Bullied without backing, bullied with backing-then what was the point of having backing?!

Yan Shaozhe had already been nursing a splitting headache over the business with Bei Bei and Xu Sanshi.

Upon learning that his beloved disciple, Ma Xiaotao, had lost control of her evil fire again and charged out of the Inner Court, he hurried after her with a group of people, only to discover that she had already stormed into the Outer Court.

Despite being a Super Douluo, he did not immediately intervene to stop Ma Xiaotao. Instead, he ordered a blackout on the news, hoping to keep the incident as quiet as possible.

Everything he did was merely to preserve Ma Xiaotao's reputation.

As for whether that out-of-control evil fire would hurt the Outer Court students?

It was hardly the first time Yan Shaozhe had dealt with something like this.

Whether through reassurances or compensation afterward, as long as no one died, there was always a way to hush it up.

Having him personally step forward to soothe those Outer Court students was already such a blessing that their ancestors' graves must have been sending up auspicious smoke.

But he never could have imagined that, when he arrived, he would witness Tang Qi sending Ma Xiaotao flying with a single hammer blow.

In that instant, Yan Shaozhe felt fury surge straight to the crown of his head.

Although Bei Bei had lived in his home since childhood, their bond ultimately could not compare to the one he shared with Ma Xiaotao.

Most of his affection for Bei Bei stemmed from his teacher, Mu En. Ma Xiaotao was different. She had been an orphan since childhood, and he had raised her himself.

What was more, their martial souls were both phoenixes. They were not father and daughter, yet their bond surpassed even that.

"You... do you have any idea who she is?"

Yan Shaozhe abruptly lifted his head and stared at Tang Qi with bloodshot eyes.

Tang Qi put away the Clear Sky Hammer and brushed some nonexistent dust off his clothes.

"Sure. An Evil Soul Master."

"Nonsense! Didn't you see that she came from the direction of the Inner Court?" Yan Shaozhe flew into a rage and roared.

"What are you babbling about?" Tang Qi shrugged, his face innocent. "How would a lowly first-year student like me know anything about the Inner Court?"

"I thought Shrek had defied the Sea God's will and was secretly keeping Evil Soul Masters."

"What a sharp-tongued brat!" Yan Shaozhe trembled with anger, his eyes bloodshot and his breathing as heavy as an ox's.

"My teacher specifically reminded me a few days ago that he thinks highly of you."

Yan Shaozhe's voice sank low. "But Xiaotao is gravely injured now, and I no longer have the heart to sort out right from wrong. I won't take your life, but you won't escape a single lesson you deserve."

The moment his words fell, immense soul power swept out of his body with the force of toppling mountains and overturning seas.

"Third soul skill, Holy Light Feathers!"

Behind Yan Shaozhe, the Bright Phoenix beat its wings, sending countless feathers burning with golden holy fire shooting toward Tang Qi like a torrential downpour.

He deliberately restrained his soul power to avoid killing Tang Qi in one blow.

"Clear Sky Body Protection!"

Tang Qi gave a low shout, his wrist turning rapidly.

The Clear Sky Hammer spun at high speed before him, weaving a barrier so dense that not even a breath of wind could slip through.

Internal energy flowed down his arm into the hammer, then spread outward, deflecting the feathers one by one.

Sharp metallic clangs rang out without end, sparks flying everywhere.

Yet for some reason, as Yan Shaozhe watched the Clear Sky Hammer spinning rapidly before Tang Qi, an inexplicable flicker of dread rose in his heart.

Something isn't right about that Clear Sky Hammer!

"Dean Yan! What are you doing?!" Mu Jin's face was full of disbelief, and even his voice trembled.

"Tang Qi only acted to protect his classmates! You're attacking a student without even looking into what happened. Is this how Shrek does things?"

Beside him, Ning Tian pressed her pink lips together in hesitation, then made up her mind and stepped forward. "Dean Yan, could you perhaps spare Tang Qi out of consideration for the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect?"

"Sister Tian Meng, can you help Brother Tang Qi?"

