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Join the ServerIn the living room, Ying and Lin Na sat together on the sofa.
Zhang Liang emerged from the kitchen, carrying two cups of tea, which he placed on the coffee table before them.
“There isn’t much in the house, just these,” Zhang Liang stated, wiping water droplets from his hands with a cloth before settling onto the opposite sofa.
“Oh, there’s no need to be so formal,” Lin Na murmured softly.
A jolt of surprise had run through Zhang Liang when his eyes first landed on Lin Na, making him believe she was there to challenge him to another round of combat. However, Ying, who had been hiding in the nearby bushes, inadvertently gave herself away.
With Ying’s presence revealed, Lin Na’s reason for visiting became clear, and thus, his plan to recruit a new teammate was back on track.
Through this incident, Zhang Liang realized that Ying was an exceptional assistant.
In his previous life, the death of Princess Mingyue had sent shockwaves across the entire continent. In this life, Zhang Liang was resolute: Ying must survive, no matter the cost, and she would become his teammate.
He could not afford to lose his healer.
“Zhang Liang, I am truly sorry about the entrance exam,” Lin Na confessed, her head bowed.
“It’s nothing,” Zhang Liang dismissed with a wave of his hand, indicating his nonchalance.
Zhang Liang’s reaction astonished Lin Na. She knew full well that he had been met with lethal intent that day, nearly resulting in a fatality.
Before coming, Lin Na had braced herself for a harsh reprimand, yet she never imagined the matter would be so easily overlooked.
‘Just how broad is this person’s mind?’ she mused inwardly, a wave of guilt washing over her as she gazed at Zhang Liang. She felt terribly indebted to him but was at a loss as to how to compensate him.
His extensive knowledge and mastery of techniques akin to the Sword Dao Demonic Sovereign were hardly surprising.
During the entrance exam, she had employed her full strength, only to be defeated.
His victory at the hotel had not been a coincidence; he had genuinely triumphed over her.
Lin Na was now certain that Zhang Liang indeed possessed methods to overcome higher cultivation with lower cultivation.
****
For the next twenty minutes, Zhang Liang conversed with the two women.
He gleaned some excellent news: in a week, the second-year students of the special class would lead the new special class students into a labyrinth to hunt demonic beasts.
This was a long-standing tradition of Saint Spirit Academy, repeated every year.
The new students’ primary role would be to observe, understand their own limitations, recognize the disparity in strength, and aspire to learn from their seniors.
Furthermore, the journey to the labyrinth itself would be a competition.
They would race to see who could reach the labyrinth first.
As the route was relatively safe, a representative would be chosen from the special class freshmen to lead the team, with the second-year students providing assistance from the side, affording the newcomers more practical experience.
Lin Na felt Zhang Liang was exceptionally well-suited for the role, but he declined.
‘How could I possibly accept such a golden opportunity?’ he thought.
‘What was that term again? ‘Pèng shā’—yes, that’s it. Elevating someone to a great height only to watch them fall spectacularly.’
Zhang Liang resolved that, no matter what, Xi Lan must become the representative.
The problem then arose: how to make her the representative without appearing overly deliberate, which would undoubtedly arouse suspicion.
“Ding-dong.” The doorbell chimed.
Zhang Liang opened the door to find Xi Lan and Yun Yun standing outside, with Heng Naixin peeking out shyly from behind them.
“Good morning,” Xi Lan greeted Zhang Liang politely.
Zhang Liang, however, was utterly dumbfounded. He couldn’t fathom why they were there. In the past, he would have been overjoyed to have so many beautiful girls visiting his home.
But now, he felt no joy. His gaze darted nervously towards the stairs leading to the second floor, where the “Xi Lan Blackening Plan, Version 99 (If I Revise It Again, I’m a Dog)” was not yet fully destroyed.
If she were to discover it, he would be ruined.
“Wow! What a huge house!” Before Zhang Liang could even invite them in, Yun Yun darted past him, running wildly through the house, looking everywhere.
Resigned, Zhang Liang had no choice but to let them enter, though he vowed to keep a close eye on this fox-eared girl. ‘Damn, what a brat,’ he grumbled internally.
“Excuse the intrusion,” Heng Naixin said, following Xi Lan inside with a somewhat timid demeanor.
‘Why is this happening?’ she thought.
She had envisioned walking to school with Zhang Liang, enjoying the morning breeze, and a chance encounter.
‘Why are there so many people here?’
Heng Naixin, having performed exceptionally well in the third exam, had also become a student of Special Class C.
“Yun Yun,” Xi Lan called out in a stern tone, causing Yun Yun’s ears to droop as she obediently stood by Xi Lan’s side.
Zhang Liang invited Xi Lan and Heng Naixin to sit on the sofa and poured two cups of tea. Yun Yun, it seemed, had no intention of sitting, her eyes still darting about.
“Thank you so much for saving Xu Fang that day,” Xi Lan said, placing an exquisite gift box on the table and pushing it towards Zhang Liang.
“These are pastries I made myself. I hope you’ll try them.”
Upon hearing the word ‘pastries,’ Yun Yun’s gaze immediately snapped over.
“Quick! Take them!” Yun Yun urged, peering at the gift box from the table, her tail wagging incessantly. “Young lady’s pastries are delicious!”
“You like them very much?”
“Mm, open it quickly, and give me one!” Yun Yun exclaimed, drooling, an image of pure impatience.
Zhang Liang opened the gift box, revealing colorful pastries that resembled cream puffs.
Without a word, Yun Yun reached for one, only for her hand to be slapped away by Xi Lan.
“If she likes them, let her eat,” Zhang Liang said, pushing the gift box towards Yun Yun.
“Yay!” Yun Yun cheered, wagging her tail. She snatched a pastry and fled, clearly afraid Xi Lan would hit her hand again.
