Dai Yueheng didn't know exactly who the "him" Xi Xi was referring to.
But seeing her eyes suddenly light up and the shock on her face, he instantly realized—
He hadn't asked in vain.
Xi Xi definitely had a lead!
"Xi Xi, you've seen him?!"
Dai Yueheng's voice rose several degrees in excitement. He stepped forward quickly, his tone urgent.
"Tell me—where is he? What does he look like? Under what circumstances did you meet him?"
Faced with his barrage of questions, Xi Xi took a deep breath and began recounting her experience.
She skipped over unnecessary details and focused on the key points—how they had gone together to save someone, and how that mysterious boy had used an incomprehensible speed to instantly kill seven Spirit King–level Evil Soul Masters.
"…What?! Seven Evil Soul Master Spirit Kings… all killed instantly by him alone?!"
Both Dai Yueheng and the scout beside him gasped in unison, their faces filled with disbelief.
They had known the target was strong.
But Elder Xuan's intelligence had only described him as "extraordinarily talented" and "far beyond his peers."
They had never imagined… that his strength would be this terrifying.
Seven Evil Soul Master Spirit Kings!
Even Dai Yueheng himself wouldn't dare face such a lineup head-on.
Yet that boy had wiped them out in an instant?
Didn't that mean—
He was even stronger than Dai Yueheng?
This thought made his heart tremble.
Was this really something a fourteen or fifteen-year-old could achieve?
At that moment, Dai Yueheng finally understood why Elder Xuan had gone to such lengths—offering unprecedented conditions—to recruit this person.
This wasn't just a genius.
This was a monster… a future peak powerhouse!
"That's him. It has to be!" Dai Yueheng's eyes burned with certainty.
Xi Xi nodded lightly.
"His strength… does match the academy's expectations."
"But…" she hesitated slightly, "he doesn't seem interested in joining Shrek."
She then relayed Liu Yuan's exact words when he rejected her invitation.
---
However, after hearing this, Dai Yueheng laughed confidently.
"Xi Xi, that's because your offer lacked substance. Of course he wouldn't agree so easily."
"The so-called 'unwillingness' is nothing more than insufficient benefits."
His tone carried absolute certainty.
"But this time is different."
"I represent the Sea God's Pavilion, and I bring Elder Xuan's sincerity—and the academy's best offer."
He straightened slightly, confidence radiating from him.
"As long as I present Shrek's full sincerity, he will definitely be moved."
"No Spirit Master in this world can refuse such conditions!"
"Not to mention—our Shrek Academy is far superior to the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy!"
"I will succeed."
---
Xi Xi watched him quietly.
Then, she shook her head faintly.
From her brief interaction with Liu Yuan, she had a completely different impression.
He wasn't someone who could be swayed by fame or rewards.
He acted according to his own principles.
After all—he had just given away all the credit for saving lives without hesitation.
If he truly cared about fame or gain… would he have done that?
Still, she didn't argue.
"I hope so," she said simply.
---
After saying what she needed to say, Xi Xi turned and left, heading back toward Shrek Academy at full speed.
She needed to report everything she had learned.
Meanwhile, after watching her leave, the fire in Dai Yueheng's heart burned even brighter.
He turned to the scout beside him and gave a firm command:
"Let's go. Full speed pursuit!"
"No matter what—it is imperative that we catch up to him!"
"And bring him back to Shrek!"
Without another word, Dai Yueheng surged forward, rushing toward the north like a golden streak of light.
---
Meanwhile…
Liu Yuan remained completely unaware that he was now the target of a high-priority pursuit.
After leaving the small town, he continued northward at a relaxed pace.
Since he was already near the Extreme North region, he didn't rush.
Instead, he slowed down, enjoying the scenery.
The sky here felt higher, clearer.
The air carried a crisp, biting chill.
The landscape gradually shifted—from dense forests to cold-resistant coniferous woods, and finally to vast tundra plains.
To Liu Yuan, whose soul came from another world, the scenery felt refreshing and novel.
Because of this, his travel speed slowed significantly.
And that… gave his pursuers the perfect chance.
---
Two days later
At the edge of a vast snowfield, Liu Yuan walked calmly through the icy wind.
Behind him, two tiny black dots appeared on the distant horizon—
Rapidly growing larger.
At that very moment, Dai Yueheng—who had been chasing at full speed—finally locked onto his target.
That unmistakable short red hair.
That lone figure walking through the snow.
"Found him!!"
Dai Yueheng's heart surged with excitement.
After days of pursuit—
He had finally found him!
Without hesitation, he pushed his spirit power to its absolute limit.
His figure shot forward like a golden meteor, tearing across the snowfield.
This time—
No matter what it takes…
I will bring you back to Shrek!
---
Liu Yuan naturally sensed the disturbance behind him.
His brows twitched slightly as he came to a stop.
Turning around, he looked toward the approaching figures.
Very quickly, he recognized them.
The unmistakable insignia of Shrek Academy.
But after everything that had happened, Liu Yuan no longer held hostility toward ordinary Shrek students—only toward certain individuals like Xuan Zi.
So he remained calm.
Looking at Dai Yueheng, he spoke politely:
"Hello."
"May I ask… is there something you need?"
------------Author---------------
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