I Think We Need to Change

Xie Mu's steps faltered for a moment. His shoulders tensed slightly, and his fingers tightened around the sheet of paper.

He did not look back or stop walking. He merely folded the paper again, tucked it into his clothes, and quickened his pace.

The laughter followed him for a stretch before finally being swallowed by the wind and the sound of galloping hooves.

His hand never loosened from the strap of his bundle as he ran faster and faster toward Shrek City.

By Sea God Lake, Tang Wulin had already helped Gu Yuena back to the entrance of the dormitory building. Only after watching her climb the stairs did he turn back. Standing beneath a willow tree, he watched the wind ripple the lake's surface and slowly, silently exhaled a breath of stale air.

He lowered his head to look at his hands. The surging sensation in his blood and qi from when that nine-colored light had erupted still lingered deep within his meridians, carrying a faint residual warmth.

Dragon God Transformation...

This was only the first transformation, yet it was already this powerful!

He lowered his eyes and pressed those turbulent thoughts back into his heart. Then he looked up at the sun gradually sinking in the distance and turned toward the cafeteria.

Damn it, I was hungry again. Food first.

Tang Wulin could not help but clutch his forehead in despair.

Xuan Zi landed beside him, his face slightly flushed and apprehensive. He spoke with a stammer, "Um, well, about Xiaotao... her martial soul, you know about it too, right? The academy will compensate you later. What do you think?"

Tang Wulin glanced at Xuan Zi. "That is fine, but I hope the academy will still place some restrictions on Ma Xiaotao. After all, if I had not been there and there had only been two ordinary students, what would have happened to them? Are you really planning to just whitewash everything?"

"B-but nothing happened, did it?" Xuan Zi lowered his head, looking somewhat timid as he furtively glanced at Tang Wulin several times.

That guilty look was simply...

"Nothing happened, but we still need to strengthen our precautions. Ma Xiaotao has not fallen into becoming an Evil Soul Master yet, but the possibility remains. If no other method works, seal her Soul Power and make her stop cultivating." A trace of sternness flashed through Tang Wulin's eyes.

"Forget it, Elder Xuan. How about this? Please notify everyone for me. Tomorrow, I will convene a Sea God Pavilion meeting. When it comes to academy security, I think we need to change." After a moment of silence, Tang Wulin raised his eyes and spoke sharply.

Shrek Academy had to change. Otherwise, he would not be comfortable staying here. Since he had decided to remain here, he might as well shape it into something he liked.

Ordinarily, with his current strength, he had no authority to convene and preside over such a meeting.

But since Old Tang had appeared, as the Sea God's representative, he still possessed a certain degree of prestige. If necessary, he could simply call Old Tang out again.

That guy consumed a great deal of energy when he acted now, but merely coming out to intimidate people did not consume much. With the energy currently in his body, he could restore him quickly.

Besides, he did not believe this intervention had failed to draw the attention of Tang San up in the heavens.

Since the other party had not descended to cause him trouble, it meant he had managed to deceive Heaven to a certain extent.

If it really came down to it, if it really came down to it, he could seek out the godfather and godmother he had acknowledged.

Those were two genuine God Kings!

Sigh, one problem had barely been settled when another arose.

Tang Wulin felt as though his brain hurt.

He really wanted to shout, Jianqiu, my head hurts so much!

But if he shouted it, someone would probably ask, "Who is Jianqiu?"

He stood at the entrance of the Inner Court cafeteria and turned around twice on the spot. In the end, he could not withstand the emptiness in his stomach. Lifting the door curtain, he headed back inside.

The Inner Court cafeteria had already passed mealtime, and the vast hall was empty. Only the stove in the back kitchen was still lit, its warm yellow light spilling through the service window and casting a gentle patch of light across the tiled floor. Tang Wulin made his way familiarly to the window and poked his head inside.

Uncle Chen was cleaning up the cutting board beside the stove. When he saw Tang Wulin return, he did not even have time to put down his rag before letting out a surprised, "Oh! Little Tang, why are you back again? Didn't you eat your fill just now?"

Tang Wulin leaned against the counter, revealing a slightly embarrassed smile. "Uncle Chen, I didn't eat enough. Something delayed me earlier, and I'm starving now. Please make me some more. Just serve whatever is quickest."

Uncle Chen gave him a look but did not ask further. He turned around, retrieved a cleaned Iron-Haired Pig hind leg from the kitchen ice cellar, then pulled out half a basket of fresh mountain mushrooms and spirit bamboo shoots before efficiently lighting the stove and getting to work.

By the time the spatula began clanging against the wok in the back kitchen, Tang Wulin had already settled into his usual seat by the cafeteria window. He took out his round wooden stool from his Storage Soul Tool and set it down, then propped his chin in both hands and stared eagerly toward the kitchen.

Before long, Uncle Chen began bringing out steaming dishes one after another.

There was braised Iron-Haired Pig knuckle, spirit bamboo shoots stewed with mountain mushrooms, honey-glazed roasted ribs, and a large bowl of steamed silver-scaled fish topped with shredded red pepper and chopped scallions. Several pale golden goji berries and codonopsis floated in the soup, steam rising from it as its fragrance drifted across the table.

Tang Wulin did not stand on ceremony. He picked up his chopsticks and started shoveling food into his mouth.

The instant he bit into the first piece of pork knuckle, it felt as if someone had plucked a string within him. A warm current of energy spread from his stomach and slowly rose through his meridians, like a spring stream in March flowing over frozen earth, gradually replenishing the blood and qi he had depleted through Dragon God Transformation.

His fingertips, which had been somewhat cold, began to warm, and a faint healthy flush spread over the edges of his ears.

His chopsticks never stopped. Piece after piece, fish after fish, even the soft-cooked mushrooms and bamboo shoot slices were swept into his stomach along with the broth.

Uncle Chen stood nearby, waiting to clear away plates and bring out more dishes. As the stack of empty plates on the table grew higher, his expression shifted from initial shock to accustomed calm. In the end, he even folded his arms and nodded from the side with something like appreciation.

When the last dish had been cleaned out, Tang Wulin finally set down his chopsticks.

Leaning back, he sprawled across the wooden stool, his back pressed against the chair, legs stretched straight out. He looked up at the dim yellow hanging lamp on the cafeteria ceiling and let out a long breath, his entire body radiating the indolence and relaxation unique to being full and satisfied.

Uncle Chen came out from the back kitchen carrying a cup of warm water. He placed it in front of Tang Wulin, casually stacked the empty plates before him onto his arm, and smiled. "Full now?"

"I'm full." Tang Wulin sat up slightly, took the cup, and drank a sip to moisten his throat. Then he looked at Uncle Chen. "Oh, right, Uncle Chen. Didn't you used to work in the Outer Court cafeteria? Why are you in the Inner Court today?"