The gate was kicked open with a "boom," and the heavy metal door panels echoed dully.
The guards' faces instantly turned pale; they pressed the alarms at their waists yet dared not move.
To dare act like this at the Spirit Pagoda Headquarters, they were definitely no ordinary person.
The hall inside the gate opened up, and the passing Spirit Conductors stopped in their tracks, their gazes shifting toward the entrance in unison.
Upon seeing Na'er's familiar silver hair and arrogant posture, some showed suspicion, while others quickly lowered their heads.
"How dare you! To think someone would be so impudent in the Spirit Conduction Tower!" A purple-uniformed elder with a badge on his chest walked over quickly; he was a Spirit Douluo-level powerhouse.
But when he saw Na'er's face clearly, his originally furious expression suddenly froze.
In the next moment, his bowing gesture was so fast it was almost a blur: "This subordinate greets... the Young Lord!"
As Leng Yaozhu's Personal Disciple, Na'er was worthy of being called Young Lord.
As for whether the Qiangu family would object to such a title... there were no members of the Qiangu family present anyway.
If their people were here, the elder wouldn't have called her that.
It was all workplace politics.
This "Young Lord" address caused an immediate uproar among the Class Zero members. Xie Xie's eyes widened, his mouth hanging open wide enough to fit an egg.
Xu Xiaoyan had the strongest reaction; she covered her mouth, looking at Na'er in disbelief.
She felt distressed in her heart.
How was she supposed to compete with Na'er for Arthur now?
She had already started a mental theater where, in the future battle for Arthur, Na'er would give an order, directing the Spirit Conduction Tower to bring ruin to her Xu family.
"Brother, Father... you may rest in peace." Xu Xiaoyan sank into a moment of silence.
This baffling reaction left Wu Zhangkong, who had been observing his students, completely confused.
Na'er straightened her back, full of dominance: "Mm, you may rise. Clear out a few rooms for me; I'm bringing friends to stay."
"Yes! This subordinate will see to it immediately!" The elder dared not delay for a moment and hurried to get it done.
Na'er's deeds within the pagoda were obvious to all; if someone upset her, she really would call Leng Yaozhu to step in.
Leng Yaozhu doted on Na'er so much that she truly would bully the weak on her behalf.
"Humph, let's go. I'll take you to the upper levels." Na'er held her head high, acting like the boss as she led everyone toward the elevator.
The elevator was made of special spirit tool Materials, moving at an incredible speed. The scenery outside the window receded rapidly, and they reached the high floors in no time.
Opening the door, a massive floor-to-ceiling window came into view, offering a panoramic view of Shrek City.
The room's decor was luxurious yet tasteful, equipped with all sorts of rare spirit tools.
"This is way too luxurious!" Tang Wulin was dazzled.
Xie Xie also leaned in, clicking his tongue in wonder: "This view is simply incredible! It's even better than I imagined!"
Wu Zhangkong walked to the window, his gaze sweeping toward the direction of Shrek Academy in the distance, looking thoughtful.
Arthur sat on the sofa, watching the group fooling around, a faint smile appearing on his lips.
Just then, footsteps came from outside the door. Before the person arrived, their voice preceded them: "Sister Na'er, why didn't you say anything when you returned? I could have come to welcome you."
After knocking, Qiangu Zhangting walked in.
Qiangu Zhangting was dressed in a silver-and-gold Spirit Conduction Tower formal uniform. He had a tall, straight posture and a look of deliberate gentleness between his brows. Ignoring everyone else, his gaze fell directly on Na'er.
"Holy..." Na'er instantly became irritable. She was about to react immediately, but then she remembered Arthur was present and had to mind her image.
Pausing, she said displeasedly, "Who are you calling sister? Is that a name you're allowed to use?"
"Haha..." The gentle smile on Qiangu Zhangting's face stiffened for a moment before melting away as if nothing had happened.
To better pursue Leng Yaozhu, Qiangu Dongfeng had told him to build a good relationship with Na'er.
And so, as soon as Na'er returned, Qiangu Dongfeng sent him over.
Qiangu Zhangting's tone carried a hint of fawning tolerance: "It was my mistake, Na'er."
Then, his gaze finally swept over the others in the room. When it landed on Gu Yue, his pupils constricted slightly.
Qiangu Zhangting's gaze froze on Gu Yue's face, his Adam's apple bobbing unconsciously.
The girl's long hair fell over her shoulders, her simple dress accentuating her snow-white skin. Her eyes were as clear and cold as a wintry pond, yet they made his heart leap and his breathing hitch.
He had lived for over twenty years and seen countless daughters of noble families, but none had ever given him such a powerful impact.
That coldness, mixed with detachment and pride, firmly caught his gaze, making him subconsciously want to get closer.
Having stared for too long, Gu Yue frowned slightly, about to lose her temper. Arthur stepped in front of her, blocking the other's line of sight.
Arthur's movements when he stood up were gentle, yet they carried an unquestionable aura. He stood between Gu Yue and Qiangu Zhangting, looking at the other calmly: "Friend, you're being a bit impolite."
Whenever someone in the group encountered trouble, Arthur was always the first to step up.
In the original work, Qiangu Zhangting fell in love with Gu Yue at first sight; this was unavoidable.
Looking at the back in front of her, Gu Yue's furrowed brow smoothed out, a strange feeling welling up in her heart.
"Sorry." Qiangu Zhangting snapped out of it, a flash of embarrassment crossing his face before he regained his deliberate gentleness.
However, his look toward Arthur held a bit more scrutiny as he asked Na'er, "Na'er, this friend of yours is...?"
Na'er ignored him, watching with jealousy as Arthur shielded Gu Yue. She was so envious.
Receiving no answer, the atmosphere fell into an awkward silence.
Qiangu Zhangting's gaze shifted back and forth between Arthur's back and Gu Yue. Gradually, his deliberate gentleness was about to crack.
He cleared his throat, trying to break the deadlock: "Since you are Na'er's friends, you are honored guests of the Spirit Conduction Tower. Why don't I host a banquet here to welcome you all?"
Changing the subject, he aimed precisely at Gu Yue: "If Young Miss Gu Yue is interested, I can also take you to visit the various soul spirit exhibition areas of the Spirit Conduction Tower. There are many rare soul spirits there."
"No need." Gu Yue's voice was as cold as ever as she moved another half-inch behind Arthur. "We still have things to discuss."
This detail was more than Na'er could stand, and she impatiently waved her hand. "Go, go, go! This is none of your business. Stop being an eyesore."
At this moment, the idea of his grandfather telling him to please Na'er and his own desire to get close to Gu Yue were battling in his head.
Not knowing how to handle social situations, he instantly froze up.
Qiangu Zhangting had focused on Cultivate since childhood and, being Qiangu Dongfeng's grandson, knew nothing about socializing.
With his left and right brain at war, his face flushed red. He wanted to say something but ultimately turned and walked toward the door, his steps as frantic as if he were fleeing.
"What happened?" Tang Wulin, who had just finished looking at the Shrek City scenery, turned back and scratched his head at the strange atmosphere in the room.
"Enough." Wu Zhangkong broke the silence, saying coldly, "I have already contacted Shrek Academy. You all should get ready for the assessment."
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