After parting ways with Lang Ya and Yu Tao, Zhou Sichen walked steadily toward the lower floor.
The underground level was dimly lit, filled with the chaotic sounds of chatter, laughter, and footsteps that blended together into the unique noise of a bustling marketplace.
His sharp gaze swept through the crowd like a hunting falcon in the night. It didn't take long for him to spot two familiar figures among the people.
As he passed a fruit stall, Zhou Sichen's attention was caught by the bright golden oranges piled neatly on the stand.
He picked one up and brought it close to his nose. The refreshing citrus aroma filled his senses, pleasant and pure.
With a faint smile, he bought a bag of oranges, peeling one as he walked unhurriedly toward the siblings' table. The burst of juice and tangy sweetness on his fingertips made the simple action oddly satisfying.
When he reached their counter, Zhou Sichen sat down naturally in front of them, his movement relaxed yet elegant—like he was settling comfortably into his own home.
As he continued peeling the orange with deft fingers, he said casually, "The finals are about to begin. You two, as the core members of the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy, meeting me now… don't tell me you're plotting something?"
Though his voice wasn't loud, it carried clearly through the noise of the underground market, reaching directly into the ears of Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen.
Xiao Hongchen didn't smile at his words. He simply took a sip of soda with calm grace before replying, "I didn't expect you to be Shrek Academy's captain. We met once, more than a month ago, remember?"
His eyes flickered with mixed emotions—surprise at Zhou Sichen's identity, and a serious anticipation for the finals to come.
Zhou Sichen popped a slice of orange into his mouth, the balance of sweet and sour spreading across his tongue.
Then, with a friendly expression, he handed a peeled orange to Meng Hongchen. "Try this one. Juicy and refreshing—tastes pretty good."
His tone was gentle, his manner smooth. There wasn't a trace of nervousness despite the fact that the girl in front of him was a renowned beauty; he acted as though speaking with an old friend.
From the moment Zhou Sichen appeared, Meng Hongchen's beautiful eyes had been fixed on him, drawn as if by a magnet.
Now, as he offered her the fruit, she didn't show a hint of shyness—she simply smiled and accepted it gracefully.
"Thanks. You're quite the gentleman," she said, blinking playfully. "I hope you'll be just as kind to me in the finals."
Zhou Sichen chuckled, his smile as warm as a spring breeze. "I only have five rings. You should be saying that to someone else."
Xiao Hongchen, watching his sister being charmed so easily, didn't seem angry. Instead, he smiled as well, though a trace of helplessness could be heard in his tone. "A five-ringed Soul King as Shrek's main captain… In that place full of geniuses, I doubt that's just because of your background."
His eyes sharpened slightly, probing, as though trying to see through the secrets Zhou Sichen was hiding.
"The night before your individual match against Di Ao Academy," Xiao Hongchen continued, "you met with their team at the Great Arena of Souls. The Soul Tools they used—they came from you, didn't they? A five-ring Soul King producing so many Soul Tools, some of them even sixth rank… You can't expect me to believe you're just some lucky insider."
His voice grew louder, tinged with accusation.
Zhou Sichen didn't seem bothered. He calmly pulled another orange from the bag and began peeling it again, unhurried and composed.
"The information network you have is impressive," he said at last, his tone unruffled. "But even if you know that, what difference does it make? The gap between the Sun Moon and Shrek Academies is still enormous. The finals will be best of three—but all in one day. Without time to rest, facing our lineup of three Soul Emperors, you won't have the advantage."
He popped another slice of orange into his mouth, the sweet flavor keeping his mood steady.
"So, you didn't come here to try and persuade me, did you?" he added with a teasing arch of his brow.
Meng Hongchen, having finished her orange, held out her hand toward him again like a child asking for candy.
Zhou Sichen smiled softly and handed her the one he was half-eating.
Xiao Hongchen rolled his eyes at his sister's behavior, then turned back to Zhou Sichen. "Of course not. We didn't come to talk about the match. We just wanted to make a friend."
