The bonfire dispelled the chill of the late night.
Opposite, the youths from the Earth Dragon Gate also took out some food from their soul tools—things like flatbread and dried meat. They roasted them by the fire and ate to fill their stomachs.
At the same time, they carefully observed Xu Zihuang, who sat on the other side of the fire, his gaze cold and clear.
Those deep violet eyes, incomparably pure, reflected in the firelight like flickering spirits.
After leaving Shrek Academy, Xu Zihuang shed all his former disguises.
Now, this was his true self.
Indifferent, noble, and beyond price.
These few youths from the Earth Dragon Gate, though considered geniuses among their sect's younger generation, here were destined only to serve as Xu Zihuang's backdrop.
Seated nearby, the dignified Nan Shuishui had not taken her eyes off Xu Zihuang since first seeing him. In the depths of her pink eyes, the same color as Nan Qiuqiu's, a shimmer of light flowed, its meaning unclear.
Xu Zihuang swallowed the tender Black-Scaled Chicken meat he had cut earlier, then politely turned toward Nan Shuishui.
"Senior Nan, may I ask what advice you have?"
"It's not advice, really. I'm just curious why you're alone here in the Sunset Forest." Nan Shuishui smiled faintly as she came back to herself, burying her earlier thought deep within her heart.
Xu Zihuang did indeed look somewhat like an old acquaintance of hers, but she still harbored doubts.
Was there truly such coincidence in this world?
On the continent, with so many millions of people, it wasn't impossible for two unrelated individuals to resemble each other.
Perhaps it was just that she hadn't seen that old acquaintance for fourteen years since their parting, and so she was overly sensitive.
Xu Zihuang did not respond. He simply cut off another piece of roasted chicken with his dagger and chewed it slowly.
Although Nan Shuishui had hidden it well, with his Golden Eye martial soul's spiritual attributes, Xu Zihuang still noticed her subtle reaction.
And since Nan Shuishui and his mother both came from Dragon City, and were of similar age, he could not help but connect the dots.
It was highly possible that Nan Shuishui had once known his mother. To avoid unnecessary trouble, he decided it best to speak as little as possible.
His identity was too sensitive.
Out in the wild, especially near areas with many wild soul beasts, such cautious behavior was natural and not out of place.
Nan Shuishui understood this, though not everyone else did.
Beside Feng Shen, a sturdy black-haired youth named Xu Shenshu was dissatisfied and wanted to get up to question Xu Zihuang, but Feng Shen pressed him back down.
"Feng Shen, why are you stopping me? The Sect Master lowered herself to ask kindly, and look at his attitude. He's showing no respect to the Sect Master at all. Isn't he looking down on our Earth Dragon Gate?"
As disciples of a long-standing sect, they were always full of pride.
Their Earth Dragon Gate was a powerful sect in the Heavenly Soul Empire, which only fueled their arrogance.
Xu Shenshu hadn't lowered his voice, so his words carried clearly through the silent wilderness, reaching everyone's ears.
He even glared angrily at Xu Zihuang, his bull-like eyes wide.
This immediately drew everyone's attention. Even Nan Qiuqiu, who had her back turned while detoxifying Xiao Ye, glanced over. Her pink eyes sparkled mischievously.
Yet Xu Zihuang acted as if he hadn't heard, calmly eating his roast chicken.
This only enraged Xu Shenshu further. For him, being ignored was the greatest insult.
Wasn't he one of the top geniuses of the Earth Dragon Gate's younger generation?
Just as Nan Shuishui frowned and prepared to intervene, Nan Qiuqiu's voice suddenly rang out behind the group.
"Mother, my soul power is almost exhausted. I can't hold on. Xiao Ye's poison still isn't fully cleared. Please help me."
She even feigned overexertion, pressing her smooth forehead with one jade hand, her voice weak and weary. She looked completely convincing.
Only Xiao Ye, who sensed the truth, showed some surprise in his eyes. But with Nan Qiuqiu shielding him, the others couldn't see his expression.
Nan Qiuqiu arched a brow at him. Knowing her too well, Xiao Ye submitted to her ploy in silence, unwilling to provoke her authority.
Nan Shuishui quickly rose and walked over, worry on her face.
The Rouge Dragon martial soul their family inherited indeed carried a corrosive attribute that could dispel many toxins. But Xiao Ye was poisoned by the Jade Phosphor Seven-Despair Flower—a top-tier plant poison.
As his life was at stake, she had no choice but to intervene.
"You never take cultivation seriously. Once we return to the sect, you'll go into closed-door training until I'm satisfied." Nan Shuishui scolded her daughter as she knelt down.
Nan Qiuqiu pulled a pitiful face, though she didn't care at all.
Her mother had said the same thing countless times over the years.
Passing by her mother, her expression instantly brightened into a radiant smile.
She walked to the bonfire and waved cheerfully at the still-angry Xu Shenshu.
"Big Sister!" Xu Shenshu's rage lessened at once.
But when he saw what she did next, not just him but the other boys too were inflamed.
They had always let Nan Qiuqiu have her way—not only out of respect, but for other reasons too.
Nan Qiuqiu, acting overly familiar, crouched beside Xu Zihuang. Hugging her knees, her chest rose and fell as she tilted her head, firelight gleaming in her eyes as she looked straight at him.
