Encountering Prince Xue Xing Again, Setting Out for Suotuo City

Inside a teahouse.

Shen Tianchen sat in a corner, drinking tea while contemplating his next move.

Just then, a commotion arose at the entrance.

Moments later, someone Shen Tianchen had never expected to see entered the teahouse under the escort of several soldiers.

"Prince Xue Xing? What's that old bastard doing here? Could he be here because of me? Is his brain really that useless?"

Shen Tianchen pondered for a moment, then turned his head away.

The waiter had originally been bustling through the teahouse hall when he suddenly caught sight of Prince Xue Xing entering. A look of astonishment instantly appeared on his face.

However, in the blink of an eye, he quickly adjusted his expression, replacing his surprise with a fawning smile.

He hurriedly put down what he was doing and rushed forward, his face full of ingratiating smiles as though he had just seen the most honored of guests. His steps were somewhat hurried, as if afraid of slighting Prince Xue Xing.

"Oh, Prince Xue Xing, your presence truly brings glory to this humble establishment! Where would you like to sit? I'll arrange it for you at once."

Prince Xue Xing waved a hand and swept his gaze around the teahouse before abruptly fixing it on Shen Tianchen.

Shen Tianchen's heart skipped a beat, and he inwardly cried out that things were bad.

Prince Xue Xing walked straight toward him with his soldiers. Shen Tianchen forced himself to stand. "Prince Xue Xing, may I ask what business you have with me?" Shen Tianchen asked, feigning calmness.

Prince Xue Xing said with a strange expression, "Young friend, haven't we met somewhere before?"

Shen Tianchen's heart jolted. Then he thought, My appearance must have changed somewhat while I was absorbing the Soul Ring. That must be why Prince Xue Xing didn't recognize me immediately.

"Your Highness, I am merely the child of an ordinary merchant family from Nuoding City. I have met Your Highness a few times before. I have come to Heaven Dou City to handle some matters, nothing worth mentioning."

"I suddenly remembered that I have urgent business to attend to, so I shall not disturb you further. Farewell."

After Shen Tianchen rose and bowed, he was about to leave when he heard Prince Xue Xing drawl, "Oh? Is that so? Then I wonder whether you were involved in what happened outside the Crown Prince's Mansion today?"

"Prince Xue Xing, what do you mean by that?"

Shen Tianchen turned back and frowned.

"Nothing. I'm merely reminding you to be more careful when you're out and about. If something like this happens again, I cannot guarantee that you'll hold out until His Highness the Crown Prince arrives. That is all."

Prince Xue Xing took a sip of tea and spoke in a mocking, sarcastic tone.

"Thank you for the reminder, Prince Xue Xing. Farewell."

Shen Tianchen promptly strode out of the teahouse.

Did that old bastard get his brain caught in a door? Even if he wants to suppress the Crown Prince's influence, there's no need to go this far, is there? Seriously.

Whatever. I'll buy some supplies first, then head directly for Suotuo City. Sister Xue should have already put in a word for me at the academy.

Thus, after purchasing sufficient supplies in Heaven Dou City, Shen Tianchen hired a carriage and set out for Suotuo City.

Inside the carriage, Shen Tianchen could not help but complain inwardly, Sure enough, no matter the time, public opinion can sway people's thoughts. If it isn't disproven quickly, I'm afraid even more people will fall for it.

This coachman is really pragmatic too. The moment he heard we were going to Suotuo City, he doubled the price.

In Heaven Dou City.

Ning Rongrong had already decided to run away from home. Before leaving, however, she went to the Crown Prince's Mansion to ask what Shen Tianchen had been doing lately.

Naturally, Xue Qinghe could not tell her everything. He only said that Shen Tianchen had gone to Suotuo City to handle some matters.

Upon hearing the news, Ning Rongrong was delighted.

That meant they would be able to meet in Suotuo City.

Once she left the sect, she would no longer feel so restrained. She could go wherever she wanted and associate with whomever she pleased.

Next, Ning Rongrong pulled a fast one right under the noses of her three elders.

She had several childhood playmates cover for her, then successfully shook off the guards around her and boarded a carriage bound for Suotuo City.

What she did not know was that the coachman had actually been deliberately arranged by her father.

After all, Ning Rongrong was the daughter of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's Sect Master. If she went out alone, Ning Fengzhi would certainly make proper arrangements for her journey.

Otherwise, if she encountered bandits on the road or was taken hostage, things would become troublesome.

On the carriage, the coachman chatted with Ning Rongrong with a broad smile. "Miss, you came out alone. Why didn't your family arrange a few capable people to accompany you?"

Perhaps because of what had happened last time, Ning Rongrong had become somewhat more cautious and did not answer the coachman's question.

"Grandpa, are there any fun places in Suotuo City? This is my first time going there."

Before her departure, Ning Fengzhi had already told the coachman exactly how to answer such questions.

"It's not that this old man is bragging, but the entirety of Suotuo City has long been etched into my mind. I know the place like the back of my hand."

