Shrek Academy
Back Mountain
As the sun set, the horizon glowed red. The evening breeze rustled the pine forest—autumn was approaching.
Today, what was meant to be a friendly match between the Shrek Seven Devils and the advanced class turned into a farce. The clash between teacher and student escalated, leading to an unpleasant end.
In the end, it was Flender who stepped in to diffuse the tense situation, calming both old friends and students. The matter was thus resolved, and no one was allowed to bring it up again.
As Flender put it, "We're all part of Shrek Academy, all on the same team. We're all on the same side, so there's no need to argue over something so trivial."
"Xiao Gang, you're not a young man anymore. Why bicker with kids? Young people have fiery tempers; can't you just let it slide with Xiao Chen?" Flender pleaded earnestly as he pulled the Grandmaster away from the crowd.
Yu Xiaogang only let out a cold snort, not pressing the matter further. And so, the incident was settled.
Chen Xuan's expression remained calm, but he knew very well that this incident had caused a rift between him and Yu Xiaogang that would be hard to mend.
He also clearly sensed that, despite being a student of Shrek, Flender and Liu Erlong were both siding with the Grandmaster. They would not speak up for him. If it hadn't been for the Seven Devils and Tai Long standing by him, this matter likely wouldn't have ended peacefully.
Still, he had no regrets. He didn't feel he had done anything wrong, and if he had to do it again, he would. Worst case, he'd just leave.
"At least there are still people willing to stand up for me. Four or five years of being classmates wasn't in vain," Chen Xuan thought with a touch of emotion, his gaze falling on Tai Long, Jing Ling, Huang Yuan, and Jiang Zhu.
Especially Jiang Zhu, who even dared to stand up to the Grandmaster for him—something he hadn't expected.
Earlier, Chen Xuan had been quite surprised, and deeply moved. Tai Long and the others had simply sided with him without saying anything, but Jiang Zhu had openly argued with Yu Xiaogang, which was rare indeed.
He didn't blame Tai Long and the others. In fact, he was very grateful. It was heartening that there were still people willing to support him in front of Yu Xiaogang.
At this moment, Flender returned from a distance, alone. It seemed that Yu Xiaogang and Liu Erlong had already left.
"Everyone, go back and rest for the next two or three days. Get yourselves in the best shape for the Continental Elite Tournament, because our goal this time is the championship!" Flender announced loudly.
"Yes, Headmaster!" the Shrek members responded.
Afterward, the Seven Devils and the substitute members went their separate ways, returning to their dormitories.
At night, the white moon hung high in the sky, and stars dotted the heavens.
The members of Shrek Academy began their soul power training, each striving to break through and present their strongest selves in the battles against the prodigies from other academies.
Knock, knock!
Inside his room, Chen Xuan's eyes snapped open at the sound outside the door. Someone was here, so he paused his training.
"Chen Xuan, are you asleep?"
A gentle voice called from outside. It was a woman's voice.
"Jiang Zhu? What could she want?" Chen Xuan frowned, puzzled, as he walked towards the door.
Creak!
He opened the door, and standing before him was a round-faced girl with big eyes, a small nose, and fairly pale skin. Her short, yellow-brown hair just reached her neck.
Chen Xuan's pupils shrank, and his breathing quickened slightly when he saw her.
At this moment, Jiang Zhu had shed her daytime uniform and was wearing a light, cool dress. The dress was reflective and silky, made from fine silk, which outlined her mature figure—curvy, yet mysterious and enticing.
A girl visiting a boy's dormitory late at night, dressed in a revealing nightgown, was bound to stir some thoughts.
Jiang Zhu's face was slightly flushed, and she clutched her hands together, looking a bit nervous. She was clearly aware of the situation.
Chen Xuan averted his gaze and asked in confusion, "It's so late. What brings you here?"
Jiang Zhu fiddled with the hem of her dress, looking tense, but she didn't speak.
Chen Xuan grew more puzzled. The atmosphere felt strange. Surely it wasn't... that?
After a long pause, Jiang Zhu finally spoke, pulling out a beautifully decorated box from her storage soul guide.
"You haven't had dinner yet, right? I made some snacks. If you don't mind, you can try them," she said quickly, keeping her head down, not daring to look Chen Xuan in the eye.
Chen Xuan was stunned, completely caught off guard. This was so sudden, leaving him momentarily at a loss.
Once he regained his composure, he felt warmth in his heart. His gaze softened as he looked at her. After the fallout with Yu Xiaogang earlier, he hadn't felt like eating. But to think that someone at the academy still cared about him...
Chen Xuan immediately accepted the food box and said, "Thanks, I was just getting hungry."
"If you like it, I can make more for you whenever I have time," Jiang Zhu said, her face flushed with a hint of joy that no one noticed.
"Sure."
Chen Xuan nodded and added, "I'm not picky about food. You can make whatever you like."
Hearing this, Jiang Zhu's eyes brightened, and she smiled sweetly, clearly pleased.
"Then I'll head back now. I don't want to disturb your rest," she said, turning to leave.
"Okay, good night," Chen Xuan replied.
Jiang Zhu paused, standing still for a moment, but she didn't say anything. Instead, she quickened her pace and left swiftly.
Watching her leave as if fleeing, Chen Xuan rubbed his face and muttered, "What a strange girl. Wait... no, she's older than me. I should be calling her 'big sister.'"