Delicious Yuhao Grilled Fish

A new semester had begun.

The Inner Court had not changed much. Some students had not even arrived to register yet, leaving the place sparsely populated.

They often went out to carry out missions, and could even miss annual events like Sea God Fate. That was why there were so many Saints and Saintesses.

After all, those who could enter the Inner Court were monsters among monsters, capable of eliminating countless others... Those with family backing would leave after graduation, and at most a dozen or so students would have a teacher guiding them.

The Outer Court, on the other hand, had several classes per grade, with each grade nearly matching the Inner Court in numbers. Yet its elimination rate was also high. Students were dismissed not because they had violated any taboos, but because they had failed to meet the required standards.

Mu Baobao wanted to complain about that system. Wouldn't it be possible to produce a whole batch of ruthless talents anywhere with such a system?

"I'm heading to the Outer Court!"

That night, after Mu Baobao left the Forging Department, he happened to run into Ma Xiaotao... The Inner Court was not large, but if they were not in the same department, they could still...

"I'm going too. Hmph!"

Mu Baobao was helpless. After Ma Xiaotao accepted the Spirit-Refined Two-Word Battle Armor left gauntlet he had given her, the number of times she climbed through his window had not decreased, but at least her movements were no longer quite so wild and violent... Her attitude had improved slightly.

Getting to the Outer Court was simple. There were boats... but many students could simply walk across the water.

With one step, white mist instantly froze the lake's surface, condensing into thick ice. He leisurely walked toward the Outer Court, with Ma Xiaotao following behind him without using her martial soul. Otherwise, she would end up soaked.

After successfully reaching the shore, Mu Baobao did not bother with her. Ma Xiaotao could probably defeat most of the Outer Court teachers, except for that old man lounging in a recliner outside the freshman dormitories. He could kill her in an instant.

Along a street beside the lake, many students sold snacks to supplement their living expenses.

Work-study students—after all, that tradition had existed for ten thousand years, and Shrek had naturally not abandoned it. The food might not taste as good as that from hotels or restaurants... but it was cheaper.

Baby Spicy Hot Pot, Baby Fruit Salad...

"Those snacks were made by you guys in the Outer Court, weren't they?"

Ma Xiaotao scanned the surroundings and teased him. The snack stalls created by the Mu Baobao and Mu Beibei brothers had not been because they lacked money... They had simply wanted something to eat. The Outer Court had more classes and less free time than the Inner Court, so when inspiration struck, they casually ran the stalls for two days. Once business boomed, they transferred them to work-study students.

Now... they did not even know who had taken them over. People only knew that they had been started by Inner Court upperclassmen.

"Xu Sanshi, you dared to bully my junior brother!"

As he and Ma Xiaotao approached a fish-shaped food cart, they heard Beibei's furious roar.

"He's your junior brother?"

Opposite him stood a youth about Beibei's age, tall and powerfully built, with thick brows, tiger-like eyes, a straight nose, a square mouth, and dignified features.

Pointing at the stunned twelve-year-old standing behind Beibei by the cart, he said, "One grilled fish costs ten copper Soul Coins. I gave him a Gold Soul Coin—enough to buy ten grilled fish."

"Hmph. Who told him not to show Jiang Nannan any respect? That meant he wasn't showing me any respect either." The speaker was none other than Double-Faced Turtle Xu Sanshi, the future third member of the Shrek Seven Devils, known as Eternal Defense.

Behind Xu Sanshi stood a fourteen- or fifteen-year-old girl with a slender, well-proportioned figure. Her long, golden, wavy hair cascaded down her back, and her eyes looked pitiful and delicate, yet she possessed an elegant and refined air.

Delicate and soft... Mu Baobao was starting to feel uncomfortable. Anyone who did not know better would think she was a refined young lady, yet they were arguing over a grilled fish worth ten copper Soul Coins. Xu Sanshi had thrown over a Gold Soul Coin, and that was what had sparked the dispute.

