Ning Rongrong: Where's the confession you promised?

"You all pass!"

Unlike in the original story, Zhao Wuji was in poor condition and a foul mood, so he had held back considerably.

Tang San and the others worked together seamlessly. Though the fight was still grueling, they ultimately lasted half an incense stick's worth of time.

This time, none of them collapsed from exhaustion. They had merely consumed a great deal of soul power.

After recovering briefly, they followed Dai Mubai to the rest area, then took Lin Ye and the others along to the dormitories.

As in the original story, Xiao Wu, Zhu Zhuqing, and Ning Rongrong shared one room.

Tang San shared a room with Oscar.

After some discussion, Lin Ye, who had displayed astonishing strength, was assigned a room of his own.

"Brother Lin Ye, the accommodations here are awful too. Is this really an academy?"

In Lin Ye's room, Ning Rongrong, who had come over from her own dormitory, kept complaining to him.

"It is, but it's a fly-by-night academy. Everyone here is so poor their pockets rattle," Lin Ye said with a smile.

"A fly-by-night academy?" Ning Rongrong had never heard that term before.

"It means an academy without official accreditation, funding, or decent teaching facilities."

"This academy has none of those?" Ning Rongrong asked with a frown.

"That's right. Shrek Academy is a bona fide fly-by-night academy lacking all three."

"Ugh, I wouldn't have come if I'd known..." Ning Rongrong regretted yesterday's decision a little.

Lin Ye smiled and said, "It's all right, Rongrong. Don't forget what I said yesterday. If we aren't satisfied, we can find a time to leave."

Hearing this, Ning Rongrong recalled what Lin Ye had said at the Rose Hotel yesterday, and her eyes immediately lit up.

Of course, they could leave if they weren't satisfied. If anyone dared stop them, she would summon Grandpa Sword and Grandpa Bone.

"Then when are we leaving, Brother Lin Ye?" Ning Rongrong asked.

"Let's stay a little longer. A few days at the shortest, two or three months at the longest."

"Two or three months?" Ning Rongrong was a little surprised. They would stay that long?

Lin Ye glanced at the village outside the window and smiled faintly. "Rongrong, have you heard of the Star Luo Imperial Family?"

"The Star Luo Imperial Family?" Ning Rongrong thought for a moment, then said, "I've heard Dad mention them. The Star Luo Empire has three great families, and one of them is the imperial family."

"Exactly. The Star Luo Empire's three great families are the Xu Family, the Zhu Family, and the Dai Family. The Dai Family is the strongest, and they're the imperial family," Lin Ye said.

"Brother, what does that have to do with Shrek?" Ning Rongrong asked in confusion.

"That Dai Mubai, and Zhu Zhuqing, who arrived today, come from the Dai Family and the Zhu Family." Lin Ye calmly revealed this bombshell, leaving Ning Rongrong stunned.

"They... why would they come to Shrek?"

Ning Rongrong felt curious.

"Heh, Zhu Zhuqing is Dai Mubai's fiancée. She came here to find him. As for Dai Mubai, rather than living a perfectly good life as a prince, he came here to wine, dine, and chase women."

"Well..." Ning Rongrong was stunned again. This was such juicy gossip. How had Brother Lin Ye found out?

"Brother Lin Ye, is a playboy like him really Zhu Zhuqing's fiancé?"

Lin Ye nodded. "The Dai and Zhu families have intermarried for generations. The Zhu Family has always been subordinate to the Dai Family. Even if Dai Mubai is a playboy, given the Zhu Family's position, Zhu Zhuqing can't refuse to become his fiancée."

"Isn't that tragic?"

Ning Rongrong couldn't help feeling some sympathy and understanding for Zhu Zhuqing. With a fiancé like that, who could possibly put on a pleasant face?

Earlier, when they had been assigned to the same dormitory, Ning Rongrong had wanted to get to know Zhu Zhuqing. But the other girl had kept a cold, stern expression, as though holding everyone a thousand miles away, leaving Ning Rongrong baffled.

