Inside the Shrek Academy floating in the air, Zhang Lexuan and Ling Luochen stood side by side, their gazes sweeping across their surroundings.
This was a simply furnished room with a few chairs, a table, and a few unknown paintings hanging on the walls; there was nothing else.
After Cai Yue'er brought the two here, she left directly without even giving a word of explanation. The two did not know what they would face next.
Although Cai Yue'er had personally said that she would not kill them, the two were still quite nervous at this moment.
What were the rules of this academy?
What punishment awaited them?
Was it imprisonment? Was it whipping? Or something else?
Ling Luochen's cold and aloof face was now full of worry, and her fingertips were trembling slightly.
Zhang Lexuan noticed her abnormality, her heart softened, and she reached out to gently press on Ling Luochen's shoulder.
"Don't worry." Her voice was gentle yet firm, carrying a certain power that brought peace of mind. "If there is any punishment, I will take it for you."
Ling Luochen raised her head and looked at Zhang Lexuan; that gentle face now held no trace of fear.
Is this the Big Senior Sister of the Inner Academy?
A wave of emotion surged in Ling Luochen's heart. When she was in the Shrek Inner Academy, she did not have much contact with Zhang Lexuan, only knowing that this Big Senior Sister was powerful, gentle to others, and admired by countless inner court disciples.
Now in a dangerous situation, she truly realized what it meant to be "worthy of respect," which felt much better than the impression Xuan Zi gave her.
However—
Ling Luochen shook her head.
"Senior Sister, let us face it together." Her voice remained cold and aloof, yet carried a hint of stubbornness. "Since we are already here, I can't let you carry it alone."
Zhang Lexuan was slightly stunned, knowing Ling Luochen's personality, and then nodded. "Okay."
Just then, the door opened.
Two figures walked in, one after the other.
The person leading was an old woman with silver hair; she was thin and emitted a majesty of someone who had long held a high position, her eyes as sharp as a hawk's.
It was none other than Long Yeyue.
Following behind her was Cai Yue'er.
"Elder Long, these are the two."
Long Yeyue nodded slightly, her gaze falling on Zhang Lexuan and Ling Luochen. That gaze was as sharp as a knife.
Zhang Lexuan felt a chill rise from her spine, as if she had nowhere to hide before this gaze.
Ling Luochen was also frozen in place, the color draining from her cold and aloof face.
Elder Long.
This title...
The two recalled the sentence Cai Yue'er had said not long ago in their minds—
"Elder Long gave him a slap and knocked out quite a few of his dog teeth."
The person in front of them was the Elder Long who had knocked out all of Xuan Zi's teeth!
Zhang Lexuan's heart tightened. Xuan Zi had offended this Elder Long, and the two of them were spies sent by Xuan Zi.
This Elder Long's attitude, I'm afraid...
She dared not think further.
Ling Luochen also thought of this point; her heartbeat accelerated, and her breathing became rapid.
However... no matter what they had to face next, the two could only accept it; after all... when they accepted that mission, they had already accepted the consequences of exposure.
It was just that...
If dying was due to their own carelessness in being exposed, then they would accept it.
But now, they had just stepped into this academy and hadn't even had time to take any action before their identities were completely exposed.
What was the difference between this and being sent to their deaths?
Thinking of this, the two still felt some resentment towards Xuan Zi and Yan Shaozhe.
Long Yeyue stood quietly in front of the two without saying a word. But that invisible pressure pressed on their hearts like a mountain, making them unable to breathe.
Time passed second by second. Each second felt as long as a century.
Finally, Long Yeyue spoke slowly. "You two are from that Counterfeit Shrek Academy, right?"
Zhang Lexuan took a deep breath and nodded. "Yes."
Although their Shrek Academy was not pirated, the other party's target was already very clear, and there was no point in arguing.
Long Yeyue spoke again. "Was it Xuan Zi who sent you?"
Zhang Lexuan and Ling Luochen looked at each other and nodded simultaneously. "Yes."
