Qian Renxue found her dormitory and pushed open the door. Despite having prepared herself, she was still dumbfounded.
The room was extremely bare. Two beds took up most of the space.
Most importantly, the dormitory didn't even have a toilet.
The mere thought of squeezing into a shared toilet with everyone on the floor made Qian Renxue shudder.
In all her life, even when she had spent some time as a maid in the crown prince's residence, she had never endured such harsh conditions.
So how had Shrek been hyped up as the number one academy on the continent?
From everything she had seen, the only thing about Shrek Academy that lived up to the title of number one on the continent was its students. Whether it was the teachers, the teaching facilities, or the living conditions, none could be called the best on the continent.
She could beat her chest and swear that Shrek was no match for their Spirit Hall!
After helping Qian Renxue clean the dormitory, Jiang Nannan left. She had to go register as well.
Qian Renxue was left alone in the room.
Pale sunlight spilled through the window and fell on Qian Renxue, gilding her with a layer of radiance. Light and darkness were sharply divided between her and the dormitory, as though she had been stripped away from this world.
Qian Renxue fell silent, gazing blankly at the world outside the window, her eyes filled with confusion, sorrow, and loneliness.
This wasn't her world. There were no friends or family, no Spirit Hall, and no grandfather. There was only her.
Here, a full ten thousand years separated her from those familiar people and things.
Ten thousand years! What could she possibly do to cross that distance?
Even a god couldn't do it, could they?
Qian Renxue suddenly wanted to cry.
It wasn't that she was weak. Her ordeal and the events of ten thousand years ago all left her at a loss.
Strip away the shell of her identity, and she was still just a young girl who had been robbed of her childhood.
Qian Renxue opened the window and stood before it, looking out at the world and letting some air into the suffocating emotions in the room.
Before long, the door creaked open, and a youth with pink-and-blue hair walked in.
Wang Dong held her head high and surveyed the dormitory with her large pink-and-blue eyes. A look of distaste appeared on her face before she turned to Qian Renxue, who stood by the window.
She remembered this person. She had made quite an impression!
She was the one who had gotten in through the back door!
Did she know how much damage that had done to her young and tender heart?
The once-sacred Shrek Academy had been stained in her eyes, all because of this person!
Wang Dong gritted her teeth, puffed out her cheeks, and glared at Qian Renxue.
"Hey, you backdoor entrant! You're in this dorm too, right? I've got a few rules, so listen up, or get out-"
Wang Dong's overbearing words came to an abrupt halt when she saw Qian Renxue turn around.
The youth before her had reddened eyes, with sorrow hidden in their depths.
Wang Dong faltered.
Wait, I haven't even bullied you yet. Why are you already crying? Isn't that bullying me instead?
Wang Dong put on a stern face, doing her best to look cold, but her tone had softened considerably.
"I'm telling you, crying won't help! Who told you to come in through the back door? But if you sincerely admit you were wrong and follow these rules of mine, it's not like I can't let you stay in this dorm."
"First, no bringing people back to the dorm whenever you please. Second, no going shirtless in the dorm and making a nuisance of yourself-"
Qian Renxue composed herself and looked expressionlessly at the overbearing young girl before her. She even found it a little funny.
Who wasn't a proud little princess?
Watching Wang Dong's clumsy performance, Qian Renxue's lips curled up slightly.
It seemed this young girl probably wasn't an undercover agent. Who would send a fool like this as a spy?
For some reason, Wang Dong felt she was being looked down on. Her large pink-and-blue eyes filled with anger, and her cheeks puffed up.
"What are you laughing at?!"
Qian Renxue gave Wang Dong a casual glance. "I just thought of something funny."
"Damn it! Are you messing with me?"
Wang Dong flew into a rage and reached straight for Qian Renxue with a clawed hand.
A golden light flickered in Qian Renxue's eyes. She easily sidestepped the grab, her expression calm. "I'm not."
