Chapter 89: Birds of a Feather

Regarding Oscar's reminder, Shi Quan felt mostly disdain for Dai Mubai in his heart.

He certainly would not fear Dai Mubai.

……

"By the way, Oscar, where is the academy's Canteen?"

"I'll take you there."

The two chatted, and before they knew it, it was noon.

Just after stepping out of the Dormitory, Shi Quan said, "Oscar, doesn't Zhuqing have a room to herself? Let's call her to come along."

Oscar gave a lewd smile, "Hahaha, I understand, I understand. Can you keep up?"

"No problem."

"Boss Dai is also at Zhu Zhuqing's Dormitory door; are we still going?" After they hadn't walked for long, Oscar said in a low voice.

"We go. Zhuqing hasn't come out, which means she doesn't want to deal with him. We'll go just in time to help Zhuqing out of the situation," Shi Quan said calmly.

"You're really brave," Oscar chuckled.

"Little Ao, Zhuang Zhou." Hearing the commotion behind him, Dai Mubai turned around and noticed the two figures. Oscar was fine, but when Dai Mubai saw Shi Quan's figure, his expression was clearly somewhat gloomy.

Oscar gave a wry smile and said, "Boss Dai, Zhuang Zhou came to ask Zhu Zhuqing to go to the Canteen to eat together, so I have to bring him over."

"Does Zhuqing want to go to the Canteen together?"

Clang, the Dormitory door opened, and Zhu Zhuqing's cold figure walked out from the room, "Let's go."

"Alright," Shi Quan nodded with a smile.

Dai Mubai watched Zhu Zhuqing, whom he had been calling for a long time without success, walk out after just one sentence from Shi Quan. Fury surged rapidly within his chest.

Watching Dai Mubai's stifled look, Oscar couldn't help but suppress a laugh. He didn't dare to laugh out loud in front of Dai Mubai, so he could only endure the amusement and say, "Boss Dai, do you want to go to the Canteen together?"

"Not going," Dai Mubai growled. If he went, wouldn't that make him look even more like a clown?

"Then we'll be heading off first." Oscar hurriedly took Shi Quan and left. After walking a distance away, he couldn't help but burst into loud laughter.

"Hahaha, this is the first time I've seen Boss Dai get snubbed like this; it's just too funny."

"Is it that happy?"

Oscar laughed, "You don't understand Boss Dai. He is a very arrogant and overbearing person. He is used to being forceful in his daily conduct. Aside from the teachers, you are the first person to make him get snubbed."

Shi Quan said with interest, "Oscar, why don't you tell us about this Dai Mubai?"

Zhu Zhuqing also looked at Oscar.

Oscar gave a lewd smile, "Boss Dai's background is not simple; he's very rich. I won't even mention his talent and strength—anyone who can join the academy isn't weak. I call him and Ma Hongjun from his Dormitory the 'Two Tyrants of the Brothel'; they are invincible among the flowers of the world. His personal record is having three girlfriends at the same time, going on three dates in one day. His motto is 'women aren't people, they're resources.' The speed at which the two of them change girlfriends is as fast as changing clothes, unlike me, a pure little virgin."

"Filthy," Zhu Zhuqing spat out coldly.

"Is Ma Hongjun another student at the academy?" Shi Quan continued to lead the conversation.

"Ma Hongjun is the Dean's disciple, and we all call his martial soul a Grass Chicken..."

"Birds of a feather."

After hearing Oscar finish describing Ma Hongjun's situation, Zhu Zhuqing's expression became even colder. She had originally thought that Dai Mubai was cultivating diligently after coming here, working hard to survive, but she never expected that upon arriving here, he would indulge himself every day, lingering among the flowers.

While chatting, the three arrived at the Canteen. The food in the Canteen was exceptionally simple; there was very little meat, mostly vegetables, and very few varieties of dishes.

"The food here is this bad?" Shi Quan asked with a frown.

"The academy's situation is just like this. If we want to eat better, we can only go to Soto City to cook our own meals," Oscar waved his hand.

Shi Quan asked Oscar, "With such poor educational resources, how do you unearth the students' potential?"

"The Dean has his own methods. You'll know once classes start," Oscar said with a smile.

Shi Quan shook his head and said, "Let's just go to Soto City to eat. The nutrition in this academy's food is too low. Spirit Master cultivation and training have certain requirements for nutrition, which is beneficial for a Spirit Master's cultivation. Eating this every day is simply not conducive to cultivation. To be honest, I am becoming more and more disappointed in Shrek Academy."

"The academy's conditions are just like this, there's no help for it," Oscar waved his hand helplessly, "Forget about Soto City. I don't have that much money; I still have to save up for my wife-fund."

Shi Quan said generously, "It's fine, I'll treat you all. Zhuqing, come along."

"Mm," Zhu Zhuqing nodded in agreement. If she went back after eating, Dai Mubai would definitely come to pester her again. It was better to just go to Soto City with Shi Quan to avoid Dai Mubai's entanglement.

"Then I won't be polite. I know a restaurant in Soto City that tastes quite good, but the price..." Oscar gave a cheeky smile and reached out to put his arm on Shi Quan's shoulder.

"Don't worry, I'm not short on money. We'll go to that one."

"Haha, then let's go. It looks like our academy has another rich man; I'll just bask in the rich man's glory."

"I wouldn't call myself a rich man, just someone who isn't short on money."

