The late afternoon sun cast a warm gold across the rolling plains as a small convoy approached the outer borders of Heaven Dou City. Their black robes caught the wind like banners of authority—silent, swift, and unquestioned. At the head of the group walked a solitary figure, slightly apart from the others, his pace steady, his expression unreadable beneath dark brows.
Li Wei.
A month had passed since he had vanished from Shrek Academy, quietly slipping away under the pretense of seclusion and training. Now, with the Spirit Hall escort falling into formation behind him, the time had come to resume his place in the shadows of the academy growing legend.
They came to a halt on a low ridge, just far enough that the city gates were visible in the distance. He turned.
"This is far enough," Li Wei said calmly, eyes flicking to the group behind him. "Return to Spirit City. Tell Elder Yue the delivery was successful and that I will report in after the tournament concludes."
The leader of the escort, a tall man with a concealed rank and a formal tone, hesitated. "Sir, we were instructed not to leave you until—"
Li Wei raised the jade amulet carved with the symbol of a crocodile biting its own tail token between two fingers. It shimmered faintly with an inner light.
"I am not a prisoner. And I am not under surveillance. You were sent to ensure I returned safely from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. That task is complete."
The man bowed, though the tension in his shoulders betrayed his reluctance. "Understood. We'll await further instruction from the Elder Hall."
The escort turned, vanishing into the tall grass one by one like shadows dissolving in light. Only the wind remained.
Li Wei exhaled softly. Even now, even among those who nominally supported him, he was a weapon to be monitored. A variable to be watched.
"Let's go home," he muttered, his black cloak fluttering as he walked toward Heaven Dou City—and toward the new Shrek Academy that now lay within its outer district.
_____________
The sun was dipping low by the time he crossed the main gates.
Heaven Dou City had grown tense in the past month—more guards, more murmured reports of noble friction, one more year before the Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Tournament.
Shrek Academy.
Shrek had claimed its own isolated compound in the northern quarter of the city. It was here, behind vine-covered walls and iron gates, that monsters were being forged.
Li Wei stepped past the guards with ease, offering no badge or greeting. One of the new recruits, still wet behind the ears, stepped forward—only to freeze when the others yanked him back by the shoulder.
"You idiot," one hissed. "That's him."
The boy's eyes widened, mouth falling open. "That's… him?"
They didn't say the name. But they knew the weight. One of the people that from the monster team. The leader of team 2.
One of the guard coincidentally saw when the Shrek team enter the previous Blue Tyrant academy before it change to Shrek. He accidentally heard that he was team 2 leader. He do not know at the time but after a month he heard the monstrosity of team 2 people that far stronger than other people at their age. Even with their member was that strong then the leader must be stronger.
___________________
The courtyard was quieter than expected.
Evening drills had ended, and most of the new students had retired indoors. Only the inner circle—the original core of Shrek—remained outside. They had been in the sparring ground, half-suited for training, when a familiar energy swept across the courtyard like a breeze before a storm.
Oscar was the first to react.
His head snapped up, then a wide grin spread across his face.
"No way. Look who finally decided to come home."
Zhu Zhuqing was next.
She stood from where she had been meditating in a corner of the yard, her violet eyes scanning the courtyard entrance, heart catching in her throat before her thoughts could catch up. She didn't smile. But something in her shoulders relaxed.
Xiao Wu blinked, momentarily stunned, before bolting across the yard.
"You!" she shouted, pointing dramatically. "You left saying that it only for a few days! You were gone a whole month!"
Li Wei raised an eyebrow as she skidded to a stop in front of him. "It wasn't supposed to take that long. The conditions changed."
"Oh, so now you're humble and mysterious again?" Xiao Wu huffed, planting her fists on her hips. "You better tell me where you've been or I'm telling Rongrong you snuck off with another girl."
"I've been in the Sunset Forest," he said evenly. "Gathering some herbs."
Xiao Wu paused. "Oh. Wait, really?"
Behind her, Zhu Zhuqing eyes narrowed slightly, watching the subtle fatigue in his steps. It seems like wasn't a lie.
"Welcome back," she said softly.
Li Wei gave a short nod, eyes lingering on her just a moment longer.
Then came the others.
Ma Hongjun whistled, clapping Oscar on the shoulder. "Man, our secret weapon returns. Just in time too—the participants for the tournament on our side were released today."
Dai Mubai emerged last, wiping sweat from his brow with a towel. His golden eyes met Li Wei across the courtyard, and though his tone was civil, there was a quiet weight behind it.
"You've been gone a while. We thought you might not come back."
"I said I would," Li Wei replied simply.
The air between them buzzed for a moment—then passed.
Tang San remained in the distance, arms crossed. He hadn't spoken, hadn't moved, but Li Wei felt his gaze nonetheless—sharp, dissecting, cold. Nothing had changed.
He didn't greet him.
Li Wei didn't acknowledge him either.
____________________
Later that evening, in his room, Li Wei opened his storage ring.
He removed the rare herbs one by one, each one sealed in a jade box specially made to contain the herb immortal aura and prevent it to degrade easily. The air grew rich with medicinal essence, filling the room with warmth, chill, and strange fluctuations.
He took out a piece of spirit paper and wrote down names beside each herb.
Moonshadow Lotus – for Zhu Zhuqing. To enhance body control, flexibility, and reaction speed in tight bursts.
Beautiful Silk Tulip – for Ning Rongrong. To evolve her spirit into a Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda.
Thousand Snake Ginseng – for Meng Yiran. The next evolution in poison resistance and neutralization, to deepen her Spirit Master's path.
Yearning Heartbroken Red – for Xiao Wu. This Immortal Grass was capable of resurrecting the dead and restoring flesh to bare bones. As it is one of the kings of flowers, it is able to oppress any within its presence with its aura. Consuming it has great restorative effects, able to restore one's body, strengthen one's physique, and cure illnesses.
He stared at the final jade chest in his hand.
The herb inside was potent. Rare. Something that could help Tang San harmonize with multiple spirits at once. In another life, he might have passed it along without hesitation.
Now, he placed it back in the ring.
"I don't help hypocrites," he said aloud, voice cool. "Not ones who would twist loyalty into control. Then eliminate them slowly disguise as self righteous."
He sealed the ring, standing slowly.
There was work to do.
_____________________
Downstairs, in the teachers' meeting hall, Flender paced slowly.
"So he's back," he said, sipping from a cracked teacup. "And somehow, I feel like the whole academy just got a little sharper."
Yu Xiaogang stood near the window, arms behind his back.
"He'll be an asset. If he stays with us."
Flender shot him a glance. "He's not like Tang San. He doesn't worship you. You don't need his loyalty—you need his cooperation."
Yu Xiaogang mouth tightened, but he didn't reply.
They both knew: the next few weeks would define not just Shrek's place in the tournament—but its very soul.
___________________
That night, Li Wei stood alone on the rooftop, watching the stars emerge through the haze.
Below, the academy hummed with the breath of monsters in training.
He thought of the well. Of the frost and flame. Of what it meant to bring back power, not for himself, but for others.
He wasn't just their leader.
But he would be their blade.
Silent. Precise.
Ready.