"Release Mubai."
Tang San's voice was cold.
Xiao Se stepped forward. His eyes swept over Xiao Wu—just a single casual glance—yet the corner of his lips lifted slightly, as if amused. Then he looked at Tang San and said calmly:
"Beat me, and you can take him. Isn't your famous motto 'If you don't dare cause trouble, you're mediocre'?
If you want to be geniuses, then be ready to pay the price."
Hearing this, Tang San and the others exchanged looks before nodding in silent agreement.
Ning Rongrong took a graceful spin, her body bursting into radiant light as she released her Seven Treasure Glazed Pagoda. Her first and second spirit rings lit up at once, sending two beams of multicolored light straight into Tang San and Ma Hongjun.
Ma Hongjun snapped his fiery red Mohawk and activated his first spirit ring. A purple-red Phoenix Flame line shot out toward Xiao Se.
At the same time, Tang San lunged in from another angle.
As for Xiao Wu—after sensing Xiao Se's gaze—she trembled and hid behind Ning Rongrong again, her face turning even paler.
Against both Tang San and Ma Hongjun's simultaneous attacks, Xiao Se simply chuckled. His figure dissolved like a ghost and reappeared behind Ma Hongjun. He grabbed the fat phoenix by the neck—lifting him like a handheld flamethrower—and aimed him directly at Tang San.
"So fast…! Not even my Purple Demon Eye could catch his movement."
Tang San's heart clenched. He barely spotted the incoming flame line in time to leap away, using Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track to narrowly dodge it. Even so, the blue-silver leaves swirling around him were scorched to ash.
But Xiao Se had no intention of showing mercy just because their levels were "low."
He tossed Ma Hongjun's round body high into the air, then leapt into a flipping kick—just as though he were booting a leather ball—sending the fat boy flying in the exact direction Tang San had dodged.
Tang San had no time to avoid it. With a grim expression, he used Controlling Crane, Capturing Dragon to redirect the impact, barely neutralizing the force.
Xiao Se smirked, vanished again, and reappeared in front of the two midair.
His legs whipped upward—
BANG!
His kicks slammed into their chins, launching both youths skyward over ten meters, sending seven or eight teeth spraying through the air like white confetti.
And he didn't stop.
As they rose, Xiao Se's wings flared. He shot up after them and kicked each of them again.
Then again.
And again.
The brutal midair juggling combo that Mu Zhan once suffered—was now replayed perfectly on Tang San and Ma Hongjun.
By the time Xiao Se let them drop, the two crashed to the ground with swollen, pork-like faces—completely unconscious.
The crowd gaped.
They hadn't even seen what happened.
All of this took mere seconds.
"How… how did they become pig-heads already?"
"Brother!"
Seeing Tang San battered nearly to death, Xiao Wu forgot her fear and rushed forward, dropping to her knees beside him.
Tang San's body trembled as he forced out his final breath of consciousness.
"Xiao Wu… run…"
The moment he spoke, he passed out cold.
"I—I won't go…"
Xiao Wu sobbed, tears dripping like rain.
Watching their dramatic scene, Xiao Se couldn't help twitching his lips.
"Oh please. Stop wailing. From start to finish, you lot were the ones provoking me. Don't act like you're the victims here. I truly don't know how you've survived this long."
He extended his soul perception outward.
Tang Ritian—Tang Hao—was indeed furious, but still hadn't made a move.
Scanning wider, he sensed another presence approaching.
Ah.
Flender.
Moments later, the hook-nosed, glasses-wearing dean of Shrek rushed onto the scene, Oscar trailing behind him like a frightened chick.
Flender's eyes swept over the scene:
Dai Mubai hanging upside down from a crooked tree…
Tang San and Ma Hongjun looking like they'd been run over by a carriage…
Xiao Wu kneeling and crying…
His brows furrowed deeply.
He turned to Ning Rongrong.
"Rongrong, what happened?"
Ning Rongrong snapped out of her shock. She lifted her hand and pointed at Xiao Se.
"That guy said he'd only release Dai Mubai if he beat him. Then Tang San and Ma Hongjun rushed in… I didn't even see what happened before they were both beaten like that."
Flender's expression tightened.
He glared at Xiao Se.
"Young man… even if it's a spar, don't you think you went too far?"
Xiao Se shook his head calmly, smiling faintly.
"You must be Flender, the dean of Shrek Academy. 'If you don't dare cause trouble, you're mediocre'—isn't that your teaching?
Since they dare to provoke people for no reason, they must be ready to pay the price.
A beating is already merciful."
"'A beating is already merciful,' is it?"
Flender did not become angry—he laughed.
He didn't care who was right or wrong anymore.
His students had been beaten—
As dean, he had to reclaim their dignity.
"Then let me, as your elder, teach you a proper lesson."
"Oh? So after beating the small ones, now the big one comes out? Don't say I'm bullying you—maybe you should have the little princess from the Seven Treasure Glazed Clan buff you first. Otherwise, when you lose, where will you put your old face?"
Xiao Se wore a mocking smile.
Behind him, Zhu Zhuqing immediately stepped forward.
She whispered urgently:
"Flender, the Shrek dean—I've heard of him. His spirit is the Four-Eyed Owl. A speed-type Spirit Saint. I'll fight with you."
Xiao Se had fought Dai Mubai and the others partly on her behalf. Even knowing she couldn't help much, she refused to retreat.
But Xiao Se simply smiled and shook his head.
"Don't worry. I've wanted to see what a Spirit Saint can do anyway. Just watch."
He strode forward slowly, raising a hand at Flender.
"Come then, Dean Flender. Show me how powerful this so-called Golden Iron Triangle really is."
"Arrogant brat."
Flender stepped back with one foot, leaning forward as his hands curled into talons.
"Four-Eyed Owl—Possession."
"GUH!"
With a piercing owl cry, Flender's body transformed—hands turning to razor claws, wings emerging from his back, his entire posture shifting into a humanoid owl.
Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black—
Seven spirit rings rose beneath him in dazzling brilliance.
Facing a youth who had effortlessly defeated three of his best students, Flender dared not hold back.
He activated his Spirit Possession instantly.
His wings snapped open as he soared into the sky.
The fourth spirit ring lit up—
Ten razor-sharp wind blades launched toward Xiao Se at deadly speed.
Xiao Se remained calm, unfazed.
His azure Dou Qi erupted from within. His figure blurred—and vanished.
While effortlessly dodging the blades, his Purple Cloud Wings snapped open behind him. With a single powerful beat, he shot skyward like a bolt, appearing before Flender in an instant.
His fist—wrapped in swirling cyan Dou Qi—swung fiercely at Flender.
(End of Chapter)
If you enjoyed this novel, you might like to check out my other novels as well.
You could also give my friend Soulcaster01's novels a try. One of the popular ones is
"Douluo Dalu: Storm-born Thunder King and His Many Loves" on Webnovel.
I hope you'll enjoy those too.