Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing Leave Shrek

"Next, Spirit Hall's pope Qian Xunji led a group to surround Tang Hao. At the critical moment, Ah Yin sacrificed herself, and Tang Hao became a Titled Douluo. Tang Hao then gravely wounded Qian Xunji, who died of his injuries. That was how Tang Hao earned his reputation as Clear Sky Douluo—and became the youngest Titled Douluo."

"Think about it carefully. Isn't that a little too convenient?"

Ning Rongrong finished speaking with a knowing smile.

After a pause, she continued:

"Put plainly, Tang Hao had planned it all along. He knew Ah Yin loved him deeply, so he pretended they were trapped with no way out and forced her to sacrifice herself for love. He paved his path to becoming a Titled Douluo with his own wife's life!"

"He was the Clear Sky Sect's Clear Sky Douluo, after all. The sect was close to Spirit Hall back then. Spirit Hall wouldn't have killed him."

"That's why he said he'd gone to every length to obtain that hundred-thousand-year soul ring."

"Unfortunately for him, Tang Chen later disappeared, Qian Xunji died of his injuries, and relations between Spirit Hall and the Clear Sky Sect deteriorated rapidly."

Bang!

A violent kick struck the door. It flew open, splinters scattering everywhere!

Tang San stood in the doorway, his face livid and his eyes blazing with murderous intent as he glared at the three girls inside.

The sudden intrusion stunned Ning Rongrong for a moment. Then she frowned and snapped, "Tang San! This is the girls' dormitory! How dare you kick the door open and barge in?"

Xiao Wu's heart trembled. Looking at Tang San in his fury, she remembered their years together, then the truth she had just heard. She silently lowered her head and said nothing.

The last trace of goodwill Zhu Zhuqing held for Tang San vanished, leaving only a bone-deep chill in her eyes.

He had ignored the privacy of the girls' dormitory and kicked the door open in a rage. Impulsive, violent, and utterly lacking in restraint, he was no better than the heartless Dai Mubai. They were cut from the same cloth.

Tang San glared at the three of them, his voice hoarse and cold with anger. "What were you just saying?!"

Ning Rongrong showed no fear. She arched a brow and sneered, every word cutting deep. "I said Tang Hao was scum. Is there a problem? What, are you going to stand up for the father who schemed against his wife and rose to power through the sacrifice of the woman he loved?"

"You're lying!" Tang San roared, his eyes bloodshot. "My father would never do something like that! You're slandering him! You're spreading lies to ruin his name!"

"Slandering him?" Ning Rongrong's smile grew more mocking. "He admitted himself that he went to every length to obtain that soul ring. Everyone on Douluo Star knows it. The evidence is right there, so how is that slander?"

"Don't you want to avenge your mother?"

"You deserve to die!"

Struck where it hurt most, Tang San's murderous intent surged. With a flick of his hand, a sharp sleeve needle shot straight at Ning Rongrong's face!

"How dare you!"

Zhu Zhuqing reacted instantly. She activated Martial Soul Possession, and the claws of her Hell Spirit Cat sprang out, knocking the deadly needle aside.

Her gaze was icy as she shouted, "Tang San! Have you lost your mind? You tried to kill her!"

Consumed by murderous intent, Tang San had lost all reason. He swept a vicious gaze over Zhu Zhuqing. "Stay out of this. You deserve to die too!"

He turned his wrist, and several Hidden Weapons appeared in his hand. He was about to strike again and kill them both.

"What are you doing?!"

A stern shout rang out.

Everyone turned to see Flender striding across the open ground nearby. His face was dark as he surveyed the chaos inside.

Ning Rongrong immediately looked aggrieved.

"Headmaster! Tang San's gone mad! He tried to kill us!"

Tang San's murderous intent had not faded. "They slandered my father and insulted him. They deserved to die!"

Flender's brow furrowed. He had seen the whole thing. Ning Rongrong had been wrong to say what she had, but Tang San was clearly in the wrong for trying to kill her.

Yet Tang San was Clear Sky Douluo's son and the disciple Flender's close friend had devoted himself to training.

Ning Rongrong was the young lady of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, but compared with the Clear Sky Sect, which had Tang Chen, her sect counted for little.

So Flender took Tang San's side. Of course, he did not want to offend Ning Rongrong either.

With no better option, Flender tried to smooth things over. "Enough! You're all fellow students. It was only a quarrel, and no one was hurt. Let's put this behind us. Don't let it happen again!"

Such blatant favoritism infuriated Ning Rongrong.

The hurt vanished from her face. She gave a derisive laugh, disappointment and contempt filling her eyes. "You really are all cut from the same cloth, covering for each other! I'm done with Shrek Academy!"

With that, Ning Rongrong got up and put on her shoes. "Zhuqing, Xiao Wu, come with me! I'll take you to a better academy. There's no reason to stay in this rotten place!"

Zhu Zhuqing's eyes shifted, and she made her decision at once.

Before the Sky Curtain appeared, she might have swallowed her anger and stayed, as prone as she was to enduring mistreatment.

But now Tang San had revealed just how violent he could be. Staying at Shrek would mean putting herself in danger.

If trouble arose, Dai Mubai would abandon her without hesitation. He had done it before, and he would certainly do it again.

Her mind made up, Zhu Zhuqing turned and followed Ning Rongrong without hesitation.

Only Xiao Wu remained where she was, her face torn with indecision. In the end, she did not follow them.

She hated what Tang Hao had done.

Nor did she approve of Tang San's violent outburst. But she believed he was not truly that kind of person, and she was unwilling to break with him completely and go her separate way.

"Come on, Zhuqing. Let's go."

Seeing that Xiao Wu would not leave, Ning Rongrong did not press her. She walked away with Zhu Zhuqing without looking back, and their figures soon vanished into the night.

Tang San watched them go, murderous intent churning in his eyes. Rage and resentment filled him.

Damn it! If Flender hadn't stopped me, I could have killed those two bitches who slandered Father right there!

He even blamed Flender, casting a cold glance toward the headmaster.

Then Tang San looked at Xiao Wu.

He was still angry and troubled that Xiao Wu had entertained the idea that others might be right to condemn his father.

But she had chosen to stay with him instead of leaving with the other two, and most of his anger faded.

In the end, Xiao Wu is still on my side.

"Come on. It's time to eat," Flender said heavily, suppressing his frustration.

"Mm." Tang San restrained his hostility and answered flatly.

Xiao Wu barely spoke on the way. Gone was her usual lively affection. She was unusually quiet and kept a slight but deliberate distance from Tang San.

At dinner, everyone took their seats in the dining hall.

Dai Mubai looked around and asked, puzzled, "That's strange. Why didn't Zhuqing come to dinner?"

Oscar looked equally confused. "Yeah. Where's Rongrong?"

Ma Hongjun joked offhandedly, "What else could it be? Those two young ladies couldn't stand the rough life at Shrek, threw a fit, and ran off!"

"Enough. Don't make wild guesses," Flender said, stopping him. His tone was calm. "They've both withdrawn from Shrek and left."

"Withdrawn?!" Oscar exclaimed in disbelief. "Why would they suddenly withdraw?"