"!? You are Zhu Zhuqing?" Yang Yunhai's expression instantly showed surprise, and he subconsciously spoke. His eyes once again swept across the girl in front of him, long black hair cascading down to her waist, not tied up into cat ears like her animated image.
No wonder, no wonder her physique was so striking! To think I would meet her here in the Star Dou Great Forest, and in such a particular way... what kind of luck is this?
His heart was secretly startled.
His attitude also shifted slightly. If it was Zhu Zhuqing, then he couldn't treat her like an ordinary girl. Not to mention her special background, according to the original story, Zhu Zhuqing was destined to join Shrek Academy. And he, Yang Yunhai, had already joined Spirit Hall.
That meant he was bound to oppose Tang San in the future.
If Zhu Zhuqing followed the original path to Shrek, then she would inevitably become Tang San's companion, and in the near future, his enemy as well.
His gaze flickered faintly.
"You know me?" Zhu Zhuqing's face instinctively turned wary, her delicate body tensing.
Yang Yunhai quickly smoothed his expression, shook his head, and smiled. "No need to be so on guard. Don't worry, I won't capture you to hand over to the Zhu Clan of the Star Luo Empire for a bounty."
He shifted his gaze to her pale, beautiful face and continued, "Besides, I am from the Heaven Dou Empire. I have nothing to do with the Star Luo Empire, so the arranged marriage those people forced on you is nothing but waste paper in my eyes."
"In my eyes, you are still free. My stance won't change—everything depends on what you yourself want."
Since he was the one who had electrocuted her, seen her, and even touched her while treating her injuries, taking responsibility was something he would not avoid.
Still, since he was already tied to Spirit Hall, Shrek was inevitably his enemy. If there was an opportunity to undermine them, he would never let it slip.
And he was going to Suotuo City anyway.
Perhaps he could plant a seed in Zhu Zhuqing's mind about Shrek… If everything went as planned, once he got the immortal herbs, Zhu Zhuqing without them wouldn't pose much of a threat.
For now, he could bury a little trap.
Thinking of this, he turned around. "Let's go. We should leave here first. If I'm not mistaken, you escaped this time to find Dai Mubai, right?"
"Well, I know where he is, and I also know a bit about his recent situation. I can tell you later."
Talking cost him nothing, and whether she believed it or not didn't matter. Being blunt sometimes had more impact, especially when he was telling the truth.
Zhu Zhuqing still didn't speak, only lowered her head even further, biting her lip as she silently followed him.
By noon, the two of them arrived at an open clearing far from the creek.
"Here will do," Yang Yunhai said, stopping in his tracks. "Let's have lunch here. We'll rest a bit and head out again afterward."
He placed his bundle and the rabbit meat wrapped in leaves onto the grass, then strode off to gather firewood.
Though Zhu Zhuqing remained silent, she still showed courtesy by going to the other side to help collect firewood.
Soon, with Yang Yunhai's work, the fire was lit and the rabbit was roasting.
Before long, the meat was cooked. Yang Yunhai tore off a portion with leaves, placed it beside Zhu Zhuqing, and smiled. "Go ahead, eat."
Then he picked up his own share and began to eat while speaking casually:
"Dai Mubai is currently in Suotuo City of the Heaven Dou Empire, at the Shrek Academy in the south. The teaching staff isn't bad—there are 3 Soul Saints and 2 Soul Emperors, including the dean. But honestly, the living conditions are awful."
"The academy has existed for 20 years but has never been registered as a proper school. Funding is scarce, the living environment is terrible, like some poor mountain village. There's no mimetic cultivation environment, and even the students' meals aren't guaranteed. With their teacher resources, it shouldn't be possible for them to be this poor. Yet somehow, that's exactly how it is. I truly don't know how those five teachers managed it."
"As for students, there are only 3. One is Dai Mubai, the other two are called Ma Hongjun and Oscar."
"Their talents aren't bad, but as for their character…" Yang Yunhai shook his head and continued. "Let's start with Ma Hongjun."
"His martial soul is called Evil Fire Phoenix, a mutated fire-attributed beast spirit. The quality isn't bad, but it carries a flaw. The exact reason is unclear, but it's tied to the evil fire. The result is that from awakening onwards, he must vent it with women, otherwise his body suffers backlash. Normally, he displays an uncontrollable lust toward women."
"He's a frequent visitor of brothels. Supposedly, whenever he sees a female, regardless of age, he stares shamelessly at certain parts. Worst of all, the dean never disciplines him, so he behaves recklessly, indulging without restraint."
Zhu Zhuqing didn't interrupt, but her clear eyes grew colder.
"Next is Oscar. He was discovered and recruited early by Shrek's dean. His martial soul is a sausage, but his talent is extraordinary. He's considered the only innate full soul power food-type auxiliary soul master on the continent."
