Arriving at Suotuo City, Xiao Wu Attacked

The lingering echoes of the simple party celebrating Xiao Qing's birthday had yet to fully dissipate when Shrek Academy welcomed another important annual occasion—enrollment day.

The chief examiner this year was Ma Hongjun. Flender had entrusted this task to him not only to hone his interpersonal skills but also as an acknowledgment of the growing stability in his temperament over recent years. Ma Hongjun took this quite seriously, spending several days repeatedly familiarizing himself with the enrollment procedures and standards, rubbing his hands together in anticipation as he prepared to properly fulfill this "first" responsibility.

Dai Mubai's daily life had also acquired a new, fixed routine. Although he had completely bid farewell to his former dissolute ways, he still enjoyed the occasional moments of leaving the academy to experience the worldly bustle of Suotuo City. Many of the daily necessities required by Shrek Academy, such as special ingredients, common tools, and various consumables, needed to be purchased in the city on a regular basis.

This task naturally fell to Dai Mubai, who frequented the city and was quite familiar with the various shops in Suotuo City. He did not resent this; on the contrary, he found a certain joy in it. Helping the academy handle these chores gave him a sense of being "needed" that was more equal and tangible than the service of family servants or the cold nature of monetary transactions.

Watching the items he had purchased being used for everyone's daily meals or cultivation brought him a subtle sense of satisfaction.

With enrollment day imminent, according to custom, new students who passed the assessment would remain at the academy for observation, requiring the academy to prepare additional food reserves.

For once, Flender was not overly stingy with money. He handed Dai Mubai a purse containing a significant number of Gold Soul Coins, instructing, "Buy more non-perishable grains and dried meat, and bring back some fresh fruits and vegetables as well. Don't be greedy for cheap, low-quality goods, but don't let yourself be fleeced like a fool either."

Dai Mubai weighed the purse and nodded in agreement. He understood the source of Flender's rare "generosity"—most of this money likely came from the tuition paid by the academy's few students and the rewards from the occasional low-level commissions they accepted.

Meanwhile, on the main road not far from Suotuo City, two dust-covered figures were walking toward the city gates. They were none other than Tang San and Xiao Wu.

After graduating from the Nuoding City Junior Soul Master Academy and following the advice of his teacher, Yu Xiaogang, they had decided to come to Suotuo City to attempt to enroll in the Shrek Academy, which Grandmaster had described as a place that "only accepts monsters."

Grandmaster had given them a general direction and a simple description; the rest was up to them to find on their own.

Having traveled for many days in a row, both of them looked somewhat exhausted, but their eyes held more curiosity and anticipation for the unknown academy than fatigue.

Entering the bustling Suotuo City, the clamor of voices, the rows of shops, and the diverse mix of soul masters and commoners all felt quite novel to them, having grown up in Nuoding City.

They first found a clean and simple inn, using the little money they had to rent two adjacent single rooms, washed up briefly, and changed out of their dust-covered outer garments.

"San, I'm hungry!" Xiao Wu rubbed her stomach, looking at Tang San with pleading eyes. She was at an age where she was still growing, and after such a long journey, her stomach was already empty.

Tang San nodded; he also needed to replenish his energy. "Let's go out and find something to eat. We need to be frugal with the travel funds Grandmaster gave us. I hope we can pass the academy assessment smoothly."

The two left the inn and, after asking passersby for directions, headed toward a street in Suotuo City famous for its snacks and casual eateries.

This food street was quite popular; the aromas of various foods mingled in the air, and the sounds of hawking, bargaining, and the laughter of diners were endless.

As they walked, Tang San and Xiao Wu cautiously observed the prices at the stalls on both sides. They bought some affordable meat pies and water, eating as they walked while silently observing the soul master atmosphere of this city to compare it with Nuoding City.

Just as they were about to exit the street and turn into a relatively quiet side road to head back to the inn, Xiao Wu's sensitive ears suddenly twitched.

She stopped in her tracks, tilted her head to listen, and looked suspiciously toward a narrower, dimmer alleyway beside the side road. "San, listen, there seems to be a strange sound over there? It sounds like someone crying, and there's arguing too?"

Tang San also focused his hearing. From deep within the alley came the faint sound of a girl's low sobbing, along with the rough shouting of two men, occasionally punctuated by the dull thud of objects colliding. He frowned slightly; while traveling, his instinct was to avoid unnecessary trouble. But before he could speak, Xiao Wu, with her overflowing curiosity and innate sense of chivalry, had already darted into the alley like a nimble rabbit.

