Returning to Shrek, Senior Sister Flirts from Afar

After a long while, Ice Empress suddenly spoke.

"I've been to Jialing Pass."

Dai Huabin turned his head and asked:

"When?"

"Ten thousand years ago," Ice Empress kicked the water, "After the God War ended and the Shrek Seven Gods ascended, Xue'er and I went to see it."

"There's nothing to see."

Dai Huabin smiled and said, "You said it yourself, ten thousand years ago. Ten thousand years have passed now. Maybe a city has been built nearby."

Then, he reached out and ruffled Ice Empress's hair.

"Bing'er, don't worry."

Ice Empress was being rubbed by Dai Huabin, and her mouth was pouting.

"Hmph! Who's worried about you!"

On the morning of the third day, the five people packed their belongings by the lake.

When Bi Ji arrived, Di Lingxi rushed over and hugged her for a long time, but in the end, Zhu Lu pulled her down by the hand.

"Ling Xi must listen to Huabin."

"I know," Di Lingxi wiped her face. "Sister Bi Ji, you take good care of yourself too."

Bi Ji tidied her hair.

Dai Huabin took out his Flying Soul Tool.

Ice Empress stepped to the front, raised her hand, and a light blue Soul Power shield slowly expanded, enveloping the five of them.

"They're gone."

The wind at high altitudes is kept out by the protective shield.

The Star Dou Great Forest shrank to a whole expanse of dark green at our feet, the lake reflecting the light.

Di Lingxi lay on the edge of the protective barrier, looking down for a long time.

Zhu Lu stood beside Dai Huabin and suddenly whispered.

"Huabin, if we fly southeast, we'll reach Shrek in no time."

"Um."

Dai Huabin shook his head and looked up at the clouds in the southeast direction.

There are still a few days until school starts.

"I need to resolve Sister Xiaotao's matter before school starts. Then I'll go to the Golden Tree to awaken my bloodline."

More than an hour later,

Some people then came to Shrek City.

The entry procedures went smoothly. Dai Huabin simply flashed his Shrek Academy student token at the gate, and the guards didn't even check his luggage.

Di Lingxi, on the other hand, attracted a few more glances from the two guards; her golden hair was too eye-catching in the sunlight.

"They're looking at me," Di Lingxi whispered to Dai Huabin.

"Because you're beautiful."

"Oh." Di Lingxi nodded, her posture even becoming more upright.

Ice Empress rolled his eyes from behind. "She gets cocky for three days after just a couple of compliments. Don't spoil her."

It was afternoon when I returned to the dormitory building of the Outer Academy.

The building was very empty; school hadn't started yet, and most of the students hadn't returned.

Dai Huabin's dormitory is on the first floor.

He was actually qualified to enter the Inner Academy long ago.

He was level 57, and his Martial Soul was the White Tiger. Yan Shaozhe had mentioned this more than once.

But he never went.

"I'll put my things down and then go out." Dai Huabin took off his storage bag. "I'm going to find Sister Xiaotao."

Zhu Lu was opening the window to ventilate the room when she heard this and turned around. "About the Blazing Gel?"

"Yes. This needs to be resolved before school starts."

Zhu Lu nodded, "Okay."

I heard a light knocking sound coming from next door—two knocks.

It was Ice Empress's habit; she found it troublesome to come out and call out to people.

Dai Huabin walked to the door and peeked in. "What's wrong?"

Ice Empress leaned against her doorframe, her twin ponytails not yet properly tied back. "Are you going out?"

"Go to the Inner Academy to find Sister Xiaotao."

"Oh."

Ice Empress uttered only one word, then stared at him.

Dai Huabin waited two seconds. "Is there anything else?"

"No. Hmph!" Ice Empress turned and went inside, closing the door a little louder than usual.

Zhu Lu came out of the house, leaned against Dai Huabin's shoulder, and said in a low voice, "She wants to go with you."

"Didn't she just say no?"

"When she says no, then yes." Zhu Lu's tone was flat. "Didn't you learn that in the forest?"