Huo Yutong had awakened at some point. Watching the utterly one-sided battle ahead, she burned with anxiety and could only place her last hope in Tian Meng.

"..."

"I'll be discovered! Besides, I'm no match for him either. And... and Tang Qi has a trump card."

"But... Sister Tian Meng, is there really nothing you can do?"

All Huo Yutong knew was that Tang Qi, a mere Soul Elder, was being attacked by a Titled Douluo.

Tian Meng kept her beautiful eyes tightly shut. After a long moment, she snapped resentfully, "Damn you, Tang Qi! Always playing the pig to eat the tiger! If you don't take me to the Divine Realm someday, just watch me stuff my foot into your mouth!"

Just as Tian Meng was about to possess her, an elderly voice suddenly rang out.

"That's enough, Yan Shaozhe."

Yan Shaozhe's movements abruptly halted, and the Holy Light Feathers dissipated. He slowly turned to look at the person who had appeared behind him without his noticing.

It was an old man with disheveled hair.

His white robe had been stained grayish-brown by who knew what, and several holes had been torn in it. He looked so filthy that he might have crawled out of a rubbish heap.

It was none other than the "Stomach Sack" Douluo, Xuan Zi.

Holding a glistening, greasy chicken leg in his right hand, Xuan Zi took a huge bite without a care for anyone around him and mumbled, "We're leaving. Bring Xiaotao back to the Inner Court."

"But..."

The instant Yan Shaozhe opened his mouth, an immense wave of soul power, so dense it was almost tangible, pressed down on him. Xuan Zi's cloudy eyes stared straight at him.

Xuan Zi might have been sloppy in his work, and his brain often muddled. But that did not mean his strength was as useless as his brain.

As Shrek's strongest publicly known expert, he had the right to hiss at anyone except Mu En.

Thus, Yan Shaozhe could only take it.

What was more, Mu En had taken notice of Tang Qi long ago. Yan Shaozhe's actions were nothing short of outrageous defiance, giving Xuan Zi all the more justification to hiss at him.

Yan Shaozhe let out a heavy sigh and carefully picked up the unconscious Ma Xiaotao.

Before leaving, he glanced back at Tang Qi and the students of Class Nine, his tone icy. "Not one of you is to breathe a word of what happened today. Anyone who does will be expelled!"

With that, he followed Xuan Zi and stepped forward, vanishing from the spot in an instant.

Only the students of Class Nine remained, exchanging bewildered looks.

Silence hung in the air for quite some time.

Only then did everyone crowd forward, surrounding Tang Qi and talking over one another.

"Vice class monitor, that was godlike!"

"Vice class monitor, you were incredible!"

"Tang Qi, don't worry. Wu Feng has already decided to go to her grandfather."

Ning Tian came closer. "Wu Feng's grandfather is a Titled Douluo. I'll contact the sect as well. Shrek will definitely have to give you an explanation."

As though sensing Tang Qi's gaze, Wu Feng huffed and turned her head away. "Don't think I'm doing this for you. I only agreed because Ning Tian kept going on about it in my ear."

Tang Qi managed a faint smile and nodded slightly to the two of them. "Thanks, but I can handle this myself."

With that, he turned around and gently rubbed Huo Yutong's little head, saying softly, "Take Xiao Xiao back to the dorm and get some rest. Don't worry about me."

As for Xiao Xiao, after all the jostling Tang Qi had just put her through, she had long since gone limp and passed out.

Finally, Tang Qi looked at Mu Jin.

Mu Jin opened his mouth but could not get a single word out. His entire worldview had collapsed.

Tang Qi's tone was calm. "Teacher Mu Jin, I'd like to take the afternoon off. I need to go out."

Mu Jin froze, then nodded instinctively.

Without another word, Tang Qi turned and headed out of the academy.

As the saying went, a gentleman could wait ten years for revenge. But Tang Qi, someone who played by the "you're courting death" rule, was no damned gentleman.

Putting up with bullying without backing was one thing, but if he still had to swallow humiliation with backing, then what the hell was the point of having it?!