Facing Ning Rongrong's urgent question, Zhu Zhuqing's expression stiffened. She hesitated before saying, "To let us escape, Xiao Tian volunteered to be bait, and Xiao Wu insisted on staying behind, hoping to use teleportation to bring Xiao Tian out... but..."
Zhu Zhuqing couldn't finish. Unless the two hundred-thousand-year soul beasts refrained from using their domain skills, Xiao Wu's current teleportation power was too weak to bring Xiao Tian out. They had never seen Xiao Wu successfully teleport anyone before, which meant her hope to retrieve Xiao Tian was more an excuse—or a desperate attempt risking her own life.
Ning Rongrong's favorable impression of Shrek Academy faltered. She understood the situation left no alternatives, but the thought that powerful Soul Saints like Flanders let a mere twelve-year-old boy act as bait troubled her deeply. Even the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect wouldn't resort to such measures.
More puzzling was their recent brush with crisis—why hadn't Ning Rongrong's secret protector appeared?
Xiao Tian thought grimly: blind student, you've finally spotted the weakness!
When Ning Rongrong and her group faced the Titan Ape in the original story, these mysterious figures hadn't appeared either.
Sent by Ning Fengzhi to protect Ning Rongrong at all costs, these secret guards must have been highly trusted by the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect. They knew their existence was essentially to sacrifice themselves if needed for Ning Rongrong's safety.
In other words, Ning Rongrong's survival in the original story meant these secret guards perished, buried alongside her.
Furious, Ning Rongrong resolved to take note and make those responsible pay when Grandpa Jian arrived. For now, she even harbored resentment toward these secret guards, knowing they would have all died if intervening.
Nearby, Flanders sighed, recapping events briefly.
"Rongrong, you know Xiao Tian's third soul skill is unique with infinite sword power. We were all spent—Zhao Wuji's martial soul avatar couldn't be used again. He really tried."
After using his avatar, Zhao Wuji needed days to recover, and despite Shao Xin's candy beans, his face remained pale.
"Tang San, how are you now?" They checked on Tang San, knowing his external soul bone had been pulled out.
After taking Shao Xin's healing candy beans, he was no longer in danger, and even his back wound was nearly healed.
"In my understanding, pulling out the soul bone means the soul master's life ends—except for broken limbs..."
"But the back can't be broken, right?"
Tang San carefully checked his body, shaking his head but still looking unwell.
"Dean, I'm fine. It's just that losing the Eight Spider Lance spirit bone dropped my spirit power by one level, and I'm currently at level 31."
Yu Xiaogang comforted him, "Xiao San, surviving this time is already a blessing."
Tang San asked the question everyone pondered: "Master, why am I still alive and well after my soul bone was pulled out?"
Yu Xiaogang explained, "It's because you and the Eight Spider Lance haven't fully merged."
"Not fully merged? Master, what does that mean?" Oscar asked.
"Xiao San's third soul ring is beyond his level, burdening his body heavily. The same applies to the soul bone—from the ferocious human-faced demon spider."
Yu Xiaogang carefully clarified why this unusual situation occurred.
The Dragon Man and Snake Woman exchanged uneasy glances. Something felt off. Were external soul bones different from ordinary ones?
They recalled soul bones generally had no level absorption requirements, unlike soul rings, and even hundred-thousand-year-old soul bones could be absorbed easily at levels forty or fifty.
"I'll wait here for their return."
Ning Rongrong firmly stated, freezing everyone's expressions—including Flanders, the Dragon Man, and Snake Woman.
The Star Dou Great Forest was perilous now. Why stay instead of fleeing quickly? Even if they'd escaped the core, the two hundred-thousand-year-old soul beasts might still chase them out.
Though ancient soul beasts usually guarded the forest's core, they now appeared near the outskirts of the starry sky, possibly pursuing threats.
Ning Rongrong felt a deeper sense of despair hearing their opposition.
"I want to stay, too," Zhu Zhuqing said coldly. She felt guilty leaving Xiao Tian and Xiao Wu behind but knew her presence would be useless and might waste Xiao Tian's efforts.
"If I don't even dare to stay now, I won't deserve Xiao Tian's life-saving grace."
"No! I disagree, Zhuqing. You must leave with me immediately!" Dai Mubai commanded strictly.
Zhu Zhuqing looked at Dai Mubai, refusing to heed him.
Regret gnawed at her—why had she subconsciously sided with Shrek Academy amid conflict with Canghui Academy? Or rather, had she sided with Dai Mubai?
Hadn't she come here to grow stronger and reshape her destiny?
But now she wondered if she truly sought change. She'd escaped the Zhu family and Empire, finding a new path in Shrek.
Deep inside, she'd hoped with Dai Mubai and even planned to take the royal assessment together.
Now she felt utterly wrong. Could she really defeat Davis or Zhu Zhuyun staying with such a person? Hope seemed so slim.
"Is it because you and Xiao Tian clashed in the tavern days ago, and you bear a grudge, so you refuse to wait for him?" Zhu Zhuqing challenged coldly.
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