Canghui Academy

A day passed quickly, and everyone made ample preparations.

Early the next morning, the morning light slanted across the lawn as Zhao Wuji walked toward the group step by step, his gait somewhat awkward.

His shadow was stretched long.

Tang San and the others looked over, stunned, all of them dumbfounded.

This...

Zhao Wuji's swelling had gone down, but he still looked quite disheveled.

Under his left eye, there was a faint bruise, and his arm swung with minimal range, looking very unnatural.

His expression was also off, completely different from his usual casual demeanor.

He looked solemn.

Tang San had never seen him in such a miserable state, and even Dai Mubai, who had been enrolled for three years, had never seen it either.

"Pfft..."

Ma Hongjun couldn't hold it in, a sound escaping from his nostrils.

It drew a warning glare from Zhao Wuji.

He hurriedly put on a serious expression and stood straight in place.

It wasn't just Ma Hongjun; the others were also curious about what had happened to Zhao Wuji. He was a seven-ring Soul Saint and a defense-type Vajra Bear; who could possibly defeat him?

Dean Flender?

That didn't seem right; the Dean didn't look like he had been in a fight...

Zhao Wuji acted as if nothing had happened, his gaze sweeping over the group while secretly keeping an eye on Tang San, though the image of Tang Hao surfaced in his mind:

"Alright, let's set off now."

Xia Yan and the others immediately departed.

The distance from Shrek Academy to the Star Dou Great Forest was neither near nor far, only a hundred miles further than the distance from Notting Academy to the Soul-Splitting Forest.

It was a total journey of five hundred miles.

Since they were all soul masters, there was naturally no need to take carriages.

With the support of Ning Rongrong and Oscar, the two support-type soul masters, the group moved forward rapidly.

Xiao Wu remained silent along the way, and Oscar was also in a complex mood, half-expectant and half-depressed, while Dai Mubai deliberately isolated Xia Yan, moving forward with Ma Hongjun.

However, Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing stayed with Xia Yan.

They traveled until evening.

The group arrived at a small town about seventy miles outside the Star Dou Great Forest. The town was about the size of three or four Shrek Villages, nowhere near as large as Suotuo City, but it was brightly lit at night.

On both sides of the stone-paved streets, various shops stood in rows: herb shops, armor shops, weapon shops, restaurants, grocery stores... everything one could need.

The group looked around with curiosity.

Zhao Wuji found a hotel.

When they entered, about half the tables were occupied by diners.

The hotel was decorated simply and plainly, divided into two floors: the first floor for dining and the second for lodging.

As soon as Xia Yan and the others entered, they attracted the attention of the surrounding diners.

Most people who came here were soul masters, so it wasn't hard to understand why they had striking appearances, but people as outstanding as Xia Yan, Zhu Zhuqing, and Xiao Wu were something the surrounding crowd had never seen before.

They couldn't help but stare.

Some even dropped the food they were holding with their chopsticks, drawing jokes from their neighbors.

Zhao Wuji said, "We'll stay here, rest for the night, and set off tomorrow morning. You will cover your own lodging and dining expenses."

"I don't need you to cover my costs either."

According to the rules of Shrek Academy, teachers would not cover the expenses of students when out, nor would they accept any favors from students.

The rules were clear.

After saying this, he walked upstairs.

His two-meter-tall, sturdy frame was as thick as a wall, making even the staircase look small. A thin man who had been preparing to go upstairs couldn't help but let him pass first.

The visual pressure was too strong.

Once Zhao Wuji's figure disappeared into the second-floor hallway, Xia Yan and the others found a large table that could seat eight.

Ma Hongjun asked around, and seeing what everyone ordered, he shook his head incessantly:

"Sigh, I can tell you guys don't know how to eat. This meal is on me; I'll order the good stuff."

He ordered nearly twenty dishes in one breath, as skilled as a veteran foodie.

While waiting for the food, the table fell into silence once again.

No one spoke.

Ning Rongrong and Xia Yan sat together, with Zhu Zhuqing beside Ning Rongrong; none of them said a word.

As for Dai Mubai, there was no need to mention him; Zhu Zhuqing did not care about him at all, which made him extremely displeased.

Oscar was focused solely on Ning Rongrong and had no desire to speak either.

Xiao Wu sat there, showing no interest in anything.

Tang San wanted to talk to Xiao Wu to soothe her wounded heart, but he simply did not know what to say.

As for Ma Hongjun, he naturally realized that no one wanted to talk right now. He simply focused his mind on what dishes would be served next, calculating based on the aroma and cooking time which ones he should save room to gorge on, and which ones he should only taste a bite or two of.

While they waited, a group of people walked in from outside—exactly eight of them.

The leader was a middle-aged man in his forties with hair so greased and combed that it could serve as a mirror; his features were passably handsome. He wore a moon-white soul master robe with silver thread embroidery. Although his level was far lower than Zhao Wuji, his attire was significantly more refined.

Behind him were seven others—six men and one woman. The seven wore uniform moon-white soul master robes, though they were less exquisite than the middle-aged man's, with simpler styles and no embroidery. On their left shoulders was a uniform cyan ring with the words "Canghui Academy" on it. They were all from Canghui Academy.

Seeing the girl among them, Dai Mubai's eyes lit up instantly, radiating a certain aura of a beast in heat. "Tsk, tsk..." He smacked his lips. "Not bad looking..." At the same time, he glanced at Zhu Zhuqing as if by accident, but Zhu Zhuqing remained indifferent, as if it had nothing to do with her.

Dai Mubai felt annoyed; this was the attitude he detested most. From childhood to adulthood, he had been the center of the world, and everyone had to revolve around him. The more Zhu Zhuqing acted this way, the more it clawed at his heart, making him even more irritable.

"Fatty," he nudged Ma Hongjun beside him with his elbow, no longer lowering his voice, and said in a normal tone, "What do you think?" As he spoke, he gestured with his chin for him to look over.

The first floor covered over a hundred square meters, and with half the tables occupied by guests, the noise was loud enough that it should have drowned out Dai Mubai's voice. However, the members of Canghui Academy were all soul masters, so they naturally heard him clearly. Sure enough, after Dai Mubai finished speaking, they immediately turned their heads, their faces cold. Dai Mubai merely gave a disdainful smile.

Seeing him harassing the girl, the women's expressions involuntarily darkened, adding fuel to the already ruined image he held in their hearts.

Ma Hongjun did not respond; he quietly glanced at Xia Yan and finally said hesitantly, "Boss Dai, we have things to do tomorrow, maybe..."

Dai Mubai rolled his eyes at him. "A person who dares not cause trouble is a mediocrity. If you don't even dare to provoke a tiny Canghui Academy, and lack even that much courage, don't go around saying you're a Shrek student!"

Once these words were spoken, the group from Canghui Academy could no longer tolerate it. Initially, seeing that Dai Mubai was young while they were all in their twenties, they hadn't wanted to lower themselves to his level, but they hadn't expected him to be so ungrateful and continue his arrogant, overbearing behavior. With cold faces, they walked toward the Shrek group.

Among the diners in the middle, a few who were sharp enough to sense the change in atmosphere immediately stepped aside.

Xia Yan took a sip of tea. A person who dares not cause trouble is a mediocrity, but bravery with a safety net is not true bravery. Dai Mubai was only daring to harass others because he knew Zhao Wuji was there, even using Flender's words as an excuse to provoke others.