The Bizarre Cai Yue'er

The Blacksmiths Association in Shrek City.

"This is the place."

Tang Wulin stood beside him, carrying a bulging bag stuffed with the dried meat Mu Ye had prepared for them.

He swallowed.

"Bro, Shrek City is huge. It's even bigger than Heaven Dou City."

Chen Xing smiled and walked in.

The lobby was busy, but most people were blacksmiths there on business. No one paid much attention to the two boys.

Chen Xing went straight to the reception desk and handed over the letter of recommendation Zhen Hua had given him.

The receptionist took it, opened it, and glanced inside. His expression changed at once.

"Are you... Master Zhen Hua's disciple?"

Chen Xing nodded.

The receptionist immediately stood, his manner turning far more respectful.

"Please wait a moment. I'll get the president."

Tang Wulin leaned closer and lowered his voice.

"Bro, does our teacher really have that much influence?"

Chen Xing grinned.

"Of course he does. Our teacher is the continent's foremost Divine Craftsman. How could he not?"

Before long, a red-haired old man strode out from the back.

He was tall, with red hair and a red beard. He looked like a roaring blaze.

Feng Wuyu spotted Chen Xing the moment he appeared and sized him up several times.

"So you're that old bastard Zhen Hua's disciple?"

Chen Xing bowed slightly.

"I'm Chen Xing. It's a pleasure to meet you, President Feng."

Feng Wuyu snorted.

"Word has spread throughout the Forging World that Zhen Hua took a student with Zero Soul Power."

"I thought it was a rumor, but now that I've seen you, you really do have Zero Soul Power."

Chen Xing's expression did not change.

Beside him, Tang Wulin clenched his fists.

but he remembered Chen Xing had told him to keep a low profile and forced himself to stay quiet.

Then Feng Wuyu suddenly broke into a grin.

"Still, that old fellow Zhen Hua has always had a sharp eye. If he chose you, there must be something to you."

"Now, what do you need from me?"

Chen Xing got straight to the point.

"My teacher sent me to speak with President Ya Li of Shrek Academy about a new partnership on behalf of Blacksmiths Association Headquarters."

Feng Wuyu raised an eyebrow.

"A new partnership with Ya Li?"

Chen Xing nodded.

Feng Wuyu rubbed his chin.

What kind of partnership would bypass him, the president of Shrek City's Blacksmiths Association?

After a few seconds, he slapped his thigh.

"Fine. I'll do it for Zhen Hua."

"Someone, notify the academy that guests from the Blacksmiths Association are here to discuss a partnership with President Ya Li."

"Have them send someone to escort our guests over."

Chen Xing was delighted.

It had worked.

Feng Wuyu stood.

"I have other matters to attend to, so I won't go with you. Someone from the academy will meet you."

Chen Xing thanked him and left the Blacksmiths Association with Tang Wulin.

The moment they stepped outside, Tang Wulin could no longer hold back.

"Bro, didn't you say you'd help me get my fourth soul ring?"

Chen Xing glanced at him.

"Business first. We'll deal with that after the meeting."

They waited outside the Blacksmiths Association for less than fifteen minutes

before a young female teacher came to find them.

She looked to be in her early twenties, with long white hair tied in a ponytail, and wore a Shrek Academy teacher's uniform.

Shen Yi approached them. Her gaze landed on Chen Xing's face, and she stopped short.

She opened her mouth, but every word she had prepared vanished.

How could someone be this good-looking?

No, stop it, Shen Yi. He's still a child.

She quickly looked down and pretended to straighten her clothes.

"Um... you're the guests from the Blacksmiths Association, right?"

Chen Xing nodded.

"I'm Chen Xing, and this is my younger brother, Tang Wulin."

"Teacher Zhen Hua sent us to discuss a partnership with President Ya Li."

At the sound of his voice, Shen Yi's ears grew even redder.

"I... I'm Shen Yi, a teacher in the Outer Court. President Ya Li asked me to escort you over."

Chen Xing gave her a small smile.

"Sorry for the trouble, Teacher Shen."

Shen Yi nearly lost her footing.

Tang Wulin watched from the side, the corner of his mouth twitching.

Bro's charm is ridiculous. She only just met him, and she's already smitten.

Good thing Na'er isn't here...

Shen Yi took a deep breath and tried to steady herself.

Then she led them toward Shrek Academy.

Shrek Academy was within Shrek City, not far from the Blacksmiths Association.

Along the way, Shen Yi told them about the academy, though her gaze kept drifting toward Chen Xing.

Chen Xing remained composed, listening as they walked and occasionally asking a question or two about the academy.

Before long, the three arrived at Shrek Academy's gates.

Shen Yi was about to lead them inside when a voice came from nearby.

"Wait."

Chen Xing turned toward the voice.

A woman who appeared to be in her thirties stood by the gate, arms folded as she watched them.

Her features were cool, and her eyes held an unmistakable arrogance.

Cai Yue'er.

Chen Xing recognized her immediately.

Shen Yi's expression shifted slightly when she saw Cai Yue'er.

"President Cai?"

Cai Yue'er ignored Shen Yi. Her gaze fixed on Chen Xing and Tang Wulin.

"Shen Yi, who gave you permission to bring outsiders into the academy?"

Shen Yi explained,

"President Cai, these two are guests from the Blacksmiths Association. They're here to discuss a partnership with President Ya Li—"

Cai Yue'er cut her off.

"A partnership? What kind of partnership requires bringing along a child with Zero Soul Power?"

"They can walk around the Outer Court, but the Inner Court is off-limits."

Chen Xing frowned.

Cai Yue'er was the president of the Outer Court. She had no authority to bar anyone from the Inner Court.

But he did not speak up yet.

Shen Yi grew anxious.

"President Cai, President Feng arranged this—"

Cai Yue'er gave a cold laugh.

"So what if Feng Wuyu arranged it? Since when does he decide who enters the Inner Court?"

"The Inner Court of Shrek Academy isn't a place just any stray can enter."

Tang Wulin's face darkened at once.

Any stray?

Did Shrek really look down on them that much?

Chen Xing's expression remained unchanged. He simply watched Cai Yue'er.

He knew why Cai Yue'er was making things difficult.

The woman was eccentric and headstrong. In the original story, she often did things that made no sense.

She also secretly loved Yun Ming and was jealous of Ya Li,

so seeing someone come to meet Ya Li was bound to bother her.

But Chen Xing had no intention of confronting her directly.

He was not afraid of anyone in Shrek,

but he had come to help Tang Wulin obtain his fourth soul ring. Avoiding a confrontation would be best.

"President Cai," Chen Xing said calmly, "our teacher Zhen Hua sent us to discuss an important partnership with President Ya Li."

Cai Yue'er looked him up and down as though he were something filthy.

"Zhen Hua's student? You think you're worthy?"