Shrek's Invitation? Get Lost!

Sunlight pierced the sparse canopy at the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest, casting mottled shadows across the ground.

The earthy stench in the air gradually faded, replaced by a refreshing hint of moisture.

Yu Chen and Wang Dong'er, one ahead of the other, emerged from the perilous forest.

A clear river stretched across the path ahead.

By the riverbank, a wisp of blue smoke curled upward, carrying the enticing aroma of grilled fish on the breeze.

A young man dressed in a light-blue fitted outfit sat on a flat stone, turning several skewers of river fish grilled golden and crisp in his hands.

He had refined features and a gentle smile at the corners of his lips, giving him an exceptionally approachable air.

Beside him crouched a girl in a short pink skirt.

Her hair was tied in a high ponytail, her large eyes darting about as her face brimmed with longing for the grilled fish.

Tang Ya and Bei Bei.

An outstanding student of Shrek Academy, and the current leader of the Tang Sect, which existed in name only.

Tang Ya wrinkled her nose, just about to urge Bei Bei to hurry up, when she caught sight of Yu Chen and Wang Dong'er emerging from the woods out of the corner of her eye.

Her eyes immediately lit up.

"Wow, what a pretty little brother!"

Like a cat that had discovered a new toy, Tang Ya abandoned Bei Bei and hurried over to Yu Chen in just a few strides.

She openly looked Yu Chen and Wang Dong'er up and down. In particular, when she saw Yu Chen's exquisite, flawless face, cold as frost, her maternal instincts nearly overflowed.

"How did you two little ones end up at the edge of the Star Dou Great Forest?"

"It's very dangerous here. Did you run into any soul beasts?"

"Come on, come on. Big sister will treat you to some grilled fish to calm your nerves."

Tang Ya rambled on by herself, even reaching out to pinch Yu Chen's cheek.

Yu Chen tilted his head slightly, avoiding Tang Ya's hand.

His gaze was as cold as ten-thousand-year ice.

"Get lost."

Those two icy words instantly froze the smile on Tang Ya's face.

She had never expected a little brat who looked only six or seven years old to have such a foul temper.

Bei Bei, seated by the river, frowned slightly. He put down the grilled fish in his hand, rose to his feet, and walked over.

As he looked at Yu Chen, a subtle trace of scrutiny flashed through his eyes.

For some reason, he sensed an extremely faint aura from this boy in black, yet it made his bloodline tremble.

But he quickly dismissed the thought.

What threat could a six-year-old child possibly pose?

"Little brother, I'm Bei Bei, and this is Tang Ya."

Bei Bei put on his signature gentle smile, trying to smooth things over.

"Xiao Ya means no harm. She just thinks it's too dangerous for children as young as you to be at the edge of the forest. Meeting is fate—why not come have something to eat with us?"

Tang Ya had recovered by now. She was somewhat spoiled by nature, and although Yu Chen had embarrassed her, she decided not to hold it against him because of how handsome he was.

With her hands behind her back, she lifted her chin slightly and spoke with a hint of pride.

"That's right. Big sister is only trying to help."

"You two have remarkable bones. How about considering joining our Tang Sect?"

"I'm the current leader of the Tang Sect, you know. Once you join us, you'll be able to swagger across the continent without anyone daring to stop you."

Tang Sect.

At those words, Yu Chen, whose face had remained expressionless, suddenly curled his lips into an undisguised sneer.

He stopped walking and looked at Tang Ya as though she were a clown.

"The Tang Sect."

"A sect cobbled together from techniques some hypocrite stole from another world."

"Back then, it threw its weight around across the continent using hidden weapons. Now, even its proper sect grounds have been occupied by others, and it can't even afford to keep a guard dog."

"For a garbage heap so destitute it could die out at any time, where do you get the nerve to go around swindling people?"

Yu Chen's voice was not loud, but every word pierced straight to the heart.

Tang Ya's face instantly turned deathly pale. Her body shook violently, and her eyes immediately reddened.

The Tang Sect's decline was the most painful scar in her heart.

She dreamed of reviving the Tang Sect, yet now a child only a few years old had ripped away its last shred of dignity right in front of her and ground it into the dirt.

"Y-You're spouting nonsense!" Tang Ya pointed at Yu Chen, her voice trembling.

The gentle smile on Bei Bei's face vanished completely.

In its place was a frigid fury.

Tang Ya was his reverse scale, and the Tang Sect was also the banner he was desperately trying to uphold.

"Little brother, you can eat recklessly, but you can't speak recklessly."

Bei Bei stepped forward, and his aura instantly turned sharp.

"Insulting the Tang Sect and insulting Xiao Ya—no matter whose child you are, you must apologize today."

Crackle!

Blue currents leaped wildly across Bei Bei's arm.

His right arm instantly swelled, tearing apart his clothing. Fine blue dragon scales covered the surface of his skin, and his hand transformed into sharp dragon claws.

Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon martial soul, possessed!

The pressure of a top-tier beast martial soul swept toward Yu Chen.

Wang Dong'er's expression changed slightly behind Yu Chen. She could tell that the young man was quite strong and was about to step forward to help.

But Yu Chen raised a hand and stopped her.

He looked at Bei Bei's dragon-scaled arm, and extreme contempt flashed in the depths of his eyes.

"Playing with lightning in front of me."

"You think you're worthy?"

Yu Chen had no intention of releasing his martial soul.

He merely stood there. Deep within his pupils, an ultimate dark lightning belonging to the Red-Eyes Black Dragon stirred, like an abyssal beast opening one eye from its slumber.

Boom!

There was no fluctuation of Soul Power, no flash of soul rings.

Only an absolute suppression, originating from the deepest part of the bloodline and from a higher dimension of life itself, descended upon Bei Bei in an instant!

The violent blue lightning on Bei Bei's arm went out completely the moment it met Yu Chen's gaze, like fireflies encountering their natural predator!

An indescribable terror burrowed up from Bei Bei's marrow.

He felt that what stood before him was not a six-year-old child at all.

It was a world-ending black dragon coiled within endless darkness, capable of swallowing the entire world in one bite at any moment!

His Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon martial soul did not even dare let out a whimper, shrinking into a ball within his body.

Crack.

Bei Bei's knees slammed heavily into the pebble-strewn riverbank, blood immediately seeping out.

He braced himself against the ground with both hands, cold sweat covering his body as he gasped for breath, struggling to resist the pressure and stand.

But he could not.

He could not even lift a finger.

"Bei Bei!" Tang Ya screamed and rushed over, trying to pull him up, only to find that he was as heavy as a mountain and impossible to move.

Yu Chen looked down at Bei Bei, who was kneeling on the ground.

"So this is all the so-called genius Shrek Academy produces."

"Yu Xiaogang, that useless waste who could never break through Rank Thirty in his entire life, left behind the saying, 'There are no useless martial souls, only useless soul masters,' and fools like you actually worship it as truth."

"How laughable."

Yu Chen could not be bothered to spare another glance at these two pitiful fools, lost in the glory of Shrek.