The next day, at noon.
Tang Feng finally woke from his sleep.
The night before, he had attended a gathering with Tang Ya, Bei Bei, and the others, drinking quite a bit of fruit wine.
He had even enjoyed the rare luxury of being fed from both sides by two great beauties.
Bei Bei sat across from him, envy impossible to hide in his eyes.
Unfortunately, Xu Sanshi was still bedridden—otherwise, he would probably have gone mad again.
Jiang Nannan had also been persuaded by Tang Ya, who suggested that this could be considered payment for the treatment.
Tang Feng went along with her words, treating it as compensation for curing Jiang Nannan's mother.
After all, the price for his services was never low.
Back in Star Luo City, a noble youth once exchanged a ten-thousand-year soul bone to extend the life of an old marquis for Tang Feng.
As long as that marquis lived, his lineage would have time to grow and avoid fading into the dust of history.
Power struggles existed even within the Star Luo Empire—Tang Feng simply chose not to involve himself.
"Hiss…"
Tang Feng rubbed his temples.
He hadn't expected Douluo Continent fruit wine to have such a strong aftereffect.
Activating Life Blue Silver Grass, he healed himself, instantly feeling refreshed and clear-headed.
"Tang Feng, you're awake?"
"Teacher Zhou heard you still haven't moved out. She said she'll personally supervise your expulsion tonight."
"She also said she'll expel the dormitory caretaker grandpa along with you."
Wang Dong wore a strange expression.
He felt Teacher Zhou was bluffing.
No matter how one looked at it, Zhou Yi couldn't do anything about the dormitory caretaker.
That man's great-granddaughter was an Inner Court senior, and he himself was a Title Douluo.
How could a mere Soul Emperor like Zhou Yi expel him?
With the old man backing Tang Feng, there was no way Tang Feng would truly be expelled.
"Tell her this afternoon," Tang Feng said calmly.
"If she can't expel the dormitory elder, then she should resign herself."
His mouth twitched slightly.
He truly didn't understand how Fan Yu had married such a foolish woman.
And was Yan Shaozhe also an idiot?
A mere Zhou Yi dared to expel the Sea God Pavilion Master, and someone personally sent by Star Luo Emperor Xu Jiawei?
Such absurdity would never happen at the Star Luo Royal Academy.
"Let's go eat."
"That old witch better actually resign—then I'll thank the heavens."
Wang Dong sighed.
Unfortunately, his strength wasn't as monstrous as Tang Feng's—he couldn't skip classes indefinitely.
Tang Feng could skip class with a Title Douluo covering for him.
If Wang Dong skipped, Dean Yan would probably write directly to the Clear Sky Sect.
"Alright."
Tang Feng happened to be hungry.
He had skipped morning classes and slept straight until noon—his stomach was growling.
"Tang Feng, why did you come to Shrek Academy?"
"You hold a very high status in the Star Luo Empire. You could've gone to the Star Luo Royal Academy."
Wang Dong genuinely didn't understand.
If Tang Feng studied there, every teacher would protect him.
After all, he was an Extreme Life attribute martial soul, a full innate soul power genius.
Who could guarantee they'd never fall ill or be injured?
Gaining Tang Feng's goodwill was equivalent to gaining an extra life.
"A few years ago, my parents were killed by evil soul masters."
"In the end, it was Dean Yan who saved my sister."
Tang Feng's expression darkened slightly.
Every time this matter came up, doubts surfaced in his heart.
Logically speaking, the Tang Sect had been targeted because the Iron-Blood Sect wanted its territory.
After the Star Luo royal family dispatched two Soul Sages, the Iron-Blood Sect should never have dared to act.
Their sect master was only a Soul Emperor—how could he provoke royal Soul Sages?
And why did Netherworld Douluo appear, targeting such a small Tang Sect?
Yan Shaozhe's appearance had also been far too coincidental.
This experience mirrored Zhang Lexuan's childhood in unsettling ways.
