The soul masters packed their belongings. Those with spatial soul tools stored them away, while those without had someone else help them.
As it turned out, among the students of Shrek Academy, not a single one lacked a spatial soul tool. There wasn't much need to mention Dai Mubai, Zhu Zhuqing, and Ning Rongrong. Ma Hongjun was Flander's personal disciple, and Oscar was Shao Xin's. As personal disciples of Soul Saints, it would be unthinkable for them to lack even such basic necessities.
When Flander suggested packing, everyone was already prepared. After roughly half an hour, the group of seven set off toward the Star Dou Forest.
Shrek Academy was just over 500 kilometers from the forest. Flander, unwilling to spend money on a carriage, claimed it was to build their endurance but was clearly trying to save some gold soul coins.
At the speed of Grandmasters and Soul Elders, they would reach their destination by tomorrow at the latest, even running. Oddly enough, it might even be slower to take a carriage.
Time flew by, and by the next evening, they were supposed to arrive at a small town near the forest to rest. However, Ning Rongrong, being a pampered young lady, demanded frequent breaks, refusing to continue otherwise.
This left Flander and Zhao Wuji with metaphorical black lines on their foreheads, but there wasn't much they could say. Ning Rongrong was, after all, an auxiliary-type Soul Master. It was understandable that she couldn't keep up physically.
Her constant need to rest, however, was driving Flander and Zhao Wuji crazy!
"Eh? Isn't that Xiao Wu? Who's that handsome guy with her? Where's Li Si?" Ning Rongrong suddenly exclaimed, pointing at Xiao Wu.
She hadn't expected to run into Xiao Wu here. Wait a minute—could it be that Xiao Wu had dumped Li Si for someone else? This handsome guy was someone she'd never seen before!
Following Ning Rongrong's gaze, Zhu Zhuqing also spotted Xiao Wu. Her brows furrowed in confusion. Wasn't Xiao Wu with Li Si? Who was this blue-haired, strikingly handsome man beside her?
Hearing Ning Rongrong's words, Flander, Zhao Wuji, Dai Mubai, and the others all turned their attention to Xiao Wu.
Feeling the gazes directed at him, Li Si paused, scratching his head in puzzlement. Didn't Oscar already obtain his soul ring? What were they doing in the Star Dou Forest?
"Ning Rongrong? Zhu Zhuqing?" Xiao Wu heard Ning Rongrong's loud voice and turned toward her.
"Xiao Wu, you're being sneaky! When I see Li Si, I'm telling him all about this!" Ning Rongrong walked over with a teasing grin. The fatigue from their journey evaporated instantly—she was ready to enjoy the drama.
"What are you talking about?" Xiao Wu glanced at Li Si, then at Ning Rongrong, utterly baffled.
Wasn't Li Si standing right there? What on earth was going through Ning Rongrong's mind?
"Heh heh heh...?" Ning Rongrong smirked mischievously, sending chills down everyone's spines. She raised a slender finger and pointed at Li Si. Arching a brow, she spoke again, "Don't tell me this guy is your brother!"
"I can't believe it. Li Si, such a talented soul master, ended up heartbroken..." Ning Rongrong sighed dramatically, her eyes glinting with golden light.
Xiao Wu, Li Si: "..."
"Hey, handsome, what's your name? You sure swing that hoe well," Ning Rongrong asked, squinting curiously.
"Li Si."
Li Si replied coldly, finally understanding what was going on in Ning Rongrong's mind.
After the second awakening of his Blue Silver Grass martial soul, his appearance had undergone a dramatic transformation. Thankfully, Xiao Wu had been with him during the process and knew what had happened. As for old acquaintances, they were bound to mistake him at first glance.
His hair color had changed, his face looked entirely different—even Li Si himself barely recognized his reflection.
Ning Rongrong: "..."
For a moment, she was stunned. Glancing at Xiao Wu, she wondered if Xiao Wu had dumped the old Li Si only to find a new one with the same name.
"He's Li Si. This is his real appearance," Xiao Wu explained with a shrug.
Ning Rongrong: "Do you think I'll believe that?"
Xiao Wu: "Do you think I care if you do?"
It took a while for Ning Rongrong to piece together what had happened. The man in front of her really was the same Li Si she had known.
"Li Si, how did you become so handsome?" she asked.
Li Si didn't bother answering. Instead, he rolled his eyes, grabbed Xiao Wu's hand, and walked away.
This spoiled young lady was trouble, and Li Si had no doubt about that. He wanted nothing to do with her. After all, the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well had already been thoroughly harvested by him. Without the immortal herb Qiluo Tulip, Ning Rongrong's martial soul would never evolve. Her peak potential was capped at a mere seventy-ninth-level Soul Sage.
Staying far away from her meant no guilt. They weren't close; why should he share his treasures with her?
Flander, Zhao Wuji, and Dai Mubai froze when they realized that this handsome young man was none other than the formidable Li Si.
Zhao Wuji and Dai Mubai couldn't help but shiver. After all, they had almost been beaten to death by him! Running into him at the outskirts of the Star Dou Forest was alarming, to say the least.
"Last time we met, he was already a fifty-ninth-level Soul King. Now..." Flander trailed off. He didn't need to finish his sentence; Zhao Wuji and the others understood perfectly.
This was the Star Dou Forest, after all. Unless someone was here to hunt soul beasts and acquire soul rings, why else would they come?
"So young and already a Soul Emperor. Next time we meet, I might not even stand a chance," Zhao Wuji murmured in awe.
When Li Si was a Soul King, Zhao Wuji was no match for him. Now that Li Si had likely advanced to the Soul Emperor level, there was no question who would dominate. Zhao Wuji was well aware of his own limitations.
A flicker of hatred passed through Dai Mubai's eyes. The beating Li Si had given him was no minor scuffle—he had only just recovered from his injuries two days ago!
Not only had Li Si beaten him senseless, but he had also poisoned him, leaving him in excruciating pain for two and a half days. If he were stronger, Dai Mubai would have rushed forward to seek revenge on the spot.
He was a prince, after all! Being humiliated so thoroughly in public was intolerable.
Zhao Wuji patted Dai Mubai on the shoulder. He knew exactly what Dai Mubai was thinking.
"Little Bai, the past is the past. Let it go. People like him will eventually stand at the very pinnacle of the Douluo Continent. If we can't become his allies, then at the very least, let's not provoke him.
"It's not just you. Even your father wouldn't want to make an enemy of such a monstrous genius. After all, he's not without powerful backing," Zhao Wuji advised.
Dai Mubai nodded instinctively.
Indeed, not even the Star Luo Emperor would risk hostility over such a trivial matter...
(End of Chapter)