บท 221: Redemption
Sheng Feilong couldn't believe his own eyes. The mysterious Number 41, this handsome, muscular young man was supposed to be Jiang Wang? 'He couldn't just have the same name, right...?' This thought came to him naturally as he stared at the stage with a sluggish expression.
However, Jiang wang's next actions killed that thought in a second; He turned slightly, glancing at Sheng Feilong before shooting his hand up into Sheng Feilong's direction, two fingers up in a V-shape, with a huge grin on his face. Being struck unprepared, Sheng Feilong couldn't help but burst out laughing slightly; This really was the same Jiang Wang he knew!
Still, this was Shrek Academy's Fated Date Festival; They couldn't talk right now and would have to postpone that to later. Jiang Wang turned back to the female students, starting the speech that he prepared beforehand. With his handsome, slightly cute, little-brother-like looks, and his status as a member of the current generation's Shrek Seven Monsters, there were a total of three female students that lit their lanterns fr him; Two about the same age as him and one senior sister, who looked a few years older than him.
Lan Muzi and Tang Tingmeng stood in the air, slightly shocked that so many of the females would be willing to light their lanterns for the first students. All of them only had a single chance at this, after all. The two of them quickly composed themselves, congratulating Jiang Wang and asking him and the three female students to leave the stage for now; The final decision would be made during the fourth phase of the festival.
After that, the mood of most of the male students took a slight hit, many of them becoming discouraged as the next few students also each got a female student to light up their lanterns for them. Soon, it was Yue Zhengyu's turn. Many of the female students had their eyes on him, but his prepared speech turned all of them down.
Instead of asking who was willing to light their lantern for him, he started his speech as a confession of love for, surprisingly, Xu Xiaoyan. His speech was pasionate, but it struck Sheng Feilong as odd for some reason. Xu Xiaoyan must have thought the same; With tears in her eyes, she vehemently rejected Yue Zhengyu's proposal, leaving the premise, unwilling to remain any longer.
Huang Jialong sighed and shook his head, while Yuanen Yehui was more direct, cursing under her breath. "What an idiot... how could he say something like that." Sheng Feilong remained silent; While Yue Zhengyu's speech struck him as slightly odd, he still didn't understand why – the latter only accentuated his own good points, saying that he would do anything to take good care of Xu Xiaoyan.
A few more students tried their luck in the third phase, some successful, others leaving with their heads hanging down. Finally, the 27th student was once again someone Sheng Feilong and the others knew; Xie Xie. He made his way up to the front of the stage, looking at the female students.
The bright smile on his face slowly vanished the longer he looked through them, all the while not saying a single word. After a few seconds, he had a conflicted, pained expression on his face, causing Lan Muzi to reach out to him. "Junior Xie, what's wrong? There is nothing to hide here; Speak freely your hearts desire. No need to be discouraged."
He remained silent for a few more moments, looking at Lan Muzi before nodding, then took a deep breath and bowed to the female students. "I am really sorry." He remained in that position for a few moments, the straightened his back. "This whole time, I thought I would be able to come here and fight for the heart of one of you senior sisters, but... I can't."
Surprised expressions and low mumbling came from the crowd and the female students before Xie Xie continued. "Truth be told, before the Fated Date Festival started, there was already someone in my heart. When I first came to Shrek Academy, she was the first girl I ever fell in love with; I was ready to do anything for her, just for her to look at me. Yet, fate didn't allow for it to work out and she was stolen away from my reach. Believing that I would never see her again, I convinced myself to take part in the Fated Date Festival, but... I simply can't suppress my feelings any longer."
His passionate speech caused silence in all of the premise, people staring at him with pity in their eyes, while also feeling surprised by the strong feelings Xie Xie seemed to had. At another part of the shore, though, Sheng Feilong's and Yuanen Yehui's expressions changed; The former's becoming cold, while the latter looked displeased.
Before Lan Muzi could say something, Xie Xie turned to the side, determination and anger clear in his look and voice as he stared straight at Sheng Feilong. "During the exchange program at the Star Luo Empire, you and your Master used deceit and forceful ways to steal Yuanen Yehui away, pulling her over to your side, manipulating her so she would join Daedalus. Sheng Feilong, do you dare to fight me for her heart?!"
