Chapter 78: No Fun.
Anymore. A silent night passed.
The next day, Shi Yi awoke early from his meditation and looked out the window, only to find darkness still shrouded in darkness. Being an insecure person, he wasn't used to sharing a room with others, so he woke up earlier than usual.
Shi Yi gently felt around the barracks, and after a few casual searches, he found a source of water. This royal hunting ground served not only as a hunting ground for the Tiandou royal family but also as a training ground for the Royal Knights. Naturally, the barracks were located close to a source of water for easy access.
As Shi Yi washed up by the river, a familiar voice reached him. "Why are you up so early?"
Shi Yi turned around with a hint of surprise, only to see Shui Bing'er standing not far behind him.
"I usually get up early, and the barracks are crowded, so I'm not used to living here. Why are you here?" Shi Yi asked, somewhat surprised.
Shui Bing'er smiled and said, "Of course we practice by the river. Isn't it obvious that the water element here is more abundant? Although the effect is average, it's better than nothing."
Shi Yi nodded suddenly and said, "Well... it's just a little unsafe."
Shui Bing'er looked at Shi Yi with tenderness in her watery blue eyes and chuckled, "This is the royal hunting ground. The Tiandou Royal Knights are stationed nearby. Ordinary people can't hurt me. Besides, if someone can sneak in under the noses of so many teachers and distinguished guests, I can't resist if he wants to hurt me."
Shi Yi smiled and nodded when he heard it, "Well, that's true."
"Walk together?" Shui Bing'er said a little embarrassedly.
Seeing this, Shi Yi couldn't help but jokingly say, "No one can refuse Bing'er's invitation, right? Don't be shy."
The two walked side by side along the riverbank, seemingly immune to Shi Yi's words. Shui Bing'er looked at Shi Yi seriously and said, "I'm curious if you're the same way with other girls."
"Of course not. My attitude towards beautiful women is generally the same, because everyone loves beauty. But there's more to you than just beauty. Each of you is different, so your attitude will vary." Shi Yi chuckled.
Shui Bing'er rolled her eyes at Shi Yi and asked curiously, "So, how do you feel about the girl who sat next to you yesterday?"
Shi Yi looked at Shui Bing'er with some surprise, but didn't answer immediately. Shui
Bing'er, realizing that her relationship with Shi Yi didn't seem like a suitable place for such a conversation, said a little sheepishly, "If it's inconvenient, it's okay."
Shi Yi pondered for a moment, then said, "How should I put it... My initial attitude towards Zhu Qing was probably no different from most girls, but there are two things about her that really touched me, and that made me change my mind."
"What are they?" Shui Bing'er asked curiously.
"Hard work and loneliness. To break through the boundaries of fate, she worked harder than anyone else in Shrek. A twelve-year-old girl, seeking her last resort, came to Tiandou, but ultimately, she couldn't find it... Her inner loneliness is the same as mine. Perhaps there's no one left to lean on," Shi Yi whispered.
Shui Bing'er looked at Shi Yi and whispered, "So you want to be her support?"
Shi Yi shook his head slightly. "Be her support? What qualifications do I have to be? It might seem like I'm shouldering responsibility, but it's just an excuse to lust after her. Rather than being her support, I hope she can become her inner self, the stronger she is. That's why I've always been able to help her."
"Really..." Shui Bing'er looked at Shi Yi, a unique glint in his aquamarine eyes. Shi Yi was indeed very attractive to her now. Thinking of the loneliness Shi Yi had just mentioned, Shui Bing'er's eyes flashed with a hint of heartache.
"Has he always been helpless?" Shui Bing'er wondered to herself.
"Are you satisfied with this answer?" Shi Yi winked at Shui Bing'er.
Upon hearing this, Shui Bing'er's expression froze, a blush forming on her pretty face. She angrily said, "Can you be more serious? You were fine just now, and now you're teasing me again."
By this time, the sky was already brightening, and Shi Yi chuckled at Shui Bing'er, "Okay, I'll stop teasing you. It's getting late. I think breakfast should be ready in the barracks. We have a game soon. See you in the stands."
Shui Bing'er nodded, blushing slightly as she extended her hand. Shi Yi saw a deep blue bead strung together with a rope, shimmering with a faint blue light, appear in her palm.
