A few days later!
Between two low hills lay a broad road, along which a massive convoy was advancing in grand fashion.
The convoy consisted of dozens of lavish carriages, each inlaid with dazzling gemstones and exquisite carvings, looking incomparably luxurious.
Surrounding the carriages was a group of knights clad in golden armor. They held sharp lances, their faces stern and bearing imposing, awe-inspiring expressions.
"Eldest Brother Dai, why have you been staring at those knights?" Ma Hongjun asked with a puzzled look.
Dai Mubai stared intently at the Royal Knights ahead, his eyes gleaming with admiration and praise. "The Royal Knights truly deserve to be the Heaven Dou Empire's trump card. Such strict discipline and orderly military bearing are really rare!" he exclaimed.
The corners of Ma Hongjun's mouth lifted into a sly smile. "I didn't expect you to be interested in that, Eldest Brother Dai. I thought you'd be like everyone else and get distracted by all those beauties."
His gaze swept over the beautiful girls from the other academies nearby.
However, Dai Mubai answered without ceremony, "You dead fatty, get lost." He smacked Ma Hongjun with his hand.
Ma Hongjun muttered resentfully, displeased by the smack. I was only joking. Did this guy really have to take it so seriously?
Just then, however, he suddenly heard Dai Mubai cry out, "Fatty, look! What's that?" There was a hint of shock and fear in his voice.
Ma Hongjun hurriedly turned to look, only to see Dai Mubai pointing toward somewhere in the distance, terror written across his face.
Following Dai Mubai's finger, he saw a gigantic figure moving toward them from afar. As it drew closer, the ground began to tremble faintly, as though an earthquake had struck.
As he watched the approaching figure, he discovered that it was actually a colossal turtle! It stood dozens of meters tall, its body covered by a hard shell that looked utterly indestructible.
What was even more astonishing was that there seemed to be a child sitting on the turtle's back, calmly watching them.
That cry of alarm also alerted the other members. They climbed out of their carriages one after another and curiously looked toward the enormous turtle.
"What exactly is that? How could it appear here?" someone asked in a low voice.
"I don't know either, but it looks really abnormal..." another person echoed.
"And who's that child on top? Could he be its master?" someone guessed.
As they watched the gigantic turtle stop before them, everyone could not help becoming alert. They activated their Spirit Rings one after another, ready for any emergency.
"Hello, I forgot to bring my water flask when I left home. I have no water to drink now, and I'm about to die of thirst. Can you give me some water?" The childish voice reached everyone's ears, easing their guard somewhat.
Shi Yi had rummaged through his bag several times on the road but had not found even a trace of a water flask. Most of the space in his bundle was filled with toys.
It's all Father's fault. He didn't pack me a water flask.
The Mysterious Water Turtle beneath him was utterly numb.
Even if he'd packed that lousy water flask, it wouldn't have been enough for him to drink... I wanted to go to the river for some water earlier, but he said it was a waste of time and made me keep running!
Only now that he truly could not hold on any longer did he remember that he needed water.
The Mysterious Water Turtle was exhausted... It had been running for days without daring to stop for even a moment.
At that moment, Shi Bantian was telling stories to the little Gourd Babies on the vine when he suddenly sneezed. Is someone thinking about me?
The people from Shrek Academy and the other academies all had their own water supplies, but none of them dared act rashly. That turtle was simply too huge, making them afraid.
"That turtle is way too big, isn't it?... Is it a Ten Thousand Year Spirit Beast?"
Someone exclaimed in amazement, but another person quickly refuted it.
"How could that be... At most, it's a Thousand-Year Spirit Beast. Its aura doesn't look strong at all, and how could a child possibly make a powerful Ten Thousand Year Spirit Beast obey him so obediently?"
The Mysterious Water Turtle narrowed its eyes and said nothing. As a mutated spirit beast with a trace of the Xuanwu Bloodline—
—it possessed a powerful innate skill: Breath Concealment. It could suppress part of its aura, so it was perfectly normal for these people to mistake it for a Thousand-Year Spirit Beast.
"Do you have any water... Big brothers, big sisters, uncles, aunties? My big turtle and I are both really, really thirsty."
Shi Yi stood atop the Mysterious Water Turtle's back and continued shouting.
When the others from Shrek saw the child, they were all astonished. "Why is it you?"
The people from the other academies also turned to look. Did the people from Shrek Academy actually know this strange child?
Seeing the surprise on everyone's faces, Shi Yi scratched his head and asked in confusion, "Do you know me?"
Shi Yi did not remember knowing this group of people.
Ning Rongrong stepped forward, tilted her head, and asked, "Weren't you riding a Ten Thousand Year Spirit Beast Magic Pattern Tiger before? Why are you riding a Thousand-Year Spirit Beast now, and a turtle at that?"
Zhu Zhuqing also chimed in,
"Yeah, why did you change mounts, little brother...?"
Tang San narrowed his eyes in the back and said nothing.
Hearing this, Shi Yi remembered that they must mean his Eldest Brother, who rode a Tiger. He said excitedly, "The other person you're talking about is my brother! Do you know him? Are you his good friends?"
Everyone was shocked. "That person is your brother?"
Only then did they begin examining Shi Yi again, and only then did they realize that he really was different from the child they had met before. The previous child had a small red gourd on his head.
The child before them had a small orange gourd on his head.
Other than the different gourd colors, the two looked far too alike, so it was no wonder the Shrek group had mistaken them for each other.
The Shrek group nodded one after another, smiling somewhat awkwardly as they did.
They did not want to admit that they had been sore losers and parted on bad terms with that child. With so many people around, would that not make them seem petty?
Oscar said somewhat guiltily, "Yeah! So you're his little brother. If you don't have water, here, take this." As he spoke, he pulled out his water flask and handed it toward Shi Yi.
Ning Rongrong and the others also held out their water flasks one after another.
"And ours..."
Ning Rongrong and the other girls had liked Shi Hao, that adorable child, quite a bit before. Unfortunately, what happened afterward had gone beyond their expectations.
Just then, Tang San, who had been standing in the back with a dark expression, slowly stepped forward. His gaze locked tightly onto the child before him, and a trace of surprise and confusion could not help rising in his heart.
PS: Brothers, why have the stats dropped so badly? Er Wa is actually really handsome too.
Sob... Please support me.
Before you continue