The Hoe Swings Toward Shrek! When the Princess Meets the True Dragon

In Soto City, the next three days were nothing short of an inescapable nightmare for the Shrek Seven Devils.

"What is going on? Why is it them again?!"

In the lounge, Dai Mubai slammed the registration form onto the table, his evil eyes bloodshot, his entire being on the verge of exploding.

For these past three days, no matter what level of spirit fighting they signed up for.

1v1, 2v2, or team battles.

As long as a Shrek member was participating in a match, members of the World Burial Team would inevitably appear on the opposing side!

Ma Hongjun went to fight a 1v1, encountered Oslo, was toyed with by the Ghost Leopard's speed, and ended up having his prized red mohawk shaved off, running off the stage in tears.

Oscar and Dai Mubai teamed up for a 2v2, only to run into the brothers Shi Mo and Shi Mo. The two giant turtles stood there, and no matter how Dai Mubai bombarded them, he couldn't break their defense; in the end, they were slapped into the wall by two turtle-shell shields and couldn't even be pried out.

The most miserable one was Tang San.

He tried to regain his footing in a 1v1, only to run into Yu Feng.

Tang San had originally assumed Yu Feng was just a fragile agility-type, but under the tutelage of Yu Tianyu, Yu Feng had mastered the "Low-Altitude Predation" tactic. He never landed, never got close, and simply kited Tang San with wind blades.

Whenever Tang San used Blue Silver Grass to bind him, Yu Feng would fly high into the air. When Tang San used hidden weapons, Yu Feng would use his superior mobility to dodge them.

In the end, while Tang San didn't lose too miserably, he was drained of his spirit power and the match ended in a draw (and that was only because Yu Feng held back, not wanting to win too obviously and arouse the suspicions of the Great Spirit Arena).

"Targeting! This is blatant targeting!"

Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang sat in the corner, his face darker than the bottom of a pot. He had tried to protest over the past few days, but the response from the Great Spirit Arena was always: "Random matchmaking, a matter of luck."

To hell with luck!

Whose luck is so bad that they crash into the same opponents every single match for three days straight?

"Alright, stop complaining."

Flender sighed and pushed up his glasses. "Tonight's team battle is suspended. Your condition is too poor, and your mental states have already collapsed. Free time tonight, go out and clear your heads."

Upon hearing "free time," Ning Rongrong's eyes lit up.

She had long since had enough of this high-intensity life of getting beaten up, not to mention this dilapidated lounge and the terrible boxed lunches. She was the little princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect!

"Then I'm leaving first!"

Ning Rongrong didn't wait for Flender to finish; she changed into casual clothes and ran out of the lounge without looking back.

"Rongrong!" Oscar wanted to chase after her, but was stared down by a cold look from Ning Rongrong.

Meanwhile, in the shadows.

Zhu Zhuqing, who had been silent all along, glanced at the temperamental Dai Mubai, a trace of disappointment flashing in her eyes. She said nothing, quietly leaving the group and heading toward the night market outside the spirit arena.

The night market in Soto City was brightly lit.

Ning Rongrong walked aimlessly down the street, feeling more aggrieved the more she thought about it.

She had left home originally to prove herself, only to end up at this pathetic Shrek Academy. The food was bad, the living conditions were bad, and she had to be lectured by that Flender, who said she was useless if not for her Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda.

"What kind of monster academy is this? It's clearly a beggar's den!"

Ning Rongrong kicked a small pebble on the side of the road, muttering, "I can't even get a decent piece of cake."

Just then, an alluring aroma drifted over.

It was the scent of top-tier cream mixed with expensive spices.

Ning Rongrong followed the fragrance and saw a group of familiar people sitting in an extremely luxurious open-air dessert shop ahead.

It was none other than the Imperial Fighting Team (World Burial Team).

They had booked the entire terrace, and the table was covered in desserts as exquisite as works of art, fruit tarts, and chilled fruit wine.

Yu Tianyu sat at the head of the table, holding a silver fork, elegantly tasting a piece of Black Forest Cake. Beside him, Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling were chatting and laughing.

That relaxed, comfortable, and noble atmosphere formed a stark contrast to the gloom and misery on the Shrek side.

Ning Rongrong swallowed hard as she watched.

She wasn't just craving the food; she was nostalgic for this kind of life. This was the life a young lady of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect deserved!

Perhaps her gaze was too intense.

Yu Tianyu turned his head and, through the crowd, caught sight of Ning Rongrong standing under a streetlamp with a conflicted expression.

"Since you're here, why not come over and sit?"