They were less than three inches apart.
Xu Zihuang could clearly smell her faint fragrance.
Originally, Nan Qiuqiu only wanted to tease him. But up close, she realized his flawless profile was far too perfect, hitting every mark of her aesthetic.
She found herself staring, lost.
Ugh—this guy's too good-looking.
She suddenly felt a little soft-hearted.
The rich aroma of the roasted Black-Scaled Chicken drifted to her nose, snapping her out of it.
Clicking her tongue, she said, "Your roast chicken smells amazing."
She deliberately stared at Xu Zihuang as she said it.
But Xu Zihuang continued calmly cutting off meat, chewing and swallowing, ignoring her completely.
Minutes passed with no response. Nan Qiuqiu's neck grew sore. Meanwhile, the other Earth Dragon Gate youths, Xiao Ye included, stared at the two, making the atmosphere tense and strange.
"What a blockhead. Isn't this when you should offer me some? Are you even a man?" Nan Qiuqiu snapped, her spoiled temper flaring.
She stood abruptly, glaring down at him with round eyes.
Xu Zihuang's deep eyes remained calm. He gave her a faint glance, then turned back to his chicken.
No one had the right to be served by him—not even Nan Qiuqiu.
He had never been the type to fawn over others.
"There's a hundred gold soul coins in that pouch—enough for your roast chicken, isn't it?" Xu Shenshu bellowed, his soul power surging as he tossed a money pouch while grabbing for the chicken with his soul power–wrapped hand.
Perhaps angered by Xu Zihuang's aloofness, or jealous of Nan Qiuqiu's closeness to him, or both.
He stomped hard, bones cracking, his body surging forward though his martial soul wasn't yet released.
It all happened too fast. Even Feng Shen didn't stop him—perhaps intentionally.
But then, the unexpected occurred.
Xu Zihuang firmly seized Xu Shenshu's hand. No matter how he struggled, he couldn't break free. His face turned red with effort.
Xu Zihuang rose, slender but imposing, utterly suppressing Xu Shenshu's momentum.
The pouch clattered to the ground by his feet. Everyone stared, dumbfounded.
They knew Xu Shenshu's strength better than anyone. He was unmatched in raw power among their generation.
Yet Xu Zihuang calmly crushed his palm until bones cracked audibly.
"What do you take me for? Just because you want to buy, I must sell?"
"Roar!" Xu Shenshu, humiliated, released his martial soul.
His body swelled, black carapace appearing on his skin, and jagged dorsal fins tore from his back. Two yellow rings and one purple rose—optimal ring configuration.
His martial soul was the Saber-Toothed Earth Dragon, a pure power-type beast soul. Balanced in attack and defense, weak only at range.
With a heave, he broke free of Xu Zihuang's grip, muscles bulging, saber-tooth ridges sprouting along his arms as he lunged.
The blow could shatter bones if it landed.
But against Xu Zihuang, he was doomed.
Golden light flashed in Xu Zihuang's eyes as they turned brilliant gold. His soul power surged, so strong it made the bonfire flare wildly and the plants around them shudder without wind.
Before Xu Shenshu even saw him move, Xu Zihuang's knee slammed into his gut. Even empowered by his martial soul, he staggered.
When he looked up, a short blade crackling with deep violet lightning was already at his throat.
Facing Xu Zihuang's cold eyes, Xu Shenshu's gaze faltered. Confronted with death, fear overtook him.
Nan Qiuqiu and five other Earth Dragon Gate youths leapt up, releasing their martial souls—each with the same two yellow, one purple rings.
Nan Qiuqiu's expression also changed. No matter how spoiled she was, she had to protect Xu Shenshu's life.
"Let him go!"
This was their sect's iron law. Such cohesion was one reason ancient sects held such strength.
"Enough!" Nan Shuishui's sharp voice cut through the tension as she walked over, her eyes full of doubt.
She had watched carefully from the start, holding back to test her suspicion.
Part of what she saw matched her expectations: Xu Zihuang's martial soul bore no dragon aura, proving it was coincidence.
But what shocked her was his cultivation. Though he looked two or three years younger than her daughter, his soul power was no less than hers, and even denser.
More importantly, his combat experience was rich. In a flash he subdued Xu Shenshu, one of their top three young elites—without even revealing his soul rings.
Such profound foundation could only belong to a genius nurtured by a top-tier sect.
She even wondered if a Title Douluo–level powerhouse was secretly protecting him.
The thought chilled her.
Turning to Xu Zihuang, she bowed her head slightly.
"Young man, I apologize on Xu Shenshu's behalf. This was our fault. I swear on the Earth Dragon Gate's honor, we will compensate you. Whatever you ask, if it's within our power, we will grant it."
"Then remember your words, Sect Master Nan. I hope that when I come to claim it, you won't refuse." Xu Zihuang withdrew the blade and sat calmly by the fire again under everyone's astonished eyes.
"Of course. As long as we can do it, we will." Nan Shuishui nodded solemnly.
Xu Zihuang's composure only confirmed her earlier suspicions.
She glanced again at her daughter and couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
Why is the gap between them so vast?
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