The journey began not with a leisurely stroll, but with a grueling, spirit-power-fueled run. The Star Dou Great Forest, a name that evoked images of ancient trees and legendary beasts, lay more than three hundred kilometers away, a distance that would take ordinary people days to cover on foot. For Spirit Masters, it was a test of endurance.
Dai Mubai, his authority as the senior student reasserted, had set a punishing pace. Their 2-3-3 formation was a tight, cohesive unit slicing through the countryside.
At the very front, Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun acted as the vanguard, their powerful strides eating up the kilometers.
In the protected center, Ning Rongrong and Oscar were flanked by the ever-calm Zhang Tian. His position was designated as their bodyguard and the central control point of the formation, a role he accepted with a silent nod.
Bringing up the rear were Tang San, Xiao Wu, and Zhu Zhuqing, a trio of agility and control, their movements swift and alert.
Zhao Wuji was a phantom behind them, a silent, watchful shadow whose immense presence was a constant reminder that this was not just a journey, but a test.
They ran for hours, the sun climbing high into the sky, beating down on them mercilessly. The landscape blurred into a monotonous green and brown. For the battle-hardened and rigorously trained among them, it was tiring but manageable.
For Ning Rongrong, it was torture.
Her physique was not poor; the resources of the Seven Treasure Glaze Tile Sect ensured she was healthier than any commoner. But she had never been subjected to this kind of prolonged, brutal physical exertion. Her pampered life had not prepared her for a cross-country marathon.
Her breathing became ragged, her legs felt like lead, and a sharp stitch burned in her side. She fell further and further behind the central group, her proud expression crumbling into one of pained exhaustion.
"I... I can't... keep up," she gasped, finally stumbling to a halt, her hands on her knees as she fought for breath.
Dai Mubai glanced back, a flicker of annoyance on his face, but he didn't stop. Team progression was paramount.
Before anyone could say anything, a thick, blood-red vine, pulsing with faint golden light, shot out from Zhang Tian's position. It snaked through the air and wrapped gently but firmly around Ning Rongrong's waist.
She let out a small cry of surprise, expecting to be dragged forward, but the vine simply held her steady. A few more vines then erupted from the first, weaving themselves together with astonishing speed and intricacy into a small, comfortable basket-like seat right behind her.
"Sit," Zhang Tian's calm voice drifted back to her. "Rest."
Ning Rongrong hesitated for only a moment before gratefully sinking into the vine-woven seat. The main vine lifted her effortlessly into the air, carrying her along at the same pace as the running group.
"Won't this consume a lot of your spirit power?" she asked, looking at his back.
"It's a negligible amount," he replied without turning. "The control is more important than the power output. Besides," he added, a subtle shift in his breathing the only outward sign of his internal efforts, "it's good practice."
'This is perfect,' he thought to himself. 'Carrying a small weight like this is no burden. The real benefit is that it forces me to maintain a constant, low-level spirit power output while performing a repetitive physical action. It's the ideal condition to practice circulating the Mysterious Heaven Skill on the move.'
He focused inward, guiding the flow of purified energy through his meridians. It was more difficult than when he was stationary, the rhythm of his running conflicting with the smooth circulation.
But with Ah Yin's guidance and his own creative mind, he found the tempo. A slow, steady cycle began, refining his spirit power even as he ran. This was a level of multitasking that even Tang San, with all his Tang Sect knowledge, had not yet achieved. Tang San could only cultivate when he was still.
The journey continued. Periodically, the others began to tire. Oscar, ever the team player, would pop one of his sausages to recover his own stamina, his vulgar chant echoing strangely across the open fields. He would then produce more for the others.
Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun accepted them without comment, their pride secondary to the need for stamina. Tang San, seeing the practical benefit, also took one, as did Xiao Wu.
Zhu Zhuqing was the most reluctant. The thought of eating the product of that crude spell made her skin crawl. But as her own energy flagged, she looked at Zhang Tian, who was still running with an effortless grace, and then at her own trembling legs. With a pinched expression of disgust, she snatched a sausage from Oscar and forced it down, the boost in stamina a bitter trade for the blow to her dignity.
After an hour of being carried, Ning Rongrong's pride began to reassert itself. "Zhang Tian, you can put me down now," she said, her voice much stronger. "I've recovered. I can run."
He did so without a word, the intricate vine basket retracting smoothly into his body. She fell back into step with the group, her stride more determined than before.
They ran for the entire day, a relentless push forward. As dusk began to settle, painting the sky in shades of bruised purple and orange, Zhao Wuji finally called a halt.
"We're still a hundred kilometers from the forest," his voice boomed from the rear. "We won't make it tonight. There's a small town ahead. We'll rest there. If we press on, we might not find supplies."
The collective sigh of relief from the group was almost comical. The town was a small, dusty collection of buildings, a welcome oasis of civilization after a day in the wilderness. They found a modest-looking establishment that was both a hotel and a restaurant.
They trooped inside, claiming a large round table. The smell of roasted meat and spices was heavenly.
