In a tavern in the city of Suoto.
After the events of the afternoon, Cheng Xiao and his companions decided to eat at a different tavern. However, unfamiliar with the city, it took them a long time to find this place. Now, they had just finished their meal.
As the four of them settled the bill and prepared to leave, they hadn't walked far from the tavern when they saw a golden-haired man approaching them aggressively. Two others followed closely behind him.
As for the fat man who had been "crippled" earlier, he was nowhere to be seen this time. It seemed he hadn't recovered yet.
Watching the three men approaching with hostility, Ye Lingling frowned slightly, her tone full of impatience: "What kind of spirit masters is Shrek Academy raising? Do they really enjoy causing trouble this much?"
Hearing this, the Shi brothers nodded in agreement. They were curious to see what kind of academy could produce such disgraceful students—an embarrassment to the younger generation of spirit masters!
Moments later, the trio, led by Dai Mubai, stopped in front of them. Among the three, Tang San quickly noticed the calm-looking Cheng Xiao. However, due to the time that had passed since they last met, coupled with Cheng Xiao's significant changes over the past three months, Tang San did not recognize him immediately. There was only a vague sense of familiarity, though he couldn't quite place it.
"Strange, where have I seen this person before?" Tang San furrowed his brow, thinking to himself.
Cheng Xiao gazed indifferently at the approaching trio, not saying a word. The two groups faced off in silence, neither side making the first move.
However, this odd standoff naturally drew the attention of the surrounding crowd. Knowing Shrek Academy's reputation, murmurs quickly spread through the onlookers.
"Wow, someone dares to provoke Shrek Academy's spirit masters in Suotuo City? That's asking for death!"
"Exactly! I never thought there'd be anyone in Suotuo City brave enough to challenge them. I heard the academy's headmaster and deputy headmaster are both spirit saints. Definitely not to be messed with."
"I heard that someone beat up Shrek's students earlier this afternoon. No idea if that's true."
"Hah, who cares if it's true or not? We're about to see some action! Anyone who dares provoke Shrek's students is in for some trouble."
"Exactly, let's just enjoy the show. Whoever's brave enough to go against Shrek is sure to regret it."
"Shrek Academy's students are no good anyway. They act like thugs, using their status as spirit masters to bully us and harass women. I hope someone puts them in their place."
As the murmurs grew louder, Dai Mubai, who was at the forefront, stepped forward with a menacing aura. He still vividly remembered the humiliating scene from earlier that day.
Now, with his brothers by his side and equipped with Tang San's hidden weapons, he was confident things wouldn't go the same way as they had in the afternoon.
Compared to Dai Mubai's seething rage, Oscar, standing behind him and Tang San, was ready to bolt and call for the headmaster. After all, he was an auxiliary-type spirit master, not suited for combat.
"Kid, you're pretty cocky, huh?" Dai Mubai cracked his neck, producing a series of popping sounds. "You beat me and my brother earlier. Now, I've come back with help to return the favor. Fair enough, right?"
As he finished speaking, three spirit rings rose from the ground beneath Dai Mubai: two yellow and one purple. The rings circled around him, their light pulsing rhythmically. Behind him, the image of a white tiger loomed, and Dai Mubai himself entered his spirit-enhanced state.
Tiger claws extended, his chest puffed out, and the character for "king" (王) appeared on his forehead. His eyes, locked on Cheng Xiao, burned with fury.
Cheng Xiao, unfazed by Dai Mubai's juvenile and thoughtless words, merely glanced at him dismissively and responded in a calm voice, "Compared to that fat idiot, you're no better. I don't care if you like causing trouble or harassing women, but since you dared to try it with me, making your brother impotent was already lenient. Killing him wouldn't have been unjust."
"I think everyone here knows what kind of behavior Shrek Academy's students are known for. There's no need for me to spell it out, is there?"
As Cheng Xiao finished speaking, the surrounding crowd erupted into applause and cheers. They were ordinary people who usually had to show deference to spirit masters. Hearing someone finally speak their minds was a refreshing change.
"This young man's right! Don't you Shrek students know what kind of behavior you're known for? Do we need to spell it out for you?"
"Exactly! Using your status as spirit masters to oppress us—you're no better than thugs!" someone yelled angrily.
Seeing Cheng Xiao effortlessly stir up the crowd, Dai Mubai's face turned ashen. His tiger claws clenched tightly, and a surge of killing intent welled up inside him. His gaze towards Cheng Xiao was filled with murderous intent.
