Tingyun! Tingyun!

"Xuan Zi, please get up. We've already forgiven you."

Zhang Lexuan's voice came coolly from her purplish-white lips.

"I'm guilty! I can't get up! I have to atone for my sins!"

Xuan Zi didn't even turn his head. He only grumbled stubbornly.

Zhang Lexuan's heart was heavy with grief, but she had no choice left.

She immediately closed her eyes. A clear tear slid down her cheek, and her long, straight legs trembled.

But before Zhang Lexuan could kneel, a wave of heat swept over her from behind.

She jerked her eyes open and turned around.

She saw a humanoid tyrannosaurus rushing in, a fox woman tucked under her arm.

"My, my~ What a sorry sight. But Zhang Lexuan! You've got some nerve!"

Tingyun, brought in by Wu Qingyao, straightened her clothes and then shouted at Zhang Lexuan with a stern expression.

"You barged into Shrek Inner Court without cause. Is the Nine Treasures Glazed Sect trying to start a war with Shrek Academy?"

Yan Shaozhe, who had hurried in behind them, shouted angrily as well. Out of consideration for the Original Seven Devils, he hadn't wanted to pursue Wu Qingyao's actions, but he hadn't expected her to go even further and barge straight into Sea God Island!

"How was it without cause? This young lady remembers saying that your academy's student eavesdropped on the Minghuo Chamber of Commerce's core secrets."

"Impossible!"

"Nothing's impossible. Zhang Lexuan! Tell me, did you eavesdrop on our secrets at the Minghuo Chamber of Commerce yesterday?"

Zhang Lexuan looked at Tingyun in confusion.

"Oh my~ Dean Yan, look. Zhang Lexuan doesn't even dare to admit it~"

"Outrageous! Is the Nine Treasures Glazed Sect really going to humiliate Shrek Academy like this?!"

Yan Shaozhe's gaze turned dark as he stared fixedly at the silver-tongued Tingyun.

Tingyun gave a soft laugh, tucked her fan into her waistband, and said gently:

"Please don't blame me, Dean Yan! My young master, who isn't exactly a caring sort, ordered this young lady to find the person who stole the secrets at all costs."

"Otherwise, how would I dare to barge into Shrek Academy? How about this: we each give a little. I won't spread word that Shrek Academy has a thief, and your academy will agree to let my fellow student Zhang help me investigate and get to the bottom of this within seven days. What do you say?"

"Heh. President Tingyun, do you take me for a fool? Do you really think I don't know what you're after?"

Yan Shaozhe laughed coldly.

Tingyun still smiled lightly. She picked up the fan at her waist and fanned herself as she spoke slowly:

"Dean Yan, I've traveled far and wide these past few years, so I've learned a thing or two. The worst thing a person can do is sit at the bottom of a well and gaze at the sky."

Tingyun slowly walked over to Yan Shaozhe:

"Dean Yan, the world is vast—so vast that there are places no one can know. And yet it's also small—so small that simply stepping outside might offend someone you can't afford to provoke."

Tingyun smiled at Yan Shaozhe's darkening expression:

"What do you think~"

"You're nothing but a beast, not even human. Are you saying you don't know the limits of heaven and earth?"

Yan Shaozhe spoke with a cold sneer.

"My, my~ Dean Yan, that really hurts this young lady's feelings. I don't blame you for not knowing what the Fairy Boat is. After all, even the person above your Shrek may not know the might of the Fairy Boat."

Tingyun tossed out the concept of the Fairy Boat as casually as if it meant nothing, apparently unbothered by Yan Shaozhe's insult.

Yan Shaozhe furrowed his brow, walked past Wu Qingyao and Zhang Lexuan, and went straight to help Xuan Zi to his feet.

Seeing this, Zhang Lexuan's heart clenched again.

"Xuan Zi, stop blaming yourself. Now these villains dare to intrude upon Shrek's sacred grounds and insult the Original Seven Devils. You have to teach them a lesson."

At those words, Xuan Zi went straight from dejection to fury. "What! Someone dares to insult our ancestor Tang San? Unforgivable!"

