They entered the room.
Looking at the messy floor...
And at Senior Sister Zhang Lexuan lying motionless on the bed, Ma Xiaotao swallowed hard, staring at Xu Cheng in disbelief.
Her usually gentle and graceful senior sister, practically the goddess of Shrek Academy's inner court...
Even though she was a bit older, her intellect, gentleness, and unparalleled beauty had attracted countless admirers.
But right now, Zhang Lexuan exuded a seductive and alluring charm. Even Ma Xiaotao, a girl herself, felt slightly tempted.
"I'm going to take a shower."
Xu Cheng took off his shirt, wearing only shorts and draping a towel around his neck as he walked into the bathroom.
Ma Xiaotao gulped again. Although she had experienced it before, seeing Xu Cheng's muscular torso up close like this in the setting of this room...
"Xiaotao, open the window to ventilate, and close the door too."
Zhang Lexuan sat up on the bed, speaking softly.
"Oh, okay." Ma Xiaotao dazedly closed the door, sat down by the bed, and watched her senior sister get dressed and casually tie her smooth hair back with a collar, looking like a different person altogether.
"What is it? Surprised?" Zhang Lexuan tidied the messy table and items on the floor with poise, smiling at Ma Xiaotao.
"No." Ma Xiaotao quickly straightened up, like an obedient student.
Zhang Lexuan still held high status within the inner court. Even in this situation, Ma Xiaotao was deferential before her.
"My body and soul already belong to A'Cheng. We'll have many children in the future and live happily ever after..." Zhang Lexuan crossed her legs, a look of bliss in her eyes.
"Senior sister, what about the Academy?" Ma Xiaotao was startled.
She wasn't urging Zhang Lexuan to return. In her mind, staying in the Sun Moon Empire was better—but surely Lexuan was torn?
"Mu En slaughtered my foster parents and their entire household." Zhang Lexuan's beautiful eyes carried a trace of coldness.
"What?!!" Ma Xiaotao's eyes widened in disbelief.
That sentence carried two shocking revelations.
First, Mu En slaughtered someone, and second, Lexuan had foster parents.
"You mean..."
"Strictly speaking, I'm A'Cheng's aunt. Though our bloodline is distant, with the family connection dating back five hundred years, I should carry the surname Xu." Zhang Lexuan sipped wine, her eyes dreamy.
"..."
Ma Xiaotao was speechless.
She truly didn't know what to say at this point.
In her eyes, Mu En had always been kind, gentle, and dependable—a pillar of Shrek Academy. She respected and admired him.
But Zhang Lexuan's words threw her into complete confusion.
In some ways, she was a little dense, a bit brash, but she had a clear sense of right and wrong.
You could say she was reckless as a team captain, charging blindly into the Ming Dou Mountains. But the reason she was so impulsive was because she found civilians skinned and hung in a cave by evil soul masters.
"You mean, Elder Mu..."
"That's right." Zhang Lexuan took a calm sip of wine. "So if I get the chance, I'll personally end his life."
Ma Xiaotao fell into silence.
Her heart grew heavier.
Compared to Zhang Lexuan, she was even less willing to confront her connection with Shrek.
Since having the rune engraved on her stomach and being forced to stay in the Sun Moon Empire, the deeper her involvement with the Holy Spirit Church, the more she sensed a schism within it.
One faction was purely evil, despicable murderers who enhanced themselves through the slaughter of innocents—people like the elder council and the Church leader Zhongli Wu and Ye Yushui.
The other faction was Xu Cheng.
His actions, while not entirely disconnected from the evil soul masters, were strikingly righteous—founding schools for commoners, awakening martial spirits for free, performing good deeds. Even if attributed to the righteous and noble Shrek Academy, they would seem fitting.
Yet the irony...
The Holy Son of the Holy Spirit Church was doing benevolent, world-saving things.
Meanwhile, the righteous and noble Sea God Pavilion Master of Shrek was committing despicable atrocities like exterminating entire families for personal gain...
"Xiaotao, do you want to stay?" Zhang Lexuan asked softly.
"I—I couldn't leave even if I wanted to…" Ma Xiaotao glanced guiltily toward the bathroom, then lifted her shirt slightly, revealing the crimson rune.
"This is..."
"Cough, cough, it's a curse Xu Cheng placed on me. He saved me from the Holy Spirit Church—this was the condition." Ma Xiaotao quickly pulled her shirt back down.
"I'll talk to A'Cheng. This curse—" Zhang Lexuan frowned slightly.
"No, no, it's fine. I'm used to it." Ma Xiaotao waved her hand hastily.
Seeing Zhang Lexuan drop the subject, she let out a sigh of relief.
Truthfully, she was a little afraid. If the curse really disappeared, would she still be able to stay?
If she ever ran into anyone from Shrek, at least she could explain why she remained in the Sun Moon Empire...
She truly didn't want to go back.
"If you don't want to go back, then don't. Sooner or later, the continent will be unified anyway."
Xu Cheng opened the bathroom door, speaking casually.
"Hiss…" Ma Xiaotao glanced at his abs, her face flushing. She recalled what had just happened in the room—and her own recent experiences.
"No drinking!" Zhang Lexuan said sternly.
Xu Cheng smiled, "Just one sip."
