Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun

"Fine."

Yue Guan smiled faintly and slowly walked toward Tang Hao.

Tang Hao was still kneeling on the ground, trembling all over as he repeatedly muttered, "No."

But when he heard Yang Jian say he was going to Shrek Academy,

his whole body jolted as though he had been struck by lightning, and he abruptly raised his head.

Shrek Academy.

Little Three was still there!

This devil was going to Shrek Academy. He was going to hurt Little Three!

"No... no!" Tang Hao's voice became shrill and urgent. He struggled to rise, but his injuries were too severe, and he collapsed again. "You can't go to Shrek Academy! Don't hurt Little Three!"

He crawled toward Yang Jian, clutching the hem of Yang Jian's trousers with both hands, his eyes full of pleading.

"Please... I'll do anything you want... Don't hurt Little Three... He's still just a child..."

Yang Jian looked down at him expressionlessly.

Then he lifted his foot and kicked Tang Hao's hands away.

Tang Hao was about to say something else when Yue Guan had already approached.

He struck Tang Hao on the back of the neck with his palm, sealing his Soul Power.

Tang Hao's body went limp, and he collapsed to the ground without even the strength to struggle.

Yue Guan picked up Tang Hao and rose into the air.

"Don't be in such a hurry." Yue Guan looked down at Tang Hao in his hand, his smile meaningful. "The fun part is still to come."

Tang Hao wanted to struggle and shout, but with his Soul Power sealed and his injuries so severe, there was nothing he could do.

He could only let Yue Guan carry him farther and farther away until they vanished beyond the horizon.

Yang Jian stood where he was, watching Yue Guan disappear before letting out a long breath.

He found a flat rock, sat cross-legged, and began circulating the Eight-Nine Mysteries.

Though his injuries looked frightening, most of them were merely superficial.

The truly serious injuries

were the damage to his internal organs from the Clear Sky Hammer and his ruptured meridians.

But to the Eight-Nine Mysteries,

these were nothing at all.

Soul Power circulated through his body, nourishing his damaged meridians and internal organs.

His wounds healed at a visible rate.

His broken bones fused back together, while the pooled blood gradually dispersed.

Two and a half hours later, Yang Jian opened his eyes.

He moved his body, and his bones gave off soft crackling sounds.

His injuries were nearly completely healed. His skin was as smooth as before, without even a scar left behind.

"As expected of the Eight-Nine Mysteries."

Yang Jian sighed, rose to his feet, and dusted himself off.

He found a stream nearby, took a bath, and changed into clean clothes.

The stream was crystal clear, reflecting his figure—swordlike brows, starry eyes, and a face as fair as jade.

Yang Jian looked at his reflection, nodded in satisfaction, and headed toward Shrek Academy.

He was beginning to look forward to meeting Tang San.

And Xiao Wu's soul ring and soul bone—those were things he had wanted for a long time.

And Ning Rongrong.

He wondered whether she had learned that Gu Rong was dead.

At the gates of Shrek Academy.

It was already late. The setting sun had dyed the horizon orange-red.

Yang Jian stood before the two weathered wooden gates. Just as he was about to enter, he suddenly heard footsteps behind him.

He turned around and saw two people walking toward him with their arms around each other's shoulders.

On the left was a blond youth of around fifteen or sixteen, tall and slender, with a handsome face that carried a hint of laziness and wickedness.

His clothes were somewhat disheveled, his collar hanging open to reveal his muscular chest. He exuded an air of carefree decadence.

On the right was a chubby little boy, round and plump, his face covered in flesh, with a trace of drool still lingering at the corner of his mouth.

His eyes were narrowed into slits, and he wore an expression of lingering satisfaction. It was obvious he had just returned from somewhere enjoyable.

Yang Jian recognized the two at a glance.

Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun.

Judging by their appearance and those satisfied expressions, they had definitely been visiting a brothel.

It certainly suited their characters.

Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun noticed Yang Jian as well.

A strange youth stood at the gates of Shrek Academy, so handsome it was almost unbelievable.

For some reason, both of them felt an inexplicable hostility rise within them.

Dai Mubai released Ma Hongjun's shoulder and stepped forward.

He was even slightly taller than Yang Jian, giving off a rather oppressive presence.

"Kid, what are you doing here?"

Dai Mubai's voice carried a trace of impatience.

Yang Jian answered casually, "Joining Shrek Academy."

Ma Hongjun poked his head out from behind Dai Mubai, looked Yang Jian up and down, and snorted coldly.

"It's not enrollment time. Get back where you came from!"

"And do you even know Shrek Academy's admission requirements?" Ma Hongjun thrust out his round belly, looking utterly arrogant. "We only accept monsters, not ordinary people. You have to be under thirteen, with Soul Power of at least level twenty-one."

He pointed at Yang Jian's face. "Never mind whether your Soul Power meets the standard. Just looking at you, you're obviously older than thirteen. Get lost already. Don't make a fool of yourself here."

Yang Jian looked at the chubby boy who resembled a potato-shaped landmine. "Whether I can join Shrek Academy isn't for a fat pig like you to decide. I'll go in and ask the dean myself."

Ma Hongjun's expression changed instantly.

Fat pig?

He hated being called a fat pig more than anything!

"Fuck! You're courting death!"

Ma Hongjun's fat quivered violently as he clenched his fist and swung it at Yang Jian's face.

Yang Jian did not even glance at him as he casually waved his hand.

Ma Hongjun only felt an irresistible force slam into him.

His entire body flew away like a kite with its string cut.

He crashed heavily onto the ground.

"Ah—!"

A pig-slaughtering scream rang out. Ma Hongjun lay on the ground clutching his chest, feeling as if several of his bones had broken.

Tears welled up in his eyes.

He had not even had time to react to that slap.

"Hm?"

Dai Mubai's gaze changed.

He stared at Yang Jian, his eyes growing more solemn.

This youth, who looked about the same age as him, had sent Ma Hongjun flying with a casual wave. He was definitely no ordinary person.

Still, during all these years at Shrek Academy, Ma Hongjun had always been Dai Mubai's lackey.

Though the fatty dragged him to brothels every day, and Dai Mubai had to pay every time, he was still one of Dai Mubai's people.

Hitting his man in front of him was the same as slapping him in the face.

Dai Mubai clenched his fists, his knuckles crackling. Anger flashed in his eyes as a dangerous aura radiated from his body.

"Not bad, kid. You actually dared to attack someone in front of me. Are you tired of living?"

Ma Hongjun lay on the ground, clutching his chest and shouting at the top of his lungs, "Boss Dai! Avenge me! Cripple this bastard!"

Yang Jian remained calm throughout.

He glanced at the howling Ma Hongjun, then at Dai Mubai's hostile expression, and secretly sighed.

Among the Shrek Seven Monsters, aside from Zhu Zhuqing and Oscar, everyone else had more or less something wrong with their heads.

Like these two idiots in front of him.

Dai Mubai had abandoned his fiancée out of fear of death and run here to escape reality.

That alone was understandable; after all, fearing death was human nature.

The problem was that he was still so arrogant, barking like a dog before even figuring out how strong his opponent was.

Was this Shrek Academy's school motto?

A soul master who did not cause trouble was not a good soul master?

Was he not afraid that one day he would provoke a Titled Douluo and get slapped to death?

As for Ma Hongjun, his head was full of lust and brothels. Yang Jian could not even be bothered to comment.

Yang Jian chuckled as he looked at Dai Mubai. His voice was not loud, but it carried a hint of contempt.

"A weakling like you doesn't have what it takes to make me die."

"Trash should act like trash. I advise you to get out of my way."