The three arrived in Soto City. After eating in the city, Oscar took the two of them around Soto City for the afternoon. It wasn't until after dinner, when night fell, that the three returned to the academy.

After Shi Quan and Oscar saw Zhu Zhuqing back to her Dormitory, the two returned to their own.

The night passed without incident.

Just as Shi Quan had thought, Tang Hao did not come to cause him trouble.

Early the next morning.

Oscar slept in, and Shi Quan didn't bother with him. He called Zhu Zhuqing, and the two went to the Canteen together. Just as they sat down, Ning Rongrong also arrived at the Canteen.

Ning Rongrong asked curiously, "Where did you go yesterday afternoon? I didn't see you anywhere."

"We went to Soto City. The academy's food is too poor, so we went to Soto City to eat," Shi Quan said.

Ning Rongrong nodded and said, "Indeed, the academy's food cannot keep up with a Spirit Master's nutrition. It's not enough for a Spirit Master to just be full; they need sufficient nutrition to keep up with the consumption from training. Next time you go to Soto City, you can call me."

Having spent two years at the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, Ning Rongrong's horizons had improved significantly. Plus, whenever she had doubts, she would ask Shi Quan, and Shi Quan would always answer, so Ning Rongrong's knowledge of Spirit Theory was also much stronger than that of ordinary Spirit Masters.

"Mm." Hearing what Ning Rongrong said, Shi Quan nodded with satisfaction. This little girl hadn't forgotten his teachings; she knew how to think and how to analyze.

The three were eating, and before long.

Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun, Tang San, and Xiao Wu, the four of them also arrived at the Canteen. Seeing the four of them together, Shi Quan naturally knew what had happened.

Because of their cooperation yesterday, both Ning Rongrong and Zhuqing nodded toward the two of them.

Ma Hongjun's eyes went straight when he saw the two women. Dai Mubai hurriedly reminded him in a low voice, and the two then engaged in some whispering.

The group quickly took their seats and began eating breakfast.

The atmosphere at the scene was exceptionally quiet.

Dai Mubai coughed once and took the initiative to break the silence: "Oscar is probably sleeping in again. Aside from Oscar, I see everyone else is here. For the coming period, we will all be living and studying together, so let's get to know each other. I won't mention Oscar, as you all met him yesterday. This Pangzi is another student at our academy, named Ma Hongjun; his martial soul is grass—oh, no, it's a Phoenix."

Hearing Dai Mubai's introduction, Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing both glanced at Ma Hongjun; Zhu Zhuqing in particular did not do much, but she cast a glance when she heard the word Phoenix.

Seeing Dai Mubai speak, Ma Hongjun immediately followed up by asking about the situation from yesterday.

After a few words of idle chatter, Dai Mubai also told Ma Hongjun the names and martial souls of Shi Quan and the other four.

After the introductions were finished, in order to bring everyone closer, Dai Mubai told everyone to just call him Mu Bai, while Ma Hongjun should be called Pangzi, and Oscar should be called Xiao Ao or Big Sausage Uncle.

Xiao Wu remained the same, Ning Rongrong was to be called Rongrong, and Tang San was to be called Xiao San.

Hearing this form of address, Shi Quan couldn't help but smile; Xiao San is here, but where is the original partner?

When Dai Mubai's gaze landed on Zhu Zhuqing, Zhu Zhuqing stood up, said "I'm full," and turned to walk outside.

"Me too." Saying this, Shi Quan also stood up and walked outside; he didn't want to stay here and listen to Dai Mubai drone on and on.

He only wanted to wait for Oscar to reach the Breakthrough to Thirty Levels tomorrow, and then go to the Star Dou Great Forest.

Walking out of the Canteen and catching up to Zhu Zhuqing's figure, Shi Quan took the initiative to ask: "Zhuqing, you should know Dai Mubai, right?"

Zhu Zhuqing's figure paused slightly, and she looked at Shi Quan: "How did you know?"

Shi Quan said softly: "Because of both of your names and martial souls; you and Dai Mubai should be from the Star Luo Empire, right?"

"You know?" Zhu Zhuqing's figure trembled slightly.

"I have heard of the internal struggles between the Nether Spirit Cat Family and the White Tiger Family; failure means death. Did you come to Shrek to find Dai Mubai?"

Zhu Zhuqing looked at Shi Quan, a bitter, self-deprecating smile appearing at the corners of her mouth: "I did come here to find him, but I haven't seen any hope in him, only self-abandonment."

"You won't give up, will you?" Shi Quan asked.

"Who would be willing to give up their own life?" Zhu Zhuqing's emotions became significantly more agitated: "But... but even if I work hard, what can I do? He has already given up."

In the depths of Zhu Zhuqing's eyes, only disappointment and despair remained; the hope was already slim, and now that Dai Mubai was self-abandoning, how could she compete? How could she survive?

"Zhuqing, why do you have to rely on him? Since you have already relied on your own ability to come from the Star Luo Empire to the Heaven Dou Empire, why not rely on your own ability to live? Instead of pinning your hopes on someone else, why not believe in yourself? The Heaven Dou Empire is so vast, is there really no place to find shelter?"

"How could it be that easy?"

Zhu Zhuqing shook her head with a bitter smile; she was clear about the strength of the Star Luo Empire. If not for the existence of the Spirit Hall, the Star Luo Empire would have already dominated the continent. There is no power on the entire continent that would offend the entire Star Luo Empire for the sake of one person...