East Shrek City.
As the entrance connecting to Shrek Academy, it was guarded by soldiers in heavy armor, their cold blades and shadows casting a chilling sense of oppression. As dusk fell, the place became exceptionally lively, with the flow of people like ants being swallowed by the city's mouth.
Lu Cheng's expression remained calm; in his memories, he had been to the Treasure Pavilion before.
Wang Dong'er flipped through the back of the invitation. On the gold-stamped patterns, a map of Shrek Inner City was outlined. Her pinkish-blue eyes looked up to scan the surroundings, and she hesitantly pointed in a direction.
"It should be here?! Hey, Lu Cheng! You guy—"
But when she looked up, Lu Cheng's figure had already slipped away, nearly reaching the end of her line of sight.
The young girl bit her lip and quickly quickened her pace to catch up.
It wasn't until they arrived before a magnificent small building that Lu Cheng stopped. He glanced at the dozen or so receptionists outside—all beautiful women in their late teens wearing qipaos—and nodded slightly.
Inside, the women were even younger, yet their qipaos were more revealing.
"Seductresses—" Wang Dong'er muttered grumpily by his side.
Her pinkish-blue eyes were full of hostility.
"What, being protective of your food?" Lu Cheng laughed and rubbed the girl's head. "Let's go; it looks like everyone's here."
"Welcome, esteemed guests."
"The two of you may purchase on credit or buy any item in the venue directly. Would you like to take a rating test?" A maid in red, wearing a professional smile, came forward to greet them.
"A rating—sure." Lu Cheng pondered for a moment and nodded slightly.
At this time, there was no need to cut ties with Shrek Academy; instead, he needed to maintain a sense of being neither too close nor too far. What Shrek feared most was his estrangement from them. If he took out massive amounts of credit, they would actually feel more at ease.
"Very well, please follow me."
The red-clothed maid bowed slightly.
She led the two of them toward the top floor.
Soon, after completing the registration of his name, soul power, and martial soul, the red-clothed woman's gaze toward Lu Cheng was filled with shock and bewilderment. Her throat bobbed as she hurriedly stepped forward and respectfully handed him a red card.
"This is your card. With this, you can take any one treasure from the Treasure Pavilion for free every year, and all items sold will be at a forty percent discount."
Her gaze gradually grew fervent as she looked at Lu Cheng with great anticipation.
She was even somewhat seductive and charming; her originally professional smile now bloomed like a passionate rose, her entire being exuding a flirtatious aura.
Even when handing over the card, her slender fingers secretly scratched Lu Cheng's palm.
This was the Douluo Continent. Even the so-called Shrek Academy, the number one academy famous across the continent, was merely a pedantic and old-fashioned aristocratic power cloaked as a new "faction."
From the revealing outfits of the receptionists in the Outer Academy, one could see the clues; these women were also toys provided for the guests to play with, no different in essence from the Heaven Dou Empire of ten thousand years ago.
It was just more dignified, so unless forced, no one would willingly degrade themselves and stay here to please others with their looks.
A fine bird chooses its tree; facing a "guest" of this level, a monster-like genius, no one could escape the temptation, let alone oneself. Even the people behind the Treasure Pavilion tacitly allowed or even encouraged this, just like Qing Ya from the Star Luo Empire auction in the original story—
"You have a purple card. You can claim one treasure worth one hundred thousand gold coins every year, and you receive a twenty percent discount on purchases."
Seeing Lu Cheng remain unmoved, the red-clothed woman couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed, but the smile on her face remained brilliant as she looked at Wang Dong'er beside him.
In the wide corridor.
"Hmph, those seductresses, all they know how to do is seduce men all day long," Wang Dong'er muttered.
"They don't have much of a choice either—" Lu Cheng shook his head, his gaze gentle.
"Then do you like it?" Wang Dong'er asked softly.
"What?" Lu Cheng was surprised.
"Those dresses—the ones with high slits. If—if you like them, I can try them on tonight too."
Lu Cheng: "…"
"Only once!" Wang Dong'er said, her fair face turning red.
"Um—alright then," Lu Cheng said reservedly.
—
At the end of the corridor.
What met their eyes was a dazzling array of goods: spirit bones, spirit medicines, pills, and even spirit tools.