Xuan Zi fixed his murderous gaze on Tingyun.

Tingyun's delicate body trembled slightly. She gritted her teeth and waved at Wu Qingyao, signaling that she shouldn't worry about her.

"Wu Qingyao! Listen carefully. Tingyun was saved by her benefactor. Today, I'll die for him, but I won't tarnish his name. Leave, and tell my benefactor that if he still thinks of Tingyun, please ask him to send my regards to Sister Yukong the next time he sees her!"

Tingyun gritted her teeth, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth. "You old bastard, just make your move. Qingyao, bear witness for me. Let's see if the gods above can protect..."

Before Tingyun could finish her threat, the pressure on her suddenly lifted.

Her body went limp, and Zhang Lexuan, eyes red-rimmed, caught her.

"Looks like not everyone at Shrek is a brute~"

Tingyun panted weakly, teasing her.

"Shrek Academy has always protected its students. Since President Tingyun has already said she only wants Lexuan to help with the investigation, she presumably won't hurt her. Xuan Zi and Shaozhe are simply concerned for their students."

An aged, dignified voice came from the air.

As Tingyun listened to Mu En's lofty words, she casually wiped away Zhang Lexuan's tears:

"I presume the one who's been hiding in the shadows all along is the Dragon God Douluo Mu En General Yaoguang mentioned. When I came to Shrek Academy, the general asked me to pass along a message."

Tingyun supported Zhang Lexuan as she turned to leave.

Zhang Lexuan had been confused by Mu En's words, but after hearing Tingyun mention that someone had been hiding in the shadows, she resolutely followed her.

At Mu En's instruction, Yan Shaozhe and Xuan Zi watched the three of them leave.

Only then did Tingyun's words reach them:

"There's a grass in the tree, eating the tree."

Of course, General Yaoguang hadn't really said that. Bai Mo had never drawn her, after all. Tingyun had made it up herself after Bai Mo told her a few stories. She'd come up with it specifically to get back at Shrek for bullying her.

Yan Shaozhe and Xuan Zi showed little reaction, but Mu En, lying on a recliner in the shadows, heard the words and recalled the unease he'd felt before. He couldn't help closing his eyes.

"Teacher, why..."

"When someone openly threatens a god, they're either a god themselves or a madman. Do you think this fox woman looks like a madman?"

Mu En was truly exhausted. He was still worrying about the Golden Tree, while his idiot disciple hadn't even thought of the crucial point.

Mom! Where on earth have you sent your dear daughter?!

A pretty, youthful girl with pink hair and a pink dress thought indignantly.

Not long ago, Nan Qiuchiu's mother had told her to go train with an Exalted One and his son. Afterward, she could join the Exalted One's faction directly. Nan Qiuchiu had agreed on the spot.

On the way, Nan Qiuchiu had spared no effort trying to cozy up to this "mother and son." Just moments ago, as they were about to leave Dragon City, the two had said they were waiting for a companion. From their tone, Nan Qiuchiu had guessed that it would be another Titled Douluo.

Nan Qiuchiu had been thrilled. With so many powerful people in this faction, it seemed there was no reason she couldn't be trained to surpass her mother one day!

Then a little girl with green hair flew over to the three of them. Nan Qiuchiu paid no attention to her appearance. Who knew if she was some old monster pretending to be young?

Just as Nan Qiuchiu was about to go over and cozy up to her, she heard the little girl speak.

"Hey, kiddo. Where's Snow Empress?"

"Bing'er!" Snow Empress, pretending to be Bai Xue, chided Ice Empress. Then she pressed the second fox mask she'd gotten from Bai Mo onto Ice Empress's face.

Nan Qiuchiu's smile froze. She thought she'd just heard something incredible.

Then, right before Nan Qiuchiu's astonished eyes, the little girl with green twin tails transformed into a cool, mature woman with long, pale-green hair, blue-green armor, and long, pure-black leather boots.

The woman admired her new form with satisfaction, then pointed at the stunned Nan Qiuchiu and asked:

"Who's this little girl?"