Qiangu Qingfeng was someone who kept a low profile.
Cai Yue'er was roughly his contemporary.
Her achievements could be said to surpass those of ninety-nine percent of the Soul Masters of her generation. As for the man before her, the only people who could surpass him were a select few, including her own Pavilion Master.
A Limit Douluo, a seasoned demigod!
He was every bit the equal of an old powerhouse like Long Yeyue.
But why had he appeared in a place like this?
"Qiangu Qingfeng, how dare you lay a hand on me? I'm the dean of Shrek Outer Court and one of the current Sea God Pavilion Elders!"
Since she was no match for him, Cai Yue'er could only invoke her position and background, hoping to intimidate Qiangu Qingfeng.
Smack!
His reply was another swift, clean slap.
There, now her left cheek was swollen too.
Qian Jue nodded in satisfaction.
That was more like it. They had to be even on both sides—that looked much better.
After being humiliated one time after another, Cai Yue'er was on the verge of losing her mind.
How many decades had it been since anyone had dared to humiliate her like this?
Even Yun Ming had never had the heart to slap her!
"Other than Yun Ming, who at Shrek dares to fight me? Even if that old geezer Long Yeyue came here, I'd beat her all the same!"
Qiangu Qingfeng stood between Qian Jue and Cai Yue'er, using his Limit Douluo cultivation to forcibly suppress the Soul Power fluctuations. Otherwise, a whole crowd of students here would probably have fainted.
"Two slaps are nothing. Back then, when did you ever spare a thought for my father's or the Spirit Pagoda's dignity? So what if I break your arms and legs?"
Qiangu Qingfeng spoke with effortless calm, but everyone listening felt cold sweat trickle down their backs.
Others might care about Shrek's reputation, but the Spirit Pagoda was another matter.
The two sides had been at odds ever since the former Vice Pavilion Master and the current Pavilion Master had teamed up to slap the Pagoda Master.
By now, the Spirit Pagoda and Shrek were little more than allies in name. They even competed behind the scenes in many fields, locked in a bitter struggle.
Cai Yue'er had finally calmed down.
Faced with such an overwhelming gap in strength, she had no choice but to recognize her place.
Even if the person she had a crush on—the strongest on the continent—could kill Qiangu Qingfeng, what would that change?
When a common man flew into a rage, blood would spatter five paces!
"A fierce dragon cannot crush a snake in its own lair. Elder Cai, just let it go!"
Lan Muzi finally found an opening and hurried over to try to defuse the situation.
Cai Yue'er shook off Lan Muzi's hand, displeasure written all over her face. "Did I ask you to speak for me? Get lost."
Lan Muzi: ...
I'm tired. Just let the world burn.
Qiangu Qingfeng held the Purgatory Halberd in his hand. Light and shadow shifted behind his head—one of the signs of a Limit Douluo: the manifestation of thought!
In Cai Yue'er's eyes, his figure grew incomparably tall and imposing, radiating an overwhelming presence.
She gritted her teeth and tried to release her Battle Armor to resist, but she couldn't. In the end, she could only bend her knees and kneel.
"Go back and tell Long Yeyue that my grandson isn't someone an old geezer like her can lay a finger on."
Grandson?
Cai Yue'er was completely dumbfounded.
There were over a hundred people in the Qiangu Lineage. How had she managed to run into Qiangu Qingfeng's grandson of all people? Could someone really be this unlucky?
"Out of respect for the late Heavenly Favored Douluo, I'll give you only a mild punishment today."
"If you dare show your face in front of me again, I'll teach you personally the difference between an ant and a giant tree."
Qiangu Qingfeng stopped applying pressure. Only then could Cai Yue'er finally stand, panting heavily.
"I... I understand."
She practically forced the words out through clenched teeth. Qian Jue thought he even saw tears welling in Cai Yue'er's eyes.
What, had two huge slaps dealt a critical blow to a centenarian's heart?