Standing behind him, Tang San was also surprised. He had assumed the other party was just strong, but he hadn't expected him to manipulate the crowd's emotions so skillfully. In this situation, starting a fight would only make them look worse.
However, Tang San wasn't one to remain passive. He caught the key point in Cheng Xiao's words and said coldly, "Killing him? You're quite arrogant. Do you know they're students of Shrek Academy? Do you realize our headmaster is a spirit saint?"
"If you injure our academy's students, do you really think you'll walk away from here unscathed?" Cheng Xiao chuckled at Tang San's words and replied, "So, what's your plan? Call your teacher? Your headmaster? Or bring out an even bigger backer?"
"You!" Tang San's face darkened. His expression was mirrored by Dai Mubai, who was also visibly infuriated. Cheng Xiao's words were clearly mocking them—implying they couldn't handle their problems and would need to run to their teachers for help.
"Xiao San, stop wasting words with him! We, Shrek students, aren't cowards!" As soon as Dai Mubai finished speaking, the light from his second spirit ring flared up.
"Second spirit ability: White Tiger Light Wave!"
In the next second, a beam of white light shot from Dai Mubai's mouth, heading straight for Cheng Xiao.
Caught off guard by Dai Mubai's sudden attack, Oscar was stunned. He hadn't expected Dai Mubai to make a move after just a few exchanges of words, especially in front of a crowd.
"Isn't Boss Dai too impulsive?" Oscar thought to himself.
As Dai Mubai launched his attack, Tang San didn't remain idle. His eyes glowed faintly with purple light, and two yellow and one purple spirit rings rose beneath him. He was ready to assist Dai Mubai at any moment.
Tang San chose not to attack immediately. After all his training, his Purple Demon Eye could now capture more subtle details. Not knowing the abilities of Cheng Xiao and his companions, he opted for a more cautious approach. If Dai Mubai couldn't handle them, he could intervene and analyze their capabilities.
As Dai Mubai's white energy blast shot toward him, Cheng Xiao didn't even bother to lift his gaze. He casually raised his right hand and waved it lightly.
The White Tiger Light Wave abruptly veered off course, shooting toward the five men instead and exploding upon impact.
With a loud "boom," the shockwave from the explosion stirred a strong wind.
This bizarre turn of events caused the crowd to instinctively step back. From this brief exchange, it was clear who was stronger.
"That young man is also a spirit master!"
"Looks like those Shrek students really picked the wrong fight!"
Even before a full battle had unfolded, the sharp-eyed onlookers had already gauged Cheng Xiao's strength. Although Shrek students were notorious for being troublemakers, their abilities were undeniable. But this young man, who looked so young, was clearly a formidable spirit master—his spirit rank was enough to shock the crowd.
Typically, a spirit master who had reached this level at such a young age had either incredible talent or access to powerful resources. In either case, it was clear that this boy was no ordinary person.
Seeing his White Tiger Light Wave deflected so easily, Dai Mubai was stunned. He had never encountered such an eerie technique. Even Tang San wouldn't dare take on his second spirit ability directly, yet this young man had neutralized it with a casual gesture.
Could it be that this young man had a higher spirit power than him? Was he a spirit ancestor? No, that was impossible—there was no way someone so young could already be a spirit ancestor!
"Boss Dai, maybe we should back off. If we keep fighting, we'll only end up on the losing side." As the saying goes, the bystander sees more clearly. Oscar quickly approached Dai Mubai, grabbing his arm and whispering a warning.
Though Oscar wasn't a combat spirit master, the brief exchange had made it clear that Dai Mubai wasn't a match for the other party. If they continued, the situation might spiral out of control.
"Get lost!" Dai Mubai angrily shook off Oscar's grip, roaring, "If you try to stop me again, don't blame me for not considering you my brother!"
Hearing these words, Oscar was momentarily stunned. He stood there in a daze, feeling a wave of bitterness, but he didn't argue. Silently, he stepped back and no longer interfered.
"Boss Dai, are you okay?" Tang San was taken aback by Dai Mubai's sudden outburst. He had never seen him act this way before.
"Don't worry, Xiao San. I'll make sure he knows what happens when you provoke Dai Mubai!" Dai Mubai's body was engulfed in white light, and a furious roar echoed from him.
"Third spirit ability: White Tiger Vajra Transformation!"