be left eating his dust.
Moreover, what could they do even if they caught up?
Fight? The two of them combined wouldn't even be enough to fill the gaps between his teeth.
Persuade? The other party had already expressed his attitude in the most decisive way.
"Let's go back." Dai Yueheng sighed heavily, as if all his strength had been drained in an instant. "The mission... has failed. We can only go back and tell Elder Xuan this bad news."
At the mention of "Elder Xuan," the scout's body involuntarily shivered, and his face instantly slumped into a bitter expression.
"Elder Xuan... he will probably be very angry, right?"
The corner of Dai Yueheng's mouth twitched as well.
More than just angry.
Given Elder Xuan's extremely serious attitude toward this matter, upon learning that they not only failed to bring the person back but were also so flatly rejected, he would likely go on a rampage on the spot!
At the thought of Elder Xuan's face, so dark it could drip water, and the world-destroying terrifying aura he emitted when enraged, Dai Yueheng felt his scalp go numb.
When the time comes, the two of them responsible for the task would definitely be the primary targets of his displaced anger; a harsh scolding was absolutely inevitable.
But... now that things had come to this, what else could be done?
"There's no hiding from it." Dai Yueheng sighed again, his tone filled with helplessness and dejection. "Let's go, back to receive our punishment."
"I can only hope... that when the time comes, Elder Xuan won't take too much of his anger out on us."
-------------------------------
I've already uploaded 40 chapters of this story on Patreon!
If you enjoy it, come check out the latest chapters in advance.
Here's the link:
[email protected]/DaoistRoeoNQ
Thank you so much for your support!!!
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"