Jiang Nannan, Tang Ya, and others were all here. Even Bei Bei and Xu Sanshi were hiding in the distance. Yet, Lu Cheng scanned the area but couldn't find Huo Yuhao anywhere.
Wait—
Tonight seemed to be a special event for core disciples, and Huo Yuhao—he hadn't even made it into the elimination rounds, let alone become a core disciple.
Then his plan to watch the "show" tonight was for nothing.
Lu Cheng raised an eyebrow. Forget it, he'd just treat it as accompanying Wang Dong'er.
"Who is this—" Jiang Nannan caught sight of the two holding hands and acting quite intimately. A flicker of strangeness and suspicion flashed in her beautiful eyes as she looked at Lu Cheng inquiringly.
"Wang Dong'er, my roommate," Lu Cheng said, nodding.
"Sister Nannan." Wang Dong'er's proud head instantly lowered, her face flushing a deep red. She struggled to let go of Lu Cheng's hand, acting as obediently as if she were meeting his parents.
"Hiss…" Tang Ya's expression was equally strange. She looked at Lu Cheng, then at Wang Dong'er, and lightly licked her lips.
It seemed Xiao Cheng was still suppressed after all.
Why did he even go after his male roommate?
Seeing the figure that suddenly appeared, Xu Sanshi, who had been eager to go up and strike up a conversation, instantly looked terrified. He withered, shrinking his neck and leaning close to Bei Bei.
His throat bobbed.
The match a few months ago had practically beaten a heart demon into him. Since then, the mere mention of Lu Cheng's name was like a shadow looming over him. It wasn't until recently, when rumors spread in the Outer Academy that Lu Cheng was dead, that he finally started to move on and even planned to continue pestering Jiang Nannan.
But now Lu Cheng's tall and slender figure instantly attracted the vast majority of gazes present.
Some were shocked, some bewildered, some amazed.
After all, this guy was far too legendary.
Even the atmosphere of the entire venue quieted down for a moment, voices unconsciously lowering.
Only one figure suddenly froze in place.
"Huabin?" Beside him, Zhu Lu, who was holding a glass of juice and wearing a formal dress, looked surprised. "Are you feeling unwell?"
"No, it's nothing—" Dai Huabin took a deep breath, his eyes dodging as he glanced at Lu Cheng in the distance. He took the juice Zhu Lu handed him and downed it in one gulp.
No one should know that he was the one who spread the news, right?
"I heard someone is spreading rumors that I'm dead?"
Lu Cheng revealed a gentle smile. His voice wasn't loud, but everyone present heard it clearly.
"Well, they'd better not let me catch them, otherwise—"
Dai Huabin's throat bobbed, and his body suddenly began to tremble. His fists clenched, and his face turned deathly pale.
If he really got caught, he would probably die.
Lu Cheng smiled, his gaze inadvertently glancing at Dai Huabin. So it was this little brat. With the sharpness of his blood pupils, no one present could escape his sight.
As expected, just like in the original story, he was vindictive and extremely petty.
There would be plenty of opportunities in the future; you'd better not let me catch you, kid. After all, I'm not exactly a broad-minded person either.
He helped Wang Dong'er redeem that Golden Earth Dragon King spirit bone and bought that pseudo-ten-thousand-year whale rubber. Since there wasn't much else he was interested in, he chatted with Jiang Nannan and the others for a while before planning to return to the dormitory.
Tonight there was also the Dong'er show. The qipao version of a back massage.
Jiang Nannan gently tidied her clothes, her gaze soft, like an elder sister's.
While Jiang Nannan wasn't looking, Tang Ya leaned close to Lu Cheng's ear and teased him. When Jiang Nannan turned around with a suspicious look, she quickly regained her composure, smiling brightly.
Treasure Pavilion. Top floor.
Two figures stood together, overlooking the night view of half of Shrek City below. However, one slightly thin and hunched figure would occasionally look toward the city gates.
Lin Huiqun's eyes were complex as she glanced at the old fellow lying in the wooden wheelchair beside her.
"Do we really have to do this?"
"If we don't achieve our goal, it might backfire instead."
"Allowing those fellows to rampage outside Shrek City while we show up just in the nick of time—this provocation of Shrek Academy's dignity might also cause many people to lose confidence in us—"
"His mystery and background mean he can never become the successor to the Pavilion Master of the Sea Gods Pavilion. So, for this wild horse, we either tame him, or—"
Mu En's tone was peaceful, but the content held a faint chill.
