The Star Dou Great Forest.
"Teacher Zhao, hurry! I can sense it. The Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent is just ahead."
Hearing Tang San urge him on, Zhao Wuji quickened his pace.
Tang San turned to Oscar and the others.
"Everyone, hurry up. We can't let someone else snatch it."
"Is it really that urgent?" Oscar asked, baffled.
Tang San didn't answer.
In his previous life, when they helped Oscar obtain his soul ring, they had run into Snake Granny Chao Tianxiang and her granddaughter, Meng Yiran.
Although Tang San wasn't afraid of them, running into them would inevitably bring trouble.
Shrek didn't have much time left now, so they couldn't afford any delays.
"Oscar, when we get to that soul beast, strike right away. Don't hesitate."
Oscar was even more confused.
"Is it really that urgent?"
"Just listen to me."
Zhao Wuji also glanced back at Tang San. Something was off about the boy today. He usually wasn't this talkative.
Still, Tang San had a point. There were far too many people snatching soul beasts in the Star Dou Great Forest. The sooner they acted, the better.
Before long, Zhao Wuji caught up with the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent and knocked it unconscious with a blow.
"Oscar, now!"
Oscar nodded and immediately stepped forward, ready to finish it with his knife.
"Stop!"
An aged yet sharp voice rang out from upstream in the ravine.
Zhao Wuji's expression changed abruptly.
Someone really had come to snatch the soul ring.
Surprise flashed through Tang San's eyes as well.
They got here so quickly?
Sure enough, a moment later, an elderly woman leaning on a snake-headed cane walked slowly down from upstream. Beside her was a girl with short blue-gray hair.
It was Snake Granny Chao Tianxiang and her granddaughter, Meng Yiran.
Oscar's hand froze in midair, his knife barely an inch from the serpent's head.
"And here I wondered who it was. So it's Shrek's Immovable Wisdom King."
"Chao Tianxiang?"
Leaning on her cane, Chao Tianxiang walked leisurely over.
"I discovered this Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent three days ago. It escaped after I wounded it. I never expected it to fall into your hands."
Zhao Wuji's expression darkened.
"Chao Tianxiang, what are you getting at?"
Chao Tianxiang sneered, her gaze sweeping over Zhao Wuji before turning to Oscar and the half-dead Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent.
"What am I getting at? I have no wish to bully the young with my seniority. Let's follow the rules..."
Halfway through, Chao Tianxiang suddenly stopped. Her gaze passed over Zhao Wuji and landed on the other side of the woods.
A black-haired youth strolled out with his hands in his pockets, a large group following behind him. Four of them, though they kept their auras restrained, still exuded a trace of a powerful expert's bearing.
At the sight, Chao Tianxiang forcibly swallowed the words on her tongue.
Having lived so many years, she still knew how to read a situation.
The auras of those four at the back of the approaching group were all too familiar to her.
Titled Douluos-and more than one!
Without betraying anything, Chao Tianxiang pulled Meng Yiran half a step back, keeping the Shrek group in front of them as a shield.
"Grandma?"
Meng Yiran gave her grandmother a puzzled look, only to be silenced by a glance from Chao Tianxiang.
Just watch the show!
At the sight of the newcomers, the Shrek group's eyes widened. Tang San's eyes turned bloodshot, and he panted like an ox.
"Shi Meng!"
Seeing them, Shi Meng paused in surprise, then smiled. "Oh, what a coincidence. You're out soul hunting too?"
"Is your Dream Academy here to snatch it as well?" Zhao Wuji eyed Shi Meng's group warily.
Shi Meng shook his head. "No, no, no. A soul ring of this caliber doesn't interest me. Carry on. I won't interrupt you. I'll be off, then."
"No! You can't leave!" Zhao Wuji blocked Shi Meng's path.
Shi Meng frowned. "What is it?"
"Was it someone from your academy who destroyed Shrek Academy that night?"
Shi Meng froze for a moment.
That night?
He did remember sensing Chrysanthemum Douluo and the others going out. They had said they were going to "spar."
He hadn't thought much of it then, but looking back now...
Shi Meng tilted his head and glanced at the four Douluos behind him.
Chrysanthemum Douluo turned his head away, his gaze wandering.
Ghost Douluo had also shrunk into the shadows and remained completely still.
She Long simply turned around, presenting his back to them.
Only Sword Douluo stood with his hands behind his back, looking perfectly composed, as though the matter had nothing to do with him-if one ignored the sheen of sweat on his forehead.
Well, well. So this was the handiwork of you four jokers.
This was really...
Too freaking cool!
"What the hell does Shrek getting destroyed have to do with our academy? We didn't do it!" Shi Meng shot back without mercy.
What?!
Zhao Wuji was stunned. This guy was downright despicable! He wouldn't even admit what he'd done?
"It was you!"
"Oh? We destroyed your Shrek Academy?" Shi Meng tilted his head. "Do you have any proof?"
Zhao Wuji was instantly at a loss for words.
He really had no proof.
That night, he had only felt the oppressive aura of Titled Douluos and seen four figures. In the pitch-black darkness, he hadn't even gotten a clear look at their faces.
"I saw it!"
"What did you see?" Shi Meng looked at him.
"I saw..."
Zhao Wuji opened his mouth, but couldn't put together a coherent answer.
Tang San had been observing Shi Meng's expression from behind. Shi Meng had remained relaxed throughout, showing neither guilt nor nervousness. He even looked a little impatient.
At the sight, Tang San's heart lurched.
Something was wrong. Twelve parts wrong out of ten!
If Shi Meng really was the mastermind, he wouldn't be this calm.
But if it wasn't him, then who could it be?
Regardless of who it was, falling out with Shi Meng now would do Shrek no good.
"Teacher Zhao." Tang San grabbed Zhao Wuji's arm. "Don't be rash. Without proof, making a scene will only hurt us."
Zhao Wuji's chest heaved several times.
Of course he knew Tang San was right.
The other side had not only the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, but people from Spirit Hall as well. Even if he had proof, so what? What could he, Zhao Wuji, possibly do to these people?
"Hmph!"
Zhao Wuji shook off Tang San's hand and stepped aside.
Shi Meng glanced at Zhao Wuji and Tang San, then at the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent on the ground, and shrugged.
"Carry on. I'll be going."
He turned to leave.
"Wait."
A clear female voice rang out.
Shi Meng stopped.
Meng Yiran?
He remembered that none of the chains of cause and effect he had altered over the past six years involved Meng Yiran. What did she want with him?
"Your name is Shi Meng?"
"Yes."
Meng Yiran bit her lip, seemingly calculating something in her mind.
"Did... did you see that Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent just now?"
"I did."
"Then don't you think it would be more suitable for me?"
Everyone present froze at her words.
"Yiran." Chao Tianxiang frowned and lightly tugged her granddaughter's sleeve.
But Meng Yiran ignored her grandmother. She took another step forward, raised her chin, and stared at Shi Meng:
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