550. Kicked Out

"..."

Qian Renjue didn’t know what to say—Liu Erlong's decision seemed to be the final answer.

Ling Yuan continued eating seriously.

She only half-understood the situation and didn’t dare to pry too much.

Snow Empress looked at Liu Erlong, seemingly starting to grasp her predicament.

The food she made tasted just like Mom’s.

And she called someone "Mom" too.

Could it be… that she was disobedient and got kicked out by Mom and the others?!

A trace of fear and vigilance appeared in Snow Empress eyes.

She had to be on her best behavior—she couldn’t let Mom and her sister kick her out.

This family… was something she had fought hard to find.

She wouldn’t get another.

Qian Renjue asked curiously, "Then, Erlong, what do you think we should do?"

"..."

Liu Erlong hesitated for a moment before her expression turned firm.

"Ah Jue, I know this will be difficult, but I want to handle it myself. Is that okay?"

"Handle it yourself?"

Qian Renjue frowned slightly, unsure if he should agree.

"Don’t worry, Ah Jue. I won’t act recklessly. I promise—I won’t fight back, and I won’t talk back either."

Liu Erlong vowed with full confidence.

"Alright."

Qian Renjue pondered for a moment before nodding.

He wasn’t too worried about her promise of not fighting or talking back.

After all, Bibi Dong wouldn’t actually harm Liu Erlong.

"If you ever need help, you can come to me anytime."

"Mm, I will."

Liu Erlong finally showed a hint of a smile.

She suddenly remembered something from a dream—two things Qian Renjue had once lost.

And somehow, she had a vague feeling that the path to redemption lay within them.

Perhaps… it was already on the way.

After lunch, Qian Renjue took Ling Yuan and the others back to Spirit City.

—

Three Days Later

The entire Shrek Academy gathered once again.

Flender and Yu Xiaogang had made their final decision.

"Wu Ji, is everyone here?"

"All present."

Zhao Wuji casually tossed Oscar into the group.

"Good."

Flender straightened up, his energy completely restored—he no longer carried the defeated air he had when Shrek first fell.

"Headmaster, are we really leaving?"

Dai Mubai’s voice wasn’t as wild as before—it had become more reserved and repressed.

"That’s right!"

Flender nodded, suppressing the emotions in his heart, and announced solemnly:

"Grandmaster and I have decided—we will pack up you little monsters, along with us old folks, and send you straight to Heaven Dou Imperial Academy!"

"What?! Heaven Dou Imperial Academy?!"

Not just Tang San and the others, even Ning Rongrong was stunned.

"Teacher, you’re joking, right?"

Ma Hongjun had never seen much of the world, but even he understood the weight of the word "Imperial."

"Hmph! How could I joke about something like this?"

Flender snorted, his pride evident as he spoke about his students.

"Shrek Academy has produced countless geniuses. Some of our best students are already teaching at the Royal Academy with high-ranking positions. Besides, what academy would dare reject you little monsters?"

"Didn’t you say before that the best ones were in Spirit Hall?"

Zhu Zhuqing remarked calmly.

"Cough, cough..."

Flender's face stiffened as if he had choked on his own words.

Xiao Wu nodded repeatedly.

"Wasn’t one of them even the strongest below the Pope?"

"That’s right. Headmaster, why don’t you contact that senior of ours? Maybe he can pull some strings, and we won’t have to leave at all."

Ning Rongrong’s eyes gleamed mischievously as she added fuel to the fire.

Dai Mubai looked up at the sky—he was the one who had said that in the first place.

"Flender, what do you say?"

Yu Xiaogang glanced at him with amusement.

He had no interest in—or respect for—Flender’s usual trickery.

Of course, if he had to be strict about it, the Pope’s Order he held could probably count as a legitimate ticket in.


Shrek staying here wouldn’t allow him to achieve his ambitions.

Flender glared at Yu Xiaogang.

