Chapter 43: Offer Your Heart to the Emperor

Chapter 43: Offer Your Heart to the Emperor

Evening fell, and Shao Xin and the other teachers were busy in the kitchen. Having learned that Zhong Yan had generously invested 30,000 gold soul coins into Shrek, Flender, in a rare moment of extravagance, had sent the teachers to buy a pig from a villager.

"Dean, when exactly are they coming back?" Xiao Wu kept shaking Flender.

"My little ancestor, please stop shaking me. Soon, they'll be here soon," Flender said, shaking his head helplessly.

Xiao Wu pulled back her hands, folded them across her chest, turned her head away, and said, "You said that an hour ago. Hmph."

"And you asked that an hour ago, too."

"I—!" Xiao Wu’s eyes widened; she hadn't expected Flender to deflect her so easily.

Zhong Yan shook his head slightly. *[Flender’s shamelessness is truly peerless across the entire Douluo Continent. Xiao Wu, you are still too young.]*

Wait—how did Xiao Wu spend those tens of thousands of years before her transformation? With this level of wit, is she really a hundred-thousand-year soul beast?

Just then, the cafeteria door was pushed open. A rotund youth with a red-toned complexion hopped in, eyes closed, his nose twitching as he sniffed the air.

"It smells so good! I could smell the meat from way over there. Teacher Shao, did the Dean go out again? Hehehe, hurry up and serve me!"

Only after speaking did Ma Hongjun slowly open his eyes with a look of pure enjoyment. However, he never expected that the first thing he would see upon opening his eyes was not the meat he had been dreaming of, but...

"De... De... Dean?!"

Flender’s face turned black. "Good, you fat pig, you’re just itching for me to leave, aren't you?"

Following close behind, Tang San and the others entered. Ma Hongjun seemed to see a savior and scrambled behind Tang San. "Third Brother, save me! It’s a disaster!"

Tang San was smiling, just about to say something, when a graceful figure suddenly rushed over, kicked Ma Hongjun aside, and threw herself into his arms.

"Brother—"

Tang San’s hands trembled as he slowly wrapped them around Xiao Wu’s slender waist.

"Xiao... Xiao Wu, is it you? Is it really you?"

The person in his arms, with her youthful, rosy face, those remarkably long and toned legs, that slender waist that could be spanned by a single hand, and her scorpion braid reaching to the floor—who else could it be but Xiao Wu?

Ignoring the others present, Xiao Wu had leaped into Tang San’s embrace, her long legs habitually wrapping around his waist as she held him tightly. She buried her face in the crook of his neck, her shoulders heaving with sobs, her eyes turning red.

The rest of the Shrek group didn't want to disturb them. While they were happy Xiao Wu was back, they were also puzzled: how had she returned?

The others followed Tang San’s gaze toward the busy teachers and finally spotted the person sitting at the dining table.

Seeing that they had noticed him, Zhong Yan raised a hand in greeting. "Hey."

...

At the dinner table:

"Thank you, A-Yan."

"It's nothing. What kind of relationship do we have?" Zhong Yan smacked his lips. For some reason, hearing that phrase made two Ultramen flash through his mind.

*[Why does that sound so strange to me? My past life has truly been warped by those silly internet trolls.]*

"I’ve settled the matter regarding Xiao Wu. As long as she doesn't go looking for trouble, there shouldn't be any issues."

"Looking for trouble? What do you mean?"

"Just stay away from the Title Douluo of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon family."

"Why?"

"I used Dragon-Subduing Grass. You know what that is."

"I understand."

*[The scent of the hundred-thousand-year soul beast on Xiao Wu is masked by the Dragon-Subduing Grass. Ordinary people won't notice anything, but it’s still possible for a high-level dragon-type martial soul to see through it.]*

Grandmaster muttered to himself at the side, "Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon..." His heart felt heavy.

Suddenly, Grandmaster felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see his good brother, Flender.

"I'm fine."

Mentioning the Dragon-Subduing Grass, Xiao Wu took out the jade box.

"Brother—this is a gift from A-Yan."

Tang San took the box; he had already guessed what was inside, though he didn't know if it would suit him.

"This is... the 'Clear Eyes Dew'!" Tang San was ecstatic.

"A-Yan, how did you know?" Tang San was a bit suspicious, as this related to the very foundation of his cultivation.

"I guessed it a long time ago. Your eyes turn purple every time you fight."

*[If I ever get a Sharingan, let's see who's more OP.]*

"Thank you, A—"

Zhong Yan quickly raised a hand. "Stop, don't say it." With his mind full of those two Ultramen, it sounded truly bizarre.

At this moment, Flender spoke up.

"Ahem, everyone, stop what you're doing and listen to me."

Off to the side, "Chomp, chomp..."

Flender walked over and slapped the fat boy on the head; Ma Hongjun’s face landed right in his rice bowl.

"I said stop, didn't you hear me?"

"Ahem," Flender adjusted himself and said seriously, "This is the Holy Son of the Spirit Hall. His visit to Shrek this time is not just to bring Xiao Wu back; he has also personally invested 20,000 gold soul coins in us. You should thank him for the meat on your plates today."

"Of course, he has one small request: the Holy Son wishes to witness your strength. So, for tomorrow, I have arranged for you to have a soul duel with the Holy Son."

Flender finished speaking and noticed Tang San and Xiao Wu looking at him as if they had seen a ghost.

As for the others, Tang San hadn't said a word about what happened that day; they had no idea that the massive falling star was the work of the person before them.

Xiao Wu, however, had seen Zhong Yan’s full power. When the heavenly star crashed down, those golden eyes—that gaze that looked down upon all existence—were still deeply etched in her heart.

In those golden eyes, a rhomboid shape flickered, as if a bottomless abyss were pulling you in, yet it pierced your heart like a sharp sword!