As soon as the words fell, Long Yeyue's voice suddenly rose!
"Then do you know—" Her sharp eyes stared fixedly at the two, word by word. "Since you dared to come here, you were already prepared to seek death?!"
As the words fell, a terrifying pressure erupted from within Long Yeyue's body! The pressure was like a physical entity, sweeping toward them like a crushing wave. Zhang Lexuan felt her legs go weak and almost knelt to the ground, but she gritted her teeth and held on tightly. Ling Luochen was even paler, cold sweat dripping down her forehead.
The two endured that pressure and spoke with difficulty.
"Yes..."
Things had come to this, there was nothing more to say.
It was just...
Thinking that their lives were going to end so abruptly, a sense of desolation arose in their hearts.
However—
Just then, that terrifying pressure suddenly disappeared.
Zhang Lexuan and Ling Luochen felt their bodies lighten.
Long Yeyue looked at their appearance, her lips slightly curled up. "Since I promised not to kill you, naturally I won't."
Her tone returned to calm.
"Shrek Academy keeps its word."
"Now, you have two choices."
She held up two fingers.
"First, enter the Confinement Room and wait for your Counterfeit Shrek Academy to bring enough resources to redeem you."
"Second—" She paused. "Join our Shrek Academy and serve for ten years; after ten years, you can stay or leave, as you please."
Zhang Lexuan and Ling Luochen looked at each other and fell into deep thought.
The first option...
Let Shrek Academy bring resources to redeem people?
Zhang Lexuan's mind flashed with Xuan Zi's old face, and her lips couldn't help but form a bitter smile.
Not to mention that Xuan Zi didn't even know they had been captured, even if he did, given his personality, it was impossible for him to bring resources to redeem them.
After all... Xuan Zi had already wasted a huge amount of the academy's wealth once, and there was no extra wealth to continue using to redeem the two. Although both were geniuses of the inner court, in the eyes of that Shrek Academy, their importance clearly could not be compared to Xuan Zi and the others.
The second option...
Serve for ten years.
After ten years, regain freedom.
Zhang Lexuan looked at Ling Luochen, and Ling Luochen was also looking at her. The two nodded at the same time.
"We choose the second one."
Upon hearing this, Long Yeyue looked at Cai Yue'er, who immediately understood and stepped forward.
"Since that's the case, we will arrange it according to your original plans."
"You—" She pointed to Zhang Lexuan. "Applying for a teacher position, right? Then start as an intern teacher."
She pointed to Ling Luochen. "You go to the first grade. Both of you must choose a Secondary Profession, and at the same time... everything produced by the Secondary Profession belongs to the academy, and you must complete the academy's tasks on time. Any objections?"
"No objections." The two shook their heads.
Ling Luochen was already nineteen years old; although it was a bit strange to go to class with a group of children who were just eleven or twelve, things had come to this, and there were no better choices.
Besides... she had lost to Yuan En Yehui.
"Thank you, Elder Long, Elder Cai." The two spoke slowly.
No mistake, although the two would serve this Shrek Academy for free for ten years, this was also the best outcome.
After hearing these words, Long Yeyue left directly without showing anything, while Cai Yue'er nodded slightly, a hint of satisfaction flashing in her eyes.
"Next, you still have the final test. Follow me." The place Cai Yue'er intended to take them was naturally for the character test; their character would determine the academy's attitude toward them.
The two nodded and followed behind Cai Yue'er again.
Their expressions were somewhat complicated at this moment; although the process was wrong, in terms of results, the two had indeed become teachers and students of this Shrek Academy. As for the mission Xuan Zi had assigned... they weren't thinking about completing it.
Since they were already exposed, how could the other party show that technology again?
Both of them thought, ten years, they would leave this academy in ten years.
As for choosing to stay here after ten years? That was impossible, because they were members of Shrek Academy.
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A/N:
5 Power Stones = 1 Extra Chapter
2 Reviews = 1 Extra Chapter
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