"Tomb of Yan Shaozhe."
Before a square tombstone.
A red-haired girl cloaked in a black robe, unable to conceal her stunning beauty, knelt on the ground. Her eyes were brimming with tears.
"Teacher, you died such a tragic death. Although Xiaotao joined the Holy Spirit Cult, I have never forgotten that you are my teacher. Now that you have perished, as your disciple, I should have exhausted all efforts to avenge you, but..."
The girl peeked up furtively, glancing at the man standing by the grave mound in the distance, while wiping away tears with her delicate hand:
"The enemy's strength is truly too great, and he is also the person I admire in my heart. I really cannot bring myself to strike such a cruel blow... I am afraid Xiaotao cannot avenge you, but as your disciple, if I cannot take revenge, it would be too disheartening for you. So, after much thought... How about you and I sever our master-disciple ties today? We shall no longer be master and disciple. If there is a next life, we can be master and disciple again."
"Ouch..."
Ma Xiaotao rubbed her head, looked up, and glared at Lu Cheng: "You hit me again!"
"Rest assured, your teacher's revenge will be avenged very soon." Lu Cheng quietly examined the grave mound, his gaze indifferent.
Caught between her teacher and him, Ma Xiaotao found it extremely difficult to choose. Thus, only after he killed Yan Shaozhe did he bring the girl here to pay her respects. He had no deep grudge against Yan Shaozhe; it was just that for Zhang Lexuan, certain things had to be done.
He would bear the infamy.
"Hmm?"
The girl's eyes froze. With tears still brimming, the look of grievance and sadness on her tear-stained, beautiful face was replaced by a flash of astonishment.
A sudden, ominous premonition rose in her heart.
Last time, it was when he suddenly asked her what she would do if he were an Evil Soul Master. That very night, Lu Cheng revealed his identity as a disciple of the Holy Spirit Cult and defected from Shrek Academy.
Now...
"Lu Cheng, what are you going to do?"
Ma Xiaotao stood up, her crimson phoenix eyes fixed on Lu Cheng's indifferent face. Her snow-white, delicate hands gripped Lu Cheng's sleeve, attempting to awaken this guy's 'conscience':
"The teacher is already gone; I cannot be without you... In this world, you are the only family I have left."
The girl's delicate hands tightened, as if letting go would mean he would be like a kite with a broken string in the sky, never to return.
Looking at the girl's teary, pleading eyes, even Lu Cheng felt a bit dazed.
She is so alike...
Just like Zhang Lexuan back then.
Kneeling on the ground, begging him not to abandon her—Ma Xiaotao's face overlapped with the slightly naive and tender face of the Zhang Lexuan of the past.
A year ago, the girl had tried her best, struggling to stand before him, not hesitating to abandon the bright future of Shrek Academy to stick with him, a rat of the Holy Spirit Cult.
Even though the surroundings were cold and damp, filled with bloodthirsty and cruel Evil Soul Masters, all of that made this girl who had just entered the Holy Spirit Cult extremely uncomfortable. He even watched from the shadows, seeing the girl feel fear and disgust toward everything around her, but when he appeared, all the negativity in her crimson eyes vanished.
He saw it clearly; in those pupils, there was only him.
For the past two years, if not for Ma Xiaotao clinging to him, never leaving his side like the only candle in the darkness, would he have fallen into becoming a true Evil Soul Master?
"Huu..."
Lu Cheng exhaled a long breath and smiled, ruffling the girl's crimson hair: "How could that be? With my strength, I will surely attain the Limit Douluo. By then, I fear you will be in the grave, and I still won't have died."
"You're lying!"
Ma Xiaotao bit her red lip, her beautiful eyes staring stubbornly at Lu Cheng.
"When you left Sister Lexuan back then... you said the same thing!"
Lu Cheng's expression faltered.
He opened his lips, but the words could not be spoken.
"I would rather you tell me the truth than lie to me." Ma Xiaotao threw herself into Lu Cheng's arms. Her red eyes stared pitifully at Lu Cheng, like a puppy about to be abandoned.
Lu Cheng remained silent, gently stroking the girl's hair.
"So are you really going to die?"
After an unknown amount of time, Ma Xiaotao, hiding in Lu Cheng's arms, asked softly.
Lu Cheng did not answer, but both of them knew it in their hearts.
"Then can you take me with you?" Ma Xiaotao whispered. "If I must die, I want to die with you."
"What are you saying..." Lu Cheng gazed at the bright moon hanging high in the sky and spoke softly: "Aren't you envious of my martial soul, the Sun-Shooting Bow? Before I leave, I will give it to you."
After he died, he would return to his original world.
But Ma Xiaotao...
In the valley.
The bonfire crackled, the firelight reflecting on Lu Cheng's face. The fire was scorching, but the girl in his arms had fallen into a deep sleep, lying quietly in his embrace. Her fingers, painted with red henna, still tightly gripped his sleeve, and a trace of tear stains remained on her small face.
Flap, flap~
A black crow flapped its wings and landed on his shoulder.
Seeing him holding the sleeping girl, it lowered its voice and said, "Everything is ready."
"The Sect Leader and the Grand Elder have already arrived outside Shrek City. The other eight Venerables and ten Elders have already led many cult members to surround Shrek Academy completely. Now... we are just waiting for your order to completely destroy Shrek Academy!"
Hearing this, Lu Cheng's eyes were indifferent. He lowered his head to glance at the still-sleeping girl, gently pried open the hands that were gripping his sleeve, and slowly laid the girl on the soft grass. The bonfire emitted a warm aura, but the girl's originally peaceful face suddenly furrowed its willow brows. The comforting aura had vanished, and the girl showed signs of waking up...
Until Lu Cheng gently tapped her forehead.
A crimson light flickered on her fair forehead, which was decorated with fire-red petals.
The girl continued to sleep deeply.
"Let's go."
Lu Cheng stood up and said softly.
"Tonight, we see the final chapter."
...
Shrek Academy. Sea God Island.
Zhang Lexuan stood at the edge of the island with a slightly anxious expression, looking at the sky from time to time. This shouldn't be... It was this late, yet Dean Yan had still not returned.
Should she inform Elder Mu?
No, wait a little longer, wait a little longer...
That guy's strength had grown so rapidly in recent years that even Elder Mu could not see through it. Even though Dean Yan had reached the Realm of 96th-level Super Douluo last year, it was possible he might stumble.
After all, behind him were half the Evil Soul Masters of the continent.
It wouldn't matter if she went.
Before she reached a sufficient realm, that guy wouldn't rashly kill her; he would treat her as a whetstone to continue honing himself. But as for Dean Yan, it was hard to say.
Suddenly, a commotion came from the Sea Gods' Pavilion behind her.
From within the golden ancient tree, several figures possessing profound auras walked out, and the white-haired old man leading them, leaning on a cane, was none other than Mu En.
Looking at their expressions... this meeting, which had gathered many of the world's current powerhouses, had finally concluded.
Notes:
ദ്ദി(˵ •̀ ᴗ - ˵ ) ✧
Read advanced chapters at p@atreon/holyangelicdemon
Goals
50 PS (Achieved)/ 5 Reviews 1 chapter
100 PS/ 10 Reviews 2 chapters
150 PS/ 15 Reviews 3 chapters