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The first day of the new semester brought a fresh atmosphere!
The morning was dedicated to the opening ceremony, while the afternoon was free. Most students spent their time cultivating or completing tasks.
But Bai Xu was different.
"Bai Xu, come here!" Wu Zhangkong called out after dismissing the class, stopping Bai Xu as he was about to leave and instructing him to follow him to the office.
Shen Yi was also waiting there, seemingly prepared to offer Bai Xu some guidance.
"Teacher Wu, is there something you need?" Bai Xu asked, puzzled.
"Yes, there is. I'd like to talk to you about your personality. How have you felt about this past semester of interaction?"
Bai Xu was slightly surprised and replied, "It's been fine. I don't have any issues."
Shen Yi interjected, "Don't you feel like you're growing increasingly distant from your classmates? Do you really not sense any loneliness? Your classmates keep you at arm's length—they're even reluctant to spar with you. Aside from Gu Yue and Na'er, you hardly have any friends."
Bai Xu fell silent, unable to respond.
Wu Zhangkong frowned. He knew Bai Xu was perceptive and far more mature in his thinking than the other students. Thus, he spoke frankly, "Bai Xu, you're a genius. Elder Cai holds you in high regard. But Shrek is a team, a family. Choosing isolation won't take you far here. If you're willing, we can help you integrate into the class. With your abilities, leading a seven-person team could even make you the next generation's Shrek Seven Monsters."
"Teacher Wu, everyone has their own path. I have my own choices," Bai Xu replied curtly before turning to leave.
"Regardless, from now on, you'll be assigned teammates for class missions. This is Elder Cai's decision. If you still refuse to cooperate by the end of the semester… you may face expulsion," Wu Zhangkong said solemnly.
Bai Xu paused briefly but continued walking without looking back.
Shen Yi and Wu Zhangkong watched his retreating figure, their hearts heavy with frustration. They couldn't comprehend his values.
Was he truly influenced by Leng Jiuming's ideology?
Or was his loyalty solely to the Spirit Pagoda?
But none of that mattered now. What truly mattered was Bai Xu's talent—his combat prowess. If it were someone like Xie Xie, Yang Nianshu, or Xu Xiaoyan, they could overlook it.
If his heart wasn't here, if he felt no pride in Shrek and remained indifferent, they could tolerate it until his graduation from the outer court.
But Bai Xu was too much of a genius. Though he kept a low profile in class, every student knew who stood at the pinnacle of the first grade. Whether in solo or team battles, only one figure reigned supreme!
He alone overshadowed his peers, leaving other geniuses trailing far behind, gazing at his back from a distance.
"Perhaps only a direct defeat will change him," Wu Zhangkong mused.
Shen Yi sighed. "But no one his age can match Bai Xu. His physical stats are monstrous—only your disciple, Tang Wulin, might stand a chance against him."
Wu Zhangkong nodded. "Indeed, within the class, Tang Wulin is the only one with the potential to defeat Bai Xu. His steady progress may seem slow now, but it'll pay off immensely in adulthood. Even so, he's no match for Bai Xu at this stage."
The two of them were deeply troubled.
Elder Cai had issued an order, and they had no choice but to comply.
Why did they have to deal with such a troublemaker this year? Heaven was not on their side!
"Seems like it's time to leave. I'll wait until the trip to Star Luo… If I can go, I won't return. If not, I'll just submit a withdrawal request," Bai Xu muttered to himself. This was his choice.
Why was he unwilling to form deeper bonds here?
Perhaps Bai Xu still longed to return—to his homeland. Compared to Douluo, his roots were harder to forget.
Bringing back a wife was enough. Did he really need to stay here and work?
That was out of the question.
Right now, Bai Xu was already working for the will of the plane.
But at least the compensation was generous.
---
Shrek Academy Battle Arena.
With the new semester underway, everyone was eager to see how much their peers had improved. News of the "Genius Five" challenging Class President Tang Wulin's team spread like wildfire, drawing most of the first-grade students to the arena.
Even second-year students like Yuanen Yehui and Yue Zhengyu were present. However, many in the audience were searching for one particular figure.
But he wasn't there.
Gu Yue had also been called in by Tang Wulin, reigniting the battle at the foot of the Skyrend Mountain.
The reason protagonists were called protagonists was their unimaginable growth rate. Today, you might fight them to a standstill, even gaining a slight edge. But three days later, you'd find yourself left far behind.
Golden Dragon Body, Golden Dragon Shakes the Earth, Golden Dragon Tyrant Body…
Two golden soul rings swept across the battlefield. Tang Wulin alone dismantled Wu Sizhu's martial soul fusion skill and effortlessly wrestled with Yang Nianshu's Dark Gold Bear martial soul.
Gu Yue and the others didn't even need to go all out—just clearing the field was enough to secure victory.
Seeing this, Wu Zhangkong became even more convinced that, given time, Tang Wulin could defeat Bai Xu. His bloodline was far more domineering than Bai Xu's physical prowess.
"Teacher Wu, this is our second academic year. Soon, I'd like to challenge Bai Xu!" Tang Wulin declared, his eyes burning with determination. His teammates' support bolstered his confidence.
Wu Zhangkong understood. As a team leader, if Tang Wulin wanted to stand out in the outer court, he had to become the guiding figure of the new generation. He couldn't remain in someone else's shadow, forever gazing at their back.
"Very well. If you wish to challenge Bai Xu, inform me beforehand. Train hard in the meantime—don't underestimate him. Bai Xu is on a different level; he could rival third-year students," Wu Zhangkong cautioned, omitting the fact that Bai Xu had once defeated three Soul Kings with a single mental strike.
Even with his team, if Xu Xiaoyan and the others faced Bai Xu, they'd likely collapse before even activating their soul skills. Their previous hard-fought battle had only been possible because Bai Xu had held back.
"Yes!"
---
"Did you hear? Tang Wulin's team is challenging Bai Xu again!"
"Really? They're still not giving up?"
"Of course not! After defeating the Genius Five, their only loss last semester was to Bai Xu. Now that everyone's grown stronger this term, no one wants to stay beneath someone else's heel!"
"It's a level we can't even dream of reaching. Back then, I was sure Luo Guixing and Wu Sizhu's team would win. Who knew Bai Xu would be so terrifying? Fighting outnumbered means nothing to him—he even won the second-year round-robin without resting to recover. The guy's a monster!"
"We'll see. By the way, have you seen Bai Xu around?"
"Nope. He didn't show up."
News of Tang Wulin's challenge spread rapidly, instantly becoming the hottest topic among first-years. Tang Wulin was like the eternal second-place contender, now stepping up once more to face Bai Xu.
Gu Yue and Na'er pushed the door open, excitement in their voices. "Tang Wulin plans to challenge you! Will you accept?"
Bai Xu blinked, then chuckled. "Sure, why not?"
"Wait, it's not another six-against-one, is it?"
"Of course! First, they'll try to beat you as a team, then he'll duel you one-on-one. Probably," Gu Yue said, though she wasn't entirely certain.
"If the team includes you, it'll be a bit tricky."
"Just 'a bit'?"
"What, you want me to say I can't win?" The two joked, lightening the mood. Na'er sat quietly nearby, smiling as she watched them.