Chapter 62: Remember Me Casually, Then Forget Me

In the dense forest, the thick canopy of trees covered nearly half the sky, with occasional breezes rippling through, creating waves of green that stretched into the distance.

Beneath the lush greenery, towering trees reached toward the heavens, overshadowed only by even taller giants nearby, blending into the vast forest. From behind one of these trees stepped a young man in elegant white attire, his features sharp and noble. It was none other than Dai Huabin, the same person whose hand had been broken by Xiao Yan's punch not long ago.

"Come out," Dai Huabin called, his gaze sweeping the surroundings with a hint of impatience.

At his command, faint presences suddenly sharpened, and in the next moment, a dozen shadowy figures moved through the trees, emerging to form a small group around him.

Leading them was an old man in black robes, whose face took on an expression of reverence as he knelt on one knee. "I didn't expect a summons from the young master… How can we serve you?"

"Greetings, young master," echoed the others, all kneeling in unison. Their voices resonated through the forest.

Dai Huabin's gaze moved coldly over them, his voice low. "In a few days, I'll lure someone to this spot. When you see my signal, you act."

"Yes," the elder replied, bowing respectfully before retreating into the shadows with the others. Soon, they had vanished back into the depths of the forest.

"Xiao Yan… breaking my hand will cost you." Dai Huabin looked down at his bandaged hand, his eyes filling with a murderous glint as he muttered, "You broke my hand; I'll strip you of your soul bone."

---

The next morning, sunlight filtered through the air, which was fresh and slightly humid thanks to the Sea God Lake within Shrek Academy. All the new students who had passed the assessment gathered in Shrek Square, awaiting the class assignments.

Soon, Yan Shaozhe, the headmaster, arrived at the front of the square with a dozen teachers. Among them, Xiao Yan recognized only a few familiar faces, including his previous homeroom teacher Zhou Yi and the interim head of Class Seven, Wang Yan.

Yan Shaozhe held a folder, smiling as he addressed the students. "After these few days of competition, the elimination rounds of the new student assessment have concluded, and we've selected our top three teams. I'll now announce their ranks and distribute the corresponding rewards."

"The third-place team in the assessment is Wang Dong's team: Wang Dong, Xiao Xiao, and the Huang brothers, who have since withdrawn. Step forward."

As Yan Shaozhe finished, Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao stepped out from the crowd, met by enthusiastic applause. However, Wang Dong's expression was far from pleased—he was still clearly troubled by his defeat against Xiao Yan.

"The second-place team is Dai Huabin's team, consisting of Dai Huabin, Zhu Lu, and Cui Yajie. Step forward."

Once again, applause echoed as Dai Huabin and his teammates stepped forward. But there was no trace of joy on their faces. Dai Huabin, in particular, looked tense, his eyes bloodshot and his head slightly lowered, radiating an air of resentment.

Yan Shaozhe paused momentarily before announcing, "Now, I am pleased to announce the champion team of this year's assessment. Let's give a round of applause to Xiao Yan's team: Xiao Yan, Lan Luoluo, and Lan Susu!"

The crowd erupted in cheers, nearly deafening. "As for the rewards, you'll follow me to the headmaster's office later to collect them. You may return to your place now." Yan Shaozhe gestured for silence as he concluded.

Xiao Yan and his teammates returned to their positions, with Yan Shaozhe continuing, "This year's freshmen have shown exceptional promise. I'll now announce the list of core disciples, who will receive special training resources…"

Shrek Square fell silent. Core discipleship didn't solely depend on ranking; it promised greater resources for personal growth. Everyone was focused, except for Xiao Yan, who looked elsewhere, lost in thought.

He kept his head slightly lowered, his dark eyes glinting as he cast occasional glances at Dai Huabin. Xiao Yan's mind was already set on finding a way to lure Dai Huabin outside Shrek Academy for revenge. Unbeknownst to him, Dai Huabin harbored the same intentions.

Yan Shaozhe continued reading from the list: "After a comprehensive evaluation by the academy leadership, the chosen core disciples are: Dai Huabin, Zhu Lu, Wang Dong, Xiao Xiao, Lan Luoluo, Lan Susu, Zhou Sichen, Cai Xiaokun, Ning Tian, Wu Feng, Yu Wenbo, and Jian Zihao."

When the list ended, there was a stunned silence. Xiao Yan's name was missing, despite his role as the leading force behind the champion team.

A cold smile tugged at the corner of Xiao Yan's lips. He appeared entirely indifferent, his mind solely on his plan to lure Dai Huabin out and kill him to avenge his mother.

Lan Luoluo and Lan Susu, standing beside him, sensed the chill radiating from him. Assuming he was upset about being left off the core disciple list, they grabbed his shoulders in reassurance, worried he might do something rash.

"I'm fine. I don't care about becoming a core disciple," Xiao Yan said softly, his expression softening as he looked at the two sisters. "Fighting by your side these past few days has been a joy, but I might not be here much longer."

"What? You're leaving?" they gasped, hands covering their mouths in shock.

Xiao Yan smiled faintly, gazing up at the sky. "I carry many burdens, things I need to resolve myself. Meeting you has been a pleasure. Remember me if you like… then forget me."

After the core disciple announcement, everyone followed Yan Shaozhe to the headmaster's office for their rewards. Due to their undefeated performance in the assessment, Xiao Yan's team received an additional soul bone as an extra reward.

The decision to exclude Xiao Yan from the core disciples was mostly due to his ten-year spirit ring. Yan Shaozhe had determined that his future potential was limited, concluding that Xiao Yan's victories were only possible due to external advantages, like his soul bone. Furthermore, spirit beasts compatible with spiritual-type martial souls were rare, making it difficult to develop his Spirit Eyes to their full potential.

Moreover, Yan Shaozhe harbored suspicions about Xiao Yan's background, considering his forged recommendation letter and unknown origins. He would have expelled him long ago if not for Elder Mu's intervention. Finally, Elder Xuan had also advised Yan Shaozhe, asserting that Xiao Yan wasn't worth investing in as a core disciple.

Translatros note:Xiao Yan's departure from Shrek Academy is drawing near.

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