Xiaoxiao's Memories

"Xiaoxiao is so pitiful. She was clearly a genius with Twin Martial Souls, yet just to highlight the protagonist, her talent was completely overshadowed."

"Xiaoxiao's martial souls were so outstanding, so her background should have been anything but ordinary. What a shame she was directly reduced to cannon fodder."

"Could so many teachers at Shrek Academy possibly not know the consequences of rashly adding a Spirit Ring to the second martial soul of someone with Twin Martial Souls? Yet for the sake of an academy tournament, she added a Spirit Ring ahead of time. That was draining her future."

"Exactly! Xiaoxiao's first martial soul was the Three-Life Soul Suppressing Cauldron, a National Treasure, yet they insisted on arranging it so she couldn't absorb the Dark Golden Dreadclaw Bear Soul Bone. All just to give the Soul Bone to Huo Yuhao."

"Xiaoxiao's character setup was incredibly cool, okay? She could clearly have been the female lead, but instead she became some dainty little wife paving the way for the protagonist. He Caitou simply isn't worthy of Xiaoxiao."

"Exactly! So what if he's a prince? He's exactly like that coward Dai Mubai. It's the first time I've seen someone rely entirely on others to get revenge while only knowing how to hide behind them."

"Hahaha, what good students could an academy like Shrek possibly teach?"

"What kind of good person could someone who worships Tang San as a role model possibly be?"

"Hypocrite Tang San destroyed Spirit Hall under the banner of Spirit Hall wantonly slaughtering Soul Beasts and endangering the continent. Yet as the Law Enforcement God, he let his daughter's soul possess the Three-Eyed Golden Lion Beast, making the Auspicious Beast develop feelings for Huo Yuhao, only for it to ultimately Sacrifice itself and successfully trigger a Beast Tide. What did the Auspicious Beast do wrong? What did Lord Di Tian do wrong?"

"Tang San's ambitions were far too great. He planned every step carefully, and after becoming a god, he wanted to hold the entire God Realm Committee in his grasp before he could rest easy. He even did not hesitate to use his own children to fulfill his ambitions, along with the entire Douluo Continent."

"Exactly! Fortunately, Tang Wulin didn't grow up by Tang San's side. Otherwise, how could his values possibly be so normal?"

"The funniest thing is that Shrek Academy gave itself the glorious title of producing Evil Soul Masters. But when Spirit Hall still existed, there weren't so many Evil Soul Masters on the continent."

"Tang San released all the criminals from Slaughter City, that natural prison. Of course there were more afterward."

"Spirit Hall had always devoted itself to awakening martial souls for commoners and cracking down on Evil Soul Masters. Yet Tang Sect and Shrek—one the greatest academy on the continent, the other the most powerful sect—both let Evil Soul Masters run rampant."

"Don't bring up Shrek's inspection teams. Powerful Spirit Masters loafed around in the academy, played dead whenever there was an argument, and sent students to fight evil Evil Soul Masters. If the students didn't die, who would?"

"Hasn't Shrek Academy always taken pride in its absurdly high death rate? It had been like that since the very first Shrek Academy. What academy makes its students hunt Soul Beasts themselves? What academy has several times more students die than graduate?"

"Back to Xiaoxiao. My greatest hope is that Xiaoxiao can become the female lead of her own life. Don't become some so-called Support-type Battle Soul Master for Huo Yuhao and Tang Wutong. If she's going to be one, she should be an Assault-type Battle Soul Master who can stand on her own. Look at Spirit Hall's consecrated ones. Don't say teams must have a Support System. Look at Spirit Hall's consecrated elite—they're all Assault-type Battle Soul Masters who dominate their own territories."

"Seconded!"

"Seconded!"

"..."

Those words kept appearing in Xiaoxiao's mind, as though a group of people were watching them from a god's-eye view and sighing over and commenting on their experiences.

For the first time, Xiaoxiao began to doubt herself. If she had not joined Shrek Academy, or rather, if she had not been in the same class as Huo Yuhao, could she truly have lived as the female lead of her own life, just as they said, and become an Assault-type Battle Soul Master who dominated her own domain?