"Miss, at your age, you should be a graduate of some junior Soul Master Academy, right?"

"There is an academy in Suotuo City with considerable strength. Other than its strict admissions standards, it has almost no flaws. At least one or two Soul Master powerhouses above Level 70 oversee the academy. If you plan to live in Suotuo City for a while, that academy would be a fine choice."

Ning Fengzhi had long since sent people to investigate the situation at Shrek Academy.

The coachman repeated the prepared speech Ning Fengzhi had instructed him to use, successfully piquing Ning Rongrong's interest.

Ning Rongrong was a genius of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. As a genius, most people wanted to befriend others of their own caliber.

And when the coachman mentioned that "Shrek Academy only accepts monsters," Ning Rongrong's curiosity was aroused.

She still did not know that, in her own eyes, she had slipped away from beneath her father's watchful gaze.

But in truth, all of this was merely a trap laid by Ning Fengzhi.

Suotuo City was located on the Lima Plain within the Balak Kingdom and was known as the "Barak Granary."

Although the land here was very fertile, it was close to the Star Dou Great Forest in the southeast, and Soul Beasts often caused trouble.

Some grain transport teams and Soul Masters seeking Soul Rings rested here, which, to some extent, also promoted Suotuo City's economic development.

Back in Heaven Dou City, Ghost Leopard Douluo had mostly remained hidden in the shadows to avoid being discovered by the city's Titled Douluo powerhouses.

After arriving in Suotuo City, he had far fewer concerns. After disguising himself, he followed Shen Tianchen into the city.

Compared with the nightly revelry of Heaven Dou City's nobles, Suotuo City appeared far more underdeveloped.

Those who had believed the rumors from Heaven Dou City were dumbfounded upon arriving here.

Many of them were thinking, Which damned bastard spread those rumors? Don't let me catch him, or he'll be sorry!

But since they had already come, it would feel like a waste of all the money spent on the journey if they did not look around.

As large numbers of outsiders flooded into Suotuo City during this period, the city was now packed everywhere, and inns were often fully booked.

After entering the city, Shen Tianchen first found a hotel near the Great Soul Arena to use as his temporary lodging.

Only then did he remember that when Tang San and Xiao Wu had arrived here in the original timeline, hotels, inns, and similar places were often full.

He had originally been unable to understand why, but after the rumors spread a few days ago, he finally understood.

The reason the hotels were full might have been because they were occupied by these suckers drawn in by the rumors.

At first, the staff barely paid Shen Tianchen any attention. Only after he took out several gleaming Gold Soul Coins did they arrange a room for him.

It normally would not have cost nearly so much, but the sudden surge in visitors had forced Shen Tianchen to pay several times the usual price.

Damn Ning Fengzhi. Is he addicted to playing power games? That's downright unscrupulous.

After venting inwardly, Shen Tianchen's expression became somewhat unpleasant.

As he spoke, several hotel staff members, having nothing better to do, noticed how young Shen Tianchen was and could not help but strike up a conversation. "Young man, are you also here to enroll at Shrek Academy?"

"What makes you say that?" Shen Tianchen asked in return.

Thanks to Flender seeking sponsorships everywhere, Shrek Academy had become quite famous in Suotuo City and even several surrounding cities.

While on the road, Shen Tianchen had heard many rumors about Shrek Academy.

At first, he had paid them no mind. But when he heard them again, he suddenly became interested for some reason. "I heard that Shrek Academy only accepts students under thirteen whose Soul Power Level is above twenty-one?"

If that was the case, then although the original work had never clearly stated the Innate Soul Power of every member of the Shrek Seven Devils, it could be guessed here.

At minimum, all of them had Innate Soul Power of Level 6 or above, while Tang San went without saying.

Even some of the hotel staff held them in exceptionally high regard.

"I'd say you're under thirteen, right? You barely meet one of Shrek Academy's admission requirements, so you could give it a try."

Shen Tianchen nodded. No longer wanting to continue the conversation, he cupped his hands and said, "Thank you for informing me, brother. I already know what I intend to do."

With that, he entered his room.

"According to the original timeline, Dai Mubai personally said that in Shrek Academy's twenty years of operation, it had enrolled more than sixty students, yet only a little over a dozen graduated normally."

"That means the remaining fifty-some students who failed to graduate most likely died while hunting Soul Beasts or suffered severe injuries that prevented them from continuing their cultivation."

With his godlike perspective, Shen Tianchen knew that being under thirteen with a Soul Power Level above twenty-one was merely a prerequisite. There were still two additional entrance tests afterward.

Overall, to pass this test, one either needed Soul Power of Level 25 or higher, or had to be like Tang San and bring out a whole pile of strange and unusual weapons.

He just felt somewhat sorry for the more than fifty people who had failed the tests and been ruined by them.

Setting those thoughts aside, Shen Tianchen could not help gazing out the window.

He had a feeling that this trip to Suotuo City would definitely be very exciting.

After all, it was nearly Shrek Academy's enrollment season, and Tang San and the others would reunite once more.