The first morning at the newly rename Shrek Academy dawned clear and bright, the sky above academy forested campus washed in soft hues of pale gold. The air was crisp, touched with the scent of early spring blossoms from the academy's courtyard gardens, where dew still clung to the petals like tears that hadn't yet fallen.
Li Wei stood alone beneath the sprawling branches of a flowering apricot tree, gazing toward the rising sun that cast long shadows behind him. He was dressed in his usual teal green and white robes, though it was rare for him to wear it openly within the school grounds. Today was different.
Today, he would leave.
His hand rose slowly, brushing a fallen blossom from his shoulder as his thoughts flickered inward.
It's not just a visit. There's something I must do. He need to return to the sunset forest where Ice and Fire Ying Yang well reside. But first he need to go back to Spirit Hall.
The sound of approaching footsteps broke the quiet moment.
Zhu Zhuqing was the first to arrive, her steps light and precise, as always. She was clad in a sleeveless black training top, her long legs hide under black leather wrapped around her leg. Her purple eyes flickered toward him with unspoken understanding.
"You're leaving," she said quietly.
"I am," Li Wei replied. "Only for a few days."
She didn't ask why. She didn't need to. Zhu Zhuqing had always been the kind to listen between the words.
Soon after, the rest of his team arrived—Ning Rongrong, her soft pink robes fluttering as she jogged to a stop; Xiao Wu, yawning with her hair tied up in twin tails, an apple in one hand and her other lazily wrapped around Meng Yiran's shoulders, who walked beside her with quiet composure.
"Geez, you could've at least waited until breakfast," Xiao Wu muttered. "Do you always have to vanish without warning, like some mysterious drama protagonist?"
"I told you all to meet me here," Li Wei replied calmly, a faint smirk twitching at the edge of his lips.
"I thought you meant for training," Meng Yiran said. "Didn't expect this to be a farewell speech."
"It's not a farewell," he said, turning to face them fully. "Just a short trip. There's something I need to investigate... alone."
Ning Rongrong crossed her arms. "Let me guess. You won't tell us where you're going either?"
He met her gaze. "Not yet. But I will, once I'm sure." He cannot tell that he will go back home to Spirit Hall.
She exhaled through her nose and looked away. "Fine. But don't you dare come back injured."
Li Wei smile deepened a little, touched with gratitude. "I won't."
He turned his gaze to all four of them. His team. His responsibility. Over the past year, they had grown stronger under his guidance—not just in technique, but in unity.
"While I'm gone, I want the four of you to continue the training I've assigned. Use the academy mimicry field to your advantage. The simulated environments will be a good way to sharpen your adaptability."
Meng Yiran nodded first. "Understood."
Zhu Zhuqing stepped closer, voice low but firm. "We'll be ready when you return."
Li Wei felt a quiet warmth spread in his chest.
These girls—no, these warriors—had followed him through battles, forest ambushes, and training that left their bodies aching and breathless. He didn't need to doubt them.
"I expect a full report when I return. If you slack off, I'll know," he added, tone mock-stern.
Xiao Wu rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah. We get it, boss."
But there was a smile in her voice, and even Ning Rongrong cracked a grin.
From afar, a bell rang, marking the first morning assembly since Liu Erlong's dramatic declaration of merging Shrek Academy into her own domain. Already, the students from both schools were stirring—some still uncertain, others excited by the promise of change.
The girls lingered a moment longer, watching as Li Wei began to walk away down the eastern path leading out of the academy grounds.
"Li Wei," Zhu Zhuqing called softly.
He stopped and turned.
She didn't say anything else. Just met his eyes.
But in her silent gaze, there was everything: Be safe. Come back. We'll be waiting.
Li Wei nodded once. Then he was gone, vanishing into the forest beyond the gate, his figure swallowed by the trees.
______________________
Back in the mimicry field of the academy, Team Two stood in silence for a moment.
Then Xiao Wu stretched her arms above her head with an exaggerated groan. "Alright, team leader gone. Who wants to slack off first?"
"Xiao Wu." Zhu Zhuqing gave her a deadpan look.
"What?" she said innocently. "I'm joking... mostly."
Meng Yiran brushed past her, tying her sleeves up to her shoulders. "No slacking. Let's start with ten rounds of sprint formations through the forest terrain simulation."
Ning Rongrong frowned. "You sure? That one drains my spirit power really fast."
"That's the point," Zhu Zhuqing said. "We train like he taught us. Hard and smart. Make sure to circulate spirit power according to Heaven and Hell martial manual."
Xiao Wu tilted her head, watching Zhu Zhuqing with a knowing smile. "Someone's extra motivated today."
Zhu Zhuqing didn't respond. She had already turned toward the console that controlled the mimicry environment, selecting a dynamic shifting forest with changing terrain—mud, roots, fog, even low visibility zones.
The field shimmered before them, rippling with spirit energy. Within seconds, a forest bloomed from the training grounds, trees tall and wild, their leaves thick enough to blot out most of the morning light.
The girls stepped inside, immediately hit by the damp scent of moss and the cool air of the simulated canopy.
Ning Rongrong activated her Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, quietly channeling agility and strength amplification to the others. She had gotten faster at switching between buffs, thanks to the week-long drills Li Wei had devised. Her spirit power control had improved immensely, and she knew it.
He said I'd one day be able to support a whole army, she thought, lips pressed together. I'll prove it. Even without him here, I'll keep growing.
Xiao Wu vanished into the branches with a laugh, only to reappear beside Meng Yiran seconds later.
"Tag, you're it," she said, poking her side and vanishing again.
"Child," Meng Yiran muttered, but there was a tiny smirk at the edge of her lips as she launched after her.
Zhu Zhuqing took point, her footwork silent even in the underbrush. Her claws were extended, and she moved like a shadow through the forest simulation.
Though the morning had started with Li Wei departure, the training quickly fell into rhythm. Each movement, each breath, was a piece of a promise: to be stronger, to fight harder, to meet him again without shame.
_________________
Elsewhere, Li Wei rode alone on a spirit beast-drawn cart, heading toward Spirit City. A few days and he will be there and with the help of Title Douluo help he will arrive at Sunset forest early. There someone he need to meet in Spirit Hall.
The wind pulled at his cloak as the road climbed higher.
He was not afraid.
But he was aware—of the weight of expectations behind him, the quiet admiration in Zhu Zhuqing eyes, the confidence of Xiao Wu grin, the fragile trust Ning Rongrong had placed in him, and the calm respect Meng Yiran always carried.
They were growing stronger.
And so must he.
___________________
Back at the academy, the mimicry field dissolved at noon. The girls emerged exhausted but exhilarated.
"Lunch?" Xiao Wu asked, panting.
"Lunch," Ning Rongrong confirmed.
As they walked back toward the dining hall, students of both original academies whispered in passing. The four of them were already gaining a reputation—not just as pretty faces, but as a team of elites who trained harder than anyone else.
Zhu Zhuqing remained silent, but her thoughts churned.
Li Wei… whatever you're seeking… find it. And come back to us stronger.
She didn't smile. She didn't need to.
The fire in her eyes said everything.
They would be ready.