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After leaving the central army camp, under Xu Jiujiu’s arrangements, Su Yu and his companions were all provided with their own tents.

Su Yu’s tent, in particular, was exquisitely and luxuriously decorated, clearly arranged with care.

Outside the tent, specially assigned maids waited attentively, ready to serve at any moment.

Su Yu glanced around indifferently. Just then, he heard light footsteps outside the entrance.

Accompanied by the sound of the maids’ greetings, Zhang Lexuan lifted the curtain and stepped inside.

Su Yu’s gaze fell upon Zhang Lexuan—she had clearly just bathed.

Her jet-black hair, still slightly damp, draped over her shoulders. She was wearing a pale yellow long dress; the elegant color complemented her pure and beautiful face, creating a unique charm.

It was the so-called “lotus emerging from clear water, naturally beautiful without adornment.” This must be what that meant.

“Sister Lexuan…?”

Su Yu looked slightly surprised. In front of him, Zhang Lexuan was always dressed neatly, her demeanor poised and composed.

But today, Zhang Lexuan seemed like less cool and aloof, but exuding a gentle, captivating charm.

“Just felt a bit bored, wanted to have a chat with you. Xiao Yu, you don’t mind, do you?” Zhang Lexuan smiled softly, her red lips parting gently, her tone tender.

Su Yu chuckled and shook his head. “Sister Lexuan, what are you saying? How could I possibly mind?”

“Come, have a seat…”

Su Yu quickly invited Zhang Lexuan to sit.

Zhang Lexuan stepped gracefully forward, her elegant figure highlighted by the long dress, displaying every delicate curve.

Su Yu had never seen Zhang Lexuan act like this before, and his curiosity was immediately piqued.

As Zhang Lexuan slowly passed by Su Yu, her hair fluttered, and a faint, intoxicating fragrance wafted into Su Yu’s nose.

Zhang Lexuan circled around and sat gracefully beside Su Yu.

She picked up a strand of her hair and rested it on her chest. Her eyes, clear as autumn water, gazed at Su Yu with infatuation as if filled with unspoken longing.

Su Yu was momentarily stunned and a bit surprised. When did Zhang Lexuan start expressing her emotions so openly?

Su Yu didn’t think much of it, assuming she simply missed him after their time apart.

“I’m sorry I didn’t have time to visit you, and I almost put you in danger.”

Su Yu gently took Zhang Lexuan’s soft hand into his palm, his tone calm. His starry eyes fixed on her delicate face, carrying a hint of guilt and relief.

It had been so close—just a little closer and disaster would’ve struck.

Had he not been cautious earlier and left the Red Dust Blessing behind, Zhang Lexuan might have perished.

Thinking back, Su Yu still felt a lingering fear.

He thought that once Zhang Lexuan reached the Super Douluo level, he could finally relax a bit.

But as the enemies grew stronger, even Super Douluo was no longer enough to guarantee safety.

Zhang Lexuan, with her Ultimate Martial Soul and Super Douluo strength, was no weaker than Yan Shaozhe. Yet, against a true Ultimate Douluo, she still seemed powerless.

Today’s opponent was only Xuan Zi—what if, in the future, it was Ye Xishui, or an even more troublesome enemy?

If he wasn’t around, who could protect Zhang Lexuan?

Su Yu had already made up his mind: after this, he would never let Zhang Lexuan leave his sight again.

Zhang Lexuan smiled softly, her beautiful eyes shimmering with gentle light. Coupled with her elegant and refined temperament, she looked even more lovely.

“Xiao Yu, how can this be your fault? If anything, I’ve only dragged you down.”

 “If not for me, maybe you wouldn’t have gotten involved in this war.”

Zhang Lexuan lowered her brows slightly—she understood Su Yu.

Su Yu hated trouble the most.

When something didn’t concern him, he was always too lazy to get involved.

Especially when it came to a war between the Sun Moon Empire and the three great empires—such matters originally had nothing to do with Su Yu.

She believed that, had he not learned of her involvement, Su Yu might have just kept observing from the sidelines.

“Don’t overthink it. As the Sea God Pavilion Master of Shrek Academy, how could you not participate?”

“As for you dragging me down?”

Su Yu smiled. “Even if you hadn’t gotten involved, I still wouldn’t be able to stay out of this war.”

“If it were just a war between nations, I could have ignored it.”

 “I’m neither from the Sun Moon Empire nor any of the three empires. Even if they fought each other to ruin, it wouldn’t really concern me.”

 “But now… it’s different…”

 “This war has already involved Evil Soul Masters, and even enemies from beyond the continent. It’s no longer as simple as a conflict between nations.”

