Xiao Wu Arrives

Ye Feiyang reacted swiftly, shoving the plaque into Zhu Zhuqing's arms and turning to flee. "What are you standing there dumbfounded for? Waiting to get scolded and pay compensation? Move it!"

As he ran, he secretly congratulated himself: Good thing I was fast enough! Pay up? Absolutely impossible! Never in this life would he pay a single coin!

Zhu Zhuqing clutched the heavy wooden plaque, staring at her master's back as he bolted faster than a wild hare, caught between laughter and exasperation.

She realized that her master seemed rather unreliable, even a bit mischievous!

If it were her, she would never do such a thing.

The two sprinted off, kicking up clouds of dust, and before they knew it, arrived at the dilapidated village where Shrek Academy was located.

From a distance, a winding line of people snaked at the village entrance.

"Little Zhuqing..."

Ye Feiyang stopped and instructed, "I think you're right—preparation is key! Now, I'm entrusting you with a glorious mission. Go find out if that little courtyard across from Shrek Academy is available for rent!"

Zhu Zhuqing hugged the plaque, a bit dazed: "What? Rent a house? Master, isn't this a bit hasty?"

She already guessed what Ye Feiyang was planning.

Put up a plaque and rent a courtyard—was that all it took to found an academy?

"Hm?"

Ye Feiyang raised an eyebrow, a faint smile playing on his lips as he looked at her. "On your very first day as my disciple, you dare to question my decision?"

Zhu Zhuqing didn't want to be saddled with that accusation, so she lowered her head and replied, "Fine, fine, I'll go ask right now!"

She handed the plaque to Ye Feiyang and turned to leave.

As she walked, she couldn't stop internally ranting: Isn't this recklessness worth questioning?

She had barely taken two steps when Ye Feiyang's earnest advice drifted over from behind, carried by the wind:

"Remember to haggle! Drive the price down hard!"

Zhu Zhuqing stumbled!

She steadied herself, took a deep breath, and trudged toward the shabby little courtyard, full of frustration.

Ye Feiyang ambled closer, his gaze falling on the winding line in front of Shrek Academy.

He couldn't figure out why so many people had come to register in such a remote village.

Truly baffling.

Shouldering the plaque, he strolled slowly through the crowd a few times but didn't find the person he was looking for.

Figuring they hadn't arrived yet, he turned around and saw Zhu Zhuqing waving at him from across the way.

He walked straight over and asked, "How is it? All settled?"

Zhu Zhuqing gave him a light glare. "Ten Gold Coins a year, the courtyard is quite spacious. What do you think, Master? Should we rent it?"

Ye Feiyang did some mental math and finally gritted his teeth. "Alright, rent it for now."

With that, he reluctantly pulled out ten Gold Coins and handed them to Zhu Zhuqing.

Seeing his expression, Zhu Zhuqing hesitated to reach out.

She no longer needed to save registration fees, and the Gold Coins she had saved up were just enough to rent this courtyard.

Consider it her tuition.

After all, the things Ye Feiyang had given her were beyond what money could measure.

Spending this small amount was well worth it, and it would make her master happy.

"Master, keep your money. I'll pay the rent." She said, then turned and quickly walked toward the landlord to discuss the details.

Ye Feiyang pocketed the Gold Coins, unconcerned about who paid.

Saving wherever he could was a win in his book.

He walked to the courtyard gate, measured it with his hands, and hung the plaque on the doorframe.

No sooner had he hung it than the original owners came out carrying large bags and small bundles, exchanged a glance with him, and left without a second look.

Ye Feiyang couldn't help but wonder: Did I pay too much? Would I get beaten if I tried to haggle now?

He decided against it—after all, it wasn't his money.

Once they were gone, he stepped into the courtyard and took a look around.

Aside from the valuables they'd taken, everything else was still there.

He had to admit, this little courtyard was quite nice, with plenty of rooms, since a whole family had lived there before.

The kitchen and dining room were fully equipped. As a temporary base, it was more than adequate—they weren't staying long anyway.

"Master, we still need to clean up. Why don't you wait outside? Leave this to me."

Ye Feiyang waved his hand and assigned her a new task: "Cleaning can wait. Go keep watch outside. If you see a girl with brown hair in a green lace-trimmed skirt, her name is Ning Rongrong. Also, the one with the braids in a pink dress from yesterday—she's called Xiao Wu. You've met her. Try to convince them and invite them to our academy."

Zhu Zhuqing stammered, the words catching in her throat.

Why did this kind of task always fall on her?

