The Shrek students behind him had also heard Ma Hongjun's loud squawk, but not one of them looked surprised.
After all, hearing something like that come out of Ma Hongjun's mouth was nothing new.
If he suddenly said one day that he wanted to abstain from worldly desires and cultivate his character, now that would be a real shock.
Flender even gave a slight nod.
He pushed up the crystal glasses on the bridge of his nose, and the corner of his mouth lifted in a rare show of understanding.
"Hongjun really has had a rough time lately. He deserves to relax a little."
The group entered Suotuo City at their leisure.
Zhao Wuji led the way. The moment his burly frame planted itself at the city gate, the guards didn't even bother questioning them. They simply stepped aside.
Before long, three more people appeared together outside Suotuo City.
On the right was a buxom woman in a blue-green peasant dress.
Her coarse blue-green clothes had been washed until they were faded, but they could not hide her breathtaking figure.
Her black hair was piled high on her head and casually pinned with a wooden hairpin.
Her cheeks were far too fair, making her look utterly out of place in her peasant garb.
She strode along with the wind, her skirt snapping behind her. She had none of the affected demureness of an ordinary village woman.
On the left was an old man with white hair and beard.
His short hair stood straight up from his head like steel needles. He had rugged features, a high brow ridge, and eyes as large as copper bells, gleaming with sharp light.
He was exceptionally burly, standing there like a city wall.
He completely blocked the young man behind him from view.
The young man following the old man looked as though he had been carved from the same mold.
Only his features were not yet as sharp as the old man's, and he was half a head shorter. Still, the sheer pressure of his strength was already beginning to take shape.
"Grandpa, Dean, we took so long to get here. Is there still any chance for us to get that Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone?"
Tai Long poked his head out from behind his grandfather, his face full of the eagerness and innocence unique to a young man.
"I can tell you quite clearly—no."
Tai Tan answered bluntly, not bothering to offer even a single word of consolation.
"Sword Douluo Chen Xin of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan and Ghost Douluo Gui Mei of Spirit Hall, plus that unknown Titled Douluo who wiped out Holy Soul Village in a single night."
"Of those who've already shown themselves, at least four Titled Douluo are caught up in this affair."
"Trying to snatch food from a tiger's mouth when they're involved? Difficult!"
"Your grandpa can hold his own among Soul Douluo, but against a Titled Douluo, I'm not even enough for them to pinch with one hand."
"Then why did we come all this way? Wasn't it a wasted trip?"
Tai Long scratched the back of his head, his face full of confusion.
If they already knew they couldn't get the Soul Bone, why had his grandfather brought him all the way from Heaven Dou City to this desolate borderland? What was the point?
"That's true enough."
Liu Erlong spoke calmly. She walked beside Tai Tan with her arms folded, her phoenix eyes slightly narrowed, her gaze sharp and deep.
"But battles between Titled Douluo are a rare opportunity. For ordinary Soul Masters, a clash at that level might be something they never see even once in their lives."
"Even if we can't get the Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone, seeing a battle between Titled Douluo with our own eyes would still be a tremendous benefit."
She glanced at Tai Long, then at Tai Tan, and continued.
"Especially for a Soul Douluo like your grandfather."
"After being stuck at the Soul Douluo level for so many years, what you lack is often not hard training, but that spark of insight, that flash of understanding."
"If he can observe a Titled Douluo in action up close and learn from their experience, perhaps he'll grasp a few of their methods and avoid years, or even decades, of detours."
"That's the real purpose of our trip."
"You heard your dean, didn't you?"
Tai Tan nodded and lightly tapped Tai Long on the back of the head with his big hand. The blow wasn't hard, but it still made Tai Long stumble half a step forward.
"Something like a Soul Bone goes to whoever is fated to get it. If you aren't fated, don't force it."
"But no one can take away what you learn from a battle."
"Learn from this, kid."
"Got it, Grandpa."
Tai Long nodded, only half understanding.
He took long strides and followed the two of them into Suotuo City.
"We older folks will go arrange our lodgings first. You younger ones go have a look around and relax."
Flender waved at Ma Hongjun and the others, looking as though he were herding a flock of ducks into the water.
Before he left, he turned to Yu Xiaogang, who had remained silent beside him, and added, "Xiaogang, what do you think?"
Yu Xiaogang fell silent for a moment, then nodded, his voice hoarse and low.
"Let's do as your dean says."
He was unusually agreeable today. He didn't scowl and lecture anyone, nor did he drone on about theory.
Perhaps it was because so much had happened lately.
Seeing them both nod, Ma Hongjun's whole face lit up at once.
A fiery gleam burst from his tiny eyes, squeezed into slits by his chubby cheeks.
He didn't waste a single second. His whole body turned into a round whirlwind as he shot off in a flash.
For all his clumsy bulk, when it came to moments like this, his speed never disappointed.
Dai Mubai followed right behind him. His stride was more relaxed, but he was no slower.
He kept his hands in his pockets, a half-smile playing on his lips, a knowing gleam flashing in his evil eyes.
Clearly, he and Ma Hongjun had the same destination in mind.
Ning Rongrong set off too.
Suotuo City might not compare to the bustling Heaven Dou City, but at least it was a proper town.
Compared to the impoverished village where Shrek Academy stood—a place without even one decent shop—it was like heaven and earth.
Since they had the day off, Ning Rongrong was determined to shop to her heart's content and buy back all the frustration she had bottled up in the village.
As Ning Rongrong's number-one lackey, Oscar naturally stayed right by her side.
The two of them disappeared into the flow of people on the street, one following the other, and were soon lost among the dazzling rows of goods.
In no time, the lively group had scattered almost completely.
Only Tang San and Xiao Wu remained where they were, standing perfectly still.
Tang San still looked rather gloomy.
Ever since he had heard from Ma Hongjun that Holy Soul Village had been destroyed, it was as though a dark cloud had settled over him. A knot of gloom had remained between his brows ever since.
"Teacher, I'll pass. I want to..."
Tang San began, his voice muffled.
Xiao Wu stood beside him, sneaking a glance at him before quickly looking away.
She actually wanted to go look around. After being cooped up at the academy for so long, she wanted to get some fresh air too.
But seeing Tang San like this, she said nothing. She simply edged closer to him.
Before Tang San could finish, however, Yu Xiaogang cut him off.