After the initial ecstasy, Zhang Lexuan's reason quickly regained the upper hand.
Zhang Lexuan was no longer a naive and ignorant young girl.
Having been immersed in Shrek for many years, she knew deep down that there was no such thing as a free lunch in this world, let alone kindness without reason.
It was impossible for the Sun Moon Empire to help her for no reason.
It was even less likely that they would expend massive resources and effort to cultivate someone who had no connection to them, and was even part of a hostile faction in the past.
She saw things clearly; the Sun Moon Empire's willingness to extend a helping hand to her boiled down to two reasons.
First, she carried the bloodline of the Kong Family, and as her elder relative, Kong Deming might feel some blood-related affection for her.
However, in the face of absolute interests and talent, this affection seemed insignificant.
Kong Deming valued her more because of her outstanding talent, and because she could become a major asset to the Kong Family and even the Sun Moon Empire.
Second, Xu Tianran and Xu Tianhao valued her for the same reason—her talent, as well as the bone-deep, heart-burning hatred she felt for Shrek at this moment.
In other words, the Sun Moon Empire was willing to cultivate her and help her grow stronger.
Essentially, they just wanted to forge her into an incredibly sharp blade, a blade aimed at Shrek.
Having figured this out, a trace of bitterness couldn't help but rise in Zhang Lexuan's heart.
She suddenly felt that her fate had never seemed to be in her own hands.
Back at Shrek, she had been treated as a blade that could protect Shrek and deter the Douluo Continent in the future.
She had been indoctrinated with Shrek's sense of justice and had her talent and loyalty exploited, only to discover in the end that the people she wanted to protect were actually a bunch of hypocrites.
Now that she had come to the Sun Moon Empire, even with a blood relative by her side and someone willing to help her grow stronger, she still had to become a blade.
A blade used by the Sun Moon Empire to fight against Shrek.
Viewed in this light, what was the difference in essence compared to Shrek?
It was just changing from a blade of one faction to a blade of another.
It was merely changing the group of people holding her.
Her fate seemed destined to never escape the outcome of being used and manipulated.
Yet, even though she understood all of this in her heart, and even though she knew she would still become a blade, Zhang Lexuan found herself more inclined to choose the Sun Moon Empire.
At least here, she still had a blood relative.
Kong Deming's affection for her might be mixed with interests, but he was ultimately the only person in this world with whom she shared a blood bond.
At least here, no one deceived her faith, and no one covered up the truth about her family.
Everyone laid their intentions out in the open, frank and direct.
At least here, Xu Tianran treated her...
Thinking of this, Zhang Lexuan's heart trembled slightly, and those unspoken emotions solidified into the firmest determination in her heart.
She slowly closed her eyes, let out a long breath, and suppressed all her confusion, bitterness, and ecstasy deep within her heart.
When she opened her eyes again, only calmness and resolve remained in Zhang Lexuan's eyes.
She straightened her back, looked at Xu Tianhao with a firm gaze, and spoke slowly:
"I can become the blade in your hands, but only on the premise that my family was truly destroyed because of Shrek."
Her voice was calm but carried an unquestionable firmness, and every word rang with conviction:
"I will be grateful for your cultivation now, and in the future, I will fulfill my promise to serve the Sun Moon Empire and take revenge on Shrek."
"But if in the future I discover that all of this is just your conspiracy, if the so-called family extermination and Shrek's evil deeds are all lies you fabricated to deceive me..."
Zhang Lexuan did not continue, but the coldness and resolve contained in her words had expressed her meaning vividly.
If the truth was false, and if the Sun Moon Empire also deceived and used her just like Shrek, then even if she had to risk everything, she would make everyone who deceived her pay the price.
Xu Tianhao looked at the resolve in her eyes; the smile on his face remained composed and frank, without the slightest hint of panic.
He nodded lightly, his tone steady and serious: "I understand the principle of 'raising a tiger leads to trouble,' and we are not Shrek; we will not do such stupid things as lifting a rock only to drop it on our own feet."
His words were firm and sincere, like the warm sun outside the window, falling upon Zhang Lexuan's heart, causing her last shred of worry to gradually dissipate.
The dragon saliva incense in the hall continued to rise in curling wisps, and the warm sunlight spilled across the floor through the window lattice.
The silence between the two was no longer the heaviness and probing of before, but rather added a tacit understanding, a calmness of settled matters.
Zhang Lexuan knew that from this moment on, she had chosen a brand new path.
A path leading to strength, to the truth, and to revenge.
And the Sun Moon Empire had finally grasped this sharp blade, which was once aimed at them, and was about to reveal its edge toward their common enemy.
The calmness and resolve that had just settled in the depths of Zhang Lexuan's heart had not yet fully solidified when Xu Tianhao's gentle yet meaningful voice sounded softly in the hall again, interrupting her thoughts:
"However, Le Xuan, don't be too extreme."
Zhang Lexuan immediately snapped back to reality, raised her eyes slightly, and let her clear, focused gaze fall on Xu Tianhao, waiting for what he had to say next.
She had just calculated all the pros and cons thoroughly and believed she had seen through the core intention of the Sun Moon Empire in taking her in and cultivating her.
Yet, this sudden remark from Xu Tianhao caused slight ripples in the mood she had just calmed.
Xu Tianhao looked at the confusion flashing in her eyes, a composed and gentle smile still hanging on the corners of his lips:
"We want to cultivate you, but it's not just to make you a blade to deal with Shrek."
As soon as these words were spoken, Zhang Lexuan's brows furrowed imperceptibly, and her confusion deepened.
She had just understood that for the Sun Moon Empire, her greatest value was her top-tier talent and her bone-deep hatred for Shrek.
She was a sharp blade aimed directly at Shrek's heart.
Yet Xu Tianhao had personally denied this, which made it truly difficult for her to understand his true intentions.
Without waiting for her to ask, Xu Tianhao continued with a smile:
"After all, even if you are gifted, it will take a long time for you to grow from your current cultivation level into a powerhouse capable of standing alone and rivaling Shrek's top combat strength. We may not necessarily wait that long."
Hearing this, Zhang Lexuan's eyes flickered, and the scene of her being captured earlier flashed through her mind instantly.
That old man who exuded a massive, fierce aura and possessed strength so formidable that she had no power to resist was none other than the Body Sect Sect Master, Poison Immortal.
According to the intelligence on continental forces currently held by Shrek, the Body Sect had always been reclusive and arrogant, sealing off their mountains year-round.
The Body Sect basically never took the initiative to interact with any force on the continent, focusing solely on the internal cultivation and inheritance of the Sect.
Even when facing the Three Great Empires of the Douluo Continent and top Spirit Master forces, they had always maintained an aloof attitude, with absolutely no possibility of attachment or cooperation.
Yet, such a Sect that had sealed its mountains and lived apart from the world for years,
Its Sect Master, Poison Immortal, had actually appeared in the imperial palace of the Sun Moon Empire.
The significance behind this action was already self-evident.
The Body Sect's emergence was by no means accidental; this was enough to show that the Body Sect had already reached a deep cooperation and alliance with the Sun Moon Empire.
The power of the Sun Moon Empire had already, in silence, reached a point sufficient to shake the landscape of the continent.
In this way, even without her, this blade that had yet to be fully formed, the Sun Moon Empire still possessed the confidence and strength to contend with Shrek.
Cultivating her was truly not just about forging a sharp blade to counter Shrek.
Having figured out this crucial point, Zhang Lexuan's expression softened a bit more, and the guard in her heart quietly faded away slightly.