The New Shrek Academy
His gaunt face instantly lost all color; his lips moved slightly, but no sound came out.
It's been almost twenty years.
He thought he would never see this person again in his life, the woman he had once loved so deeply.
It was as if time had turned back twenty years.
It was a spring day, with red candles burning brightly and guests filling the hall. He stood in the front of the hall, dressed in his wedding attire, waiting for his bride.
He thought it was the happiest day of his life, until his second uncle Yu Luomian, led his men in, overturned the wedding hall, pointed at Liu Erlong dressed in red, and revealed the cruel truth.
"She is my daughter, Yu Luomian's daughter, born to me and a courtesan years ago, and she takes her mother's surname, Liu! By seniority, she is your cousin! Yu Xiaogang! You have utterly disgraced the sect!"
One sentence shattered the entire wedding.
Yu Xiaogang's mind went blank at that moment. He looked at the guests below the hall in an uproar, at Liu Erlong's face drained of color, and at the light in her eyes slowly dying out.
He couldn't accept it; he couldn't accept that the person he loved so deeply was his own cousin.
Ethical, familial, and societal pressures weighed on him like a mountain. He broke down. Without taking one last look at Liu Erlong, he turned and rushed out of the wedding hall, and nearly twenty years passed before he left.
He retreated to the remote Nuoding City and became a theory teacher, focusing on the study of Martial Soul Theory. He was respectfully called "Grandmaster" by the outside world, as if he had escaped into another world.
But Yu Xiaogang didn't know that after that wedding, Liu Erlong suffered a tremendous shock, became enraged, and ventured alone into the depths of the Soul Hunting Forest, massacring several Soul Beast settlements and striking fear into the hearts of the Soul Beast.
Later, her bloodlust became so strong that even she could hardly control it. So she gave away all her wealth to build Blue Tyrant Academy, where she cared for a group of ordinary children and gradually tempered her bloodlust through teaching and nurturing them.
He has been guarding this position for nearly twenty years.
"What are you standing for? Sit down."
Liu Erlong spoke first, his voice low and slightly hoarse, yet calm. It was as if he were simply meeting an old friend he hadn't seen in years, without resentment or joy.
She closed the roster in her hand, looked up, her gaze lingering on Yu Xiaogang's face for a moment before quickly shifting to Flender: "Flender, I know what you mentioned in your letter. It's just registering for the competition, a small matter. The children are all considered part of the academy; I'll submit their qualifications, and I'll talk to the Spirit Hall. You'll have access to all the academy's resources, including the training grounds and library."
She settled the matter in a few words, without mentioning the past at all.
But the more this happened, the more suffocated Yu Xiaogang felt.
Seeing the awkward atmosphere, Flender quickly smoothed things over, pulling Yu Xiaogang to sit down and saying with a smile, "Haha, Erlong, you're so straightforward. I knew you were the right person to come to me."
Just as Flender was about to thank Yu Xiaogang, Liu Erlong abruptly changed the subject, lightly tapping the "Blue Tyrant Academy" bronze seal on the table with her fingertips, her tone decisive:
"Perfect timing, let's take this opportunity to change the name of the academy."
"Change the name?" Flender was taken aback.
"Hmm. The name ' Blue Tyrant' sounds small-minded and has a bandit-like air about it." Liu Erlong raised his eyes, his gaze sweeping over the two of them. "Let's call it Shrek Academy. Your Shrek Academy in Suotuo City was quite good back then. Monster Academy, which specializes in recruiting monsters, also fits our style."
She paused for a moment, then immediately decided on the division of labor. "Flender, you'll be the dean, overseeing overall teaching and team coordination. You're quick-witted, so you're suited for this. I'll be the vice dean, in charge of logistics, security, and foreign negotiations. I'll handle things with the Spirit Hall and the government."
As she spoke, she looked at Yu Xiaogang, her eyes calm yet earnest. "Yu Xiaogang, you are in charge of the research on Martial Soul Theory, as well as the specialized training of the Shrek Seven Monsters team. No one can match your theoretical foundation."
His words were clear and unambiguous.
There were no long, drawn-out pleasantries, no lingering grudges; they got straight to the point, setting the stage and making their positions clear.
Flender paused for a moment, then laughed heartily, slapping his thigh and saying, "Good! Good for you, Liu Erlong, still so straightforward! Alright, Shrek Academy Shrek Academy is! I'll be the dean, and we'll put that sign up in Heaven Dou City!"
Yu Xiaogang's fingers, hanging at his sides, twitched slightly.
He was still stuck in the "cousin" situation and couldn't get over it, but Liu Erlong's decisive arrangement caught him off guard and left him stunned.
There are no entanglements of personal feelings, only the open and honest cooperation in doing things side by side.
He looked up at Liu Erlong, who had already lowered her head to flip through the roster again. Her profile was cold and hard, yet it carried a reassuring certainty.
Yu Xiaogang was silent for a moment, then slowly nodded, his voice low but serious. "Okay. I'll take charge of the team and the theory."
The wind outside the window swirled jacaranda petals, which drifted in through the cracks and landed on the corners of the register on the desk.
Nearly two decades of estrangement, with no talk of reconciliation or forgiveness.
But in this way, they came together again.
The Blue Tyrant Academy sign is about to be taken down, and the Shrek Academy name will be re-established in Heaven Dou City.
And these three, along with that group of young geniuses, will begin a new chapter in this city.
The spring sun shone on the Shrek Academy's training ground, making the bluestone ground slightly warm.
Since Blue Tyrant officially changed its name to Shrek, the academy has become much more vibrant.
The original ordinary students, along with the newly arrived Shrek Seven Devils, were divided into classes based on their grade level, and their schedules were packed full.
Yu Xiaogang personally oversaw the revision of the teaching plan, dividing the training into modules for Control System, Power Attack System, and Support System. He meticulously refined every detail, including offensive and defensive coordination, formation maneuvering, and Soul Power sustain, doubling the training volume compared to before.
Four senior students from the original Blue Tyrant Academy — Tai Long, Huang Yuan, Jing Ling, and Jiang Zhu —were assigned to the reserve group to train alongside the Shrek Seven Monsters team as substitutes.
That morning, the Control System and Power Attack System practiced together.
Yu Xiaogang had just finished arranging the lineups for the group match with his tactical board when a gruff voice of doubt rang out from the sidelines.
Why should the four of us always be substitutes?
Tai Long took a step forward. He was tall and burly, with broad shoulders and a thick back, standing there like a small mountain.
He was straightforward and couldn't keep his mouth shut. Staring at Yu Xiaogang, he said in a deep voice, "Grandmaster Yu, it's always those seven from Shrek who start. We don't even get a chance to play together. If we keep training like this, the substitutes will always be substitutes. What's the point?"
Huang Yuan and Jing Ling behind him exchanged a glance but dared not speak; Jiang Zhu gently tugged at Tai Long's sleeve, signaling him not to act impulsively.
Yu Xiaogang frowned slightly, but before he could speak, a cold female voice came from behind him.
Opportunities are earned, not given.
Liu Erlong walked over with her arms crossed, her sharp features accentuated by her navy blue outfit. Her gaze swept over Tai Long. "If you can beat Dai Mubai and keep up with Tang San's control of the game, the starting position will naturally be yours. If you don't have that ability, then you should obediently practice your basic skills on the bench. If you keep making a fuss in the training field, you'll have to run fifty laps."