Teacher Zhao, You're on Your Own

Ling Chen struggled to his feet and brushed the dust off himself. A searing pain throbbed in his backside.

What a disgrace! An utter disgrace!

Since leaving Slaughter City, Ling Chen had never suffered such humiliation. He'd shed blood and sweat, but never before had someone grabbed him and tossed him out like today.

"Zhao Wuji! You Zhao Wuji! You must be itching for a beating from two Titled Douluo!"

Back when Tang San had first entered Shrek Academy, Zhao Wuji had gone a little too hard on him during their fight. That very night, Tang Hao had pinned him to the ground and pounded him.

Although Ling Chen had met Tang Hao only once, Tang Hao had introduced him to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. If Ling Chen simply disappeared now, then when Chen Xin came looking for Tang Hao, Zhao Wuji's fate didn't bear thinking about.

The mighty Immovable Bright King, beaten black and blue by the two strongest Power Attack System Douluo. Just imagining it made Ling Chen's backside ache on Zhao Wuji's behalf.

As for why Ling Chen hadn't unleashed his Peerless Domain to prove himself, it was because he'd assumed Zhao Wuji knew who he was—and that Zhao Wuji was acting on orders from Dean Flender.

Ling Chen hadn't wanted to use his domain on a whim. More importantly, he hadn't expected Zhao Wuji to get physical with him.

Clutching his backside, Ling Chen limped away. The students who'd been watching couldn't help laughing out loud.

"Look at him limping! Hahahaha!"

"I thought he was some big shot, but he's just a feral kid. Teacher Zhao was going easy on him by merely throwing him out!"

Huo Wu and Feng Xiaotian listened to the students' chatter, exchanged a glance, and hurried to the dean's office.

That was Sword Douluo's direct disciple! Ever since Huo Wu and the others had faced that sword strike, the pride in them had been thoroughly beaten out of them.

They were powerful in Shrek Academy. With the Shrek Seven Devils gone, they were the academy's top fighters.

And yet, with all that strength, Sword Douluo had knocked them down with a single sword strike.

So... what about the other students?

Those few students who loved to watch a spectacle wouldn't stand a chance against even one of Sword Douluo's strikes. The old man could kill them just by letting out a fart.

Meanwhile, Ling Chen was limping toward Star Dou Great Forest. He couldn't take a carriage; it would give his backside a second beating.

His plan was simple: rescue Xiao Wu together with Tang San, then let the Spirit Hall take him away.

People said you should leave others a way out so you could meet again someday. Zhao Wuji had humiliated him like this. Ling Chen would make him pay twice over.

He also had another reason for going to the Spirit Hall: Qian Daoliu.

Everyone knew that Qian Renxue was the first to become a god, making Qian Daoliu the first Limit Douluo to die.

Ling Chen had been considering the Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul as his third Martial Soul. With Innate Full Soul Power at level 20, it was such an absurdly powerful Martial Soul that there was no way Ling Chen wouldn't be tempted.

But it seemed he wouldn't make it in time. By the time his short legs carried him to the border of the Heaven Dou Empire, Tang San would probably have already returned with a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring.

"Whew... I'd better find somewhere to rest first!"

Ling Chen wasn't in a hurry. He wasn't rescuing Xiao Wu to win her affection; he wanted to make Tang San owe him another favor.

A Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast like Xiao Wu was a crafty creature, no matter how you looked at it. In Journey to the West, she wouldn't be any different from the Jade Rabbit. Ling Chen couldn't believe a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast had no tricks up her sleeve.

Besides, Ling Chen was only seven years old. Love wasn't something he should be thinking about. All he needed to do was keep getting stronger.

Shrek Academy, dean's office.

After hearing Huo Wu and the others' account, Flender rubbed his forehead.

"Zhao, you really are a walking disaster! First you offend Tai Tan, the head of the Strength Clan, then the Clear Sky Douluo and the Spirit Hall, and now Sword Douluo. Sigh!"

Flender sighed helplessly. He'd watched Zhao Wuji get beaten black and blue by Tang Hao with his own eyes. Tang Hao had even gone easy on him and left the Clear Sky Hammer out of it.

Flender couldn't say the same for Chen Xin and his Seven Kill Sword. The thought of the Immovable Bright King being cut to pieces left Flender able to do nothing but shake his head.

Save him? How? Beg Sword Douluo for mercy? For Rongrong's sake?

Flender wanted to help, but there was nothing he could do. The Golden Iron Triangle only dared to trade barbs with Ling Chen. At most, Liu Erlong could try to scare him.

But Zhao Wuji had gone and smacked the kid on the backside three times, then thrown him out. If Chen Xin didn't carve him into eight pieces, it would be an insult to Sword Douluo's reputation.

When Feng Xiaotian and Huo Wu heard about Zhao Wuji's glorious deeds, they clapped again and again.

"Unbelievable! Absolutely unbelievable! That's our Teacher Zhao! We thought offending Sword Douluo was bad enough, but it turns out there's always someone worse!"

"Sigh! Let Teacher Zhao know, will you? I'll go plead for him."

Flender sighed. His Cat Eagle Martial Soul appeared, and he flew toward the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

Meanwhile, on the tournament platform.

Zhao Wuji was sparring with seven new students. The joy of bullying the weak had him grinning from ear to ear. He clearly had no idea disaster was about to strike.

"Come on, you little ones! Keep it up! There's still time for one incense stick!"

Zhao Wuji stood motionless in the middle of the platform. No matter what tricks the new students tried, they couldn't so much as inconvenience him.

Feng Xiaotian and Huo Wu stopped to watch. They couldn't imagine what Zhao Wuji's expression would be in a moment. He'd certainly made plenty of enemies, and there was no denying that he might have gotten used to it.

But he'd come to Shrek to hide from trouble. There was no way he wasn't afraid.

When the last incense stick burned down, the seven students passed the trial. Only then did Huo Wu and Feng Xiaotian approach.

"Teacher Zhao, we have some bad news for you!"

When Zhao Wuji saw that it was Huo Wu and Feng Xiaotian, his expression shifted slightly. What kind of bad news required a few students to tell him? Shouldn't Flender come and tell him himself?

"What bad news? I've been minding my own business at the academy. I haven't caused any trouble!"

Huo Wu cleared her throat and put on a solemn expression.

"Um, Teacher Zhao, did you just throw a child of about seven years old out of the academy?"

Zhao Wuji thought it over.

"Yeah, I think I did throw a kid out. He said Dean Flender had told him to stay in the teachers' dormitory. I didn't believe him, so I threw him out."

"Kids these days, honestly. They lie without even thinking it through."

Huo Wu and Feng Xiaotian exchanged an awkward glance and smiled.

"Teacher Zhao, that child's name was... Li Tianyi!"

"What?!"

Zhao Wuji was struck as if by lightning, frozen stiff on the spot.

"But... but what was he doing at Shrek Academy?"

Zhao Wuji couldn't understand it. A prodigy like Li Tianyi should have been at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, shouldn't he?

Huo Wu sighed and spread her hands.

"We don't know either! Dean Flender has already gone to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect to plead for you. Teacher Zhao, you're on your own!"

At that, Zhao Wuji dropped to his knees, despair written all over his face.