Outside the gates of Liu Mansion.
Yan Shaozhe stood with his hands behind his back, two teachers behind him.
Liu Zhenshan hurried out to greet him, his face wreathed in smiles.
"Dean Yan, what an honor to have you here. I'm sorry I wasn't there to welcome you. Please forgive me!"
Yan Shaozhe looked at him but said nothing.
His gaze was calm.
Yet Liu Zhenshan felt a chill creep up his spine.
"Dean Yan..." he asked cautiously. "May I ask what brings you here today?"
Yan Shaozhe finally spoke:
"Liu Zhenshan, you've raised quite a son."
Liu Zhenshan's expression changed.
"Dean Yan, Minghui... What did he do wrong?"
Yan Shaozhe sneered.
"What did he do wrong?"
He looked at Liu Zhenshan and said, each word deliberate:
"Your son stopped a student from Shrek Academy at South City Gate today."
"He tried to forcibly take the two guards by the student's side."
Liu Zhenshan's heart sank.
So it was about that.
"Dean Yan," he said hurriedly, "Minghui was in the wrong. I'll make sure he's disciplined! I'll have him apologize to that student as soon as we get back!"
Yan Shaozhe looked at him.
"Apologize?"
Liu Zhenshan nodded. "Yes, absolutely. He'll apologize, and we'll provide compensation on top of that!"
Yan Shaozhe smiled.
There was a hint of coldness in his smile.
"Liu Zhenshan, do you think I came here today to ask for compensation?"
Liu Zhenshan froze.
Yan Shaozhe stepped forward.
An invisible pressure radiated from him.
Liu Zhenshan's legs went weak. He nearly dropped to his knees.
"That student your son stopped," Yan Shaozhe said slowly, "is called Bai Lan."
"Enrolled at the age of six, with Innate Full Soul Power."
"Personally accepted as a disciple by Mu En."
Liu Zhenshan's pupils contracted sharply.
Mu En?
The Sea God Pavilion Master?
A Peerless Douluo?
"Either one of the two guards by his side," Yan Shaozhe continued, "could wipe out your entire Liu Family."
He looked at Liu Zhenshan, his gaze sharp as a blade:
"Your son made it back alive because Bai Lan didn't want to kill anyone."
"Not because your Liu Family has any great influence."
Liu Zhenshan's face turned deathly pale.
At last, he understood what kind of person he'd provoked.
"Dean Yan..." he stammered. "I... I truly didn't know..."
Yan Shaozhe waved a hand, cutting him off.
"I came here today for one thing."
He looked at Liu Zhenshan and said, each word deliberate:
"Keep your son in line."
"If it happens again—"
He paused.
"Shrek City has no need for the Liu Family."
Liu Zhenshan felt a chill shoot from the soles of his feet to the top of his head.
He dropped to his knees with a thud.
"Rest assured, Dean Yan! I'll make sure he's disciplined! It will never happen again!"
Yan Shaozhe gave him a glance.
Then he turned and left.
After a few steps, he suddenly stopped.
He looked back.
"Oh, right."
"Tomorrow, have your son kneel at the entrance to Shrek Academy."
"For one whole day."
"Let everyone see what happens when you provoke Shrek Academy."
With that, he strode away.
Liu Zhenshan knelt on the ground, watching him disappear into the distance.
Only after a long while did he manage to get back up.
His face was as pale as paper.
The next day.
At the entrance to Shrek Academy.
Liu Minghui knelt on the ground with his head lowered.
Everyone passing by stared at him.
Some recognized him.
"Isn't that the Liu Family's spoiled brat?"
"Why's he kneeling here?"
"I heard he provoked someone he shouldn't have..."
"Serves him right!"
Listening to their comments, Liu Minghui's face turned red, then white.
But he didn't dare move.
Because his father had told him—
If he didn't kneel for the entire day, he could forget about going home.
All he could do was kneel.
And keep kneeling.
Sea God Pavilion.
