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The train slowly pulled into Shrek City Station, and the two of them remained silent the entire journey.
Gu Yue had already been waiting there. She, too, had completed her final exam, and the proctors had since left. Seeing Na'er trailing behind Bai Xu, her spirit utterly broken, Gu Yue asked, "Have you told Na'er everything?"
Bai Xu nodded and glanced back at Na'er. "The information between the three of us is now synchronized. What she chooses to do is up to her—after all, this is one of the few lives she has."
Hearing this, Na'er's heart ached even more.
Gu Yue steadied Na'er, and the three of them entered a soul-powered car, slowly making their way toward the Spirit Pagoda headquarters.
Na'er, who had been silent the entire trip, finally spoke: "Is it true? That everything between me and Big Brother... is a lie?"
"That's for you to decide. Whether you remain stubbornly deluded or have a sudden epiphany, the emotions between you were real. You should learn to make your own choices in life independently."
Gu Yue didn't interject. She knew how sharp Bai Xu's words could be—and the more she listened, the more she understood.
——————
"What an outrage! Ignoring the teacher's warnings and killing them anyway—he's gone too far!" In the outer academy conference room, several teachers responsible for overseeing the students' final exams were reporting to Elder Cai.
On the large screen played footage of Bai Xu instantly killing five Soul Kings and a disciple of the Ouyang family.
Wu Zhangkong frowned slightly. Bai Xu's spiritual power was beyond excessive. In a real fight, anyone with weaker spiritual cultivation would be instantly annihilated. Such was the terror of a spiritual-type soul master.
Yet, some disagreed. "I actually think the kid did well. Even if the Dragon Spear Goddess has lost her talent, she's still the Pavilion Master's disciple. Who does the Ouyang family think they are, daring to openly abduct her in broad daylight? Let that old bastard Ouyang come! We'll see how this ends!"
Many nodded in silent agreement.
Elder Cai sighed. "I'm not saying Bai Xu was wrong. But look closely at his eyes—what do you see?"
The teachers were puzzled. Ruthlessness? Decisiveness? Brutality?
Those weren't unusual in the soul master world. Without such traits, would one just prattle on about 'peace and justice' in battle?
It was then that Wu Zhangkong spoke. "Bai Xu... lacks a sense of reverence. Reverence for Shrek's teachers, for Shrek Academy itself, and for the Master of the Sea God's Pavilion."
As soon as he said this, Bai Xu's exam proctor immediately stood up. "Exactly! That's the feeling I had. The kid showed no respect—not toward me, not toward Shrek!"
Elder Cai nodded. "Yes. His mindset is dangerous. He's different from the other freshmen. Whether it's extreme introversion or calculated scheming, I can't tell."
Then, Elder Cai turned to Wu Zhangkong. "Is Bai Xu also a work-study student?"
Wu Zhangkong nodded. "He shares a dorm with Gu Yue. The Pavilion Master's disciple has moved in with them as well."
"That won't do. If such a promising seedling continues down this path, it'll harm his future. He needs to integrate with the team. For now, mark his exam as a pass—no expulsion yet. But if next semester he remains stubborn, then he and Shrek simply weren't meant to be."
——————
Gu Yue stayed behind at the Spirit Pagoda headquarters due to her duties, while Bai Xu and Na'er returned to their dorm. Na'er remained inside all day, seemingly lost in cultivation, with Bai Xu bringing her meals.
"Your brother won't be back for a few more days. He was apparently attacked by evil soul masters and is currently in Heaven Dou City," Bai Xu said as he returned with dinner, sitting on his bed to eat.
Na'er emerged from her meditation, staring blankly at the food before speaking. "Based on what you've said, everything he's going through is just trials. He'll be fine—might even gain opportunities from it."
"Mm. You see things clearly. You're quite sharp," Bai Xu remarked, offering rare praise.
Na'er hesitated for a long time before finally picking up her meal. It wasn't anything luxurious—just street food packed to-go. Lost, she murmured, "I just don't know how to face Big Brother. Am I supposed to stab him in the back?"
"I can't do it. You're right. Even if it's all a lie, my feelings for him are real." Na'er smiled bitterly.
"Take your time. Rebuild your Dao heart. There's even more shocking news later—your Dao heart will shatter and reform again. I'm curious to see what kind of Silver Dragon King will emerge in the end." Bai Xu wasn't in a hurry. Once they reached the Dragon Tomb...
He would dig up the very roots of the dragon race.
What 'Heaven is unjust, the Divine Realm unforgiving'?
What 'vengeance for the soul beasts'?
What 'the greatness of the Dragon God'?
All just clowns. But Bai Xu would smash that clown mask apart to see what lay beneath—madness or benevolence.
Though the Dragon God was indeed 'great'—no need to elaborate.
"What else are you scheming? Isn't this enough? I'll merge perfectly with Gu Yue. You..." Na'er's voice trembled with agitation as she heard Bai Xu's words. "Do you even know Gu Yue loves you? She knew she'd oppose you in the future, yet she fell for you anyway. She treasures every moment with you now. What more do you want?"
The soul beasts sought to return to antiquity, to dominate all life on the continent—humanity's fate included. But the Plane's Will would never allow it. History could not be reversed. Those who tried to halt its wheels would be crushed into the mud, never to rise again.
Bai Xu stood with the Plane's Will. Their stances were irreconcilable.
Meeting Na'er's gaze, Bai Xu spoke calmly, "Of course I know. Gu Yue and I both do. Perhaps once, you and I were close friends. Even if bonds remain between us, when it comes to the survival of races and the unity of nations, all we can do is scheme against each other and await the final outcome. There are many things in this world more important than love, Na'er. Your self-respect is one of them. Once the semester starts, Gu Yue will return your talents and send you back to the pinnacle. After that, whether you fall for Tang Wulin or not, I've done all I can."
Na'er fell silent. Bai Xu saw everything more clearly than she did. Whether in major matters or trivial ones, this man was far more mature. What to do, what not to do—he seemed to have already calculated it all.
"Heh. Right. No wonder I feel like you're out of place in this world. While everyone else is lost in delusion, you alone are awake. That makes you the outlier. Gu Yue was right—being near you makes me feel small. It's... unbearable. Regardless, I won't resist merging with Gu Yue anymore. But Big Brother will always be my brother. I only ask one thing: if he ever stands in your way, spare him once. If he still refuses to see reason, then at least I tried. I'll have no regrets."
Bai Xu stood. "That's for Gu Yue to decide. I owe you no karma, and you've done me no favors. I won't make promises lightly."
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T/N: About the extra chapter, I'm gonna upload it together with the next chapter.