Outside Star Dou Forest, in a town.
After a dusty journey, the Shrek group decided to rest here for the night and set off again tomorrow!
Seeing Zhao Wuji head upstairs alone, Xiao Wu scratched her head, utterly confused.
"Why did Teacher Zhao go upstairs by himself? Isn't he joining us?"
"The dean has a rule: when we're away from the academy, teachers can't accept anything from students, not even a meal."
Dai Mubai explained.
However, not long after they sat down, a group of people from another academy walked into the restaurant.
The people from Blue Sunshine Academy threw their weight around. When they saw that the restaurant was full, they used force to drive the patrons out.
Seeing that they were outnumbered, the man could only swallow his anger.
"They're so arrogant!"
Xiao Wu couldn't stand watching the people from Canghui Academy throw their weight around.
"They're from Canghui Academy. I heard there's a Soul Saint backing their academy, so they can do whatever they want."
Ma Hongjun said as he stuffed one of the chicken legs he'd brought with him into his mouth, his cheeks bulging.
A Soul Saint might not amount to much among the major powers, but on the continent, they were still a pillar of strength.
In some remote places, they were local tyrants who could do as they pleased.
Take Holy Soul Village, for example. Old Jack had called a Soul Saint a legend, which said it all.
However...
Before Xiao Wu and the others could even voice their displeasure, the people from Canghui Academy took a dislike to them.
One of them signaled to the others. As a waiter brought dishes over to the table, he stuck out a leg to trip him.
Just as the soup and food were about to spill over everyone, Tang San used Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track. Moving with lightning speed, he caught every last drop before it could hit them.
Only then did Tang San calmly say, "Wasting food is shameful."
Seeing their underhanded trick fail, the people from Canghui Academy decided to make their move openly.
"They picked a fight right off the bat. They're no ordinary opponents, so we have to hit them hard."
The vines in Tang Wu's hand shot out in an instant.
The two Canghui Academy students who had stayed behind were grabbed by the neck and slammed face-first onto the table.
"Help! I can't breathe!"
So he was one of the good guys?
Haji Wu, you rascal!
At the sight of this...
The people from Canghui Academy erupted like ants whose nest had been kicked. One after another, they jumped to their feet.
Then they tried to turn the tables:
"This is outrageous! How dare you bully people from Canghui Academy? You've gone too far!"
"Looking for a fight? Sister Xiao Wu's in!"
Xiao Wu couldn't sit still either.
She was never one to keep the peace. Give her the slightest spark, and she'd explode.
She was always ready to jump into the fray!
On Shrek's side, Dai Mubai, the big brother among them, immediately stood with Tang Wu and the others.
Oscar and Ma Hongjun, the two Shrek veterans, didn't hesitate either once Dai Mubai stepped up.
They were all about loyalty!
Although Zhu Zhuqing had a rift with Dai Mubai, she still stood with them.
"Don't get the wrong idea..."
"I'm not forgiving you at all. I'm only doing this because of Xiao Wu."
Zhu Zhuqing's expression didn't change at all under Dai Mubai's gaze.
She was quite the tsundere, too.
Ning Rongrong hesitated for a moment, but then her expression gradually turned serious.
She glanced toward Tang Wu.
"We may not be friends yet, but this isn't the time to run away."
"Besides, I'm still the young lady of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. How could I back down without a fight?"
Seeing his students being beaten, Ye Zhiqiu, the teacher leading Canghui Academy, pulled a dirty trick. He came in to ambush and deceive the twelve-year-old Tang Wu.
With his Black Tortoise Martial Soul possessed, he attacked the group head-on, swinging a shield strike at the Shrek students.
Bang—
A second gaping hole was smashed into the wall beside the shop's entrance.
Eight figures leaped out of the hole and landed safely on the ground.
They were all wearing soft armor that hadn't been there before.
Tang Wu had grown it from Thorn Vine seeds. This plant could not only absorb physical damage but also counterattack passively.
That was how he had absorbed most of the impact.
The battle had now moved from inside the shop to the open ground.
Seeing Ye Zhiqiu's Martial Soul Possession turn him entirely green, Tang Wu couldn't hold back his laughter.
"His Martial Soul's a giant tortoise, and on top of that, it's a green-haired giant tortoise."
"Pfft! Hahaha! Tang Wu, you're not wrong!"
At that, the little fatty grinned from ear to ear.
"Green-haired giant tortoise? I'd say it's a green-hatted tortoise."
Dai Mubai added another jab from the side.
Zhu Zhuqing didn't laugh, but her lightly trembling shoulders showed how hard she was holding it in.
Ning Rongrong politely covered her lips with one hand, her eyes curving into crescents as she smiled without showing her teeth.
"Damn you! Damn you!" Ye Zhiqiu flew into a rage. "I'll cripple your Martial Souls!"
He hated being called a tortoise more than anything, especially a green-haired one.
Humiliated and enraged, Ye Zhiqiu unleashed the Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Skill beneath his feet.
Fifth Soul Skill: Black Tortoise Defense.
The skill increased defense by 50%, slightly improved recovery speed, and lasted for thirty minutes.
Martial Soul Mode: Transform—Explosive Burning Chili!
The Blue Silver Grass beneath Tang Wu's feet, a symbol of vibrant life, transformed into the fiery-hot Explosive Burning Chili.
The Explosive Burning Chili grew rapidly, its branches laden with bright red fruit.
Ye Zhiqiu's Black Tortoise had formidable defenses, but its weakness was obvious: it was slow.
Tang Wu wrapped him up with ease.
Once he'd done that, he turned to Ma Hongjun and shouted, "Fatty!"
"Leave it to me..."
After their earlier two-person Soul Fighting match, Tang Wu and Ma Hongjun had developed a bit of teamwork.
The moment Ma Hongjun heard Tang Wu, he understood what he meant.
Ma Hongjun possessed the Evil Fire Phoenix Martial Soul. He opened his mouth and spat out a Phoenix Fire Line.
Tang Wu had already drained all the moisture from the vines of the Explosive Burning Chili wrapped around Ye Zhiqiu.
That made them incredibly easy to ignite!
And with the Explosive Burning Chili hanging from the vines, the instant the two came into contact, a violent explosion rang out.
Boom—
Combined with the Evil Fire that was so hard to escape, the Explosive Burning Chili unleashed an effect greater than the sum of its parts.
Ye Zhiqiu stood amid the flames, utterly unfazed.
"What domineering flames! Most people would have a hard time resisting them."
"But unfortunately for you, I'm a Soul King!"
As soon as Ye Zhiqiu finished speaking, he broke free from the Evil Fire's encirclement and escaped.
He looked at the eight Shrek students, a cruel smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
"Is this all you've got? Then... die!"
But just as Ye Zhiqiu was about to act, Zhao Wuji's sturdy figure stepped in front of him.
Zhao Wuji cracked his neck and said with utter disdain,
"So what if you're a Soul King? You think that makes you something special?"
"You're thinking of laying a hand on my Shrek students? Have you got a death wish?"
"Sir, this... this is all just a misunderstanding..."
Feeling the aura radiating from Zhao Wuji, Ye Zhiqiu's hair stood on end. He hastily tried to make excuses.
But Zhao Wuji didn't even want to hear him out. He simply chose to attack.
He gave Ye Zhiqiu a thorough beating right from the start.
Zhao Wuji: I'm not even going to give you the time of day.