Mu En stood by the window, looking toward the entrance to the academy.
The corners of his mouth lifted slightly.
"That Yan Shaozhe..." he murmured. "He sure didn't hold back."
He picked up his teacup and took a sip.
His gaze turned to the distance.
That way lay Bai Lan's dormitory.
"Kid," he said softly. "Work hard at your cultivation."
"When you reach level forty, there'll be an even bigger spectacle waiting for you."
Sunlight spilled down.
Sea God Pavilion stood quietly.
It was only the beginning.
Shrek Academy, dormitory.
Morning light streamed through the window, spreading a warm golden glow across the floor.
Birdsong drifted in from outside, occasionally mingling with the shouts of students training on the distant field. Everything was just as usual.
But inside the room, things were a little different.
Bai Lan sat cross-legged on the bed, eyes closed as he cultivated.
To his left, Yinye sat quietly, her long silver-violet hair falling over her shoulders and glimmering faintly in the morning light.
Her eyes were half-closed, as if she were dozing—or keeping watch.
To his right, the Ice Empress leaned against the headboard, her icy-blue hair spread across the pillow. Every strand seemed to hold tiny ice crystals.
She held a book she'd found somewhere and flipped through it absentmindedly.
Its title was Record of Continental Customs.
"Humans are interesting," the Ice Empress said suddenly, her voice cool. "They've written about so many places, and I've never been to more than half of them."
Yinye opened her eyes and looked at her.
"Want to go?"
The Ice Empress thought for a moment, then shook her head.
"No rush," she said. "We can go together when Master has time."
Yinye smiled.
"That's what I was thinking, too."
They exchanged a glance, then looked away.
Bai Lan opened his eyes and let out a breath of stale air.
"What are you two talking about?"
The Ice Empress waggled the book in her hand.
"This," she said. "It mentions so many places. The Star Luo Empire, the Heaven Dou Empire, the Sun Moon Empire... and lots of names I've never heard before."
Bai Lan looked at her, a hint of amusement in his eyes.
"I'll take you there someday."
"We can move through space, so we can come and go freely. It'll be convenient."
The Ice Empress's eyes lit up a little.
"Really?"
Bai Lan nodded.
"Really."
The Ice Empress smiled. "All right. I'll have a good look around the human world."
Since becoming Bai Lan's follower, she had been smiling like that more and more often.
Her smile was no longer just cold and sharp. Now it had warmth.
Yinye watched from the side, the corners of her mouth lifting slightly as well.
She stood and walked to the window, then pushed it open.
The morning breeze swept in, carrying the faint scent of grass and trees.
She glanced outside.
Then she froze.
"Master."
Bai Lan looked up. "Hm?"
Yinye pointed out the window, her expression a little peculiar.
"Someone's kneeling at the academy gate."
Bai Lan raised an eyebrow.
He stood and walked over to the window.
He followed the direction Yinye was pointing.
Sure enough.
At the entrance to Shrek Academy, someone was kneeling bolt upright on the ground.
A crowd had gathered around him, pointing and whispering.
"So it's that guy..."
"Looks like Shrek Academy acted pretty quickly."
Bai Lan narrowed his eyes, then smiled.
The Ice Empress came over and stood beside him.
She took one look and said calmly:
"It's the one from yesterday."
Shrek City · Liu Family!
Liu Minghui!
At that moment.
Though he was far away, the wretched state he was in and the way he knelt bolt upright—
he really was the same spoiled brat from yesterday.
"Why is he kneeling there?" Bai Lan asked teasingly, with a hint of amusement.
Yinye thought for a moment, then said:
"His family probably forced him to come."
"Mu En and Dean Yan must have heard about what happened yesterday."
Bai Lan smiled. "If they hadn't stepped in, that guy definitely wouldn't be kneeling."
"Fine," he said. "Let him kneel. He's nothing but a clown."
He turned and walked back to the bed.
The Ice Empress was still standing by the window, looking in that direction.
"Master," she suddenly said.
Before you continue