Following her was Ning Rongrong. Li Yusong looked at the pagoda in her hand, his initial surprise gradually fading as he frowned and asked, "Do your family members know you're here?"
Ning Rongrong smiled and replied, "As long as I meet your school's requirements, you have no reason not to accept me, right?"
"Take her in," Li Yusong said.
Dai Mubai led Ning Rongrong inside. Along the way, Dai Mubai suddenly gave a secret signal: "Nine-Colored Goddess!"
"What Nine-Colored Goddess? Are you complimenting me?" she asked.
"You really don't remember? The Nine-Colored Goddess."
"What's there to remember? I've never heard of it. You're really weird," Ning Rongrong said with a look of contempt.
Dai Mubai confirmed that Ning Rongrong had not been reborn.
"What are you waiting for? Enrollment is over. No one else is coming," Li Yusong said, patting Dai Mubai's shoulder.
"No way... she should be here," Dai Mubai said in disbelief.
The unexpected events of today's enrollment were difficult for him to accept. First, he and Xiao Wu actually had a martial soul fusion technique. Second, Zhu Zhuqing hadn't appeared at the registration site.
As for the first, Dai Mubai had no choice—he had to hide it from Tang San at all costs.
As for the second... could Zhu Zhuqing also be a reborn soul? After finding out what I did in the past, is she deliberately avoiding me? Dai Mubai consoled himself.
And the more he consoled himself, the more justified he felt, the more confident he became. His mind erupted with rage:
Damn it, Zhu Zhuqing! So I was a bit of a womanizer during those six years, so what? I've already broken it off with all the other girls and decided to love only you for the rest of my life. Isn't that enough?!
Since Zhu Zhuqing hadn't shown up, Dai Mubai had no choice but to return and start introducing Tang San, Xiao Wu, and the others to Shrek Academy's "glorious history."
As he walked with his back to the group, he suddenly felt a wolfish, intense gaze boring into him. He glanced slightly to the side and instantly broke into a cold sweat.
Sister Xiao Wu, please, I'm begging you—stop looking at me like that. I still want to hang out with San-gege and aim for a godhood path. I don't want to end up on San-gege's death list.
Panicked, Dai Mubai even forgot he was older than Tang San and Xiao Wu, blurting out and calling them "gege" and "jiejie" on the spot.
Tang San moved closer and whispered, "Mubai, Zhuqing didn't come?"
That single question nearly gave Dai Mubai a heart attack. But then he realized Tang San didn't know about his situation with Xiao Wu—he was just asking about Zhu Zhuqing. He let out a sigh of relief and replied seriously,
"I'm not sure what's going on. Maybe she's just sulking."
"When you find her later, apologize. Hopefully, she'll forgive you," Tang San said.
"Yeah... alright," Dai Mubai muttered half-heartedly. But mentally, Zhu Zhuqing was no longer his top concern.
Since he and Zhu Zhuqing had a martial soul fusion technique, he believed they were like magnets—she would be drawn back to him no matter where she went. After all, they also shared a destined fate.
Moreover, if Zhu Zhuqing was reborn, she had to return. Who could resist the allure of becoming a god?
What really had Dai Mubai breaking into a cold sweat now was Xiao Wu's unpredictable glances at him, while Tang San remained clueless.
"Selling sausages! Sausages for sale! Come take a look! Don't miss out! Oscar-brand sausages—delicious, sweet, affordable, and filling! Eat Oscar-brand sausages and boost your chances of admission!"
Oscar's voice drifted toward the group.
Up ahead, they saw Oscar pushing his sausage cart over.
Thanks to hanging out with Dai Mubai these past few years, Oscar had taken much more care in his appearance and no longer looked like a weird uncle.
He knew Tang San and the others were enrolling today, so he brought out the cart to prank them a little.
But unexpectedly, Oscar felt a sudden fluctuation in his martial soul—his sausage martial soul was resonating with someone?
Could it be Ning Rongrong?
But their martial soul fusion technique wasn't innate—it was artificially created by the gods. Could some sense from their past life have carried over?
Reborn into this life, Oscar had no plans to pursue Ning Rongrong.
Following the resonance, his gaze shifted—he saw Xiao Wu walking toward him.
Oscar thought he was seeing things. He rubbed his eyes, looked again—yes, it was Xiao Wu. And the martial soul reaction was clear.
Wha... wha... WHAT?!
I... I have a martial soul fusion technique with Xiao Wu?!
Oscar was completely flustered.
By then, Xiao Wu had already walked up to him. She pulled a few gold soul coins from her pouch—earned by Tang San's blacksmithing—and smiled sweetly, "How much are your sausages? Give me a few."
"O-Okay," Oscar stammered. His mind was in a complete fog. Hearing her voice, he instinctively handed her a few sausages.
"Wait."
Tang San stepped forward. "Oscar, this is your martial soul, right? Food-type martial souls should have a chant. Let's hear it."
Even though they'd inevitably eat Oscar's big sausages sooner or later, Xiao Wu wasn't a reincarnator—Tang San didn't want her to eat something with a creepy chant without knowing.
Oscar had no choice. He reached down in front of his crotch and chanted:
"I, your daddy, have a big sausage!"
A grilled sausage appeared in his hand.
"Ew~" Ning Rongrong, who had originally wanted to buy one, immediately made a face of disgust.
"Xiao Wu, you still want to eat that?" Tang San asked.
"Of course. The chant may be a little pervy, but it's still a soul skill creation, right? Why wouldn't I eat it?" Xiao Wu replied as she grabbed a sausage and, in front of both Tang San and Oscar, ate it in just a few bites.
