The moment Zhao Wuji clapped his massive palms together, the entire training ground trembled. His towering frame radiated raw power.
"All of you against me," he said, cracking his knuckles. "Let's see what you've got."
Tang Yin exchanged a quick glance with Xiao Wu, Zhu Zhuqing, and Ning Rongrong. They nodded.
"Go!" Tang Yin gave the command.
Zhu Zhuqing vanished instantly, a black blur circling behind. Xiao Wu dashed forward, braids trailing like pink war ribbons. Ning Rongrong stayed back, her Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda gleaming in hand.
"Good coordination!" Zhao Wuji grinned—then, without warning, lunged straight at Ning Rongrong.
"Rongrong, dodge!" Tang Yin knew Zhao wuji strategy so he shouted and immediately increased his agility.
She froze. "He's coming for me?!"
But Zhao Wuji was already a meter away from her.
Whip!
A blur intercepted just in time—Tang Yin, using Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, scooped her into a princess carry. Her cheeks flushed as she stared at his striking profile: blue-silver hair, violet-blue eyes, strong build.
Tang Yin gently set her down. "Snap out of it."
He turned—and attacked.
Blue Silver King vines burst from his palm, wrapping Zhao Wuji's legs. The Soul Sage grunted, stomping once to shatter the vines.
But Tang Yin wasn't done. Another wave surged upward. At the same time, Xiao Wu spun down from the sky.
"Waist Bow!"
Zhao Wuji blocked her kick—just as Zhu Zhuqing slashed at his side.
A bead of sweat rolled down his temple. "Not bad."
Then came the boom:
"Vigorous Vajra Bear!"
Golden light erupted around him, muscles bulging. He swatted Xiao Wu away like a fly. She flipped midair and landed with a smirk.
Tang Yin's eyes narrowed. "First Soul Skill—Blood Devour."
A yellow ring lit up beneath him. The vines grew, pulsed, and sank into Zhao Wuji, draining his blood like a hungry leech.
Zhao Wuji roared, activating first soul skill: "Motionless Bright King Body", unleashing a wave of golden light that shattered the vines.
"Enough playing!" he bellowed, charging forward like a soul-powered freight train.
Tang Yin dodged and countered, using subtle movement to boost his movement speed. Zhao Wuji, though slower than most Soul Sages, kept up.
In the rear, Ning Rongrong also released her First & second soul skill and softly shouted "Strength boost. Speed boost."
Tang yin immediately felt his strength and agility boiling as he surged. His vines lashed out again, dragging Zhao Wuji off balance just as Xiao Wu wrapped around him again. Zhu Zhuqing darted in—this time, Zhao Wuji stumbled.
They were turning the tide.
Until—
A wave of soul power blasted outward.
Zhu Zhuqing flew back, eyes clenched shut—only to land in Tang Yin's arms.
"Why am I princess-carrying everyone today?" he muttered.
Zhu Zhuqing instinctively wrapped her arm around his neck before quickly pushing away, regaining her icy calm.
The team regrouped, bruised but focused.
"Don't use spiritual skills against a Soul Sage," Tang Yin warned Xiao Wu. "there is a risk of Backlash."
She nodded and opted for speed, her agility boosted by Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track.
With Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing flanking and attacking as time went on Zhao wuji became passive feeling restless, until Tang Yin unleashed his second skill:
"Cloud Vine Binding!"
The Blue Silver King roared to life, wrapping Zhao Wuji in vines like a dumpling, sealing him tighter with each heartbeat. They burrowed into his nervous system, feeding on his soul power.
Zhao Wuji's eyes narrowed.
"Vajra Palm!"
A blast of palm energy shattered the vines and shot toward Tang Yin.
Xiao Wu, Zhu Zhuqing, and Ning Rongrong gasped—only to see Tang Yin stand still. Tang yin had absorbed the energy into his body.
"Energy Absorption," he said smoothly—then punched Zhao Wuji square in the face with Energy Conversion.
Zhao Wuji flew backward, crashing through trees and rubble before skidding to a stop, nose bruised and pride wounded.
He rose, trembling with rage, but before he could retaliate—
"Time's up, Teacher Zhao," Tang Yin said coolly, pointing at the incense stick.
As the final wisp of incense vanished into the air, Zhao Wuji snorted and shouted,
"Oscar!!"
From the distance came the pounding of fast-approaching footsteps—and then, an overly eager voice:
"Yes! Yours truly, Uncle Sausage, at your service!"
A silver-bearded youth came sprinting in, full of energy and questionable charisma. The moment Oscar spotted the girls, his eyes sparkled—and not in a good way. He wore the unmistakable expression of a man who had never once spoken to a woman without stuttering.
Zhao Wuji rolled his eyes.
SMACK!
He gave Oscar a good-natured—but solid—slap to the back of the head.
Snapping out of his daze, Oscar blinked and then noticed the bruises and dirt on Zhao Wuji's face.
"Mr. Zhao! What happened? Don't tell me... Dean Flender kicked your butt again for asking for a raise?"
Zhao Wuji's eye twitched.
"You little—! Stop adding salt to the wound and make me a sausage!"
Oscar hesitated. His face paled.
In front of the girls?
He gulped, visibly struggling, but Zhao Wuji loomed closer with a glare that brooked no argument.
With the reluctance of a man facing his execution, Oscar extended his hand and chanted,
"I... have a small sausage..."
All three girls took an instinctive half-step back, their faces twisting in various shades of horror and disbelief.
Oscar looked like his soul had left his body.
"I swear it's just a spell..." he muttered weakly.
Meanwhile, Zhao Wuji was already munching down on Oscar's little sausage, chewing with gusto and making entirely unnecessary "Mmm~ ahhh~" sounds, complete with dramatic choking and finger-licking.
Oscar glared daggers at him, looking like a man betrayed by life itself.
Watching it all, Tang Yin couldn't help but chuckle.
Oscar was ridiculous—but salvageable. He just needed to cut ties with Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun before he picked up any worse habits.
After finishing his snack and letting out a satisfied burp, Zhao Wuji gave them all a long look, now calm and collected.
"Welcome to Shrek Academy," he said gruffly.
"From this moment on, you're official students."