Flandre had said it long ago — being arrogant was fine, but you'd better have the backing for it; otherwise you just had a problem with your head. And the young men before him, who each looked perfectly presentable on the surface, turned out to be completely incapable of putting up a fight. They may have been far inferior to Dai Mubai in Soul Power, but they held an absolute advantage in numbers. If they had coordinated and attacked together, they should have been able to hold their own at the very least. Yet the scene before him was a complete rout. Barely anyone had even managed to land a counterstrike. They looked like deserters fleeing a battlefield, stripped of armor and丟ing their helmets. Some were even crying for their mommies and daddies — they didn't look the slightest bit like Soul Masters.
Flandre turned to Zhao Wuji beside him and said, "These are the students of Tian Dou Imperial Academy? They're nothing but a pile of trash. I'm already starting to wonder whether coming here was a mistake."
Zhao Wuji smiled ruefully. "Don't ask me — how would I know? The Imperial Battle Team that fought the little monsters to a standstill last time didn't look anything like this. I suppose every place has its dregs."
Even the Great Master, who had been the strongest advocate for coming here, was now rendered speechless.
"Alright, Mubai." Flandre called out to Dai Mubai — if he kept going, it wouldn't be a beating anymore; someone was likely to end up crippled.
Dai Mubai finally stopped. The twin pupils within his Evil-Eyed White Tiger gaze flickered with a sinister light. "Let's see who's really getting the hell out."
"You — you dare cause trouble at our Tian Dou Imperial Academy! This is an affront to the Empire! Just you wait, just you wait…"
Flandre snorted coldly. "Nice帽子 you're trying to put on us, but it's wasted on trash. Go fetch your academy's teachers."
Just then, a vigorous voice suddenly rang out. "What's going on? Why all this racket?" A figure appeared, striding rapidly along the shaded mountain path. He was dressed in a fitted silver outfit, looking roughly the same age as Flandre, with a face as round and bright as a silver plate, thick eyebrows, and large eyes. His hands were clasped behind his back, and he carried the air of a seasoned expert.
"Thank goodness — Teacher Sun is here!" The young man who had been leading the group earlier looked as though he'd spotted a lifeline, scrambling over practically on all fours to greet him.
"Teacher Sun, they actually dared come here and cause trouble! They beat us up! You have to stand up for us!"
Teacher Sun looked at the students before him — they resembled nothing so much as stray dogs — and couldn't help furrowing his brows deeply. "Xue Beng, what is this state you're in?"
In front of outsiders, he didn't berate his own students too harshly. His gaze swept toward the Shrek Academy group.
Teachers and students were, after all, a different matter. The moment Teacher Sun's eyes met Flandre's, something stirred in his mind. He quickly stepped forward and gave a slight bow. "Greetings, everyone. My name is Sun Buyu. Might I ask what brings you to Tian Dou Academy?" He made no mention whatsoever of the fact that his students had been beaten. Simply standing there, he exuded a composed and steady aura.
Since the other party was being polite, Flandre naturally saw no reason to press the earlier matter further. He replied calmly, "We've come looking for Qin Ming. Just now, these students of yours called us beggars and told us to get lost — that's how this little conflict started."
"You're looking for Teacher Qin?" Sun Buyu's interest was piqued. "Might I ask — are you from Shrek Academy in the Balak Kingdom?"
Flandre nodded. "That's right."
Sun Buyu's expression immediately became respectful. "To be able to produce a genius like Teacher Qin — I hold the deepest admiration. For what happened just now, I apologize on behalf of Tian Dou Imperial Academy. Please, come right in." As he spoke, he made a welcoming gesture, while shooting a glare at the Tian Dou Imperial Academy students that clearly said, We'll deal with you later.
The Shrek Academy party then followed Teacher Sun Buyu up the mountain path toward the academy nestled within.
Watching them gradually disappear from view, Xue Beng — the very student Dai Mubai had sent flying with a single kick earlier — could not hide the venomous gleam in his eyes. "Shrek Academy? Quite the Shrek Academy indeed. They're just here to freeload off our school. Hmph, just you wait. As long as I'm around, don't even think about staying here."
"Your Highness, perhaps this isn't wise…" a student beside him ventured cautiously.
"What's not wise about it? The Empire itself belongs to my family. Come on — class is cancelled today. I'm going to find someone to get justice. This prince isn't going to take a beating for nothing. Until I've driven them out, I won't be able to ease this hatred in my heart."