Encountering Zi Ji on the Road!

Although Su Yu knew of Shrek Academy, he pretended not to and followed her lead in asking Ning Rongrong about it.

"Where is this Shrek Academy you mentioned? The name sounds rather unusual."

"I only heard about it from one of the sect's senior brothers!" Ning Rongrong immediately perked up, lifting her head from his back with sparkling eyes.

"They said it's a very strange academy. It only accepts monsters, not ordinary people."

"That senior brother said the students there are all incredibly powerful! And the Dean seems to be a Titled Douluo too!"

She swung her little legs, her voice full of curiosity. "I want to go take a look and see what kind of academy dares to call itself 'Shrek.'"

"I heard Shrek is a very ugly kind of monster! Maybe I can make some new friends there!"

Su Yu kept walking, but inwardly, he understood.

Shrek Academy... Tang San and the others should already have headed there, right? He deliberately teased her.

"What if they don't accept you?"

"How could that happen!" Ning Rongrong puffed out her cheeks indignantly.

"I'm the Little Princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, and my Soul Power isn't low either. They'll definitely want me!"

"Besides, Brother Su Yu will be with me. Even if they don't accept us, we can still sneak in for a look, right?"

"You really are something."

Su Yu shook his head helplessly and lightly scratched her calf with his fingertips, making her giggle.

Sunlight filtered through the branches overhead, falling over them and drawing out long shadows.

Ning Rongrong leaned back against him again, humming a tuneless little song. Her voice gradually faded, and perhaps exhausted, she soon began breathing evenly.

Su Yu slowed his pace and glanced sideways at her peaceful sleeping face, a faint smile resting on his lips.

Star Dou Great Forest, Shrek Academy... this training journey did not seem as though it would be boring.

He adjusted his posture to make Ning Rongrong more comfortable and continued toward the Star Dou Great Forest.

After walking for about an hour, he could already glimpse the roofs of several low thatched cottages through the gaps in the trees ahead. It was likely a small village near the Star Dou Great Forest.

Just as Su Yu was about to quicken his pace and find somewhere for Ning Rongrong to rest properly, the light before him suddenly flickered, and a purple figure appeared like a ghost in the middle of the path.

Ten minutes earlier—

Zi Ji had been using the Dragon Scale given to her by the Silver Dragon King to search everywhere for the human the Silver Dragon King had mentioned.

Over the past few years, she had searched every city except Spirit City, Heaven Dou City, and Star Luo City.

Yet she had never once seen the scale in her hand light up. She had already begun to wonder whether Master was playing a joke on her.

Just as she was preparing to return to the Star Dou Great Forest and report the matter to the Silver Dragon King, the scale, which had not glowed for four years, lit up.

Thus, Zi Ji had immediately rushed toward Su Yu's location, leading to what had just happened.

The focus returned to Su Yu.

A trace of gravity flashed through Su Yu's eyes as he looked at the purple figure before him.

Her body was covered in fine purple crystal scales. Though she had taken human form, the Dragon Clan's distinctive sharpness had not diminished in the slightest.

Her tall figure stood taut and straight, while the faint mark of dragon horns on her forehead glimmered softly.

Her pair of vertical purple eyes seemed forged from ice as they stared straight at him.

Zi Ji held the Dragon Scale in her palm. It was emitting a dazzling light, nearly piercing through the gaps between her fingers.

For four years, she had traveled from the frozen far north to the humid southern frontier, crossing towns large and small. Yet the Dragon Scale had never shown even the slightest reaction. Now, in this remote forest, it shone with astonishing brilliance.

And the direction locked onto by that light was precisely the young man before her holding a girl.

"The aura Master mentioned... is indeed on you!"

Zi Ji looked at Su Yu as if she had found a delectable meal.

Su Yu's heart tightened, and he instinctively pressed Ning Rongrong closer into his arms.

The aura of the Immortal Slaying Array Diagram quietly surged within him, while four Immortal Swords appeared at his side, poised to strike.

"Who are you?"

Su Yu asked in a low voice, lowering his stance as he held Ning Rongrong more tightly under his protection.

Zi Ji did not answer. She merely stared at him, then glanced at the sleeping Ning Rongrong in his arms, her brows knitting slightly.

"Master wants to see you. Come with me."

"Master?" Su Yu's gaze abruptly sharpened.

"I don't know the Master you speak of, and I certainly won't go with you."

"You don't get a choice."

Zi Ji's aura suddenly surged, and the surrounding air instantly solidified.

Before her words had even faded, her figure shot forward in a string of afterimages. She clearly intended to take him by force.

Su Yu's eyes turned cold. The Immortal Slaying Array Diagram exploded open, and four Immortal Swords tore through the air, their fierce sword qi shooting straight toward Zi Ji's face!

"Oh? Twin Martial Souls!"

Zi Ji raised her brows, surprise flashing through her eyes before she let out a cold laugh.

"You're still far too weak. Give yourself a few more years, and I might not be your opponent!"

With a flick of her fingertips, a strand of purple dragon qi transformed into a claw and collided with the Immortal Slaying Sword.

The sparks that burst forth landed on the dead leaves, igniting them at once.

The sleeping Ning Rongrong was jolted awake. Rubbing her eyes, she saw the scene before her, and her little face instantly turned pale.

Using the force of the clash, Su Yu retreated several steps and carefully placed Ning Rongrong behind an Old Locust Tree. Leaving the Immortal Slaying Sword with her, he said softly,

"Rongrong, don't move. Stay here."

Su Yu's voice was extremely low, carrying an unquestionable steadiness.

Before his words had faded, he stepped onto the Immortal Slaying Sword. The sword hummed as it rose into the air, carrying him swiftly toward the depths of the forest.

Zi Ji's gaze sharpened. Her body transformed into a Purple Rainbow, and she pursued him without hesitation.

The Dragon Clan was naturally astonishingly fast. Though she had not used her full strength, she still remained tightly on Su Yu's heels, her purple crystal-like pupils filled with amusement.

Feeling the relentless aura pursuing him from behind, Su Yu pushed his Soul Power to its limit. The Immortal Slaying Sword released a series of piercing whistles as it cut through the air.

He deliberately chose rough routes, constantly changing direction beneath the concealment of the dense forest, seeking only to lure this dangerous uninvited guest farther away as quickly as possible.

In only a short while, the two had already flown dozens of li. The trees around them grew increasingly sparse, and the outline of the Star Dou Great Forest could vaguely be seen in the distance.

Seeing that they were far enough away, Su Yu suddenly pulled up his sword and came to a stop above an open valley.

Zi Ji halted as well, floating a hundred meters away from him. Watching him stand there after sheathing his sword, she curled her lips into a mocking smile.

"What? Not running anymore?"

Su Yu's expression remained calm. The Immortal Slaying Array Diagram slowly rotated above his head, while three Immortal Swords radiated a frosty light.

"You're not human. You're a Soul Beast—the two-hundred-thousand-year Hell Demon Dragon King Zi Ji!"

"Interesting. A mere Soul Ancestor actually knows my true identity."

Zi Ji sneered. Purple mist churned around her, and the phantom of a massive dragon faintly emerged behind her, its savage dragon horns piercing through the fog.

"Then I won't waste any more words on you. Master wants to see you, so come back to the Star Dou Great Forest with me!"

The next moment, Zi Ji stretched out her hand and grabbed at Su Yu.