Beautiful Dream Shattered, Great Awakening

Just as Ning Rongrong was thinking of investigating Yang Ming, what was our protagonist, Yun Mouren, doing? He was speeding toward Suotuo City.

Yang Ming drifted through the golden waves of wheat like dancing willow catkins, carried by the wind. His steps were neither hurried nor slow, yet his speed was anything but lacking.

The sudden morning meeting had delayed Yang Ming's breakfast, so he was now hurrying along, all so he could finish breakfast at the usual time.

As for Yang Ming talking Shrek Academy's Dean Flender into a collapse of faith, it had not been his intention. However, upon thinking it over afterward, Yang Ming realized that this might also be a new opportunity.

Through several days of careful observation and firsthand experience, both direct and indirect, Yang Ming felt that Shrek Academy had been wrong from the very root—and terribly so. Rather than let Shrek Academy grow stronger in the future only to become increasingly warped, it would be better to cure the poison now, while there were only a handful of people left.

Whether Flender could recover from the blow of his faith being destroyed or not, Shrek Academy's final outcome would only be one of three possibilities: they would listen to Yang Ming's advice and resolve to reform Shrek Academy; Shrek Academy would vanish into thin air; or Shrek Academy would continue maintaining its current style.

Any of those outcomes were acceptable to Yang Ming. He had already spoken so harshly; what became of Shrek Academy in the end would depend on fate. As for Yang Ming joining Shrek Academy and changing it himself? Sorry, but the current Yang Ming would never jump into a fire pit of his own accord! This could also be considered an explanation to that person.

With Yang Ming traveling at an accelerated pace, he soon arrived in Suotuo City. In the end, he still managed to finish breakfast within the usual breakfast hours.

Meanwhile, after using Martial Soul Possession, Flender flew to a steep cliff a hundred li away. He sat cross-legged atop the mountain, gaunt and hollow-eyed, filled with lifelessness.

The collapse of his faith seemed to have robbed Flender of all spiritual support in an instant, leaving him able only to press forward amid loneliness and confusion.

All Flender could feel now was endless pain. He felt as though even his will was about to collapse.

Half an hour later, Zhao Wuji and the others finally found Flender atop the mountain. Seeing Flender looking utterly despondent, Ma Hongjun immediately stepped forward and called out.

"Teacher!"

"Teacher!!! What's wrong with you?!!"

"..."

There was no response. Flender seemed to have completely lost his five senses; no matter how Ma Hongjun called to him, he showed no reaction whatsoever. Zhao Wuji and the others were heartbroken to see Flender like this.

Shao Xin hurried forward to examine Flender's condition. Among those old brothers, only Shao Xin of the Food System knew a little medicine. He grabbed Flender's wrist and carefully checked his pulse.

After a while, he sighed and shook his head.

Seeing Shao Xin's expression and movements, Zhao Wuji and Ma Hongjun were immediately overcome with grief. Then they heard Shao Xin say,

"Flender's emotions fluctuated too violently, causing his blood and qi to rush to his heart and his liver qi to stagnate. At present, his self-protection mechanism has completely shut off his perception of the outside world. We can only wait and see when Flender himself manages to work things out and wake up!"

Zhao Wuji, Ma Hongjun, and the others: "..."

However, upon hearing Shao Xin say that, Ma Hongjun and the others relaxed slightly. At least it was better than the worst-case scenario they had imagined. Since Shao Xin had said so, there was nothing they could do but wait.

Meanwhile, after finishing breakfast, Yang Ming returned to Shrek Academy.

From a great distance away, Yang Ming saw Oscar running madly around the entire village where Shrek Academy was located.

Yang Ming roughly understood Oscar's feelings at the moment, so he did not disturb him. He merely watched quietly from the side as Oscar completed lap after lap.

By the time Oscar reached his eighth lap, he could finally no longer endure it. He dropped onto the ground and panted heavily.

At that moment, Yang Ming stepped forward and handed Oscar a waterskin. Oscar looked at the waterskin before him, then raised his head to look at the calm and unruffled Yang Ming, his emotions complicated. Oscar did not take it. Instead, he stared at Yang Ming before him. He desperately wanted to question Yang Ming about why he had done this, but he could not bring himself to ask. Shrek Academy's situation had left him speechless.

Yang Ming showed no reaction when Oscar did not take the waterskin. He set it down, rented a Small Courtyard from a farming family in the village, and planned to stay for a few days. He needed to see Shrek Academy's final outcome as well.

Three days later.

Flender, who had been like dead wood, finally changed. Under Zhao Wuji and the others' astonished gazes, Flender's hair rapidly turned white, soon becoming entirely snow-white.

Seeing his teacher turn white-haired in the blink of an eye, Ma Hongjun burst into tears and hurriedly called out to him.

"Teacher!!!"

"Teacher, what's wrong? Don't scare me!"

Hearing his disciple's calls, Flender finally woke up. He looked at the Little Fatty who had worried him for so many years, his face covered in tears and snot, and his heart warmed somewhat. At least taking this direct disciple had not been a complete failure.

"Hongjun, I'm fine. I've just figured a few things out."

After saying that, Flender looked toward Zhao Wuji, Shao Xin, and the other old companions, whose faces were full of concern, and spoke.

"I've made you old brothers worry. I'm fine now!"

Seeing the unusual calmness on Flender's face, Zhao Wuji felt terrible. His eyes reddened as he gritted his teeth and said,

"Flender, I'll go kill that brat right now. A level seventy-nine peak Soul Saint—I'd like to see whether he can stop Zhao Wuji from killing someone!"

"At worst, after killing him, we'll roam the world!"

Hearing Zhao Wuji speak, Li Yusong and Lu Qibin also chimed in.

Li Yusong: "Old Zhao, I'll go with you. I want to meet that brat too!"

Lu Qibin: "A peak Soul Saint! Old Zhao, I'll help you!"

Even Shao Xin, who normally had the gentlest temperament, immediately began making sugar beans in preparation for battle.

Flender was deeply moved to see these old brothers wanting to trouble Yang Ming for his sake. Their years of brotherhood had not been in vain, but there was no need for it anymore. Flender said,

"No need. I think that brat was right!"

Seeing Flender start talking nonsense, Zhao Wuji hurriedly spoke up.

"Flender..."

But before he could finish, Flender waved a hand to stop him and continued.

"I'm serious! I don't hate him. On the contrary, I'm somewhat grateful to him!"

"Grateful that he scolded me awake—scolded me awake from the illusory dream known as 'Shrek Academy'!"

Hearing Flender say this, Shao Xin looked at him in astonishment. Flender continued explaining.

"After being scolded by that brat, I recalled many things: Qin Ming's disappointment at missing the All-Continent Academy Soul Master Competition, the regrets of those students who never graduated, the arrogance and indulgence of most students..."

Recalling the academy's environment as well, Flender continued.

"And the campus environment and educational system that were never improved, as well as the wages I have long owed all of you—every single one of these reminded me that my 'Shrek dream' had always been nothing but flowers in a mirror and the moon in water!!!"

"Sadly, I let that self-righteous ambition blind me for so many years."

"Only when that brat Yang Ming pointed at my nose and cursed me out did I finally wake up!"

Then Flender spoke to Zhao Wuji and the others with self-reproach.

"Because of my dream alone, you old brothers and those students paid such a huge price!"

"I'm sorry!"

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