"I wonder if you're willing to join Shrek Academy?" Du Weilun extended the invitation.
"My Shrek Academy is definitely not for Evil Soul Masters. As they say, education knows no boundaries. Any genius who meets a certain threshold can enter the academy to study and enjoy abundant resources..."
'Heh, hard to say...'
Lu Cheng complained in his heart but feigned an interested expression.
Seeing this, Du Weilun was delighted and quickly struck while the iron was hot.
After all, it would be a huge loss if two "wild" geniuses were picked up by other sects or powers.
"Furthermore, when you're older, you can join the Inner Court and the Supervisory Group—an organization specifically for hunting down Evil Soul Masters. You can investigate the truth and personally avenge your blood relatives. What do you think?"
Although Zhang Lexuan was moved, she still stood quietly behind Lu Cheng, her beautiful eyes staring blankly at him, waiting for his answer.
If her brother said no, she would certainly leave with him.
"Alright."
Lu Cheng nodded slightly.
"We are willing to join Shrek Academy..."
[Part Two: Conclusion]
[With your family destroyed, you take Zhang Lexuan to join Shrek Academy. Watching the young girl grow more and more dependent on you, your heart is filled with mixed emotions. After all, this seemingly bright world has long been eroded by darkness.]
[Upon entering the academy, you immediately stand out again, sweeping through the entire freshman class with an overwhelming presence. Within half a year, you reach the Spirit Ancestor Rank. During an audience with Mu En, you encounter Ma Xiaotao on Sea God Island. Her evil fire erupts, causing her unbearable pain, but you use your even more powerful Solar Essence Fire to forcibly suppress it. From then on, she becomes your little follower.]
[That same year, upon hearing news of your clan's destruction, Wei Linger and Lang Ya come to visit you. Their words are full of regret as they reveal some information: the Body Sect had deliberated for a long time before deciding to recruit a non-body martial soul genius like you. However, they didn't expect this tragedy to occur shortly after their decision. They sent people to search near Heaven Dou City for a long time but couldn't find you or Zhang Lexuan, assuming you both perished in the disaster.]
Watching the scenes change rapidly before his eyes.
Lu Cheng was stunned.
Ma Xiaotao... It was unexpected that his Solar Essence Fire could restrain the evil fire. After all, he had expected that only opposing attributes, like ice or water, could suppress it. In the original story, there were many elders with fire attributes, but ice attributes were rare, which was why Ma Xiaotao suffered from the pain of the evil fire burning her body.
And as for the Body Sect...
To be honest, he had no ill will toward the Body Sect. These old stubborn fools would truly risk their lives to help anyone they considered "one of their own."
Once the simulation ended, he would certainly choose to join a faction—Shrek Academy, the Sun Moon Empire, or the Body Sect. Other factions were too weak to provide much help.
Although the former was somewhat disgusting in the simulation, it didn't matter to him. After all, he was all alone, and his only sister, Jiang Nannan, was already a disciple of Shrek Academy, making a recommendation letter more convenient.
The latter was centered around the Xu Family's imperial house, making it hard for outsiders to integrate into the inner circle. Even the famous Hall Master of the Illustrious Virtue Hall, Jing Hongchen, would likely have struggled to rise without his status as Kong Deming's Disciple.
In the past, he hadn't had the slightest thought of joining the Body Sect, but now...
The appearance of the Blood Pupils gave him a new idea.
However, according to the explanation, he could only take one thing. Between the Sun-Shooting Bow and the Blood Pupils... he hoped that after completing the white moonlight rating, the rewards would allow him to bring the Blood Pupils out as well; otherwise, it would be a pity.
[Two years pass in a flash. You are now fourteen and have successfully advanced to the Spirit King Rank. By now, no one in the entire Shrek Outer Academy is your match. To increase your strength, you even challenge many seniors from the Inner Court, winning more than losing. The name "Devil King" spreads throughout both the Inner and Outer Courts.]
[At the same time, letters frequently arrive from the Holy Spirit Cult. Even Ye Xishui visits you once specifically to see you. You appear respectful on the surface, but in reality, you know her goal: she fears you will fully integrate into Shrek Academy and wants to win you over in time. You don't care about this; as long as Zhang Lexuan is alive, everything is fine. ]
[One day shortly after, you join the Inner Court and successfully complete the assessment. Afterward, you are taken to the Sea Gods Pavilion by Yan Shaozhe. There, you meet Mu En again. Ever since you and Zhang Lexuan joined Shrek Academy, he has been monitoring you without any blind spots. It wasn't until he realized you had no intention of revealing the truth that he slowly relaxed. Now, he brings up the matter of you exposing your "identity" and defecting from Shrek Academy again. You are reluctant to leave Zhang Lexuan and hope to delay it further. He hesitates for a moment but agrees, though he warns you again before you leave.]
[You decide to work hard and continue pushing your cultivation frantically. Using a mission from the Supervisory Group as an opportunity, you visit the Sunset Forest, only to find the poisonous mist truly terrifying. There's no chance to scavenge anything, and unwilling to tell the Shrek high-level officials, you have no choice but to return.]
[Another three years pass. You are seventeen, and your cultivation speed has become even more terrifying, reaching the level of a seventy-second rank Spirit Saint. You even defeated a teacher at the eighty-fifth rank, Spirit Douluo Rank, last month. Your prestige grows ever more prominent, giving you the air of the Inner Court's Eldest Senior Brother. The young girl still follows behind you; even though Mu En has tried every possible method, he hasn't been able to weaken her dependence on you.]
[Simultaneously, you lead a team to participate in the Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Duel. You encounter Lang Ya and Wei Linger from the Body Sect. Their eyes burn with increasing intensity as they once again extend an invitation to join the Body Sect, but after much hesitation, you refuse. Your team wins the championship without any surprises, and your name spreads throughout the continent.]
[But as you raise the trophy high, you see the girl's gentle and moving eyes in the audience, filled only with you. You know that at this very moment, you are the most important existence in each other's worlds, bar none. The tragedy you faced in childhood made you huddle together for warmth. Even though Mu En has presented countless pieces of evidence over the years that you are a disciple of the Holy Spirit Cult, she has never doubted you for a second.]
[However, once the tournament ends, Mu En uses the reward as a pretext to call you into the Sea Gods Pavilion...]
[Chapter Three]
When Lu Cheng opens his eyes again, he is in a spacious and bright room.
The surroundings are made of golden ancient wood, exuding a dense aura of life. Not far away, a figure sitting in a wheelchair with his back to him speaks slowly.
"I have tolerated you long enough..."
Mu En spoke slowly.
Yan Shaozhe pushed the wheelchair as it turned around. He quietly scrutinized Lu Cheng, an indescribable pressure sweeping over Lu Cheng's entire body.
"..."
Lu Cheng remained silent, gritting his teeth to endure the pressure.
Clearly, Mu En was urging him to fulfill the "promise" from back then.
To inadvertently expose his identity as an Evil Soul Master and then defect from Shrek Academy...
Notes:
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Read advanced chapters at p@atreon/holyangelicdemon