Two days later.
On the vast arena, six figures stood side by side — Fan Yue, Lan Xuanyu, Lan Mengqin, Dong Qianqiu, Qian Lei, and Tang Yuge.
Every face was set. Every one of them ready to give everything they had.
Today's match was different, and the Outer Court knew it. Nearly every student had come, filling the stands to capacity.
Most of them expected the first-year class to pull off something remarkable — yet understood perfectly well that the gap was enormous, and a real victory was impossible.
In the teachers' section, the faculty had gathered to watch. Meng Hao, Xiao Qi, and Tang Yue sat beside one another, with a sloppily dressed man next to them — wild hair, wrinkled clothes — Tang Zhenhua.
"What brings the guardian of the Sea God's Lake and the laziest teacher in the academy out to watch a match in person?" Tang Zhenhua asked.
Meng Hao simply yawned and didn't bother to respond.
Boy — show me what you're made of. Maybe then I'll start taking your training seriously.
"And you," said Tang Yue, exhaling with something like resignation, "are clearly very concerned about your student. What a shame Lan Xuanyu ended up with you."
"Better me than someone like you — who does nothing but lounge around the Sea God's Lake all day."
Tang Yue and Tang Zhenhua fixed each other with sharp stares. The air between them practically crackled.
Xiao Qi sighed.
"You're not students anymore. You can stop needling each other."
"Besides," Meng Hao said, drawing the word out, "the Head of the Life School and Dean Wang Tianyu are both here."
At that, the two of them turned away and directed their attention to the arena.
On the other side of the seating area, Old Man Shu sat next to a tall, powerfully built man of middle age — someone who embodied the word warrior in every line of his body. Tall and broad, sharp features, a steady gaze, and a fiery spirit saber at his hip. This was Wang Tianyu, Dean of the Inner Court.
"Old man — don't tell me the Inner Court's business was so dull that you came here in person," Old Man Shu said.
"I came because I wanted to." Wang Tianyu's voice was firm and unyielding. "And don't even think about poaching Lan Xuanyu — he's Shrek's."
"Ho-ho." Old Man Shu chuckled and quietly let his gaze drift to Fan Yue.
From the look in your eyes, you're going to go all out today. Show every card you have.
I had planned to humble Shrek later rather than sooner — but it seems I'll be doing it ahead of schedule.
His expression was peaceful. Inwardly, he was already savoring the thought.
At that moment, a young man stepped onto the arena. He had no striking features — just the kind of face that made you think: honest, reliable, the sort of person you'd trust without thinking twice.
"Junior — what's the matter?" He laughed, just slightly mocking.
"Don't worry, I keep my word. I'll do everything I promised." He looked out at the six of them. "Let's get acquainted. My name is Zheng Longjiang. Sixth year, Outer Court. The strongest student in the Outer Court."
Lan Xuanyu smiled tightly.
"If you didn't look so much like an Inner Court teacher, I never would have fallen for your act. I didn't think we'd actually end up fighting you."
Zheng Longjiang's expression turned aggrieved.
"I may not be as good-looking as you, but I'm only eighteen! Calling me 'teacher' — like I'm some ancient relic — that wounds me. It genuinely breaks my fragile heart."
While they were talking, both sides noticed the referee still hadn't appeared.
"Even if your heart is broken, what does that have to do with us?" Lan Mengqin said, her tone flat.
Zheng Longjiang nodded slowly, as though genuinely reflecting on this.
"True. No use to anyone, is it. — Hey, where is the referee?"
At that moment, a luminous figure descended from above. A cold voice rang out.
"Zheng Longjiang. No tricks. Focus on the match — or I will personally see to your punishment. I will be the referee for today's bout."
Everyone looked up. Ying Luohun hovered in the air, her gaze fixed on Zheng Longjiang with icy composure. The young man immediately arranged his face into an expression of deep hurt.
"Dean, this is unfair! How can you say that? I, Zheng Longjiang, am the most honest and dependable person in all of Shrek Academy!"
"Shut up," Ying Luohun cut him off.
"Dependable? You are the least dependable person in the entire Federation! Do you have any idea what you've done? Or has none of it sunk in yet?" The irritation in her voice was undisguised.
Zheng Longjiang was a living legend of the Outer Court. His achievements were too many to count, and his reputation had long since spread well beyond the sixth year. That reputation, however, was a double-edged thing.
He had not refused a place in the Inner Court out of any attachment to the Outer Court. His reasons were entirely pragmatic: manipulating the teachers and seniors of the Outer Court was considerably easier than manipulating those of the Inner Court. Even if he could have run circles around the Inner Court, escaping the consequences there would have been far more difficult.