Her family had been exterminated by a great noble of the Heaven Soul Empire, with only her surviving by hiding under a bed.
Did a great noble family really lack high-level soul masters?
Couldn't even detect a child hiding beneath a bed?
Her mother blocked the underside of the bed with her body and covered her mouth—
actions that should've made her easier to detect.
What was a soul master's spiritual power for, then?
When noble families wiped out others, they left no survivors—often burning the entire estate to the ground.
Zhang Lexuan's survival probability had been nearly zero—
Yet she was eventually found by Shrek.
"I'm sorry… I didn't know."
"So Sister Tang Ya stayed at Shrek Academy to repay that kindness?"
Wang Dong felt guilty.
He had touched on Tang Feng's painful memories.
Logically, Tang Feng went to Star Luo City at age six.
Medical Immortal Douluo valued him greatly, giving him a high status there.
Tang Ya should have gone with him—they could've relied on each other.
"Probably."
Tang Feng nodded.
Besides seeing his sister, he also wanted the truth about that year.
Why had Yan Shaozhe been in Heaven Dou City?
Why had he happened to save Tang Ya?
If Tang Feng remembered correctly, Yan Shaozhe's former lover was Feng Ling, vice leader of the Holy Spirit Cult.
Until the truth was uncovered—
Yan Shaozhe could not be ruled out as a suspect.
"Then you won't leave Shrek Academy before Sister Tang Ya graduates."
Wang Dong looked delighted.
Though he had known Tang Feng for only two days, he felt an inexplicable closeness.
Even though Tang Feng bullied him on the first day, he didn't want Tang Feng to leave.
The thought of Tang Feng departing left his heart feeling empty.
"Relax. I'm not that easy to expel."
Tang Feng draped an arm over Wang Dong's shoulder.
No matter how one looked at it, Shrek needed him—how could Zhou Yi expel him?
Compared to Zhou Yi, an Extreme Life attribute soul master like him stood at a far higher level.
After eating, the two of them walked past the freshman teaching buildings, heading east from the southern side of Shrek Plaza.
Soon, they arrived at a lakeside path.
Passing through the trees beside the path, they unexpectedly reached the shimmering Sea God Lake.
This was a massive artificial lake, its waters crystal clear and blue.
The rippling waves resembled the bright, lively eyes of a young girl.
"How did we end up at Sea God Lake?"
Tang Feng was slightly startled.
They had only been strolling around after lunch to digest their meal.
Yet somehow, they had arrived here—and a sense of unease rose within him.
"Sea God Lake is so beautiful!"
"It looks completely different during the day than at night."
Wang Dong stretched lazily.
He had thought the lake beautiful the previous night and wanted to admire it in daylight as well.
"Tang Feng, look over there."
"Isn't there a little red dot?"
Wang Dong grabbed Tang Feng's arm.
He pointed toward a misty area in the distance, where a red figure was rapidly approaching.
The red figure's speed was astonishing.
In moments, she reached the center of Sea God Lake.
Each time her toes touched the lake's surface, ripples spread out—
carrying her hundreds of meters in an instant.
"That's an Inner Court senior!"
"She's so strong—running on the lake without even summoning her martial soul!"
Wang Dong said excitedly.
Ever since seeing Zhang Lexuan the previous night, he had yearned for the Inner Court.
Especially after learning from Bei Bei that she was the Inner Court's senior sister, a Soul Douluo—
His fighting spirit had ignited.
Wang Dong decided that after graduating in his sixth year, he would enter the Shrek Inner Court.
"Stop staring. She's here to cause trouble."
Tang Feng frowned deeply.
First, Zhang Lexuan had come to "cause trouble."
Now, Ma Xiaotao was doing the same.
This madwoman clearly lacked all reason—
She was coming with killing intent.
A terrifying wave of scorching heat surged forward—
Ma Xiaotao had already charged straight at them.