Dragon Duke Snake Matriarch, Settling Scores! Strength Reigns Supreme!

Exotic Beast Family.

Council Hall.

Dragon Duke Meng Shu sat at the head of the table, his expression calm, though a hint of malice lurked between his brows.

Beside him, Chao Tianxiang gripped her Serpent Cane, her aged face mirroring his expression.

To their side, Meng Yiran looked thoroughly displeased.

Standing in the hall below them was a disciple of the Exotic Beast Family.

"Have you verified it?"

Meng Shu spoke, his voice low.

The disciple bowed and said, "Reporting to the Patriarch, it is verified. That Shrek Academy is located in a village outside the south gate of Suotuo City. The academy has six teachers: three have soul power fluctuations at the Soul Saint level, two are at the Soul Emperor level, and one is at the Soul Grand Master level."

"Suotuo City? Hmph!" Chao Tianxiang gripped her Snake-headed Cane tightly and slammed it hard against the ground.

Meng Shu struck his Dragon Cane heavily against the floor, causing cracks to spiderweb across the stone: "Since it is verified, old woman, let us go!"

Chao Tianxiang let out a sinister laugh.

Back in the Star Dou Forest, Flender and Zhao Wuji had relied on their two Soul Saints to snatch the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent; there was no need for them to show any face now!

"Yiran, wait here in the clan!"

"We shall return shortly!"

Meng Shu hoisted his Dragon Cane and strode forward.

Chao Tianxiang followed closely behind.

As soon as the two stepped out, several experts followed them, heading out together.

Shrek Academy, in the simple courtyard.

Yu Xiaogang was training Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun, Oscar, and Zhu Zhuqing.

Zhao Wuji stood to the side, using his own soul skills to assist in Yu Xiaogang's training.

Flender watched from the side with a beaming smile.

Just at that moment.

"BOOM!!!"

The gates of Shrek Academy were blasted into splinters as Meng Shu and Chao Tianxiang, leading over a dozen men, forced their way in.

Meng Shu's aged, booming voice rolled in like thunder: "Flender! Get out here, you old man!"

The smile on Flender's face froze instantly.

Zhao Wuji's expression shifted slightly as well.

Yu Xiaogang, along with Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun, Oscar, and Zhu Zhuqing, all turned to look toward the entrance of Shrek Academy.

At the same time.

The other three teachers of Shrek Academy—the food-system Soul Saint Shao Xin, the Soul Emperor Li Yusong, and Lu Qibin—rushed out of their rooms and quickly gathered behind Flender.

The group stood ready for battle.

"This is bad!"

Flender's brows were locked tight, his palms sweating.

"Could it be that someone's enemy has tracked us down?"

Zhao Wuji asked in a low voice.

He was the first to suspect himself.

Among those present, he had the most enemies: Martial Soul Hall, the Strength Clan...

"Xiaogang, take the children and hide first!" Flender said in a deep voice.

"Right!" Yu Xiaogang knew the visitors meant harm and immediately said to the four students: "Follow me!"

The four had different thoughts, but they all knew that staying here would not help Flender.

No sooner had they left than Meng Shu and Chao Tianxiang arrived, leading the experts of the Exotic Beast Family. Their dozens of Soul Rings completely crushed Flender and his group in sheer quantity alone.

"Dragon Duke Meng Shu, Snake Matriarch Chao Tianxiang!" Flender took a deep breath, forcing himself to remain calm: "What business brings you two seniors to my Shrek Academy with so many people today?"

"What business?" Chao Tianxiang sneered: "Flender, stop playing dumb with me! In the Star Dou Forest, you and this brute beside you arrogantly snatched my Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent. Now that we've come to your door, do you want to pretend nothing happened?"

As these words fell.

The expressions of Flender and Zhao Wuji both turned ugly.

Flender knew today's matter would not end easily, but he still forced a smile and cupped his hands: "Senior, that is not how you put it..."

"That Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent was an ownerless creature. Although you discovered and hunted it first, we were unaware of that at the time. We simply happened upon it, and it was suitable for my student; anyone else would have hunted it as well."

"Hmph!" Meng Shu slammed his Dragon Cane down, causing the ground to tremble and forcing Flender and Zhao Wuji to take a step back in unison. "Enough with the nonsense. You two relied on your Soul Saint cultivation to intercept us halfway, and while I was away, you bullied my granddaughter. Don't think this matter will be settled easily today!"

Hearing this, the smile on Flender's face vanished completely, replaced by a grave expression.

"Then, according to your wishes, Senior, how should this be resolved?" Flender asked in a deep voice.

Meng Shu did not speak, merely raising his eyes to size up the four people peeking from the corner. "Who was it that absorbed that Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent that day! Step forward!"

Meng Shu's shout caused Oscar's heart to leap into his throat, his face instantly turning pale.

"It's that very handsome young man," Chao Tianxiang said, pointing at Oscar.

Oscar swallowed nervously.

Even though he was being complimented, he felt nothing but immense fear.

"That child," Meng Shu said, lifting his chin. "Have him come over."

Flender frowned. "What is the meaning of this, Senior?"

Zhao Wuji said in a deep voice, "If you have a grievance, Senior, take it out on us. Why trouble a junior?"

Chao Tianxiang leveled her Serpent Cane, her six Soul Rings glowing brilliantly, even more arrogantly than Flender and Zhao Wuji had in the Star Dou Forest that day. "We told you to call him over, so why are you babbling? If you talk any more nonsense, we will raze this pathetic academy to the ground!"

The atmosphere turned tense in an instant.

Flender took a deep breath and looked back at Oscar. "Xiao Ao, come here."

Oscar's face was white, but he steeled himself and walked to Flender's side, then bowed slightly to Meng Shu and cupped his hands. "S-Senior."

Meng Shu looked him up and down, then suddenly asked, "What is your Martial Soul? What is your soul power level? How old are you?"

Oscar was stunned for a moment, then answered truthfully, "My Martial Soul is a sausage, I am level thirty-one, and I am fourteen years old."

"A sausage? To reach this level with a food-type Martial Soul at such an age, your talent is truly remarkable," Meng Shu said indifferently.

"Th-thank you for the compliment, Senior..." Oscar gave an awkward smile.

Meng Shu stared at Oscar for a moment before turning to Flender, his voice flat but beyond reproach. "Flender, it is simple to settle today's matter amicably. Let this child join my Exotic Beast Family and become a disciple under me, Meng Shu. From this day forward, he will be a member of my Exotic Beast Family."

Flender's expression changed drastically. "That is impossible!"

Zhao Wuji roared in anger, "Meng Shu, you go too far! Oscar is a student of our Shrek Academy; by what right do you demand him just because you want to?"

"By what right?" Meng Shu slammed his Dragon Cane down, and eight Soul Rings lit up simultaneously, a terrifying aura pressing down like a mountain. "By the right that I am an eight-ringed Soul Douluo! By the right that when my wife and I join forces, even a Title Douluo can be challenged! By the right that with this single Dragon Cane, I could flatten your pathetic academy!"

Flender and Zhao Wuji were forced back several steps by the pressure, their faces turning ashen.

Fortunately, Meng Shu had intentionally avoided targeting Oscar, otherwise, Oscar would have collapsed on the spot.

"What? Didn't you rely on your high cultivation to bully this old woman just like this back then? Why aren't you looking so smug and arrogant now?" Chao Tianxiang sneered.

As her voice fell, the experts from the Exotic Beast Family who had come with them all stepped forward, their auras imposing and aggressive.