Shrek's Main Gate
This chaotic scene was brought to an end by just a few light words from Flender.
As the dean had spoken, even though Dai Mubai was unwilling, he had no choice but to let it go.
He felt deeply frustrated. The opportunity to advance in the Continental Soul Master Tournament was something to be happy about, but instead, he was burdened with a false accusation, leaving him seething with anger.
Dai Mubai hadn't intended to attack Zhu Zhuqing; his target was Chen Xuan. What infuriated him the most was that his fiancée had stood in front of that damned guy to protect him.
Chen Xuan, on the other hand, was utterly helpless. He could have explained the situation, but instead, it led to a significant conflict. His current assessment of Zhu Zhuqing: "Big-chested and tsundere!"
At the same time, he realized something important—Flender viewed the members of Shrek differently. Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun, and Oscar were clearly the most favored.
This biased attitude was disheartening.
Frankly, if not for certain formalities, Chen Xuan would have left Shrek Academy long ago. However, for the time being, there were reasons, like Xiao Wu's presence, that made him stay.
As he scanned the crowd, most people were looking at Zhu Zhuqing and Dai Mubai, paying him little attention.
Chen Xuan looked around. When his gaze landed on Xiao Wu, she happened to be looking at him too. Their eyes met for a moment before quickly shifting away.
Rongrong noticed this interaction and took it all in. Her female intuition told her that something was off between the two. Though they appeared calm, there was definitely some hidden secret.
"Alright, little monsters, disperse and get back to your training." Flender coughed deliberately and continued, "Zhuqing, Chen Xuan, come with me. The Grandmaster and I have something to ask you."
Zhu Zhuqing remained calm and as coldly beautiful as ever, saying nothing but not refusing as she followed.
Chen Xuan glanced at the direction where the others were leaving, his gaze lingering on Xiao Wu's back for a moment, before turning and following them to Flender's office.
The Dean's Office
At the window, Yu Xiaogang stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the blue sky with an air of mystery and wisdom.
Coincidentally, Qin Ming was also present in the office. He had once been a student of Shrek Academy and now served as a senior teacher at Heaven Dou Academy after graduating.
Due to certain reasons and to save face for Flender and Zhao Wuji, Qin Ming had left Heaven Dou Royal Academy and returned to Shrek as an ordinary teacher.
As soon as Flender sat down, he couldn't wait to speak, asking, "Chen Xuan, what soul skill did you use for that teleportation earlier?"
Earlier, Dai Mubai had unleashed a wide-range soul skill—White Tiger Meteor Shower—covering a distance of at least 30-40 meters. Even a Soul King at the 50th level wouldn't necessarily be able to dodge it entirely.
Yet Chen Xuan and Zhu Zhuqing were completely unharmed. Their aura had vanished, and they had reappeared outside the academy grounds.
Even Flender, a Soul Sage at the 72nd level, hadn't fully understood how it happened.
Zhu Zhuqing's expression remained calm, but her body trembled slightly. Only she knew that this was Chen Xuan's secret—his hidden power, which he hadn't wanted to reveal.
She felt guilty, believing it was her fault that this man's secret had been exposed.
"Chen Xuan, if I'm not mistaken, your teleportation is a spatial soul skill, right?" Flender asked.
That was his conclusion. Only spatial soul skills could explain such a feat—no matter how fast one was, spatial jumps were impossible without this ability.
"Spatial soul skill?" Yu Xiaogang, who had been standing by the window, turned around, his expression no longer calm.
Qin Ming, hearing this, was equally shocked, his hand trembling so much that the tea in his cup nearly spilled.
"That's right, my martial soul does possess spatial attributes," Chen Xuan admitted openly without trying to hide it.
In fact, he had always emphasized that he was an agility-type soul master, and his martial soul wasn't some auxiliary type but one with spatial attributes.
Though the Soul Master Tournament restricted weapons, Chen Xuan had still displayed some of his martial soul's abilities. Some sharp-eyed individuals had already speculated about it.
Back when he first crossed paths with Shrek in the mountains, Yu Xiaogang had arranged for him to spar with Dai Mubai, and even then, he had shown signs of this ability. It was just that Yu Xiaogang wasn't experienced enough to recognize it.
"As I thought," Flender nodded, confirming his suspicions.
Qin Ming's face twitched in shock. He had known his junior brothers and sisters were extraordinary, but who would have guessed that even an unassuming substitute like Chen Xuan would turn out to be such a monster?
Indeed, Chen Xuan had such a low presence that the teachers, including Flender, rarely paid attention to him. In the tournament, their focus was mainly on Tang San and Dai Mubai.
"By the way, Chen Xuan, are there any limitations to your spatial soul skill?" Flender asked, a bold idea forming in his mind.
Spatial abilities, if used well, could be extremely effective in team battles, potentially laying a strong foundation for the upcoming championship matches.
Chen Xuan vaguely replied that using his spatial skill required a specially crafted weapon as a medium, making it difficult to use in competitions.
Naturally, he wasn't going to fully reveal the truth. The fewer people who knew the weaknesses of his martial soul, the better. Flender wasn't exactly a genius, so it was unlikely he could tell if Chen Xuan was lying.
"Hmm." Flender nodded, accepting the explanation, which also made sense given why Chen Xuan hadn't used the skill in earlier matches.
"One last thing: where exactly did you and Zhuqing go during this time?"
Before Chen Xuan could respond, Zhu Zhuqing stepped in and explained the situation in detail.
The two had gone to the Star Dou Forest to hunt soul beasts, searching for a suitable soul ring for Chen Xuan's younger sister.
After hearing the full story, Flender rubbed his forehead, feeling ashamed. It seemed he had jumped to conclusions—the situation wasn't as complicated as he had thought.
Like the rest of Shrek, he had assumed Zhu Zhuqing had betrayed Dai Mubai and gotten involved with Chen Xuan in something scandalous. But now, it was clear that they had misunderstood.
"Alright, you two can go. I'll explain everything to Mubai," Flender said, indicating that he would handle any further complications.
With that, the matter was settled, and the two left the dean's office.
Chen Xuan, who didn't live at the academy, made his way to leave Shrek Academy.
Zhu Zhuqing walked him to the gate but then stopped, her face filled with guilt as she apologized, "I'm sorry for what happened today..."
Chen Xuan stopped in his tracks, looking at her in confusion.
Zhu Zhuqing felt ashamed, thinking it was her fault that Chen Xuan had been forced to reveal his spatial ability.
In her mind, this was his hidden trump card, a secret he hadn't wanted to share with others.
Zhu Zhuqing sincerely apologized again, both for revealing his ability and for him saving her in the Star Dou Forest.
"Is that all?" Chen Xuan was surprised, feeling it wasn't a big deal. Was she really worried about such a small issue?
"You don't need to apologize. I never intended to hide my martial soul's abilities. Besides, it's not something I could keep hidden forever—eventually, powerful soul masters would figure it out."
In truth, Chen Xuan hadn't meant to conceal his martial soul's powers. It was just that the tournament's rules prevented him from fully showcasing it, which had led to the misconception that he was hiding his strength.
Zhu Zhuqing remained calm on the surface, but she felt warmth spread through her heart, thinking his words were meant to comfort her and prevent her from overthinking.
She sighed inwardly, feeling emotionally drained. Compared to Dai Mubai's lack of trust, Chen Xuan's thoughtful attitude made her feel even more weary.
"I should go back. I'll bring the soul bone to you in a few days." With that, Chen Xuan bid farewell and quickly disappeared down the street.
Zhu Zhuqing stood there, her expression complicated as she turned and returned to the academy, emotions swirling within her.
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