After Dai Mubai successfully absorbed his third spirit ring and advanced to Spirit Elder, the three of them set out directly, planning to head for Star Luo City.
They were already within the borders of the Star Luo Empire, but even at their speed, it would still take at least half a month to reach the city.
However, just as they were about to depart, they encountered something out of the ordinary.
They weren't too far from the territory of the Vajra White Tiger clan. Not long after leaving their cave and entering the forest, they came across a team of spirit masters head on.
If it had only been a group of ordinary spirit masters hunting for spirit rings, it would have been nothing more than a passing encounter they could just greet each other and move on.
But when Dai Mubai saw the attire of this group, he instantly felt a tense, as if facing a great enemy alertness. When his gaze locked onto a tall, golden haired figure in the crowd, his whole demeanor shifted into something unusual.
Oscar, too, upon getting a clear look at the group, quickly guessed what was going on.
There were about twenty of them. Leading them was a middle aged man. At his side was a tall, handsome man about two meters in height with golden hair draped over his back, exuding the aura of someone walking with the stride of a dragon and the poise of a tiger. His presence was commanding and full of confidence.
When Oscar and the others noticed this group, the group also noticed them. The middle aged man and the young man both paused slightly upon seeing Dai Mubai, then smiled faintly though their expressions betrayed no clear emotion.
The middle aged man and the young man said a few words to the people behind them, who stayed where they were, while the two of them walked straight toward Oscar's group.
As they walked, the golden haired youth's deep voice rang out:
"Mubai, I didn't expect to run into you here. I thought that after you ran away from home, you'd never come back. I didn't expect…"
Before he could finish, Dai Mubai coldly snorted:
"Davis, stop pretending. There's nothing for us to talk about."
Davis didn't seem to mind. He kept smiling.
"Aren't you going to introduce us to your two companions?"
Dai Mubai ignored him and instead spoke to Zhao Wuji and Oscar:
"Teacher Zhao, Brother Ao, let's go. I'll explain later."
But Davis and the middle aged man had already reached them. Hearing Dai Mubai's words, Davis's expression turned slightly mocking.
"What's this? We've only just met, and you're already thinking of running away? Actually, in the year or so you've been gone, Father has missed you quite a lot."
Then Davis leaned close to Dai Mubai's ear and whispered:
"Oh, and your little fiancée she seems to miss you too."
At those words, Dai Mubai instantly grabbed Davis's collar.
"What did you say?! What have you done to her?!"
The Dai Mubai of today was no longer the playboy from the original story. His heart held no romantic flings other than cultivating, the only person he truly cared about was his fiancée, Zhu Zhuqing, alone in Star Luo City.
Davis's words had touched his reverse scale. But Davis merely patted his hand and forced it away.
"My dear younger brother, what's this? When you left alone back then, I didn't see you care so much about Zhuqing. Why the sudden act now?"
His words directly threw Dai Mubai's earlier accusation of "pretending" right back at him, and also stabbed at his greatest regret because indeed, his past actions had been thoughtless.
"Davis, I'm warning youif you dare touch Zhuqing, I'll" Dai Mubai's hetero chromatic eyes glared coldly at him.
But Davis cut him off before he could finish.
"Or else what? You'll raise your hand against your own elder brother?"
Dai Mubai snorted coldly.
"You? Worthy of being my brother? Haven't you oppressed me enough all these years?"
At this moment, Oscar who had been watching coldly finally spoke.
"Mubai, aren't you going to introduce us?"
It was true what they said those in the thick of things can't see clearly, but bystanders can. From Oscar's perspective, Davis clearly seemed far more composed than Dai Mubai. From the very start, Dai Mubai had been led by the nose in their exchange.
And this was just after a few short sentences imagine how powerless and defeated Dai Mubai must have felt in the past when facing Davis.
Even though Dai Mubai had grown a lot over the past year, compared to his seven years older brother, he was still too young.
But just because Dai Mubai couldn't match Davis now didn't mean he wouldn't in the future.
And since Oscar was here, he naturally wouldn't let Dai Mubai be bullied like this especially when Dai Mubai now called him "Brother Oscar."
Being an elder brother came with responsibility, after all.
Hearing Oscar's voice, Dai Mubai's anger finally subsided a little. He looked at Oscar's warm smile and slowly said:
"Brother Ao, this is the Davis I told you about."
Oscar nodded slightly toward Davis with a smile.
"Hello, I'm Oscar Mubai's big brother now."
Davis frowned slightly, his disdain for Dai Mubai growing.
He ignored Oscar and sneered at Dai Mubai:
"Hah! So you disown your own brother to recognize some stray as your elder brother? I don't care, but aren't you afraid Father will be angry when he finds out?"
But Dai Mubai wasn't truly angry at this jab. He had already accepted Oscar in his heart. So instead, he inwardly mocked Davis just from Oscar stepping up just now, he had already earned the title of "big brother."
To outsiders, this was a family matter. And since Dai Mubai had told Oscar about his background, Oscar openly taking his side now meant he had chosen him in the struggle for the throne.
Though in truth, Dai Mubai didn't want to drag Oscar and Ma Hongjun into this royal power struggle it was his and Zhu Zhuqing's business.
