After a short rest, the Shrek group set off for the Star Dou Great Forest. Since the academy had no carriage, they traveled on foot.
Apart from Zhao Wuji, the eight of them advanced in a spindle formation. Dai Mubai led the way, Tang San and Ma Hongjun stayed in the middle to keep an eye on the whole group, Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing guarded the flanks, and Oscar and Ning Rongrong were protected in the very center.
As for Qi Ling, the strongest in the group, he naturally took the most dangerous position at the rear. After all, while they were moving, everyone's attention was focused ahead, making the very back the place where danger was most likely to strike.
Not long after they set out, everyone felt the importance of support-type Soul Masters. To reach the Star Dou Great Forest as quickly as possible, they naturally ran, consuming Soul Power at an alarming rate.
With Oscar's sausages replenishing their Soul Power, however, the pressure on everyone eased considerably. They could stay full of vigor and maintain their formation.
The other support-type Soul Master on the team, Ning Rongrong, did not use her Soul Skills because there was still a rift between her and the others.
Or rather, it was not that she did not want to use them, but that she could not find a suitable moment to do so. Watching Oscar get along so well with everyone, she felt a little envious.
Watching this, Qi Ling sighed helplessly and said, "Rongrong, use your Soul Skill to help everyone speed up too! Otherwise, at this rate, we might very well end up sleeping out in the wilderness."
"W-why should I use my Soul Skill on you? Hmph!" Ning Rongrong said, not meaning what she said.
"Haha, then consider it a job! Five Gold Soul Coins every two hours! How about it? That's a generous rate, isn't it?" Qi Ling said with a smile.
"Hmph! I don't care about your money!" Despite saying this, Ning Rongrong summoned her Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda and used her speed-boosting Soul Skill.
The moment the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda appeared, everyone felt their bodies grow lighter and their speed increase considerably. Their opinion of Ning Rongrong improved quite a bit as well.
"Rongrong, thank you," Oscar said then. "I feel much better."
But Ning Rongrong pouted and muttered under her breath, "What good is your thanks? You're not the one I used my Soul Skill for..."
Although everyone's speed had increased considerably, boosting eight people at once was an enormous burden on Ning Rongrong, even with Oscar's sausages replenishing her Soul Power. Besides, she still had to keep up herself.
Finally, after holding on for seven hours, Ning Rongrong reached her limit. Her legs buckled, and she was about to fall.
Just then, a pair of strong arms scooped her up and gathered her into an embrace.
Still running, Qi Ling picked Ning Rongrong up and said in her ear, "You did very well. Thanks for all your hard work."
Hearing those words, Ning Rongrong's lips curved into a faint smile. Drowsiness washed over her, and she actually fell asleep just like that in Qi Ling's arms.
Only at nightfall, after traveling all day, did the group stop at a small town not far from the Star Dou Great Forest, planning to rest for the night before continuing.
Panting heavily, Ma Hongjun and the others looked at Qi Ling, who had carried Ning Rongrong the whole way without even disturbing his breathing. "Boss Qi, a-are you even human?" Ma Hongjun said glumly. "You're way too strong!"
Qi Ling shrugged helplessly and repeated that classic line: "You can't lump everyone's constitutions together."
After discussing it, everyone decided to spend the night at the town's hotel and set off again the following day.
Qi Ling woke Ning Rongrong, who was still sleeping soundly. She stretched lazily in his arms and mumbled, "Is it morning? Where are we?"
"If you don't get up soon, it'll be dark!" Qi Ling said with a smile.
Only then did Ning Rongrong realize she was actually lying in Qi Ling's arms. With a startled little cry, she immediately jumped up, then sat down beside Xiao Wu.
As they began ordering food, Zhao Wuji went upstairs alone.
Ma Hongjun said this was an academy rule: teachers would not accept any benefits from students, and naturally would not pay any of their expenses either.
"Oh? There's a rule like that?" Qi Ling said with a smile. "That's novel. This is the first school I've seen like that."
Ma Hongjun grinned. "Of course! How could our Shrek Academy be like other academies? I quite like it this way. Everything's clear-cut, without any pretension."
Qi Ling nodded. "It certainly is clear-cut, but it lacks a little human warmth. You all eat first. I'll go have a few drinks with Teacher Zhao!"
After going up to the second floor, Qi Ling sat straight down at Zhao Wuji's table. Zhao Wuji looked at him and said irritably, "You little brat, what are you doing? Fatty should have told you the academy's rules by now, shouldn't he?"
"Nothing much. Right now, I'm not a Shrek student, just a man who wants a drink!" As Qi Ling spoke, he took a jar of hundred-year-old fine wine from his storage space and set it down hard on the table.
Zhao Wuji was just about to give Qi Ling a scolding, but once Qi Ling cracked the jar open with a pop, he could no longer get a word out! This wine smelled far too good.
Quietly swallowing, Zhao Wuji kept up his stern pretense. "Hmph. If you want a drink, why not drink with them? Why insist on coming to me?"
"No particular reason. They're still children. They can't handle liquor this strong!" Qi Ling said with a smile. "Besides, does a man need a reason to drink?"
"Hahaha! Good! You little brat, those words are just to my taste!" Zhao Wuji laughed. "Come on, pour me some. Let's see just how strong your liquor is!"
Seeing Qi Ling actually drinking strong liquor with Zhao Wuji, the others downstairs could not help feeling deeply impressed.
They were, in fact, still somewhat afraid of Teacher Zhao, and were nowhere near as at ease with him as Qi Ling was.
"Brother Qi really is extraordinary! This is the first time I've seen anyone treat Teacher Zhao like that!" Dai Mubai said admiringly. "You know, even now, I still don't dare drink with Teacher Zhao."
Hearing someone praise her big brother, Xiao Wu immediately said happily, "Of course! Brother Qi is amazing! He's always saying something about youth being wasted without a little wild arrogance, telling us to let loose while we're young!"
Everyone laughed at that. Ma Hongjun said, "Boss Qi really is like our dean. The dean's always saying that anyone who doesn't dare stir up trouble is a mediocrity, and telling us not to become Soul Masters if we're timid."
Oscar shook his head. "Ah, I don't think we'll ever manage to be as free and easy as Boss Qi and enjoy life like that."
Tang San nodded too. "Big Brother's actions really are hard to fathom. Of everyone I've met, no one is less bound by the world than he is."
Seeing everyone praise Qi Ling, Ning Rongrong pouted. "Hmph, he's not that great. All he does is bully people!"
"Hehe, Rongrong, we all know. This is what they call flirting, isn't it?" Ma Hongjun said with a mischievous grin. "Boss Qi carried you the whole way. So, was it comfortable?"
"You rotten fatty! Are you asking to die?" Deeply embarrassed, Ning Rongrong immediately chased after Ma Hongjun, determined to hit him, but he nimbly dodged her.
The group, who had originally been somewhat estranged, grew much closer while talking about Qi Ling. Perhaps this, too, was part of his charm.