Bad News (1)

One month ago…

"Arghh! Let me go! Let me go!" Dai Mubai, who had just woken up, shouted as he struggled fiercely. His voice echoed within the confines of the carriage as he fought against his restraints, his muscles straining against the tight bindings. Before long, he was struck on the head by the member of the Sheng Company tasked with guarding them on the journey, knocking him unconscious once again.

As the carriage rattled along the uneven road, the others, also bound by the same type of treasure restraints, watched helplessly at the unconscious Dai Mubai; they had grown accustomed to such signs over the past few days as they were forcibly transported toward Shrek Academy. After Dai Mubai's outburst, it would soon be Oscar's turn to struggle after waking up and meet the same fate of being knocked unconscious.

What puzzled them was Ma Hongjun's eerie silence. Since they were taken out of the Great Star Dou Forest, he had not uttered a word. Zhu Zhuqing, Ning Rongrong, and Bai Chenxiang couldn't help but glance at the red-haired youth beside the carriage window. His normally vibrant eyes now seemed devoid of any light, staring out blankly at the passing scenery.

Ma Hongjun, oblivious to their concerned gazes, continued to stare outside, his mind a whirlpool of despair. He felt hopeless, powerless, unable to do anything yet again. The word "again" echoed in his mind like a relentless drumbeat, each repetition driving the nail of incompetence and despair deeper into his soul.

Bai Chenxiang, sensing something was terribly wrong, struggled against her restraints. Her heart ached to see him in such a state. Finally, she managed to inch closer to him, her chains clinking softly with every movement. Sitting beside him, she gently called out, "Hongjun…"

There was no immediate response. His eyes flickered momentarily, but he didn't turn his head. The carriage hit a bump, jolting her slightly but was unable to earn a reaction from Ma Hongjun. Bai Chenxiang steadied herself and tried again, her voice softer but filled with concern, "Hongjun, please...look at me"

Slowly, as if coming out of a trance, Ma Hongjun turned his head. His eyes met hers, and for a brief moment, the emptiness in them wavered. Upon seeing the concern in her eyes, a spark of life returned to his gaze. He forced a small smile. "I'm fine, Chenxiang" he assured her, though his voice lacked conviction. Inwardly, he scolded himself as his thoughts were in turmoil.

He still had people he loved: his father, mother, little sister, and Bai Chenxiang. What would his father and brother do if they knew his thoughts just now? They would probably give him a beating, right? He chuckled weakly at the thought.

'That's right' he reminded himself, 'I need to stay strong. I still have people I love, and I can't give up. Besides, it's not certain that Brother Jun is dead yet. Knowing him, he'll probably return to Shrek Academy with Teacher, unscathed' Ma Hongjun held onto this thought, as the carriage continued its journey toward the Shrek Academy.

…

"Master, let me help, there must be something I can do" Tang San said resolutely, his eyes locked onto his master. Before him stood Dean Flender, Zhao Wuji, and Liu Erlong, their expressions cold.

"Me too, let me help too" Xiao Wu chimed in with a slightly pale face as she stood firmly beside Tang San. Her voice carried a mix of guilt and determination. It was because of her that this accident had happened. No matter how harshly she had scolded Er Ming after he took her away, she knew it was largely her fault that Sheng Jun ended up in danger.

Despite her frequent cursing of Sheng Jun behind his back after their spars at Nuoding Academy due to him always hitting her face, she never truly meant it. Deep down, she appreciated him. He was always kind to her and Tang San, often buying her sweets. He was Tang San's elder brother and, in her heart, hers as well. Now, she prayed fervently for his safety, trying to push aside Er Ming's ominous words about the impossibility of a Spirit Elder surviving his slap.

"Enough!" Flender's voice cut through the tension, sharp and authoritative. He looked sternly at Tang San and Xiao Wu. "You both were lucky to get out of there alive and now you want to go back in? What help would you be if we took you with us? You are both too weak to help, no, you would become a burden. You must go back to Shrek Academy. If you want to help, then get stronger quickly!" His voice was laced with anger and agitation, a reflection of his deep desire to continue the search immediately.

Tang San and Xiao Wu fell silent, the weight of Flender's words sinking in. Tang San clenched his fists, a storm of emotions churning within him. 'I'm still too weak' he thought, his heart heavy with self-reproach. He had sworn to protect Sheng Jun, yet now he felt powerless. As Flender said, his current strength wouldn't help, it would only hinder but…

Yu Xiaogang, observing Tang San's trembling figure, sighed. "Xiao San, Flender is right. You should take Xiao Wu and go back to Shrek Academy. Focus on getting stronger. We will continue searching for him. Once we find him and return to Shrek, I will personally devise a special training course for everyone. So just go back and prepare for it" he said, his tone firm and leaving no room for negotiation.

After a long silence Tang San exhaled heavily, his resolve hardening. "Alright, Master…Xiao Wu, let's go" he said, taking Xiao Wu's hand despite her resistance. "But-" Xiao Wu tried to protest only to be shot down by Tang San gaze. Together, they walked toward the carriage that awaited them, its wheels already prepared to depart.

As they approached the carriage, Tang San couldn't resist glancing back. His master and the others had already vanished, likely rushing back into the Great Star Dou Forest. "First Brother… please be fine" he whispered, a plea to the heavens as he and Xiao Wu climbed into the carriage.

