"We really don't have that kind of relationship!"
Xiao Wu frantically tugged at her hair a couple of times and shot Zhu Zhuqing a glare.
She was genuinely furious.
All her previous explanations might as well have been wasted on deaf ears.
"Think whatever you want. At least Ye Tian and I know the truth between us."
Xiao Wu shrugged helplessly, spreading her hands.
She didn't feel like explaining anymore.
The more she explained, the messier it got.
Better to just drop it.
Faced with Xiao Wu's exasperated expression, Zhu Zhuqing took a small bite of her bread.
She nodded as if convinced, a smile spreading across her face, revealing her cute little fangs. She grabbed Xiao Wu's hand and placed a piece of bread in it.
Feeling something soft in her palm, Xiao Wu instinctively looked down. Seeing it was bread, she grinned. "Thanks, Zhuqing! Once this chaos is over, I'll have Ye Tian pay you back."
"Come on, it's just a piece of bread. No need," Zhu Zhuqing waved her hand dismissively, pouting. "Luckily I don't eat much, otherwise..."
She glanced at Ye Tian, a faint smile playing at the corners of her lips. "Your little boyfriend would be starving."
Due to the midday battle, the cafeteria of Shrek Academy had been reduced to rubble.
With the city swarming with Heaven Dou soldiers, leaving was impossible.
The entire academy was temporarily cut off from food supplies.
Only because they were part of the original Shrek Seven Devils did they have privileges.
Otherwise, they'd be just as foodless as everyone else.
"I really want to smack you!" Xiao Wu gritted her teeth and gave Zhu Zhuqing a light knock on the head.
Seeing the bread, she had initially been grateful.
But after hearing Zhu Zhuqing's words, she glared fiercely and huffed,
"You can gossip in front of me all you want, but don't go spreading rumors outside. Otherwise, my reputation will be ruined!"
"So..." Zhu Zhuqing muttered under her breath. "There's definitely something going on between them."
Was Xiao Wu trying to keep it quiet because she wanted to play both sides?
No, no, Xiao Wu wasn't that kind of person.
Zhu Zhuqing shook her head, chastising herself. Xiao Wu was, after all, her good friend.
How could she entertain such thoughts about her?
Maybe Xiao Wu was just torn between two choices.
After all, both Ye Tian and Tang San were exceptional.
The only downside was Ye Tian's lack of prowess as a soul master.
As for Tang San, he'd been elusive over the years, with no news at all—hardly the dependable type.
If it were her, she'd struggle to choose too.
"Zhuqing, the Master is calling for you."
Just then, Dai Mubai, dressed in a white robe, walked over with his hands behind his back and waved at Zhu Zhuqing.
Then his gaze shifted to Xiao Wu.
"Xiao Wu, you too."
"What's this about?" Zhu Zhuqing stepped forward, linking arms with Dai Mubai.
"Yeah, why does the Master want us?" Xiao Wu stuffed the bread into Ye Tian's hands and asked curiously.
Dai Mubai scratched his head, looking thoughtful. "Probably about the Crown Prince's ascension to the throne during the mourning period."
"Someone from the palace just came, asking Shrek Academy to send representatives."
"First, to pay respects to the late emperor. Second... well, they're probably using the students as bargaining chips."
Dai Mubai was blunt.
But it was an undeniable fact.
A significant portion of Shrek's students were from noble families.
Controlling them meant controlling their families.
Shrek wasn't the only academy receiving this "honor."
The Heaven Dou Imperial Academy was also on the invitation list.
"I see. Let's go talk to the Master first and get the details."
Xiao Wu nodded, though only half-understanding, and followed Dai Mubai toward the secret passage.
Meanwhile, Ye Tian, still in the corner of the room, had no appetite for the bread Xiao Wu had handed him.
"Qian Renxue ascending the throne during the mourning period?"
If he went, wouldn't that mean he'd have a chance to see Qian Renxue?
Ye Tian had no intention of staying in Shrek Academy, a dangerous place.
If his identity as part of the Spirit Hall was exposed, he'd be in serious trouble.
With that in mind, Ye Tian quickly clapped his hands and stood up.
