The academy rest area was heavy with tension. Ethan Drake, Flender, and the rest of Shrek Academy's teachers wore grim expressions. The hired teammates had already taken their money and left. Only Ash Flynn Hawke remained, sitting obediently beside Flender.
"Sigh. Ethan, I truly do not want to say this, but... we should go back."
When Flender said those words, it seemed to drain all strength from his body. He collapsed back into his seat.
Ethan heard Flender, but he remained dazed, muttering over and over, "No... there has to be a way... there has to be a way..."
To Ethan, Tang San was everything. Tang San was his future and his hope. Now that Tang San had been seized by Spirit Hall, Ethan's mind was already close to collapse.
Seeing him like this, Flender finally could not hold himself back. For the first time in decades, he roared at Ethan.
"Enough, Ethan Drake! There is no way left. Things have already reached this point. What else do you want to do? Break him out of prison?"
When Scarlet Pyre heard Flender shouting at Ethan, she shielded the dazed man behind herself like a hen protecting a chick.
"What are you doing, Flender? Why are you yelling at Ethan? He treats Tang San like his own son. Now Tang San has been captured. Can you not comfort him?"
Seeing Scarlet still defending Ethan, Flender did not back down as usual. Instead, he confronted her directly.
"Yes, that is right. I am yelling at him. All of this is his fault. All of it. It is because he took Tang San as his disciple. It is because he brought Tang San to Shrek Academy."
At this point, Flender was thinking about Shrek Academy and the teachers of Shrek. Ethan was thinking only about his beloved Tang San.
Because of Wu Ling's suppression, Tang San in this life had hardly ever helped Shrek Academy. Instead, Shrek Academy had suffered blow after blow because of him, until it had reached the point where the school could no longer continue. The teachers might even be implicated and lose their lives.
Flender's relationship with Ethan was indeed close. But Barrett Knox and the other original Shrek teachers were also friends who had gone through life and death with him. He could not bury all of Shrek's teachers and students for the sake of one Tang San.
But even after hearing Flender's roar, Ethan did not raise his head. He kept thinking about how to rescue Tang San.
As for Shrek, that was a joke. As long as Tang San could live, every person in Shrek could die. Even Flender and Scarlet Pyre could be sacrificed if necessary.
After thinking for a long time, Ethan discovered in despair that with his ability and schemes, he could not come up with any way to save Tang San.
They were utterly isolated. The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan had been destroyed. Tang Hao, who had stood behind Tang San, had just been slain by Wu Ling. Ethan knew Alban Regis's identity as a prince, but there was no chance the Star Stripe Empire would pressure Spirit Hall for him. Cecilia Jewel, who might once have served as a bridge to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, had left Shrek because of Alban, and she had never formed any deep bond with Shrek in the first place.
As for the Clear Sky Sect behind Tang Hao, Ethan had no way to contact them. Besides, what Wu Ling had said earlier was true. Wu Ling had deliberately passed news to the Clear Sky Sect that he intended to kill Tang Hao and Tang San, yet this time, the Clear Sky Sect had not only failed to act, it had not even shown its face. They could not be counted on either.
"I... will go beg her again."
Ethan's tiny voice sounded. Flender and Scarlet both froze, then their expressions darkened at the same time.
Flender darkened because Ethan still had not given up. Scarlet darkened because she felt she could not bring herself to help Ethan.
At that moment, a voice suddenly sounded.
"His Highness was right. Shrek Academy really does refuse to give up its criminal intentions."
Everyone present immediately stiffened. A yellow figure slowly walked in through the door.
When Flender saw him, he hurriedly bowed respectfully.
"May I ask why Chrysanthemum Sage has come today?"
"Nothing serious. I simply wanted to invite all of you to sit inside Spirit Hall for a while," Yue Guan answered with a smile.
Cold sweat ran down Flender's back, but he still played dumb.
"Your Excellency, we are only crude commoners. Spirit Hall is too noble a place. I fear we would offend its etiquette, so perhaps we should not go."
At that moment, Ethan suddenly stepped forward.
"No. I will go. Bibi Dong sent you, did she not? I will go with you."
Flender cursed Ethan inwardly. How had he never noticed this side of Ethan before? After all these years, Ethan still could not understand his own position. This was pure suicide.
Just as Flender expected, a huge pressure immediately descended onto Ethan. Ethan was still only a Spirit Grandmaster. How could he resist the pressure of a Titled Sage? He was flattened to the floor at once.
Even while suppressing Ethan, Yue Guan still wore the same smiling expression. Compared with before, however, there was now open ridicule in it.
"So this is the so-called Grandmaster? You cannot even understand your own place. Her Holiness's name is not something you are qualified to call. And you guessed wrong. His Highness sent us."
"Wretch, how dare you hurt him!"
Seeing Ethan suppressed, Scarlet Pyre immediately released her Martial Soul and attacked Yue Guan.
Yue Guan did not even need to move. Ghost stepped out of the shadows and met Scarlet head-on. A moment later, Scarlet was sent flying, and one of her arms went with her.
"Yue Guan," Ghost said, "His Highness said to settle this quickly."
"Fine, fine, little Ghosty. Always using His Highness to pressure me."
After saying that, Yue Guan turned his gaze to Flender, who stood frozen and did not dare move.
"You are a clever man, but unfortunately, not clever enough. His Highness said that if you had returned and immediately taken your people away without another word, you might have been given a chance to live. But now, my apologies. You will have to take a trip to Spirit Hall's prison."
Spirit Hall soldiers entered the room. They first saluted Yue Guan and Ghost, then each took a collar and walked toward Flender and the others.
These were Spirit Suppression Collars developed by Rose. Once worn, they sealed the Spirit Power of any Spirit Master below Titled Sage rank. The effect was not quite as absolute as what had happened to Tang Hao, but it was not far off.
Feeling the Spirit Power inside him gradually fall silent until it seemed to vanish, Flender gave a bitter smile.
So in the end, we still reached this step.
With that thought, Ethan, Flender, and the others were escorted by the soldiers into prison. There, Ethan finally got his wish and saw the Tang San he had been thinking of day and night.