Still, he was deeply touched that Oscar stood up for him.
Oscar didn't let Dai Mubai face Davis alone. With his usual smile, he said:
"That's right if your own brother is worse than me, a brother you met halfway, then maybe you're not doing a great job as the older brother."
Davis shot him a cold look.
"Boy, this is between us brothers. Since when does an outsider like you get to interrupt?"
Oscar's expression didn't change.
"Oh? Did I hit a nerve? Or are you trying to use your so called prince status to pressure me?"
Then, smiling more broadly:
"Oh, we have princes too but Mubai calls me big brother. Since you and Mubai are both princes, why don't you call me big brother too? I promise to treat you equally."
Even Davis's temper couldn't withstand that. Just as he was about to explode, the middle aged man beside him raised a hand to stop him and whispered:
"Crown Prince, business first."
Then the middle aged man glanced at Oscar and unleashed a terrifying aura spirit power at the Spirit Sage level pressing down on him.
"Sharp tongued brat, how dare you speak to the Crown Prince like that?"
Before Oscar could react, Zhao Wuji snorted coldly.
"And you call yourself a Spirit Sage? You've got the nerve to bully kids?"
With Zhao Wuji's voice came an even more terrifying aura, overwhelming the middle aged man's pressure completely and with greater force.
…
Davis had come to the Star Dou Great Forest this time on an assignment from the Star Luo Emperor: to capture three Vajra White Tigers of at least 4,000 years in age, to replenish the royal family's hunting grounds.
At twenty years old, he had just broken through to level 40 and become a Spirit Ancestor. The task wasn't easy, but it was the kind of challenge that could earn the Emperor's appreciation.
His rivalry with Dai Mubai was still kept off the public stage. Mubai was still too young, and the Emperor wouldn't allow him to be killed there was no point in doing so.
The original story even had the Emperor supporting Shrek Academy in winter, so it wasn't surprising. Oscar didn't care if you bully someone under his protection, he won't let it slide.
As Zhao Wuji and the middle aged man clashed, the latter quickly lost ground his spirit power was about level 75, while Zhao Wuji was level 78.
No matter how you looked at it, he was no match for Zhao Wuji especially since Zhao had once escaped unscathed from an ambush by sixteen Spirit Emperors when he only had six spirit rings.
The title "Immovable King" in the Spirit Master world was well earned.
With a cold snort, Zhao Wuji's aura crashed down, forcing the middle aged man back two steps before he could steady himself.
His face dark, he glared at Zhao Wuji. But Zhao Wuji's expression remained indifferent.
"So what if you're royal? Mubai is also a prince. If you want to bully someone younger, you'll have to get past me first."
Hearing this, Dai Mubai felt a warmth in his heart. In just over a year at Shrek Academy, he had experienced a kind of warmth he had never known in the cold imperial family.
Davis wasn't stupid. If "Uncle Hu" couldn't win, it was clear the man behind Dai Mubai was no ordinary figure. And except for Uncle Hu, the strongest among his entourage were only at the Spirit King level they couldn't match Zhao Wuji.
Oscar gave Zhao Wuji a thumbs up.
"Boss Zhao so domineering!"
Then he turned to Davis.
"Mubai isn't alone anymore. I don't care about the past, but if you want to cause trouble for him in the future, you'll have to go through Shrek Academy."
Davis glared at them both before snorting.
"Hmph! Uncle Hu, let's go!"
Knowing they were at a disadvantage and remembering his father's warning not to harm Dai Mubai before he turned twenty Davis had no choice but to leave.
Oscar didn't try to stop them. Once they were gone, he, Dai Mubai, and Zhao Wuji continued on their way.
"Brother Ao, Teacher Zhao thank you just now," Dai Mubai said.
They both smiled.
"You're part of Shrek now. How could we let you be bullied?"
Oscar asked:
"By the way, was Davis here to hunt a spirit ring? Did he just break through?"
Dai Mubai thought for a moment.
"Probably. When I left, his spirit power was already close to Spirit Ancestor level. Reaching level 40 by now makes sense."
Zhao Wuji frowned.
"So he's at least ten levels higher than you. In your rivalry, you're at a disadvantage."
Dai Mubai gave a bitter smile.
"He's seven years older than me. But I have the confidence to catch up after all, our gap used to be even bigger."
Oscar nodded.
"Good. If you have the confidence, we'll fully support you. And if one day you defeat your brother, become Crown Prince, and inherit the throne, Shrek will benefit too."
Dai Mubai's smile turned more bitter.
"Brother Ao, don't tease me. For now, I'll be happy if I can avoid being suppressed by Davis. Even if I surpass him, inheriting the throne is still a long way off. But… if that day does come, I promise I won't let you, Hongjun, or any of Shrek's teachers down."
Oscar and Zhao Wuji laughed heartily. Whatever the future held, with this promise, they knew Dai Mubai would go far.
Even if he didn't work for it himself, they would push him forward for their own sakes, having an emperor as a brother or student was worth the effort.
Still, they were partly mistaken.
Davis hadn't come for a spirit ring he had another mission. But he had broken through to Spirit Ancestor and was about ten levels above Dai Mubai.
Yet, as Dai Mubai himself had said, being behind now didn't mean he'd stay behind forever.
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