Night passed, and morning came—the day of departure.
The lobby of the Tianhai Grand Hotel was packed, noisy with all sorts of voices blending together.
Members of the Star Luo delegation gradually filed out of the hotel, boarding the arranged soul-guided buses toward the docks. After they left, the Federation delegation began boarding as well, forming over twenty orderly lines.
"Boss, look over there." In Shrek Academy's group, Xie Xie tugged at Tang Wulin's sleeve, pointing into the crowd.
"Hm?" Tang Wulin followed his direction with a puzzled look. Scanning the dense crowd, he spotted a red-haired boy—and his expression immediately darkened.
He glared fixedly, fists clenched, his face etched with cold hatred.
"What's wrong with Wulin?" the handsome, noble-looking Le Zhengyu asked in confusion.
Ye Xinglan, Xu Lizhi, Xu Xiaoyan, and Yuanen Yehui (in male disguise) also noticed Tang Wulin's sudden shift in mood, and they all looked toward that direction.
"It's that little demon!" Xu Xiaoyan gasped, paling as she recognized the boy.
Ye Xinglan and Xu Lizhi recognized him too; their expressions turned grim, hostility flashing in their eyes.
Not far away, Yunze felt the stares and turned his head, locking eyes with Tang Wulin's group.
Tang Wulin's gaze was razor-sharp, filled with venom. He hated Yunze to the core.
That boy had humiliated him terribly in a past match. Later, his clan kidnapped Tang Wulin, forcibly extracting his Golden Dragon King bloodline, almost crippling him.
During that ordeal, Old Tang died, a Titled Douluo from the Academy was killed, and Teacher Wu Zhangkong was expelled. Truly, unforgivable crimes.
This hatred was carved deep in his heart, impossible to forget.
"I will kill you," Tang Wulin mouthed silently, though no sound came.
It was his obsession. Only Yunze's death could bring him peace and vent his hatred.
Yunze understood his lip movements but reacted with indifference, withdrawing his gaze casually as if it had been a random glance.
In his eyes, anyone who wanted him dead was already a corpse—no response needed. When the time came, he would kill.
Tang Wulin's death would have to wait until Yunze could contend with the will of the Plane itself.
"So it's them," Gu Yuena murmured, having sensed the Golden Dragon King aura. Her eyes burned with interest.
Tang Wulin still carried some of that bloodline that hadn't been extracted, and she coveted it.
"What are those looks? Asking for a beating?" Gu Yuena muttered irritably, tempted to thrash them on the spot.
"Save it for later," Yunze advised. "No need to get angry."
"Alright," she nodded, turning away from Tang Wulin and the others to keep her mood intact.
"He's so arrogant!" Xie Xie growled, shaking his fist angrily.
Ye Xinglan, Xu Lizhi, and the others were equally furious. As Shrek Academy students, they had never endured such blatant disdain.
It wasn't just a personal insult, but an insult to Shrek itself.
Yuanen Yehui and Le Zhengyu, who had seen that fight before, also recognized Yunze.
Though they had not personally been beaten by him, they too showed hostility. In their eyes, Yunze was Shrek's enemy—and thus theirs.
"Too much! What kind of look was that?" Xu Xiaoyan pouted in frustration.
"Stop staring. If you're unhappy, just beat him up later. What's the point of sulking here?" Cai Yue'er interjected. She was the leader of Shrek's envoy, accompanied by a Sealed Elder.
"But he's too strong—we can't win…" Xu Xiaoyan whispered, fear clouding her face at the thought of Yunze's power.
Xie Xie, Xu Lizhi, Ye Xinglan, even Tang Wulin himself fell silent.
The words were shameful, but true: they might not be able to beat him.
Tang Wulin's revenge, too, was a long-term plan—waiting until he grew strong enough. A gentleman's revenge could wait ten years.
Teachers Wu Zhangkong and Feng Wuyu had analyzed that Yunze must have taken special pills to reach such power at a young age, burning through his potential.
In the future, his achievements might not surpass theirs. Someday, Tang Wulin could overtake him.
But for now, he had no confidence of victory.
"If you can't beat him one-on-one, then gang up!" Cai Yue'er snapped.
"If five can't do it, then seven. If seven's not enough, then bring more! I don't believe that brat is truly unbeatable."
She hated Yunze as well. If not for Yun Tian at his side, she would've already taught him a lesson.
"Uh…" Tang Wulin and the others exchanged glances, startled by her blunt and shameless logic—but on second thought, it did make sense.
If five against one was already a gang fight, why not seven? Or more?
"Before you start, though, find a proper excuse. And don't kill him—then I can cover for you," Cai Yue'er warned.
Killing was out of the question—not from mercy, but from fear of Yun Tian. Beating Yunze up was one thing; killing him was another.
"I think it's worth trying," Tang Wulin sneered coldly. Even roughing Yunze up would feel satisfying.
"Agreed!" Xie Xie said at once. Ye Xinglan, Xu Lizhi, and the others also nodded, grinning wickedly.
They all despised Yunze and longed to trample him, to show that Shrek's students weren't to be trifled with.
Watching the group whispering and plotting, Cai Yue'er smiled faintly.
Children of their age shouldn't harbor such festering hatred—it damaged their minds. Releasing it through a good brawl with Yunze was the best remedy.
But as she glanced at Yunze's calm, composed figure, her brow furrowed.
"Why can't I see through his cultivation?" she wondered.
Indeed, even as a Super Douluo, she couldn't perceive Yunze's level. He was like a shrouded mist.
The truth was, Yunze had refined several Concealment Pills using the heaven-and-earth treasures recovered by the Myriad Demon King and Yao Ling. After taking them, all traces of his cultivation were perfectly hidden.
(End of Chapter)