One Against Four, Shrek's Investigation

Bang!

Bei Bei took the blow to his chest and flew backward, smashing through another section of the courtyard's inner wall. He forced Soul Power around his heart in midair and coughed up a mouthful of blood when he landed. He remained conscious, but he could no longer fight.

That was only because Gu Mingyuan had held back at the last moment. Otherwise, with the passive effect of Serious Punch, Bei Bei might have ended up like that bear. Gu Mingyuan would have paid dearly for that.

"Bei Bei!"

Tang Ya's eyes turned bloodshot. She sent the remaining Blue Silver Grass whipping toward Gu Mingyuan with no thought for her own safety.

Gu Mingyuan did not dodge this time. The purple third Soul Ring beneath his feet suddenly lit up.

Golden Jade Strength Transformation.

The jade sheen of his Golden Jade Body dimmed, replaced by dazzling golden patterns. In an instant, he converted most of his extreme defense into strength.

He strode forward through the storm of Blue Silver Grass.

The thick vines had barely wrapped around him when his terrifying brute force snapped them apart with sharp cracks.

Alarm flashed across Tang Ya's face. She took an instinctive half-step back, but it was too late.

Gu Mingyuan appeared before her. He reached out, gripped the side of her neck, and lifted her until her feet left the ground. She had no room left to resist.

Gu Mingyuan looked at Tang Ya's face, flushed from lack of air, and demanded:

"Tang Ya."

"You couldn't protect the old Tang Sect's legacy, keep the people willing to follow you, or give them a path to grow stronger."

"And with your strength as it is now, you dare use your position as sect master to order me around?"

Tang Ya clawed at Gu Mingyuan's iron grip with both hands, struggling desperately without moving it an inch. His hand pinned her throat, leaving her unable to speak, but her eyes still burned with anger and defiance.

"Let go of Teacher Tang Ya!"

Seeing Tang Ya in his grip, Huo Yuhao summoned the Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion. His first Soul Ring flashed, coating his hands and forearms in diamond-like ice crystals as he charged.

Ice Empress's Pincer!

Gu Mingyuan glanced over and flung Tang Ya toward a section of low wall that had not yet collapsed. Bei Bei forced himself up from the rubble despite the agony in his chest and caught her at the last moment. They tumbled to the ground together.

At almost the same instant, Gu Mingyuan released the force he had stored from the blows against him and drove off with his legs. His figure shot forward.

He appeared before Huo Yuhao as though he had teleported.

Huo Yuhao's face went pale. Before he could unleash Soul Shock, Gu Mingyuan's right leg swept out like a steel whip and struck him in the side of the abdomen.

Crack.

Huo Yuhao flew sideways into the wreckage of broken masonry and splintered wood. The old wound on his shoulder tore open again, staining his clothes with blood. The shadow of the Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion behind him flickered once, then faded away.

"Yuhao!"

Wang Dong could hold back no longer. The Light Goddess Butterfly's wings spread behind her. Eyes rimmed red, she charged despite knowing she might be no match for him.

Gu Mingyuan kicked again, though he held back more than before. He had no desire to draw the Tang God King's attention.

Bang.

Wang Dong gave a muffled grunt and flew backward. She landed beside Huo Yuhao, clutching her stomach, unable to get up for a long while.

Less than a minute had passed.

Bei Bei was badly injured. Tang Ya could no longer resist. Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong were both down.

The once-pleasant courtyard was now strewn with shattered bricks and severed Blue Silver Grass. The acrid smell of scorched lightning still hung in the air.

A commotion came from the distance. A squad hurried over, led, to Gu Mingyuan's surprise, by Xu Sanshi.

Gu Mingyuan recognized them as Shrek City's defense troops. The city defense force numbered around ten thousand, roughly thirty percent of them soul masters. They guarded the walls, operated defensive Soul Tools, and patrolled outside the city. Patrol captains also walked the ramparts.

