Chapter 646 - Ye Xinglan’s Decision

Wu Zhangkong felt the anger coiling inside him dying down, but still he wanted nothing so much as to jump out of the window and make Long Yue pay for what he had done.

“Their confidence may have been shattered,” Wu Zhangkong said, worried. “They may not have the courage to face Long Yue again.”

“I wouldn’t worry too much about that,” Elder Cai said, smiling. “In their eyes, I saw anger and shame, but I didn’t see even the slightest frustration. Their morale is as high as it can be, so they don’t need your words of comfort. What they need is turning the anger and pain in their hearts into a power to drive them to break through their limits. They’re not children anymore. It’s up to them to pick themselves up and keep going. We just need to keep an eye on them and make sure they’re safe.”

“You’re so cold-hearted, Elder Cai.”

“Teachers need to be cold-hearted sometimes; you of all people should know that. If Zhuo Shi hadn’t gone soft on you and let you leave that day, things might have been different. It was not his fault though. It’s not your fault either, since you were head over heels in love with her.”

Wu Zhangkong’s eyes fell, the anger on his face giving way to sadness. The memories he had been keeping deep in his heart suddenly rushed back to him. If I had chosen to stay in the academy, Bing’er might still be alive. I made a bad choice, and paid a dear price for it. Then he looked to his students. Elder Cai is right; I can’t look at them as kids anymore. If I keep doting on them, I’ll ruin them. Hopefully they’ll get over this setback soon.

Tang Wulin and Xie Xie walked in front, carrying Yue Zhengyu on the stretcher. Xu Lizhi and the four girls followed hard after them. Nobody said a word; the air was thick with tension. The government of the Star Luo Empire had assigned a troop to see them safely to their hotel.

“I’ll look after him,” Xie Xie volunteered after they carefully placed Yue Zhengyu down on his bed. Although the two of them were constantly bickering, they were actually very close friends.

“Did he frighten you?” Tang Wulin asked his teammates, who were looking at him.

“Of course not!” Xie Xie said, his eyes flashing with anger.

“Zhengyu did his best and showed us how strong Long Yue is,” Tang Wulin said. “Slim though our chance of beating him might be, we’ll make the most of it and not let Zhengyu’s effort be in vain.”

Ye Xinglan’s eyes were shining with excitement. “I can’t wait to meet him in battle.”

“I like my opponents strong,” said Yuanen Yehui.

“I’ll teach him to mess with us!” Xie Xie swore.

Xu Xiaoyan said nothing, her mouth a hard line.

“We should start training,” Gu Yue said calmly, “if we want to shut those annoying audience up with our skills.”

Tang Wulin nodded, suddenly filled with a strong desire to fight. “Keep your heads held up high. We are students of the Shrek Academy!”

Yue Zhengyu’s loss was not a blow to their confidence. On the contrary, it had ignited their desire to win. His tenacity and unbending will to fight had inspired them all.

Only such a daunting opponent as Long Yue could make them more united and determined to exert themselves to become stronger.

…

Long Yue’s incredible power and the one-sided fight had fired up the whole city.

All news media were rushing to report on the match; all the negative comments about the Monster Eight Kings were gone. The Monster Academy was being placed on a pedestal again.

Every expert in the soul master community on the Star Luo Continent hailed Long Yue as the most talented soul master this millennium had ever seen. They even believed there was a real possibility that he might become a god someday, since he was now only 20 years old and all.

…

Tang Wulin was meditating in his room when the knock came at his door. He frowned and stood up to answer it.

“Xinglan?” He looked at her, surprised.

Ye Xinglan stepped inside without waiting for him to invite her in.

“I need to discuss something with you, Captain.”

“What is it?” asked Tang Wulin.

“Lizhi and I have decided to back out of the two-on-two competition, and I also want to withdraw from the one-on-ones.”

Tang Wulin didn’t understand. “What?! Why?”

“I want to focus all my time and energy on making battle armor for you. I’ll try to make as many pieces as I can.”

“No,” Tang Wulin said, “I can’t let you give up your chance of winning for my sake.”

Ye Xinglan shook her head. “You have seen Long Yue’s power today. He’s obviously much stronger than us. I don’t want to admit it, but we can’t beat him, not with our current battle armor. I know I have the most pieces of battle armor and I’m as strong as you are, but you have something I don’t – your bloodline. Although I don’t know if it will work on Long Yue as well, you’re our only chance. You power is growing fast, and your martial soul has evolved into the Bluesilver Emperor. You never cease to amaze us. If anyone can beat him, it’s you.” She paused a moment. “With Li Zhi helping me, I should be able to make several more pieces of battle armor for you.”

Tang Wulin fell silent. He didn’t like the idea of his friends sacrificing so much so he could get a slim chance of defeating Long Yue, but in his heart he knew there was no two ways about it. Desperate times call for desperate measures, Tang Wulin thought. Long Yue didn’t show his true power while fighting Zhengyu. I’m not sure I’d be able to beat him even if I were a six-ringed Soul Emperor like him.

“Xinglan is right,” Gu Yue said, and walked in and closed the door which Tang Wulin had left open negligently. She walked over to them. “You asked me about the legend of the Golden Dragon King earlier today,” she said to Tang Wulin. “I think now is a good time to tell you.”

“You are wondering if your bloodline can suppress that of Long Yue,” Gu Yue continued, “and if it can’t, Xinglan’s sacrifice will be all for nothing.”

Tang Wulin nodded. If my bloodline won’t work on Long Yue, then I won’t let Xinglan back out of her competition.

“The Mountain Dragon King was one of the Dragon God’s nine children, but the Golden Dragon King wasn’t,” Gu Yue said. “However, it was still closely related to the Dragon God.”