Shrek Academy

[A noble young lady fleeing calamity. None of our business.]

["..."]

[The girl wearing a bamboo hat clenched her fists, her long nails almost digging into her flesh. In the end, she resolutely turned and left.]

["...You did that on purpose?"]

[Up ahead, Tang Zhao carried the wooden crate on his shoulder. He turned to glance at that graceful figure, then shot Dai Tianxuan a sidelong look.]

["She came here to find her fiancé. According to the Star Luo Empire's traditions, you have to face the brutal struggle for the imperial succession together with your fiancé."]

[Dai Tianxuan did not look back, pulling Tang Zhao along as he continued forward.]

["She mistook me for her fiancé."]

["Since she took the time to do a few good deeds along the way, I helped deal with her pursuers and find the person she was looking for while I was at it."]

["Going our separate ways here is the best choice."]

["She's a noble. From the very beginning, she was our enemy."]

[Hearing this, Tang Zhao withdrew his gaze, a hint of surprise entering his voice.]

["You still haven't given up on that plan of yours?"]

["No shit. Did you think I put in all this effort just for fun?"]

["Just tell me. Are you in or not?!"]

[Dai Tianxuan stared at Tang Zhao, his tone blunt.]

["Sure. When?"]

["Not yet. I have two other sworn brothers. Once all of us brothers reach Soul Saint, we'll come find you."]

["All right."]

[The two men wasted no words, settling their future affairs as they walked.]

[At the largest restaurant in Suotuo City, Li Shaobai walked in quite naturally with Xiao Wu following behind him and called over the owner.]

[After taking out some Gold Soul Coins, he quite naturally took a seat in the most luxurious private room.]

["After days of exhaustion, I can finally have a proper rest. Thank you, big... Li Shaobai."]

[Xiao Wu cheered, then plunged headfirst onto the soft sofa and rolled around.]

["It's nothing. It's also because you went to such lengths to help untie the knot in my heart. You're a good child, and you deserve a reward."]

[Li Shaobai looked at the utterly unguarded Xiao Wu, staring at the smooth, jade-like legs she inadvertently exposed as she played, then quietly reined in his gaze.]

["Dinner will be brought up in a while. Get some rest. We still have to set off again tomorrow."]

[After leaving her with that reminder, Li Shaobai turned and walked out of the room.]

[Although Li Shaobai already knew the whereabouts of the person he sought, he still intended to make a trip to the Star Dou Great Forest.]

[For one thing, he did not want to simply wait around, and he also feared that Tie Jian Zhao would not return to Suotuo City after obtaining his fourth soul ring.]

[Li Shaobai wanted to try his luck and see whether he could find him.]

[For another, to Li Shaobai personally, Xiao Wu was also the first person he had opened his heart to since his defeat at Dugu Feng's hands.]

[For his own part, Li Shaobai hoped Xiao Wu could make it home safely. This could count as escorting her, too.]

["What was that supposed to mean! He clearly still can't work things out himself, yet he's acting like a grown-up."]

[Xiao Wu's ears reddened a little, and she buried her head in the soft pillow.]

[The next day.]

[Several carriages quietly left Suotuo City along the main road.]

[Meanwhile, not far outside Suotuo City.]

["Wait, what? You're the only ones here to enroll today? Where are those two from yesterday?!"]

[Dai Mubai instinctively rubbed his long-healed eyes, his gaze sweeping over the people before him.]

[Only three people had passed their Shrek Academy's tests: one boy and two girls.]

[Although the boy also had a Sword Martial Soul, he was not the white-robed swordsman from the previous night.]

[Of the two girls, one wore a pale blue dress, her skin so tender it seemed water could be squeezed from it.]

[The other wore a bamboo hat that obscured her face, but her stunning figure stood out remarkably.]

["Then didn't I take that beating last night for nothing? You damned bastards! Don't let me catch you in the future!!"]

[Dai Mubai seethed inwardly, almost grinding his back teeth to pieces.]

[He had thought he could establish the image of a generous big brother before his juniors.]

[But it had actually been a misunderstanding?]

[Then hadn't his show of generosity yesterday made him a clown?!]

[He had even given away several books that could help him win women over.]

[What a huge loss!]

["No healing-type Soul Masters?"]

[Just as Dai Mubai was regretting it, a short, masked 'six-year-old child' beside him, whose body gave off a strong medicinal scent, spoke.]

[His voice was hoarse, making anyone who heard it feel profoundly uncomfortable. In particular, if one took a few careful sniffs of that strong medicinal scent on him, one could detect an indescribable stench.]

[It smelled a little like rotting, putrid flesh.]

[The two girls immediately frowned, instinctively wanting to cover their noses but feeling a little too embarrassed.]

[The boy with the Sword Martial Soul, however, merely frowned slightly and said nothing.]

["Ahem, Xiao San, our new juniors haven't had time to adjust yet. You should still..."]

["Since there aren't any healing-type Soul Masters, I'll be leaving."]

[The six-year-old child called Xiao San cut Dai Mubai off, then turned and left.]

["Ahem, your senior Tang San has special circumstances. Next, I'll explain to you what comes..."]

["Senior, was that person just now... a survivor of the plague in Nuoding City back then?"]

[Dai Mubai was interrupted by the boy with the Sword Martial Soul's question.]

["Uh... That's right. Tang San is indeed a survivor of that incident, but don't worry. He's almost completely recovered."]

["And of course, he isn't contagious."]

["After all, he's lived with us for several years, and we haven't seen a single teacher or student get infected."]

[Dai Mubai waved his hand and hurriedly explained.]

[The plague back then had truly been too devastating. If this matter was handled poorly, these three juniors would probably run off.]

[Even so, wasn't this far too casual?]

[The girl in the pale blue dress frowned. Already rather dissatisfied with Shrek Academy's surroundings, she instantly began thinking of leaving.]

[As the young lady of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, she knew even better how dangerous the plague six years ago had been.]

[Even Poison Douluo had been too frightened to go. Even if someone had survived by sheer luck, was this something one could risk encountering on the strength of luck?]

[And from the looks of it, that person called Tang San seemed not to have grown any taller in six whole years?]

["Just because you say he isn't contagious, that makes it true?! Almost all the infected back then were driven into the restricted zone by the empire. Yet here you are... tsk, tsk. Looks like you're even harboring an infected person."]

["You're endangering people!"]

["If Suotuo City ends up like Nuoding City back then, can you take responsibility?!"]

[The Soul Master with the Sword Martial Soul continued, his tone not softening in the slightest, instantly kindling anger in Dai Mubai's already irritated heart.]

["Ximen Yun, you're here to make trouble, aren't you?!"]

["Tang San has already put on a mask. What more do you want?"]

["Are you enrolling here or not?!"]