This group, though, was probably a nearby auxiliary unit.

The city defense auxiliaries quickly sealed off the streets around the courtyard.

Xu Sanshi was on rotation in South City. He had only wanted to earn academy contribution credits to exchange for time in the combat arena and simulated training grounds. He had never expected to look up and see the lightning of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon.

By the time he arrived, more than half the courtyard wall had collapsed.

He crouched to check Bei Bei, Tang Ya, Huo Yuhao, and Wang Dong for injuries. Once he confirmed none of them were in mortal danger, he had the auxiliaries bring out stretchers and send all four to the academy infirmary. He also ordered them to record the lingering Soul Power and the damage to the house.

Only after arranging everything did Xu Sanshi turn toward Gu Mingyuan, who stood amid the wreckage.

"You really went through with it, kid."

Ever since Gu Mingyuan had given Xu Sanshi the recording of Bei Bei winning with Huo Yuhao's Spiritual Detection, the two had grown somewhat closer. They had sparred several times since and got along reasonably well.

Gu Mingyuan spread his hands.

"Senior Xu, would you believe me if I said they attacked first?"

Xu Sanshi looked at the collapsed wall, then at Bei Bei being carried away on a stretcher. The corner of his mouth twitched.

"I would."

"But the disciplinary office won't just look at who struck first. They'll look at who ended up on a stretcher and who tore the courtyard apart. You'd better think about how you're going to explain this."

He stepped closer to Gu Mingyuan and lowered his voice.

"And Bei Bei's background isn't simple. There's an elder at the academy who thinks highly of him. You've probably heard something about it. Even if you're in the right today, don't take this too far."

Gu Mingyuan's eyes shifted. He knew Bei Bei's background was unusual, but he had not expected Xu Sanshi to know too.

Then it clicked. Xu Sanshi had the Xuanming Sect behind him. It was no surprise he knew things ordinary students did not.

"Thank you for the warning, Senior Xu." Gu Mingyuan cupped his hands.

Xu Sanshi waved it off. He said nothing more, merely instructed the auxiliaries to keep the area sealed and contact the academy.

Gu Mingyuan turned to Cao Jinxuan, Lin Yan, and Jiang Wenzhou.

"Come on. Let's go to the infirmary."

"This time, the academy can't pretend nothing happened."

The corridor outside the infirmary was much quieter than Gu Mingyuan had expected.

When he opened the door, Bei Bei lay on the bed farthest inside, bandages wrapped around his chest. Tang Ya rested against another bed, faint bruises still marking her neck. The wound on Huo Yuhao's left shoulder had split open again, while Wang Dong sat with her eyes closed, steadying the blood and energy thrown into turmoil by the blow.

And several people were already standing beside the beds.

Yan Shaozhe stood with his hands behind his back, looking at Bei Bei with a grim expression. Zhang Lexuan stood beside the bed, holding a medicated dressing against Bei Bei's wound. She raised her head slowly at the sound of the door. Her gaze was cool, and Gu Mingyuan felt her assessing him openly.

Du Weilun stood by the door with the city defense auxiliaries' report in his hand.

Mu Jin first glanced at Gu Mingyuan's torn clothes and frowned slightly, but said nothing. Zhou Yi stood beside Huo Yuhao's bed, her expression icy. Fan Yu's gaze remained fixed on Huo Yuhao's left shoulder. He had clearly noticed something unusual about the injury.

For a moment, no one in the room spoke.

Behind Gu Mingyuan, Cao Jinxuan, Lin Yan, and Jiang Wenzhou instinctively quieted their breathing. Zhou Sichen had only just arrived as well.

At last, Du Weilun closed the report.

"The city defense auxiliaries have confirmed that the conflict took place at Gu Mingyuan's private residence, and that Bei Bei attacked first. But the fighting left several people injured and damaged the property. This remains a serious incident."

He looked up.

"Gu Mingyuan, you speak first."