"Here, this is Xuan Bing Sui, an ice-attributed treasure... It also contains the power of my martial soul. Wearing it can help with summer heat and calm the mind during training..." Shui Bing'er said, looking at Shi Yi sheepishly.
Shi Yi looked at Shui Bing'er with some surprise. Shui Bing'er quickly added, "This is a return gift for helping me solve my problem..."
Upon hearing this, Shi Yi took the Xuan Bing Marrow from Shui Bing'er's hand and feigned disappointment, "Bing'er... are you so eager to return the favor?"
Shui Bing'er's face tightened, and she quickly explained, "That's not what I meant."
"Then I understand what you mean, Bing'er." Shi Yi's disappointment suddenly transformed into a smile.
Shui Bing'er paused at Shi Yi's smile, then saw Shi Yi's figure quickly disappear from view.
Knowing she'd been tricked, Shui Bing'er stamped her foot in anger as she watched Shi Yi's back, muttering to herself, "You bastard..."
Anyone present would have seen the unwavering smile on Shui Bing'er's face.
As he ran, Shi Yi gazed at the newly strung Xuan Bing Marrow beads, his brows softening and a smile playing on his lips. He casually slipped them onto his wrist.
Soon, Shi Yi returned to the barracks. The Shrek team gradually emerged from their training, and the Royal Knights' cooks prepared meals for the Shrek team.
After breakfast, everyone was quickly arranged to arrive at the competition venue. The match between Shrek Academy and Blazing Fire Academy took place in the fifth round of the day.
Four rounds passed quickly, and soon the fifth round arrived. As Shi Yi had expected, Blazing Fire Academy forfeited. The reason was simple: for Blazing Fire, this match meant little. The promotion rounds were based on performance, and there were no elimination rounds. Even if a fire-attributed spirit master had a bad temper, it didn't mean they were stubborn.
Upon hearing the news of Blazing Fire Academy's forfeit, the teams from the kingdoms and principalities were extremely surprised. Blazing Fire Academy was no ordinary, underwhelming academy. In their eyes, facing Shrek, a team they had never heard of, it was only natural that Shrek should forfeit.
For a moment, all eyes were focused on the Shrek area.
Shi Yi was naturally relieved to see Chi Huo avoid the fight. Simply staying here and watching others compete felt like being in prison. Only Tang San's battles piqued his interest.
Zhu Zhuqing, sitting not far from Shi Yi, felt a pang of sadness as she watched the newly emerged Profound Ice Marrow on Shi Yi's wrist. But upon reflection, she realized that it was Shi Yi who had always been helping her, yet she never seemed to think of giving him anything in return.
"Even Rongrong gave him the ring, and I..."
Thinking of this, Zhu Zhuqing's eyes were filled with complex emotions.
At this moment, Shi Yi also noticed Zhu Zhuqing's gaze, looked at Zhu Zhuqing and smiled, "What's wrong? Why are you looking at me?"
Zhu Zhuqing came to her senses and quickly shook her head and said, "Nothing."
Watching Zhu Zhuqing look away, Shi Yi sighed inwardly. He could sense that something was wrong with Zhu Zhuqing's state. He also understood that Zhu Zhuqing had a burden that she couldn't let go of. As long as she didn't defeat Xingluo Royal Academy, Zhu Zhuqing would always carry this burden, and no matter what happened, she would bury it in her heart.
In this way, time passed slowly, and on the third day, Shrek drew a high-level soul master academy from the Barak Kingdom.
Following Liu Erlong's instructions, Shi Yi brought Tai Long, Huang Yuan, Jing Ling, and several substitutes to the stage. While their strength was somewhat inferior to the Shrek team, it was still considered quite good for this tournament. After all, even the Four Elements Academy had Soul Masters among their ranks, not to mention the teams from the Kingdoms and Principalities.
Knowing they would be facing Shrek Academy, the team leader and players of Barak Kingdom Academy all wore solemn expressions. While they didn't know why Blazing Academy withdrew, the fact that Shrek had fielded three Soul Masters on the first day made it clear they were not to be underestimated.
The Barak Kingdom players were puzzled when they reviewed the roster. The three Soul Masters on the first day had now become three Soul Masters and one Soul Master.
This arrangement left the Barak Kingdom players feeling slighted.
