A few days later—
Between two low hills stretched a wide road, upon which a grand caravan slowly advanced. Dozens of ornate carriages rolled along the path, each adorned with dazzling gemstones and intricate carvings, emanating opulence and prestige.
Surrounding the carriages were gold-armored knights riding tall horses. They held gleaming lances, their expressions stern and disciplined, exuding an aura of awe-inspiring might.
"Boss Dai, why are you staring at those knights like that?" Ma Hongjun asked curiously.
Dai Mubai's eyes remained locked on the imperial knights. A rare look of admiration lit his face. "The Imperial Knights truly deserve their reputation as the pride of the Heaven Dou Empire. That discipline, that military bearing… it's rare to see such perfection."
Ma Hongjun smirked mischievously. "Didn't expect you to be into soldiers. I thought you'd be more like the others—drooling over the girls from those elite academies."
He nudged his chin toward the nearby beauties walking alongside their own entourages.
Dai Mubai didn't even glance at them. Instead, he snorted and smacked Ma Hongjun on the shoulder. "Shut it, fatty. Go bother someone else."
Ma Hongjun grumbled, rubbing his shoulder. It was just a joke… did he have to hit so hard?
But before he could argue back, Dai Mubai suddenly shouted, voice tinged with disbelief and alarm. "Fatty, look! What the hell is that?!"
Ma Hongjun turned to follow his gaze—and his jaw dropped.
In the distance, a massive figure was slowly approaching, each step causing the ground to tremble slightly. It was like a moving mountain.
As it drew closer, its shape became clearer. A giant turtle, towering dozens of meters tall, was trudging forward. Its shell gleamed under the sun, thick and impervious.
But what truly shocked everyone was the child sitting calmly atop the turtle's back, watching them with serene eyes.
The commotion drew others from the carriages. Soon, students from Shrek and the other academies were all gawking at the unbelievable sight.
"What the hell is that thing? How did it get here?" someone muttered.
"It doesn't look like a normal soul beast… and who's that kid?" another asked.
The massive turtle came to a halt, causing the crowd to tense up. Many soul masters activated their soul rings just in case.
Then, a clear and innocent voice rang out.
"Hi there! I forgot my water bottle when I left home, and I'm super thirsty! Could you please spare me some water?"
The crowd blinked In confusion.
The boy's name was Shi Yi. During the journey, he'd rummaged through his bags again and again but still couldn't find his water bottle. Most of his luggage was filled with toys.
This is all Dad's fault, he grumbled inwardly. Didn't even pack a water bottle for me…
The Black Turtle underneath him was going numb.
That cheap little bottle wouldn't have helped anyway, the turtle thought in frustration. I wanted to stop by the river and drink, but he wouldn't let me. Said it'd waste time!
Now, only when he was about to pass out from dehydration did this brat think to ask others for water.
The turtle hadn't stopped running for days. It was exhausted.
Back on the mountain, Shi Batian sneezed while telling stories to the little gourds on the vine. Hm? Is someone thinking of me?
Meanwhile, the students from Shrek and other academies hesitated. Despite the boy's innocent tone, the turtle he rode was simply too massive and too intimidating.
"That turtle's huge! Could it be a ten-thousand-year soul beast?"
Someone gasped.
But another quickly denied it. "No way. Its aura is too faint. Maybe a thousand-year soul beast at most. Besides, what kind of powerful ten-thousand-year soul beast would let a kid boss it around?"
The Black Turtle narrowed its eyes, silently scoffing.
With a trace of Black Turtle bloodline and my innate Concealment Aura, hiding my strength is a piece of cake. It's no surprise they're underestimating me.
"I'm really thirsty, everyone… Big brothers, sisters, uncles, aunties… My turtle and I need water, please!"
Shi Yi waved from atop the turtle, his voice sweet and sincere.
Then, someone from Shrek shouted in surprise, "Wait, it's that kid!"
Others turned to look. Shrek Academy knows this little guy?
Shi Yi tilted his head in confusion. "Do I… know you guys?"
Ning Rongrong stepped forward with a quizzical smile. "Weren't you the one riding that ten-thousand-year soul beast—the White Tiger? Why are you on a turtle now?"
Zhu Zhuqing added coldly, "Yeah, why'd you switch rides, little brother?"
From the rear, Tang San narrowed his eyes, silently observing.
Shi Yi's expression lit up with recognition. "Oh! You're talking about my big brother! That was my older brother riding the tiger! You know him? Are you his friends?"
The group was stunned. "That guy is your brother?!"
They gave Shi Yi another close look—and realized the difference. The kid riding the tiger had a red gourd on his head. This one wore an orange one.
But aside from gourd color, their features were nearly identical. No wonder they'd mistaken one for the other.
The Shrek Seven Devils exchanged awkward glances. Most of them weren't too keen on recalling how things ended with Shi Hao—especially since they'd walked away from that encounter a little bruised, both physically and mentally.
Oscar scratched the back of his head and chuckled nervously. "So you're his little brother, huh? You must be thirsty. Here, take my water." He pulled out his bottle and handed it up.
Ning Rongrong and the others quickly followed suit.
"You can have ours too…"
Back then, most of them had actually liked Shi Hao. He was adorable and clever. But things had spiraled out of control, and they hadn't quite known how to handle it.
Just then, Tang San finally stepped forward, eyes locked on the boy before him. A complex look flickered in his gaze—surprise, curiosity, and a trace of wariness.
_
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