Chapter 66: The Debtor of Shrek
Several days later, in an inn on the outskirts of the Star Dou Forest.
Hui Ho was a quasi-Title Douluo, and Radamantis was a Super Douluo with a soul power of ninety-six. These two moved quickly, and Xiao Yu, estimating the time, prepared to go downstairs and book rooms for them.
The Star Dou Forest was bustling with people, with too many soul master teams hunting for soul rings, making it easy for inns to be fully booked.
Although a Title Douluo strong enough to use the sky as a bed and the earth as a mattress wouldn't be affected, as the leader of his sect, Xiao Yu wanted to ensure the comfort of his sect members.
"We'll rest here for the night, adjust our state, and set off for the Star Dou Forest tomorrow to get a soul ring for Xiao Ao."
Xiao Yu had just booked two rooms and was preparing to return to his own room to cultivate when he suddenly heard a rough voice.
Damn, what a coincidence!
Xiao Yu's mouth twitched slightly as he turned towards the source of the voice, only to see a group of eight people: a burly middle-aged man and seven youngsters in various outfits. It was none other than Zhao Wuji and the Shrek Seven Devils!
This wasn't intentional on Xiao Yu's part. The Star Dou Forest was so vast, and there were already more than a dozen such small towns on its outskirts.
He hadn't expected the inn he chose for rest a few times before to be one of the famous scenes from Douluo.
The two main targets of this trip, the Titan Giant Ape and the Man-Faced Demon Spider, didn't necessarily have to be found by following the Shrek group.
Although the Titan Giant Ape was looking for Xiao Wu, its rampant behavior in the Star Dou Forest was like a beacon. If several Title Douluos couldn't find it, they might as well give up.
Moreover, if the Titan Giant Ape was intercepted, the subsequent events wouldn't occur, and Tang San wouldn't encounter the Man-Faced Demon Spider. To find that spider, one could start with Meng Shu and Meng Yiran.
Dragon Duke Meng Shu was a well-known Soul Douluo. Finding him was much easier than finding the ragtag Shrek Academy, and the reason was simple.
Recruiting a lone Soul Douluo, especially one capable of using a martial soul fusion skill to temporarily match a Title Douluo, was something any sect leader would do. This wouldn't expose his foreknowledge advantage.
So, although this trip to the Star Dou Forest was closely related to the Shrek Seven Devils, Xiao Yu didn't actually need them. It was just a coincidence that his past choice led to this.
What intrigued Xiao Yu more was the unusual formation of the Shrek Seven Devils. Ning Rongrong was walking proudly at the front, completely different from her downcast, PUA-affected self in the original story.
This was a butterfly effect caused by Xiao Yu. Because Ning Fengzhi had strict requirements for Ning Rongrong, when Flender asked Ning Rongrong and Oscar to run laps around the village, Ning Rongrong gritted her teeth and persevered instead of sneaking away.
Additionally, breaking through to Soul Elder at twelve directly put her ahead of the other Shrek Seven Devils, except for the innate full soul power food-type soul master, Oscar, who slightly surprised her. Flender's PUA tactics failed.
But this alone wasn't enough to put Ning Rongrong in the central position of Shrek.
After the examination that day, God King Tang set his mind on the soul tool Ning Rongrong used.
In his heart, as long as he understood the internal structure of the soul tool and integrated it into his hidden weapons, wouldn't it make his hidden weapons superior to soul tools?
The ideal was grand, but reality was harsh. After a series of aggressive operations, God King Tang ended up breaking the level five defensive soul tool.
Ning Rongrong was so angry that her mouth twisted. If it weren't for Tang San repeatedly asking Xiao Wu to persuade her, she would never have lent it to Tang San. And even then, she repeatedly warned Tang San not to attempt to disassemble its internal structure.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan had tried to recruit skilled craftsmen to study and replicate soul tools, but the soul tools from the Nine Star Hall all had self-destruct mechanisms during the manufacturing process. All attempts ended in failure.
Clearly, Tang San had been warned, yet he stubbornly insisted on his course of action. It's hard to fathom where he got the confidence to believe he could surpass those master craftsmen with years of experience.
Ning Rongrong, infuriated, yelled at Tang San to compensate for the damage.
This level-five soul tool was worth a staggering ten thousand gold soul coins, while Tang San's entire savings amounted to only a few hundred. Xiao Wu had nothing to her name, and both Oscar and Ma Hongjun were penniless orphans.
Although Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing were royalty from the Star Luo Empire, they had fled their homes. Zhu Zhuqing, in her hasty escape from her sister's oppression, hadn't thought to bring money, and only had enough to pay her tuition fees.
Dai Mubai had brought a substantial amount when he escaped, but over the years, he had spent most of it supporting Shrek Academy and indulging in luxuries in Soto City. Thus, he had no money left to help.
In the end, Flender, after reading a letter from an old friend, personally stepped in and issued a promissory note to Ning Rongrong on behalf of the academy.
Now, Ning Rongrong was the creditor of the entire Shrek Academy, and naturally walked with her head held high and an air of confidence.
"It's you!"
Just as Xiao Yu was curious about what had happened to the Shrek Seven Devils, Xiao Wu had already noticed him.
As a 100,000-year soul beast who had regained human form, she had an extraordinary ability to sense souls around her, despite losing her cultivation.
Following Xiao Wu's gaze, Dai Mubai and Tang San also noticed Xiao Yu. Their faces instantly showed hostility as the shame from that day at the Rose Hotel resurfaced.
"What a small world! I didn't expect to run into you here!"
With teammates by his side and a soul saint-level teacher present, Dai Mubai suddenly felt emboldened, completely forgetting his cowardice from that day. He strode forward, blocking Xiao Yu's path.
Tang San and Xiao Wu were a step behind, closely following Dai Mubai, flanking Xiao Yu on both sides with eyes full of hatred, determined to erase their previous humiliation.
Oscar and Ma Hongjun, adhering to the school's motto that those who don't cause trouble are mediocre and out of respect for their big brother Dai Mubai, rushed forward without hesitation, standing behind him.
Zhu Zhuqing hesitated slightly, glanced at Dai Mubai, sighed inwardly, and stepped forward. After all, her fate was now tied to Dai Mubai's; their honor and disgrace were linked.
Ning Rongrong hesitated for a moment. Her relationship with the others wasn't particularly good, especially after becoming the academy's creditor and feeling ostracized. But, thinking they were all from the same academy, she eventually stepped forward.
Zhao Wuji, however, stayed where he was. In his mind, the students from his academy were unparalleled prodigies. Seven of them teaming up to deal with a young man in his twenties should be an easy task.
(End of Chapter)
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