Thinking quickly, he straightened his back and argued shamelessly:

"In our teachers’ hearts, every graduate of Shrek Academy is the best!"

After saying that, Flender didn’t dare linger and immediately changed the subject.

"Of course, we could stay here, but as your headmaster, I want to give you the best. So, I’ll risk my life to take you to a bigger, higher stage where you can truly shine!"

"Cough, cough…"

Yu Xiaogang lowered his head and coughed. Sometimes, he truly admired Flender’s shamelessness.

Ma Hongjun and the others knew their headmaster’s personality all too well and naturally didn’t believe a word of it.

Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu found it amusing, snuggling up to Zhu Zhuqing like a pair of kittens.

The only one whose eyes shone with excitement was Tang San, filled with enthusiasm.

"Alright, I didn’t call you all here just to talk. Start running now—head straight for Heaven Dou City! Let’s see the results of your three months of special training."

Flender’s command was met with Ma Hongjun’s wails and Dai Mubai’s pale face.

"Teacher, do we really have to run all the way to Heaven Dou City?"

Ma Hongjun, still recovering from serious injuries, squeezed his legs together, worried that his wounds might reopen.

Dai Mubai’s pale face carried the same concern.

"Don’t worry, Fatty. I have my recovery sausages to help you stabilize your injuries."

Oscar’s peach blossom eyes gleamed ominously.

Gripping his Martial Soul tightly, he ran his hands over it repeatedly, his gaze sinister as he stared at Ma Hongjun.

"..."

Ma Hongjun felt chills all over his body, breaking into goosebumps as he hurriedly begged for mercy.

"Xiao Ao, don’t look at me like that."

"Hehe."

Oscar’s laughter carried a hint of madness.

That day, he would never forget.

And he even wanted others to experience it too.

"Ugh—Zhuqing, let’s run! I know the way!"

Ning Rongrong gagged, then grabbed Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing’s hands and sprinted toward Tian Dou City.

"Run, quick—haha!"

Xiao Wu laughed joyfully, not forgetting to call out to Tang San.

"Tang Xiaosan, hurry up! Be careful, or Oscar might take advantage of you~"

"Hehe… Xiao Wu, I-I’m coming."

Tang San chuckled foolishly as he watched the lively girl ahead, then glanced at the gloomy Oscar beside him.

Feeling apologetic, he reassured, "Xiao Ao, don’t mind Xiao Wu. She didn’t mean any harm."

"It’s fine. She’s just stating the truth."

Oscar forced a smile, his eyes filled with regret as he gazed at Ning Rongrong’s retreating figure.

"..."

Tang San didn’t know what to say.

The day Oscar returned, the bite marks all over his body had been horrifying.

Dai Mubai’s expression was equally dark.

He had his suspicions, but there was no evidence.

Lowering his head, he ran forward.

Due to his injuries, his waist kept twisting as he ran, making him look ridiculous.

He couldn’t even open up his stride properly.

"Alright, Hongjun, Xiao Ao… You’ll get better in time."

Flender sighed helplessly.

Oscar said nothing and followed after Dai Mubai.

Tang San ran close behind.

Ma Hongjun watched his classmates and teachers’ backs, then raised his gaze to Flender.

"Teacher, what should I do about my Evil Fire in the future?"

"..."

Ma Hongjun’s question left Flender in silent contemplation.

Did Hongjun really have any other choice?

Ma Hongjun knew the answer himself.

He shifted his gaze to Oscar’s back.

Maybe letting Oscar vent his frustrations onto him…

Wouldn’t that be fair?

After all, it was his fault for leading Oscar and Dai Mubai out that day, which led to everything that happened afterward.

If Oscar could replicate his experience onto him, maybe he’d feel normal again.

Even using Oscar’s Martial Soul would be fine.

As long as he didn’t explode and die, that was all that mattered.

"Teacher, I’m heading off first."

Ma Hongjun didn’t say anything more.

Unlike Dai Mubai, he needed to face reality sooner.