Wang Dong snorted coldly and swept a fist toward Qian Renxue's chest.
"You were crying just now, and now you're laughing. And you say you're not messing with me?"
This foolish child, whose family she didn't even know, made Qian Renxue laugh in exasperation. Her face turned cold, and she caught Wang Dong's sweeping wrist with one hand at just the right moment. With a throw over her shoulder, she tossed Wang Dong out the window.
In midair, a pair of dazzling wings spread from Wang Dong's back, steadying her.
She spun around in the air and turned back, glaring at Qian Renxue with fury in her beautiful eyes. "Get out here! I challenge you to a duel!"
Qian Renxue leaped out the window with a cold expression and stood at ease facing Wang Dong. A Yellow Soul Ring rose beneath her feet.
"Hmph, so you're only a One-Ring Soul Master!"
Wang Dong curled her lip, only to frown the next moment.
She felt her Martial Soul being suppressed. The light attribute of the person before her was actually superior to that of her Light Goddess Butterfly.
Not far away, Mu En's eyes flew wide open. No longer clouded, they gleamed as he stared at the illusory Martial Soul behind Qian Renxue.
"This is-a Body Martial Soul's Second Awakening, and a Gold-Level Second Awakening at that!"
"A member of the Body Sect?" Mu En murmured.
Then he shook his head.
How could the Body Sect let such a promising talent come to Shrek? Du Busi was no fool.
"The academy has someone to carry on after us!"
Mu En closed his eyes with a chuckle. His whole body grew languid, and he looked considerably more relaxed.
Wang Dong charged straight at Qian Renxue.
She didn't use a Soul Skill. There was no need for one against a One-Ring Soul Master.
The Yellow Soul Ring beneath Qian Renxue's feet pulsed. With Spiritual Detection, every step Wang Dong took was clear to her. She had never thought fighting could be so simple.
Qian Renxue sidestepped and struck Wang Dong's back with a backhanded palm. Wang Dong fell straight onto the lawn, landing chest-first.
Qian Renxue followed up by restraining Wang Dong, twisting her arm behind her back.
"You lost."
Qian Renxue looked down at Wang Dong and said calmly, "From now on, this dorm is mine."
"I haven't lost!"
Flushed with shame and anger, Wang Dong turned over her left hand, and a black hammer appeared in it. Her strength surged in an instant.
At the sight of the black hammer, Qian Renxue froze for a moment, and Wang Dong broke free.
The Clear Sky Hammer?
This young girl has Twin Martial Souls, and she's from the Clear Sky Sect?
Qian Renxue studied Wang Dong intently, her expression much more serious.
Mu En raised his eyes, then returned to his drowsy state. "A girl from the Clear Sky Sect, and a Body Martial Soul very likely connected to the Angel Clan. Interesting! Young people these days have such fiery tempers!"
Wang Dong kicked hard off the ground and swung the Clear Sky Hammer at Qian Renxue.
But Qian Renxue had easily dodged her attacks even when she used the more agile Light Goddess Butterfly, so what chance did she have with the Clear Sky Hammer?
What decent person would take the Clear Sky Hammer head-on?
Oh, it was someone from Spirit Hall. Never mind, then. Qian Renxue was the young master of Spirit Hall.
With help from Spiritual Detection and a little assistance from Simulation, Qian Renxue easily dodged Wang Dong's attacks.
The longer Wang Dong fought, the more anxious she became. She felt as though her every move had been seen through.
Wang Dong brought her hammer down again. Seizing the moment when Wang Dong had no strength left to follow through, Qian Renxue struck her shoulder with another palm.
Wang Dong was sent flying.
"You lost again!" Qian Renxue stood over Wang Dong, looking down at her.
If I couldn't deal with Tang San, couldn't I deal with a silly goose like you?
Wang Dong fell silent.
Yes, she had lost. She had lost to a One-Ring Soul Master.
Wang Dong's eyes reddened. In all her life, she had never suffered such a grievance.