Ma Xiaotao's Emotions Are Affected

The lineup for the Shrek Seven Devils remained the same as in the original work.

Ma Xiaotao, Dai Yueheng, Ling Luochen, Chen Zifeng, Yao Haoxuan, Gongyang Mo, and Xi Xi.

However, Cai Mei'er added three substitute members, and Ning Que was one of them.

Even though Ye Guyi did not participate in the competition, Cai Mei'er still added her to the list.

In addition to those two, there was a man named Zhao Long, whose Martial Soul was the Vajra Bear, a level 51 Power Attack System Soul King.

As for the Seven Devils' substitutes, three spots were also added there.

Besides Ning Tian, Jin Sheng, Wu Feng, Xiao Xiao, Wang Dong, Xie Huanyue, and Nanmen Yun'er, Cai Mei'er also added Bei Bei, Xu Sanshi, and Zhu Lu—who was now Dai Yueheng's fiancée—to the substitute list.

Clearly, Zhu Lu's inclusion was intended to soothe the resentment Dai Yueheng felt after being injured by Ma Xiaotao.

Not only did he inherit his younger brother's position as the White Tiger Duke, but he also inherited his younger brother's fiancée?

Ning Que looked at Dai Yueheng and Zhu Lu at the front of the team, finding the situation quite interesting.

As everyone knew, Zhu Lu was a sycophant for Dai Huabin.

She was what one might call "love-brained."

Such a thing might not mean much in other worlds.

But this was the Romance Continent!

Because of this trivial nonsense, far too many things had happened on this continent.

Zhu Lu's family genuinely cared for her, wanting to provide her with support and a better life, but in Zhu Lu's eyes, her family was harming her and blocking her pursuit of love.

Dai Yueheng, in order to achieve his own goals, had turned into a sycophant.

He took care of Zhu Lu in every possible way, attending to every detail, yet Zhu Lu did not appreciate it in the slightest.

Reality was just that melodramatic and absurd.

Perhaps Ning Que's gaze was too direct, without the slightest concealment, for Dai Yueheng noticed it and turned back to glance at Ning Que.

Then, a grown man like him actually displayed a rare, bashful smile.

Ning Que was truly shocked.

At the same time, he was also impressed by him.

Although Dai Yueheng hid it well, with Ning Que's spiritual power, he could perceive the trace of hostility hidden deep within his eyes.

He was indulging Zhu Lu, enduring Zhu Lu.

Because of this, Ning Que held him in higher regard; if Dai Yueheng could survive Xuan Zi, perhaps he could cooperate with this ambitious man.

"Pick up the pace!"

Just as Ning Que was pondering, Xuan Zi's voice, clearly carrying a hint of dissatisfaction, drifted over.

Xuan Zi, who already found Ning Que an eyesore, saw that Ning Que had even brought a Title Douluo along to execute an academy mission.

This was clearly a sign of distrust toward him.

He was a dignified level 98 Super Douluo; what could possibly go wrong while leading a group of students on a mission for the Monitoring Group?

Ning Que naturally sensed Xuan Zi's faint dissatisfaction and hostility, but he ignored it.

Soon, the group arrived at the Mingdou Mountain Range, and Dai Yueheng, as a semi-host to this place, proudly arranged for the hospitality, supplies, and a series of other matters.

In this interval, Xuan Zi found Elder Jin.

"You've escorted them far enough. The upcoming trials belong to these children; without experiencing hardship, how can they grow, and what qualifications do they have to become Shrek students?"

Xuan Zi's tone was extremely overbearing, filled with indisputability.

This was not a discussion; it was an order.

"Are you certain you can protect these children's safety?"

Facing Xuan Zi, whose strength far exceeded his own, Elder Jin felt no fear, and his words were unbridled.

Having stayed in Shrek City for so long, he had heard rumors about this man's unreliability.

Whether it was the Young Master or his grandson, they were existences he would sacrifice everything to protect with his life. To be honest, he truly did not feel at ease leaving them under Xuan Zi's protection.

"If they truly encounter any danger that I cannot protect them from with my strength, what could adding you possibly change?"

Hearing such provocative words, Xuan Zi flew into a rage.

If not for Elder Mu's repeated warnings not to come into conflict with the Nine Treasures Glazed Sect, he would have taught Elder Jin a lesson right then and there for that last remark.

He would have made him understand that the ten-thousand-year glory of Shrek was not to be provoked.

"Elder Jin, that's enough."

Just as Elder Jin was about to say something more, Ning Que's voice echoed in his mind.

"Remember your promise!"

Elder Jin spoke coldly, forcibly suppressing the urge to continue clashing with Xuan Zi.

If not for the fact that the Young Master had his own plans for this process, he would have insisted on going along no matter what.

Seeing Jin Heng back down and choose to swallow his pride, the anger on Xuan Zi's face finally dissipated somewhat.

He then led them toward the target of this trip: the eradication of the Evil Soul Masters.

As one of the substitute members of the Shrek Seven Devils and also their senior, Ning Que naturally followed Ma Xiaotao and the others to enter first.

Regarding his younger sister and Jin Sheng and the others, Ning Que had naturally given them instructions early on, and even equipped each of them with defensive Soul Tools.

"This corpse seems a bit strange, doesn't it?"

Zhao Long, the other substitute of the Seven Devils, vaguely felt that something was wrong and couldn't help but speak up to warn them.

This actually surprised Ning Que; this substitute, who appeared to lack the same level of talent as the others, was actually able to spot something amiss.

"According to the intelligence, the bandit leader is only a Soul King. What kind of threat could he possibly pose to us?"

"If you're scared, you can stay at the very back of the team."

Facing Zhao Long's warning, Ma Xiaotao didn't care in the slightest.

To put it bluntly, this mission was just a demonstration for the younger students, and it held no real difficulty.

They had dealt with far more troublesome Evil Soul Masters and easily resolved more dangerous situations; why worry about a mere Soul King-level Evil Soul Master?

Something about her emotions is off.

Ning Que's spiritual power was constantly shrouding the surroundings, and he keenly sensed that Ma Xiaotao's state was not right.

During this period, without Guyi to help her suppress her evil fire, combined with her repeated attempts to break through to the Soul Saint realm, she had become irritable, and the evil fire within her was breeding at an alarming rate.

Furthermore, being in this place and influenced by the environment, although Ma Xiaotao had not yet had her reason swallowed by the evil fire, she was still affected to some extent, which was why she was acting so recklessly.

Most importantly, Huo Yuhao was not in the team this time.

Although the team leader, Wang Yan, had just given them a reminder, few people took it to heart.

When it came down to it, Wang Yan's strength was simply too lacking.

His words were not enough to convince them.

"Jin Sheng, have everyone slow down and activate your defensive Soul Tools."

After successfully capturing the aura of that "strongest Soul King in history," Ning Que immediately used spiritual transmission to speak to Jin Sheng.

Although Jin Sheng didn't know why, he obeyed the Young Master's orders absolutely.

Just as Ning Que finished his transmission, they finally came face-to-face with the enemy.