Star Dou Forest, at the periphery.
The Star Dou Forest, though a sanctuary for soul beasts on the Douluo Continent, teemed with countless ten-thousand-year soul beasts, making it exceedingly perilous. Yet, many ventured into its depths in pursuit of soul beasts.
At this moment, on the outskirts of the forest, two figures carefully explored the periphery.
Leading the way was a Soul King, a robust man, followed closely by a girl no older than thirteen or fourteen.
"Teacher, are we only searching around the outskirts? Why don't we venture deeper?"
The girl clung closely to the Soul King, her eyes reflecting a trace of confusion.
They had been wandering the outer edge for several days without finding a suitable soul beast.
"You don't understand. The Star Dou Forest is extremely dangerous, with..."
Before the man could finish, three emerald-green vines shot out from the ground, binding both the Soul King and the girl in an instant. One vine pierced through the Soul King's backpack, swiftly retracting with its spoils.
The strike was precise. The vines withdrew rapidly, disappearing with the package in mere seconds. By the time the Soul King regained his senses and attempted to give chase, the thief had long vanished.
Casting a deep glance toward the shadowy depths of the forest, the Soul King's expression grew solemn. He slowly pulled the girl back, retreating toward the forest's edge.
The vines made no further attempt to stop them, as if their sole target had been the package.
After retreating nearly a hundred meters and seeing no further movement, the Soul King heaved a sigh of relief. Still clutching the girl, he turned decisively and headed toward the forest's outskirts.
Not far away, behind a massive tree, a figure eagerly rummaged through the stolen package. Moments later, his face lit up with joy as he pulled out a set of clothes.
"Finally! A Soul Master carrying clothes!"
Tears of excitement glistened at the corners of his eyes — this figure was none other than Chen Xiaoming in his human form.
Recalling his radiant image, he could not bear the thought of his reputation being tarnished by streaking through the forest. Thus, he had been preying on soul masters in search of clothing.
Not every soul master possessed a soul tool. Their packages became Chen Xiaoming's prime targets.
After robbing more than ten soul masters, he had finally found clothes today.
Without hesitation, he donned the garments. The oversized outfit, likely belonging to the Soul King, draped loosely over his body — but that didn't matter. His priority was to leave the forest fully clothed.
"Phew, I can finally leave. Douluo Continent, here I come!"
With an excited shout in his heart, Chen Xiaoming's figure flickered as he dashed toward the forest's outskirts.
The Star Dou Forest soon returned to its tranquil state.
One month later.
Balak Kingdom, Suotuo City.
"Finally, I found this place."
Under the scorching sun, after wandering for a month, Chen Xiaoming arrived at the city gates. Gazing at the three large characters spelling out Suotuo City above the western gate, a satisfied smile spread across his face.
He wore a loose blue robe, and his silver hair cascaded freely over his shoulders. His handsome face bore a hint of determination as he gazed into the distance with excitement.
"It's still early. Why not take a look now?"
After emerging from the Star Dou Forest, Chen Xiaoming spent the month gathering information about the current timeline. There was no sign of the Shrek Seven Devils or the Sea God Tang San.
It seemed the story had not yet begun.
To confirm, he had deliberately sought information on the Upper Three Sects.
One of them, the Clear Sky Sect, had seemingly sealed itself away many years ago — excellent news for Chen Xiaoming.
As for other details, he hadn't pried further.
"Xiao Wu, Zhu Zhuqing, Ning Rongrong... Hehe... cough, cough... Calm down, calm down!"
With anticipation surging in his heart, Chen Xiaoming eagerly looked forward to meeting the familiar figures from his past life.
Of course, as a righteous and principled man, his thoughts were entirely pure.
Shrek Academy.
Located outside Suotuo City, Shrek Academy held little renown across the continent. However, within Suotuo City, it was somewhat recognized.
After asking for directions, Chen Xiaoming set off straight for the academy without lingering.
Leaving Suotuo City, he followed the road southward. Fields stretched out on both sides of the path, and Chen Xiaoming strolled leisurely, enjoying the scenery.
Before long, a small village appeared ahead. Roughly a hundred households surrounded by wooden fences stood as a defense against wild beasts.
At the village entrance, a weathered wooden arch bore a tattered plaque with five simple characters: Shrek Academy.
A green humanoid monster head adorned the sign — the emblem of Shrek.
"Finally, I'm here."
There were no guards at the village entrance, only a few ordinary villagers casting curious glances at the newcomer.
Chen Xiaoming scratched his head. The academy's sign was here, but this was clearly just a village — how was he supposed to find anyone?
As he pondered, a figure slowly approached.
Standing around 1.8 meters tall, the man had broad shoulders and a ruggedly handsome face. Long golden hair cascaded down his back, nearly reaching his waist. His eyes were striking — both irises possessed double pupils, shimmering with a deep blue light.
"Yo, those peculiar double pupils — Evil-Eyed White Tiger, Dai Mubai!"
Too distinctive to miss, Dai Mubai looked even more dashing than Chen Xiaoming had imagined. With interest in his gaze, he watched the approaching figure.
"Who are you looking for?"
A chill laced Dai Mubai's voice as his eyes flicked over Chen Xiaoming, a trace of curiosity flashing through his gaze.
It wasn't deliberate coldness — the natural dominance of his White Tiger martial soul exuded an innate pressure.
"What a formidable Evil-Eyed White Tiger."
Admiring silently, Chen Xiaoming smiled and pointed behind Dai Mubai.
"I'm looking for Zhao Wuji and Flender."
"Hmm? The headmaster and Teacher Zhao?"
Dai Mubai gave Chen Xiaoming another scrutinizing glance. The youth appeared no older than twenty, making it unlikely he knew the academy staff personally. Yet, his knowledge of their names suggested otherwise.
After a brief hesitation, Dai Mubai turned and walked into the village.
"Hehe, Shrek Academy... This should be interesting."
With a chuckle, Chen Xiaoming followed Dai Mubai, a plan already forming in his mind.
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