The sun rose and set, marking the arrival of another day.
It was now afternoon.
Heaven Dou Empire, Balak Kingdom.
Suotuo City, Shrek Academy.
Inside a small, dilapidated wooden hut.
Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing were whispering among themselves.
After glancing at Ning Rongrong, Xiao Wu asked excitedly,
"Rong Rong, are you really staying behind to celebrate the New Year with us?"
After their experiences in the Star Dou Great Forest and the incident with the Titan Giant Ape,
the bond between the Shrek Seven Devils had naturally grown much stronger.
As for Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing's backgrounds,
Xiao Wu had already heard about them from the girls themselves.
At this moment, recalling the events in the Star Dou Great Forest and the Titan Giant Ape, Xiao Wu couldn't help but feel puzzled.
How strange. I clearly took the Concealing Grass, so how did Er Ming still manage to find me at the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest?
Could it be that Er Ming sensed my aura?
That… shouldn't be possible, right?
Ah, I was so worried about Third Brother's safety back then that I forgot to ask Er Ming what happened.
But thankfully, Third Brother obtained the external spirit bone, the Eight Spider Lances.
Hmph, lucky for him that nothing happened to Third Brother.
Otherwise, I'd have taught that stupid Er Ming a lesson.
Let's see if he dares to put my Third Brother in danger again.
After mentally confirming that she hadn't mistaken the Concealing Grass,
Xiao Wu quickly dismissed these thoughts.
After all, nothing was more important than Third Brother's safety.
Besides, as long as the Concealing Grass worked,
even if she danced right in front of a Titled Douluo,
her identity as a transformed Soul Beast wouldn't be exposed.
Just then, hearing Xiao Wu's question,
Ning Rongrong patted her own "unremarkable chest" before replying leisurely,
"Xiao Wu, Zhuqing, do you really think I'd lie about something like this?"
"After the New Year, our Shrek Academy will be moving into the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy anyway."
"I'll just celebrate the New Year here with everyone at Shrek Academy."
"Once we Shrek Seven Devils all arrive at the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy,"
"I'll just take a leave and go home then."
"It's not like the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School is far from Heaven Dou City anyway."
Going back to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School for the New Year?
To Ning Rongrong, that sounded utterly boring.
Having spent twelve years there, she was already sick of it.
Now that she'd finally made six "life-and-death" friends,
she naturally chose to stay at Shrek Academy and celebrate the New Year with them.
It was just skipping one New Year's celebration, after all.
Her father and the two elders, Sword and Bone, wouldn't blame her for it.
Ning Fengzhi: "…"
Chen Xin: "…"
Gu Rong: "…"
"Impressive."
Truly their beloved daughter and granddaughter.
Already siding with outsiders, huh?
At that moment, Zhu Zhuqing seemed to remember something and spoke up,
"Oh, right, Xiao Wu, Rong Rong."
"This morning, Senior Qin Ming said,"
"he's treating everyone to dinner at the Seven Treasure Glazed Hotel's third floor to celebrate."
"He said it's to welcome Yu Tianheng joining our Shrek Academy."
"Are you two going tonight?"
That's right, the current Shrek Seven Devils.
Still the original Tang San and the rascal rabbit Xiao Wu.
Along with Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing.
And of course, Ning Rongrong and Oscar.
Naturally, there's also the short, fat, and utterly despicable Ma Hongjun, who has completely become a good-for-nothing.
His original position among the Shrek Seven Devils had long been taken by someone else.
And the one who replaced Ma Hongjun in the Shrek Seven Devils was none other than Yu Tianheng, who had been driven out of Heaven Dou City and Heaven Dou Royal Academy by Dugu Bo.
Now, not only were Ma Hongjun's Martial Soul and Soul Power crippled, but his face also bore terrifying and hideous scars.
If it weren't for Flender's sentimentality, Yu Xiaogang would have long since kicked this "useless" "ordinary person" out of Shrek Academy.
Under Flender's arrangements, Ma Hongjun stayed at Shrek Academy to help with odd jobs.
Such as washing clothes, cooking, cleaning, and the like.
After all, Ma Hongjun was Flender's disciple, raised by him for six years.
Although Flender lacked the strength to avenge Ma Hongjun, letting him stay at Shrek Academy to do some light work and earn a living was no problem.
As a dignified seven-ringed Soul Saint, Flender wouldn't let his personal disciple starve to death.
As for why Qin Ming appeared at Shrek Academy, it was all because of a Team Soul Duel.
Setting aside Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling, who hadn't rejoined the team, Qin Ming, as the lead instructor of Heaven Dou Royal Academy, naturally continued to lead Shi Mo, Shi Ge, and Yu Feng.
Along with the seven members of Heaven Dou Royal Academy's second team.
The ten of them came together to Suotuo City to participate in the Team Soul Duel.
Unlike the original story, this time, the Heaven Dou Royal Team came to Suotuo City for the Team Soul Duel not at the invitation of the local nobles but to complete the training plan interrupted two years prior.
Two years ago, after Elf Douluo Yunxiao demolished Suotuo City's Great Spirit Arena, the countless nobles of the entire city became much quieter and more subdued.
Without Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling—the pillars of the Heaven Dou Royal Academy Team—the team's performance in the Team Soul Duel was clearly lacking.
Relying only on Shi Mo, Shi Ge, and Yu Feng, along with the seven idle nobles from the second team, the ten of them naturally suffered a crushing defeat when they encountered the "new" Shrek Seven Devils team.
What followed was similar to the original story.
At Qin Ming's invitation, Yu Xiaogang, aiming to participate in the upcoming Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Tournament two years later, agreed without hesitation to merge Shrek Academy into Heaven Dou Royal Academy.
Moreover, after receiving approval from his idol (Tang Hao), Yu Xiaogang was ready to openly and honorably bring his nephew Yu Tianheng back to Heaven Dou Royal Academy.
As for Dugu Bo's threats?
Hah, as if Dugu Bo would dare offend the entire Upper Three Sects—or the Star Luo Empire's royal family, for that matter.
Just then, upon hearing there was good food to be had, Xiao Wu immediately nodded eagerly.
"Of course we're going! Why wouldn't we?"
"If someone's treating, we should definitely go and feast!"
"Moreover, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Hotel?"
"Rong Rong, isn't this your family's hotel?"
"When we get there, you'll have to arrange everything properly for us."
"Don't worry, we're all good sisters. I'll just waive the bill for everyone when the time comes."
"Once we arrive at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Hotel, you can all eat to your heart's content."
Hearing this, Ning Rongrong casually waved her hand in dismissal.