Meanwhile, within Shrek Academy.
Zhang Lexuan walked slowly along the tree-lined path, her figure tall and elegant, her temperament cool and distant, carrying a hint of aloofness that kept people at a thousand miles' distance.
Several years had passed since that disastrous defeat, yet the memory of that one-sided rout still hung over the entire Academy like a lingering mist.
Four of the seven main team members directly withdrew from school, and the seven reserve team members were also implicated, but gradually overlooked as they hadn't really participated.
Thus, all the blame and disappointment focused on the three main team members who chose not to withdraw, especially on her, as the Captain, who was deemed "irresponsible" and "guilty of numerous crimes."
Although Elder Mu personally declared the matter closed, it was only superficially so; private criticisms never ceased, and an invisible alienation was very evident.
Whether in the Outer Court or Inner Court, apart from Wu Ming, Han Ruoruo, and a few other close friends, most others who saw her either ignored her or quickly avoided her gaze with complex expressions.
For this, Zhang Lexuan felt a deep sadness in her heart.
The Academy's students placed such importance on the outcome of a competition, on the so-called "undefeated glory," yet turned a blind eye to the corruption gradually festering within the Academy; this itself was a sign of moral decay.
Her gaze calmly swept over her surroundings; wherever it landed, students scattered like startled birds, avoiding her eyes.
This silent sense of exclusion was like a cold wall, making her feel a strange sense of suffocation, a little uncomfortable.
A year and a half ago, Elder Mu, overriding all objections, personally granted her judicial authority.
As long as the evidence was conclusive, she could bypass tedious meetings and discussions, directly conducting independent trials, acting first and reporting later.
This was originally a sharp sword intended to eradicate the Academy's long-standing problems, but it also placed her squarely against many people, and her reputation rapidly deteriorated under the machinations of certain corrupt individuals.
She was not afraid of what others said, but facing such attitudes from people every day, she still felt somewhat lost.
Gathering her spirits, Zhang Lexuan maintained a calm demeanor until her daily patrol ended, then returned to her somewhat desolate dormitory.
Closing the door, she casually tossed her uniform jacket onto the back of a chair; Zhang Lexuan felt as if all her strength had instantly been drained.
Walking a few steps to the bed, she allowed herself to fall forward exhaustedly, sinking deeply into the soft bedding.
"Hmm."
A very soft sigh, full of weariness, escaped her lips.
She lay there, motionless, as if trying to unload all the accumulated burdens in this way.
After a long while, she slowly turned over, lying on her back on the bed.
The light outlined her mature and beautiful body curves; her full bosom rose and fell slightly with her breathing, and below her slender waist were her long and shapely legs.
She slightly adjusted her posture, her legs encased in black stockings rubbing against each other, emitting a faint rustling sound that was particularly clear in the quiet room.
She lifted her arm, resting the back of her hand lightly on her forehead, rubbing her faintly aching brow, revealing a sense of helpless exhaustion.
She had found nothing again today, no evidence of the corrupt individuals' misdeeds.
It wasn't that Shrek had truly improved and become clean, but rather that those corrupt individuals had become smarter, hiding their tracks deeper; she couldn't find conclusive evidence, and thus couldn't deliver judgment.
This feeling of powerlessness, knowing the corruption was right in front of her but unable to find it or remove it, was even more distressing.
Although she would kill without hesitation if she found even a shred of evidence, hoping to make Shrek a little cleaner, she wondered if she could truly make Shrek clean? Could she really make it the way she imagined?
She knew better than anyone that the problems at Shrek now were no longer just superficial; in some aspects, it was rotten to the core.
Could she really do it?
Confusion and loneliness, like a cold tide, once again silently engulfed her in her wild thoughts.
She was so tired.
Her consciousness gradually sank into exhaustion, and in a trance, once again, the young man's figure appeared in her mind, along with his promise to her.
"Call you… and you shall come."
Zhang Lexuan murmured softly, her eyes a little hazy, but then she self-mockingly shook her head, dispelling that unrealistic thought.
She couldn't keep thinking like this, absolutely not.
She propped herself up and walked into the washroom, splashing cold water on her face to fully awaken herself before entering the bathroom.
After a simple wash, she sat cross-legged on her Cultivation mat, clearing her mind and entering a state of meditation.
Time flowed slowly in the silence; when the sky outside began to lighten, Zhang Lexuan slowly exhaled a long, turbid breath, ending her Cultivation.
Feeling her spirit power within her body solidify a little more, Zhang Lexuan felt a sense of comfort.
Level 79.
She was just one step away from the threshold of Level 80; with about another month of arduous Cultivation, she would reach Level 80. At that time, she would need to hunt for a spirit ring and truly advance to Spirit Douluo.
And only by advancing to Spirit Douluo could she legitimately enter the Sea God Pavilion as an elder and become a member of the Sea God Pavilion.
Only then would she truly have the qualification to interfere in the many affairs of the Academy.
This World, after all, valued strength; although she had Elder Mu's support, her strength as a Spirit Saint meant she had little say.
She could only become stronger, become a Spirit Douluo, become a Titled Douluo, become a Super Douluo!
Only with sufficient strength could she have the confidence to face more resistance and a greater chance to change this Shrek, which made her feelings increasingly complex.
Even though it was rotten to the core, she still wanted to try and save it—at least, that's what she thought now.
"The spirit ring I can currently bear is roughly between 80,000 and 90,000 years. Hunting it alone would be a bit troublesome."
Zhang Lexuan quickly assessed the situation and decided to report her condition.
Inner Court Disciples of Shrek could apply for the Academy to help organize a Spirit Hunting Team to acquire a spirit ring after breaking through a Bottleneck.
Normally, the Academy would dispatch a Team Leader Teacher to provide covert protection, while the spirit ring itself needed to be hunted by the Spirit Hunting Team, as part of their tempering.
Of course, all of this required contribution points.
Contribution points were obtained by hunting Evil Soul Masters and completing Inner Court missions.
She had killed many Evil Soul Masters, so her application would certainly be sufficient.
"I'll also ask Wu Ming and Ruoruo. With them, hunting for a spirit ring should be much easier."
Zhang Lexuan got up to leave, but found, unluckily, that Wu Ming was out leading a team on a mission, and Han Ruoruo was in seclusion to Breakthrough a Bottleneck; neither was available.
Having no other option, Zhang Lexuan simply submitted her application.
Her luck was good; a Spirit Hunting Team was just being formed, with a departure date two months later.
Zhang Lexuan took the list of team members and looked it over; their strength was quite good, and the team composition was complete. With her added, hunting any Spirit Beast under 100,000 years, as long as it wasn't one with an exceptionally powerful Bloodline, should generally pose no problems.
Zhang Lexuan nodded, her decision made. She then looked at the Team Leader Teacher and felt a little relieved.
"With Elder Xuan leading the team, I imagine nothing should go wrong."
Zhang Lexuan thought to herself, a Level 98 Super Douluo leading the team, surely… nothing should go wrong?
]
(End of Chapter)
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