As the competition began, the three substitutes performed well. Tai Long, leveraging his specialized skills, defeated two players in quick succession, while Huang Yuan and Jing Ling each took down one. When it was Shi Yi's turn to play, he yawned as he took the stage.
"Boy, you'll pay for your contempt," the tall young man said, glaring at Shi Yi.
"Contempt? Just letting me up here doesn't seem like enough respect for you," Shi Yi said lazily.
As Shi Yi spoke, his body began to transform. His martial spirit quietly unleashed, four spirit rings swirling in purple and black.
"Is that enough respect for you?" Shi Yi whispered softly. The captains and players from the Kingdom and Principality in the stands exclaimed in surprise. Even the elite Tiandou Royal Knights, known for their unwavering discipline, were agitated.
"This scene is still breathtaking, no matter how many times I see it," Xue Ye, seated in the VIP seats, sighed softly.
As he finished speaking, the other party, still lost in the wonder of Shi Yi's spirit rings, heard a familiar explosion. Subconsciously sensing something was amiss, he quickly activated his martial spirit.
Shi Yi instantly appeared before him. Just as he was about to unleash his spirit ability, an irresistible force overwhelmed him, and the next moment, he felt a sharp sense of weightlessness.
To the spectators, Shi Yi's movements were simple. He instantly dodged in front of his opponent and, with a single palm strike, sent him flying. From the very beginning of the match to now, it had taken only a few breaths, the entire process flowing like flowing water, without a single lag.
"Has this kid's strength improved again? He actually sent his opponent off the field without even injuring him," Flender whispered.
Yu Xiaogang beside him shook his head and said, "It's probably because the opponent is too weak."
Flender adjusted his glasses and said, "They're not that weak, after all. They're the final few players. While not Soul Sect, they're at level 39."
Tang San looked at the arena with a grim expression. As the Tang Sect's century-old prodigy, it was impossible for him not to recognize what Shi Yi had done.
"Control the crane and capture the dragon..."
The air froze for a moment, then suddenly heated up. Exclamations and shouts of surprise echoed one after another. Not only the foreign Spirit Master academies, but even the players from the Four Elements Academy, who had previously battled Shrek Academy, were stunned.
In a one-on-one duel, Shi Yi seemed even more out of his depth.
A smile crept onto Shi Yi's face, his gaze drifting towards the other Barak Academy players. He softly said, "Next."
These three simple words sent the Barak Academy players quizzing each other, until the Barak Academy leader simply called for a forfeit.
As the match quickly concluded, the teams from the Kingdom and Principality understood Chihuo's reason for forfeiting. If they didn't, sending their players would simply be letting Shi Yi perform like a punching bag, or even a toy.
Shi Yi then slowly returned to the stands, looking at Liu Erlong not far away and smiling, "Master's Wife, this is over! No one's having fun."
Liu Erlong was slightly startled, watching the various whispers from the surrounding students. She felt a little guilty, thinking to herself, "Will these guys become cowards just because of Xiao Yi? I should have let Tang San take the last hurdle."
Yu Xiaogang also glanced at Liu Erlong with a half-smile, but Liu Erlong glared back, unjustly and unreasonably.
Yu Xiaogang thought this was fine, though. At least he didn't have to worry about who would play.
Shi Yi, looking at Yu Xiaogang nearby, said, "Teacher, the game has gotten this bad. Can I take a leave? What's the point of watching weaklings fight each other every day? These promotion matches are just a talent show. I'm already following His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, so I might as well get back to training."
Thinking of Shi Yi from the day before, a smile crossed Yu Xiaogang's slightly stiff face.
He said, "Don't miss a single day for the next two weeks." Shi Yi approached Liu Erlong nearby and, with a smile on his face, called out in a disgustingly gruff voice, "Master's Wife..."
Liu Erlong glared at Shi Yi and said, "Get out! Stop annoying me! It's all your fault! Why did you hit me so hard? Wouldn't it be better to just go up and have some fun?"
"My hits were pretty strong! I sent my opponents off the stage unscathed, letting them continue the match without having to recover." Shi Yi said helplessly.
"Get out! Don't make me hit you!" Liu Erlong said angrily.
Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing beside them couldn't help but smile.
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(End of this chapter)