Spirit Beast Town

Recruiting geniuses could indeed enhance the academy's reputation and overall strength. But managing those geniuses was no easy task.

"Isn't this all because you let Hongjun and Mubai go to that kind of place? The root of the problem lies in the engagement between Mubai and Zhu Qing." Zhao Wuji analyzed, "If they break off the engagement, then the four led by Ning Tianchen won't cause any trouble. But doing so would amount to completely isolating Mubai."

As for Tang San, he had not openly taken sides, but consciously or unconsciously, he was leaning toward Dai Mubai.

Given Zhao Wuji's temperament, he naturally wanted Ning Tianchen to stay. After all, during the previous entrance test, Ning Tianchen had displayed talent that earned Zhao Wuji's praise.

In contrast, Dai Mubai was simply beyond words.

"The engagement is ultimately their private matter, and it also involves the Star Luo Royal Family. We must proceed with the utmost caution." Flender sighed and looked out the window at Dai Mubai, who was running outside.

The Shrek Academy of old had stood apart from every power. The students it recruited had all been commoners, so naturally it had never faced the predicament it did now.

Now, the academy had disciples of the Clear Sky Sect and Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, as well as a member of the Star Luo Royal Family. It had effectively become the forefront of a three-sided power struggle.

"Old Zhao, while hunting spirit beasts, do your best to keep them from clashing. As for the specifics, we'll discuss them after that person arrives." In the end, Flender decided to hand this thorny problem over to his exceptionally clever old friend.

That afternoon, Zhao Wuji limped over to the group.

Tang San remembered clearly that Zhao Wuji had never had any trouble with his legs. Could his current condition have been caused by injuries Ning Tianchen inflicted that day?

He did not know that Tang Hao had come. If Ning Tianchen had truly caused those injuries, just how powerful was he?

For a moment, Tang San hesitated.

It seemed that uniting with Ning Tianchen would yield better results than uniting with Dai Mubai.

After all, Douluo Continent was a world where strength reigned supreme. The strong held absolute authority in this world.

"The dean has told me about the conflict between you. During the upcoming spirit beast hunt, if I find anyone acting foolishly, don't blame me for being merciless." Zhao Wuji swept his fierce gaze over them.

Seeing that he had successfully intimidated them, he continued, "Until we encounter a thousand-year spirit beast, I won't make a move. You are a whole, so arrange your formation yourselves."

It was not that he did not want to command them. His abilities were simply limited, and he did not know how to deploy a team formation.

Tang San had just been about to speak when he stopped himself.

Because of his poor decisions during the entrance test, the three new students besides Xiao Wu would likely refuse to follow his command. That would not be conducive to the team's unity.

After thinking for a moment, he turned his gaze toward Ning Tianchen.

"Rongrong and Oscar are Support System Spirit Masters, while Tang San is a Control System Spirit Master. They will stand in the middle of the team."

"Ma Hongjun and Xiao Wu will take the two flanks. Mubai will lead from the front, and I'll cover the rear. Zhu Qing will move around the perimeter, checking for potential dangers."

Ning Tianchen's arrangement was fairly conventional.

It was a typical defensive formation. If anything unexpected happened, the others could react quickly.

Dai Mubai had not wanted to follow Ning Tianchen's arrangements, but after seeing Zhao Wuji's look, he had no choice but to comply.

Shrek Academy was not far from the Star Dou Great Forest.

After leaving the academy, the group maintained their formation and ran onward.

Support System Spirit Masters were naturally weak in physical stamina. After jogging for a hundred li, Oscar and Ning Rongrong had already fallen far behind Dai Mubai. Ma Hongjun, with his plump build, also showed signs of falling behind.

"Stop. Rest in place!" Ning Tianchen immediately gave the order.

Most of them stopped at once. Tang San hesitated for a moment before choosing to stop as well.

As for Dai Mubai, he turned a deaf ear and continued charging forward without a care.

"Mubai..." Tang San said helplessly.

After Ning Tianchen and the others had come together, Dai Mubai had instead become increasingly independent.

"Let him go. We are a whole; we don't need people who insist on showing off!" Ning Tianchen said calmly.

Not long afterward, Zhao Wuji dragged Dai Mubai back to the group by the ear, continuously scolding him, "You think you're so capable, kid? Have you ever seen a strong wolf in a pack voluntarily leave the group?"

"You don't have much skill, yet you're already putting on airs? Once we get back, I'll need to teach you a lesson."

The person Dai Mubai feared most in Shrek Academy was undoubtedly Zhao Wuji.

Zhao Wuji was not like Flender. Once he started fighting, he showed no mercy at all.

During his years at the academy, Dai Mubai had received plenty of lessons from him.

"Hehe, a tiger being dragged by the ear." Ning Rongrong chuckled, weakly leaning against a roadside stone.

Tang San hurried forward and advised, "Mubai, you can't be like this. We are a whole."

Under Zhao Wuji's oppressive might, Dai Mubai did not dare show any dissatisfaction.

Tang San sighed inwardly without end.

If his teacher learned that he had failed to unite his classmates, his teacher would surely be very disappointed.

But both Dai Mubai and Ning Tianchen were too forceful. There was simply no way to mediate between them.

Ning Tianchen said, "I hope you understand that we are like a wooden barrel. How much water it can hold is determined by its shortest stave. Even if one stave reaches the heavens, it still cannot hold a single extra drop of water."

Everyone nodded slightly.

This principle was taught even in junior Soul Master academies.

"Everyone, rest for One Incense Stick Time and recover some stamina. Then we'll continue on our way."

As they traveled afterward, Ning Rongrong provided everyone with a speed boost, significantly increasing their pace. Oscar, meanwhile, replenished her Soul Power.

By evening, the group of eight had successfully entered Spirit Beast Town on the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest.

Although Zhao Wuji limped slightly, he did not fall behind the others while traveling.

"It's getting late. Let's stay in town tonight and enter the forest early tomorrow morning," Ning Rongrong suggested.

Her first two soul rings had been obtained under Ning Fengzhi's personal guidance. Presumably, he had taught her quite a bit of common sense during that process.

Entering the Soul Beast Forest at night, when visibility was obstructed, could easily cause unnecessary trouble.

Torches could certainly provide light and even drive away some soul beasts that feared fire. However, any soul beasts unafraid of fire were invariably powerful ones.

Without absolute strength, one should not travel at night, even while inside the forest.

"There's a restaurant over there. I'm treating tonight," Ning Rongrong said grandly.

Oscar and the others hurriedly echoed their agreement.

Dai Mubai was somewhat unwilling, but when he saw Zhao Wuji in the distance, he could only follow behind the group.

After finding an empty table in the restaurant and sitting down, Ning Rongrong could not help asking, "Is Teacher Zhao not coming with us?"

Oscar explained, "Rongrong, the academy has an explicit rule: teachers can't mooch off students' meals."

Ma Hongjun agreed, "That's what I like about the academy—everything is kept clear-cut."

After Ning Tianchen finished ordering, his gaze swept across the restaurant.

Thanks to Ning Rongrong's speed boost, they had arrived at Spirit Beast Town earlier than they had in the original timeline. Those people from Canghui Academy would probably take quite a while to get here.

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