At this moment…
Hearing the girl's slightly playful warning, Liu Yuan's expression turned a little strange.
He hadn't expected that one day, he would be treated as a "little brother" in need of protection by a disciple of Shrek Academy's Inner Court.
It was… an odd feeling.
He bore deep dissatisfaction toward Shrek's higher-ups—especially Xuan Zi.
But toward this girl, who was sincerely carrying out her duty and even worrying about a stranger's safety, he felt no hostility.
Still—
Kindness aside, strength spoke louder than words.
---
In the next instant, without any warning, Liu Yuan moved.
"Martial Soul—Possession!"
There were no flashy effects, yet an overwhelming surge of spirit power erupted from within him.
A flash of emerald and gold intertwined across his body—
And then—
He vanished.
"Extreme Speed!"
Swish—!
No sound.
No trace.
---
The girl's pupils shrank instantly.
She hadn't sensed anything—no fluctuation, no movement—before Liu Yuan disappeared completely from her sight.
A chill shot down her spine. Instinctively, she tried to mobilize her spirit power—
Too late.
Tap.
A warm hand landed lightly on her shoulder.
Her entire body froze.
A calm voice sounded beside her ear.
"If I'm not qualified…"
"…then, Senior Sister, shouldn't you stay out as well?"
---
Her mind went blank.
She couldn't process what had just happened.
What kind of speed was that?
Teleportation?
No—that would have spatial fluctuations.
But just now, there had been nothing.
This was pure speed—so fast it exceeded her vision, her perception… even her reaction.
A drop of cold sweat slid down her temple.
If that hand had been a blade—
She would already be dead.
---
A deep sense of shock—and embarrassment—rose within her.
As an elite of Shrek's Inner Court and a member of the Shrek Supervisory Group, she had been completely outclassed by someone younger than herself.
Thinking back to her earlier advice…
It now sounded almost ridiculous.
---
She took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down.
Turning around, she looked at Liu Yuan—who had already withdrawn his Martial Soul and now wore a faint smile.
"…I take back what I said," she admitted with a bitter laugh. "You're very strong."
Her gaze sharpened.
"So… little brother, what's your name? Where are you from?"
She needed to know.
When had such a monster appeared on the continent?
---
Liu Yuan didn't answer directly.
Instead, he raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Before asking someone else's name… shouldn't you introduce yourself first?"
"You…" The girl was momentarily speechless, then sighed helplessly. "You really don't want to lose out on anything, do you?"
She shook her head.
"I can't tell you my name—it's a rule of the Supervisory Group. But I can tell you this…"
"I'm from Shrek Academy."
---
"Then I can't tell you my name either," Liu Yuan replied calmly. "I can only say… I'm from the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy."
---
"…What?!"
This time, the girl was truly stunned.
"Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy?!"
Her eyes widened in disbelief.
Since when did that academy produce Spirit Masters like this?
In her understanding, their students relied heavily on spirit tools. Their personal combat strength… wasn't supposed to be exceptional.
But Liu Yuan's speed—
That was clearly the power of his Martial Soul!
---
A storm of thoughts surged through her mind.
If someone like him participated in the next Continental Tournament…
What kind of threat would he pose to Shrek?
---
Liu Yuan, however, had no interest in continuing the conversation.
He turned and walked straight into the gloomy forest.
---
"Hey—wait!"
The girl snapped back to her senses and quickly chased after him.
Hearing her footsteps, Liu Yuan stopped and looked back, slightly annoyed.
"Why are you following me?"
She caught up and smiled naturally.
"Your target is that Evil Soul Master too, right? Then why not team up?"
She looked at him sincerely.
"I admit your strength now. Since we share the same goal, we can watch each other's backs."
---
"I haven't acknowledged you," Liu Yuan replied indifferently.
"Hey! Don't underestimate me!" she shot back, puffing up slightly in irritation.
---
Liu Yuan glanced at her but said nothing more.
He simply turned and continued forward.
He didn't bother driving her away.
Despite being from Shrek, she seemed like a decent person.
Besides, Evil Soul Masters were unpredictable, and this forest was clearly dangerous.
He would just treat it as a small favor—
And keep an eye on her.
---
Seeing that he didn't refuse again, the girl understood his tacit agreement and quickly followed beside him.
The two fell silent.
Their senses sharpened as they cautiously advanced deeper into the forest.
---
The light grew dim.
The stench of decay thickened.
Then—
Liu Yuan suddenly stopped.
He tilted his head slightly.
"There's movement."
---
The girl immediately grew alert.
They exchanged a glance and quietly moved toward the source.
---
Pushing aside a dense cluster of bushes—
They froze.
---
In a clearing ahead, a bonfire burned.
Suspended above it—
A massive iron pot.
Inside, a crimson liquid boiled violently, releasing a nauseating, blood-soaked stench.
Nearby, several figures sat around the fire, speaking in low voices.
---
The air… reeked of death.
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