Yu Tianyu's voice wasn't loud, but it reached Ning Rongrong's ears clearly.

Ning Rongrong hesitated for a moment.

Reason told her that this was the "enemy team" and she shouldn't go.

But the glutton in her stomach and that stubborn, prideful streak of a young lady made her walk over as if possessed.

"Hmph, this young lady is just tired of walking and is borrowing a seat, that's all."

Ning Rongrong walked to the table, lifted her chin, and tried hard to maintain her pride.

"Please, sit."

Yu Tianyu snapped his fingers. "Waiter, bring this beautiful young lady an 'Angel's Kiss' mousse, and a hot cocoa with double milk."

Ning Rongrong was stunned.

'Angel's Kiss'? That was the most popular limited-edition dessert in Heaven Dou City; how could they have it here? And... how did he know she liked her hot cocoa with double milk?

"Don't look at me like that."

Yu Tianyu smiled, his heterochromatic eyes holding a magic that seemed to see right through to the heart. "The eldest daughter of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect—such a minor preference is hardly a secret."

Ning Rongrong sat down, looking at the exquisite dessert before her, and half of her mental defenses crumbled instantly.

"You... know me?"

"Of course."

Yu Tianyu cut a small piece of cake. "The apple of Sect Master Ning Fengzhi's eye, a genius possessing what is hailed as the number one support Spirit in Soul Land. Who wouldn't know you?"

These words were incredibly gratifying to Ning Rongrong.

At Shrek Academy, Flender only ever belittled her, saying she wasn't even as good as Oscar. But in the mouth of this young man, she was a genius, a precious pearl.

"Hmph, I suppose you have an eye for talent."

Ning Rongrong tasted a spoonful of the mousse, the sweet flavor blooming on her tongue and causing the grievances of the past few days to dissipate slightly.

"However..."

Yu Tianyu changed the subject, his tone carrying a hint of regret.

"I am curious, why would a noble phoenix like you insist on lowering yourself to stay in a nest of common chickens?"

The spoon in Ning Rongrong's hand paused, and her expression darkened. "Who are you calling common chickens?"

"Don't misunderstand, I didn't mean you."

Yu Tianyu swirled the red wine in his glass. "I was talking about that Shrek Academy."

"An academy that doesn't even have a simulated cultivation environment, can't provide decent nutritional meals, and only forces students to gamble their lives in the Spirit Fighting Arena to earn money... if that isn't a nest of common chickens, what is?"

"Besides, I heard that old ghost Flender often suppresses you? Says you aren't as good as that sausage seller?"

Ning Rongrong's eyes turned red instantly.

This was the thorn in her heart.

"He... he said that apart from my Spirit's advantage, I have a poor temperament, am spoiled, and am good for nothing..." Ning Rongrong said, biting her lip.

"Bullshit."

Yu Tianyu sneered, letting out a curse.

"Support-type Spirit Masters are inherently the commanders of the battlefield and the core that must be protected. So what if you're spoiled? As long as your amplification is strong enough, countless powerhouses will be willing to die for you and hold you in the palms of their hands."

"That Oscar, although he has Innate Full Soul Power, his Spirit is food-type. Food-type and a top-tier support-type like the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda are walking on two completely different paths."

"Demanding that a Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Spirit Master be physically tough and hardworking is like asking a swan to plow a field like an old ox. That is the teaching method of an idiot."

These words spoke directly to the depths of Ning Rongrong's heart!

She looked at Yu Tianyu excitedly, as if she had found a kindred spirit. "You think so too?!"

"Of course."

Yu Tianyu leaned forward slightly, staring into Ning Rongrong's eyes, and cast his first heavy bait.

"And, Rongrong."

"Do you know why the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda can only be 'Seven Treasure', and can never break through to level eighty to become 'Nine Treasure'?"

Clang.

The spoon in Ning Rongrong's hand dropped onto the plate.

She widened her eyes, her breathing rapid. "You... what did you say? You know the reason?"

This was the pain of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect for thousands of years! It was also the lifelong regret of her father, Ning Fengzhi!

"I don't just know the reason."

A mysterious smile curled the corners of Yu Tianyu's mouth as he lowered his voice. "I also know the solution."

"I have a celestial herb in my possession, known as the 'Tulip of Romance'."

"It can turn the Seven Treasures into Nine Treasures."

BOOM!!!

Ning Rongrong felt a thunderclap explode in her mind.

Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda?!

If anyone else had said this, she would have assumed they were a liar. But the young man before her had unfathomable strength, a mysterious background, and that look of absolute certainty on his face...

