Douluo Continent: Starting with a Void Treasure Trove

"What do you mean? And who are you? Why did you kidnap Sister Lexuan?"

"Where is Kong Qing? Where did he go?"

Ma Xiaotao sounded angry, and she didn't recognize Xu Yang.

Xu Yang had changed back to his original appearance because he was taking a photo.

"Quiet down, this is... Ma Xiaotao."

"If I remember correctly, this is the name, right?"

"Let me introduce myself again. I am the Kong Qing you know. This is my true appearance. I was just trying to avoid trouble before."

Xu Yang stood beside Zhang Lexuan, looking at Ma Xiaotao's angry face, and spoke calmly.

"You filthy rat from the gutter, you're too ashamed to even show your true face to people, I'm not talking to you!"

Ma Xiaotao shouted angrily.

However, because Xu Yang had specifically turned on the sound jammer before Ma Xiaotao arrived, blocking out the noise, and because their current location was relatively secluded in the mall, they didn't attract anyone's attention.

"Don't get too worked up. Actually, none of this was something she could decide. Including myself, I was just someone running errands."

"Actually, if you put yourself in someone else's shoes, you'll understand."

"Suppose you are chosen by a Limit Douluo whose martial soul is also the Evil Fire Phoenix, and that Limit Douluo happens to be troubled by finding a suitable successor. He wants to snatch you away, take you as his disciple, and may even help you solve the problem of your martial soul. Would you go or not?"

"Perhaps it's because you've already been accepted as a disciple by a Title Douluo from Shrek Academy, so you don't consider this matter. Your sister Le Xuan hasn't, although she learned a lot from Shrek, she's different from you."

"Unlike you, she didn't have a Shrek Academy titled Douluo who treated her like a father. She earned everything she had on her own."

"Shrek saw her talent and was just investing in her, or perhaps... it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say they were taking advantage of her kindness."

"And now she has this opportunity, even though she doesn't want to, but she has no say in it."

"So I'm quite impressed with the brainwashing techniques of your Shrek Academy."

"If you're not satisfied, you can take her away from her, but... you, and your Shrek Academy, can't do that!"

Seeing that Zhang Lexuan hadn't replied for a long time, Xu Yang responded on her behalf.

"Sister Lexuan, is what he said true?"

"Zhang Lexuan, you... betrayed the academy?"

Ma Xiaotao's tone was skeptical.

Xixi wished she could plug her ears. What had she just heard? Zhang Lexuan was taken away for this reason, and... Shrek was taking advantage of her kindness?

"Why can't you understand what I'm saying? Didn't I just say that she has no say in this? If Shrek Academy has the ability, then take her back!"

Di Ni'er was also straightforward, and she couldn't stand seeing the usually gentle Zhang Lexuan being misunderstood like this.

"Who are you? You have no right to speak here."

Seeing Di Ni'er protecting Zhang Lexuan, Ma Xiaotao also questioned her.

"If you're not happy, let's go outside and fight! Who's afraid of who!"

Di Ni'er and Ma Xiaotao continued their sharp exchanges, and it looked like they were about to come to blows.

At this moment, Zhang Lexuan, who was standing to the side, said something coldly.

"That's enough!"

After hearing Zhang Lexuan speak, the two tactfully separated.

"Xiao Tao, I... can't go back."

After saying the last word, Zhang Lexuan seemed to have exhausted all her strength. Her eyes were already full of tears, and she almost collapsed to the ground. Fortunately, Xu Yang reacted quickly and caught Zhang Lexuan's waist, letting her lean against him.

Xu Yang knew that this was because he was overwhelmed with grief after being doubted by the person he trusted most.

Of all the Shrek Academy students who came to Heaven Dou City, everyone had the right to believe that Zhang Lexuan had betrayed them, but Ma Xiaotao was the only one who could not.

Because Ma Xiaotao was the one who spent the most time with Zhang Lexuan and knew her the deepest.

Previously, when Dean Yan Shaozhe at the academy didn't have time to teach Ma Xiaotao, she was in charge. The amount of time they spent together was second only to that spent with Yan Shaozhe, their official master.

Zhang Lexuan had always been thinking of Ma Xiaotao's best interests, including the fact that she specifically suggested that Ma Xiaotao be in her group during the final battle of the Soul Master Competition.

It would allow her to win easily and also allow her to shine in front of others, enjoying the feeling of being showered with honor.

Seeing that things were going wrong, Xixi tugged at Ma Xiaotao's sleeve.

"Xiao Tao, the other side has more people and is more powerful. Why don't we leave first? A wise man doesn't fight a losing battle."

"Zhang Lexuan, you... will regret what you did today!"

In Ma Xiaotao's upbringing, Zhang Lexuan's actions were tantamount to betraying Shrek's honor and trampling on Shrek's dignity.

The only price for betraying Shrek Academy is death!

Ma Xiaotao left without even glancing at Zhang Lexuan, who had fainted in Xu Yang's arms from grief.

Xixi hurriedly followed, secretly cursing her bad luck.

Xu Yang picked Zhang Lexuan up in his arms, a wry smile on his face as he looked at Gu Yuena and Di Ni'er.

"Look at my jinx, I've been right again, and now another one has fallen."

Xu Yang glanced at the watch on his wrist and rubbed his temples.

"Let's go, there are private rooms at the auction house anyway. The auction is probably about to start, it's not convenient here. I'll go to a private room and use the Mimicry Feather to check on her, but I don't think there should be any major problems."

"It's just the brain's self-protective mechanism after excessive sadness."

Gu Yuena and Di Ni'er nodded gently.

Xu Yang carried Zhang Lexuan in his arms and led Gu Yuena and Di Ni'er toward the Jiubao Auction House.

The group arrived at the private room they had used a week ago. The room was more like a small room, but it had all the essentials.

Di Tian and Kong Deming had been waiting here for a long time. They had spent the previous week checking who had come to Tiandou City.

After all, a 100,000-year-old soul bone might attract a lot of old fogies.

Although the two of them basically slaughtered everyone in Limit Douluo, it's always good to be mentally prepared.

As it turned out, they actually discovered quite a few interesting things. There was more than one Limit Douluo this time.

"What's wrong with her?"

Upon seeing the unconscious Zhang Lexuan, Kong Deming frowned and asked.

"It's nothing, just too sad."

"She should wake up after I treat her, but whether she can recover depends on herself."

"Overly heartbroken?"

Xu Yang briefly recounted what had just happened to Kong Deming, who didn't say much.

After all, Zhang Lexuan's current state was indeed related to his own selfish desires. However, in order to prevent the inheritance from being cut off, he had no other choice but to do so.

For Kong Deming, discussing Zhang Lexuan's future with Shrek Academy in a reasonable and amicable manner was simply a pipe dream.