Beside Beibei stood another fifteen- or sixteen-year-old girl, her long black hair tied into a ponytail behind her.

Dressed in a light-blue fitted outfit, the girl had large, lively eyes and a high, straight nose. She shouted angrily,

"That was Little Yuhao's fish for me... Beibei, why are you still wasting words on him? Beat him until he can't take care of himself, and I'll let you kiss me once."

There was even a bulging pouch at Xu Sanshi's waist. There was no need to guess that Tang Ya had caught him off guard with a Dragon Whisker Needle. That thing came with armor-piercing effects. Once it entered the body, it shrank to the size of a mung bean, curling up with the flesh around it... The sensation was exquisitely painful.

Among Tang Sect hidden weapons, it might not have been the most powerful, but it was certainly one of the most unbearable.

"Ahem!"

"Beibei, remove the Dragon Whisker Needle from Xu Sanshi!" Mu Baobao spoke up. The next part of the story would be Beibei and Tang Ya using this to force Xu Sanshi into the Soul Fighting Arena. With Huo Yuhao's million-year soul skill, Spiritual Detection Sharing, they would even break the stalemate maintained by the Outer Court's strongest offensive and defensive martial souls.

If it had been a fair fight, he might not have interfered. But trying to swindle someone out of a Mystic Water Pill was something he could not tolerate. Treasures of heaven and earth were scarce on the Douluo Continent... Naturally, alchemists were not widespread, and even pills not intended for high-level soul masters were extremely expensive.

"Which bastard is getting in the way of my grand money-making scheme?" Tang Ya flew into a rage when she heard that. A glance between her and Beibei was enough for them to understand each other, not to mention that he wanted to use this chance to make Tang Ya kiss him too!

"That voice sounds familiar!"

Beibei wondered aloud, turning to see who it was. Tang Ya froze before he could.

"Senior Mu!"

The previously arrogant Tang Ya immediately turned into a well-behaved little girl. Beibei could only helplessly stop, since he could not beat his big brother... especially with the even more troublesome Ma Xiaotao standing beside him.

Because of Mu Baobao, Xu Sanshi had not been sought out and tortured by Ma Xiaotao. Yet for some reason... seeing her still made his body feel chilled.

"Senior Mu, you can't help an outsider like this. I was planning to use this chance to get a Mystic Water Pill for Little Yuhao to clear his meridians!" Tang Ya directly grabbed his sleeve and began acting cute. Mu Baobao helplessly gave her a knock on the head, making her clutch her forehead in pain.

"You bastard, Tang Ya! You were actually plotting that? You won't get a single Mystic Water Pill."

Xu Sanshi became angry at those words, but the pain at his waist made him grimace. Damn it, even if he knew... he had no choice but to accept it.

"Why aren't you going?"

Mu Baobao looked at Beibei. Helplessly, Beibei stepped forward and tapped Xu Sanshi's waist several times with two fingers. He pulled out a long golden needle, which quickly curled up again.

"What kind of weapon is that? It's terrifying. Wouldn't it peel off a layer of skin if it hit someone? Isn't that too sinister?"

The Outer Court students watching were frightened, and several glanced warily at Tang Ya. With her hands on her hips, she said, "What are you looking at? This is a hidden weapon created by Sea God Tang San of the First Generation Shrek Seven Devils. At its peak, it nearly slew a god. So what, you still think it's sinister?"

They fell silent. Wasn't the Sea God a symbol of light and benevolence? Hidden weapons had declined for thousands of years since the collision with the Sun Moon Continent. Now, the Tang Sect was only known for its decline. Looking at it now, these hidden weapons really should disappear—they were simply too vicious.

But who would dare criticize the Sea God? They would receive an expulsion notice tomorrow.

"Ah..."

Mu Baobao looked at Tang Ya for a moment. Many people said that she constantly talked about reviving the Tang Sect while fooling around every day, but he did not think that was fair.

Her martial soul was Blue Silver Grass. For that reason alone, she had become the Tang Sect's master and taken on an unfounded responsibility.