"You... you have that celestial herb?" Ning Rongrong's voice was trembling, not just from excitement, but from greed.

"It's not on me right now, but it is in my family's treasury."

Yu Tianyu didn't take it out directly (things obtained too easily are not cherished), but instead began to reel her in.

"This item is worth a fortune, so I can't just give it away to anyone."

"However..."

Yu Tianyu looked at Ning Rongrong's longing gaze and smiled, "If you are willing to join our team and become my teammate, I might consider giving it to you as a welcome gift."

"Join... your team?"

Ning Rongrong glanced at Ye Lingling and Dugu Yan beside him.

Although Ye Lingling remained silent, her top-tier equipment and profound aura were clearly far superior to the suffering she endured at Shrek.

"I won't force you."

Yu Tianyu leaned back into his chair, returning to his lazy demeanor, "You can take your time to consider. Whether you want to continue being the despised young lady at Shrek, or come to me and evolve into the legendary Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, becoming a true goddess."

"This cup of hot cocoa is on me."

After saying this, Yu Tianyu stood up and led everyone away.

He left Ning Rongrong sitting there alone, staring at the unfinished hot cocoa, her eyes flickering with intense struggle and ambition.

Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda...

Shrek? Tang San? Oscar?

Faced with such temptation, that so-called "friendship" seemed to become insignificant.

Having laid the groundwork for Ning Rongrong, Yu Tianyu did not return to the hotel.

He had Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling go back first, while he turned and slipped into a dim alley in Soto City.

Because he had sensed it.

Another "lost little kitten" was venting her anger right here.

Deep in the alley.

"First Spirit Skill: Nether Thrust!"

Swish! Swish! Swish!

Several cold glints flashed by, and a few stray dogs were scared off, fleeing in all directions. Deep claw marks were left on the wall.

Zhu Zhuqing was dressed in tight black clothing, outlining a figure that was far more mature than her age. She was frantically venting her frustration against the wall.

Just moments ago, she had seen with her own eyes that although Dai Mubai claimed to be in a bad mood, he had walked into a hotel with two seductive women in his arms.

Disgusting!

Was this her fiancé? Was this the prince of the Star Luo Empire?

"If you don't want those hands, you can chop them off; don't take your anger out on the wall."

A cold voice rang out from the entrance of the alley.

Zhu Zhuqing spun around abruptly, like a cat with its fur standing on end, instantly assuming an offensive stance: "Who is it?!"

Yu Tianyu walked in slowly with his hands in his pockets.

The moonlight spilled onto his face, half in light and half in shadow, making him appear exceptionally devilish.

"It's you... the captain of the World Burial Team." Zhu Zhuqing recognized him, and the wariness in her eyes deepened.

"Zhu Zhuqing, the second young lady of the Zhu family of the Star Luo Empire."

Yu Tianyu directly exposed her identity, "You traveled thousands of miles to come here just to find that piece of trash named Dai Mubai?"

Having her inner thoughts exposed, Zhu Zhuqing's face turned pale, and she gritted her teeth: "That has nothing to do with you!"

"It has nothing to do with me. I just find it laughable."

Yu Tianyu stopped five meters away from her, "You are training with your life on the line to change your fate and survive. And that man?"

"He is escaping, degenerating, and finding a sense of existence between women's legs."

"Do you really think that by relying on such a spineless coward, you can defeat your sister? Can you survive that cruel royal struggle?"

Zhu Zhuqing's body began to tremble.

This was the reality she least wanted to face.

"Mind your own business!"

Zhu Zhuqing shouted in anger and actually launched an attack directly.

"Second Spirit Skill: Nether Hundred Claws!"

Her speed was extremely fast, transforming into a black afterimage as a hundred claw shadows instantly enveloped Yu Tianyu. She wanted to use combat to cover up the fragility in her heart.

"Too slow."

Yu Tianyu did not even use his Martial Soul.

Amidst the sky-filling claw shadows, he strolled casually, side-stepping, retreating, and ducking.

Every time, those sharp cat claws came within mere millimeters of his clothes, yet they never once made contact.

"Your heart is in chaos, and your movements are full of openings."

At the exact moment Zhu Zhuqing's old strength was spent and her new strength had yet to arise.

Yu Tianyu moved.

He lunged forward, crashing directly into Zhu Zhuqing's embrace (in the physical sense).

His left hand shot out like lightning, seizing her slender wrist and pinning it behind her back. His right hand followed through, gripping the back of her neck (just like grabbing a cat).

"Bang!"