"I'm starving!" Ma Hongjun declared, grabbing the menu. "Waiter! I want the roasted pig, a whole one! And two orders of the large bowl of noodles! And a side of the three-layered pastries!"
The others ordered more reasonable amounts, their appetites stoked by the day's long run. As they waited for their food, the door to the restaurant opened again, admitting a new group.
There were seven of them, six young men and one young woman, all dressed in identical dark red jackets over white shirts and dark pants. They carried themselves with an air of practiced arrogance, their chins held high.
Ma Hongjun's beady eyes immediately zoomed in on the girl. She was pretty, with a delicate face and a slender figure. He began to openly ogle her, a lecherous grin spreading across his face. He nudged Dai Mubai.
"Boss Dai, look. That girl's not bad. Quite a nice figure."
Dai Mubai glanced over, his expression one of bored contempt. He didn't even look at the girl. His focus was on their uniforms.
"Hmph," he snorted, deliberately speaking loud enough for the other table to hear. "Just a bunch of students from some minor academy like the Blue Sunshine Academy. Look at them, acting all high and mighty. What are they showing off for? "
The students at the other table bristled, their heads turning to glare at Dai Mubai.
Zhang Tian, who had been quietly sipping his water, raised an eyebrow. He leaned over to Ning Rongrong. "They haven't done anything but walk in and sit down," he murmured. "How exactly are they 'showing off'?"
Before Ning Rongrong could reply, Oscar leaned in, a conspiratorial whisper in his voice. "Ah, junior brothers and sisters, you don't understand. This is part of the Shrek training."
He looked at Tang San, Xiao Wu, Zhang Tian, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing, his expression serious. "Our Dean, Flender, is a firm believer in a certain philosophy. He always says: 'Those who don't dare to cause trouble are mediocre.'"
The words had a varied effect on the group. Xiao Wu's eyes lit up with excitement. "That sounds great! I love causing trouble! I mean, I love fighting!"
Tang San nodded thoughtfully, a look of profound respect on his face. 'As expected of an academy that trains monsters. To be strong, one cannot be afraid of conflict. It's a philosophy of tempering oneself through struggle. Teacher's friend is truly wise.'
Zhang Tian, however, let out a soft, disdainful snort. The sound was quiet, but in the tense atmosphere, it was as loud as a gong.
He looked at Oscar, his blue eyes filled with a placid, analytical light. "A fascinating philosophy. So, if causing trouble is the goal, why are we picking a fight with the Blue Sunshine Academy? By that logic, to prove we are truly not mediocre, shouldn't we be seeking out a Titled Douluo to cause trouble for? Why not go and pick a fight with one of them?"
The question hung in the air, sharp and logical. Oscar, Dai Mubai, and Ma Hongjun, who had always revered the Dean's words, suddenly looked deeply embarrassed. The logic was unassailable. Picking a fight with a group of students from a lesser academy wasn't brave; it was just bullying.
Dai Mubai's face flushed, and he quickly tried to defend his Dean. "That's different! That would just be seeking death! The Dean means we shouldn't be afraid of reasonable conflict!"
"Reasonable conflict?" Zhang Tian echoed, his voice still perfectly calm. He stared directly at Dai Mubai. "To put it plainly, what you are doing is causing trouble for no reason. It is bullying the weak and fearing the strong. That isn't a sign of being a monster or a genius. It's a sign of being a foolish instigator."
Before Dai Mubai, sputtering with indignation, could retort, Zhu Zhuqing's icy voice cut in. She looked directly at her fiancé, her eyes cold and sharp.
"Since you enjoy causing trouble so much, Dai Mubai," she said, her words dripping with scorn, "tell me. If that person were here right now, would you still be so eager to seek a fight?"
The others were confused, but Dai Mubai understood her meaning perfectly. She was talking about his older brother, Dai Weisi, the Crown Prince of the Star Luo Empire. A man whose talent was only slightly less than his own, but whose combat power, honed through years of ruthless political struggle, was far, far greater.
Dai Mubai's face went from red to white. He felt a surge of rage and humiliation. He wanted to shout, to boast, but the words died in his throat. He knew the truth. He would not dare to cause trouble for his brother. He would run. He would hide. He was a coward. Her words had stripped him bare in front of everyone.
Seeing his senior being humiliated, Tang San felt the need to intervene, his determination to protect his teacher's friend's teachings overriding his logic. He turned his glare on Zhang Tian.
"You seem to speak a lot against Dean Flender's teachings," Tang San said, his voice sharp with disapproval. "If you think Shrek Academy's methods are so bad, then you should just leave."
'Leaving isn't a bad idea at all,' Zhang Tian thought, his patience with the academy and its inhabitants wearing thin. 'I could be at the Seven Treasure Glaze Tile Sect's headquarters by next week, with all the resources I could ever want.'
Just as he was seriously contemplating this path, a soft, pleading voice echoed in his Spiritual Sea.
'Zhang Tian, please,' Ah Yin begged, her voice filled with a mother's pain. 'Don't go. I... I know this academy is flawed. That Dean is an arrogant fool. But if you leave... I won't be able to see my son. Please, endure it. For me.'