His tone was sincere, his gaze earnest.
Zhou Sichen raised an eyebrow in mild surprise. "Oh? The proud geniuses of the Hongchen family, wanting to make friends with Shrek?"
His meaning was clear—he knew exactly what kind of status the Hongchen family held in the Sun Moon Empire. The current head of the Mingde Hall, Jing Hongchen himself, was their grandfather.
And Zhou Sichen, as a representative of Shrek, bore the weight of its name and legacy.
The tension between the former three empires and the Sun Moon Empire had never truly faded. Shrek Academy stood as the main symbol of resistance, and its relationship with Mingde Hall had always been strained.
So for the younger generation of the Hongchen family to seek friendship with Shrek's representative—it was surprising, to say the least.
But Xiao Hongchen only smiled, his expression calm, carrying a rare sense of openness. "I'm only speaking for myself, not for any faction."
His eyes were resolute, showing genuine intent.
"I know you might not believe me," he continued, "but Meng and I really just came to make friends. After all, we're the same generation of geniuses—it's inevitable that we'll cross paths as rivals in the future."
Zhou Sichen peeled another orange thoughtfully.
To be honest, he actually felt a little pity for Xiao Hongchen.
With his talent, he could have easily surpassed even his grandfather Jing Hongchen someday. Yet in the original story, he was practically sacrificed for the plot—reduced from a prodigy to a fool. What a waste.
Now, given this unexpected opportunity to connect with the Hongchen siblings, Zhou Sichen didn't feel any hostility toward them.
In fact, his mind was already turning. If he could build a friendly relationship with them, the Hongchen family might even become a valuable ally in the future.
No matter what, it wouldn't hurt to have a potential connection deep within the Sun Moon Empire.
As these thoughts swirled in his head, Zhou Sichen smiled faintly and handed another orange slice to Meng Hongchen.
"You're right," he said. "I don't really have anything against you two. Aside from the positions we stand on, there's no real grudge between us."
His voice was calm, free of any old-generation resentment.
Xiao Hongchen's eyes brightened. "Exactly. And who knows—maybe we could become good friends someday, don't you think?"
Zhou Sichen looked at him, then at Meng Hongchen, whose cheeks were adorably puffed from chewing on oranges. "If I had to choose a friend between you two," he said with a grin, "I think I'd go with her."
Meng Hongchen's eyes sparkled. She swallowed quickly, smiling with genuine delight. "You've got great taste! Not only are you handsome, but you know how to flatter a girl too."
Her cheerful laughter was infectious.
Zhou Sichen chuckled. "Simple tastes make for honest friends. I think being friends with you would be pretty fun."
Her laughter rang like silver bells. "Hehe, it's only our second time meeting, but I feel like we're already in sync!"
Her innocent sincerity was disarming.
Xiao Hongchen knew his sister had a weakness for handsome faces, so he quickly cut in, "Anyway, we've got no personal grudges. The match is the match—let's keep our elders' conflicts out of it."
Zhou Sichen nodded approvingly. "No problem."
"I agree!" Meng Hongchen said, raising her small hand with childlike enthusiasm.
Then she reached out again for another orange, but Zhou Sichen lightly flicked her finger instead.
She looked up with watery eyes, about to pout, when Zhou Sichen said gently, "Eat too many oranges and you'll get heaty. That causes acne. And acne makes you less pretty—got it?"
His tone was soft, almost teasing, as if coaxing a child.
Meng Hongchen blinked, then nodded meekly. "Got it… I won't eat too many."
Her voice carried a trace of grievance, but more than that, a quiet trust.
Xiao Hongchen had to suppress a laugh watching his little sister act so obedient.
Finally, he turned to Zhou Sichen. "Since we're friends now, how about we grab a drink?"
Zhou Sichen didn't refuse. It was a good chance to strengthen ties—who knew what might come from it later.
