At Shrek Academy, the previous day had been eventful, leaving everyone restless and unable to sleep peacefully.
The next morning, as sunlight bathed the academy grounds, the students gathered one by one in the square.
Everyone was present except for Dai Mubai. His injuries were severe, and though Tang San's treatment had brought him back to consciousness, he remained bedridden. The psychological trauma was even worse—his eyes flickered between resentment and numbness.
The events of the previous night still weighed heavily on everyone's minds, leaving them distracted. Seeing this, Oscar lightened the mood with some good news. "Dean, everyone, I have some great news. Last night, after some intense training, I broke through to the 30th level of soul power. All I need now is a spirit ring to become a three-ringed Soul Elder."
This was indeed good news, and it immediately drew everyone's attention. They congratulated him warmly.
Flender was delighted. He said loudly, "Excellent, Oscar! A food-system spirit master reaching the 30th level at the age of 14 is a rare achievement, even across the entire continent. Today's training was supposed to be more running and combat practice, but we'll change that."
"Instead, Teacher Zhao will lead you all to the Star Dou Forest to hunt for the spirit beast Oscar needs for his third spirit ring. This is an important survival training exercise, especially in the dangerous Star Dou Forest. I believe you'll all grow significantly from this experience."
Oscar was thrilled. He was about to become a three-ringed Soul Elder, but beneath his smile was a hint of sadness. Last night's events had deeply affected him, driving him to train relentlessly. To his surprise, he had managed to break through.
At that moment, a faint sound of wind caught Flender's attention. His sharp senses immediately detected Chen Yuan and Ning Rongrong arriving on a flying sword. He was slightly puzzled, wondering why they had returned.
Soon, the others noticed as well, and all eyes turned toward them. Under everyone's gaze, Chen Yuan and Ning Rongrong dismounted from the sword.
Chen Yuan retracted his martial soul, while Ning Rongrong stepped forward with a sweet smile. "Dean, I'm a bit late. I hope I didn't miss today's training."
Flender was at a loss. He had assumed that a young lady like Ning Rongrong wouldn't return to Shrek Academy. But since she had passed the entrance exam and paid her tuition, she was still a member of the academy as long as she didn't withdraw.
Finally, Flender said awkwardly, "Rongrong, I'm glad you're back. But I hope what happened last night won't happen again. If there are conflicts between students, you should come to me. Resolving things privately can easily lead to hurt feelings."
Chen Yuan had already beaten Dai Mubai half to death, and Ning Rongrong had vented her anger. She smiled and said, "Dean, you're right. Both sides were at fault, and this kind of thing won't happen again."
Flender felt relieved. Chen Yuan was terrifying—even Dai Mubai, the strongest among his students, had been nearly killed. If others provoked Ning Rongrong, would all his students end up beaten?
He then said, "That's good. You're all classmates, so let's not let conflicts ruin the harmony. Today's lesson has been changed. Oscar has broken through to the 30th level, so we're heading to the Star Dou Forest to hunt for the spirit beast he needs for his third spirit ring. This will also serve as survival training."
Ning Rongrong was surprised. She turned to Oscar and said with a smile, "Oscar, congratulations! As a food-system spirit master, reaching this level so quickly is truly impressive."
Even though he knew there was no chance, Oscar couldn't help but feel a flutter in his heart at Ning Rongrong's sweet smile. He scratched his head and grinned. "Rongrong, thank you for the praise. I'm not that amazing, hehe…"
His eagerness to please only made Ning Rongrong think less of him.
While Ning Rongrong and Flender were talking, the others were watching Chen Yuan.
Tang San wanted to approach him but hesitated. Yesterday, he had been wary of Chen Yuan, but after hearing about the Clear Sky Clan and the Clear Sky Hammer from him, Tang San felt a desire to befriend Chen Yuan and learn more. However, not knowing Chen Yuan's temperament, he didn't dare to approach rashly, especially since Chen Yuan had just beaten Dai Mubai, who had indeed been in the wrong for using such vile language toward a girl.
Xiao Wu hid behind Tang San, seemingly unwilling to interact with Chen Yuan. It wasn't that she feared Chen Yuan himself, but rather his master, Chen Xin, a Titled Douluo. If they met, her true identity might be exposed.
She knew how tempting her identity would be to human spirit masters—a hundred-thousand-year spirit beast, with a spirit ring and spirit bone that were priceless treasures. And right now, she didn't have the strength to protect herself.
Ma Hongjun was cautious. He usually got along well with Dai Mubai and was upset about what had happened, but he didn't dare show it. Whether it was Chen Yuan's own strength or his powerful master, Ma Hongjun knew he couldn't afford to provoke him.
Zhu Zhuqing looked at Chen Yuan with curiosity. She hadn't been present when Chen Yuan beat Dai Mubai, but she had seen Dai Mubai's severe injuries later. As his nominal fiancée, she wasn't angry—instead, she felt a sense of relief. Dai Mubai had been too disappointing.
Chen Yuan, on the other hand, was pleasantly surprised. A trip to the Star Dou Forest meant there was a chance to encounter that Man-Faced Demon Spider spirit beast that exceeded the usual limits. While the odds of obtaining an external spirit bone were slim, this particular spirit beast from the original story had a high probability of dropping one.
At that moment, Ning Rongrong ran back to Chen Yuan, clinging to his arm, and introduced him to the group. "This is Brother Chen Yuan. You all saw him yesterday. He grew up with me, and he's here to protect me. Dean, if we're going to the Star Dou Forest, can he come with us?"
Chen Yuan smiled and said, "I'll do my part and won't hold anyone back."
Flender had no objections. With Dai Mubai still bedridden, Chen Yuan's formidable strength would make hunting spirit beasts much easier.
Flender nodded. "Welcome, Chen Yuan. Your strength speaks for itself. In the Star Dou Forest, we'll rely on you to protect them."
Ning Rongrong was delighted that Flender agreed. She introduced everyone to Chen Yuan, who greeted them with a smile.
Tang San, Xiao Wu, Ma Hongjun, Zhu Zhuqing, and Oscar were introduced one by one. When it came to Oscar, it felt like his heart shattered all over again.
Meanwhile, Flender called Zhao Wuji over to explain the situation.
A short while later, Zhao Wuji, despite his bruised face, waved his hand and said, "Let's move out—to the Star Dou Forest!"
(End of Chapter)
Word Count : 1,172
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