When everyone turned around, they saw a woman who looked to be in her thirties standing there.
She wore a simple blue-green cloth dress, with a cloth scarf gathering a lock of blue-green hair over her head. Her face was a little pale, but her features were delicate and moving. Compared with younger girls, she carried a mature presence, and beneath that plain robe was a figure ordinary young women could not match.
"Scarlet, why are you here?" Flender's voice rang out, full of surprise. He had never imagined that after merely coming here to join an academy, he would run into an old friend he had not seen in more than twenty years.
"With something this big happening to you, how could I not know?"
Scarlet Pyre was only a Spirit King, but she had another identity. She was the dean of Blue Tyrant Academy, as well as the illegitimate daughter of Stephen Drake, second master of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.
Since she was the dean of an academy, information on Shrek Academy had naturally been placed on her desk because of what Wu Ling had done back then.
From that information, Scarlet discovered that the dean of Shrek Academy was Flender, her friend from more than twenty years ago. And based on the way Flender and Ethan Drake were practically inseparable, wherever Flender appeared, Ethan Drake would almost certainly be there too.
Thinking of that, Scarlet's gaze fell on the only person in the crowd whose back was turned toward her. Her eyes gradually softened and filled with affection, completely different from her fiery attitude a moment earlier.
"Ethan... after all these years, are you still hiding from me?" Scarlet said as she slowly walked toward that figure.
Tang San and the rest of Shrek also noticed that something was off between them. At Flender's signal, they did not move rashly. They simply watched as the two drew closer and closer.
Even with his back to Scarlet, Ethan could still sense that familiar person approaching.
"Ethan, I know what you are planning. You just need a proper academy, right? Then come to Blue Tyrant Academy. Polaris Royal Academy may refuse you, but I will take you. As long as you are willing to come, I can rename Blue Tyrant Academy to Shrek Academy and let either you or Flender become dean!"
Scarlet's words were like a boulder dropped into a calm lake. They stunned everyone present. There was an old saying that marrying a woman three years older brought gold bricks. Scarlet was not bringing a gold brick. She was handing over an entire academy.
Tang San and the others were surprised, but they did not truly understand what this meant. The three board members did.
Back when she wanted to establish an academy in Polaris City, where Polaris Royal Academy already existed, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan behind her had put in tremendous effort.
A school built in the imperial capital was especially important. Its weight could almost rival the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's own academy banner, Thunder Academy.
In other words, even inside the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, plenty of Spirit Emperors would fight over the position of dean of Blue Tyrant Academy. Yet in the end, the seat had been given to Scarlet, all because she had a good father.
Back then, Stephen Drake had personally visited the three board members, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Emperor Noctis, and basically anyone connected to the upper ranks, all for the sake of securing that position.
And now, before the man had even said a word, Scarlet was ready to pack up the academy and give it away. Her actions trampled over every bit of effort Stephen had made, then ground it underfoot for good measure.
At the same time, the three board members exchanged a discreet glance. They knew Scarlet. But the formerly direct and fiery Scarlet had become like this, which matched perfectly with the hateful brainwashing and bewitching ability described in the Saint's intelligence report.
And there was Elio Quinn earlier too. That look of "I will give everything for Shrek Academy" might as well have been written across his face.
So the three silently reached the same decision. No matter what, Shrek Academy could not be allowed into their academy.
Meanwhile, after hearing Scarlet's promise, Ethan finally could not withstand the complicated emotions and pressure inside him. He bolted into the distance like a madman.
"Ethan..."
Watching Ethan run farther and farther away, Scarlet withdrew the hand she had frozen in midair. With her strength, she could have caught up to Ethan with ease. But what would that change? What she wanted was Ethan's love. So she decided to keep waiting, to wait until the day Ethan finally changed his mind.
Scarlet shook her head, forcing the reluctance out of her mind. Then she regained her usual fierce manner and began greeting Flender again.
At the same time, things on Ethan's side were nothing like what they imagined.
Right in front of him, a tall and handsome figure blocked his path.
Ethan had been running with his head lowered, so he failed to notice the man at first. Only when the two collided did Ethan realize he had slammed into something like a stone wall. He fell straight to the ground, while the other person merely brushed at his chest, as if wiping away something dirty.
"Well now, look who it is. Is this not the great Master Ethan Drake? Where are you rushing off to in such a hurry?" Wu Ling looked down at Ethan on the ground, a faintly mocking smile on his face.
But to Wu Ling's surprise, Ethan did not answer. Wu Ling's smile faded. He focused and found that Ethan was already half-unconscious.
"How fragile. But fine. The most entertaining toy should be saved for last. I will play with the people up ahead first."
After saying that, Wu Ling kicked Ethan to the base of a wall and strode forward.
When Wu Ling walked over, the lively noise from before seemed to have been doused in cold water. Every sound stopped at once.
After a long silence, Hugo Shade, one of the three board members, stepped forward and said, "Your Highness, we did not know you would be visiting today. Please forgive us for failing to welcome you properly."
Wu Ling nodded. Then he looked toward Shrek's side. When the Shrek group saw him approach, every one of them became wary and took up combat stances. Wu Ling frowned slightly.
Flender noticed that small movement and was about to step forward, but Elio Quinn arrived in front of Wu Ling first and questioned him.
"Your Highness, I would like to ask why you moved against Shrek Academy back then. I have read the materials you released, but those people simply failed to keep up with the school's teaching pace. That is no reason to attack Shrek's teachers and students."
Seeing Elio remain steady even in front of him, Wu Ling tilted his head.
"You are... the one Spirit Hall recorded as the second-youngest Spirit Daoist on the continent, yes?"
"That is correct," Elio said, subconsciously straightening his chest. That was the confidence that let him question Wu Ling.
But in the next moment, he did not receive Wu Ling's answer. He received Wu Ling's palm and a bolt of pain that drilled straight into his bones.
The pain came quickly and left just as quickly. But as it faded, he felt his Spirit Power draining away.
Elio's gaze moved instinctively to Wu Ling's palm. There was a sphere there. At its center was a wolf-like figure wrapped in flames.
Right then, Elio understood with absolute certainty.
That was his Martial Soul.