The carriage began to move, the wheels creaking as they rolled over the uneven ground. Inside, Tang San held Xiao Wu's hand tightly, his mind racing with thoughts 'Titan Giant Ape…' he thought silently as killing intent briefly appeared in his eyes.

…

Day 1 of The Search

"There's no sign of him landing anywhere within 30 kilometers radius, let's continue to look at other parts of the area" Flender commanded, his voice echoing in the Outer Area of the Great Star Dou Forest. Without hesitation, he took to the skies, his figure rushing towards another direction. The others nodded silently, their expressions grim, and followed closely behind.

Day 2

With an agonizing howl, a massive boar-like spirit beast, easily over a thousand years old, crashed heavily to the ground, a deep cut across its body. "Let's continue" Flender said, not pausing for a second after slaying the beast that had attacked them. His eyes were focused and determined, as he led the group deeper into the forest.

Day 3

"Let's continue."

Day 4

"Let's…"

Day 5

….

Day 8

"We have already explored most of the approximate locations Sheng Jun would land if he fell in the Outer Area...should we..." Yu Xiaogang said, his voice heavy with fatigue and worry. His implication was clear as he began to analyze potential landing spots in the Inner Area, already anticipating Flender's decision.

"Then let's continue towards the Inner Area" Flender said resolutely. Zhao Wuji and Liu Erlong nodded in agreement, their faces set with determination. They knew the Inner Area was much smaller than the Outer Area, reducing the possible landing sites, but it was also significantly more dangerous.

…

Day 10

"Not here" Flender said slowly, his hopes dwindling as he continued towards the other locations Yu Xiaogang had calculated. The forest seemed to grow darker with each passing day, its trees looming like silent observers, watching their futile search.

Day 11

The group stood atop a mound of spirit beast corpses, panting slightly. They had just fended off an attack from several spirit beasts, each over ten thousand years old. Thankfully, the beasts were not too old, and they had managed to defeat them without much trouble.

"Let's conti-" Flender began, but stopped short, noticing Yu Xiaogang's slightly pale face. He hesitated before finally sighing, "Let's take a break for a while" Yu Xiaogang, only a Spirit Elder, was exhausted. Flender had brought him along in case they needed their Martial Soul Fusion in an emergency, but the toll on him was evident and understandable.

Day 12

"Not here either…" Flender's voice held a hint of despair. They had searched all the possible landing sites in the Inner Area where Sheng Jun could have landed. He had hoped, even faintly, to find Sheng Jun alive, but now it seemed they wouldn't even find his body.

Clenching his fist, Flender looked towards the Core Area of the Great Star Dou Forest, but he knew venturing there with their current strength would be suicide.

After a long, heavy silence, Flender finally steeled his heart and spoke, each syllable piercing his soul like a knife. "Let's…end the search here…Sheng Jun is…dead" he said, his voice trembling as tears began to fall from his eyes flowing through his scars before dropping towards the ground.

"Flender…" Liu Erlong approached, her voice breaking as she wiped away his tears, and her tears also started to flow down her cheeks. Seeing her beloved in such pain hurt her deeply. Sheng Jun had been like a son they never had, so she understood Flender's grief more than anyone.

Flender remained silent for a while as he wiped the tears from her eyes. He then gestured for everyone to start going back.

It was too dangerous for him to fly in the Inner Area, so it would take them several days to reach the outskirts. As they began to set off, Flender couldn't help but look back towards the Core Area. 'I'm sorry, Xiao Jun. I have failed as a teacher' he thought with deep sorrow.

What is a teacher? A teacher is someone who imparts knowledge, and techniques, gives protection, and provides resources to their disciples. Flender felt he had failed in all these aspects. Unlike Ma Hongjun, who could fly, Sheng Jun couldn't, so he couldn't teach him aerial combat and techniques, his forte. Sheng Jun had even started the Sheng Company, providing resources for the whole academy, which made Flender feel more like a burden than a teacher. And now, in terms of protection…Flender was filled with grief and despair at his incompetence.

If Sheng Jun were to know his Teacher's thoughts, he would definitely say that he was overthinking. Sheng Jun believed Flender was the perfect teacher for both him and Ma Hongjun. Without Flender, Sheng Jun wouldn't be who he is today. True, he could have joined Spirit Hall with his talent, but there, despite the abundance of resources. The Spirit Hall boasted many high and top-grade Martial Soul talents among its younger generation, and to secure a top-level resource, he would need to stand out amidst fierce rivals. And let's not forget the internal struggles within the Spirit Hall, known to every top power with their powerful intelligence networks.

Starting his own business and company would have been impossible with the restrictions of Spirit Hall. The Sheng Company wouldn't exist as it did now but would be another force under Spirit Hall's control.

Of course, Spirit Hall, despite its restrictions and disadvantages, offered benefits. Despite the fierce competition, catching the attention of the higher-ups virtually guaranteed a promising future path. Whether it was access to resources, protection, techniques, or treasures, few or rather none of the top powers could rival what Spirit Hall offered. This was why Spirit Hall was the undisputed top power among clans, empires, and even the Sheng Company at present.

As Flender and their group silhouette started to fade to the horizon, unbeknownst to them, a massive amount of life force was silently gathering underground not far from them right on the edge of the Inner Area of Great Star Dou Forest.