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But soon, Xuan Zi grew even more tense.
The severe injuries sustained by these future pillars of Shrek Academy had already left him overwhelmed. When he sensed Ye Wen approaching, it sent a whiff of unease through him. And upon recognizing the newcomer as Ye Wen, it felt like a hammer blow to his head.
From the moment Ye Wen's presence had first leaked out, to when he was brutally crushed by the man, Xuan Zi had never stopped keeping tabs on Ye Wen's movements.
Though Xuan Zi wasn't particularly sharp-minded, he had vaguely deduced Ye Wen's ambition.
To replace Shrek Academy.
This thought alone had filled Xuan Zi with an immense sense of vigilance toward Ye Wen.
If he had the ability, Xuan Zi wouldn't hesitate to kill Ye Wen on the spot.
But—
A single rank difference was like an insurmountable abyss.
At this point, rather than thinking about killing Ye Wen, Xuan Zi was more concerned with how to protect himself. Shrek Academy was about to lose Mu En, and they couldn't afford to lose their only remaining 98th-level Titled Douluo. Otherwise, Shrek Academy might plummet from its status as a top-tier power to a mid-tier one.
Meanwhile, Ma Xiaotao and the others were growing increasingly anxious. They didn't know what Xuan Zi was frozen in place for and began urging him.
"Elder Xuan!"
Finally snapping out of his thoughts, Xuan Zi quickly raised his hand to stop Ma Xiaotao and the others behind him from making any sudden moves.
This gesture immediately signaled to Ma Xiaotao and her group that the person before them was someone who commanded Xuan Zi's utmost caution.
But with their strongest members being mere Soul Emperors, how could they dare interfere in a confrontation between Titled Douluos? They could only cower in the back, fully on guard.
"But this big brother doesn't look like a bad guy," Ma Xiaotao muttered to herself, even feeling a slight flutter in her heart. After all, Ye Wen's demeanor was exceptionally striking.
Xuan Zi, of course, had no idea that Ma Xiaotao was already smitten after just meeting Ye Wen. If he did, he would have been hopping mad, cursing the bleak future of Shrek Academy.
"Lord Tian Xing, let's not beat around the bush. You clearly didn't wander here by accident. State your demands, but I beg you not to harm these children," Xuan Zi said cautiously.
This scene struck Ma Xiaotao like lightning. Xuan Zi had always been portrayed as a carefree elder within Shrek Academy. When had he ever acted so humbly? He resembled those desperate admirers trying to win her favor.
Ye Wen had no intention of humiliating a strong opponent's dignity. After all, over the years, he had seen enough of such displays among his subordinates.
"There's no need for this, Xuan Zi. You know my strength. If I truly wanted to harm you, you'd already be dead," Ye Wen said kindly.
Though Ye Wen's words were blunt, they actually put Xuan Zi at ease. A supreme powerhouse like Ye Wen surely wouldn't bother lying to someone as weak as him.
Thus, the immediate priority was to get these inner court students back to Shrek for treatment. Xuan Zi eagerly urged:
"Yes, yes, Senior is right. But as you can see, these children are gravely injured.
If you have other matters, please allow me to take these children back for treatment first, and then we can discuss further. These children cannot wait any longer."
Upon hearing this, Ye Wen shook his head slightly. As expected, Xuan Zi hadn't suffered enough from a lack of critical thinking.
Just moments ago, he had explicitly stated that he didn't come here without purpose, yet now he wanted to brush Ye Wen aside? Did he think Ye Wen had come all this way for nothing?
But Xuan Zi interpreted Ye Wen's shake of the head differently.
Oh no, this guy isn't attacking me now because he's afraid of completely eradicating Shrek's future hope, forcing me into a desperate fight to the death.
Instead, he plans to quietly eliminate these distant hopes here first, then finish me off after Elder Mu passes away, ensuring Shrek Academy's fall from grace!
What a terrifying scheme!
"You won't be able to fully heal them even if you bring them back to Shrek—"
Before Ye Wen could finish, Xuan Zi's body erupted with overwhelming energy. His true body armor activated, entering full combat mode. Behind him, the shadow of his martial soul—the Taotie Divine Ox—began to materialize.
Though called an ox, its form was more akin to a goat. Its eyes were bizarrely located under its armpits, with tiger-like teeth, human-like claws, and a pair of massive horns—it was as grotesque as could be.
"You shall not!"
With a fierce shout, Xuan Zi shot forward, charging directly at Ye Wen.
It seemed he intended to drive Ye Wen out of the cave, relocating their battlefield to avoid causing further harm to the students.
In the process, Xuan Zi shouted loudly:
"Go! Don't worry about me! I'll buy you time!"
Ma Xiaotao and the others immediately followed his command, quickly gathering their severely injured comrades, preparing to escape in the chaos once Xuan Zi turned the place upside down.
Ye Wen sighed softly.
It was impossible to communicate on the same wavelength with muscle-brained individuals.
But what made this weakling, who couldn't even withstand a single blow from him, believe he had the ability to hold Ye Wen back? A flicker of cold mockery passed through Ye Wen's eyes.
Wouldn't it have been better to let me quietly plant my hidden pieces? What a hassle~
Ye Wen snapped his fingers, and Xuan Zi, who had been radiating ferocity just moments ago, instantly vanished from the cave.
This sight left Ma Xiaotao and the others, who were preparing to flee, utterly dumbfounded.
W-what should we do? Our teacher never taught us this!
At this moment, Ye Wen resumed his gentle smile and spoke softly:
"Calm down. If I really wanted to harm you, I could have simply attacked from the mountaintop above. Why would I bother coming to this filthy place myself?"
As Ye Wen's gaze fell on her, Ma Xiaotao's cheeks flushed red. Without the suppression of Ultimate Ice, her mind had been clouded lately by impure thoughts, leaving her somewhat dazed. She nodded instinctively.
Ye Wen hadn't teleported Xuan Zi far—just outside to cool off for a bit.
From the cave to the entrance, Xuan Zi was bewildered. But soon, he realized the vast gap in strength between them. Still, his concern for the students compelled him to quickly return to the cave.
This time, Xuan Zi didn't rush to attack. Instead, he spread his arms wide, blocking Ma Xiaotao and the others from Ye Wen.
"Whatever you want, direct it at me! They're just children!"
Seeing this, Ye Wen rubbed his temples in exasperation. Ma Xiaotao and the others awkwardly averted their gazes. Ye Wen hadn't done anything, yet their leader was putting on such an embarrassing display.
But as an elder, Xuan Zi couldn't be openly criticized by Ma Xiaotao and the others.
Finally, Ye Wen broke the tension: "You've been rambling nonsense this whole time. Is your martial soul's side effect acting up again? Hurry up and eat something to calm down while I'm still in a good mood and willing to wait for you.
Otherwise, I might not be able to resist slapping you to death with one strike!"
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