All Parties Arrive!

The Shrek group behind him also heard Ma Hongjun's loud shouting, yet not a single person's face showed the slightest hint of surprise.

After all, such words popping out of Ma Hongjun's mouth could hardly be considered news.

If he were to suddenly claim he wanted to practice asceticism and cultivate his character one day, that would truly be a sign of the apocalypse.

Flender even nodded slightly.

He pushed up the crystal glasses on the bridge of his nose, and a rare trace of understanding even appeared at the corners of his mouth.

"Hongjun has truly suffered during this period; it is time to let him relax properly."

The group entered Suotuo City with a relaxed demeanor.

Zhao Wuji walked at the very front. When his burly frame planted itself at the city gate, the guards didn't even bother with questioning, simply stepping aside to make way.

Not long after, another three people appeared together outside Suotuo City.

On the right was a village woman in a green shirt with a fiery figure.

Her coarse green shirt was washed until it had faded to white, yet it could not conceal that breathtaking physique.

Her jet-black hair was coiled high atop her head, held in place casually by a wooden hairpin.

Her cheeks were excessively fair, appearing completely out of place with her village-woman attire.

Her strides were long, and she walked with a sense of momentum; her skirt hem snapped in the wind as she moved, entirely devoid of the bashfulness typical of a village woman.

On the left was an old man with white hair and beard.

His short hair stood upright on his head like steel needles, his face was rugged, his brow bones were high, and his eyes were as large as copper bells, radiating a sharp light.

His build was extremely massive; standing there, he looked like a city wall.

He completely shielded the young man behind him.

The young man following the old man was almost carved from the same mold.

Although the angles of his face were not yet as sharp as the old man's and he was half a head shorter, the pressure of pure strength was already beginning to take shape.

"Grandfather, Dean, we've delayed so long to get here—is that Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone still going to have any share for us?"

Tai Long poked his head out from behind his grandfather, his face filled with the impatience and innocence typical of a youth.

"I can tell you very clearly—no."

Tai Tan's reply was blunt, not even bothering to add a single word of comfort.

"Chen Xin, the Sword Douluo of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Yue Guan, the Chrysanthemum Douluo of Spirit Hall, and Gui Mei, the Ghost Douluo, plus that unknown Title Douluo who wiped out Holy Soul Village overnight."

"Just counting those who have already appeared, there are at least four Title Douluos entangled in this matter."

"Trying to snatch food from the tiger's mouth in front of these people? Difficult!"

"Although your grandfather is considered capable among Soul Douluos, against a Title Douluo, I wouldn't even be enough for them to pinch with one hand."

"Then why are we even coming? Isn't this just a wasted trip?"

Tai Long scratched the back of his head, his face full of confusion.

Since they knew they couldn't get the Soul Bone, why did his grandfather bring him all the way from Heaven Dou City to this godforsaken border? What was the point?

"That may be true."

Liu Erlong spoke calmly. She walked beside Tai Tan with her arms crossed, her phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, her gaze sharp and profound.

"But battles between Title Douluos are rare and hard to come by. For ordinary Soul Masters, they might not see a duel of that level even once in a lifetime."

"Even if we can't get the Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone, being able to witness a clash between Title Douluos with our own eyes is a great benefit."

She tilted her head to look at Tai Long, then at Tai Tan, and continued.

"Especially for a Soul Douluo like your grandfather."

"Stuck at the Soul Douluo realm for many years, what is often lacking is not hard training, but that flash of inspiration, that sliver of enlightenment."

"If one can observe a Title Douluo in action at close range and absorb some experience or grasp some techniques from it, one might save years or even a decade of detours."

"That is the true purpose of our trip."

"Did you hear what your Dean said?"

Tai Tan nodded and patted the back of Tai Long's head with his large hand. The force wasn't heavy, but it still made Tai Long stumble half a step forward.

"Things like Soul Bones are obtained by those with fate; those without it need not force it."

"But what you can learn from a battle is something no one can take away."

"Learn from this, kid."

"Understood, Grandfather."

Tai Long nodded, half-understanding.

He took long strides and followed the two into Suotuo City.

"We elders will go arrange the lodging first; you youngsters go have a good look around and relax."

Flender waved at Ma Hongjun and the others, his gesture much like someone shooing a flock of ducks into the water.

Before they left, he didn't forget to turn his head toward Yu Xiaogang, who had been silent the entire time, and added a question.

"Xiaogang, what do you think?"

Yu Xiaogang was silent for a moment, then nodded, his voice hoarse and low.

"Do as your Dean says."

He was uncharacteristically easygoing today; he didn't lecture anyone with a stern face, nor did he drone on about his theories.

Perhaps it was because too much had happened recently.

Seeing that both of them had nodded, Ma Hongjun's entire face lit up instantly.

A scorching light erupted from his small eyes, which were squeezed into slits by his chubby cheeks.

He didn't waste a single second, transforming into a round whirlwind and darting away in a flash.

Despite his bulky frame, his speed never disappointed at a time like this.

Dai Mubai followed closely behind, his pace far more composed, yet his speed was not slow in the slightest.

With his hands in his pockets and a faint, enigmatic smirk on his lips, a look of tacit understanding flickered in his evil eyes.

It was obvious that his goal was the same as Ma Hongjun's.

Ning Rongrong also set off.

Although Suotuo City could not compare to the bustling Heaven Dou City, it was still a proper town, after all.

Compared to the shabby village where Shrek Academy was located—which didn't even have a decent shop—it was like heaven and earth.

Taking advantage of their day off, Ning Rongrong was determined to shop to her heart's content and make up for all the grievances she had bottled up in the village.

As Ning Rongrong's number one lackey, Oscar naturally followed closely by her side, never leaving her for a moment.

The two of them merged into the flow of the street market one after the other, quickly disappearing among the dazzling array of shelves.

In no time at all, the once lively group had mostly scattered.

Only Tang San and Xiao Wu remained standing where they were, motionless.

Tang San's expression remained somewhat heavy.

Ever since he heard the news from Ma Hongjun that Holy Soul Village had been destroyed, he had been shrouded in a dark cloud, a lingering gloom perpetually knitted between his brows.

"Teacher, I think I'll pass. I want to..."

Tang San spoke, his voice muffled.

Xiao Wu stood beside him, stealing a glance at him before quickly looking away.

She actually wanted to go look around; having been cooped up in the academy for so long, she wanted to go out and get some fresh air.

But seeing Tang San in this state, she said nothing, merely moving a little closer to him in silence.

However, before Tang San could finish his sentence, he was interrupted by Yu Xiaogang.