Upon hearing Yan Shaozhe's change in address for Jingliu, Ma Xiaotao couldn't help but gape, looking at her teacher in disbelief.
She couldn't understand why her usually proud teacher's attitude had suddenly shifted so drastically. But Yan Shaozhe paid no heed to Ma Xiaotao's gaze; he remained slightly bowed, maintaining a humble posture, his tone filled with earnestness.
Lu Jingming, witnessing this scene, imperceptibly curved his lips. All of this was actually within his calculations; he had intentionally let Jingliu display her formidable strength.
After all, two years had passed, and Jingliu's power had ascended to an even higher level than before. In his view, the stronger Jingliu appeared, the more dominant their position would be in negotiations with Shrek Academy, allowing them to reap greater benefits from them.
"Conditions, you discuss them yourselves. I will act afterwards." Jingliu clearly had no interest in these trivial negotiations. Her expression was cool, and after calmly uttering these words, she said no more.
Yan Shaozhe's previously tense face immediately showed a hint of joy upon hearing this. In his opinion, as long as the other party was willing to sit down and discuss terms, it meant there was still a turning point, and everything was negotiable.
Yan Shaozhe's gaze slowly turned to Lu Jingming. Although the youth before him still appeared tender and young, he was, after all, the City Lord of Haiyuan. From Jingliu's attitude towards him, it was clear that Lu Jingming could not simply be treated as an ordinary child.
Lu Jingming, seeing this, helplessly spread his hands, then looked towards Chang Li, who was slowly approaching.
"Dean Yan, for the specific details, allow me to discuss them with you. Please, this way." Chang Li said with a gentle smile, her steps light and her tone relaxed.
Yan Shaozhe's eyes narrowed, then he chuckled, "Your graciousness is my command!" He was prepared for a significant expenditure. From Chang Li's demeanor, he knew that this woman, who resembled a phoenix, would not be easy to deal with.
However, for Ma Xiaotao, as long as it didn't endanger Shrek Academy, paying some price was within his acceptable range. Without hesitation, he followed Chang Li, looking as if he had forgotten about his disciple.
Ma Xiaotao, seeing this, couldn't help but open her mouth, looking speechless. But soon, she realized this was a good opportunity to regain her pride.
She then provocatively looked at Lu Jingming, raising her chin and crisply saying, "Just waiting around is quite boring. How about we have a soul duel?"
On the Douluo Continent, soul dueling was an extremely popular activity. Simply put, it was Soul Masters engaging in combat practice.
Many Soul Masters were eager to participate in soul duels at the Douluo arenas, partly to hone their combat skills and grow through practical experience, and partly as an effective way to improve their strength.
Compared to fighting fierce soul beasts, soul duels were considerably safer. Most legitimate arenas would have powerful experts maintaining order and strictly prohibiting participants from killing their opponents.
Both parties in a duel would generally adhere to an agreement, stopping before lethal injury. Although accidental deaths among Soul Masters in battle were inevitable, the overall mortality rate was not high.
Ma Xiaotao's challenge to a soul duel at this moment was clearly an attempt to use this opportunity to teach Lu Jingming a good lesson and show him her prowess.
Lu Jingming couldn't help but roll his eyes upon hearing this. He knew very well that he was merely a Grandmaster, while Ma Xiaotao was a genuine Soul Ancestor.
Dueling her would be purely asking for trouble. Although he had diligently practiced swordsmanship with Jingliu since childhood, and his sword skills were quite accomplished, actual combat was, after all, different from simple sword practice.
In his previous life, he was a recluse, and in this life, he had rarely experienced fierce combat with others. While he wasn't completely devoid of combat experience, it certainly wasn't extensive, and he was only eight years old.
"If it's a soul duel, I'll accompany you." Just then, Zhang Lexuan, holding the adorable pink-furred fox, slowly walked forward with graceful steps. She looked calmly at Ma Xiaotao, a faint smile on her delicate face.
Ma Xiaotao first looked at Lu Jingming, then turned her gaze to Zhang Lexuan, thoughtfully saying, "Alright, let's have a match then." She sized up Zhang Lexuan, thinking that the other party didn't look much older than herself, and her strength probably wouldn't be much greater.
Moreover, Zhang Lexuan's clear protective stance towards Lu Jingming earlier had inexplicably annoyed her, and now she was eager to defeat her in a soul duel.
The beach was wide, making it a perfect venue for a soul duel. Zhang Lexuan gently set down the little fox she was holding, letting it happily run towards a purple-haired girl in the distance.
Then, she turned to face Ma Xiaotao. The sea breeze gently blew, rustling their hair, and the atmosphere gradually grew tense.
"You really are Lexuan's treasure, aren't you? She's even willing to bully someone younger for you!" The speaker was the purple-haired girl, holding the pink-furred fox. She appeared to be around the same age as Zhang Lexuan, about seventeen or eighteen.
Her hair was uniquely adorned with cat-ear shaped accessories, but a closer look revealed they were cleverly tied pigtails, making her look playful and cute yet spirited.
She wore a purple and white dress that cleverly blended oriental classical charm with modern fashion. The purple and white combination complemented each other beautifully, and the skirt flowed with the wind like a moving painting.
The pairing of black stockings and high heels added another kind of charm, a seemingly contradictory yet harmonious style that caught the eye and made one want to look again.
"Hm? Are you jealous, Keqing?" Lu Jingming blinked, a mischievous smile on his face, deliberately teasing her.
"Jealous, my foot! You're so disrespectful! You should call me Sister Keqing." Keqing rolled her eyes in annoyance, then gently pinched Lu Jingming's cheek, the gesture carrying a hint of intimacy.
Afterward, she placed the eager little fox on top of Lu Jingming's head, where it obediently lay, looking very cute.
Keqing is a character from the popular mobile game 'Genshin Impact'. In the game, she is the Yuheng of the Liyue Qixing. In the past two years, she had been manifested by Lu Jingming into this world and was responsible for the planning and construction of the entire Haiyuan City.
This astonishing cliffside villa was Keqing's handiwork. Of course, she was primarily responsible for the planning and design aspects, and Keqing deserves significant credit for the tremendous changes that have occurred in Haiyuan City over these two years.