"Sure! I'll head back to Sea God Island first, or Na'er will kick up a fuss!"
"Wait for us at Shrek Academy's east gate this evening!"
Mu Changqing slipped one hand into his trouser pocket, said goodbye to the two people in the teaching office, and strode toward Fan Yu's laboratory.
Knock, knock, knock...
"Changqing, what is it?"
The laboratory door had been knocked on, and Fan Yu pushed it open. In the short time since they had last met, his hair had become as messy as a chicken's nest.
"Uncle Fan Yu! Let me borrow a flying Soul Tool. I'm too lazy to walk back to Sea God Island!"
Looking at Fan Yu's bird's-nest hair, Mu Changqing held back his laughter and made his request without the slightest embarrassment.
Fan Yu: ...
"There are some on the workbench. Pick whichever one you like. Consider it a gift!"
Fan Yu pointed at the flying Soul Tool core mechanisms on the table, then immersed himself in his work again.
Not wanting to disturb him, Mu Changqing stepped lightly over to the workbench, picked up a blue flying Soul Tool at random, and carefully left the laboratory.
Once Mu Changqing had left the Soul Tool Department's grounds, the flying Soul Tool flew out of his palm and automatically attached itself to his back.
Mechanical struts extended outward from within the originally small flying device on Mu Changqing's back. Before long, it covered his back, and a pair of large mechanical wings appeared behind him.
Mu Changqing pushed off hard with both feet. The device released a burst of energy that propelled him into the sky. He let out a whoop, circled a few times, and flew toward Sea God Island.
"Look! There's a bird in the sky!"
"Are you blind? That's a person!"
"Who's that? So brazen!"
As Mu Changqing passed the teaching buildings, many students began chattering, all discussing who he was to be flying around Shrek so freely.
The skies over Shrek Academy had turned dark after all.
The flying Soul Tool was fast, but it also consumed Soul Power quickly. Mu Changqing wished Soul Tool research could produce airplanes someday.
"Ah! I won't have dragon wings until the Golden Dragon King's tenth seal is broken!"
Mu Changqing sighed as he looked down at Sea God Lake.
"Big brother! Na'er missed you so much!"
The moment Mu Changqing landed in Elder Zhuang's courtyard, Na'er's childish voice rang out. She scampered out from behind Da Huang and threw herself into Mu Changqing's arms.
Elder Zhuang was leisurely drinking tea in the courtyard, watching the two little ones with a kindly expression.
Mu Changqing crouched down to soothe Na'er, then brought her over to Elder Zhuang.
"Elder Zhuang, thank you for looking after Na'er!"
"It was nothing!"
Mu Changqing thanked Elder Zhuang, who smiled at him, the wrinkles on his forehead bunching together into something resembling the character for "king."
"Elder Zhuang, we'll come visit again!"
Holding Na'er's little hand, Mu Changqing left Elder Zhuang's residence, and they headed toward Shrek's east gate together.
When the two reached the outer court, many people gathered around to look at them. Na'er was cute and pretty, so many older female students came over to greet her.
"Big brother! They're all so strange!"
Na'er tightened her grip on Mu Changqing's hand, her bewildered eyes looking at the surrounding students. Her heart was uneasy, like a little lamb that had fallen into a wolves' den.
"Because lots of people like someone as cute as Na'er!"
Na'er tilted her head, her eyes sparkling with curiosity as she looked at Mu Changqing's smiling face.
"You're... you're just the type your big brother likes!"
"Oh, so that's it!..."
Na'er nodded without quite understanding. Little did she know that Mu Changqing's words had planted a seed in her little heart.
When they reached Shrek Academy's east gate, they saw Bei Bei standing at the entrance with his arms folded, while Zhang Lexuan stood behind him.
"Changqing, Na'er, you're here!"
"Na'er gets cuter and cuter!"
Zhang Lexuan jogged over to Na'er, crouched down, and pinched her chubby little cheeks with both hands.
Na'er let go of Mu Changqing's hand and followed Zhang Lexuan's hands into her embrace, nuzzling against her shoulder.
The person Na'er clung to most was Mu Changqing, and the second was Zhang Lexuan. Na'er did not know why, either.
Zhang Lexuan held Na'er tightly in her arms and stood up, stroking her back as though she were her own daughter.
"Let's go browse the snack street!"
Bei Bei stretched, his voice languid.
The four walked to the snack street, where people packed together like mountains and seas. There were performers, food vendors...
The aromas of the delicacies here were intoxicating.
This snack street could be called the liveliest on the Douluo Continent. It ranked first, and no one dared rank second.
Because Shrek Academy's students came from all corners of the world, the food was also a dazzling assortment, and it was a little more expensive here than elsewhere.