Skimming students from right in front of their academy—surely that wouldn't get them beaten up?

"Master, are you truly set on this?"

"Naturally. Why else would we be here?" Ye Feiyang raised an eyebrow in reply.

Zhu Zhuqing looked reluctant, but she obediently went out anyway.

Defying her master's orders was not an option. She stood outside the courtyard, scanning left and right for a target.

Before long, she spotted the man and woman she'd seen at the hotel yesterday—among them, the one Ye Feiyang had called Xiao Wu.

Once again, she felt as if Ye Feiyang could foresee the future, even predicting they'd show up here.

This wasn't the first time. She'd tentatively asked him about it, but her master never explained.

Watching Tang San and Xiao Wu draw closer, they finally stopped in front of Shrek Academy and lined up on their own.

"Xiao Wu, we're here. This is it."

Xiao Wu looked around and couldn't help muttering, "Third Brother, this place is way too shabby. Why do we have to enroll here of all places?"

Tang San remained calm: "You're the one who insisted on following me."

Xiao Wu pouted, displeased, but said nothing more.

Zhu Zhuqing couldn't make out what they were saying, only knowing it was time to do her duty.

As soon as they stood still, she crept closer and gently tugged at Xiao Wu's sleeve.

Xiao Wu turned around warily, eyeing Zhu Zhuqing. "Who are you? What do you want? I'm not giving up this spot."

Zhu Zhuqing felt a bit awkward, realizing she'd been mistaken for trying to cut in line.

She leaned in close to Xiao Wu and lowered her voice: "Could you come with me for a moment? I have something to discuss with you."

Xiao Wu looked confused, sizing up Zhu Zhuqing. She was certain she didn't know this person!

Tang San stood right beside her and naturally heard their exchange.

Seeing that the other party was a girl, he didn't intervene, but curiosity stirred in his mind: what exactly did this person want?

Xiao Wu glanced at Tang San, seeking his opinion with her eyes.

It was just a few words, so Tang San didn't think much of it. He nodded. "Go ahead, but be quick. It'll be our turn to register soon."

So Zhu Zhuqing led Xiao Wu to the entrance of Supreme Academy across the street and finally spoke.

"You're Xiao Wu, right?"

Xiao Wu was stunned. In this remote village, someone actually knew her name?

Had her reputation as 'Big Sister Head' spread this far?

"Who are you? How do you know me? What do you want from me?"

Xiao Wu fired off questions, her eyes sharp with vigilance.

If you can't find the book title, try searching by the author—maybe it just got renamed!

Zhu Zhuqing was never good with words, and being grilled like this left her even more flustered.

She pointed at the plaque just hung behind her and answered honestly, "I'm a student at Supreme Academy. My master wants to invite you to join our school."

She added, "How about meeting him? He's in the courtyard—he can explain everything to you in detail?"

Xiao Wu grew even more wary, instinctively stepping back two paces.

"No, no need. Thanks for the offer, but we already have a school in mind." She turned to leave.

But Zhu Zhuqing panicked.

If she failed the task, her master would be disappointed.

She'd never done this kind of job in her life, feeling like a cheap matchmaker.

No help for it—she was lousy with words, so she figured she'd just coax the person over and leave the rest to her master.

"Just one meeting. You won't regret it..."

Xiao Wu was about to refuse again when the words died on her lips. She saw a figure slowly walking out of the small courtyard.

It was Ye Feiyang.

His brows were clear, his features handsome, a faint smile curling at the corners of his lips—a face naturally inclined to put people at ease.

Not to mention the 99 points of charm boosted by the system.

Xiao Wu unconsciously froze, her gaze dazed, momentarily lost in staring at him.

This man was truly handsome.

Well, making a friend didn't seem so bad, did it?

But Ye Feiyang had no intention of just being friends.

He smiled at Xiao Wu, his voice gentle: "Hello, I'm Ye Feiyang. Got a moment to chat?"

He'd only shown up because he saw Zhu Zhuqing couldn't handle it.

"Ah? Mm, oh, right, what did you want to talk about?" Xiao Wu's earlobes flushed faintly pink, her tone softening without her even realizing it.

This wild girl who had never feared heaven or earth actually showed a rare hint of shyness.

She couldn't explain it herself, but she felt an inexplicable pull toward this person, even stronger than toward Third Brother.

"If you don't mind, how about sitting in the courtyard for a bit?"

He glanced across the way, his eyes lighting up.

