At the gates of Shrek City.
Though people had always come and gone, the area was now packed with a roaring crowd, all squeezed together outside the gates until not even a drop of water could pass through.
A major incident had occurred here just ten minutes ago, one that had even alarmed the city lord, Shi Xing.
Three bloody heads hung from the city gate plaque.
"That lingering Soul Power fluctuation... Evil Soul Masters!"
Shi Xing rose onto his tiptoes and floated upward to investigate. Just then, a voice transmission entered his mind.
He froze, then burst into laughter. With his hands clasped behind his back, he looked down at the crowd.
"Everyone, these three heads belonged to three offerings of the Holy Spirit Cult. They were personally slain by Elder Xuan of our Shrek Sea God Pavilion!"
The moment he said this, the crowd at the city gates erupted—not in panic, but in excitement.
"My goodness! Offerings of the Holy Spirit Cult? Then they must be at least Titled Douluo! Who is Elder Xuan? He actually killed three Titled Douluo in a row?!"
"I heard it from my aunt's son: Elder Xuan is a senior of the Sea God Pavilion, a Super Douluo! He's the very bedrock of all Shrek!"
"Three beastly heads, huh? Pah!"
As she spoke, a middle-aged woman carrying a vegetable basket hurled all the produce she had just bought at the city gate plaque.
With her leading the charge, eggs and all kinds of vegetable leaves soon pelted the three heads until they were unrecognizable. Even in death, they couldn't find peace.
Seeing this, Shi Xing shook his head with a laugh and didn't stop them. Evil Soul Masters were beasts who didn't deserve sympathy.
He glanced at Shrek City behind him, filled with emotion, then pointed out a city defense officer.
"You—take two squads of city guards and search every household carefully. If you encounter anyone suspicious, don't bother with explanations. Arrest them immediately. If anyone resists, kill them on the spot!"
"Yes, sir!"
Elsewhere.
After arranging the follow-up measures, Xuan Zi made his way to the Sea God Pavilion, where he happened upon Yan Shaozhe and Elder Zhuang returning from the Outer Court.
"Perfect. I was just looking for you, Old Zhuang. Hurry up and heal me. Damn it, I was surrounded by eight or nine Titled Douluo. I nearly bought it."
Seeing Xuan Zi's limbs caked in blood and his clothes in tatters, Elder Zhuang didn't hesitate. He summoned his Martial Soul, the Tree of Life, and began healing him.
The nine Soul Rings behind Elder Zhuang shimmered in unison. A towering tree enveloped Xuan Zi as green light streamed into him.
In mere moments, Xuan Zi's injuries were completely healed, and he looked much more energetic.
Elder Zhuang dismissed his Martial Soul, his face a little pale. He went to sit down and recover. It seemed that healing Xuan Zi, a Super Douluo, had consumed quite a bit of his Soul Power.
Seeing this, Yan Shaozhe finally spoke.
"Elder Xuan, what happened to you...?"
"I went out and butchered three swine. Nothing worth mentioning." Xuan Zi waved a hand, offering no further explanation. Instead, he went straight to the matter of Ma Xiaotao.
"Did Xiaotao's Evil Fire flare up out of control again?"
At that, Yan Shaozhe's heart lurched. He felt a little guilty, and his voice faltered. "Yes..."
"Did she hurt anyone?"
"N-no..."
"Hmm?"
Xuan Zi's bushy brows furrowed, and his expression turned stern. He sensed that Yan Shaozhe was hiding something. Though Yan Shaozhe usually respected him, he had never been this nervous and evasive.
Something was wrong. Very, very wrong!
"What exactly happened? Tell me everything!"
Seeing that he couldn't hide it, Yan Shaozhe had no choice but to tell the truth. He made a point of emphasizing that Su Ling had come away completely unharmed.
"What?!"
The moment Xuan Zi heard that Ma Xiaotao's Evil Fire had gone out of control and she had attacked Su Ling, he panicked. Without another word, he shot straight toward the Outer Court.
The freshman teaching building, Class One.
There were only two minutes left before class, and the room was already full.
The moment Su Ling stepped inside, a female student let out a gasp, and everyone turned to look at him in unison.
For a moment, looks of admiration, infatuation, and jealousy tangled across Su Ling's handsome face. Three gazes among them were especially fervent.
Whispers buzzed around the room.
Su Ling paid them no mind and walked straight to his seat. Unfortunately, it wasn't by the window or in the aisle.
The students seated on either side of him were familiar faces.
Xiao Xiao and Cui Yajie.
"Su Ling, why weren't you in class yesterday?"
As soon as Su Ling sat down, Xiao Xiao, who had stood up to make room for him, eagerly leaned closer.
The faint scent of her shampoo drifted over, too.
He wondered what kind of body wash she used. It smelled pretty nice.
Hearing them talk, Cui Yajie quietly pricked up her ears as well.
"I went Soul Hunting."
Su Ling smoothed the wrinkles in his clothes and answered briefly.
Cui Yajie froze when she heard that.
A few days ago, Su Ling had said he was only a Soul Grandmaster. Now that he'd returned from Soul Hunting, didn't that mean he was a Soul Elder?
She drew a sharp breath.
She gazed at Su Ling, admiration gleaming in her eyes.
Xiao Xiao was fine, since she didn't know Su Ling's exact Soul Power level. She only murmured, "Oh," then took a cup of fruit tea from her desk drawer.
"Su Ling, didn't you say last time that this tasted good? I brought you another cup."
Watching little Xiao Xiao press her lips together and lower her head, too shy to look at him, Su Ling smiled and took the fruit tea from her hand.
"Thanks."
Their fingers brushed by accident.
Xiao Xiao's cheeks finally flushed red.
Cui Yajie stared, dumbfounded.
So the cup of fruit tea Xiao Xiao had given her after class yesterday had been meant for Su Ling!
Just then, someone entered the classroom.
She was an elderly woman dressed in a white teacher's robe, with a senior teacher's badge pinned to her chest and gray hair coiled atop her head.
The instant she entered, her gaze locked onto Su Ling. Her dark eyes flashed with sharpness.
Tap, tap, tap.
She walked to the lectern, her back ramrod straight.
The students all sat up stiffly.
Su Ling looked up, already understanding.
This old woman must be Zhou Yi. He had to admit, her strict-teacher look really did inspire awe.
"Su Ling, stand up." Zhou Yi's voice was extremely hoarse and unpleasant, like a cracked gong.
Hearing his name called, Su Ling rose calmly and met Zhou Yi's gaze.
"I want an explanation. Why didn't you attend the first class yesterday, on the opening day?"
Zhou Yi's gaze was calm, and her tone betrayed no emotion, yet an intangible pressure radiated from her.
"Teacher, I went Soul Hunting. Besides, another teacher should have informed you yesterday."
At that, Zhou Yi raised an eyebrow and gave a cold snort. She slammed the book in her hand onto the desk.
"You? Soul Hunting?"
"According to your student records, you're only a level-26 Soul Grandmaster. And over the entire day yesterday, not one teacher came to tell me anything about you."
"Look at yourself—you're not even wearing the freshman uniform, and you're lying to a teacher. I don't need a student like you in my class, someone who's neither one thing nor the other!"
"Now, pack your things and get out of Shrek!"
When Zhou Yi finished speaking, the entire classroom fell into deathly silence. Every student turned to look at Su Ling once more.
Some looked sympathetic, others mocking or gleeful.
Su Ling opened his mouth, then stopped, his swordlike brows drawing together.
Hadn't Mu En asked Xuan Zi to notify her?
What was wrong with Zhou Yi? Was she deliberately picking a fight?
He hadn't done anything to provoke her, had he?