They Left One After Another

Xuan Zi glanced at him and said flatly, "You could say that."

"But for the next five years, you'll be under constant scrutiny. Only if you're strong enough in the end will you represent the academy. You'll face multiple assessments along the way, so becoming one of the Shrek Seven Devils won't be easy."

A smile tugged at Dai Huabin's lips. I finally have a chance to become one of the Shrek Seven Devils.

Dai Yueheng, just you wait. I'll surpass you.

And Huo Yuhao... So what if you beat me with underhanded tricks? Heh. I'm a reserve member of the Shrek Seven Devils now, and you're nothing...

After a while, the seven of them left one by one.

Bei Bei returned to his dorm alone. He looked at the letter Tang Ya had left on the desk, his feelings in turmoil.

He clenched his fists and stared into the distance.

"Xiao Ya, why didn't you wait for me?"

"No. I have to find you. This letter only appeared this afternoon. You can't have gone far."

With that thought, Bei Bei sprang up and dashed out into the night.

The same thing happened to Wang Dong.

After failing to make the cut in the selection match, she returned to her dorm in low spirits.

Her heart tightened at the sight of Huo Yuhao's empty bed.

Then she found the letter he had left behind.

After reading it, her expression changed. She rushed out at once.

Meanwhile, Xu Sanshi had gone outside the academy to find something to eat after the match. He happened to spot Wang Dong sprinting past and couldn't help feeling curious.

"Isn't that Wang Dong? She's with Tang Ya's Tang Sect too, right? Where's she going in such a hurry?"

Xu Sanshi took a bite of grilled meat as he muttered to himself.

A moment later, another figure dashed out.

Xu Sanshi froze, then shouted, "Bei Bei! Where are you going?"

Bei Bei ran straight on without looking back.

Xu Sanshi frowned. "How strange. What's gotten into everyone today?"

"No, I've got to take a look too!"

Song Que and the other two were in no hurry.

Once they were ready, the three ate a quick meal outside the academy, then set off toward Sunset Forest.

Song Que's home was in a small town on the border of the Heaven Dou Empire, not too far from Shrek Academy.

If they traveled at full speed, they could reach it in a day.

Instead, the three chatted as they walked, taking their time.

When night fell, they stopped and found a place to rest.

"It's not far to my home," Song Que said. "Let's rest tonight and set off early tomorrow."

"We'll get there after a little more than half a day's travel."

Tang Ya nodded. Her gaze fell on a stream in the distance, and her eyes lit up.

"Yuhao, look! There's a stream over there. It should have fish. Let's rest by it."

"Hehe. I'll catch the fish, and you can grill them."

Huo Yuhao looked over and nodded.

Song Que laughed. "All you ever think about is food."

"You're exploiting your disciple's labor."

Tang Ya gave an awkward laugh. "What's the big deal? You two are only joining the Tang Sect in name anyway."

"Once you've taken your revenge, you'll leave, won't you?"

Huo Yuhao didn't mind. He smiled and said, "It's fine. Grilling a few fish is nothing."

A little later, the three settled beside the stream, lit a fire, and began to rest.

Not long after they left, a slender figure hurried along the road behind them.

Is this the right road? Yuhao said they might go to the Heaven Dou Empire. This should be it.

Suddenly, a voice came from behind her.

"Wang Dong? What are you doing here?"

Wang Dong turned to see who it was and paused in surprise.

"Senior Brother Bei Bei? Why are you here too? Are you looking for Yuhao?"

Bei Bei quickened his pace and fell into step beside her.

"Yuhao? He left too?"

"I'm looking for Xiao Ya. She said she wanted to return to the Heaven Dou Empire and find a chance to avenge the Tang Sect."

"Did Yuhao go with her?"

Wang Dong's gaze sharpened. An inexplicable sense of loss settled over her.

"Looks like they left together."

"But why didn't he tell me? Why did he leave without a word..."

Bei Bei glanced at Wang Dong but said nothing.

A moment later, he spotted smoke rising in the distance and cried out.

"Look over there!"

"Let's check it out. We might find them."

The two quickened their steps toward the smoke.

Before long, they reached the campfire.

"I see them. It's them."

"Xiao Ya!"

"Yuhao!"

Song Que, who had been sitting idly beside the fire, froze and turned toward the voices. Damn, they actually followed us here.

Bei Bei makes sense, but why is Wang Dong here too?

Did that Tang God King install an auto-follow program in Wang Dong? Why does she follow Yuhao everywhere?

Quite some time later, the five sat around the fire, eating grilled fish and chatting.

"So you're the one behind all this, Song Que!"

Bei Bei glared at Song Que.

"You may be a little stronger than me, but not by much. Are you really sure you can beat Tie Li?"

Song Que smiled. "Of course!"

"I'll break through to level fifty soon. An ordinary Soul Emperor is nothing I can't handle."

Bei Bei opened his mouth, then fell silent.

He wanted to leave with them, but his circumstances were different. He couldn't leave Shrek Academy as easily as they could.

Just then, Wang Dong spoke up. "I'm going too."

"Shrek Academy is so unfair. I don't want to stay there anymore."

Song Que looked at Wang Dong, a complicated expression flashing through his eyes.

He very much wanted to separate Wang Dong from Huo Yuhao.

After all, Wang Dong was an important pawn the Tang God King used to keep Huo Yuhao in check.

But Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong were close now. Song Que couldn't force her away, and he certainly couldn't tell them why.

Huo Yuhao hesitated, then glanced at Song Que. "Brother Song Que, what do you think...?"

Song Que smiled. He understood what Huo Yuhao meant.

"Wang Dong, are you sure?" he asked. "You're different from us. You have great talent, and the academy values you. There's no need for you to come with us."

"The road ahead is full of uncertainty. It might not be better than staying at Shrek Academy."

A mysterious light flickered in Wang Dong's eyes. "I'm sure," she said firmly.

"Yuhao is my best friend. Besides, we have the Power of Haodong, so we can cultivate twice as effectively. I'm bound to improve faster if I stay with him."