Ning Rongrong lifted her chin proudly like a swan showing off its feathers. "Hmph… My father brought me here when I was a child," she said, tapping a spot on the map with her finger. "This entire mountain and the lake belongs to Tian Duo Academy. That's why you were confused." She chuckled smugly.
"Stop right there!!"
A sudden shout cut through the air. A pink-haired guy swaggered over with exaggerated arrogance. Behind him trailed a group of snobbish students, sticking close like overly loyal minions.
"Who are you?" the pink-haired guy asked with a smirk, his tone oozing provocation.
Flender stepped forward calmly. "We're from Shrek Academy. We've accepted Tian Duo Imperial Academy's invitation for an exchange visit. Please show us the way."
The peacock-headed guy frowned slightly but quickly masked it with a sneer. "Exchange? With our academy? You poor lots?"
The Shrek students' expressions darkened, and Flender's usual calm took on a cold edge.
One of the arrogant guy's lackeys shouted, "Get lost! Our academy isn't a shelter for beggars!" His voice dripped with contempt.
Tang Yin's mood soured. He knew this was Xue Beng—the younger prince playing hooligan out of fear of his elder brother's shadow. Still, the insults were hard to swallow.
Xue Beng was a notorious prince—well-known for his arrogance and spoiled behavior.
In the original story, Xue Beng confessed that his hooligan persona was merely an act, a cover to downplay his abilities and avoid attracting attention. But to Tang Yin, the performance seemed a little too convincing, almost indistinguishable from genuine character.
Suspicious, he subtly activated his telepathy to scan the prince's surface thoughts. As expected, the result confirmed his suspicion—this wasn't just an act. Xue Beng really was a bastard through and through.
Tang yin grew disgusted at the thought of how this guy became the king of Tian Duo empire in the original work. 'You bastard won't be that lucky this time' Tang yin promised to himself to make this guy's life a living hell.
Suddenly, one of Xue Beng's lackeys, eager to impress, lunged forward to attack. But before he could even strike, Tang Yin dropped him to the ground with a single well-placed punch.
As Tang Yin stood tall, he caught Dai Mubai's gaze fixed intensely on Xue Beng—like a predator sizing up his prey. Hmm?... that lecherous tiger must be itching to teach this guy a lesson, Tang Yin mused with mild amusement. Well then, go for it.
Without missing a beat, Tang Yin used telepathy to suggest, "Give this guy a special treatment."
Dai Mubai didn't hesitate.
He lunged forward and tackled Xue Beng to the ground aggressively—then planted a long, slow, and overly enthusiastic kiss right on the stunned prince's lips.
Tang Yin's stomach flipped. Ugh. He squeezed his eyes shut in secondhand embarrassment. 'I wasn't talking about this special treatment'
Xue Beng's minions froze, completely dumbfounded by the sight of their boss being passionately kissed by a fellow guy. Zhu Zhuqing, Rongrong, and Yiran stood there, mouths agape. Even Flender and Zhao Wuji were caught off guard.
Xue Beng struggled, nearly fainting from the lack of oxygen, before shoving Dai Mubai off him with all his strength. He gasped desperately, sucking in air like he'd just surfaced from underwater. "Hah… hah… Y-you freak! What the hell is wrong with you?! Kill him! Kill this lunatic!"
His lackeys snapped back to their senses and prepared to charge—but before they could take a step, Flender and Zhao Wuji released their soul rings & stood Infront of Dai Mubai.
Seven glowing rings surrounded them—undeniable proof of Soul Saints.
"Soul Saints?!" cried one particularly chubby student, freezing in place with terror.
The others saw it too—and immediately changed their tune. Despite Xue Beng's furious screeching, they slowly retreated.
"You'll regret this!" Xue Beng howled, his face flushed with humiliation. "You're provoking the empire! You'll all pay! Just you wait!!"
As the absurd scene finally wrapped up, Qin Ming arrived, drawn by the commotion. Spotting Flender and the group, his eyes lit up, and he stepped forward to greet them warmly.
"Please, everyone—this way," Qin Ming said with a warm smile, leading the Shrek group with evident pride.
As he guided them through the academy grounds, he enthusiastically introduced the various buildings, training areas, and finally,
the board of education of Tian Duo Imperial Academy.
As they approached the entrance, three distinctive figures descended the grand staircase. One was short and round, another tall and slender, and the last one broad and imposing. Despite their contrasting appearances, all three radiated the same commanding, majestic presence—clearly not ordinary individuals.
Qin Ming straightened his posture and greeted the trio respectfully, then gave Flender a quiet nod of acknowledgment. He quickly whispered the identities of the three: all were Contras—formidable experts deserving of deep respect.
Flender stepped forward and bowed slightly. "Greetings, seniors."
The three old men responded warmly. They were clearly fond of talents like Qin Ming and showed no arrogance toward the visiting group. The leader, President Meng Shen Ji, welcomed them personally and gestured toward the hall. "Let's talk inside."
The two vice presidents also seemed interested, especially when they learned these were the same teachers who had guided Qin Ming. They asked a few polite questions and expressed their admiration.
The atmosphere was relaxed and respectful. No testing or pressure was applied to Tang San—Zhi Lin, one of the vice presidents, had been informed of Tang San's martial soul deterioration and saw no need to challenge him. As for Tang Yin, although his Blue Silver King's presence was far more refined, he kept his aura so perfectly concealed that Zhi Lin never found a reason to test him either.
Just then, the hall doors burst open with a bang.
An old man entered first—his green hair unmistakable, hands clasped behind his back, clad in armor and surrounded by a suffocating aura of power. Behind him followed Xue Beng, his expression suddenly respectful and overly flattering as he addressed the old man: "Uncle Dugu, this way, please."
Flender's expression darkened immediately. He recognized that oppressive pressure—Titled Douluo. The atmosphere shifted sharply.
Without hesitation, Flender and Zhao Wuji stepped in front of the students, bearing the brunt of the soul pressure to shield them. Even so, the weight was immense.
Yu Xiaogang, standing farther back, turned pale. Before he could say a word, his eyes rolled back—and he collapsed on the spot, foam bubbling at the corners of his mouth.