Chapter 35: Inner Court Mission, Senior Sister Zhang Lexuan
Ye Chen had no idea what Ling Luochen was thinking—he just felt slightly speechless.
Good grief, all he wanted was to have lunch with Ma Xiaotao. How did that turn into getting dragged into a mission with no pay?
He hadn't even agreed yet...
Still, this mission probably included him incidentally, just to let him gain some experience. It shouldn't be too dangerous.
In the original events, the Shrek Seven Monsters faced their deadly crisis partly because old man Xuan Zi was careless—but more so because of Huo Yuhao.
The "Child of Fortune" might be blessed by fate, but those blessings always came with deadly risks.
That crisis had been meant for Huo Yuhao. He simply escaped by sheer luck, while others ended up dead, crippled, or barely alive.
Ye Chen didn't believe himself to be a "Child of Fortune." He was just a guy with a system.
It was just a routine mission—no way something life-threatening would happen.
"What's wrong? Are you scared? If you are, you can refuse, you know~" Ling Luochen teased, squinting slightly with a playful smile.
She was clearly using provocation to push him.
"Who's scared? I'll go," Ye Chen answered immediately.
Of course, his main reason was to see who would be leading the mission.
If it was old man Xuan Zi, he'd run the other way without hesitation.
If it were someone else, then maybe it'd be worth checking out.
...
...
Soon enough, Ling Luochen led Ye Chen to a beautiful private courtyard deep inside Sea God Island.
Inside were two women waiting for them.
One of them, naturally, was Ma Xiaotao.
Ye Chen's gaze met hers—and she quickly looked away, her face slightly flushed, clearly recalling what had happened that morning. She dared not meet his eyes for fear of giving herself away.
Ye Chen's attention then turned to the other woman.
She had long black hair like silk cascading down to her waist. Her smooth forehead was framed by graceful willow brows, her nose was straight but soft, and her pale-pink lips shimmered faintly with moisture. The gentle curve of her mouth gave her an air of quiet charm.
She wasn't wearing the standard inner-court uniform but a finer set—a purple outfit trimmed with gold.
The top had a sharp, fitted cut, with a delicate Shrek Academy crest pinned at the collar. One crystal button was undone, revealing a line of white skin—but the dignity in her posture erased any hint of impropriety.
Her dark skirt reached mid-thigh, complemented by thigh-high black stockings and garter straps glinting with metallic clasps—just enough to leave a teasing "forbidden zone" visible above sleek, knee-high boots.
But what truly caught Ye Chen's attention was her composure—completely different from Ma Xiaotao or Ling Luochen. Though she looked only in her twenties, she carried a mature elegance somewhere between youthful grace and womanly poise.
That could only be due to her experiences.
And her power—hidden but vast—left no doubt.
If Ye Chen had to guess...
"Ah, Xiao Chen, let me introduce you," Ling Luochen said quickly when she noticed Ma Xiaotao staying silent. "This is the strongest student in our inner court—and all of Shrek Academy's senior disciples' leader—Senior Sister Zhang Lexuan."
"Greetings, Senior Sister~"
Ye Chen put on his most polite smile and bowed slightly.
She was a Spirit Douluo after all. Even Ye Chen didn't dare appear too casual upon first meeting.
Better to seem polite—it helped build favor, after all.
At the same time, he guessed that Zhang Lexuan was probably assigned as his protector for the mission.
Compared to Xuan Zi, she was far more reliable—and much, much easier on the eyes.
That old man's greasy chicken leg and slovenly appearance weren't exactly reassuring.
"Hmm, what a well-mannered junior. Dean Yan told me about you—you truly live up to your reputation as the outer court's top talent," Zhang Lexuan said warmly, her tone soft but full of genuine admiration.
Ye Chen really was exceptional—his talent far surpassed hers.
With proper guidance, his potential could easily reach—or even surpass—Elder Mu's level.
And he was handsome, too. One look at him made her heart soften with fondness.
"If only I had a younger brother like this..." Zhang Lexuan thought to herself.
Her beloved Bei Bei had been taken by Tang Ya, leaving her heart hollow all these years.
Now, looking at Ye Chen, she almost felt like she'd found a piece of what she'd lost.
"Senior Sister, I heard from Ling Luochen that I'm joining a mission this time—could I know what kind of mission it is?" Ye Chen asked cautiously.
"I'll explain," Ma Xiaotao cut in before Zhang Lexuan could reply. "This is an assignment from our teacher. Since you've hit your limit in the outer court, she wanted you to join us for some real-world training."
"This mission was supposed to be for the Shrek Overseer Corps—normally, outer court students can't even know about it. But you're special, so you can participate."
"Our task is to eliminate a nest of evil soul masters. It was originally meant for me and Ling Luochen, but we got permission to bring you along."
"As for Senior Zhang, she's coming as our protector..."
Her tone softened near the end, a hint of jealousy flickering in her eyes.
Missions like this were dangerous—yet the academy rarely sent anyone to oversee them, much less someone as powerful as Zhang Lexuan.
Clearly, her presence was for Ye Chen's sake. She was here to make sure he wasn't harmed in the slightest, while Ma Xiaotao and Ling Luochen's safety was purely secondary.
She had only ever received that level of care when she'd first joined the inner court herself.
Still, it wasn't a bad thing.
After all, she and Ling Luochen alone might've struggled if something unexpected happened. Evil soul masters were unpredictable—one of them, a Soul King, could easily fight at Spirit Sage level.
With Zhang Lexuan along, even Ye Chen's lack of battle experience wouldn't matter.
After a few missions like this, he'd be able to handle things on his own.
"I see. Then I'll be counting on you, Senior Sister~" Ye Chen said gratefully.
"It's no trouble."
Zhang Lexuan smiled, her deep violet eyes soft with warmth.
Standing up, she approached Ye Chen, her voice like a calm breeze. "Your talent surpasses mine by far. One day, you'll become Shrek's strongest pillar. If you ever need anything, don't hesitate to ask me."
She wasn't just here for protection—for her, this was also a test.
If Ye Chen performed well, she could approve his early admission into the inner court, granting him full privileges.
"Alright, thank you, Senior Sister~" Ye Chen nodded politely, as obedient as ever.
"So well-behaved," Ma Xiaotao muttered inwardly, her expression twisting between amusement and jealousy.
Still… that obedient side of Ye Chen—she had to admit—was exactly what she liked most.
(END CHAPTER)
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