Zhu Zhuqing's eyes flickered with surprise at those words.
Yang Yunhai nodded slightly. "This one isn't odd like Ma Hongjun. He's reportedly handsome and has dated a few girlfriends. His soul skill incantations, though, are said to be extremely vulgar. But honestly, incantations are just words—I don't think they matter much."
He then cast a sidelong glance at Zhu Zhuqing and said, "Lastly, there's Dai Mubai."
"He's rather well-known in Suotuo City," Yang Yunhai continued. "He's said to be a notorious womanizer, spends money lavishly, and has had many girlfriends. Once bored, he discards them and finds new ones. He juggles several at once, schedules three dates in a single day, keeps a luxury suite in the Rose Hotel, and lately has been seen with a pair of twin sisters."
'A true role model for the playboy archetype,' Yang Yunhai thought, baffled by such a lifestyle.
People cursed playboys but secretly envied them. Honestly, when he read the original story, he didn't find Dai Mubai's behavior that detestable.
After all, the women were willing, and he wasn't breaking the law. Outsiders had little right to judge.
But abandoning women recklessly? That, Yang Yunhai despised.
By now, Zhu Zhuqing's face had turned frosty, her eyes filled with disappointment.
Yang Yunhai didn't need to lie.
"Of course, this is all just what I heard," he added. "I only know these things because after graduating from the elementary academy, I researched higher-level academies in nearby cities, hoping to choose one to join. That's when I came across Shrek Academy, which only recruits 'monsters,' and I looked into it."
"Honestly, at first, I was intrigued."
"The enrollment requirement is rank 20 by age 12. To graduate, you must reach rank 40 before age 20. With such high standards, I assumed the academy must have top-notch training."
He shrugged. "But once I learned more, I lost interest."
"The environment is poor, which I could accept. For my plant-type martial soul, I could always find a mimetic environment in nearby mountains. What really turned me away was their excessive laissez-faire teaching philosophy."
"As juniors, when we choose to join an academy, isn't it because we want instructors to push us to train harder, teach us knowledge, and share life experience? But with someone like Dai Mubai indulging in women to the detriment of cultivation, and the teachers not interfering—how is that acceptable? I can't understand it."
"The funniest part? In 20 years, they've enrolled 62 students. Only 14 graduated. Some failed because they couldn't reach rank 40 by age 20, but others died while hunting soul beasts."
"Think about it. With so few students, isn't it easy for the teachers to accompany them and ensure their safety? Even if they wanted to toughen students by letting them fight, they could still intervene when necessary. How could so many die? It's absurd."
"And the most puzzling part," Yang Yunhai shook his head, "is that I heard one of the graduates became the youngest elder in Spirit Hall, second only to the Pope in authority."
"But isn't it required to be a Titled Douluo to become an elder? Shrek has only existed for 20 years. Add in their enrollment standard of age 12, that's a maximum of 32 years old. A 32-year-old Titled Douluo? I've never heard of such a thing."
"And even if there were one, would Shrek Academy still be so poor and unregistered? With a Spirit Hall elder backing them, one word could bring them wealth and fame. Yet, that hasn't happened."
"Another thing," Yang Yunhai bit into rabbit meat as he muttered, "Shrek's dean, Flender, has a so-called motto that became their school creed: 'Those who don't dare to cause trouble are mediocrities.'"
"Is it really appropriate to instill such words into students who haven't even left school? What if they provoke soul masters far stronger than themselves? Isn't that just suicide? To me, it's utterly irresponsible."
"So, Shrek Academy is definitely not a place I'd ever choose."
He turned toward Zhu Zhuqing, his voice calm. "I've said so much not just to complain, but also to warn you."
"Should you still decide to join Shrek Academy, I only hope you'll think twice before believing everything you hear. If the academy is so poor yet still draws students, its dean must be a cunning businessman. Be wary. Don't let him lead you by the nose or brainwash you."
"That's all." He nodded faintly and returned to his food.
He had said enough. If Zhu Zhuqing still chose Shrek, and later fell under Yu Xiaogang and Flender's sway, even returning to Dai Mubai's side—well, he could only say he had tried. He liked her, yes, but chasing endlessly with no dignity was pointless.
Zhu Zhuqing remained silent.
After a long pause, only a soft whisper escaped her lips.
"Thank you."
(End of Chapter)
---
This Fanfiction Has Been Completed on Patreon, There is 2 Chapters Ahead of Release for Free Memebers on my Patreon.
Support me if you like this Fanfiction.
Patreon,com/Fallen_Archangel_
(Remove comma for dot.)
Leave a 5 star Review and a Power Stone.