Wu Ming looked at Han Ruoruo, and they both saw the same thought in each other's eyes. This was the same handsome young man they had used to tease Zhang Lexuan several months ago. They were confused about what he meant by family matters.
Wu Ming wondered if Zhang Lexuan had secretly met this boy before, but she quickly pushed that silly idea away. She looked at her friend and called out her name softly to check on her.
Zhang Lexuan stood there dazed for a moment before she shook her head to show she was fine. She looked at Kong Mingan with a serious and careful expression. She had already guessed why he was here once he mentioned his name and his family.
Even though she expected this day to come, she did not think it would happen in front of everyone like this. Her voice was calm as she asked him if he was looking for her.
Kong Mingan smiled and nodded his head. While the rest of the Shrek team watched with suspicion, he reached into his storage spirit tool. He pulled out a very old book that was held together by thread and handed it toward her.
He asked her if he should call her older sister, which sounded a bit strange to everyone listening. Even though he was younger than the reserve members of their team, the way he said it felt heavy with meaning.
He told her that he did not want to explain too much right now. He believed that once she read the book, she would understand everything. His face kept that same gentle smile. The Shrek students became very alert and stared at the book and then at Zhang Lexuan. The teacher leading them was not sure if he should step in and stop this. He wished Elder Xuan was there to make the big decisions because he felt he could not handle this situation on his own.
Everyone stayed silent as Zhang Lexuan looked at the ancient book. She had a good idea of what was inside, so she reached out and took it from him without waiting. Kong Mingan told her that if she wanted to talk after reading it, she could find him in the Sun Moon Battle Team's lounge. He suggested that she should bring a few friends with her so there would be no misunderstandings. Zhang Lexuan simply said alright.
Kong Mingan gave them one last polite smile and told them he would see them on the competition grounds. He did not wait for them to say anything else before he turned around and led his team away.
The Shrek students were left standing there full of questions. They wondered why the grandson of the famous Kong Deming was even in this competition. They gathered around Zhang Lexuan and tried to talk about the book, but she did not open it. Instead, she tightened her grip on it and put it away in her storage spirit tool.
She told her team that it was late and they should all go to their rooms to rest. She promised they would talk more in the morning. Her teammates knew her well, so they did not push for more answers. They followed her to the front desk to check in. As they walked, Zhang Lexuan looked back toward where the Sun Moon team had gone. She felt a mix of tired feelings and determination inside her heart.
At the back of the group, the teacher was frustrated with his communication spirit tool. He had spent a lot of money on it, but he still could not reach Elder Xuan. He felt like a worker who always gets blamed for things even when he tries to report them.
Just as he was about to give up, a person stumbled toward him. It was Elder Xuan, but he looked terrible. He had an ice shard stuck in his chest, and he was covered in a biting frost. He tried to speak but fell to the ground unconscious.
Back in the hallway, Kong Mingan asked if the Snow Empress had attacked. She explained that she noticed the old man showing killing intent when Kong Mingan mentioned his family, so she acted as a guard.
She told him she only gave the man a warning strike. It was not a deadly injury, but it would keep him asleep for a couple of hours and make him feel very cold for weeks. She said the man was strong, but since he didn't see her, it was easy to stop him.
Kong Mingan told her not to do that next time. The Snow Empress felt a little bit unhappy and nodded, thinking he was being too kind. But then he added that if someone shows killing intent again, she should just cut off their arm. She was surprised by how extreme his words were.
Kong Mingan told her that anyone who wants to kill a child is not a good person and deserves a harsh lesson. He smiled when she asked what would happen when he grew up, saying that then he would handle it himself. Even though he had memories of another life, he was still a spirited young man who wouldn't let people bully him.