No, I've had professional training. I absolutely must not laugh out loud.
Easy. Keep it together.
Qian Jue was suppressing a laugh. Gu Yue, Xie Xie, and Tang Wulin saw him, and nearly burst out laughing too. They imitated him, doing their best to keep their laughter in.
Cai Yue'er caught sight of the three little ones and glared at them viciously.
She'd remember these little brats who had laughed at her.
From now on, Shrek's gates would never open for them!
Meanwhile, Yu Zhen pulled out a handkerchief, wiped the sweat from his brow, and stared in shock at Qian Jue, who was hiding behind Qiangu Qingfeng with a pitiful, weak, and helpless expression.
This child wasn't just exceptionally gifted—his background reached the heavens, too.
He'd stumbled right into the Tian Family!
"Better to dissolve enmity than deepen it. Let's put today's matter behind us. Silver Moon Crown, just offer Purgatory Crown an apology."
"I've already apologized, and now I have to offer compensation too?"
Qiangu Qingfeng nodded and said quietly, "Long Yeyue has made my grandson look sallow and undernourished. As his grandfather, it's only natural for me to ask for a little compensation for his food and nourishment, isn't it?"
Cai Yue'er raged inwardly:
What did he mean, sallow and undernourished? Had that thing where he beat a Soul King with one strike just now been fake?
But at the moment, she was furious and dared not say a word.
Yu Zhen saw Cai Yue'er's dark expression and laughed to himself.
You wanted to make me lose face?
Damn it, take this!
Reluctantly, Cai Yue'er took out a few spirit fruits and a Federation credit check and handed them to Qiangu Qingfeng.
Qiangu Qingfeng glanced at them, then passed them to Qian Jue.
"What do you think?"
Qian Jue shook his head, looking dissatisfied.
Qiangu Qingfeng turned to Cai Yue'er and planted the Purgatory Halberd on the ground. The impact made her delicate body shudder three times.
So she added more to the compensation.
After a long while, when nearly all the treasures on her had been taken, Qian Jue finally nodded in satisfaction.
"Thank you, Granny Cai~"
At that moment, her pure, angelic smile looked like the most terrifying evil spirit in Cai Yue'er's eyes.
"Get out. And remember to be a decent person from now on. You're already over a hundred years old."
Cai Yue'er didn't dare stay a second longer. If she remained, she feared she'd have to pay off the debt with the Soul Bones on her body.
She'd handed over all the good stuff in her Storage Soul Tool today.
When she got back, she would make Elder Long compensate her!
After bowing to apologize to everyone present, Lan Muzi hurried away as well.
Still, he seemed to be in a much better mood than when he'd arrived.
Only after they had completely left Eastsea City did Cai Yue'er's face twist with fury.
"The Spirit Pagoda has gone too far!"
"I'll make Big Brother Yun Ming and Elder Long give me justice."
"This isn't over!"
Seeing Cai Yue'er red-eyed and panting like an ox, Lan Muzi could only pray silently that next time, he wouldn't be dragged along to handle things with her.
All he wanted was to live quietly with his dear wife, have a child, and then die of old age.
Qiangu Qingfeng gave a few instructions and then left, apparently planning to go home and discuss something with his grandmother.
Guided by the principal and Director Long Hengxu, who had arrived later, the students returned to their respective classes.
When he learned that Qian Jue wanted to live at school—and wanted to share a room with Xie Xie and Tang Wulin—Yu Zhen patted his chest and promised to get everything sorted out that very afternoon.
Gu Yue said that she wanted to move in too. Although boys and girls weren't supposed to share a dorm, there were exceptions to every rule.
They were all promising students. What was the harm in letting them live together?
Yu Zhen generously assigned the four of them a small courtyard near the Academy.
And so, a day full of surprises and thrills came to an end.
That evening, back in their new dorm, Qian Jue gathered everyone around to share some of the "little compensation" they'd gotten that day.