“I am truly sorry; the child is undisciplined,” Xi Lan apologized to Zhang Liang with a bow.
Seeing no adverse reaction from Yun Yun after she ate, Zhang Liang concluded the pastries were not poisoned. To avoid arousing Xi Lan’s suspicion, and finding it improper not to partake, Zhang Liang took one as well.
“Your craftsmanship is quite good!” Zhang Liang exclaimed, his eyes wide. He had never expected Xi Lan to possess such a talent.
“This small token of appreciation is not enough to express my gratitude. Please, do not hesitate to tell me if there is anything I can help you with.”
Upon hearing this, Zhang Liang immediately recognized a heaven-sent opportunity.
“Then, please take the position of freshman representative for me.”
Xi Lan tilted her head in confusion, prompting Lin Na to explain.
“I am not suitable for that position,” Zhang Liang added, seeing that Xi Lan had not immediately agreed.
After hearing Lin Na’s explanation, Xi Lan understood Zhang Liang’s reasoning. His reputation among the students was quite poor, and he was likely declining the role out of consideration for that.
Xi Lan thought of the incident with Xu Fang. She had always believed that treating others with sincerity would be met with sincere reciprocation, but the outcome had proven her wrong.
Although she had reconciled with Xu Fang, the incident still left a scar on her heart.
Xi Lan found herself lost, unsure how to interact with new friends in the future.
At this thought, Xi Lan looked at Zhang Liang with surprise.
‘Could it be that he saw through my psychological barrier and wants to use this opportunity to help me recover?’
Xi Lan understood the importance of the freshman representative position. If one could lead the team to victory, they would undoubtedly earn widespread praise. Zhang Liang also possessed the capability, and for him, it would be even more crucial to use this position to turn around his image.
Yet, he offered it to her.
Why would he help her this way? They had only met once, and owed each other nothing.
Xi Lan looked at Zhang Liang with a puzzled expression. Based on previous events, she only found him unfathomable, unable to guess what he was truly thinking.
The only person who had ever given Xi Lan such a feeling was the old clan elder of the Fox Tribe, who was deeply insightful and capable of controlling everything.
The only difference between them was that Zhang Liang’s methods were subtle, difficult to detect, and even prone to misunderstanding.
The old clan elder had once said, ‘If someone genuinely wants to help you, do not refuse; that is the greatest respect you can show them.’
“Alright, I’ll take it on.”
Meanwhile, Lin Na found Zhang Liang’s suggestion quite reasonable. Xi Lan’s academic performance was outstanding; many teachers had nearly fought over her.
Lin Na believed that Xi Lan was perfectly capable of handling the position.
Zhang Liang’s reputation was poor, and if he were chosen as the representative, many would likely object. Upon realizing this, Lin Na understood that she had been inadvertently pushing Zhang Liang into a difficult situation.
She had come to apologize, yet her own lack of foresight had again caused him trouble.
He, however, did not blame her, but instead offered a smile. Compared to him, she felt incredibly childish.
He had saved Ying twice, and even after learning Ying’s identity, he had asked for nothing. Moreover, he had helped her overcome her psychological barrier. His character and integrity were truly beyond the reach of ordinary people.
Though he appeared to be plotting something mischievous, Lin Na decided that no matter what happened in the future, she should never doubt him again.
“Young lady! Look what I found!” Yun Yun exclaimed, descending from the second floor with a wastepaper basket in hand. “This is a love letter he intended to write to you!”
Zhang Liang’s eyes nearly popped out of his head when he saw the documents in her hand. He lunged forward, swiftly snatching the papers from her, then, breathing heavily, tore them into shreds.
“You saw everything?” Zhang Liang asked, sweat beading on his forehead, his brow furrowed as he glared at Yun Yun.
“I did,” Yun Yun retorted, hands on her hips. “Our young lady already has a fiancé, so don’t even think about it.”
Zhang Liang scrutinized Yun Yun, pondering for a moment. He concluded that Yun Yun hadn’t read the entire plan, as it was now in scattered fragments, containing only bits and pieces of information.
She had likely seen the section on how to pursue Xi Lan, which included the item about writing a love letter.
However, the word ‘fiancé’ immediately piqued Zhang Liang’s interest.
‘Heh, a substitute has been found.’
In that case, he wouldn’t need to get involved personally. All he had to do was bring the two together, let their feelings grow, and then have the fiancé’s ‘brothers’ give Xi Lan a green hat. Problem solved.
“Yun Yun, you mustn’t rummage through other people’s things!”
Upon hearing the term ‘love letter,’ Xi Lan’s cheeks flushed slightly. She now understood why Zhang Liang had been helping her so much.
Under everyone’s gaze, the relationship between Zhang Liang and Xi Lan became subtly altered, and an awkward silence descended upon the scene.
****
After finishing the pastries, Zhang Liang changed into his blue and white school uniform, and the group set off for school.
Their procession drew considerable attention from onlookers.
“Holy crap! Isn’t that the great noble Xi Lan? Why is she also involved with that guy!?”
“Damn it, why is he always surrounded by beauties, and they’re all coming out of his house together?”
“This makes no sense. Where did I go wrong?”
Among the crowd, one man gripped the crimson longsword at his waist tightly, his trembling hand seeming to crush the hilt. He glared at Zhang Liang with eyes full of hatred.
“I will absolutely make you get out of Saint Spirit Academy.”
The arrogant man cared not for Zhang Liang’s strength; since he had touched what he shouldn’t have, he would pay the price!
The excitement doesn't stop here! If you enjoyed this, you’ll adore The Dragon’s Song Echoing in the Heavens. Start reading now!
Read : The Dragon’s Song Echoing in the Heavens
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