 “If handled poorly, it could be a catastrophe that sweeps across the entire continent.”

Zhang Lexuan’s eyes narrowed, her expression changing. “A catastrophe for the whole continent?”

She suddenly thought of something. “You mean that black shadow from before?”

Su Yu nodded. “This person is definitely not from the Douluo Continent.”

 “On Douluo Continent, there’s currently no one who can stand on equal ground with Elder Hai.”

 “Even among the former gods, before ascending to godhood, none could have been a match for Elder Hai.”

 “This person must have come from outside the continent.”

Su Yu was very familiar with the powerhouses of the Douluo Continent.

The strongest now was his own wife, a family member—not worth mentioning.

Below the god-level, the strongest were Hai Bodong and Di Tian.

In the beginning, Hai Bodong was indeed about the same as Di Tian, but now…

Su Yu’s eyes flickered. Hai Bodong now seemed unfathomable. Su Yu suspected that Di Tian was no longer his equal.

As for Di Tian, Su Yu still held him in great esteem, but he could see Di Tian’s limits.

Hai Bodong, however, felt like a vast ocean—boundless.

It was hard to measure how strong Hai Bodong had become now.

Yet that black shadow, with just a projection, could withstand Hai Bodong head-on—one could imagine how terrifying that was.

“From beyond the continent…”

Zhang Lexuan’s expression grew serious. Such an opponent was truly daunting.

“That’s why, in a crisis concerning the life and death of the whole continent, how could the Ice God Palace not respond?”

 “I never claimed to be a good person, but I understand the responsibilities that come with my position.”

 “Eliminating evil and upholding justice is the creed of the Ice God—it’s also the rule passed down by the Ice God Palace, and I will abide by it.”

 “Besides, I once said I would eradicate the Evil Soul Masters. A man’s word is his bond. If I said I’d destroy the Holy Spirit Sect, I’ll pull them up by their roots.”

Su Yu clenched his fist, his tone firm and resolute.

Zhang Lexuan nodded in agreement. “Xiao Yu, I’ll go with you!”

No matter what Su Yu wanted to do, she would follow him to the end. It was her vow from the past, and the principle she’d uphold her whole life.

“Sister Lexuan…”

Su Yu squeezed Zhang Lexuan’s hand and couldn’t help but pull her into his embrace.

Zhang Lexuan rested against Su Yu’s chest, feeling his reassuring warmth.

A look of nostalgia appeared in Zhang Lexuan’s eyes. The current Su Yu had truly become more mature and reliable.

He was more and more like a truly mature, steady man.

The next moment, as if she remembered something, a blush crept onto Zhang Lexuan’s face.

She raised her left hand, put both arms around Su Yu’s neck, and gently pressed her cheek against his left cheek, softly rubbing against him.

Su Yu was stunned, his eyes wide.

Zhang Lexuan was actually being so intimate on her own?

Although he and Zhang Lexuan had been close more than once or twice, it had always been him who took the initiative.

Zhang Lexuan was a very traditional, shy girl—she rarely did anything so bold.

This was truly unprecedented.

Something was off—very off.

Even if Su Yu were an idiot, he could tell that Zhang Lexuan obviously had some ulterior motive.

But what kind of plan was this?

A beauty trap?

Su Yu didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

Still, he didn’t expose her. It was rare for Zhang Lexuan to be so proactive, so of course he was happy to play along.

As their cheeks touched, Su Yu could clearly feel the heat radiating from Zhang Lexuan’s face.

So, this girl wasn’t completely unaffected after all.

Zhang Lexuan awkwardly and clumsily rubbed against him. It was obvious she wanted to go further, but just couldn’t take that final step.

As the rubbing continued, her face only grew hotter.

Su Yu teased, “If you keep rubbing, your face will be cooked.”

“Ah!”

Zhang Lexuan was startled, suddenly at a loss.

A gentle smile tugged at Su Yu's lips. "Let me take over!"

Without any hesitation, Su Yu pulled Zhang Lexuan over and kissed her. Their lips met softly at first, then with increasing passion. Su Yu's tongue gently probed, seeking entry, and Zhang Lexuan's lips parted in response. Their tongues danced and intertwined, exploring each other's mouths with growing fervor.

Zhang Lexuan froze for a moment, her body stiffening at the unexpected intensity, but gradually she relaxed, slowly melting into Su Yu's embrace. She returned the kiss with equal ardor, her hands moving to caress Su Yu's face and tangle in their hair.

The world around them faded away as they lost themselves in the sensual dance of lips, tongues, and breath. Their breathing quickened, hearts racing in unison as the kiss deepened.