———
Some time later, Zhou Sichen returned carrying a bag of oranges. Lang Ya and Yu Tao were gone, as if they'd never been there.
He hadn't originally planned to contact the Body Sect so soon—he had intended to make a dramatic entrance there later, just to shock Du Bushi himself.
But since he'd run into some of their members by coincidence, he decided to drop a few misleading hints instead.
After all, with his identity as a "young Light Holy Dragon," most people in the Spirit Master world already assumed he had a powerful figure backing him. His safety wasn't a concern.
The ability he had used earlier through his Spirit Eyes was just to give Yu Tao a bit of "insight"—nothing truly harmful.
So he wasn't worried they'd act recklessly.
Back at the lounge, Zhou Sichen sat down across from Jiang Peng, peeling another orange. "These are good. Juicy and sweet—great for someone recovering from injuries."
Jiang Peng gave him a deadpan look. Oranges heal injuries?
Still, he took one, peeled it, and tossed the whole thing into his mouth. It was, admittedly, delicious.
As he chewed, he asked, "Brother Zhou, what took you so long? I almost thought you ditched me."
Zhou Sichen replied casually, "Ran into a couple of friends. Talked for a bit."
Jiang Peng only nodded. "Brother Zhou sure makes friends easily. Everywhere you go, someone knows you."
Zhou Sichen smiled faintly. "Guess so."
They chatted idly as they ate, time slipping by unnoticed until dusk settled outside. Rising together, they headed back toward the hotel.
Streetlights flickered to life one by one, casting warm amber light that stretched their shadows long across the pavement.
Though Jiang Peng's team had fallen in the semifinals, he loved the tournament too much to leave before the end. Like many others, he stayed at the Star Emperor Hotel to watch the grand finals.
When Zhou Sichen finally returned to his room, he barely had time to sit down before the door burst open.
Ye Guyi strode in with her usual fiery energy, skipping any greeting and going straight to the point:
"Those two brats from the Sun Moon—what did they want with you? Don't tell me they tried to seduce you with some beauty trap, you little pervert?"
She leaned close, her delicate nose twitching like a curious deer. But all she smelled was the clean, sweet scent of oranges.
Zhou Sichen couldn't help feeling smug. Last time, the faint perfume lingering from Princess Jiujiu had gotten him in trouble with Ye Guyi for days. This time, he had come prepared—with oranges as a natural cover scent.
With his trademark grin, he teased, "If it was a beauty trap, that'd be great—I could've taken advantage of it."
He meant it as a joke, but Ye Guyi's reaction was immediate.
Her pretty brows furrowed, and she crossed her arms, glaring at him. "Oh really? You'd like that, wouldn't you?"
Zhou Sichen quickly straightened his expression. "Relax, they didn't come for that. The Hongchen siblings didn't have any clear agenda. They seemed genuine about wanting to be friends—but of course, it's likely they were fishing for information."
Ye Guyi's eyes narrowed. "Information about our teacher?"
To her, that was the most valuable secret Shrek possessed.
Zhou Sichen nodded. "Most likely. But don't worry—I ran circles around them. If they thought they could pry anything useful out of me, they're still too green."
He paused, then added thoughtfully, "Still, those two have some influence in the Sun Moon. Might come in handy later."
Ye Guyi, knowing how cunning Zhou Sichen could be, relaxed a little. She trusted his instincts.
But then, she circled him suspiciously, sniffing again. The orange scent was thick in the air.
The more she thought about it, the more suspicious she became. Suddenly, she pushed him onto the sofa and sat down on his lap in one swift motion.
Her pretty face turned mock-serious. "Normal people don't cover themselves in orange scent. Be honest—did you or did you not fall for their beauty trap?"
Her mischievous eyes locked onto his, searching for the slightest sign of guilt.
Zhou Sichen froze, heart skipping a beat.
Damn it. Shouldn't have eaten so many oranges with Jiang Peng… Now it looks suspicious!
****
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