Douro Continent

Chapter 500 Shrek, Reunited (Part 2)

The girl didn't say much, "You'll know when you see it." Beneath her cold face, her beautiful eyes held a hint of excitement.

The two Shrek Academy students on duty at the gate had already noticed the two people. Seeing them standing in front of the academy gate, discussing and debating, one of the students strode up.

"What brings you two here? Please do not block our academy's gate. If you are here to apply, you are too late. The application period has already ended."

The students who came up looked to be around twenty years old. After all, generally speaking, the students of advanced soul master academies are around twenty years old.

The blond youth and the girl in white exchanged a glance and couldn't help but smile. "We're not here to register. Are Dean Flander and the Master here?"

The student on duty frowned. "I don't know if the Dean and Vice Dean are here. However, the academy rules state that outsiders are not allowed to enter. If you want to see the Dean, please register first. If you're trying to enter the academy through back doors, you two can leave now; Shrek Academy does not welcome students like that."

Judging from the outstanding appearance and temperament of the young man and woman in front of them, the student on duty was certain that the two were nobles and immediately categorized them as people who got in through connections.

The blond youth smiled. "Junior, you've done your duty very well. However, I don't think I need to go back to the academy for further training. Please inform the dean that Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing are back. I think the dean will welcome us."

This strikingly handsome young couple is none other than Dai Mubai, the eldest of the Shrek Seven Devils, and Zhu Zhuqing, the seventh.

Five years have passed, and they have not forgotten the promise they made five years ago, even though they still have many things to do in the Star Luo Empire.

But how could they forget that five-year commitment? The years they spent at Shrek Academy would leave a deep mark on their lives.

Five years have passed, and they all hope to return to Shrek Academy and see Flander, Master, Liu Erlong, and other elders who taught them.

Of course, more importantly, they were looking forward to the exciting moment when the seven monsters would reunite.

So, they came back. Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing's excitement was even showing on their faces.

To their surprise, the student on duty, who had been calm before, was now filled with disdain. "You're Dai Mubai? Then I'm Tang San, your senior. Stop pretending. You're the twenty-third batch of imposters trying to enter the academy. I won't fall for it. If you know what's good for you, leave now. Otherwise, I'll kick you out."

Dai Mubai was taken aback. Of course, he wouldn't get angry with a junior who was about the same age as him. He touched his nose and said, "Someone is impersonating us? Zhu Qing, it seems we've really left a deep impression on the academy."

Compared to five years ago, Dai Mubai is now much taller and more imposing, exuding an aura of authority and power. Zhu Zhuqing has also grown from a naive young girl into a stunningly beautiful young woman.

Although she didn't yet possess a mature charm, she already looked stunningly beautiful. The reason the trainees on duty were always so polite was undoubtedly due to their appearance.

The student on duty finally grew impatient, his gaze towards Dai Mubai tinged with jealousy. "Hurry up and leave. Otherwise, I won't be so polite."

"Oh? This junior has quite the temper, actually daring to be impolite to our Boss Dai. He's got some nerve!" A sarcastic voice came from the side.

Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing's attention was drawn to it. Under the shade of a tree beside the academy gate, a large, fat man stood there, looking at them with a mocking expression.

This guy looked like he was eight feet tall and had an eight-foot waist. He was tall and fat, with short hair styled in a mohawk on his round head, and a lewd smile on his face.

Even though five years had passed, and even though he had changed so much, Dai Mubai recognized the fat man at a glance. The little fat boy had grown into a big fat man; wasn't he none other than the fourth of the Seven Devils, the Evil Fire Phoenix Ma Hongjun?

"Damn it, you fatso, you've gotten even fatter." Dai Mubai strode towards Ma Hongjun. Ma Hongjun laughed, spread his large arms, and rammed into Dai Mubai, giving him a tight hug. The cracking of their bones showed just how strong their embrace was.

"Boss Dai, why are you still so violent? Actually, I was going to hug Zhu Qing."

"Ah—" A scream...

"Okay, I was wrong, please let me go, boss. My petite frame can't take this kind of abuse. Did you do this when you held Zhu Qing? Ah—" She continued to scream...

Zhu Zhuqing watched from the side, her eyes already slightly red.

