Chapter 58 Isolated and Helpless!
On the other side.
The Ten Thousand Demon King opened his eyes, the shadow within them filled with helplessness. The middle-aged man captured by Zhang Lexuan was naturally his clone, and the location of that clone was something he had deliberately exposed.
Otherwise, relying on those "still wet behind the ears" inner court brats to discover his whereabouts? That would be treating the Ten Thousand Demon King like a fool.
"What is the master thinking, making me, the dignified Ten Thousand Demon King, act in a play with a few Shrek children and even say such humiliating lines?"
The Ten Thousand Demon King clutched his forehead in pain. Even though no one knew it was his clone, he still felt socially dead.
He was not foolish. In fact, he was the most intelligent being in the Star Dou Great Forest.
He fully understood that Lin Yun had him intentionally reveal his location and perform such a cringeworthy act for the sake of misleading Shrek. It was nine parts out of ten meant to plunge them into internal strife.
But that did not change the fact that he felt the whole thing was unbearably childish.
Forcing someone with hundreds of thousands of years of life to do such a thing—the master truly had no sense of propriety.
"Forget it. No one knows anyway. Let's check the progress." The Ten Thousand Demon King shook his head. But when he pushed the door open and entered, he was immediately startled.
"What the hell, what's going on here?"
The dimness inside the room had been swept away, replaced with bright warmth. Yet this radiance did not come from lamps—it emanated from Sheng Xin.
At this moment, Sheng Xin was desperately releasing Holy Light Healing and Blessings of Light, her smooth forehead beaded with sweat.
Before her sat Qing Ye, still writing furiously. His face was gaunt, his temples gray, yet his pen never ceased to move. His appearance suggested that if Sheng Xin dared to stop her soul skills, he would collapse and die on the spot.
"Why aren't you resting?!" The Ten Thousand Demon King's voice thundered. "Even with Sheng Xin's support, you are just a mortal. You cannot expend your spirit like this. Continue, and you will surely die!"
Qing Ye did not respond. His emaciated right hand gripped the pen tightly, his bloodshot eyes fixed without wavering. Just as the Ten Thousand Demon King prepared to forcibly interrupt his suicidal behavior, Qing Ye wrote the final period on the page.
"My task… is finished!" Qing Ye looked with satisfaction at the stack of completed books before him, a sincere smile spreading across his weary face.
"…Idiot!" The Ten Thousand Demon King's scalp prickled. He instantly shifted into his true form, extending a branch to squeeze out copious tree sap, condensing it into a single leaf brimming with life force. With a flash, the leaf shot into Qing Ye's brow.
With this life leaf forced out by the Ten Thousand Demon King, Qing Ye's flickering life, like a candle in the wind, stabilized once more.
Yet his black hair still turned white at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Returning to his human form, the Ten Thousand Demon King exhaled heavily twice, then said helplessly to Qing Ye, "This is all I can do. Take care of yourself."
With that, the Ten Thousand Demon King departed, carrying away the books Qing Ye had finished. Only Sheng Xin remained, continuing to release her gentle light soul power, ceaselessly nourishing Qing Ye's frail body.
…
Zhou Yi, her mentality already in pieces, abandoned her rebellious teaching style. For days she had no mood for classes at all, letting Lin Yun and the others do as they pleased, free to spend their time however they wished.
The main reason was that Fan Yu had also exploded.
Fan Yu might have been obsessed with soul tools, but he was not completely detached from worldly affairs—especially something as widespread across the continent as the large-scale "documentary" Dragon and Phoenix in Harmony.
When he saw the scene of himself selling hooks, Fan Yu's blood pressure spiked, his face flushing instantly with rage. Right then, he kicked away Zhou Yi, who was venting beside him.
"I spoiled you too much. That is what dragged us into this whirlpool." Fan Yu looked at Zhou Yi with disappointment, put on his clothes, and left without turning back. From then on, he never returned home, eating and sleeping within the Soul Tool Department without taking a single step away.
Back when he had chosen between Zhou Yi and Mu Jin, it was because he preferred Zhou Yi's lively, energetic nature. She had been much like Tang Ya back then—cheerful, carefree, full of vigor.
But what he never expected was that Zhou Yi would turn into someone like this.
So… unfamiliar.
And with Fan Yu's departure, Zhou Yi lost her final support.
Even Lin Yun did not expect her to fall into such an isolated, helpless state so quickly. Yet now that she was, it was time for the hunt to begin.
"Send word. Step three of the plan—begin." Lin Yun watched the despair-ridden Zhou Yi from a distance, his lips curling into a cold smile as he gave the order.
"Yes, master!" Bing Di answered joyfully.
Never had she imagined that dismantling humanity from within could be so simple. Just a few books had thrown the continent's foremost academy into such turmoil.
Though Shrek had not yet suffered material losses, its reputation had taken a heavy blow.
The master was simply too formidable!
Meanwhile, the Ten Thousand Demon King, after receiving Bing Di's transmission, silently pulled a single book from a thick stack. With a casual wave, he copied it into countless identical volumes before turning and leaving.
"No wonder those tycoons in my past life all carried that air of calm laziness. With such dependable subordinates, all they had to do was assign tasks, and the work would be done perfectly. They only needed to check the results." Lin Yun rose, stretched lazily, and stroked his chin in thought.
The ferocious beasts of Star Dou were indeed useful. Di Tian's combat power was unmatched, Bi Ji's healing unrivaled, the Ten Thousand Demon King excelled at scheming, and with himself as the hidden hand, they made up a complete professional team.
At his side, Xiao Xiao noticed the depth in Lin Yun's eyes. Following his gaze to the broken Zhou Yi, she asked with doubt, "Lin Yun, since everyone else has left Class One, why haven't you, after clashing with the teacher, also gone?"
"To me, it makes no difference. Anywhere is the same." Lin Yun smiled faintly, reaching out to ruffle Xiao Xiao's hair.
Xiao Xiao nodded, half in understanding.
In truth, Lin Yun stayed only because he wanted to witness the expression of prey left isolated and helpless, slowly sinking into despair.
As for why Xiao Xiao had not left, that was simply because of him.
A girl's thoughts were easy to read—written plainly on her face. But Lin Yun did not yet know how to respond to her feelings. For he was the sovereign of soul beasts, destined to stand against humanity.
His march of conquest would not stop for the sake of a woman.
(End of Chapter)
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