Chapter 261: Ping Xinyan's Outburst
"Boss! Over here!"
Sharp-eyed Fu Ya quickly noticed Qi Han being led to the viewing platform by a Shrek Academy student responsible for reception. She waved her hand and infused her voice with a touch of spirit power to carry it in his direction.
When Qi Han arrived at the platform, dressed in casual attire instead of his chef's coat, the area was already crowded with spectators.
Hearing Fu Ya's familiar voice, Qi Han glanced toward the four women. Smiling apologetically at the surrounding crowd, he slowly squeezed through.
The platform had a tiered structure, ensuring every spectator could clearly see the Sea God Fated Blind Date Festival proceedings. There wasn't much difference between standing at the front or back. Recognizing Qi Han, the crowd was happy to make way, allowing him to reunite with the women quickly.
By this time, several inner court students dressed in red academy uniforms had gathered near the shore of Sea God Lake. Without exception, all of them were male.
Their appearance at such an important event clearly indicated a connection to the upcoming Sea God Fated Blind Date Festival ceremony.
But where were the female students?
The sight of the male students sparked a flurry of speculation among the spectators.
Ping Xinyan, standing by the wooden railing of the viewing platform, propped herself up on tiptoe, scanning the group of male inner court students at the lake. Her gaze suddenly froze, her eyes reddening as her body began to tremble.
Why… Why is Qin Yuezhu here too?
Indeed, Qin Yuezhu was among the inner court students, wearing the same red uniform. He was chatting with another student beside him.
Ping Xinyan's unusual behavior was first noticed by Ji Yunruo, who stood beside her.
"Xinyan, what's wrong?" Ji Yunruo asked gently, placing a hand on her shoulder.
Her question drew the attention of the others, including Fu Ya, Ying Shuang, and Qi Han.
"I… I saw Qin Yuezhu…" Ping Xinyan's voice was low, devoid of her usual energy. Letting go of the railing, her body wavered weakly, and tears streamed down her pretty face. Ji Yunruo quickly supported her, looking increasingly worried.
She saw Qin Yuezhu?
Everyone froze momentarily before realizing what she meant. Their gazes quickly shifted toward the group of inner court students at the lakeshore.
After a careful search, they too spotted Qin Yuezhu.
"Scumbag! Heartless jerk!" Hot-tempered Ying Shuang immediately vented her frustration, stomping her foot angrily.
"Shuang, don't jump to conclusions." Fu Ya tugged at her sleeve and then approached Ping Xinyan to embrace her gently. "Sister Xinyan, don't worry. Standing by the lake doesn't necessarily mean he's participating in the Sea God Fated Blind Date Festival. Maybe Senior Qin is just here to cheer for the other students."
"This…" Ping Xinyan blinked, her mind clearing slightly. She quickly realized Fu Ya was right—she had been too hasty.
Ping Xinyan and Qin Yuezhu had been childhood sweethearts. Later, they attended Heaven Dou Royal Academy together.
With his superior talent, Qin Yuezhu reached five spirit rings and left the academy to join the Shrek inner court he had always dreamed of. Unfortunately, Ping Xinyan hadn't met the inner court's requirements and remained at Heaven Dou.
Given their long history, Ping Xinyan should have trusted Qin Yuezhu more. But ever since his entry into Shrek's inner court, their time together dwindled to just once every couple of months.
Shrek inner court boasted many talented female students. The thought of Qin Yuezhu frequently seeing them while rarely meeting her left Ping Xinyan feeling insecure and inadequate. She feared he might leave her for someone else.
This insecurity was why, after representing Heaven Dou in the Advanced Spirit Master Academy Fighting Tournament, she left the academy immediately and came to Shrek City.
With such concerns weighing on her, seeing Qin Yuezhu among the male students triggered an emotional storm. Calmly analyzing the situation was nearly impossible.
Caring too much clouded her judgment.
After being enlightened by Fu Ya, Ping Xinyan quickly came to her senses. She wiped her tears with a shy smile and said, "Fu Ya, thank you."
Fu Ya shook her head with a smile. Just as she was about to say something, a sudden burst of cheers erupted from the spectators' stand.
Everyone's attention was drawn to Sea God Lake, where twenty-two golden beams of light suddenly appeared, aligned in a straight row. The beams seemed to rise from beneath the water, shooting up to about ten meters in height.
Within each golden pillar floated a lotus leaf about one meter in diameter.
Atop each lotus leaf stood a female student.
Despite the fragile and seemingly weightless nature of the lotus leaves, which would typically sink immediately under pressure, these twenty-two female students stood with effortless grace.
The requirement to enter the inner court was a minimum of five spirit rings, and all these girls were powerful spirit masters with at least five rings. Moreover, with their light and agile bodies, standing on the delicate lotus leaves was an easy task for them.
The female students were all dressed uniformly in white gowns. Each wore a conical hat with a three-foot-long veil that hung down, completely concealing their faces.
Apart from differences in body shape, there was nothing else by which they could be distinguished.
At this moment, the female students of the inner court had made their grand appearance.
Generally speaking, female spirit masters tend to have well-proportioned figures unless they possess a special martial spirit. Without exception, the twenty-two female spirit masters on the lake had tall and graceful figures that left onlookers in awe.
As the female students appeared, exclamations rose not only from the spectators' stand but also from the male students of the inner court standing by the lakeside, who were visibly stirred.
A large ferryboat, about a hundred meters long, slowly approached from the direction of Sea God Island in the center of the lake. The boat was brightly lit, and faint shadows of people could be seen moving about onboard.
This was the largest ferry on Sea God Lake, offering the best viewing position for the event.
The identities of those aboard the ferry were obvious. Apart from the elders of the Sea God Pavilion and the teachers of the inner court, no one else had the privilege to board it.
The ferry finally stopped near the venue for the Sea God Fated Blind Date Festival. Once it was stabilized, a graceful figure, familiar to Qi Han, stepped out from the boat. She walked in the air, her elegant form stopping midair.
The moment the female students appeared, Qi Han had been clutching his hands tightly, but now he slowly loosened his grip.
She was not among the female students.
So… she wasn't participating in this year's Sea God Fated Blind Date Festival?
Although he had already made peace with the situation, Qi Han still couldn't help feeling a little delighted at this moment.
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On this special annual night of Sea God Fated Blind Date Festival, even Yue Lengxin, usually known for her cold demeanor, couldn't help but show a hint of a smile.
With her spirit power spread across the lake, her gentle voice reached everyone present at Sea God Lake.
"Sea God Fated Blind Date Festival upon the lake, a time for hearts to be joined. Welcome, everyone, to this beautiful night at Sea God Lake. The annual Sea God Fated Blind Date Festival matchmaking festival is about to begin. I am the host of tonight's event, Yue Lengxin, from Shrek Academy's inner court."
"I wish all the inner court students participating tonight the best in finding their destined love. I also extend a warm welcome to all the spectators present."
"Now, I officially declare the start of the Sea God Fated Blind Date Festival festival!"
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