He pretended to casually follow Xiao Wu.
"Don't leave me, okay?"
But Xue Lanlan grabbed him from behind, her eyes brimming with tears.
Ye Tian: "..."
Why did she look so resentful?
As if he'd abandoned her.
Helping her was a favor.
Not helping was his right.
He owed Xue Lanlan nothing.
"Please..." Xue Lanlan pleaded fearfully.
The moment she spoke, the noisy room fell silent.
All eyes turned to Ye Tian and Xue Lanlan.
The looks directed at Xue Lanlan were full of pity.
"What a scumbag."
"The girl's injured, and he's just going to leave her?"
"Yeah, and she's so young."
"Good-looking guys are never any good!"
The uninformed crowd sympathized with Xue Lanlan.
The comments about Ye Tian sparked a wave of agreement.
But some who knew the situation spoke up:
"Are you blind? Those two aren't a couple. That girl in the long dress is Xue Lanlan!"
The revelation caused a stir.
"Xue Lanlan! I heard Prince Xue Xing is caught up in a political crisis... Doesn't that mean her whole family will be executed? Even Xue Lanlan?"
"...That's too much. Prince Xue Xing is still part of the royal family, Xue Qinghe's uncle. Surely he wouldn't kill his own kin?"
Someone nearby sighed and shook their head. "Royal families have no room for sentiment. Forget uncles and nephews—even fathers and sons, brothers, there's no real bond."
"Even among ordinary people, uncles and nephews clash. How much more so in royalty?"
The crowd murmured in understanding. "No wonder. Xue Lanlan's a walking death sentence now. Anyone associated with her is doomed!"
"That boy's smart to leave her. He's got to think of his own family, after all."
Amid the pointing and whispering, Xue Lanlan's face paled.
Her slender fingers clutched her skirt, fidgeting nervously.
Her teeth dug into her lower lip, leaving it bloodless.
She hung her head low, as if wishing she could vanish into the ground.
As the daughter of a prince, her privileged upbringing had sheltered her too well.
It left her utterly unprepared to face adversity.
And now, the first challenge she faced alone was a life-or-death situation.
In the past, someone would always step in to save her.
But this time, no one did.
That's why she'd sought Ye Tian's protection.
But now she understood.
It was too much to ask.
Her predicament was death.
No one would risk their life for her.
That was the cruel reality.
Xue Lanlan wanted to be strong, but the tears wouldn't stop.
She was terrified.
Her father was gone, and now Ye Tian was leaving...
"I promised I'd help, and I won't go back on my word."
Ye Tian crouched down and patted Xue Lanlan's head, forcing a smile.
Truthfully, her earlier behavior had annoyed him.
But she was still just a student, a kid.
Fear of abandonment was natural.
Of course, Ye Tian didn't dwell on the fact that most people his age were also students.
"Enough staring! Nothing to see here!"
Xiao Wu's voice rang out through the crowd.
She'd nearly left the room but turned back upon hearing Xue Lanlan's sobs.
Approaching Ye Tian, she whispered, "You're too kind, Ye Tian."
One should know their limits. Though Ye Tian's creed was to heal the world,
Xue Lanlan's background was a magnet for disaster.
As his friend, Xiao Wu didn't want to wake up one day to find him gone.
"Don't you know I'm Xue Qinghe's lifesaver?" Ye Tian chuckled, not wanting Xiao Wu to worry needlessly.
It felt oddly uncomfortable.
"And I'm your fiancée," Xiao Wu retorted, rolling her eyes. "Those things happened, but do they still count?"
Ye Tian was utterly clueless about politics!
She couldn't help but warn him: "Royalty has no heart. Xue Qinghe's about to become emperor."
"If you go around calling yourself his savior, it won't be long before a blade's at your throat."
"You should think carefully. With your medical skills, it'd be a shame if you couldn't even save yourself."
Xiao Wu lectured earnestly.
Ye Tian smiled without responding.
Not because he couldn't argue.
But because they were on completely different wavelengths.
Xiao Wu was purely a soul master—even less politically savvy than him.
Her words conflated politics with the grudges between soul masters.
