Finally, We Meet, Young Man

Wang Dong looked at Song Que and continued, "Besides, I don't think Shrek Academy is all that great. I don't like the atmosphere there, so I'm going with you."

Song Que sighed inwardly. He knew he probably couldn't interfere with God King Tang's plans, so he could only let the matter rest for now.

"All right, you can come with us. But you haven't withdrawn from the academy yet."

"Bei Bei, why don't you handle that for her? You probably can't leave anyway."

With that, Tang Ya and Huo Yuhao both looked at Bei Bei.

A wry smile crossed Bei Bei's face. He opened his mouth, then hesitated.

"I... I..."

"It's all right. If you want to go, then go."

A deep, weathered voice suddenly sounded beside them.

Bei Bei shuddered at the sound and turned toward its source.

"Great-grandfather?!"

A stooped old man slowly appeared before them.

"The grandfather from outside the dormitory?" Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong exchanged astonished looks.

Song Que frowned slightly, caught off guard.

He knew this old man. He was Mu En, the Sea God Pavilion Master of Shrek Academy, the Dragon God Douluo, and the man who truly held power at Shrek.

Song Que had never expected Mu En to appear here in person. A flicker of wariness rose within him; he couldn't guess why the old man had come.

It seemed the old man had known where every one of them was all along.

Mu En smiled faintly, his gaze settling on Song Que and Huo Yuhao.

"Song Que, Huo Yuhao."

"First, on behalf of Shrek Academy, I owe you both an apology."

"Xuan Zi and Shaozhe have been too narrow-minded. They've put immediate gain ahead of everything else and lost the principles Shrek should have upheld."

"Unfortunately, this old body of mine has little time left. I had no better choice than to entrust Shrek to them."

"Now that things have come to this, it's too late. Ah..."

Song Que studied Mu En, deep in thought.

Mu En sighed and continued, "If I were still in good health, perhaps I would do my best to persuade you to stay."

"But I'm already at death's door."

"Perhaps leaving isn't such a bad thing..."

"Bei Bei, you should go with them. See the world beyond the academy. The experience may do you just as much good as staying here."

"I'll take care of all the academy formalities for you. And you, Xu Sanshi—do you want to leave with them?"

"Huh?!" Everyone froze and looked around.

"Xu Sanshi? He came too?"

At that, Xu Sanshi scratched the back of his head and stepped out of the shadows nearby with a sheepish grin.

"I was just curious. When I saw all of you leaving, I followed along to see what was happening."

"I thought you were going on a picnic! Hahaha..."

Only after he finished laughing did Xu Sanshi realize what Mu En had said. "Wait, why would I leave too? I only just made the Shrek Seven Monsters Reserve Team!"

Mu En glanced at him and said evenly,

"If you're not leaving, go back soon. If you don't, I'll handle your withdrawal as well."

Before Xu Sanshi could say more, Mu En waved a hand and cut him off.

"Song Que, I'll leave these youngsters in your care. I hope all goes well for you from here on."

Song Que looked at Mu En. After a moment's hesitation, he asked, "Mu En, could we speak alone?"

Mu En nodded, took Song Que by the hand, and rose into the air, vanishing from everyone's sight.

A long while later, Song Que drifted down from high above.

Mu En turned and left. Within moments, his figure had melted into the night.

Xu Sanshi stood there bewildered, while the others exchanged baffled looks.

Song Que watched Mu En disappear into the distance and fell into thought.

Why did Mu En arrange things this way...?

The next morning, inside the Sea God Pavilion at Shrek Academy.

"Bei Bei left? And Wang Dong from the second year left too?" Yan Shaozhe stared in shock.

He had never imagined matters would come to this.

At first, only Song Que and Huo Yuhao had asked to withdraw. Du Weilun had reported it to him, and since he hadn't considered either of them a top-tier talent, he had approved their requests.

Who could have expected Tang Ya, Wang Dong, and Bei Bei to leave one after another?

Tang Ya was one thing. The academy had only kept her because she was an heir to the Tang Sect. But Bei Bei and Wang Dong were both core disciples the academy had devoted itself to nurturing. Their futures were boundless; they were Shrek's future.

"Song Que and Huo Yuhao cause nothing but trouble."

Yan Shaozhe muttered the complaint without thinking. Mu En immediately shot him a sharp look.

Yan Shaozhe drew his neck in awkwardly and gave an embarrassed smile.

"Teacher, you met them yourself. Why did you still let them go?"

Mu En shook his head gently and sighed. "Shrek is an academy, not a prison."

"Shaozhe, you need to reflect on yourself. I don't have much time left, and you're the one I worry about most. You lack magnanimity, and your outlook is too narrow."

"Ah..."

"Let Bei Bei and the others go. Everyone has their own path; there's no need to interfere too much. Traveling and training with Song Que's group might even be better for them."

Yan Shaozhe nodded meekly, not daring to argue, but his brow furrowed deeper. He still couldn't understand Mu En's decision.

Mu En glanced at him and said nothing more. He gazed into the distance, his expression thoughtful.

Song Que, Huo Yuhao... Why does the Golden Ancient Tree care so much about those two children?

Half a day passed, and the following afternoon arrived.

Song Que slowly pushed open the wooden door to his home and led Huo Yuhao inside.

"This is your home, Song Que?" Huo Yuhao looked around the plain, shabby house in surprise.

He had imagined that Song Que, who had managed to enter Shrek Academy, must come from a reasonably comfortable family. He had never expected Song Que's earlier life to have been so hard.

Song Que nodded and ran a hand over the mottled earthen wall, a hint of nostalgia in his eyes. "It's rough, but it's warm enough."

"My mother and aunt both came from ordinary families. In times like these, it's terribly hard for common people to get ahead."

"My mother thought her younger sister would have a good life after entering a grand household like the White Tiger Duke's Mansion. Who could have known how it would end?"

Huo Yuhao was moved. He nodded silently.

Then, with Huo Yuhao's help, Song Que tidied the house and lit incense before the memorial tablets of the two elders.

Once they had finished, Song Que was about to call Huo Yuhao over so they could head into town and meet up with the others.

"Song Que, what's that?" Huo Yuhao's gaze fixed on a crack in the wall by the bed. He pointed curiously at a crystal-clear bead lodged inside.

Song Que followed his finger and smiled. "That? It was something I played with as a child. I pushed it into the crack and couldn't pry it out, so I left it there."

He stepped forward, caught the bead between his fingers, and pulled it free with a little effort. As it rested in his palm, a refreshing chill spread through his fingertips.

"It's been in this house for as long as I can remember." Song Que turned the bead in his palm, his thoughts drifting to the distant past.

Just then, a deep voice rang out directly in Song Que's mind.

"Finally, we meet, young man!"