All of the people turned around, looking in Sheng Feilong's direction with shocked expressions, some even with ones of anger or pure disgust. The man in question, Sheng Feilong, continued to stare at Xie Xie with cold eyes and an expressionless face. He slowly stepped forward, moving towards the stage atop the lake.
Yuanen Yehui stepped forward at the same moment, ready to chastise Xie Xie for what he said, but before she could even make one step, Huang Jialong grabbed her arm. Turning around, she only saw him lightly shaking his head, whispering a few words in a low voice. "Don't say anything. I know you're displeased with the situation, but that's between the two of them. Let Feilong handle this."
"Xie Xie has gone to far, why should I-" Yuanen Yehui argued through gnashed teeth, but Huang Jialong didn't let go of her, cutting off her words before she was even finished. "I know. But if you go now, Feilong won't forgive you. The last time I've seen him like that, he nearly killed a prodigy, got into an argument with an emperor and insulted the strongest person on the continent in his face."
Yuanen Yehui paused; How could she not know what Huang Jialong was talking about? She was upset over what Xie Xie had said, thinking that he had gone too far, but Sheng Feilong become as incensed about this as when Tang Wulin was nearly killed by Long Yue..?
Sheng Feilong didn't say a single word on his way towards the stage and only stared at Xie Xie. Lan Muzi and Tang Tingmeng glanced at each other, frowning; This wasn't what the Fated Date Festival was supposed to be, but before they could say something, an emphereous voice sounded out in their heads. "Let them be. Don't interfere."
Cloaked in the clouds above the Sea God's Lake, Yun Ming and the other Elder's of the Sea God's Pavilion looked down at what was happening. The former glanced to the side, facing the ever smiling She Meixiao. "You will take responsibility for this."
"Don't worry, I won't let him go overboard. For now, let him vent a bit. That Xie Xie struck a nerve this time... Moreover, being humbled shouldn't be too bad for your Seven Monsters, right?" She Meixiao's voice was as sickly sweet as always, though she had a solid point, which was also why Yun Ming agreed to this farce to begin with. He hated to admit it, but Shrek's Seven Monsters didn't stand a chance against Sheng Feilong at this moment. 'Only if they worked together and those two used their Soul Fusion Skill...'
Sheng Feilong stood on the stage opposite from Xie Xie, with hostile gazes surrounding him from all directions. His face still showed no expression and he only stared at Xie Xie with a cold, arrogant glint in his eyes. "This time, you've really gone to far. I've stolen Yehui away from you? Sure, that's your opinion, but I did so by using deceit and forceful means? And you accuse my Master of the same? There's a limit to how much of your insolence I can tolerate."
His voice was completely indifferent as if he didn't care at all, yet his words made it clear what he felt. Xie Xie got riled up even more by his attitude, about to get into a shouting match with Sheng Feilong before the latter coldly cut him off before he could even start. "Cut your crap. You want to fight me? Sure, come at me. I'm standing right here. What use is there to waste any more words."
His Soul Power didn't raise, neither did he leak any bloodlust or intent to fight, only the same stone cold arrogance apparent in his gaze as he waited for Xie Xie to start the fight. The latter gnashed his teeth, once more incited by Sheng Feilong's arrogance.
Xie Xie's Soul Power exploded out of him; Four purple and a single black Soul Ring shooting into the air behind him as two crooked dagger's appeared in his hands; One of a bright golden colour, the other blackish, but near transparent – So well hidden, that one wouldn't be able to see it with too low of a Spirit Power to begin with.
His momentum exploded outwards as he shot towards Sheng Feilong at an incredible speed; Fast enough to get most people in the crowd shudder. Xie Xie of Shrek's Seven Monsters being an Agility type Soul Master was common knowledge, but only the fewest among them knew his strength; His speed and explosive strength didn't lose out to any high ranking Soul Emperor at this point!
Sheng Feilong still didn't react, only staring at Xie Xie. He had to admit that the latter's strength was impressive, but in his eyes, he was still moving in slow motion; There was no way he would be able to hit Sheng Feilong with such shallow strength; The disparity in their cultivation level and strength was simply to cast.
With seemingly no effort whatsoever, Sheng Feilong dodged every single of Xie Xie's attacks at a hair's breadth, getting the crowd riled up as they couldn't tell that he was intentionally doing so. For a while, Xie Xie was similarly riled up, but he soon got more and more serious as it became apparent for him that Sheng Feilong wasn't dodging him just barely, but actually just didn't bother to make any greater movements.