Zheng Longjiang had a gift for bending rules to serve his own ends. His open, guileless face deceived nearly everyone he met, but behind that simplicity lay a cunning and a ruthlessness that would have impressed the most seasoned of schemers.
What made him truly dangerous was that he was a loner — a man who thought only of his own interests, with nothing to hold him back. His one weakness was his girlfriend, and even she was no pushover.
Zheng Longjiang had not been born with an exceptional martial spirit, as many Shrek students were. His path to the top had been paved with strategy and the precise manipulation of circumstances. He had held the title of strongest in the Outer Court for two years running, and not one of his peers had dared challenge him. His strength was plain to see. His methods remained a mystery to most.
Ying Luohun understood perfectly: his appearance in this competition was part of a carefully calculated plan. Zheng Longjiang never did anything without a purpose. More than that — he was prepared to do anything to achieve it, including losing on purpose. Even the sixth-year instructor had not wanted to send him, but had been powerless to stop him. Not one of his classmates had dared stand against him, fully aware of what that might cost them.
His now-legendary saying — "Taking a man's wealth is no different from killing his parents" — spoke volumes about his worldview. He applied this principle exclusively to himself; others preferred to keep well clear, rather than become the target of one of his schemes.
Zheng Longjiang had left no shortage of marks on his path to fame. His methods spared no one, and one of the most notorious stories involved his pursuit of a girl named Shan Wei. Her childhood sweetheart had enrolled at Shrek Academy alongside her, but Zheng Longjiang spent three years in relentless pursuit, tolerating no refusal. In the end, he beat the boy badly enough that he left the academy altogether. Zheng Longjiang got what he wanted, and Shan Wei accepted his advances.
His name had become synonymous with strength, cunning, and an utter absence of scruple. Even the boldest students in the Outer Court preferred not to cross his path.
For Ying Luohun, he was a persistent source of headaches. How could she take seriously someone who operated on pure self-interest with no moral constraint whatsoever? Zheng Longjiang was a problem that even she, as Dean, sometimes struggled to manage.
Zheng Longjiang assumed a wounded expression, shrugged, and let his gaze pass over his opponents. Then he sighed theatrically.
"Juniors, remember — being a good person is not easy! Look at this — even the Dean doesn't believe me. But what can I do? I'm a sixth-year. How could I refuse to fight first-years?" He shook his head mournfully. "Honestly, I have absolutely no desire to do this. But for the honor of the upper years and the glory of Shrek Academy, I must."
He thought for a moment, then added with an air of gravity:
"To show my respect for my juniors, I've decided to set a limitation on this match. If they can withstand my attacks for a single minute, I will acknowledge their victory. That way I don't lose face, and they get to show what they're made of. What do you say, Dean? Ladies and gentlemen?"
Every student who knew Zheng Longjiang felt their stomach turn. They talked among themselves freely — the arena's barrier meant no sound from the stands reached the field, so there was no risk of being overheard. No one would have dared say a word to his face.
Watching Zheng Longjiang stand there radiating righteousness, Ying Luohun suppressed her irritation with considerable effort. She would have dearly liked to ask how much he'd been paid for this performance, had maintaining the academy's reputation not required otherwise. Still — she knew. If Zheng Longjiang fought at full strength, the first-year class wouldn't last a minute.
Fan Yue watched the scene in silence, waiting for the fight to finally begin.
Whatever Zheng Longjiang's reputation for shamelessness and extortion, his strength was beyond question. Every mission he had ever taken on was high difficulty, and he had returned from each one with a substantial reward. His skill and tenacity spoke for themselves.
Ying Luohun said nothing, reading the situation. Zheng Longjiang noticed her silence and let a satisfied smile spread across his face. He turned back to the first-years and announced, with exaggerated solemnity:
"Juniors, you should thank me. I am about to teach you a lesson that will serve you well when you face real hardship in the future. As your senior, I'm prepared to give you a small advantage. In this match, you win by lasting just one minute against my attacks. Furthermore, I will not use my Battle Armor. Without it, you have a chance. If I chose to use it, I'm afraid you wouldn't last five seconds."
Lan Xuanyu raised an eyebrow, about to respond, but Lan Mengqin beat him to it.
"When they were handing out self-regard, you must have been first in line."
Zheng Longjiang heaved a theatrical sigh, as though deeply pained that the truth had been mistaken for boasting.
"Why does no one believe me when I tell the truth? Being a good person is incredibly hard!"
The moment the words left his mouth, his body lit up. Snow-white wings spread open behind him, framing his presence with unmistakable power.