After a long while, their lips parted. A thin strand of saliva still connected their lips, a glistening testament to the passion they had just shared.

Su Yu gently brushed his thumb across Zhang Lexuan’s eye, his starry eyes gazing into hers, lips lifted in a smile.

“Your beauty trap needs a bit more fire.”

Su Yu joked.

Zhang Lexuan’s face turned red. She bashfully punched Su Yu twice. “You’re still teasing!”

She was both embarrassed and annoyed—embarrassed that her attempt at a beauty trap was so clumsy and easily seen through, and annoyed that Su Yu, having seen through it, still took full advantage.

This guy was really getting more and more mischievous.

After being punched a few times, Su Yu just laughed, gently holding her hand.

 “Was it Yan Shaozhe who sent you?”

Su Yu asked softly.

Before Zhang Lexuan could respond, Su Yu continued, “This kind of seduction isn’t really your style. Only he would come up with such a lousy idea.”

Zhang Lexuan sighed lightly.

 “As expected, I can’t hide anything from you. So, you’re still going?”

 “That’s a real dragon’s den, Xiao Yu—I don’t want you to take the risk.”

Her voice was calm, but the sincerity in her words was touching.

Su Yu paused, then broke into a brilliant smile.

He looked at Zhang Lexuan, his smile easy and confident. “Don’t worry!”

Seeing Su Yu’s confident demeanor, Zhang Lexuan couldn’t help but believe him.

 “Xiao Yu, don’t be careless!”

She hesitated, then still couldn’t help but warn him.

Su Yu smiled, a hint of mystery in his expression. “Sister Lexuan, do you remember Uncle Di Tian?”

Zhang Lexuan replied without thinking, “Of course, I remem—”

Halfway through, she suddenly realized. “Xiao Yu, you mean…”

If she remembered correctly, that person was at least an Ultimate Douluo, right?

No wonder Su Yu was so confident.

If that was the case, then going to Radiant City wouldn’t be impossible.

Even if Mu Wu wasn’t around, with Hai Bodong and that person accompanying him, Su Yu could return safely.

With such a lineup, even if they didn’t win, no one could trouble them.

“Xiao Yu, is… is that person here too?”

A hint of deep respect flashed in Zhang Lexuan’s eyes.

That person was the first true powerhouse she’d ever seen in her life.

She couldn’t fathom how strong that person was—only that they were unfathomable.

Even when Elder Mu was alive, he didn’t give her quite the same impression.

No wonder Su Yu was so full of confidence.

“Uh-huh…”

Su Yu didn’t answer directly, but that look was all the confirmation Zhang Lexuan needed.

Would Di Tian show up?

Probably not—Su Yu was just trying to reassure Zhang Lexuan.

Di Tian’s reverse scale wasn’t with him, so he couldn’t be located at will.

But, well…

Di Tian’s reverse scale wasn’t with him, but someone else’s was!

Di Tian wasn’t truly the strongest in the Star Dou Forest.

Of course, unless absolutely necessary, Su Yu didn’t want to disturb Gu Yuena either.

Seeing this, Zhang Lexuan’s eyes filled with joy.

With this, she could truly relax.

…

Zhang Lexuan left in high spirits, while on the other side, Xu Jiawei received an urgent message from the army.

“What, the Ice God Palace is making a move?”

 “Great, great!”

Upon reading the information, Xu Jiawei slapped the table and stood up, his face full of joy.

With the Ice God Palace’s help, what was there to fear from the Sun Moon Empire?

The greatest threats from the Sun Moon Empire were their soul tools and Evil Soul Masters.

In terms of soul tools, Star Lou Empire was no match for the Sun Moon Empire. But once the Ice God Palace intervened, they’d have the upper hand in terms of powerhouses.

Resisting the Sun Moon Empire’s offensive would be much easier.

Xu Jiawei had experienced the terror of Ultimate Douluo. He knew that when they fought, it was like the world was ending.

Such powerhouses couldn’t be held back by soul tools.

Maybe they could even turn the tide and push back the Sun Moon Empire.

With excitement, Xu Jiawei continued reading, but his expression suddenly changed.

 “What? Young Master Su Yu wants to go alone to Radiant City to rescue Jing Hongchen?”

Xu Jiawei was shocked and immediately read carefully.

 “Nonsense! This is too dangerous! Radiant City is no safe place!”

Xu Jiawei was so anxious he nearly jumped. The Ice God Palace had finally made a move, and now Su Yu wanted to pull such a risky stunt?

If anything happened to Su Yu in Radiant City, that would be…

Wait a minute…

If Su Yu was trapped in Radiant City, wouldn’t that make the Ice God Palace and Sun Moon Empire mortal enemies?