"Not even one. You're still—" Zhang Lexuan didn't finish before Xu Cheng pried open her lips and poured two sips of red wine in.
Then he lowered his head and blocked her mouth with his own.
"Whew…"
After a while, Xu Cheng exhaled and grinned, "Still tastes better this way."
Zhang Lexuan hesitated but sighed helplessly.
Looking into Xu Cheng's eyes, a trace of affection flickered. "Don't do that again."
"Okay."
Seeing how casually he replied, she knew he hadn't taken her seriously—but could only smile wryly.
"Alright, let's get to it. Why did you come find me?"
Xu Cheng leaned lazily on the sofa.
"I've reached Soul Sage level," Ma Xiaotao said.
"Duh, you already reached it after offering your immortal herb last time. Get to the point…" Xu Cheng said.
"I feel like… something's off with my cultivation." Ma Xiaotao hesitated. "Lately, I can't seem to muster energy. It's like I've plateaued. Right after becoming a Soul Sage, things moved fast—but then it got slower…"
"…"
Xu Cheng frowned slightly, then grabbed Ma Xiaotao's hand to feel the soul power flow inside her.
A long moment passed before he let go.
"How is Xiaotao?" Zhang Lexuan asked with concern.
"…"
Xu Cheng opened his mouth, a strange look in his eyes.
"You… cough… you should come see me more often."
Ma Xiaotao: ???
Zhang Lexuan: ???
"To put it simply, ever since your Evil Fire changed attribute, you've been lacking ahem—Yin-Yang fusion. Your cultivation isn't slowing down—it's returning to its normal pace. If you, ahem, dual cultivate, your speed will surge again. Understand?"
Xu Cheng spoke a bit awkwardly.
After all, he was the one who had helped her evolve her martial soul.
Though she had progressed and was now more likely to become a god...
Still, it was a bit embarrassing.
Ma Xiaotao opened her mouth, her cheeks turning even redder. "Then… Senior Sister, is that… okay?"
"What objection could I possibly have?" Zhang Lexuan said helplessly.
"Just don't drag me in."
"I would never..." Ma Xiaotao replied awkwardly.
Though truthfully, she was a little curious… especially about how her elegant senior sister would be, ahem…
"Ah Cheng, something's wrong!"
Nana suddenly appeared at Xu Cheng's side, her face slightly panicked.
"Ah Meng was taken by the imperial clan. They say she gravely injured the crown prince—a serious offense—and must be judged by the royal clan, without the Emperor's consent. Grandpa Jing and Grandpa Cheng couldn't find her…"
Outside the Sun Moon Empire Royal Academy
An elderly man's eyes flickered as he sighed. "Your Majesty, the Empress—just a light punishment will do. If the girl admits fault and writes a self-criticism, let her go back."
Not far from him, a middle-aged woman in luxurious dress stared coldly at the girl, her heart aching as she thought of her son lying in bed, suffering from freezing poison.
This Meng Hongchen had originally been meant for her eldest son. With Mingde Hall supporting him, he would've had a strong advantage in the fight for succession.
But fate had other plans.
Since that wretched child appeared and joined the Holy Spirit Church, her father's standing in court was crushed. And recently, that brat had begun to seize military control. Now even her own status in the court was plummeting.
She had planned to endure. The child was simply too powerful. Her father had warned her repeatedly to be patient. But now her son lay dying, poisoned with no cure in all of the Sun Moon Empire.
She, once Empress of the empire and held in the highest esteem, had fallen from grace—all because of that child. Even palace servants now gossiped about Xu Cheng. She had personally beaten a few maids to death recently just for whispering his name.
All her pent-up frustration was ready to explode. Staring at the girl now, her anger surged.
"No way! If I let this go, what face does the royal family of the Sun Moon Empire have left? A mere duke's granddaughter dares to poison a prince? Wouldn't that mean she'd dare challenge the Emperor next?!"
The Empress's eyes were icy cold.
Meng Hongchen remained expressionless. Though shackled by soul tool restraints, she still looked the Empress in the eye without a word.
"Add leg irons!"
"That's… not appropriate!" the white-bearded elder hesitated.
If not for owing the Empress a favor, he would never have touched this case. That girl had Xu Cheng behind her. Ten years ago, maybe he could have easily bound her, but now Xu Cheng was different...
Even secluded in the Clan Office, he'd heard rumors.
The future Emperor.
And with Jing Hongchen of Mingde Hall backing him, even with his high status in the Clan Office—where the Emperor himself had to respectfully call him "Elder Bai"—he still felt uneasy.
The Empress said coldly, "If Elder Bai is afraid, you may leave. Your debt to me will be cleared."
"Sigh."
The elder sighed in resignation.
But his eyes showed no fear. He considered himself highly respected in the Clan Office—practically a royal relic. Even the Emperor behaved humbly before him.
At worst, he'd be resented. He didn't believe Xu Cheng would dare move against someone of his rank.
"So be it. Let him resent me…"
He stroked his snowy beard.
"But no lives can be lost—that is my bottom line."
"Don't worry, Elder Bai. I know what I'm doing."
The Empress narrowed her eyes, glancing at Meng Hongchen's delicate figure, then at her comatose son beside her. Her lips curled into a chilling smile.
(End of Chapter)