A Grudge Settled Today

Nan Li followed behind the three of them, keeping neither too close nor too far away.

"Tch, a woman is still a woman. What good is having high Soul Power if she's already this slow on the first lap?" Ma Hongjun panted as he mocked Nan Li behind them. "If it weren't for this Nan Li, how would we have been late?"

Dai Mubai frowned but did not stop Ma Hongjun. In his view, although Nan Li could not be blamed entirely, she was still implicated.

Oscar glanced back. Seeing Nan Li's expressionless face, he said softly, "Fatty, don't be like that. What's with this woman nonsense? We'll all be classmates from now on."

"Big Sausage, are you even my brother? How can you speak up for an outsider?" Ma Hongjun remained unconvinced. "We were punished because of Nan Li, and we were late today because of this woman too. What bad luck!"

"I..." No matter what Oscar said, it would be wrong, so he simply fell silent.

"Fatty! We were punished because we weren't skilled enough in the assessment. Stop blaming people at random." Dai Mubai shot him a look. He did not blame Nan Li for the assessment. "If you're unhappy, raise your Soul Power and find a chance to beat her back. Stop wagging your tongue all day."

"Boss Dai, don't you usually say women don't count as human resources?" Ma Hongjun smugly glanced at Nan Li.

Dai Mubai nearly choked on his breath. He slapped Ma Hongjun across the back and cursed, "Are you missing a screw in your head? Is the woman behind you an ordinary woman? She's a Soul Elder, a Soul Elder! What's a Soul Master like you hopping around in front of a Soul Elder for? Don't say your brother didn't warn you—watch out, or that mouth of yours will get you killed someday!"

"Oh." Seeing that Dai Mubai was truly angry, Ma Hongjun shut his mouth and did not dare speak again.

Oscar secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

As a Support System Soul Master, Oscar often needed his teammates' protection. Although his Soul Power cultivation was somewhat higher, Ma Hongjun had never been particularly convinced by him. Ten words from Oscar were not as effective as one word from Boss Dai.

Nan Li had initially followed behind the three with an expressionless face. Once the first lap was over and she had figured out the route, she sprang several steps ahead of Ma Hongjun.

"Where did this piece of trash come from?" Nan Li gave him a provocative smile, leaving him with a dashing silhouette.

"You!" Ma Hongjun flew into a rage.

"Fatty! A hundred laps won't be easy. Watch your pace!" Long-distance running required careful breathing. Dai Mubai did not want to speak at all right now, but out of brotherhood, he still stopped Ma Hongjun from acting rashly.

Nan Li left the others behind and snorted. "I'll deal with you after I finish the task."

Jiang E Li asked in confusion within the Sea of Consciousness, "Ma Hongjun is only a level-nineteen Soul Master. How does he dare provoke a Soul Elder whose Soul Power exceeds his by more than twenty levels again and again?"

Nan Li sneered. "If I were a stranger, of course he wouldn't dare. But since I came to Shrek to study, I'm bound by the academy to a certain extent. No matter how much Shrek encourages sparring and fighting between students, it would not want lives to be lost. Besides, he relies on his status as the headmaster's personal disciple. He has someone backing him, so naturally he isn't worried."

"But you're both flying-type Soul Masters, and your talent is clearly greater than Ma Hongjun's. Why didn't Headmaster Flender mention taking you as his personal disciple?"

Nan Li could not help laughing. "Jiang E Li, I think there's something you said that was right."

"What?"

"People who wake up at eight in the morning have a particular kind of pure stupidity."

Jiang E Li had been leisurely watching them run inside the Sea of Consciousness. At Nan Li's words, she blinked helplessly.

"Do you remember Dan Hong and me entering Shrek Academy together yesterday? Compared to Ma Hongjun, that little fatty whose background is completely known, I look like a Soul Master with connections at first glance. How could anyone feel at ease with that? As one of the Golden Iron Triangle, the 'Flying Horn' Flender has lived in seclusion here for many years. He won't easily become involved with other factions."

"He only needs to fulfill his responsibilities as the academy's headmaster. If he can cultivate an outstanding Soul Master, then no matter what force stands behind me, they ultimately won't become enemies with him."

"Besides, only help given in one's darkest hour earns true gratitude. Flender brought Ma Hongjun back from a village full of poultry Martial Souls, so naturally he respects and appreciates him. But someone like me... what am I?"

It was not that Jiang E Li did not understand these principles. She simply did not want to think of people as being so complicated. But this world was complicated to begin with, and the human heart was impossible to predict...

Nan Li adjusted her breathing and steadily, swiftly ran lap after lap.

By the seventeenth lap, Nan Li's breathing had become slightly uneven, though it did not affect her much.

Around the twenty-seventh or twenty-eighth lap, Nan Li felt her calves becoming a little heavy, but it was nothing. She continued.

After completing thirty laps, Nan Li moved her limbs. Soul Power coursed through her body once, easing the fatigue in her muscles.

"The task is complete. Time to deal with someone who can't keep his mouth shut." Nan Li clenched her fists, a malicious smile spreading across her face. Three Soul Rings appeared beneath her feet, and crimson Wings whipped up gusts of wind.

"Today's grudge will be settled today. I won't drag it into tomorrow!"

Among the three, Dai Mubai had the highest Soul Power and was a Power Attack System Soul Master, so he ran in front.

Although Oscar was a Support System Soul Master with average stamina, he was light on his feet and physically fit, and his Soul Power could still support him.

The fat on Ma Hongjun's body tormented his pair of legs. With the aid of Soul Power, he staggered along behind the other two.

"L-Little Ao, I can't do this anymore. Give me a Sausage." Ma Hongjun miserably stretched out his hand toward Oscar.

As a Support System Soul Master, Oscar was often made by Flender to train through running, so he could still hold on. He activated his soul skill and recited the soul incantation, "Super Recovery Big Sausage," then handed the one Sausage he created to Ma Hongjun.

With a whoosh, a Golden Feather pierced the Sausage and flew into the air under Nan Li's control.

Seeing this, Ma Hongjun immediately raged, "You fucking bitch, what are you doing?!"

Nan Li landed on a tree branch with her arms folded, looking down at the sweat-soaked Ma Hongjun. She ignored his foul language and said calmly, "Isn't it obvious enough? I'm taking revenge on you."

Nan Li's calm tone made it sound as if she were joking.

Dai Mubai looked at Nan Li with a grim expression. He knew this matter would not be easily smoothed over today.

"Hey, Fatty, forget it. I'll make another one for you." Oscar hurried to Ma Hongjun's side, afraid that he would do something foolish again.

But the second Sausage was struck dead-on by a Golden Feather that flew out from nowhere the instant it appeared. Flames surged up, burning the Recovery Big Sausage until not even scraps remained.

"Don't waste your effort. He won't be able to finish these hundred laps. I absolutely will not let him walk back to Shrek Academy."