The Best Lineup, Return to the Academy

Flender had mentioned it before.

In the future, he would move Shrek Academy to the Star Luo Empire and have Dai Mubai, the empire's third prince, provide for the academy's teachers in their old age.

As things stood, there was no need to promise them pie in the sky for some distant future. Everyone at Shrek Academy could simply go to the Star Luo Empire with Dai Mubai right now.

As for the Shrek Seven Devils not yet being fully assembled,

the remaining members of the Shrek Seven Devils in the original story-Tang San, Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing-had yet to arrive.

In Dai Mubai's eyes, that was even less of a problem.

As Dai Mubai's fiancée, Zhu Zhuqing was already in the Star Luo Empire.

If he took the Shrek Seven Devils to the Star Luo Empire, it would not stop Zhu Zhuqing from joining Shrek. On the contrary, it would make joining Shrek Academy even easier for her.

As for the other three members of the Shrek Seven Devils in the original story,

Tang San was deep and calculating, with a complicated family background. He also intended to establish the Tang Sect himself and carry its legacy to new heights on the Douluo Continent.

In the original story, his predecessor had been so close to Tang San, yet he had still failed to bring Tang San under his wing and get him to serve the Star Luo Empire.

Instead, Tang San had ultimately become the Heaven Dou Empire's imperial preceptor and a king of a different surname: the Blue Hao King.

Thus, it would be even more impossible for him to win Tang San over.

Xiao Wu, on the other hand, was a transformed Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast with a deep-seated feud against Spirit Hall. With the Titan Giant Ape and Sky Azure Bull Python as her two underlings, she was well worth winning over.

Unfortunately, Xiao Wu was a love-struck fool. After sharing a bed and pillow with Tang San for years at Nuoding Academy, she had long since fallen deeply in love with him. There was no way Dai Mubai could win her over.

Ning Rongrong was even more out of the question.

The Heaven Dou Empire had been able to stand on equal footing with the Star Luo Empire, a nation founded on martial might, without being destroyed and swallowed up by it.

Besides not wanting Spirit Hall to reap the fisherman's benefit,

another important reason was that the powerful Upper Three Sects among the Seven Great Sects of the Douluo Continent were all in the Heaven Dou Empire, and all supported it.

The power behind Ning Rongrong was the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, one of the Upper Three Sects that supported the Heaven Dou Empire.

Ning Rongrong's father, Ning Fengzhi, the current master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, was also the Heaven Dou Empire's grand preceptor and the teacher of its crown prince, Xue Qinghe.

As the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's heir, Ning Rongrong might have a personal relationship with him; they could be friends in private.

But given her political stance, there was no way he could recruit her, and no way she could truly bring the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect into the Star Luo Empire in the future.

If he really were an ordinary person, perhaps he would cherish those friendships and connections.

But as a prince of the Star Luo Empire, Dai Mubai did not place much importance on people who were destined to remain beyond his grasp, people who could never truly become his own.

The only ones he could win over, who could become his core supporters and serve him,

were Shrek Academy's five teachers of common birth and his two fellow students of common birth, Oscar and Ma Hongjun-

And Shrek Academy's current roster happened to include every one of those most valuable people.

Thus, upon learning that Dean Flender was worried about his safety and feared that Shrek Academy could not protect him,

Dai Mubai, who had already been considering a return to the Star Luo Empire,

immediately entertained the idea of packing up the whole of Shrek Academy and taking it with him.

Once we get back to the academy, I'll discuss this with Dean Flender and the other teachers.

Dai Mubai thought to himself.

With complicated thoughts on their minds, the journey out of the Star Dou Great Forest was different from the lively trip in, when Flender and Zhao Wuji had introduced Dai Mubai to the abilities and habits of various Soul Beasts.

The return journey was much quieter.

That had its advantages, though, as the three of them pressed on with their heads down.

Even though a few Soul Beasts blocked their path along the way, it took them less than half a day to leave the Star Dou Great Forest and reach Soul Hunting Town, which they had passed through on their way into the Star Dou Forest half a month earlier.

"Phew... we're finally out of the forest. That wasn't easy."

"Flender, you old ghost, are we eating first, or renting a carriage?" Zhao Wuji asked excitedly, looking at the bustling Soul Hunting Town just ahead.

"Eat, eat, eat. That's all you ever think about."

"I'll take Mubai back to the academy first. Zhao Wuji, find your own way back."

As soon as he finished speaking, Flender used Martial Soul Possession, then unleashed his Martial Soul Avatar, transforming into a giant Cat Owl.

The Cat Owl seized Dai Mubai by the arms and shoulders with its two eagle talons and, without another word, shot into the sky with him.

Knowing how much envy and apprehension Dai Mubai's current talent would provoke, Flender neither wanted nor dared to stay outside a second longer. All he wanted was to get Dai Mubai back to Shrek Academy as quickly as possible.

"Hey! Flender, you old ghost, take me with you!" Flender had been in such a hurry that he had skipped the meal and used his Martial Soul Avatar to fly Dai Mubai straight back to the academy.

Zhao Wuji was shocked and dumbfounded.

"Zhao Wuji, you old rascal, you've been a little short on exercise lately. Rent a carriage or run back to the academy yourself."

"Go too long without exercise, and your menopause might last longer." Flender's faint, drifting voice came from the distant sky.

That old ghost actually eavesdropped on my conversation with the kid Mubai, and he holds a grudge, too. Tch! In the blink of an eye, Flender had flown out of sight with Dai Mubai.

Left standing alone outside Soul Hunting Town, Zhao Wuji could not help cursing inwardly.

Though Zhao Wuji kept cursing, he understood why Flender was in such a hurry.

It was simply that Dai Mubai's talent was monstrous and his identity sensitive. Flender feared that lingering outside too long would increase the risk of Dai Mubai's identity being exposed, so he was anxious to get back to Shrek Academy as soon as possible.

As for why he had not taken Zhao Wuji along,

perhaps Zhao Wuji was too heavy, and that old ghost Flender could not carry two people, especially not on a long flight over such a great distance.

But Zhao Wuji preferred to believe that the old ghost Flender was holding a grudge and wanted to use this chance to get back at him for speaking ill of him in front of their student, Dai Mubai.

They had founded Shrek Academy together and been old brothers for more than ten years.

Naturally, Zhao Wuji knew exactly what kind of man Flender was.

Besides being crafty, cunning, and miserly, Flender was also known for being petty and holding grudges.

"Teacher Zhao, Dean Flender and I will head back to the academy first. We'll have some fine wine ready and wait for you!" Dai Mubai's voice followed Flender's from the distant sky.

"Haha, good! Just what I'd expect from the kid I wanted to take as my disciple back then. Mubai really is a fine lad!"

Hearing Dai Mubai call out, Zhao Wuji finally broke into a hearty smile.

He then turned and entered Soul Hunting Town, without stopping anywhere to eat.

After buying several waterskins of clean water and some substantial dry rations to fill his stomach,

he immediately rented a carriage and hurried out of Soul Hunting Town, heading for Shrek Academy.

Flender was worried that something might happen to them outside, but how could Zhao Wuji not be worried about Dai Mubai's safety too?

Now that he knew Dai Mubai was a prince, he realized he probably was not qualified to take him as a personal disciple anymore. Even so, he still cared for Dai Mubai as a disciple in his heart.

He was hurrying back now

because he was also worried that Flender might run into danger along the way, and that something might have happened to Shrek Academy during the half month they had been away.