Douluo Continent: We agreed on a simulation, but they've come to life?

But the next moment.

"Boom!!!"

The roar echoed throughout the entire Star Dou Great Forest.

A blazing three-legged golden crow, like a rainbow piercing the sun, shot straight through half of the Blood-Eating Demon Python's head. Countless trees along the way were burned to ashes, and the terrifying sun's essence fire scorched the Blood-Eating Demon Python, causing it to writhe and howl wildly on the ground.

All the Shrek Academy disciples stared blankly at what had suddenly happened.

It seems... he's not dead?

The arrow's mark was so obvious that everyone immediately looked in the direction from which it had come.

No trace of it could be seen.

"What a terrifying range, at least several miles away..." An inner court disciple, having survived the ordeal, had a look of shock in his eyes.

"Did the academy's powerful members come to save us?"

"Why haven't I seen a single senior member who uses a bow in all these years since I joined the inner court?"

"..."

Many disciples who had recently joined the inner academy and whose cultivation had reached the Soul King or Soul Emperor level became excited and started chattering excitedly.

However, the four Soul Saints and several disciples who had joined the inner academy years earlier remained frozen in place, feeling a chill run down their spines.

No one knows better than them.

Who is the owner of this arrow?

That being who once suppressed the entire inner academy, causing countless geniuses to tremble, and whose identity as the Holy Son of the Holy Spirit Cult was exposed three years ago, has become a taboo existence that cannot be mentioned in the inner academy...

All eyes turned to Zhang Lexuan.

The beauty stood frozen in place, staring blankly into the distance.

His eyes were vacant.

"Three years have passed, and you're still so weak..."

A playful voice rang out.

Two figures in black robes slowly appeared in everyone's sight.

"My dear... sister."

The young man in black robes, who was at the head of the group, smiled and looked down at the beauty, then slowly spoke.

Chapter 21 Xuanzi: What happened?

"Brother, what if someone bullies me?"

"I'll beat them up for you."

"What if you can't beat them either?"

"Step over my dead body."

"What if you're not here with me?"

"Where do you get so many 'what ifs'..." The boy's eyelids twitched, and he looked at the girl with a speechless expression. But the girl remained persistent, her light blue eyes full of stubbornness and hope. Looking at the girl's bright eyes, the boy helplessly gave up.

Under the starry sky, he lay on the grass with his head up, gazing at the countless stars, and slowly began to speak.

"Alright, if you encounter danger but I'm not by your side, just shake the bell on this hairpin, and I'll appear like a hero riding on auspicious clouds to save you, okay..."

The girl smiled radiantly, nestled carefully in the boy's arms, inhaling his scent, her pretty face filled with joy and pleasure.

"..."

Bringing us back to reality from our memories.

Zhang Lexuan stared blankly at Lu Cheng, who had suddenly appeared.

She shook the hairpin, and it emitted a melodious and ethereal bell sound.

Is that why?

Did he really appear in front of me?

"Lu Cheng, it's been a long time..." Ruomu leaned against an ancient tree, her face pale, and looked at the black-robed man who appeared on another ancient tree, smiling and looking down at them with a complicated expression.

It's been three years, and this guy has changed a lot.

However, the appearance of this opponent would likely be a more terrifying disaster than a 100,000-year-old soul beast.

After all... he's an evil spirit master. Saving people? That's out of the question.

They were mortal enemies. If she hadn't exhausted her soul power and become a fish on a chopping board, at his mercy, she would have charged forward long ago.

"Hehe, it's been three years, and you all look so disheveled..."

"Where are the teachers and instructors from Shrek Academy? It can't be some kind of life-or-death ordeal, can it?"

Lu Cheng leisurely surveyed the many Shrek disciples, revealing a warm yet eerie smile.

Many inner court disciples gradually fell silent, clearly sensing the strange atmosphere. Moreover, both of them were dressed in black robes, obviously not reinforcements from Shrek Academy...

Many disciples were astonished by the young man's terrifying strength.

This person was probably only a few years older than them, but the power they displayed just now—an arrow that pierced through the defenses of a 100,000-year-old soul beast and nearly crushed it to death.