The reason it was so expensive was that the families of students who could attend Shrek Academy were either wealthy or powerful.
"Big sister Lexuan! I want those little red fruits!"
Sitting on Zhang Lexuan's shoulders, Na'er pointed at the candied hawthorns nearby and swallowed.
Zhang Lexuan bought a few skewers for Na'er, who happily munched away with bliss written all over her face, while the two brothers, Mu Changqing and Bei Bei, began sweeping through the snack street.
"Phew-I'm so full!"
Having eaten and drunk their fill, the four found a patch of grass to rest on. Mu Changqing lay flat with his limbs spread like the character for "big," and Na'er lay on his arm as the four chatted and laughed on the grass.
"Big brother, how about we spar?"
Bei Bei suddenly felt motivated. Ever since his Martial Soul had awakened, he still had not clearly understood how great the gap was between his strength and his brother's.
Bei Bei knew that Mu Changqing's Golden Dragon Martial Soul suppressed his Holy Dragon of Light Martial Soul, but he refused to believe it. Could Martial Soul suppression alone prove that he could not beat Mu Changqing?
"Oh-ho! You're fired up now!"
"Big sister Lexuan, help Bei Bei out. Otherwise, I'm afraid he'll end up crying."
Mu Changqing swiftly rose, and the Golden Dragon King's phantom appeared behind him, exerting even stronger bloodline suppression on Bei Bei.
"Changqing, your blood vitality has grown even stronger!"
Zhang Lexuan marveled at the Golden Dragon King Martial Soul. She was now a Soul King, so naturally, she could sense that Mu Changqing's strength had risen to another level.
As Na'er watched the Golden Dragon King's phantom, her eyes reverted to silver dragon eyes for an instant, then immediately returned to their original appearance.
Bei Bei endured the effects of the Martial Soul suppression and put some distance between himself and Mu Changqing. Unwilling to show weakness, he also summoned his Holy Dragon of Light Martial Soul.
A golden dragon and a platinum dragon faced off, but the golden dragon had the upper hand.
"Since my Bei Bei refuses to accept it, I suppose I'll have to reluctantly join the battle!"
"Na'er! Stay farther away!"
Zhang Lexuan had already moved beside Bei Bei and released her Silver Moon Martial Soul. A silver moon rose behind her, and bathed in its moonlight, Bei Bei's fighting spirit grew even stronger.
Meanwhile, Na'er had already scampered into the nearby bushes.
The battle between the three was on the verge of erupting.
"First Soul Skill, Radiant Dragon Claw!"
Bei Bei merged with his Martial Soul, his left arm transforming fully into a platinum dragon claw. With his Soul Skill's enhancement, Bei Bei did not choose a ranged attack. He raised his platinum dragon claw and charged at Mu Changqing, intending to fight him hand to hand.
Over these three months, besides studying Soul Tool knowledge, Bei Bei had also been tempering his physique like mad. With the Holy Dragon of Light's enhancement as well, he did not think his physique was inferior to his brother's.
"Third Soul Skill, Moon Transformation Bind!"
"Fourth Soul Skill, Pupils of Lunar Eclipse!"
Two purple Soul Rings flashed beneath Zhang Lexuan's feet. Her Martial Soul abruptly grew larger, and moonlight shone onto Mu Changqing. The moonlight suddenly condensed into chains, restricting his movements. Zhang Lexuan's eyes were like moons, and the moonlight eroded Mu Changqing's Soul Power and spiritual power.
Mu Changqing merged with his Martial Soul and used Golden Dragon Body. Golden dragon scales instantly covered his upper body, and both Golden Dragon Claws gripped the chains tightly, but the disparity in Soul Power was immense, and he could not crush them.
Mu Changqing raised his Golden Dragon Claws to take Bei Bei's Soul Skill head-on. The two differently colored sets of dragon claws struck sparks in midair.
Bei Bei clenched his dragon claws into fists and pummeled Mu Changqing's golden dragon scales in turn. Bei Bei could not break through his defenses, and his own composure was about to break.
"First Soul Skill, Dragon King Overlord Body!"
A Tyrannosaurus manifestation appeared behind Mu Changqing. He forcibly tore apart the iron chains formed from moonlight, his Soul Power draining tremendously under Zhang Lexuan's Soul Skills.
Mu Changqing gathered all his strength into his left Golden Dragon Claw and punched Bei Bei's dragon fist. The force sent Bei Bei flying, while Mu Changqing staggered back seven steps.
Each bite displayed a show of force, each punch a Tyrannosaurus manifestation.
Zhang Lexuan caught Bei Bei, while Mu Changqing withdrew his Martial Soul and plopped down on the ground.
"Big brother, are you all right?"
Na'er ran over, her face full of worry as she looked at the weakened Mu Changqing.