"Alright, Qin Ming, this place should be safe enough. You can head back now."
Flender withdrew his hand from Qin Ming's shoulder and gave it a pat.
"Dean, I'm not going back," Qin Ming said, lowering his head in contemplation, his expression complicated.
"You can't stay here. We're the ones who dragged you into this mess. You're a good student."
"Dean, seeing you all like this makes me feel awful inside."
Qin Ming sighed, then added,
"If I hadn't suggested bringing you here in the first place, maybe none of this would have happened…"
"None of what happened today is your fault. You only wanted to give Shrek Academy a chance at survival. Don't carry this burden on yourself."
Flender waved his hand. Everything that had happened today… perhaps it was a sign that Shrek Academy had truly come to the end of the road.
"..."
Lying on Yu Xiaogang's back, Tang San turned his head with great effort to look at Qin Ming. A flash of cold fury passed through his eyes.
That's right. The reason he'd been forcefully stripped of his bone and robbed of his treasures… it was all this Qin Ming's fault!
If it weren't for his harebrained idea of merging with another academy, they would never have ended up here—never would have crossed paths with that man and Dugu Bo!
His treasures, his soul bone—none of it would've been stolen. He wouldn't be lying here injured.
At the end of the day, this so-called "senior" Qin Ming was to blame!
"Cough cough—" Furious beyond measure, Tang San coughed up blood.
"The Heaven Dou Academy looks down on Shrek. But I, Qin Ming, also come from Shrek Academy—I won't bow my head to them."
Qin Ming shook his head and continued,
"And you all came such a long way here… if I just turned and left now, how could I live with myself?"
"You… sigh. Qin Ming, you've always been the student I'm most proud of. Since you've made up your mind, then come with us."
Flender sighed. Qin Ming's resolve was clear. He couldn't bring himself to push this most promising student away.
"Yes. I, Qin Ming, will advance and retreat with everyone!"
"That's the spirit!"
Flender clapped him on the shoulder, and the other Shrek instructors cast admiring glances his way.
Qin Ming smiled sheepishly, as if a little embarrassed.
But from time to time, his gaze drifted toward the blurry outline of Heaven Dou Imperial Academy in the distance. The unwillingness in his eyes was carefully hidden.
The real reason he chose to leave with the Shrek group was because… after everything that happened, even if he stayed at Heaven Dou, it would be hard for him to accomplish anything.
The three Education Committee members had likely lost all trust in him. And with Dugu Yan involved, he was worried Dugu Bo might come looking for revenge.
So, after much thought, he decided to stay with Shrek.
"Dean, where are we going now?" one of the instructors finally asked, voicing the most pressing concern.
They had uprooted everything to come to Heaven Dou City under the pretense of merging with another academy, but in truth, they were seeking shelter.
Now that the Heaven Dou Academy had turned them away, they were like stray dogs—homeless and lost.
"Dean, given our current situation, why don't we head straight to the Star Luo Empire? I still have some pull there."
Dai Mubai stepped forward.
Though Shrek Academy seemed like it had reached the end of the road, they shouldn't forget—he was the prince of the Star Luo Empire.
If they made it to Star Luo, he could definitely secure the funds to rebuild the academy.
"Forget it, Mubai. I have no intention of reopening the academy. Maybe I'm just too tired after all these years."
"But Dean, if you're not starting the academy again, what are the rest of us supposed to do?"
It was Zhao Wuji who spoke, his robes tattered and both arms crippled. Though he still had Soul Sage-level power, he could only use half of it now.
"Why not come to my home? It's not far from here."
Among the group, Ning Rongrong stepped forward.
She was the beloved daughter of Ning Fengzhi, the leader of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan. As one of the three top clans, they could easily take in this many people.
What's more, after suffering such humiliation, she was furious.
Especially after seeing everyone bullied by Dugu Bo. Once she got home, she would definitely ask her Sword Grandpa and Bone Grandpa to take revenge!
A Titled Douluo?
No big deal.
Her family had two of them!
Once she burst into tears and made a fuss, her two grandpas would surely stick up for her—and beat Dugu Bo until he begged for mercy!
"Forget it. We're in no state to go looking for someone else's shelter again…"
Flender looked around at everyone. He didn't want to face another rejection.
"This won't do, that won't work—Flender, are you planning to let my disciple die on my back?!"
Yu Xiaogang glared at him furiously.
Sure, you're fine. But Tang San's practically a dead dog right now!
He was proof that Xiaogang wasn't a failure as a teacher. If this went on, Tang San would die, no question.
"I do have somewhere we can go… it's just…"
Flender hesitated. He suddenly recalled a letter he'd received while still in Soto City. It mentioned an old acquaintance who was now in Heaven Dou City.
Given their current circumstances, perhaps that was the only place left.
"Don't give me 'just'. We need a roof over our heads, and Tang San needs to recover!"
Yu Xiaogang cut him off and made the call without hesitation.
"Alright—then let's go."
Seeing how firm Yu Xiaogang was, Flender had no choice but to agree.
At this point, he just hoped things wouldn't blow back on him later…
...
Outside Heaven Dou City, the Shrek party finally arrived by dusk.
"Flender, the place you're talking about—is it inside the city?" Yu Xiaogang asked, pointing at the massive city gates.
"Yeah, it's inside," Flender nodded.
"Uh, Mubai, come take over carrying Tang San. Dugu Bo roughed me up earlier—my body's not doing great right now."
Yu Xiaogang glanced back at the group and motioned for Dai Mubai.
They were about to enter the city, and as a renowned master of martial spirit theory, he had to maintain a certain air of dignity.
Carrying someone like a pack mule really didn't suit a man of his masterly aura, so he casually made up an excuse and dumped Tang San on Dai Mubai.
"Grandmaster, are you alright?" Dai Mubai asked as he took Tang San without complaint.
"I'll manage for now."
Yu Xiaogang turned to Flender and urged, "Lead the way already!"
The Shrek group followed Flender through twist after turn, nearly getting lost several times, until they finally arrived at the gates of a certain academy.
"What are you people doing here? Coming to Blue Tyrant Academy with such a big group—what do you want?"
The gatekeeper of Blue Tyrant Academy was startled by the crowd approaching.
"I'm a friend of your dean. Go tell her an old acquaintance has come calling."
Flender stood with his hands behind his back, face calm.
"…Our dean's old acquaintance?"
The gatekeeper eyed Flender and the disheveled group behind him.
Every single one of them looked exhausted, and there was even a barely-alive injured patient…
Are they here to bum off the dean en masse?
Does the dean really have this many 'old friends'?!
_
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