Zhu Zhuqing was pressed against the wall by Yu Tianyu.

Their bodies were pressed tightly together.

That intense masculine scent instantly enveloped Zhu Zhuqing. She struggled desperately, only to find that this boy's strength was astonishing; she was like a kitten pinned down by a dragon, unable to move a muscle.

"Let me go!!" Zhu Zhuqing was mortified, wishing she could die of shame.

"Be quiet."

Yu Tianyu leaned into her ear, his voice low and magnetic, "Look at you now, how weak you are."

"If you can't even beat me, what are you going to use to defeat your sister?"

"Are you going to rely on that Dai Mubai, who goes weak in the knees the moment he sees me?"

At the mention of Dai Mubai, Zhu Zhuqing stopped struggling, a trace of despair appearing in her eyes.

"Then what can I do..." Her voice carried a hint of a sob.

"It's simple."

Yu Tianyu released one hand and gently lifted her chin, looking into those stubborn, cold black eyes.

"Abandon that piece of trash."

"The Nether Civet does not need to rely on the White Tiger to survive."

"As long as you are strong enough, you are the queen of the dark night."

Yu Tianyu's fingers traced her delicate collarbone, "Come to me. I will teach you how to train your speed to the limit, and how to turn these claws into death scythes that harvest lives."

"I don't need a Martial Soul Fusion Skill; I am the strongest core myself. I can make you... even on your own, trample Dai Mubai and your sister under your feet."

Zhu Zhuqing looked at the boy inches away.

In those heterochromatic pupils burned a fire called ambition—something she had never seen in Dai Mubai's eyes.

That man had only ever given her disappointment.

But this boy gave her a feeling of... strength, dominance, and yet, an urge to rely on him.

"Can you... really make me stronger?" Zhu Zhuqing asked in a murmur.

"Tomorrow, at the Spirit Fighting Arena."

Yu Tianyu released her, stepped back, and adjusted his collar.

"You can try to challenge me once. Although you will lose, I will show you... what true speed and power are."

"Also..."

Yu Tianyu turned to leave, leaving behind one final sentence.

"That Dai Mubai isn't worthy of you. Kicking him to the curb sooner rather than later will do you good."

Watching Yu Tianyu's disappearing back, Zhu Zhuqing leaned against the wall, remaining motionless for a long time.

Her hand touched the shoulder where Yu Tianyu had held her; his warmth seemed to still linger there.

"Become stronger..."

In Zhu Zhuqing's eyes, the look of confusion gradually faded, replaced by an unprecedented sense of determination.

Back at the temporary lodging for Shrek Academy.

When Ning Rongrong returned, she was still carrying the box containing the unfinished Angel's Kiss mousse cake.

"Rongrong, you're back? Where did you go?"

Oscar approached her eagerly, holding a freshly grilled sausage, "Hungry? Want a sausage?"

Looking at the greasy sausage, then at the exquisite cake in her hand.

The sense of disparity in Ning Rongrong's heart grew even larger.

"I'm not hungry, take it away."

Ning Rongrong coldly pushed Oscar aside and walked straight to her room, "Don't bother me with this kind of thing again."

Oscar froze in place, looking wounded.

On the other side.

When Zhu Zhuqing returned, she happened to run into Dai Mubai, who had just come back from outside, reeking of alcohol and perfume.

"Zhuqing, where have you been? Why are you back so late?"

Dai Mubai saw Zhu Zhuqing and instinctively reached out to grab her hand. "I was so worried about you."

If this were before, Zhu Zhuqing might have simply dodged him with a cold face.

But today, after experiencing what Yu Tianyu had said, she looked at Dai Mubai and felt nothing but nausea.

"Don't touch me."

Zhu Zhuqing violently shook off Dai Mubai's hand, her eyes as cold as blades. "If you can't control your lower half, don't come here and disgust me."

"Also, for tomorrow's two-on-two soul fight, I'm not teaming up with you anymore."

"What did you say?!" Dai Mubai was half-sobered by the shock. "We are the Nether White Tiger duo! If you don't team up with me, who are you going to team up with?"

"I'll fight in the one-on-one matches myself."

After saying this, Zhu Zhuqing slammed the door shut.

"Bang!"

The door panel nearly hit Dai Mubai right in the nose.

"Damn it! What is wrong with everyone?!"

Dai Mubai kicked the wall in a fit of rage.

But what he didn't know was that this was only the beginning.

Under the hoe of Yu Tianyu, fueled by what could be called "ambition" and "strength," the already unstable foundation of Shrek had begun to develop cracks that could never be repaired.