Another student on duty at the Shrek Academy gate had also come over and muttered, "This time, he really put on a good act! Even better than the previous times."

"You're just putting on airs." Ma Hongjun glared at him irritably. He finally managed to break free from Dai Mubai's bear hug, and a surging, powerful, and violent aura of pressure suddenly emanated from him.

The two students assigned to duty were naturally not outstanding academy disciples; their strength was only around level 30. Under his overwhelming pressure, their expressions changed drastically, and they hurriedly retreated.

Ma Hongjun gestured threateningly with his large, round fist, "With my strength, do I need to learn anything more?"

"Five years have passed, Fatty, your lewdness hasn't diminished, but your arrogance has only grown!" A clear voice approached from afar.

Forget about showing off, Ma Hongjun turned around abruptly, saw who it was, and immediately stretched out his arms and rushed over like lightning, "Wow, Rongrong has become a beautiful woman. Let your brother give her a hug."

Wearing a pink top and pink trousers, with long hair flowing down to her hips, Ning Rongrong had grown up. Her beauty was different from Zhu Zhuqing's. Zhu Zhuqing's beauty was a blend of a fiery figure and a cold, beautiful face, while Ning Rongrong's beauty was a harmonious and gentle grace, radiating a unique nobility, just like her martial soul, the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda.

Although she is not yet twenty years old, she already possesses a graceful demeanor.

"Fatty, die." The sharp blade of air brought Ma Hongjun's forward-rushing body to a screeching halt. Zhu Zhuqing had already rushed over like a phantom and embraced Ning Rongrong.

Dai Mubai's large hand landed on Ma Hongjun's thick shoulder. "You fatso, trying to take advantage of me? Even though Xiao Ao is a food-type Soul Master, if you touch Rongrong, he'll fight you to the death."

Ma Hongjun sighed, "I consider myself handsome and dashing, a true prodigy, so why hasn't a single beautiful woman taken a liking to me? Seeing you all paired off, I'm so jealous!"

Dai Mubai said irritably, "The phrase 'handsome and dashing' is more fitting for me. Don't insult that word, okay?" Then, he called out to Ning Rongrong, "Rongrong, where's Xiao Ao?"

Ning Rongrong, who was embracing Zhu Zhuqing, froze, her eyes instantly reddening. "I don't know if he'll come."

Five years have passed, and Oscar has disappeared without a trace, not even sending a single message back to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School. It's as if he vanished into thin air.

Ning Rongrong kept waiting for him, but as time went by, she never saw him return.

She hadn't realized how much Oscar held in her heart when they were together, but only after they truly separated did Ning Rongrong truly understand the place he occupied. The heart-wrenching longing she felt was overwhelming.

She discovered that after Oscar left, she had fallen deeply in love with him.

Whenever she recalled Oscar's resolute yet terrifying gaze as he left, and his promise of a ten-year commitment, her heart would clench painfully, and her eyes would well up with tears. Ten years—how many decades does a person have in a lifetime?

She could even imagine what Oscar would experience over the next decade.

She often went up the mountain alone and shouted into the void, "Xiao Ao, come back to me! I don't want you to be strong, I just want you to come back. As long as you come back to my side, no matter how strict the sect's rules are, I will never be separated from you."

But no matter how she shouted, only the echo in the empty valley answered her; Oscar remained silent, lost in the darkness.

Ning Rongrong deeply regretted her past actions. Why had she been so indecisive? Why hadn't she tried to find a way to be with him? She was terrified, terrified that one day she would suddenly see a sect disciple bringing back his corpse.

To avoid thinking about him, Ning Rongrong has desperately used cultivation to numb herself for the past five years. Even the most tedious cultivation is better than the heart-wrenching longing.

Seeing Ning Rongrong's expression, Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun realized something was wrong. The two quickly surrounded Ning Rongrong and, together with Zhu Zhuqing, whispered to her what was going on.

On the other side, the two students on duty were clearly frightened by Ma Hongjun. They whispered a few words, and one of them quickly ran back to the academy to report the news.

Overwhelmed with grief at the sight of her partner whom she hadn't seen for five years, Ning Rongrong recounted the story of Oscar's departure while tears streamed down her face.

Listening to her story, Dai Mubai and the other two fell silent, even Ma Hongjun put away his playful expression.

(End of this chapter)