Sea God Lake.
As the most important area of Shrek Academy, Sea God Lake was massive, taking up almost one-third of the academy's total area. Its waters were crystal clear, and many Outer Court students gathered along the lakeside. Occasionally, a figure would fly in or out from the small island at the center of the lake, prompting cheers and envy from those watching.
Those were Inner Court students.
The Inner Court of Shrek Academy was arguably the place with the highest concentration of geniuses on the Douluo Continent. Every Outer Court student's ultimate goal was to enter the Inner Court and become a true member of Shrek. However, getting in was no easy feat.
Under normal circumstances, an Outer Court student had to:
Meet the Outer Court graduation requirement (reaching the fourth ring / Soul Ancestor level),
And pass a combat trial—only those who won would be accepted into the Inner Court.
However, there was another, rarer method: if a student's talent was so extraordinary that they caught the attention of one of the Sea God Pavilion Elders, they could be accepted directly as a disciple, regardless of their current level. This guaranteed Inner Court status.
But such cases were extremely rare. While many were talented, true peerless geniuses—those qualified to be called "once in a generation"—were very few.
Lakeside Path.
Zhu Ziyang and his group of four were walking along the lakeside. Jiang Nannan and Tang Ya led the way, while Zhu Ziyang and Yu Beibei followed behind them.
The cool lake breeze, carrying a soft, moist freshness, gently caressed their skin—like a mother's tender touch—making them feel very comfortable.
"Ahh, this is so relaxing!" Tang Ya stretched lazily and sighed contentedly.
"It really is! I've never seen a place so beautiful before," Jiang Nannan replied with a smile. Her clear eyes shimmered like the lake itself.
Zhu Ziyang and Yu Beibei watched the girls in front of them, enjoying the peaceful atmosphere.
Suddenly—
"Beibei?"
A voice called out behind them, stopping the group. Or more precisely, it called out to Yu Beibei.
They turned around and saw a young woman, about twenty years old, walking toward them. Her black hair fell to her waist, and her face was flawless and fair. With a soft smile and gentle, calm demeanor, she gave off an unforgettable impression.
She was the embodiment of gentleness.
That was the unanimous feeling shared by Zhu Ziyang, Jiang Nannan, and Tang Ya. As for Yu Beibei, his reaction was quite telling: the moment the woman appeared, he became visibly flustered—though he tried to hide it, Zhu Ziyang's keen eyes and Tang Ya's familiarity with Beibei didn't miss it.
Beibei knew this woman.
"Lexuan-jie!" Yu Beibei exclaimed joyfully. His voice was full of surprise and happiness, and for a rare moment, his handsome face even showed a bit of reverence and longing.
Tang Ya's expression changed immediately.
Beibei had never mentioned a "Lexuan-jie" before. While Tang Ya was confident in her own looks, facing a woman this graceful, mature, and seemingly very close to Beibei, she couldn't help but feel a sense of crisis.
Zhu Ziyang, too, was surprised by the name "Lexuan." A name surfaced in his mind—
Senior Sister Zhang Lexuan!
From a few scattered fragments in his past life's memories of Legend of the Divine Realm, Zhang Lexuan was mentioned as the Senior Sister of Shrek Academy's Inner Court.
So this woman must be the one from the novel!
Clearly, there was a story between her and Yu Beibei.
Zhu Ziyang couldn't help but smile with amusement.
"When did you get here?" Zhang Lexuan asked gently, glancing at Zhu Ziyang, Jiang Nannan, and Tang Ya before addressing Yu Beibei. Her tone was soft, like a caring older sister—but with an undertone more suited to a wife than a sibling.
"Yesterday," Yu Beibei replied happily. "Lexuan-jie, how did you find the time to visit the Outer Court?"
"I had something to take care of," she said vaguely. Of course, she wouldn't admit she came specifically to see him. Her eyes, however, shifted toward the others, lingering briefly on Tang Ya and Jiang Nannan.
"Hello, I'm Beibei's sister."
Yu Beibei smiled and jumped in, "Yes, Lexuan-jie, this is Zhu Ziyang, and this is Jiang Nannan—Ziyang's childhood friend. And this is Tang Ya. I think you've heard of her. Everyone, this is my sister, Zhang Lexuan, a disciple of the Inner Court! She raised me since I was little."
His tone when introducing Tang Ya was noticeably shy, and the last line was clearly aimed at her. Beibei wasn't dense—he could feel Tang Ya's discomfort.
Zhang Lexuan smiled and nodded to Zhu Ziyang and Jiang Nannan. "Nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you too," they replied politely.
Zhu Ziyang examined her with calm eyes while pondering her significance. Jiang Nannan, meanwhile, felt an inexplicable sense of warmth and familiarity toward Zhang Lexuan—something she couldn't quite explain.
When Zhang Lexuan turned her attention to Tang Ya, the serenity in her gaze wavered slightly.
"You must be Xiao Ya. Hello."
"Hello," Tang Ya replied stiffly, uneased by the woman's presence. She couldn't shake her instinct:
Beibei had never told her about this 'sister.' And the way she looked at him… it was strange.
A woman's intuition was rarely wrong.
"Beibei, go catch up with your sister. Nannan and I will go ahead a bit," Tang Ya said abruptly. Without waiting for a response, she grabbed Jiang Nannan's arm and walked away.
Jiang Nannan, confused by the sudden tug, looked to Zhu Ziyang, who—seeing what was happening—quietly followed behind them.
"Xiao Ya?" Yu Beibei called out, confused by Tang Ya's behavior. He forgot all about Zhang Lexuan and quickly ran after her, calling, "Lexuan-jie, I'll come find you later! Bye!"
Zhang Lexuan stood frozen, watching Beibei chase after Tang Ya with urgency. For some reason, a storm of emotion churned in her heart: pain, joy, confusion, and a tangle of feelings she couldn't name.
Without realizing it, a single tear slid silently down her flawless cheek.
Zhu Ziyang turned back for a moment and saw that Zhang Lexuan was gone.
After this emotional interruption, Tang Ya had no desire to continue walking. She pulled Jiang Nannan back to the dormitory. Though Jiang Nannan had wanted to keep strolling with Zhu Ziyang, she couldn't bear to leave her friend alone in such a low mood. Tang Ya was, after all, her first female friend.
Zhu Ziyang didn't object. Jiang Nannan wasn't his possession—she had the right to care for her friends. Back in Anyang, her talent had made it hard for her to bond with her peers. Now, at Shrek Academy, he sincerely hoped she could build true friendships. As her roommate and peer, Tang Ya was a perfect candidate.
The girls left together, and the two young men—Zhu Ziyang and Beibei—naturally had no interest in taking a romantic stroll without them. So, they returned to the dorms as well.