Sea God Lake.
As the most important area of Shrek Academy, Sea God Lake covered an immense space—nearly one-third of the entire campus. The waters were crystal clear, and along the lakeshore gathered many students from the outer court. Occasionally, a figure would fly from the island at the lake's center or return to it, each appearance triggering waves of envious cheers from those by the shore.
Those figures were all inner court disciples.
The Shrek Inner Court was widely recognized as the place with the highest concentration of geniuses across the entire Douluo Continent. Every outer court student's ultimate goal was to be admitted into the inner court, to become a true Shrek disciple. However, gaining admission was no easy feat. Under normal circumstances, an outer court student had to first meet the graduation standard—reaching the level of a four-ring Soul Ancestor—and then pass a battle examination. Only by winning could one be accepted into the inner court.
But that was only the conventional method. There was also a special path: if a student's talent was outstanding enough to attract the interest of a Sea God Pavilion elder, they might be accepted as a personal disciple. In that case, regardless of cultivation level, they would be brought directly into the inner court.
Naturally, this scenario was extremely rare. There were many geniuses, but true peerless geniuses—those who stood unmatched in their generation—were always few in number.
On the lakeside path—
Zhu Ziyang and the others were walking along the edge of the lake. Jiang Nannan and Tang Ya strolled in front, while Zhu Ziyang and Yu Beibei followed behind.
The lakeside breeze was cool, carrying a faint touch of moisture as it brushed gently against their skin. It felt like a mother's tender caress, soothing and comforting.
"Ah, this is so relaxing!" Tang Ya stretched lazily, letting out a contented sigh.
"It really is! This is my first time seeing such a beautiful place," Jiang Nannan smiled softly. Her delicate features reflected the lake's shimmering waves as she spoke quietly.
Behind them, Zhu Ziyang and Yu Beibei watched the two girls and felt similarly uplifted in mood.
"Beibei?"
Just as they reached the midpoint of the lakeside trail, a voice suddenly called out from behind them—someone calling Yu Beibei.
The group turned around to see a young woman, perhaps twenty years old, walking toward them. Her long black hair flowed down to her waist, and her face was exquisitely delicate, her skin fair and flawless. She wore a faint smile, and her gentle, serene demeanor left a deep impression.
She radiated an air of softness and grace.
That was the mutual thought of Zhu Ziyang, Jiang Nannan, and Tang Ya. As for Yu Beibei, the moment this woman appeared, he became noticeably awkward. Though he tried to hide it, both the perceptive Zhu Ziyang and the familiar Tang Ya caught on immediately.
Beibei knew this woman.
"Lexuan-jie!" Yu Beibei's voice confirmed their suspicions. His tone was full of joy and surprise, and for once, a rare expression of reverence appeared on his handsome face.
Tang Ya's expression changed slightly. Beibei had never mentioned anyone named Lexuan before. Though she was confident in her own beauty, this mature and gentle woman clearly had a deep connection with Beibei, and Tang Ya couldn't help but feel a sense of crisis.
Zhu Ziyang also reacted inwardly at the name Beibei called her.
Senior Sister Zhang Lexuan!
In the fragments of the novel "Peerless Tang Sect" that he remembered from his past life, the name Zhang Lexuan appeared—she was the senior sister of the Shrek Inner Court.
The woman before them had to be the same Zhang Lexuan mentioned in the book. So, there was something between her and Yu Beibei after all.
Zhu Ziyang couldn't help but reveal a knowing smile.
"When did you arrive?" Lexuan walked up and gave a glance at Zhu Ziyang, Jiang Nannan, and Tang Ya before turning to Yu Beibei. Her tone was gentle—like a caring sister—but subtly laced with the tender concern of a wife.
"I arrived yesterday," Yu Beibei smiled as he looked at her. "Lexuan-jie, what brings you to the outer court?"
"I had some business to take care of. These are your classmates?" she asked vaguely, clearly unwilling to admit she had come specifically for him. Her gaze drifted toward the others, pausing briefly on Tang Ya and Jiang Nannan before she smiled, "Hello, I'm Beibei's sister."
Yu Beibei quickly followed up with an introduction. "Yes, Lexuan-jie. This is Zhu Ziyang, and this is Jiang Nannan—Ziyang's childhood friend. And this is Tang Ya—you've probably heard of her. Everyone, this is my sister, Zhang Lexuan. She's a disciple of the Shrek Inner Court. I was raised by her when I was young."
When introducing Tang Ya, Beibei's voice was slightly shy. The final sentence was clearly said for Tang Ya's benefit. His instincts were sharp.
Zhang Lexuan greeted Zhu Ziyang and Jiang Nannan with a soft smile. "Nice to meet you both."
"Nice to meet you." The two responded in unison.
Zhu Ziyang watched her calmly, his thoughts stirring, while Jiang Nannan felt a strange sense of closeness toward her that she couldn't quite explain.
Then Zhang Lexuan looked at Tang Ya, and for the first time, her calm gaze rippled faintly. "So you're Xiaoya. Hello."
"Hello!" Tang Ya responded, but unease stirred within her. Something about this woman didn't sit right. Beibei had never mentioned a sister—and this woman's attitude toward him didn't feel purely familial. It was a woman's instinct.
"Beibei, why don't you catch up with your sister? Nannan and I will walk ahead a bit," Tang Ya said, tugging Jiang Nannan along with her.
Jiang Nannan was caught off guard but followed, glancing at Zhu Ziyang in confusion. He naturally wouldn't stay behind either and quickly caught up with the two girls.
"Xiaoya?" Beibei called out, puzzled by Tang Ya's sudden departure. Not wanting to leave things hanging, he quickly told Zhang Lexuan, "Lexuan-jie, I'll come find you later. Bye for now!" and rushed after them.
Zhang Lexuan stood frozen in place. She stared at Yu Beibei's anxious expression as he chased after Tang Ya. She didn't know why, but her heart felt chaotic—grief, joy, confusion, and an indescribable bitterness swelled within her.
Unknowingly, a single tear slid down her flawless cheek.
Zhu Ziyang glanced back and noticed that Zhang Lexuan had already disappeared.
After that brief interruption, Tang Ya no longer felt like walking around the lake. She pulled Jiang Nannan along and returned to the dormitory. Though Jiang Nannan had hoped to continue strolling with Zhu Ziyang, she couldn't bear to leave her friend when she looked so down. After all, Tang Ya was the first girl her age that Jiang Nannan had really bonded with. So, she simply bid Zhu Ziyang goodbye.
Zhu Ziyang didn't object. Jiang Nannan wasn't his possession—she was a living, feeling person. Back in Anyang City, her overwhelming talent had isolated her from her peers, especially other girls. She'd never had friends her age besides him. Now that they were at Shrek Academy, he naturally hoped she could find a close friend or two. And Tang Ya, as her roommate, was the perfect candidate in both identity and compatibility.
With the girls gone, Zhu Ziyang and Yu Beibei—two grown boys—had no desire to stroll around the lake together, so they returned to their dormitory as well.
(End of Chapter)
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