"Mmm..."
The beauty didn't answer the question; seeing no one around, she threw herself directly into Lu Cheng's arms.
Her fair, pretty face pressed against Lu Cheng's chest.
"Brother, I missed you so much..."
Lu Cheng exhaled a long breath of turbid air and broke into a smile.
He gently stroked the girl's head.
It was the same intimacy as always. Even though Mu En had deliberately sent her on a distant mission, she always traveled day and night, finishing it as quickly as possible to return to the academy.
Her speed was so fast that even Mu En was left somewhat speechless.
Inside a quiet little grove in the Inner Court.
Zhang Lexuan leaned into Lu Cheng's embrace, softly recounting the dangers of her journey.
"There were even several Evil Soul Masters at the Spirit Saint rank. If it weren't for Senior Sister Ruo Mu's rescue, I'm afraid I would have been seriously injured...
Those guys are clearly plotting something. While hiding in the shadows, I heard two of them mention some His Highness the Saint. They said that Saint is practicing an evil technique, which involves refining the souls of spirit masters, and then...
Brother, brother?! Are you even listening to me?"
Zhang Lexuan suddenly said indignantly.
"Heh." Lu Cheng looked embarrassed and quickly explained, "I was just thinking about something... Those Evil Soul Masters must be planning something big lately. You should stop taking missions and stay safely in the Inner Court."
"Mm-hmm~"
The beauty's eyes shifted as she continued to lie in his arms. Her slender, jade-like fingers traced circles on his chest, and a blush flashed across her fair, exquisite face. "When I came back, I heard Senior Sister Ruo Mu talk about many things. The Inner Court doesn't forbid dating, so... we..."
Gulp~
Zhang Lexuan stared at Lu Cheng, her gaze becoming increasingly hazy as her face slowly drew closer.
She couldn't help but recall what Senior Sister Ruo Mu had said on the way back: "Why not try the little grove on the back mountain... After all, that block of wood in the house might slip away. Outside, with the beautiful scenery, by the time he realizes something is wrong, he won't be able to escape, hee hee..."
Lu Cheng's throat bobbed. This series of actions was truly hard to withstand. In the next instant, a cool and soft sensation hit his lips. Even with his eyes closed, it was incredibly heart-stirring.
After a long time, their lips parted.
"Brother, we..."
Zhang Lexuan lay on the soft grass, her jade-white arms like lotus roots wrapped around Lu Cheng's neck. Her light blue eyes were full of affection and tenderness, looking like she was ready for the taking.
"Not yet."
Lu Cheng took a deep breath, exhaling the stray thoughts in his mind. He somewhat stiffly pried the girl's arms away and stood up.
"Then when will it be okay?" A flash of confusion and anger appeared in Zhang Lexuan's eyes. "Brother, we are childhood friends! Senior Sister Ruo Mu and Senior Zhang Ling did it as soon as they joined the Inner Court... Do you detest me that much?"
"It's not that I detest you..." Lu Cheng closed his eyes, speaking with some helplessness.
"Then what is it!!" Zhang Lexuan bit her red lip, her beautiful eyes shimmering with crystalline tears. She had already pleaded so humbly, yet this block of wood, he just...
"You're always like this, going silent whenever you encounter a difficult question..."
"You're tired too; go back and rest early." Lu Cheng clenched his fists and spoke softly with his back to Zhang Lexuan.
Having said that, he walked away without looking back.
"..."
"Tonight, I hunt."
Shrek City.
In a hidden corner, Lu Cheng gently crushed the note in his palm. His eyes slowly closed, and his mental force surged out like a tide, covering a radius of 1,500 meters.
He quietly looked down from above.
The writing on the note bore the common markings of the Evil Soul Masters.
Obviously, it wasn't just Mu En who couldn't wait, but also Long Xiaoyao and Ye Xishui...
This was a grand play with him as the protagonist.
"Tonight, then."
Lu Cheng scanned the surroundings and found no traces of tracking; only then did he exhale a long breath.
"Then let's begin..."
With that, he put on a crimson ghost-face mask, and a pitch-black cloak appeared on his body at some unknown point.
With a flash of his figure, he disappeared into the twilight.
...
"Teacher, with that kid's talent, if we let him back into the Holy Spirit Cult, wouldn't that be like releasing a tiger back to the mountains?"
Inside the Sea Gods Pavilion, Yan Shaozhe asked in total confusion.
"We could completely kill him here at the academy. Do those Evil Soul Masters really dare to go to war with us?"
"A mere Holy Spirit cult, a so-called sect built by a group of rats in the gutter, how can it compare to Shrek?"
"Heh, Shaozhe, you're thinking too simply..." Mu En shook his head with a smile. "To this day, the Holy Spirit Cult has flexed its muscles before us countless times. Haven't you noticed?"
"It's just two or three Titled Douluo. Even if Duo Duo, Lin'er, and I were to take action, it would be enough to easily wipe them out." Yan Shaozhe frowned slightly.
"Heh, when you find one rat, the entire underground is already crawling with them..." Mu En's gaze was complex. "What if I told you that the strength the Holy Spirit Cult has shown is only the tip of the iceberg?"
"The tip of the iceberg... How is that possible!!!" Yan Shaozhe's expression was one of shock.
"We, Shrek, have taken the extermination of Evil Soul Masters as our duty for thousands of years, killing countless numbers of them. How could there still be such a massive force?"
But obviously, he wasn't a fool; he knew this self-deceiving statement couldn't even fool himself...
Mu En remained silent.
"So as long as they don't run rampant within the Original Continent, I turn a blind eye. After all, if we truly went to exterminate the Evil Soul Masters, the price the academy would have to pay would be too great..."
Yan Shaozhe was so struck he was speechless.
Mu En quietly gazed down at the pitch-black night sky.
Did he regret it?
Perhaps...
But once the decision was made, there was no turning back.
...
Shrek Inner Court.
Inside a disciple's residence.
"What? That bastard Lu Cheng rejected you again! Is he even a man?" Ruo Mu was fuming, even more furious than the person involved.
"Senior Sister Ruo Mu, do you think he might not like me...?" Zhang Lexuan sobbed softly, her eyes misty with tears.
"How could that be... Don't worry, girl. I'll personally go find him tomorrow and ask. Men are all like this, pretending to be upright gentlemen. Once you've actually caught him, you'll know how thirsty he is." Ruo Mu quickly comforted her.
"Senior Sister Ruo Mu, you'd better not go." Zhang Lexuan said tearfully, "I'm afraid he'll be angry."
Ruo Mu: "..."
"You two really are a pair..."
Ruo Mu rubbed her face, full of helplessness.
"Fated enemies!
Damn it, what's there to be so bashful about? You've known each other for over a decade, and yet..."
"Senior Sister Ruo Mu!"
An inner court disciple dashed over, urgency in his eyes. "Emergency mission! The Vice Pavilion Master requires all Disciples to assemble; there's a major operation tonight!"
"What? So urgent?" Ruo Mu and Zhang Lexuan exchanged a glance, both showing a flash of bewilderment.
Summoning all members of the Supervisory Group currently at the academy meant that something big was about to happen.
"Don't leave yet. What happened?" Ruo Mu grabbed the Inner Court Disciple, her gaze sharpening.
"It seems... that Holy Spirit Cult Saint has appeared in Shrek City. A member of the Supervisory Group caught an Evil Soul Master, and under interrogation, discovered he's a disciple of the Holy Spirit Cult lurking in Shrek City specifically to kidnap people for their saint to refine..." the disciple panted.
Notes:
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