Ahaha…"
Su Wen scratched his head awkwardly, letting go of her leg.
A faint lingering fragrance still clung to his nose.
As expected of Shrek's best figure.
"Alright. This is your uniform. Senior Sister Lexuan sent it this morning."
Ma Xiaotao handed over a brand-new red-and-white academy uniform.
"That Senior Sister, you know—she's the Inner Court's number one genius.
Only twenty years old, already at the peak of Soul Saint. Her future's limitless."
Su Wen tried it on.
It fit perfectly.
Not loose or cumbersome.....clean, sharp, and spirited.
It was clearly custom-made to his measurements.
So this was what it meant to be "one of their own."
Su Wen grinned.
The camp buzzed with laughter and youthful energy.
Seeing Su Wen in Shrek attire, the others' gazes grew noticeably warmer.
Zhang Yi, who had provided the awakening stones, was speaking with Zhang Lexuan.
When Su Wen stepped out of the hut, he strode over and slapped him on the shoulder.
"Xiao Wen, from now on we're brothers. If anyone in the Inner Court dares bully you, just say my name."
"Alright, Senior Brother Zhang Yi."
Su Wen smiled and nodded.
Shrek was surprisingly united.
Especially the Inner Court.
"Clap, clap, clap—"
Elder Xuan Zi appeared at some point, clapping his hands lazily to draw everyone's attention.
Still looking carefree as ever, he spoke casually.
"Alright. Su Wen's first Soul Ring has been secured.
In that case, we'll pick up the pace and aim to enter the core of the Star Dou Great Forest before sunset. Lexuan will lead the team. As for Su Wen…"
He paused.
"He'll stick with me."
"Yes."
Zhang Lexuan nodded.
Su Wen also breathed a quiet sigh of relief.
That suited him perfectly.....he had planned to stay near Xuan Zi anyway, acting as a living 'alarm clock.'
Ma Xiaotao pouted, clearly reluctant.
Xuan Zi shot her an exasperated look.
"He's still a kid. He's not like you Soul Kings and Soul Emperors who can tank anything.
If you run into a ten-thousand-year Soul Beast group, who's going to watch him? You? A Soul Ancestor?"
Just as Su Wen was marveling at how reliable Elder Xuan suddenly seemed.....
"Ahem… besides, Elder Mu personally reminded me. Once we return to the academy, do whatever you want."
Xuan Zi smacked his lips.
Ah.
That made sense again.
Alright, let's move."
Xuan Zi waved his hand casually and set off with Su Wen.
Below them, Zhang Yi pressed his palms together and formed several hand seals.
The wooden huts that had stood so solidly moments before slowly sank into the ground, vanishing without a trace.
Su Wen couldn't help clicking his tongue in amazement.
Worthy of being an Inner Court team. Though they appeared relaxed most of the time, once they entered a combat-ready state, their elite nature became obvious.
Ma Xiaotao gave Su Wen a playful wink before smiling and merging back into the formation.
If not for the fact that she was at the peak of Soul Ancestor and needed to obtain her fourth Soul Ring, she wouldn't have been following a team whose average strength was already at the Soul Emperor level.
As the group departed, Su Wen finally turned his attention to Elder Xuan.
The old man rubbed his hands together and chuckled.
"Xiao Wen, want to eat bird eggs? In the core of the Star Dou Great Forest, there's a kind of Blazing Bird...usually three-thousand to ten-thousand years old. The eggs they lay, now that flavor...."
"So we're just ignoring Sister Xiaotao and the others?"
Su Wen interrupted calmly.
"Ahem."
Xuan Zi coughed lightly.
They'll take care of themselves. Don't worry....five Soul Saints, six Soul Emperors, and four Soul Kings.
Unless they run into a hundred-thousand-year Soul Beast, they can basically walk sideways around this area.
Even if they encounter a fifty- or sixty-thousand-year beast, as long as they're careful, they'll be fine."
"And if they do run into one?"
Su Wen frowned, staring directly at Xuan Zi.
"You're willing to let the entire team bear that kind of risk just so you can steal bird eggs? I'm suddenly thinking I agreed too quickly. Is an academy this unreliable really worth joining?"
"Uh… well…"
Xuan Zi hesitated, suddenly at a loss for words.
His throat bobbed, his expression turning awkward.
He had already informed Elder Mu.
If Elder Mu found out that he'd lost this child's trust in the academy over bird eggs, that old man....who had been sitting in a wheelchair for decades—might very well stand up just to beat him to death.
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