Tang San shook his head hard, finally suppressing the unease in his heart for the moment. Dawn was just breaking, making it the perfect time for him to get up and cultivate.
He had to seize every opportunity to keep cultivating. Ever since Chu Qing had defeated him three years ago, he had worked harder than ever, cultivating day after day and rarely resting. At last, he had barely reached level 30.
And this was his chance to defeat Chu Qing! On the day he first arrived, he had been assigned to share a dormitory with the chubby Ma Hongjun. That was when he learned that Chu Qing, who seemed so invincible, was actually a good-for-nothing whose cultivation had not advanced at all! Just like his own master... No, that was different! His master had his reasons! How could they be compared? They were not the same!
He could not help laughing with delight. He had waited three long years, and now he finally had a chance to surpass Chu Qing and trample him beneath his feet! The chubby kid had said that in a few days, the instructors would take the students who had reached level 30 to find their third Soul Ring. That damned Chu Qing did not even have a chance to come along! Hahahahahaha!
The thought filled him with satisfaction.
Soon, he finished cultivating the Purple Demon Eye. After regulating his breathing, he jumped down from the roof, eager to tell Xiao Wu the good news!
Before long, Tang San arrived at the girls' dormitory. He knocked and called softly, "Xiao Wu, are you there? It's your third brother!"
An impatient voice came from inside. "Who is it, disturbing people's sleep this early in the morning?" After a while, a cool-faced girl opened the door.
Tang San smiled awkwardly. "Hello, fellow student. My name is Tang San. I'm looking for my younger sister, Xiao Wu. She's in the same dormitory as you, right?"
The cool-faced girl furrowed her brows. Looking at the unremarkable boy before her, she was baffled as to how someone as pretty and adorable as Xiao Wu could have taken a liking to him.
"Hello, I'm Zhu Zhuqing. Your younger sister went out early this morning. She's not in the dormitory now."
Tang San was taken aback. It was strange; Xiao Wu had never gotten up this early before. Usually, she would only wake up after he finished cultivating, and then the two of them would go eat breakfast together.
A sudden sense of foreboding swept over him. Could something have happened to Xiao Wu?
He was frantic. He left in such a hurry that he did not even say goodbye.
Zhu Zhuqing watched him go, puzzled. At first, she had thought Dai Mubai had come to bother her again. She never expected it to be Tang San. She muttered to herself, "Why are the men at Shrek Academy so strange, one after another?"
Elsewhere, as the sky brightened, a ray of sunlight slipped through the window and fell into Chu Qing's room. A pink garment and a man's dark robe lay scattered across the floor.
On the bed, a young woman with a graceful figure leaned against a young man, her expression complicated. Her fingers gently traced circles across his sturdy chest.
After a long while, the girl spoke. "Remember your promise."
Chu Qing stopped teasing her and let out a contented sigh. He smiled, kissed her lightly on the forehead, and said, "Don't worry. I, Chu Qing, never go back on my word. As long as your third brother doesn't provoke me again, I won't go looking for trouble with him."
Xiao Wu's face was flushed, and her neat scorpion braid had come undone. She looked languid and bashful.
Chu Qing slipped an arm around her and drew her close. "Don't think you're the only one who got something out of this. Feel your Soul Power carefully."
Xiao Wu was startled. Though she felt relaxed, she truly had not noticed the change in her Soul Power. She closed her eyes and focused on its fluctuations. Suddenly, she exclaimed in delight, "I've reached level 30 too!"
Then she realized she had nothing on, and a blush crept over her face. She grabbed the damp blanket and pulled it over herself.
Chu Qing smiled, glanced out the window, then leaned close to Xiao Wu's cheek and whispered near her neck, "It's still early. How about we..."
Xiao Wu blushed and closed her eyes. She pushed at Chu Qing with her smooth, pale legs, but a strong hand caught them.
Xiao Wu cried out in alarm, "Y-you're doing it again!"
At noon, everyone sat in the Shrek Academy cafeteria: Flender, Zhao Wuji, Dai Mubai, Tang San, Oscar, Ning Rongrong, Ma Hongjun, and the others.
Flender checked the time and said impatiently, "If they don't get here soon, we're leaving without them. Now, let's go over the plan and arrangements for this expedition..."
Tang San anxiously watched the entrance. He could not understand why Xiao Wu, who was usually punctual, still had not arrived. He had spent half the day looking for her without finding her.
"Wait!" A loud, hearty voice rang out. A handsome young man walked in, followed by a charming girl.
Flender said impatiently, "Hurry up and sit down."
Ma Hongjun teased, "What, even someone at level 29 wants to tag along?"
Rongrong snapped, "What do you mean, you fat bastard?"
Ma Hongjun said, "What, I'm not allowed to call a spade a spade? Everyone knows the instructors are taking us to hunt for our third Soul Rings. Some people have been stuck at level 29 for two years and still haven't advanced. What are they here for?"
He shot Chu Qing a taunting glance. With the teachers backing him, he was not worried that Chu Qing would dare do anything. Once he obtained his third Soul Ring, Chu Qing, still stuck at level 29, would no longer be his match. Then he could finally get his revenge!
Dai Mubai said nothing, but he could not hide the arrogance in his eyes. After several years of cultivation, he had reached level 37.
Oscar also watched Chu Qing with schadenfreude. He had fallen for Ning Rongrong at first sight when she arrived, captivated by the radiant girl. But to his frustration, Ning Rongrong had eyes only for Chu Qing and showed no interest in him at all. As a result, he resented Chu Qing too.
Tang San needed no explanation; the smug look on his face said it all.
Zhu Zhuqing showed no particular expression, quietly observing the situation.
Only after Ma Hongjun had finished did Flender put on a false show of reproach. "Hongjun, there's no need to put it so harshly! You're all classmates. Why say things like that? However..."
He changed tack and turned to Chu Qing. "Xiao Qing, this expedition really is for students who have reached level 30 to hunt for their third Soul Rings. You see..."
He did not finish, but his meaning was clear.
Rongrong was furious and about to argue, but Chu Qing said, "It's fine."
Then he blurred into motion, appearing behind Ma Hongjun in an instant. He released his Soul Power, and black flames immediately enveloped Ma Hongjun. Cold sweat streamed down Ma Hongjun's face. "Y-you, what are you doing?"
Chu Qing spoke unhurriedly. "Open your dog eyes and take a good look. What level am I?"
Everyone was stunned. Flender was the first to react, exclaiming in shock, "Xiao Qing has already reached level 30?!!"