Chapter 77 Xuanzi's defenses are breached! How am I supposed to explain this now?
Inside the banquet hall, the lights were on full display, with thousands of soul-guided lamps illuminating the entire state guesthouse as if it were daytime.
As Emperor Tianhun finished speaking, the musicians began to play a solemn and elegant royal symphony.
Xuanzi hid in a dark corner, his gray-brown cloak concealing his entire figure.
His gaze, like that of a venomous snake, was fixed on the end of the red carpet leading to the platform.
His breathing became extremely shallow due to excessive tension, and he even forcibly suppressed his heart rate in order not to attract the attention of Poison Undying.
Under the watchful eyes of everyone, two figures finally emerged slowly from behind.
Princess Vina held the arm of the young man beside her, her steps light and graceful.
The young man was dressed in a black and gold patterned outfit, and his posture was as upright as a pine tree.
He wasn't wearing a mask or making any attempt to conceal himself; his slightly immature yet already angular face was completely exposed to the bright lights.
Xuanzi's pupils suddenly shrank to the size of pinpoints in that instant.
He saw it clearly.
His slightly upturned nose, the calm and deep contours of his eyes, and the lingering indifference between his brows.
Xuanzi was all too familiar with this face.
A few months ago, in the freshman dormitory area of Shrek Academy, on that sunny afternoon, the owner of this face silently accepted his expulsion order. Without any pleading, he simply carried a simple bag and walked out of the gates of Shrek.
"It really is him?"
Xuanzi's body trembled violently, as if he had been frozen in place by a spell.
Before he arrived, he still harbored a last glimmer of hope deep down.
He kept reassuring himself that maybe it was just a coincidence, maybe it was just a similar name, or maybe it was just a similar martial spirit.
After all, in his understanding, Liu Yuan, who left school back then, had such weak soul power that he was almost useless, and his martial soul was so damaged that he was half blind.
He didn't believe Liu Yuan would grow so much.
He couldn't believe that someone could transform from a useless person into such a prodigy in just a few months.
But now, with that face clearly presented before him, Xuanzi's last shred of hope was shattered.
"This...how is this possible? Why is this happening?"
Xuanzi completely broke down.
He felt as if his brain had been struck by lightning in that instant, and all his logic and pride were crushed into dust in the face of the facts.
He was in extreme discomfort; an unprecedented feeling of suffocation welled up inside him.
He stared blankly at the spirited young man below.
The child who should have been diligently cultivating in the inner courtyard of Shrek Academy, who should have represented Shrek in future battles across the continent, and who should have been personally taught by him, is now standing in the center of the imperial city of the Heavenly Soul Empire, receiving the homage of the powerful and wealthy from all over the continent as the successor of the Body Sect.
The culprit behind all of this was himself.
Xuanzi could only cower in the shadows with a blank stare. He didn't even dare to make a sound, for fear of attracting the attention of Du Busi.
And in the banquet center below.
Liu Yuan was unaware of Xuanzi's spying. Or rather, in such a noisy environment, as long as Xuanzi did not reveal any murderous intent, it would be difficult for him to sense the lurking presence of a level 98 Super Douluo.
He was accompanying Vina as she walked among the guests.
After Emperor Tianhun publicly announced their engagement, their relationship had received the endorsement of both the royal family and the sect.
Almost all the celebrities, nobles, and even envoys from other duchies and sects who attended the banquet lowered their guard and took the initiative to befriend Liu Yuan.
After all, Liu Yuan's status was too noble.
He is not only the undisputed successor of the Body Sect in this generation, but also Princess Vina's future husband and the prospective consort of the Heavenly Soul Empire.
In the Heavenly Soul Empire, the Body Sect was originally the guardian sect of the nation, possessing a transcendent status.
Liu Yuan's future status in the empire will not be limited to the sect, but may even involve him in the decision-making of the royal family.
We are all intelligent people, and when faced with someone who is destined to reach the pinnacle in the future, making friends with him is naturally the top priority.
Liu Yuan responded appropriately, his words concise and composed. This maturity beyond his years earned him the approval of even the old foxes who had initially harbored doubts about him.
Not far away, Wang Yanfeng, holding a wine glass, watched this scene with a smile and said to his fellow disciples, "Now that's good, Vina can finally relax completely. With the official announcement in public, her husband's status is set, and there's no way he can run away now."
Chen Lu shrugged, looking at Liu Yuan and Vina standing side by side, his tone tinged with envy: "Senior brother's wedding is just around the corner, I wonder when we brothers will be able to find our other halves? We can't just watch those two flaunting their love every day, can we?"
Gu Tong had been paying attention to the movements of the people around him. He turned his head and saw Long Aotian on one side.
Long Aotian wasn't watching the spectacle; instead, he was staring intently at the crack Liu Yuan had created when he stepped onto the stage, so much so that he didn't even notice his wine glass tilting.
Gu Tong nudged him, puzzled. "Aotian, what are you thinking about? Why are you spacing out in such a lively setting?"
Long Aotian snapped out of his reverie, paused for a moment, and then said earnestly, "I was thinking that when Junior Brother Liu Yuan activated his amplification, the way he unleashed that mental pressure was quite unique. After I return to the sect, should I also improve my 'Heaven and Earth Transformation'? If I could add a stronger shock attribute in the Silver Awakening state, it might be more advantageous when dealing with Double Pupils."
Upon hearing this, everyone's lips twitched in unison.
Wang Yanfeng sighed, rubbing his forehead, "I'm truly impressed by him. On such a joyous occasion, he's still thinking about how to compete and how to become stronger? Aotian, you're probably destined to spend your life with your martial spirit."
...
The banquet continued, with subsequent dances and cocktail parties lasting for several hours.
Finally, as night fell, the grand banquet came to an end.
Emperor Tianhun returned to the palace to rest first, while Liu Yuan, with Vina's reluctant farewell, led the core disciples of the Body Sect back to the state guest hotel arranged by the royal family.
Only after the lights in the entire hall gradually went out, and after the last servant finished cleaning up the scene and left, did Xuanzi slowly emerge from that dark corner.
At this moment, his face was extremely pale, with a deathly pallor.
"Damn it...why did this happen?"
Xuanzi suddenly grabbed a stone pillar next to him, his fingers leaving deep marks on the hard stone due to excessive force.
His heart was filled with endless regret and fear.
"What should I do now? What have I done?"
Xuanzi muttered to himself, his voice trembling uncontrollably.
"Doesn't this mean that I, Xuanzi, have truly become the greatest sinner in the ten thousand years since Shrek Academy was founded?"
"I personally drove away a genius who should have belonged to Shrek Academy and possessed the potential to become a Limit Douluo!"
As soon as Xuanzi closes his eyes, he can picture Mu En's face, which, though aged, remains clear and bright.
"How am I going to explain this when I get back? If Elder Mu finds out the truth, if he knows that this prodigy of the Body Sect is Liu Yuan, whom I drove away, how disappointed he will be in me?"
"Shrek... an eternal honor..."
Xuanzi stumbled out of the hall and walked on the deserted streets of the imperial city.
The cold wind blew through his cloak, but it couldn't dispel the chill in his heart.
He knew very well that from this moment on, his name would not only represent the elders of Shrek Academy, but could also become the turning point in Shrek's decline.
He had to do something, even if it meant setting aside all his dignity, even if it meant begging, he had to salvage the situation.
But when Xuanzi thought of Liu Yuan's icy gaze on stage, he realized that he was almost losing the courage to even approach him.
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(End of chapter)