While rulers, like powerful soul masters, could be capricious and abuse their power,
The two were fundamentally different.
Politics was about influence.
It wasn't a one-man show.
Even if the Heaven Dou Crown Prince weren't Qian Renxue and had no hidden ties to Ye Tian,
As Xue Qinghe's savior, Ye Tian could boast all he wanted in Heaven Dou City without fear of reprisal.
In fact, Xue Qinghe would protect him.
Why? To show his generosity.
Anyone with basic political sense would understand.
But Xiao Wu, of course, was an exception.
She was a soul master through and through.
Soul masters could act on personal grudges—it only affected a few people.
But in politics, personal conflicts involved hundreds, even thousands.
A single misstep could lead to rivers of blood, as was happening now.
Ye Tian changed the subject with a faint smile. "I've long heard of the Master's reputation. Do you think I could meet him?"
"Sure!" Xiao Wu agreed immediately, stepping closer with a bright smile. "The Master's heard of you too!"
That much was true.
When she, Ning Rongrong, Dai Mubai, and the others had visited the Master two days ago,
Ning Rongrong had told him about Ye Tian.
The Master's expression had turned grave.
He'd said someone like Ye Tian would be terrifying if they couldn't be befriended.
Even Ning Rongrong, who usually held a grudge against Ye Tian, had nodded in rare agreement.
But Xiao Wu couldn't help feeling uneasy.
She knew Ye Tian wouldn't stay in Heaven Dou City.
With his talents now exposed and no powerful backer,
Staying any longer would only invite disaster.
"Later, if the Master asks you anything, don't spill everything," Xiao Wu whispered.
"The Master may be renowned, but he's already leaning toward serving the Heaven Dou Empire."
She didn't elaborate.
The Master was, after all, half a mentor to her.
It didn't feel right to criticize him.
But Xiao Wu knew the adult world had no absolute justice.
The Master's soul master expertise was only slightly above Ye Tian's.
Years of enduring disdain from his family and others had left him somewhat bitter,
Always eager to prove himself, even to the point of extremism.
Of course, serving Heaven Dou wasn't inherently wrong.
Cultivation knew no borders, but soul masters had nationalities.
Xiao Wu just believed soul masters should stay pure,
Focusing solely on strength.
Too many distractions led to unhappiness.
But she also understood her perspective might be skewed as a spirit beast.
Human motivations were harder for her to grasp.
So she refrained from judging the Master's choices.
Yet after months together, she knew Ye Tian was a true friend worth trusting.
She didn't want anything bad to happen to him on her watch.
That would haunt her forever.
"Thanks for the warning. I'll be careful," Ye Tian said, reaching out to tousle Xiao Wu's rabbit ears.
But she deftly dodged, sticking out her tongue.
"No touching the ears!"
"Come on, let's go. The Master's probably getting impatient."
Xiao Wu beckoned.
"Alright." Ye Tian nodded, then turned and gently patted Xue Lanlan. "Wait for me."
"...Okay." Xue Lanlan tried to hide her unease.
Through the dim tunnel, Ye Tian finally saw the Master in another chamber.
He was younger than expected—maybe in his thirties.
His beard was unkempt, as if untouched for months.
Dark circles under his eyes betrayed a chronic lack of sleep.
Under the crystal lamp's glow, the Master noticed Ye Tian and Xiao Wu entering.
He frowned first at Xiao Wu.
His prized disciple's almost-girlfriend was getting cozy with Ye Tian.
Displeasing.
Spirit beasts had no shame.
Though Ning Rongrong had begged him not to tell Tang San,
The Master felt hiding this would be a disservice to his beloved student.
Otherwise, cuckoldry was inevitable.
Tang San was his only disciple, a prodigy with godly potential.
He could have any beauty he wanted—no need to cling to Xiao Wu.
Then his gaze shifted indifferently to Ye Tian.
With a forced smile, he said,
"You're Ye Tian?"
"That's me." Ye Tian didn't bow, merely offering a casual smile, as if to an equal.
"No manners." The Master mentally labeled him.
But he didn't call it out.
Just some brat with a bit of skill.
Bothering with him would be beneath his dignity!
(End of Chapter)