Turning to Zhu Zhuqing, who was still a bit dazed, he said, "Zhuqing, look behind you. That girl in the lace-trimmed skirt has arrived too. Go invite her over."

Zhu Zhuqing snapped back to reality. She had originally wanted to secretly learn how her master 'poached' people.

After hearing Ye Feiyang's words, she knew it was time to get back to work. She could only nod and turn to find Ning Rongrong.

Xiao Wu followed Ye Feiyang into the courtyard in a daze.

Before she could even sit down, his voice rang out again, calm but clear:

"Xiao Wu, martial soul Soft Bone Demon Rabbit, from... the Star Dou Great Forest."

Having confirmed no one was nearby, Ye Feiyang cut straight to the chase, exposing her identity outright.

Xiao Wu froze on the spot, all color draining from her face in an instant, her expression a mix of unease and shock.

She stared wide-eyed at Ye Feiyang as if looking at a terrifying demon.

She wanted to flee, but she couldn't help wanting to know...

Summoning her courage, her voice trembled uncontrollably: "Who... who are you? How do you know this..."

Since Ye Feiyang had already laid it bare, Xiao Wu saw no point in playing dumb.

She might as well ask directly.

Her heart churned with anxiety: How was her identity exposed? Was he a Titled Douluo? But he was so young—no, could he be a soul beast too?

Since he even knew she came from the Star Dou Great Forest, he must know even more...

Ye Feiyang's face still held a composed smile: "I know all your secrets. But don't worry, I don't intend to harm you. I called you here just to ask if you'd like to join the Supreme Academy I'm founding."

He paused briefly, his tone growing more serious: "In other words, I want to take you as my disciple."

Joining the academy or not could wait—that wasn't what Xiao Wu cared about most right now.

She only wanted to know how he had found out about her.

"I want to know, how do you know about me?"

A warning bell rang in her mind: This place isn't safe. Can I still escape now? Or should I just kowtow to him?

But Ye Feiyang didn't follow her question. Instead, he dropped another bombshell:

"Let me tell you a secret."

"Actually, back when you were six years old, you were already being watched by a Titled Douluo. You just never noticed."

He said this deliberately, to hang a blade of dread over her heart.

Xiao Wu felt a chill shoot up her spine, her scalp tingling.

"You... you're not lying to me? Why are you telling me this..."

"No particular reason—just a heads-up! If you ever run into danger, you can come find me. I can keep you safe."

"Alright, don't be so tense. Careful you don't wet yourself. I won't tell anyone your secret."

"I'll be here for a month. When you've made up your mind, come find me anytime."

While the two were talking, Tang San outside was growing anxious from waiting.

What could they need to discuss for so long?

The black-clad girl was still in his line of sight, but Xiao Wu had followed a strange man into the courtyard, making him restless.

As time ticked by, his heart tightened inexplicably. He could no longer hold back and finally broke away from the group.

He strode straight into the courtyard where the Supreme Academy was set up.

As soon as he entered the gate, Tang San saw Xiao Wu talking in low tones with a strange man, and a surge of displeasure rose in his chest.

He narrowed his eyes, sizing up Ye Feiyang with undisguised hostility, then turned to Xiao Wu and said, "Xiao Wu, time to go. It's almost our turn to register."

He noticed Xiao Wu looked dazed and distracted, her body even trembling slightly.

His first instinct was that this man had bullied her.

He stepped forward quickly, shielding Xiao Wu behind him, and demanded coldly of Ye Feiyang: "What did you do to her?"

Fearing her secret might be exposed, Xiao Wu quickly tugged at Tang San's sleeve and explained, "Third Brother, I'm fine. He didn't do anything to me. Let's go back."

Her heart was pounding, terrified that Tang San might have overheard what was said.

Ye Feiyang, unhurried, simply chuckled lightly and waved at Xiao Wu: "Remember what I said. The choice is yours."

Tang San was baffled, but Xiao Wu grew even more troubled.

She had only just arrived, and not only was her identity exposed, but she had also learned that a Titled Douluo had been secretly watching her all along.

Thinking of this, she felt a chill run through her entire body.

These years of living in fear and anxiety—she truly had enough.

She even wished Ye Feiyang was just deceiving her.

"Xiao Wu, who was that person? What did he say? Why did you suddenly become so off?"

Tang San pressed for answers, but every question struck right at Xiao Wu's unspeakable secret.

"Third Brother, I really am fine..."

Her voice low, she continued, "How about we switch academies?"

Compared to the allure of Ye Feiyang, Xiao Wu chose safety.