A sleepless night.
When the first rays of morning light filtered through the cracks of the cave, Ling Luochen slowly opened her eyes.
Faint dark circles lingered beneath them—a silent testament to a restless night.
Liu Yuan had already awakened.
Noticing her condition, he asked casually,
"Didn't sleep well?"
Ling Luochen gave a bitter smile.
"I kept thinking about what you said. Too many thoughts… I couldn't fall asleep."
Liu Yuan chuckled softly and shook his head.
"Looks like I'm to blame for that."
He was about to add a lighthearted remark, but her expression suddenly turned serious.
Her gaze locked onto him, steady and resolute.
"But after thinking it through carefully… I realized you were right."
Her voice was calm, yet carried a newfound clarity.
"What you said makes sense."
A flicker of approval passed through Liu Yuan's eyes.
"So," he asked, "have you decided what you'll do next?"
Ling Luochen fell silent.
She didn't answer immediately, clearly still weighing her final decision.
Liu Yuan didn't press her.
Instead, he simply nodded, giving her the space she needed.
---
After a quick wash using items from his spirit tool, Liu Yuan handed out dry rations.
The group ate in silence.
Soon, they packed up and prepared to leave.
At the cave entrance, Liu Yuan glanced at Ling Luochen.
"So… we part ways here?"
Meng Hongchen, standing beside him, looked reluctant.
She stepped forward, gently taking Ling Luochen's hand.
"Sister Luochen, why not come with us to the Sun Moon Royal Academy?"
Her voice was sincere.
"We'd never let you face something like that alone."
Ling Luochen smiled warmly.
But she shook her head.
"Thank you… but there's no need."
"I'm close to graduating anyway. There's no reason to change paths now."
She paused, her gaze drifting briefly toward Liu Yuan.
"And besides… some things are already clear once you've thought them through."
She didn't elaborate further.
Instead, she stepped back and gave them a solemn nod.
"Thank you again—for saving my life."
Liu Yuan returned the nod.
Then, without hesitation, he turned and left alongside Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen.
To him, this encounter…
Was nothing more than a brief stop along the way.
His goal had never changed—
Reach the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy.
Complete the system check-in.
Obtain Mega Rayquaza's second skill.
In this world, where the strong devour the weak—
Only strength truly mattered.
---
The three figures soon disappeared into the distance.
Ling Luochen remained where she stood, watching them leave.
Only after they vanished beyond the horizon did she withdraw her gaze.
The gentle smile on her face faded.
In its place—
A cold, unwavering resolve.
"Liu Yuan was right."
"Shrek… is not worth risking my life for."
"Even if I don't leave the academy, I won't stay in the Supervisory Team any longer."
"When I return… I'll withdraw immediately."
"And after that… I'll live for myself."
---
Several days later.
Shrek Academy — Inner Court.
Ling Luochen had always been someone who saw things through to the end.
Even after making her decision, she still chose to report the mission personally.
She pushed open the door to Xuan Zi's office.
A thick smell of wine and roasted meat immediately filled her senses.
Inside, Xuan Zi sat behind his desk in a completely unrestrained manner—
One hand clutching a greasy roasted chicken leg, the other holding a wine flask.
He ate with great relish, utterly unconcerned with appearances.
His flushed, lively complexion stood in stark contrast to Ling Luochen's still-pale face.
Noticing her, he spoke through a mouthful of food.
"Oh! Luochen, you're back!"
His tone was casual—almost eager.
"How was the mission? Completed successfully?"
Not a single word about her safety.
Ling Luochen's brows twitched faintly.
In the past, she would have found nothing strange in this.
She might have even felt proud reporting her success for the sake of Shrek's so-called glory.
But now…
With Liu Yuan's words echoing in her mind—
Xuan Zi's attitude felt cold.
Detached.
"As expected…"
"In his eyes, I'm just a tool."
A tool for completing missions.
Another thought surfaced, sharper than before:
"If these missions have rewards… where do they go?"
"Why does he care so much about results?"
Questions she had never considered before now surged uncontrollably.
Her view of Shrek began to waver.
---
Suppressing her thoughts, she gave her report in a calm, neutral tone.
When she described being ambushed and cornered by multiple Evil Soul Masters, Xuan Zi finally paused.
A trace of surprise crossed his face.
"Oh? Then how did you escape?"
"I was saved… by a few Spirit Masters from the Sun Moon Empire."
Her voice remained steady.
But when she mentioned Liu Yuan—
A young man who had instantly killed three Spirit Kings and a Spirit Emperor—
Xuan Zi froze mid-bite.
His cloudy eyes suddenly blazed with sharp intensity.
"What did you say?!"
"That boy… only fourteen or fifteen?"
His voice rose sharply, filled with disbelief.
"Such strength at that age…"
"Isn't that even more monstrous than Ma Xiaotao?!"
As Shrek's once-in-a-century genius, Ma Xiaotao had always been the benchmark.
But now—
Compared to Liu Yuan, even she seemed… lacking.
For the first time, Xuan Zi felt genuine alarm.
A threat.
A massive one.
Especially with the upcoming tournament—
Shrek's dominance could not be shaken.
His gaze locked onto Ling Luochen.
"You saw him clearly?"
Ling Luochen nodded expressionlessly.
Xuan Zi's face darkened.
Shrek's pride lay in nurturing the strongest talents on the continent.
And now, a peerless genius had appeared—
Outside their control.
Worse—
In the Sun Moon Empire.
His irritation boiled over.
"You!"
He suddenly snapped, glaring at Ling Luochen.
"Why didn't you invite him to join Shrek?!"
"With Shrek's reputation, how could he possibly refuse?"
"Even if he belongs to another academy—so what?! We can just poach him!"
He slammed the chicken leg onto the table and began pacing.
"Forget it. What's done is done."
His tone turned impatient.
"Tell me his name."
"I'll handle it myself."
"Such a genius… must belong to Shrek!"