"You trust me that much?"
At those words, Dugu Bo patted the chair beneath his backside. "Where your backside sits decides how your head thinks."
"At least I can be certain that as long as you're in charge and your actions succeed, humanity won't be completely wiped out."
"Even taking a step back."
"Even if I don't consider the whole picture and only consider my Dugu line, I still have to support you."
Dugu Bo leaned forward and stared at Jin Jiuxiao. "I've already boarded your pirate ship. Can I still get off?"
Jin Jiuxiao chuckled. "Naturally, there's no getting off now."
"Stick with me, and you won't lose out."
Dugu Bo really did see things clearly.
That was indeed how the reasoning went.
Where your backside sat decided how your head thought.
Since Dugu Bo had already planted his backside on this side, if his head failed to follow...
Then his head would have to part ways with his body.
"All right, I've told you everything I needed to tell you."
"I'll keep watching things over there. If anything happens, I'll come tell you in advance."
"All right," Jin Jiuxiao replied.
"I'm off." Dugu Bo rose and left.
Only after Dugu Bo left did Zi JI emerge from the house, clicking her tongue in wonder. "Who would've thought Dugu Bo was a man who understood things?"
Di Tian had tacitly approved Jin Jiuxiao's actions.
That meant Di Tian was willing to let Jin Jiuxiao try first.
If Jin Jiuxiao failed, it would prove this road led nowhere.
"Humans really are complicated." Standing beside Zi JI, Bi Ji shook her head slightly. "Why won't they listen to even a little well-meaning advice?"
She truly couldn't understand it.
It wasn't as though she hadn't warned those humans back then.
Yet those humans had still gone their own way, never taking her words to heart.
"Words alone are useless."
If words alone could really put an end to strife, there wouldn't be so many wars and killings in the world.
"Let's go, Zi Ji, Bi Ji."
"It's time we set off for Shrek, too."
Their things were already packed.
As for ending the lease and such, they weren't short of that little bit of money anyway.
Leaving the landlord a letter would do.
After the three arrived in Suotuo City, they first rented a small courtyard near the western outskirts.
Only after buying some daily necessities did Jin Jiuxiao set off for Shrek.
Zi JI followed Jin Jiuxiao in secret, while Bi Ji stayed home to tidy the rooms.
"Jin Jiuxiao?"
Walking along the main road, Jin Jiuxiao heard someone call his name and looked back. "Tang San? Looks like I'm not too late."
Tang San and Xiao Wu were coming out through the hotel's front doors.
Jin Jiuxiao glanced at the hotel building without saying anything.
Tang San, however, noticed his gaze and hurriedly waved his hands in explanation. "It's not what you think, Jin Jiuxiao."
Speaking at lightning speed, he briefly recounted how he and Xiao Wu had searched for somewhere to stay after arriving in Suotuo City, along with their encounter with Dai Mubai.
"I haven't even said anything." Watching Tang San's frantic attempts to prove something, Jin Jiuxiao shrugged helplessly. "I'm not some busybody."
He couldn't be bothered to meddle in the little matter between Tang San and Xiao Wu.
To be fair, between Tang San and Xiao Wu...
Xiao Wu really had been the one to tease Tang San first.
How could a hundred-thousand-year-old lecherous rabbit be some innocent who knew nothing?
Was that supposed to be a joke?
Seeing that Jin Jiuxiao had no particular reaction, Tang San let out a breath. "Mm, let's head over together, then."
Jin Jiuxiao nodded and strode ahead, taking the lead.
Tang San and Xiao Wu exchanged a glance, then followed him.
Soon, the three spotted a small village roughly half a kilometer ahead.
A wooden fence encircled the village, seemingly intended to keep wild beasts out.
Quite a few people had gathered at the village entrance.
"We're here," Jin Jiuxiao reminded them.
"Huh?" Hearing Jin Jiuxiao's voice, Xiao Wu let out a puzzled exclamation.
Here where?
"We've reached Shrek Academy?" Tang San quietly activated his Purple Demon Eye and looked toward the little village ahead.
A small table stood at the village entrance, with an elderly man in his sixties sitting behind it.
What left Tang San dumbfounded was the rather dilapidated sign hanging from the wooden archway at the entrance.
The five large characters for Shrek Academy were printed on the sign.
Before those five characters was a green face that looked like the head of some humanoid monster.
The elderly man behind the table also wore a similar round badge on his chest.
As they drew closer, Xiao Wu could make out the scene as well.
She stared at the sign in astonishment. "No way... did Grandmaster get the place wrong?"
This place was simply too... old.
Tang San gave a wry chuckle. "Well... we're here already. Let's go take a look first."
Jin Jiuxiao stopped at the village entrance and looked toward the crown of a tree ahead to the left.
His eyes met Flender's.
Flender was surprised.
None of the many people here had discovered him, yet this boy had picked out his hiding place at a glance.
Could it be... these three were the students Xiaogang had recommended?
At that moment, Tang San also noticed Dai Mubai, who had been sitting to one side, obscured by the crowd. "Dai Mubai?"
"Tang San?" Dai Mubai rose to greet him. "You really did come to sign up. And this is...?"
He recognized Tang San and Xiao Wu; after all, they had dealt with each other before.
"Jin Jiuxiao." Jin Jiuxiao calmly gave his name, then spoke toward Flender. "Dean Flender, since you're here, why not show yourself?"
"Ahem..." Flender coughed lightly and appeared in a flash at the village entrance. "You managed to detect me. You're no ordinary kid."
Only then did Tang San realize that this was the swindling shopkeeper who seemed to know his teacher.
Jin Jiuxiao walked up to Flender and handed him the recommendation letter Yu Xiaogang had written. "Dean Flender, this is the letter Grandmaster asked me to give you."
Seeing what Jin Jiuxiao did, Tang San followed and handed his recommendation letter to Flender as well. "Dean Flender, this one's mine."
Flender took the envelopes and read the letters one after another, then looked up to confirm. "You three, come stand behind me."
Looking at the crowd, which was growing restless, he directly summoned his martial soul and Soul Rings. "Quiet! Line up and continue registering!"
Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black!
Seven Soul Rings appeared in succession.
Seeing that Flender was a Seven-Ring Soul Sage, everyone hurriedly fell silent and became exceedingly well-behaved.
A few more people passed the registration test afterward.
With just a brief sensing, Flender confirmed their soul power levels.
He pointed toward two of the girls. "You two, come stand behind me as well."
"Follow me."
The two he had singled out were Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing.
Dai Mubai stared blankly at Zhu Zhuqing, as though he had sensed something inconceivable.
It was as though there was a feeling of mutual complementarity.
"Mubai, stay here and help Teacher Li recruit students."
"Ah... yes, Dean." Flender's voice pulled Dai Mubai out of his thoughts, and he agreed.
Flender, meanwhile, led the other five straight into the village.