The group stepped into the conference room one after another, moving in a silent line. As soon as Kong Mingan entered, a faint ripple appeared in the air beside him. The next moment, a beautiful figure dressed in white emerged from the emptiness. She stood quietly behind Kong Mingan after he sat down, her gaze remaining indifferent and cold.
Zhang Lexuan unconsciously looked toward the woman. She noticed the stranger's exquisitely beautiful face and the cold, unapproachable aura that surrounded her. She couldn't help but frown slightly as she thought to herself. This was the third one. Including their meeting last night, she had only seen Kong Mingan four times, and three of those times he had been accompanied by a different girl.
Moreover, each time it was a different person with a unique appearance and temperament. Unconsciously, she recalled the information she had previously found about the "sole heir of the Kong Family." Could it be that his purpose was not only to bring her back to the Sun Moon Empire, but also to claim her for himself? Zhang Lexuan's eyes changed slightly as these thoughts crossed her mind.
As everyone entered the conference room, the door closed naturally behind them. Kong Mingan sat casually in the main seat. His gaze swept over the three Shrek inner court elites, and once again, he spoke with a calm voice. "You really should have brought a Team Leader Teacher with you. At least then you would have someone who could represent the actual attitude of Shrek".
"Cut the nonsense!" Wu Ming shouted. Being the most impatient person in the group, she took a step forward. Her crimson eyes were filled with agitation. Compared to this handsome Young Master whom she had only met a few times, she cared much more about her good friend. "Kong Mingan, right? Just speak. what exactly do you want to do? What was the meaning of that book you gave Sister Lexuan yesterday? Please explain it clearly".
Kong Mingan did not answer Wu Ming directly. Instead, he turned his gaze to Zhang Lexuan. His tone was very calm as he said, "Sister Lexuan's own explanation of this matter might be more convincing than mine".
Immediately, all eyes in the room were focused on Zhang Lexuan. She took a deep breath, looking as if she had finally made a difficult decision. Her hands unconsciously clenched into small fists. She looked at her two good friends and began to explain the situation.
"That book I received yesterday was actually a family tree," she said. "It records a branch of the Kong Family from the Sun Moon Empire that lost contact over a hundred years ago. I am a descendant of that branch. This means that part of the bloodline of the Sun Moon Empire flows in me. I have also inherited the legacy spirit from the Sun Moon Imperial Family, which is known as the Moon".
"What?!" Wu Ming's eyes instantly widened. Her face was full of disbelief as she looked back and forth between Zhang Lexuan and Kong Mingan. To her, it sounded like an impossible fairy tale. Although Han Ruoruo also showed surprise, she was much more composed. She pondered the information for a moment and then looked seriously at Kong Mingan.
"So, Young Master Kong, after all this trouble, your ultimate goal is Sister Lexuan? You want her to return to the Sun Moon Empire?" Han Ruoruo asked.
"Yes," Kong Mingan answered directly and without any hesitation. "Her spirit and her bloodline belong there. Her remaining at Shrek is a mistake. Shrek is not where she should be".
"I refuse." Almost at the exact instant Kong Mingan finished speaking, Zhang Lexuan's clear and firm voice rang out. She stood up without any hesitation and met Kong Mingan's eyes. "Shrek nurtured me and helped me grow. My teachers and friends are all there. I will never betray Shrek".
"What if Shrek betrayed you?" Kong Mingan asked simply.
His simple sentence plunged the atmosphere of the room into a dead silence. Han Ruoruo and Wu Ming both looked slowly at Zhang Lexuan at the same time. They tried to speak, but they didn't know what to say. Time seemed to stretch on for a long while. Finally, Zhang Lexuan gritted her teeth. Her eyes showed a hint of uncertainty, but she still met Kong Mingan's gaze.
"Shrek will not betray me!" she declared.
"Is that so?" This answer seemed to be exactly what Kong Mingan expected. He showed no disappointment on his face. Instead, he nodded gently as if he was confirming something in his mind. "I understand. Well then, if that's the case, our conversation ends here. I have seen your resolve, Sister Lexuan".
His tone remained very calm as he continued. "I cannot fully represent the Sun Moon Empire yet, but I can guarantee you one thing in the name of the Kong Family. As long as you come to your senses, just call my name. I will appear and take you home. Whenever it is and wherever you are, as long as you call me, I will come for you".
Kong Mingan's words were very gentle. Because of his naturally mild voice, this guarantee sounded almost like a romantic confession. Zhang Lexuan thought to herself that if they were the same age and both at Shrek, she probably wouldn't be able to resist such a person. However, even though the Young Master's words were a bit strange and seemed to contain a deeper meaning, she knew he was finished talking.
A strange feeling arose in her heart, but her mind was in a mess at the moment. She had no desire to think about it any deeper. She looked calmly at the Young Master, nodded her head, and said, "Thank you for your time today".
"One more thing. Out of kindness, I have a reminder for you all," Kong Mingan said calmly. "Your Team Leader Teacher came with you. I suggest you explain things clearly to them, otherwise it could cause some trouble for you later".
Zhang Lexuan's steps paused slightly as she was about to leave. She turned to look at Kong Mingan one last time, nodded gently, and then left the room. Wu Ming followed her while still looking confused, and Han Ruoruo followed while deep in thought. As soon as they stepped out of the conference room, they saw their Shrek representative team's Team Leader Teacher standing nearby.
They also saw Xuan Zi, whose face was somewhat pale. He was a ninety-eighth-level Titled Douluo, but his weakened state could not be hidden. Xuan Zi looked at them with serious and cautious eyes. "What did you talk about with him? Tell me everything right now. Do not hide anything from me".
Because Xuan Zi was struggling to suppress the cold energy inside him, his words sounded much more aggressive than usual. Almost instinctively, the words Kong Mingan had said earlier echoed in their hearts at the same time: "What if Shrek betrayed you?".
Inside the conference room, now that the others had left, only Kong Mingan and the Snow Empress remained. The Snow Empress no longer concealed her presence. A clear look of confusion appeared in her ice-blue eyes. She looked at Kong Mingan and spoke in her ethereal voice.
"You do not seem surprised by her refusal," she said. "If you knew she would say no, then why did you still try to recruit her? Isn't this just extra work?".
"If she immediately agreed to betray the academy that had looked after her for many years just because of a few words, then she wouldn't be someone worth my effort," Kong Mingan explained. "The seed has been planted. She needs time to think, to doubt, and to compare her options. When she finally sees certain things clearly, she will naturally understand the meaning of my words today".
The Snow Empress seemed to understand a little bit, but she still shook her cold and beautiful head. "I don't understand," she admitted.
Kong Mingan paused and sounded a bit helpless. "In short, you'll understand later".
The Snow Empress remained silent. She still did not understand why humans made things so complicated. If she met someone she cared about, she would probably follow the rules of Spirit Beasts. She would use her strength to capture them, lock them by her side, and then possess them completely. To her, being direct seemed much better.