"Rongrong, there's something I want to discuss with you. I don't know whether you'll agree once you hear it," Lin Ye suddenly said with a solemn expression.

"Brother Lin Ye, there's nothing you can't say to me. Just tell me. I'll agree to anything." As she spoke, Ning Rongrong lowered her head and shyly tugged at the hem of her clothes, her heart pounding.

Was Brother Lin Ye about to confess his feelings to her?

Six years together had made Ning Rongrong develop very special feelings for Lin Ye.

However...

"I want to recruit Zhu Zhuqing away from here before we leave," Lin Ye said honestly.

"What?!" Ning Rongrong froze.

"What's wrong, Rongrong?" Lin Ye looked at her in confusion.

"N-nothing..."

Not hearing what she had hoped for, Ning Rongrong couldn't help feeling a little disappointed.

Six years of companionship had still earned her nothing more than the status of a "little sister."

She had thought Brother Lin Ye had finally caught on.

How could Ning Rongrong not know that Lin Ye had always seen her as a little sister? She simply wasn't willing to remain one forever.

One day, she would conquer Lin Ye and make him her...

Wait, what had Brother Lin Ye just said?

"Brother Lin Ye, why do you want to recruit her?"

Of all the people he could recruit, why did it have to be a woman with such a great figure? What exactly was Lin Ye trying to do?

Ning Rongrong wanted an explanation.

"It's simple. I want her to become our ally."

"I can tell she isn't willing to accept her fate. If we can help her escape it, that would be like delivering coal in the snow."

Ning Rongrong gave Lin Ye a suspicious look.

Was it really just about gaining an ally?

Seeing his earnest expression, Ning Rongrong nodded.

Perhaps Brother Lin Ye really did just want an ally. After all, she had heard him say before that when venturing out into the world, it was best to gather a band around you so you wouldn't get bullied.

No, what if Brother Lin Ye helped her, and she fell in love with him and started pursuing him? It looked like I'd have to keep an eye on her once we took her in. I couldn't let her steal Brother Lin Ye away.

Brother Lin Ye could only belong to me, Ning Rongrong!

That night, dark clouds veiled the moon.

Zhao Wuji rubbed his chilly head and took a gloomy swig of wine.

"That damn brat really went overboard."

His handsome hairstyle was gone, every last strand.

And his armpits, his legs, even his...

The boy had truly left him without a single hair.

"I'm definitely putting that brat through his paces tomorrow."

"This should count as a workplace injury, right? I'll talk to the dean tomorrow. He has to give me some money as compensation. Heh heh."

Yet just as he was about to keep drinking, a bang rang out. A gust of wind slammed the door open, and a voice abruptly reached him.

"Zhao Wuji."

Zhao Wuji's expression changed drastically, and he immediately cursed, "Who's there, playing ghosts and spirits?!"

"Come outside."

A trace of mysterious aura locked onto Zhao Wuji.

Zhao Wuji walked out of his room and glanced warily around.

"Come out. I know you're here."

The moment his words fell, a black-clad figure suddenly appeared.

At the sight of him, Zhao Wuji immediately possessed himself with his martial soul, the Great Strength Vajra Bear, and shouted coldly, "Who are you?!"

"It's been a long time since I stretched my muscles. To think I'd run into you in a little place like this. Immovable Wisdom King, I'd like to spar with you. What do you say?"

Zhao Wuji was about to curse the black-clad man for not knowing the heights of heaven or the depths of earth, only to be dumbstruck the next second.

Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, red!

"A-a hundred thousand years... T-Titled... Douluo!"

At that sight, Zhao Wuji wet himself in terror on the spot, his earlier arrogance vanishing without a trace.

"May I ask which senior you are? Please don't joke with this humble one. How could I dare spar with you?"

The black-clad man said mildly, "What is there to dare or not dare? Didn't you spar with a few juniors during the day?"

"I..."

Zhao Wuji stood frozen, cold sweat pouring from his gleaming head.

"Since you're here, come out. One or two makes no difference."

"Greetings, Your Excellency Haotian!" Flender flew out of the shadows and bowed respectfully to the black-clad man.

H-Haotian?!