Dodging an expert Agility type soul Master at point blank range repeatedly without bothering to disengage; This was the greatest insult and humiliation he could offer an opponent like Xie Xie. Xie Xie looked up a bit, his gaze meeting Sheng Feilong's, who had only been staring at Xie Xie at eye level for the whole time. His pale golden eyes radiating an ice cold feeling of annoyance, arrogance and, even worse, clear disappointment.
Xie Xie gnashed his teeth, one of the Soul Rings behind him lighting up in a bright purple, his speed instantly turning up another few notches. By now, they were jumping around the whole arena as blurry images; Their sheer speed leaving the crowd aghast. Xie Xie's dagger's left streaks of golden and blackish light in their wanes, cutting through the air, each and every strike deadly to any normal Soul King or even Soul Emperor.
Time passed and Sheng Feilong only ever dodged each and every attack at point blank range, leaving Xie Xie to hack at the air again and again. The latter was using one Soul Skill after the other, sometimes in tandem, while Sheng Feilong was keeping up with him by purely relying on his own physical prowess and passively using his Spirit Power to see through all of Xie Xie's movements.
By one point, Sheng Feilong dodged unexpectedly to the side, distancing himself from Xie Xie. The latter hurriedly turned around, only to see Sheng Feilong standing at the spot he positioned himself at the start. The latter was completely calm, still showing the same expression as befre, while Xie Xie was sweating bullets from exhaustion, his breathing forceful and raggard, still, his daggers where place by his side, ready to pounce at Sheng Feilong at any second.
The air around them turned even more heavy until Sheng Feilong suddenly spoke, breaking Xie Xie's concentration for the slightest amount of time. "Is that it?" His daggers lowered slightly, he saw Sheng Feilong stare at him with an even more disappointed look. "This is the extent of your strength? What a joke."
Xie Xie once again gnashed his teeth, about to pounce forward. "How dare- You?!" Before he could even finish his sentence, Sheng Feilong had vanished from his spot. He could barely even feel the ridiculous explosion of Soul Power in front of him before Sheng Feilong's fist dug deeply into his stomach, causing him to bend over, with his eyes nearly popping out of their sockets.
Sheng Feilong took a step back while Xie Xie toppled over, but before the latter's knees could even touch the ground, Sheng Feilong viciously axe-kicked him into the neck, fiercely embedding his head into the ground. The stage's floor cracked, the dull, explosive sound of the impact finally pulling the crowd out fo their daze and causing them to go completely pale; None of them had seen when Sheng Feilong moved; Even the Soul Emperor and Soul saint ranked students among them shuddering with colourless expressions.
Without even waiting for anyone to say anything, Sheng Feilong picked up Xie Xie from the ground, pulling him roughly by his hair, his bloodied nose and face now in front of him, Sheng Feilong still with the same cold look in his eyes. He sneered, simply throwing the unconscious Xie Xie towards the other male students taking part in the Fated Date Festival without any concern.
He was caught by a few people who had snapped out of their daze, while Sheng Feilong started speaking in an indifferent tone. "When Tang Wulin vanished after the Genius Youth Competition on the Star Luo Continent, Shrek Academy was ready to abandon him and return to the Douluo Continent, despite the protests of the other students, including Xie Xie and Yuanen Yehui. Desperate and out of their wits, Yuanen Yehui called me, asking me and my Master for help. Later, Th Silver Moon Douluo Cai Yue'er was unable to accept the truth, lashing out towards me, a junior, after Yuanen Yehui decided to leave Shrek Academy and join Daedalus, all of that in front of my Master, who then put Cai Yue'er into her palce."
He turned around, proceeding to leave the stage. "That is the so called 'deceit and forceful ways' of my Master and I." His Soul Power had long since calmed down again and he looked no different from an ordinary person, yet no one dared to say anything as he walked back towards his place. However, just as he was about to leave, a powerful killing intent and an even louder, more angry shout reached his ear. "Sheng Feilong!"
Sheng Feilong stopped, slowly turning around, facing the person now standing on the stage with their Soul Power frenziedly blasting about and spoke in a cold, emotionless manner. "What, your want to fight me now? To defend you friend's honour? To defend Shrek's honour? Is that what you want to do, Tang Wulin?"
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