Her plea was a powerful anchor. He owed her a great deal. With a silent sigh, he reined in his frustration and simply remained silent, his lack of response a victory in itself.
The internal drama of the Shrek group was interrupted by external events. One of the Blue Sunshine Academy students, a tall, lanky boy, stood up and casually stuck out his leg, tripping the waiter who was carrying a large tray of food towards their table.
The waiter let out a yelp as he stumbled, the tray flying from his hands. The entire roasted pig, the noodles, and the pastries sailed through the air, aimed directly at Dai Mubai.
Before the food could splatter all over the humiliated prince, Tang San moved. His hand shot out, a blur of motion. It was the Controlling Crane Catching Dragon. He didn't just catch the falling dishes; he caught the waiter too, steadying the man and gently setting him on his feet while simultaneously guiding the tray to land perfectly on their table. It was a display of control so sublime it drew gasps from the onlookers.
Ma Hongjun, oblivious to the preceding tension, immediately grabbed a piece of the roasted pig and started eating.
The action had crossed a line. Xiao Wu was on her feet in an instant. "You want to fight? Fine!"
Before anyone could stop her, she was a red blur. She moved with an explosive grace, effortlessly weaving through the six male students of the Blue Sunshine Academy. A kick here, a chop there, a sweep of her legs. It was over in seconds. All six boys were on the ground, groaning in pain. She hadn't seriously injured them, but she had utterly humiliated them.
"You-!" The teacher leading the Blue Sunshine team, a middle-aged man with a stern face, shot to his feet, his spirit power flaring. "Which academy are you from?! How dare you injure my students!"
"We're from Shrek Academy!" Dai Mubai shouted, eager to regain some face.
The teacher, Ye Zhiqiu, roared in anger. His body began to transform. His limbs shortened, and a thick, black, patterned shell grew on his back. His Martial Spirit was the Black Turtle, a beast spirit of the pure defense system. Five spirit rings—two yellow, two purple, one black—pulsated around him. A Spirit King.
"Stop! Please, don't fight in here!" the hotel owner begged, his face pale with terror. "You'll destroy my restaurant!"
Ye Zhiqiu ignored him. Dai Mubai, Tang San, Xiao Wu, and Ma Hongjun also flared their spirits, ready for a fight. Oscar stood alongside them.
But three people at the table remained seated. Zhang Tian, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing watched the proceedings with a detached air, as if it were a poorly staged play they had no interest in joining.
The confrontation moved outside into the dusty street. The four Shrek students launched their attacks. Dai Mubai's White Tiger Light Wave, Tang San's binding Blue Silver Grass, Ma Hongjun's Phoenix Fire Line, and Xiao Wu's close-combat assault all slammed into Ye Zhiqiu.
It was utterly useless. He had retracted his head and limbs into his shell, and his first spirit ring was glowing. Their attacks bounced off his shell harmlessly. He was an immovable fortress.
Just as Ye Zhiqiu was about to retaliate, a massive figure appeared as if from nowhere. It was Zhao Wuji.
"Enough," he grunted. "Go back inside and eat."
He then turned to the turtle-shelled Spirit King. "As for you..."
The Shrek students returned to the restaurant. A few moments later, they heard a series of sickening, fleshy thuds and a man's pained groans. Zhao Wuji had beaten Ye Zhiqiu senseless with his bare hands, without even activating his own spirit.
When Zhao Wuji strode back into the restaurant, he looked at his students with a disappointed scowl. "A bunch of you, and you couldn't even handle one defense-type Spirit King. Pathetic."
Zhang Tian let out another one of his soft, cutting snorts. "Teacher Zhao, you expect a Level 37 Spirit Elder and two Level 29 Spirit Grandmasters, one level 27 Spirit Grandmaster, and one food type Spirit Elder who has yet to even get his third spirit ring, to defeat a five-ringed defense-type Spirit King, just because we have the numbers? By that logic, I assume a dozen Spirit Saints could easily defeat a Titled Douluo, correct?"
Zhao Wuji's face turned a deep shade of crimson. He had just experienced the power of a Titled Douluo firsthand, and the memory was still painfully fresh. The boy's sarcastic comparison was a direct hit to his ego. He had no counter-argument.
"Ahem," he coughed, quickly changing the subject. "Finish your meal and get some rest. We leave at dawn to find Oscar a spirit ring from an appropriate Spirit Beast. Book your own rooms." He turned and stomped up the stairs, his retreat anything but graceful.
The students looked at each other. They had to pay for their own accommodations on a school trip.
Shrek Academy, Zhang Tian thought with a final, internal sigh of contempt, truly was pathetic.
~~
A/N: Check out my other novels like "Harem Master: Seduction System" and the "Villain: Manipulating the Heroines into hating the Protagonist" and I hope you like this story and those stories as well.
Check out more chapters on my P.atreon. The P.atreon will have 20+ Chapters ahead for this story. I hope you like it.
The link of p.atreon is: bit.ly/evildragon