Those wings looked startlingly alive — not cold metal, but something that looked as though it might carry warmth, soft and real. His entire body was encased in gleaming white armor that radiated brilliant light. The craftsmanship was extraordinary — intricate golden runes engraved across every surface, each one seeming to breathe with a pulse of gentle radiance, testament to the mastery of whoever had made it. A helmet completed the image, its single spike rising from the crown like a point of absolute resolve. Behind that honest, good-natured face, the figure in Battle Armor emanated something vast and overwhelming.
The moment the armor fully manifested, the air grew heavy. A surging aura lifted Zheng Longjiang smoothly from the ground. Beneath his feet, a platinum halo expanded outward, spreading over a hundred meters. Within it, intricate patterns shifted and shimmered, connecting and dissolving, endlessly fascinating and impossible to look away from. That radiant splendor underscored his singularity and filled the entire space with a sense of crushing, absolute power.
Standing this close to it, Fan Yue finally understood why Battle Armor was considered essential for every Spirit Master at Shrek.
"A Battle Armor Domain?" Ying Luohun's breath caught. "Your three-word Battle Armor — it's complete?"
She had always known Zheng Longjiang was powerful. She had never imagined he had reached this. A sixth-year Outer Court student — and he had already completed three-word Battle Armor. That was nearly unheard of. A three-word Battle Armor Domain could not be faked. Its power and uniqueness were absolute proof of the true strength beneath it.
A Domain was a singular ability possessed by Spirit Masters of the highest order — and by exceptional objects as well, such as Divine Weapons or Spirit Armor. It manifested as a defined area surrounding the Spirit Master; within that area, the Master held absolute control over everything that occurred, and could suppress any Spirit Master of lower cultivation. More than that — a Domain embodied one of the fundamental laws of the world. The more deeply a Spirit Master understood that law, the greater the Domain's power.
From beneath Zheng Longjiang's feet, spirit rings rose one by one, each one an open declaration of superiority. Seven black rings. Then one red — eight rings in total. And the final ring, the red one: a hundred thousand years old. That level was nearly unattainable for a student still in the Outer Court.
The entire team was staggered. It was like standing before a wall they had no way of scaling.
Is someone like this really still a student of the Outer Court? Qian Lei thought, struggling to take in what he was seeing.
Even Ying Luohun couldn't conceal her shock. Three-word Battle Armor was a staggering achievement. In the entire history of Shrek Academy, only a handful of Outer Court students had ever reached it.
She found herself asking:
How many resources did Zheng Longjiang pour into this? How much has he actually earned during his time in the Outer Court? He cannot be allowed to stay here any longer. If he does, he'll drain the Outer Court dry.
Zheng Longjiang sighed softly, giving a small shake of his head, as though apologizing to everyone watching.
"I know what the Dean is thinking. After today, I'll be transferring to the Inner Court."
He had known, of course, that the moment his three-word Battle Armor was complete, remaining in the Outer Court was no longer an option. Still, he felt proud of himself. Despite everything, he had reached this level. He knew his success owed a great deal to that black emblem he had "honestly" earned. Without it, completing armor of this grade would have been nearly impossible.
When Zheng Longjiang descended slowly from the air, his Battle Armor vanished in a blaze of white light, dissolving into him as though merging with his very body. He turned toward the spectators, met their eyes, and spoke with clear, unhurried confidence.
"Today I have completed my three-word Battle Armor, and I have named it I Love Shan Wei. But this is only the beginning. When I complete four-word Battle Armor, it will be named I Love Only Shan Wei. And if I one day reach the very peak and can add two more words — it will be I Love Only Shan Wei For All My Life."
With that, he blew a kiss toward Shan Wei, who sat in the stands.
Shan Wei, unlike everyone around her who watched with bewilderment or embarrassment, remained entirely composed. A faint smile touched her lips, and as though nothing particularly remarkable had happened, she went on watching the proceedings.
"He's annoying, yes," she said, just loud enough for those nearest her to hear. "But he only loves me."
Fan Yue, watching Zheng Longjiang, found himself smiling quietly.
This senior deserves respect. To speak of love so openly — without a shred of hesitation.
Ying Luohun finally lost what remained of her patience.
"Enough! Let the match begin!"
She seized control of the situation before it could deteriorate further. Fortunately this was an internal Shrek competition — Zheng Longjiang's theatrics in any public setting would have done serious damage to Shrek's standing.
The moment Ying Luohun gave the signal, Lan Xuanyu activated the timer on the spirit communicator at his wrist. A quick glance, then he raised his hand and pointed at Zheng Longjiang — the countdown had begun. Exactly one minute remaining.
Zheng Longjiang exhaled lightly.
"Kids — even if I gave you a thirty-second head start, you still wouldn't have a chance."
His voice held no trace of menace. It simply sounded like a fact.