Those in high positions are never innocent saints.
Every powerhouse has the blood of the younger generation of other factions on their hands. This isn't bloodlust but an effort made for the stability of their own faction.
For Shrek Academy, he was willing to do anything.
"Huiqun, I am no longer the Mu En of the past at the height of my power. I don't have the confidence to suppress everything and mock all the heroes without restraint. For the prosperity of Shrek Academy, I have no choice—one wrong step leads to the abyss. I have already tried my best to be cautious."
Mu En's gaze was complex.
How could he not want to be magnanimous? To laugh at the world's heroes? To watch the winds and clouds change like a stabilizing pillar in the center of Shrek Academy, making everyone on the continent turn pale at his name, easily ensuring Shrek's glory for another hundred years without worry?
But the injuries on his body and his life force, which was leaking like a sieve, reminded him at every moment.
His lifespan was only three to five years left…
If he didn't get ruthless, then Shrek at that time—Xuan Zi—wouldn't be able to hold the fort.
"Sigh—" Lin Huiqun glanced with complex eyes at Mu En, who was even more hunched than she was. If not for what happened back then, he should have been standing tall, like a middle-aged man in his forties or fifties, with a handsome face showing a gentle smile. His figure would be the stabilizing pillar of the entire Shrek Academy, powerful yet making people feel as if they were in a spring breeze.
But reality was just that cruel.
"Phew—"
Lu Cheng yawned and walked toward Shrek Academy with Wang Dong'er, who was skipping along like a little deer.
Between the east of Shrek City and the academy, there was a significant distance. It hadn't been well-maintained and still looked like a forest. As night fell, it became easier to hide one's figure.
"Xiao Cheng—someone! Hiding in the depths of the jungle on both sides of the road three hundred meters away. At least one Soul Douluo, two powerhouses at the Soul Saint realm, and over a dozen Soul Emperors and Soul Kings." Tianmeng's steady voice rang out in his spiritual sea.
At the same time, it woke up the Snow Empress and Xiao Huo.
"How dare they touch the master I follow! Burn them to death!" Xiao Huo had an explosive temper toward everyone except Lu Cheng.
The Snow Empress's figure emerged from the spiritual sea, her eyes glinting with a cold light.
Meanwhile, Lu Cheng was bewildered.
What does this mean? They're coming for me?!!
I'm the "show" tonight?!!
No, although Dai Huabin was narrow-minded, he didn't have a blood feud with him. Besides, even if he wanted to kill him, he couldn't possibly mobilize this much power.
Then it seemed there was only one possibility.
Lu Cheng's eyes flickered, and the corners of his mouth curled up.
Xuanming Sect—
They really paid a high price just to deal with me.
And according to the nature of Yan Shaozhe and the others in the original story, they had likely already noticed something was wrong but were hiding in a corner, waiting for him to be chased until he was crying for help before grandly appearing to save him from his plight.
As for the Xuanming Sect, he guessed Shrek Academy didn't want to offend them to the death either.
After all, they were a local power in the Heavenly Soul Empire. In the original story, when Dai Huabin ambushed Huo Yuhao, Shrek Academy didn't show any sign of retaliation; they just let it slide. Later, Dai Huabin even joined the inner court openly.
But—
A hint of playfulness flashed in Lu Cheng's eyes.
Watching a play? Then let's make this big play even more lively.
Our Dean Yan still wants to hide in the back and play dead while watching the show? Heh—
How could he let them have their way? Since these old geezers were plotting against him, he would appropriately show his fangs.
The Body Sect is still more honest, damn it. If he had joined the Body Sect instead, Du Busi would have probably already led a group of the sect's powerhouses to charge out with an overwhelming aura, hacking those guys who thought they were well-hidden into mincemeat.
"Shrek Academy. What a bunch of fucking trash…"
Lu Cheng let out a cold laugh.
Immediately, he no longer concealed his aura. A powerful aura rose from beneath his feet, and a crimson longbow slowly emerged from his palm, as if a giant bird from ancient times were condensing into a phantom behind him.
He drew the bow to its limit with three arrows, which instantly turned into a streak of light and shot toward the jungle in the distance.
Notes:
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