But Xiaoxiao quickly cast the thought aside. Huo Yuhao, Tang Wutong, and the others were comrades who had fought alongside her through life and death. How could she possibly have such thoughts?

Besides, Caitou was not like they said at all. He truly treated her very well.

Yet those words looped through Xiaoxiao's mind again and again, and Xiaoxiao struggled amid repeated doubt and denial.

When she opened her eyes again, Xiaoxiao discovered that she was no longer the respected Xiao Ding Douluo of Shrek Academy, but a little girl who had only just awakened her martial soul.

After several years of cultivation and growing up, Xiaoxiao finally figured out that she was actually in the Douluo Continent of ten thousand years ago, back when Shrek had yet to become famous across the continent and Spirit Hall was still the continent's most powerful force.

Xiaoxiao forced herself to stop thinking about the words that had constantly troubled her. She decided to visit Shrek Academy herself and see whether the Shrek Seven Devils she had respected and believed in for so many years, the outstanding Ancestor Tang San, and Shrek Academy were truly as unbearable as those voices claimed.

If they were, she would leave Shrek Academy, forget everything from the past, and live anew in this world as herself—a brand-new Xiaoxiao. If they were not, she would join Shrek Academy, fight alongside the Shrek Seven Devils she had always respected, and create glory that belonged to Shrek Academy.

And so, Xiaoxiao set off alone for Shrek Academy.

To her surprise, she encountered Bule and his group at the gates of Suotuo City. Fortunately, the passing Youquan and Ning Rongrong saved her.

"It's already late today. Once we enter the city, let's rest for the night at a hotel in Suotuo City and have something good to eat to restore our strength. We can report to Shrek Academy tomorrow. What do you think?" Youquan looked out through the carriage window. Seeing that they were about to enter the city, she made the suggestion to Xiaoxiao and Ning Rongrong.

"Sure, sure! I've been riding in a carriage for days. I'm practically falling apart. I want the best room so I can get some proper rest." The moment Ning Rongrong heard they were about to enter the city, she immediately perked up.

"Okay." Xiaoxiao nodded.

Seeing that the two agreed, Youquan took out a money pouch and handed it to the driver. "Let's enter the city quickly and go straight to the largest hotel in Suotuo City."

"Got it." The driver weighed the money pouch. After setting aside the gratuity for the city guards, there was still some left over, so he readily agreed with a broad smile.

The driver soon brought the three beautiful young girls to the entrance of Suotuo City's largest hotel. After receiving his reward, he drove away.

Youquan, Xiaoxiao, and Ning Rongrong looked up at the lavishly decorated hotel before them, all feeling somewhat speechless.

"Rose Hotel?" Youquan raised a brow and turned to Xiaoxiao and Ning Rongrong, seeking their opinions.

"This obviously isn't a hotel meant for resting, is it?" Xiaoxiao remarked.

"Who cares? As long as the beds are comfortable." Ning Rongrong was the first to walk inside.

"That's true. Sleeping is sleeping, wherever you do it." Xiaoxiao smiled and followed her in.

Youquan could only shake her head helplessly and follow the two into the flower-filled Rose Hotel.

"Do you have a luxury suite?" Ning Rongrong asked the attendant.

"Yes. We happen to have one luxury suite left at the moment," the attendant replied politely.

"Get one for us. Then bring us several delicious dishes from your hotel. Money isn't a problem. You can go out and buy them if necessary, but they have to be good, understand?" Ning Rongrong took out a funds card and spoke imperiously.

"You paid for the carriage, so let me pay this time." Seeing Ning Rongrong about to use her card again, Youquan hurriedly said.

"It's fine. You protected me the whole way, so it's just my treat. My family never lacks money." Ning Rongrong patted her small chest and declared grandly.

Youquan could only smile helplessly and accept Ning Rongrong's grand gesture.

After booking their room, the three returned to rest, bringing this exhausting stretch of travel to an end.