Dai Huabin paused for a moment. He knew perfectly well that going to find Ma Xiaotao wouldn't mean leaving so quickly.

This is like dry wood meeting a raging fire...

The Inner Academy, Ma Xiaotao's courtyard.

Dai Huabin stood at the door for a while, but the courtyard was empty and no one was there.

He reached out and wiped his hand on the stone table; there was a thin layer of dust. No one had returned for at least two or three days.

"Out on a mission?" Dai Huabin muttered to himself.

That's not surprising.

Before graduating, the Inner Academy disciples need to gather thirty Inspection Group for missions, and Ma Xiaotao is at the age where she will be sent out.

He brushed the dust off his sleeves and turned to leave. Since the person wasn't there, he would wait; the Blazing Gel was soaking in a special jade box and wouldn't dissipate anytime soon.

I bumped into someone as soon as I left the hospital.

He was dressed in a striking red and gold outfit, his red hair tied in a neat ponytail, and he was carrying a cloth bag. The other person stopped abruptly when they saw him.

"Huabin?"

Wu Ming hid the cloth bag behind her back, her eyes widening. "Didn't you go back to the Star Luo Empire? You've come back ahead of schedule?"

"Sister Wu Ming," Dai Huabin greeted respectfully, "I went out for training during the holiday, and came back straight after finishing my business."

"Experience." Wu Ming emphasized the word, then looked him up and down. "Where have you been this time? Your aura is different."

"We circled around Sunset Forest and then went to the outskirts of Star Dou Great Forest." Dai Huabin picked out two place names he could recall.

"The outer perimeter?" Wu Ming hissed. "The outer perimeter of the Star Dou Great Forest isn't a place you can just wander around in. You went there by yourself?"

"With Zhu Lu, and Bing'er and Xue'er too."

Wu Ming nodded. "You've come to see Xiaotao?"

"Hmm, isn't Sister Xiaotao here?" Dai Huabin asked.

"They're not here." Wu Ming picked up the cloth bag again, took two steps forward, and said, "Xiaotao and Grandmaster went on a mission to wipe out a group of Evil Soul Master. They took six people with them and left three days ago."

The worry that had been hanging over Dai Huabin finally subsided.

What he feared most was hearing the words "with Xuan Zi".

Zhang Lexuan is different.

She's organized and her status as Eight-Ring Soul Douluo is more than enough to keep things under control. With her around, even if Ma Xiaotao makes a mistake, it can be contained immediately.

"The team is led by the Grandmaster, so there's no problem," Dai Huabin said.

Upon hearing this, Wu Ming raised an eyebrow.

"Oh," she drawled, "The way you're saying that makes it sound like you're not worried at all about Grandmaster leading the team?"

"Grandmaster is reliable in her work."

"What if I lead the team?"

Dai Huabin glanced at her.

Wu Ming's outfit had its collar open, her red hair was blown back by the wind, and she took half a step forward. She was one of the two active volcanoes in the Inner Academy, and she never beat around the bush.

"Sister Wu Ming is certainly good at leading the team," Dai Huabin replied earnestly.

"Alright, you know how to talk."

She withdrew her hand, then suddenly remembered something and steered the conversation back to the beginning.

"But from what I hear, you keep talking about Sister Xiaotao she's the only one you see?"

Dai Huabin paused for half a second.

Wu Ming tilted her head to look at him, her red ponytail hanging down to her shoulder.

"What?" Wu Ming switched the cloth bag to her other hand, took another half step forward, and the two of them were only two feet apart. "Isn't Sister Wu Ming beautiful?"

This statement came without warning.

Dai Huabin paused for a moment. He had dealt with Wu Ming quite a bit; Wu Ming was his assistant coach during the Soul Master Tournament, and he often fought with Wu Ming.

This person may have a fiery temper, but when they try to make fun of someone, they never consider the occasion.

But he also knew in his heart that Wu Ming's words might not be entirely a joke.

The senior female students in the Inner Academy had long since changed their attitude towards him.