Early the next morning, while everyone was gathered for breakfast, Yu Xiaogang announced that Shrek Academy would be merging with Heaven Dou Royal Academy.
To his surprise, the students didn't seem to react strongly. They asked a few questions, then went back to whatever they had been doing.
His face, which had grown less stiff over the past few years, became intimidating again because of his bewilderment. Everyone looked away in unison.
Seeing this, Yu Xiaogang studied them for a while longer, but aside from the strange look in Ma Hongjun's eyes, he couldn't find anything amiss. He could only take his food into a small room to the side.
Flender had seen everything clearly. He first gave Zhao Wuji a look, then said as though in passing, "I told that kid Oscar yesterday. He must have spread the word."
Zhao Wuji caught the look. He moved the bowl away from his mouth, wiped it, and chimed in, "That's right, Grandmaster. That kid's the least honest of the lot. Yesterday, he even sneaked around listening to Boss Fu and me talk."
"Mm, that's fine too." Yu Xiaogang thought he understood.
Over the next few days, everyone except Tang San and Xiang Yang packed up their belongings and set off ahead of them. The two said they needed to wait for Tang San's father and had other important matters to handle, so they had to stay behind rather than leave with the others.
As for Shrek's land, not only was it inexpensive and wouldn't fetch much if sold (Flender), it also held everyone's memories and a great deal of affection, so they unanimously decided to keep it as a memento.
Watching them leave, and seeing Xiao Wu turn back to wave every so often, Xiang Yang was a little moved. Before he knew it, he had formed quite a few bonds in this world too.
Then he saw Tang San waving back nonstop and said, speechless, "All right, it's not like you'll never see each other again. Is all this really necessary?"
But Tang San looked at Xiao Wu up ahead and said, "This is the first time we've been apart for so long. I really..." can't get used to it.
"I guess that's true," Xiang Yang said after giving it some thought. He comforted him, "Parting is for a better reunion."
"Those words of yours... sigh." Tang San sighed. "You're always coming out with such poetic phrases at the drop of a hat. I suppose that's another famous saying from Mr. Lu Xun?"
Seeing how serious he looked, Xiang Yang felt a rare pang of guilt. "Uh, yeah. His words are all I remember... Let's head back. We haven't done our daily tasks yet."
Watching Xiao Wu disappear from sight, Tang San felt a sense of loss. He didn't think much of it and followed Xiang Yang back.
In the days that followed, time seemed to pass slowly for Tang San. Without that noisy voice beside him, he felt quite unaccustomed to it. Fortunately, Xiang Yang was still there to do research and chat with him.
Things were no different for Xiang Yang. He was usually quite busy, and during this time, he also had to prepare the plants and medicinal herbs they were taking with them, making sure they wouldn't wither on the journey. Although their Soul Power was strong enough that they wouldn't die so easily, it would still waste a great deal of his work.
Especially one he had prepared in particular...
One morning, no different from any other,
Bang!
Xiang Yang was just about to start watering the flowers and tending the plants when he heard the sudden disturbance. Thinking the person they were waiting for had arrived, he put down what he was doing and headed toward the sound.
"Where is everyone? Are they making a fool of me?" an old man with dark green hair said in an unfriendly tone.
This man was none other than Poison Douluo—Dugu Bo.
He had heard from his granddaughter that someone here could cure their poison. At first, he hadn't believed it. After all, when it came to the path of poison, who else on the Douluo Continent could compare to him? How could someone capable of it just pop out of some random corner?
Not until he personally refined a batch of medicine according to the prescription his granddaughter had did he realize, to his shock, that he could never match the prescription's ingenuity. So he came here at the time his granddaughter had arranged.
Yet when he arrived, he found no one there!
Actually, that was because he hadn't spread out his perception. Xiang Yang's medicinal field and Tang San's blacksmith's shop were both on the outskirts of Shrek Academy. Though Dugu Bo could hardly be called a good person, he wasn't ignorant of manners, either. Besides, he had come here on his granddaughter's introduction. He couldn't very well unleash his pressure and give them a show of force as soon as he arrived, could he? Was that any way to ask someone for help?
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Tang San's movement technique and Soul Power were far stronger than Xiang Yang's, so naturally he was the first to arrive. The moment he saw Dugu Bo, he knew the man was... critically ill!
Dugu Bo narrowed his eyes slightly and took a close look at him. "What Yanyan said: height... build... hair color... appearance... Mm, it all matches."
He relaxed and smiled. "Young friend, you must be Tang San, the one who made the appointment with Yanyan."
Seeing this, Tang San saluted him, neither servile nor overbearing. "I am. You must be Your Eminence Dugu, the Poison Douluo. Tang San greets Poison Douluo."
"Mm, good, good, good." Dugu Bo couldn't help stepping forward for another close look, then said something astonishing. "I can see you're exceptionally gifted, young friend. How about I take it upon myself to promise Yanyan's hand to you?"
"Huh?" Tang San really couldn't keep his composure. What was this about? Was that any way to do things? Besides, weren't Dugu Yan and Yu Tianheng already in love? Didn't he know?
He was just wondering how to respond when Dugu Bo's tone changed. "What? You look down on my granddaughter?" As he spoke, a heavy Soul Power pressure bore down on him!
Tang San felt as though he were a small boat amid towering waves. He circulated the Mysterious Heaven Skill to steady his mind. This man was as unpredictable in his moods as the rumors his teacher had mentioned. He hurriedly replied, "That's not it. Senior, you don't know, Du..."
He was about to sacrifice a fellow Daoist rather than himself and sell Yu Tianheng out to get past this first. Given Yu Tianheng's family background, he figured it would be fine; at worst, he could compensate him later.
But a loud voice came from behind. "There's something you don't know, Senior. My brother here has already given his heart to someone, and they've privately pledged themselves to each other for life."
Dugu Bo didn't move at all, as though he hadn't heard, but the pressure vanished in an instant. Tang San's steps faltered, though fortunately his movements were nimble, and he steadied himself in time.
A light breeze stirred to his left. It was Xiang Yang. Smiling, he said, "And they've sworn to love only each other for the rest of their lives. Sister Yan is wonderful, but..."
"All right." Dugu Bo waved a hand, cutting him off. "You have a silver tongue, kid."
It wasn't that he truly looked down on Yu Tianheng. Although the boy was rather headstrong and foolish, Dugu Bo could still live for a few more years, and he figured that by then, Yu Tianheng would be strong enough to protect Yanyan.
But the problem was the poison in Yanyan's body...
As for Tang San, with the discernment Dugu Bo had gained from decades immersed in poison, he could tell at a glance that the young man truly had skill and wasn't being directed by someone else behind the scenes. Add to that his cultivation as a Soul Ancestor, and in every respect, he was better suited to Yanyan than Yu Tianheng.
That, along with his deliberate testing, was what had led to the scene just now.
If this young man truly valued love and loyalty as the other one said, then even without a marriage between them, that ought to be enough.
Dugu Bo regained his initial kindly manner. "My apologies, young friend. I was a little too hasty."
The two exchanged a glance and hurried to respond. "It's also because we didn't tell you beforehand. Our teachers made a decision on short notice and have already set off for Heaven Dou."
"Oh?" Dugu Bo was a little surprised. What had they gone there for? Surely they hadn't followed that little girl from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect home to visit her family? But then something occurred to him. "It's because of the tournament, isn't it?"
"That's right."
"Hmph, what's so worthwhile about taking part in that thing?" He glanced at the two of them and deliberately offered a warning. "Fame is no good thing!"