"Greetings, Sect Leader Nan."
Ma Xiaotao and Ling Luochen stepped forward as representatives, bowing respectfully.
Although they were geniuses of the Shrek Inner Court, they showed no lack of proper etiquette when facing a Sect Leader and a powerful Senior.
Nan Shuishui smiled slightly, set down the watering can in her hand, and spoke in a gentle, pleasant voice: "There is no need for such formality. The Inner Court Disciples of Shrek Academy truly live up to their reputation."
Her gaze swept over Ma Xiaotao, Ling Luochen, and the others. When she felt Ma Xiaotao's fiery and immense Soul Power fluctuations, a fleeting flicker of admiration flashed in her eyes.
Such a young Spirit Emperor was far beyond what even she had been in her youth, let alone her own playful daughter, Nan Qiuqiu.
She motioned for everyone to take a seat at the tables and chairs already prepared in the garden.
The tables and chairs were crafted from high-quality Warm Jade, set with various exquisite pastries, fruits, and steaming fragrant tea—clearly prepared with great care.
Ma Xiaotao and the others thanked her and sat down as instructed.
They responded politely to Nan Shuishui's compliments.
After the pleasantries, the straightforward Ma Xiaotao got straight to the point and stated their purpose:
"Sect Leader Nan, our sudden visit is to track the trail of 'Nirvana Corpses'."
"According to the intelligence we have, they likely infiltrated Dragon City or its surrounding areas. Shrek Academy takes this matter very seriously and hopes to receive the assistance of the Earth Dragon Gate to obtain relevant information."
Ma Xiaotao spoke crisply and decisively, without any hesitation.
She had the confidence to do so; Shrek Academy's name resounded across the continent, and few forces would fail to give them Face, especially when Inner Court Disciples appeared in person—their weight was far beyond that of Outer Court Disciples.
As expected, upon hearing this, the smile on Nan Shuishui's Face remained unchanged, and her tone was very cooperative:
"So it is for this matter. Please rest assured, Miss Xiaotao. Since Shrek Academy has come to inquire, my Earth Dragon Gate will certainly provide full assistance. I have also heard of these Nirvana Corpses—the dead resurrected, craving the life force of the living. They are extremely dangerous. If such evil things have infiltrated Dragon City, as one of the guardians of this place, my Earth Dragon Gate will not sit idly by. Whatever information or manpower you need, simply ask."
These words were flawless, giving Shrek Face while also stating the Earth Dragon Gate's position on maintaining local peace, leaving no room for fault.
Ma Xiaotao, Ling Luochen, and the others felt a slight sense of relief, thinking this trip would be quite smooth.
However, Caelus, who had been sitting quietly to the side and seemingly only listening, keenly captured an unusual detail.
Just as Ma Xiaotao mentioned the words 'Nirvana Corpse', Nan Shuishui's fingertips, which were gently brushing away non-existent dust from her sleeve, twitched almost imperceptibly.
The movement was extremely subtle and fleeting; had Caelus not been observing her secretly, it would have been nearly impossible to detect.
What caused even more of a stir in Caelus's heart was that, since stepping into this inner garden, his unique perception had clearly captured a faint, yet absolutely unmistakable aura—the aura of a Nirvana Corpse.
This aura was cleverly concealed and diluted by some power, mixed into the vitality emitted by the many spiritual plants in the garden. Even a Titled Douluo level powerhouse would find it extremely difficult to discover without a specific investigation.
But this aura, full of deathly stillness to the living, was as conspicuous as a firefly in the night to Caelus's perception.
Inside the Earth Dragon Gate... there is actually a Nirvana Corpse hidden?
Caelus felt a spark of interest.
Was Nan Shuishui unaware, or... did she know? Was she even protecting it?
Caelus lowered his eyes without changing his expression, picked up the teacup in front of him, and took a small sip, perfectly hiding all his emotions.
Having received a clear answer that Nan Shuishui was willing to help, Ma Xiaotao felt the purpose of the trip had been achieved and prepared to take her leave.
After all, they still needed to meet up with Zhang Lexuan's team to exchange information.
However, seeing Caelus and the others about to leave, Nan Qiuqiu immediately looked anxious, constantly signaling to her mother with her eyes, her small Face practically shouting, 'Quick, find a way to keep them here'.
Nan Shuishui naturally understood her daughter's little thoughts. She smiled faintly and spoke up at the right moment:
"Wait a moment, honored guests. Since you're already here, why leave in such a hurry? My daughter Qiuqiu grew up in Dragon City and has rarely interacted with geniuses of her age from the outside world. I have a presumptuous request: would it be possible for Qiuqiu to spar with the young talents of your academy? It would also allow the Disciples of my Earth Dragon Gate to see the style of the continent's number one academy with their own eyes, letting them know there is always someone better and motivating them to Cultivate harder."
This request was reasonable and fair; it satisfied Nan Qiuqiu's competitiveness and gave the Earth Dragon Gate Disciples a chance to broaden their horizons.
Faced with this proposal, Ma Xiaotao did not agree immediately but turned her gaze toward Caelus, Gu Yuena, and Ye Guyi.
After all, the three of them were the ones close to Nan Qiuqiu in age.
Since they currently needed help from the Earth Dragon Gate and the other party was only proposing a friendly spar, it wasn't excessive. There was no reason to refuse, whether out of courtesy or logic.
Furthermore, Shrek Academy's culture had always encouraged competition. As Shrek Disciples, why would they shrink back from a challenge?
Moreover, Ma Xiaotao also wanted to see what kind of skills Caelus, Gu Yuena, and Ye Guyi—who were highly regarded by Han Ruoruo and had the courage to take on this field mission—actually possessed.
Ling Luochen and Xi Xi also looked at the three of them. Soul Duels between Soul Masters were very normal. The tradition of 'dueling over a disagreement' was a staple of the Douluo Continent and an effective way for Soul Masters to improve their strength.
Otherwise, there wouldn't be so many Soul Dueling Arenas on this continent, crowded every day and driving the development of every city.
For ordinary people, their favorite entertainment was watching Soul Duels between Soul Masters.
"I'll do it."
Caelus stepped forward and spoke calmly.
"The Young Gate Master is close to me in age, so it's a good match."
He noticed that Gu Yuena lacked interest in this, and while Ye Guyi was eager to try, Caelus worried that this successor of the Sacred Angel might not know her own strength and might accidentally hurt the opponent, which would be bad.
More importantly, he was indeed interested in that Rouge Dragon Martial Soul with its unique 'Power of Annihilation' and wanted to experience it for himself.
Seeing that her opponent was Caelus, who had both good looks and a refined temperament, Nan Qiuqiu's eyes instantly lit up, her eagerness clearly visible.
While she wasn't extremely shallow about looks, she was naturally more willing to fight an attractive peer like Caelus.
Seeing that neither side had any objections, Nan Shuishui rose with a smile and personally led everyone to the Earth Dragon Gate's Martial Arts Arena.
The Earth Dragon Gate's Martial Arts Arena was vast, its floor paved with hard Dark-green Stone and surrounded by a powerful Soul Tool Barrier.
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