"Thank you, Senior Mu."

Xu Sanshi immediately felt much more relaxed. His Soul Power slowly healed the wound as he bowed deeply to thank Mu Baobao, who merely waved his hand casually.

When he walked over to the stunned Huo Yuhao, the boy was still shocked that this man had spoken up and made Beibei, the famous Thunderbolt Beibei, the Outer Court's senior disciple, obediently remove the hidden weapon from Xu Sanshi.

"He's Senior Brother's older brother? Even Teacher Xiaoya can only act cute with him and doesn't dare get angry!"

"Is this what an Inner Court senior is like?"

Mu Baobao looked at the male lead of Peerless Tang Sect, the future God of Emotions of the God Realm, Tang Buddha Ancestor's son-in-law... the owner of three martial souls.

"Junior Brother, do you still have fish?"

"Yes, Senior, but this is my first time grilling fish. I want the senior brothers and sisters behind you to taste it too, so you're cutting in line."

Huo Yuhao spoke nervously, but he still said it. Tang Ya and Beibei both signaled for him not to mess around, yet Mu Baobao did not mind. He pulled out a pile of ingredients and handed them to the frightened Huo Yuhao.

"It's fine. I brought my own, along with other things. Just grill them for us."

"Big Brother, sit here!"

During that time, Beibei and Tang Ya somehow found a table, chairs, and stools and set them up. They smiled brightly at him.

Mu Baobao was helpless. The students were also stunned. Several of the Outer Court's most prominent figures were being so polite to him, but he seemed to be an Inner Court senior and Beibei's older brother? Oh, then that was only natural.

"You two sit as well," Mu Baobao said to Xu Sanshi and Jiang Nannan. Both were somewhat flattered and quickly bowed in thanks. "Thank you, Senior!"

Xu Sanshi wanted to sit beside Jiang Nannan, but she naturally moved away in displeasure. He ended up sitting between Ma Xiaotao and Tang Ya. Mu Baobao, Xu Sanshi, Beibei, Tang Ya, Jiang Nannan, and Ma Xiaotao sat in a circle, leaving a spot in the middle for Huo Yuhao as they waited for the barbecue.

The other students cast all sorts of envious, jealous, and resentful looks their way. But after seeing that nearly everyone there was a major figure in the Outer Court, they could only leave unwillingly.

"Barbecue!"

"You know how to make that too? Then why did you come all the way to the Outer Court?"

Ma Xiaotao propped herself up on the table in boredom. She had thought there would be something novel here, but this junior brother was only selling grilled fish. It was even rather monotonous.

"I didn't ask you to come!" Mu Baobao rolled his eyes and shot back. Ma Xiaotao wanted to get angry, but she ultimately sighed. "Fine. Will you die if you don't argue with me?"

"Uh... Sister Xiaotao has changed quite a bit this summer. Before, if she couldn't win an argument against my brother, she'd still fight him. But now..." Beibei was about to reveal a meaningful smile again, but Ma Xiaotao was not afraid of him, so he hurriedly shut up... Xu Sanshi and Jiang Nannan did not even dare breathe loudly, silently sitting there.

Even Beibei did not dare speak carelessly when his older brother was around. If he tried anything, he would only be asking for a beating. The feeling that senior sister gave him—that she was not to be provoked—came from deep in his soul. It was not merely a matter of strength, but also...

Tang Ya brought over several bottles of drinks with practiced movements. She had actually worked a summer job as a waitress before, and she looked quite pretty in professional attire.

At the same time, she urged Huo Yuhao to hurry and grill the fish and other ingredients. She even offered a suggestion. "Little Yuhao, your grilled fish really is a little too simple. Why not just make barbecue? Look at those Baby Spicy Hot Pot and Baby Fruit Salad stalls—they have plenty of variety..."

"Uh!" The two brothers exchanged glances. They had not yet told Xiaoya that the inventors were sitting right in front of her.

After all... they had not run the stalls for very long.