"Xiao Wu!" Tang San called out in a low voice, having no choice but to follow immediately.

The alley was narrow, piled with debris, and emitted a musty odor. After venturing a dozen meters in, the scene before them made them pause.

Two burly men dressed in common martial attire with ruffian-like expressions were cornering a slender girl in a pale blue dress against the wall.

The girl leaned against the damp wall, her head lowered, her shoulders heaving slightly as she emitted suppressed sobs. Her long hair hung down, obscuring her face.

One of the men was reaching out to grab the girl's arm, saying crudely, "What are you crying for! Paying off a debt is only natural! Your father ran off, so you have to pay the money! Come with us!"

"Stop! What are you doing? Two grown men bullying a girl, have you no shame!" Seeing this, Xiao Wu's willow-leaf brows arched in anger. She lunged forward, spread her arms to shield the sobbing girl behind her, and glared at the two men.

Tang San followed closely, standing beside Xiao Wu, his gaze sweeping over the two men with cold composure. There was soul power fluctuation on them, but it wasn't strong—likely between level ten and twenty—suggesting they were Battle Soul Masters. He said in a deep voice, "Gentlemen, whatever the matter is, it can be discussed properly. Laying hands on a young lady is likely inappropriate."

The two men seemed not to have expected someone to suddenly intervene, freezing for a moment before their faces twisted with annoyance.

The man who had reached out pulled his hand back, squinting at Tang San and Xiao Wu, and sneered, "Where did these brats come from, meddling in other people's business! This girl's father owes our boss a sum of money, and he ran away. A father's debt must be paid by his daughter, understand? If you know what's good for you, get lost, or we'll deal with you too!"

The girl shielded behind Xiao Wu seemed terrified, crying even harder, her body trembling as she shrank further behind Xiao Wu, sobbing, "No... that's not it... I didn't... I don't know them..."

"Did you hear that? She said she doesn't know you!"

Xiao Wu became even more indignant, pointing at the two men. "I see you're just thugs! Trying to kidnap a girl in broad daylight! Third Brother, teach them a lesson!"

Tang San's brow furrowed even tighter.

He felt something was off. Although the two men's attitudes were fierce, there was no genuine ruthlessness in their eyes that one would expect from debt collectors; instead, there was a trace of... deliberate performance?

Furthermore, this alley was secluded; why was this girl here alone? But Xiao Wu had already charged in, and he couldn't just stand by. He slightly widened his stance, the Mysterious Heaven Skill quietly circulating, ready to strike at any moment.

Just as the two sides stood in a tense standoff, the unexpected occurred!

The blue-clad girl, who had been shrinking behind Xiao Wu, sobbing weakly, suddenly stopped.

Her head, which had been hanging low, snapped up. There was no longer a trace of tears or fear on her face; instead, it was replaced by a cold, mocking ruthlessness. Her movements were astonishingly fast, not at all like those of an ordinary, weak woman. A cold glint flashed from her right hand hidden in her sleeve, revealing a foot-long dagger with a blade shimmering with a dark blue luster—clearly poisoned.

With a flick of her wrist, the dagger struck out like a viper, not toward the two "thugs" in front of her, but directly toward the neck of Xiao Wu, who was standing right in front of her, back turned and completely defenseless! The goal was a hostage-taking!

This sudden turn of events was so swift that neither Xiao Wu nor Tang San had expected the "victim" to suddenly lash out, especially targeting the very person who had come to her aid!

Xiao Wu heard the wind behind her and instinctively tried to dodge, but the distance was too close, and the strike was both vicious and swift; she only managed to tilt her head slightly.

Tang San's eyes were wide with fury, his Purple Demon Eye pushed to its absolute limit. The trajectory of the dagger seemed to slow by half in his vision, but he was still two steps away from Xiao Wu, and firing a hidden weapon in such haste risked hitting her!

The Mysterious Heaven Skill surged wildly within him, and he was about to execute the Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track to launch a rescue, hoping to force the attacker to defend herself.

However, someone was faster than them both!

Just as the tip of the poisoned dagger was about to touch Xiao Wu's skin, a white shadow appeared as if out of thin air, darting from the shadows of the debris on the other side of the alley at a speed invisible to the naked eye.

The speed was so great that it even produced a low sonic boom. The white shadow's target was not the two men pretending to be thugs, nor the woman holding the blade, but the narrow space of less than half a foot between Xiao Wu and the woman.

"Fourth Soul Skill, White Tiger Demon God Transformation!"