Even if he faced the Bloodthirsty Serpent at its peak alone, he probably wouldn't be at a significant disadvantage.

Are there such abnormally gifted geniuses on the mainland?

They all seemed to have never heard of it.

"Lu Cheng, stop making sarcastic remarks. Spare Le Xuan's life, and I'm willing to die in her place." Ruomu breathed heavily, straightened up, and stared at Lu Cheng with a pleading look in her eyes.

Zhang Lexuan is the future of Shrek Academy.

The designated successor of the Sea God Pavilion, spanning a generation.

Even if the girl said those irresponsible things, as her senior, she had to do her best to protect her.

"Senior Sister Ruomu!" The other Soul Saint looked anxious.

"My mind is made up, don't try to persuade me anymore," Ruomu said firmly, her emerald green eyes shining.

The other inner court disciples only then realized what was happening.

This one doesn't seem to be... reinforcements.

Having just escaped one tiger's den, they've fallen into another?

“Senior Sister Ruomu, this is between him and me.” Zhang Lexuan said softly, her light blue eyes looking indifferently at Lu Cheng: “Lu Cheng, let them go... I’m willing to go with you.”

"My silly little sister, why won't you even call me 'brother' anymore? You used to follow me around every day, I couldn't shake you off." Lu Cheng chuckled.

Many inner court disciples looked on in astonishment.

Who exactly is this person who has the aloof and ethereal senior sister calling him "brother"?

However, soon, many disciples recalled a taboo rumor from three years ago in the inner courtyard, their eyes flashing with complex emotions and shock. If it really was that rumored name, today's events would probably be difficult to resolve peacefully.

Zhang Lexuan clenched her fists, bit her lip, and stared coldly at Lu Cheng: "Kill me or torture me, do as you please, but don't humiliate me like this."

"Tsk tsk, how do you know I won't kill you, but instead will take you away?" Lu Cheng said with a smile.

"..."

Zhang Lexuan was stunned, her pretty face growing even paler.

Being taken away by Lu Cheng, he'll probably be returned to the Demon Cave, the place known as the stronghold of evil soul masters...

There, life would probably be worse than death.

"You're scared already?"

Lu Cheng moved and appeared opposite her, leisurely sizing up Zhang Lexuan.

Her pale blue eyes were fixed on Lu Cheng, her fists clenched. The face that had made her curse, hope, and even grit her teeth over the past three years reappeared before her, yet she found it difficult to remain calm as she had expected.

She's lost weight and grown taller, but she still has that familiar aura.

Faced with that condescending gaze looking down at her, Zhang Lexuan's eyes gradually darted away, and she turned her head away.

"Raise your head."

Lu Cheng gently pinched her chin with his fingers, lifting up her exquisitely beautiful face, which looked pitiful yet forcedly composed...

"too weak……"

Lu Cheng's smile faded, a hint of disdain and disgust flashing in his eyes, and he slowly shook his head.

"After all these years of honing your physical body and bones, has it only reached the peak of Soul Saint? You didn't even dare to try for a 100,000-year-old Soul Beast for your seventh Soul Ring, instead opting for a pseudo-100,000-year-old one that's over 99,000 years old?"

"Someone like you... doesn't deserve to be killed by me."

"..."

Zhang Lexuan's heart skipped a beat.

For some reason, she didn't feel relieved to have escaped this ordeal. Instead, her mind was filled with Lu Cheng's disgusted and contemptuous gaze, which made her anger surge uncontrollably.

"I won't kill you..."

Zhang Lexuan gritted her teeth and said, word by word.

"Lu Cheng, if you still dare to let me go, I will spend my whole life defeating you, destroying your martial spirit and meridians, and then imprisoning you in Heaven Dou City, making you kowtow and apologize to the innocent people who died."

Lu Cheng: "..."

He paused for a moment.

Looking at the stubborn Zhang Lexuan in front of him, his lips moved slightly.

Then, a mocking smile slowly crept onto his face, and he burst into laughter, a laugh that was extremely unrestrained and arrogant.

"Hahahahaha..."

"Fine, then I'll wait for you to come and cripple me."

After a long while, Lu Cheng seemed to have laughed enough and wiped away the tears streaming from the corners of his eyes.