Chapter 35: Preemptively Preventing the Holy Spirit Cult's Supreme Elder from Striking Again

Top floor of the Sea God Pavilion, the library.

The Sea God Pavilion’s library could be said to be the very foundation of Shrek Academy’s millennia-old heritage. It houses countless rare and out-of-print tomes, including the cultivation experiences and lifelong observations of generations past.

For instance, the secret of the Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear soul bone was uncovered from the research notes left behind by one of the academy’s predecessors who studied the Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear.

The entire library was constructed around the Golden Tree. Its decor was simple and ancient—only rows of bookshelves and a few wooden tables and chairs. After centuries of accumulation, every mark seemed to be an engraving of time itself, permeating the space with an exquisite antiquity.

Ye Xixuan sat by the window at a wooden table, flipping through a book with a worn cover. The gentle warmth of the sunlight illuminated his delicate, fair features, and with the library’s backdrop, it was as if he had stepped through time from a distant past.

Another six months had passed, and he was now ten years old.

Standing nearly 1.7 meters tall, his once childish features had gradually sharpened into clear contours. His gentle expression carried the vibrant spirit of youth. Only his deep black eyes held a calmness beyond his years, an intense contrast that drew attention effortlessly.

His long black hair cascaded like a waterfall, with a few strands fluttering in the breeze across his forehead, adding a touch of wild, fragmented beauty.

Closing the book in his hands, Ye Xixuan stretched and gazed through the wooden window at the distance. Across Sea God Lake, the clusters of buildings of the Martial Soul and Soul Guidance departments shimmered in the sunset, bathed in golden-red light. The scene was hazy yet stunning, like a painting come to life.

At that moment, a series of crisp, steady footsteps echoed outside the library.

Ye Xixuan instinctively looked toward the entrance, and a striking, stunning figure immediately appeared in his sight.

Six months had passed, and Zhang Lexuan’s complexion had almost fully recovered. Her simple solid-colored long dress could not conceal her ethereal aura. Her long black hair flowed behind her, and her exquisitely beautiful face bore a bright yet gentle smile.

“Xixuan.”

“Lexuan sister.” Ye Xixuan immediately stood and joyfully walked toward Zhang Lexuan. She was about 1.75 meters tall, only slightly taller than him now. This change had somewhat narrowed the age gap between them.

Zhang Lexuan carefully studied Ye Xixuan, smiling gently. “I feel like you’ve grown taller again?”

“If I don’t grow up quickly, when will you fulfill that promise you made back then?” Ye Xixuan lightly hugged Zhang Lexuan. Influenced by Beibei and Xu Sanshi, his courage had grown considerably with age.

But what encouraged him most was that Zhang Lexuan never rejected such intimate gestures.

She even responded willingly, allowing Ye Xixuan to rest comfortably against her chest, her delicate hands gently resting on his back.

She wasn’t overthinking it like Ye Xixuan; her closeness was purely heartfelt.

Or perhaps she hadn’t yet realized some of the changes in Ye Xixuan’s age and mentality.

Ye Xixuan pulled Zhang Lexuan to sit on a wooden chair by the window and asked with some concern, “Lexuan sister, did the academy approve what I proposed before?”

“That’s exactly why I came to see you today.” Zhang Lexuan gently held one of Ye Xixuan’s hands and began to earnestly explain.

“The academy has agreed to the plan to eradicate the Death’s Hand bandits in the Mingdou Mountains. This mission will be led by Ma Xiaotao, along with several other Inner Court disciples. It’s scheduled for two days from now, and you will depart with them. However, Ma Xiaotao and the Inner Court members will be the main force; you are to assist and prioritize your own safety.”

“I understand, Lexuan sister.” Ye Xixuan nodded seriously. His main purpose in proposing the elimination of the Mingdou Mountain bandits was to prevent Elder Xuan, the ‘Supreme Elder of the Holy Spirit Sect,’ from striking again and sacrificing yet another group of Inner Court elite disciples.

The painful experience from half a year ago was still vivid in his mind.

He had told the academy that he wanted to gain real combat experience.

Over the past six months, his soul power had only increased by two levels, recently reaching level thirty-three.

Partly because the Ultimate Martial Soul drastically slowed his cultivation speed, and partly because the evil energy produced from Ma Xiaotao’s cultivation was insufficient to keep up with the absorption rate of his martial soul.

Even Ma Xiaotao herself might never have imagined that Ye Xixuan would one day be troubled by a shortage of her evil flames.

Zhang Lexuan added, “Also, Elder Song from the Sea God Pavilion will secretly accompany you. After all, you and Ma Xiaotao are too important to the academy, and Elder Mu is quite uneasy. But unless absolutely necessary, Elder Song will not intervene.”

“Elder Song…” Ye Xixuan was not particularly surprised and rather welcomed it. He was going to eliminate bandits, not to do favors for evil soul masters.

Elder Song’s martial soul, the Azure Shadow Divine Eagle, was a top-tier sensitive attack-type martial soul. She herself was the continent’s number one sensitive attack titled Douluo.

Most importantly, Elder Song was far more reliable than Elder Xuan. At least she would never allow a mere five-ring level Death’s Messenger to severely injure a group of Inner Court disciples and walk away unscathed.

Having dealt with the serious matters, Zhang Lexuan’s gaze returned to Ye Xixuan. Though her smile remained gentle, there was an inexplicable pressure in her calm tone that Ye Xixuan could feel.

“The Outer Court is about to have their holiday in the next two days. Before you join this mission, be sure to inform her in advance, so she won’t worry about you.”

“Yes.” Compared to two years ago when he and Zhang Lexuan hunted soul beasts in the Mingdou Mountains for soul rings, Ye Xixuan now felt a clear sense of guilt. The innocence of his past was gone; understanding more had only brought more troubles.

Ye Xixuan stood up and tentatively asked Zhang Lexuan, “Lexuan sister, I’ll come to your place to cultivate tonight.”

“Come on.” Zhang Lexuan smiled faintly. As she stood, she casually brushed her smooth black hair behind her, a moment of grace that left him momentarily stunned.

Only when she passed by and stood before him did Ye Xixuan regain his composure. At that moment, Zhang Lexuan seemed to instinctively attract him, compelling him almost involuntarily to embrace her from behind.

Zhang Lexuan stopped, a look of indulgence on her face. Though she hadn’t minded much at first, sensing something unusual, a blush instantly bloomed across her gentle and serene visage.

“Xixuan, you really have grown up...”