After finishing, she even winked at Oscar and said, "Right, Oscar?"
Oscar watched Xiao Wu swallow his sausage and throw him that flirty wink—his heart was in turmoil.
What am I thinking?! This is Xiao Wu—
Tang San's forbidden woman!
If Tang San finds out we have a martial soul fusion technique, I'm doomed! I'll be on his death list for sure! I'm still young—I don't want to die!
In a flustered panic, Oscar pushed his sausage cart and fled.
Tang San remained confused, while Xiao Wu's burning gaze followed Oscar's retreating back.
Only Dai Mubai, hiding in the shadows from Xiao Wu, stared thoughtfully at Oscar's back.
Afterward, Tang San and his companions underwent Zhao Wuji's test.
Unlike in his previous life, without the Dragon Beard Needle and many hidden weapons, Tang San—whose strength was weaker than in his last life—had no means to resist Zhao Wuji.
After Xiao Wu was injured by Zhao Wuji, Tang San's eyes turned red, and he was breathing like an enraged bull. He directly challenged Zhao Wuji to a duel, only to get thoroughly beaten and knocked unconscious.
But Zhao Wuji didn't get away without paying a price.
That night, at the edge of Shrek Academy where the Shrek Four Freaks had gathered, they heard Zhao Wuji howling from deep in the forest.
Dai Mubai said, "Looks like Teacher Zhao won't be getting out of bed for a few months after tonight."
"Of course," Ma Hongjun replied. "In our last life, even though Third Brother didn't suffer a loss against Zhao Wuji, Teacher Zhao still got a beating from Tang Dad that same night."
"Tang San, your father really treats you well," Oscar said enviously.
Tang San said nothing, but pride in his powerful father glinted in his eyes.
"Alright, now let's officially begin the Shrek Seven Devils' Reincarnation Assembly," Tang San said seriously. "Oscar, you report the confirmed results first."
"Okay." Oscar stepped forward and said, "So far, we've confirmed that Boss Dai, Fatty, me, and Tang San—four of us—have been reincarnated. Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong have not, and Zhu Zhuqing's whereabouts are unknown."
Tang San nodded. "Sit down."
Dai Mubai sat cross-legged.
Tang San sighed. In this new life, ever since that useless Gangzi messed up his first meeting with Xiao Wu, he had missed many chances to grow close to her—like sharing a bed or staying in a couple's hotel. Even though this life's Xiao Wu was cuter, gentler, and had a sweet voice, there was always some distance between them.
Tang San had to work hard to pursue his beloved. But even though he ran full speed along the path of love, he still couldn't catch up to Xiao Wu.
Why, with so many reincarnated people, why wasn't Xiao Wu reincarnated too? The thought left Tang San with a trace of resentment in his heart.
He shook off the irritation and looked to Dai Mubai. "Boss Dai, tell us the general situation after our reincarnation."
Dai Mubai said, "Unlike our past life, the current so-called Three Upper Clans are the Body Sect, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, and the Dragon Elephant Sect."
"Shouldn't it be the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan and the Clear Sky Clan?" Ma Hongjun asked in surprise. As someone of humble background, he wasn't aware of this.
"The Clear Sky Clan has gone into seclusion just like before. The Spirit Hall orchestrated the merger of the Holy Dragon family and the Elephant Armor Sect to form the Dragon Elephant Sect, and pushed for a re-selection of the Upper Three Clans. But the emergence of the Body Sect disrupted their plan. So the Body Sect replaced the Clear Sky Clan as the number one sect. The Dragon Elephant Sect had to challenge the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan to claim a spot."
"So… Huyan Zhen and Tuoba Xi, those two losers, managed to replace the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan? If I remember correctly, Yu Yuanzhen was a Rank 95 Titled Douluo. Back then, it took four Titled Douluos from the Spirit Hall—and they even sacrificed one—to take him down," Oscar said, shocked.
Though Dai Mubai, as a prince, should've had access to the most intel, during his years in Star Luo, he was just counting the days for Zhu Zhuqing to awaken her spirit so he could run off to Soto City and party. So his knowledge was limited. Faced with Oscar's question, Dai Mubai stammered, "How would I know? The Dragon Elephant Sect just replaced the Blue Lightning Clan. Maybe the Spirit Hall used some sneaky trick."
"Yes, it must be the Spirit Hall's scheme," Tang San agreed.
"It seems that the unexpected rise of the Body Sect, and the Spirit Hall initiating the sect re-selection years ahead of schedule, all point to unknown variables beyond our reincarnation," Tang San said solemnly.
"Then, Third Brother, what should we do?" Ma Hongjun asked.
"When the soldiers come, we'll fight them; when the water comes, we'll block it with earth. We must stay vigilant and monitor changes in the Douluo Continent," Tang San replied. "Besides, don't forget who I am. I'm the one chosen by the God of Shura. I led you to godhood in the past life, and I'll do it again in this one."
Hearing Tang San's words, the other three felt a bit relieved—but then, a heavy realization struck them.
Yes… their godhoods all came from Tang San. He could grant them divine positions—but he could also make them fall. Normally, following Tang San would guarantee godhood.
But they were sitting on a ticking time bomb.
Tang San, noticing their suddenly grim expressions, asked suspiciously, "What's wrong with you guys?"
"N-nothing. I just remembered something. I'm going to the bathroom," Dai Mubai said.
"Me too, I'm going."
"Wait for me!"
Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun, and Oscar all left, leaving Tang San alone in the room.
Tang San looked confused, but trusted in their loyalty, so he didn't think much of it.