Chapter 145: The Academy and Old Friends!

In the office at Eastsea Academy, Wu Zhangkong sat behind his desk, motioning for Jing Xiaoyu to take a seat on the sofa.

Once seated, Jing Xiaoyu's face flashed with a trace of doubt as he asked, "Teacher Wu, is there something you wanted to discuss with me?"

"Jing Xiaoyu, have you ever considered bringing your two adoptive mothers with you to Shrek City?" Wu Zhangkong got straight to the point. "With your talent and abilities, getting into Shrek Academy is guaranteed. I'd even say you have an excellent chance of entering the inner court. I dare say you'll eventually make it into the Sea God's Pavilion.

"If there are no unforeseen circumstances, your future will be tied to Shrek City. Eastsea City, this small, barren place, cannot contain someone like you. So why not bring your mothers with you to Shrek City now? It'll save you trouble in the future.

"If you're worried about settling them in Shrek City, I can help. I still have a few friends there."

Wu Zhangkong said a lot at once, his confidence in Jing Xiaoyu undeniable. Bring Jing Ziyuan and Lin Xin to Shrek City and settle down there?

Jing Xiaoyu's first reaction was speechless. Yes, utterly speechless.

Asking Jing Ziyuan and Lin Xin to settle in Shrek City? That's a joke! Did Wu Zhangkong want him to become a real orphan?

He couldn't help but laugh internally. Shrek City was destined to be obliterated in the future by two Godkiller Soul Missiles. The entire city, including its residents, would be buried alongside Shrek Academy. Asking his family to move there now was basically sending them to their deaths.

However, despite his inner thoughts, Jing Xiaoyu maintained a respectful demeanor. Showing a thoughtful expression, he replied, "Teacher Wu, I need to think this through carefully and discuss it with my mom and aunt before I can give you an answer."

"Hmm, understandable." Wu Zhangkong nodded. "You have five days to think it over. I'm just offering a suggestion. The decision is ultimately yours."

"Understood," Jing Xiaoyu replied.

"Alright, you're dismissed," Wu Zhangkong said, waving him off.

"Goodbye, Teacher Wu." Jing Xiaoyu got up and left without lingering.

Wu Zhangkong watched him leave, his cold eyes briefly revealing a trace of complexity. He sighed softly, closed his eyes, and slumped back into his chair, appearing a little weary.

After leaving Wu Zhangkong's office, Jing Xiaoyu headed straight for the Zero Class dormitory. Since he was leaving Eastsea Academy soon, he needed to pack up his personal belongings.

The girls' dorms—belonging to Xu Xiaoyan and Gu Yue—were already empty. Everything had been moved out, leaving only the standard furniture. Neither of them was around anymore, and Jing Xiaoyu only glanced briefly before continuing.

On the other hand, Xie Xie and Tang Wulin were still there. Xie Xie was busy packing, while Tang Wulin was helping him. Xie Xie planned to go home to say goodbye to his family, while Tang Wulin would likely stay at the academy until their departure.

"Captain, you're back," Xie Xie greeted with a mischievous grin when he saw Jing Xiaoyu. "Did Teacher Wu call you in to talk about our arrangements at Shrek Academy?"

Hearing Xie Xie's question, Tang Wulin also looked up, his face filled with curiosity and anticipation.

"Heh." Jing Xiaoyu chuckled lightly. "I'd love to say yes, but you'll be disappointed. Teacher Wu didn't mention anything about our Shrek Academy plans."

"Ah!" Xie Xie groaned, clearly let down. "What's Teacher Wu thinking? Is he planning to save all the important stuff for the last minute? That's so anticlimactic!"

"Maybe," Jing Xiaoyu replied, his gaze shifting slightly. "Alright, I won't disturb you two. I need to pack up my things as well."

"Oh, okay." Both Xie Xie and Tang Wulin gave distracted responses, clearly still focused on their tasks.

Jing Xiaoyu didn't pay them any further mind. Returning to his dorm, he began packing. His belongings were few: basic toiletries, some books, and small trinkets he had made in his spare time. Everything was quickly sorted and gathered. With a wave of his hand, a flash of red light signaled the Heaven Phoenix Ring storing it all away.

Having a high-quality spatial soul tool really made things convenient.

In no time, Jing Xiaoyu was done. Standing in the now-empty dorm room, a faint sense of sadness arose in his heart. Regardless of what lay ahead, this had been his home for three years. To say he felt nothing would be a lie.

After a moment of silence, he hung his keys on the hook beside the door and left.

Outside, Xie Xie and Tang Wulin were still busy packing. Jing Xiaoyu informed them briefly before heading downstairs and toward his bicycle.

Riding the bicycle that had been his companion for six years, he leisurely made his way toward the academy's main gate. As he passed the central square, he stopped suddenly.

Two familiar figures had appeared.

"Class monitor!" The two students spotted him at the same time, their faces lighting up with surprise and joy as they ran toward him.

"Xiaopeng, Da Ge, it's been a long time!" Jing Xiaoyu greeted them with a smile. These two were none other than his roommates when he first entered Eastsea Academy. Three years had passed, and they had both grown significantly.

Duan Xiaopeng was still lean and dark-skinned but looked stronger and more confident. His Sea Dongqing martial soul—a raptor unique to the Eastsea region—had begun to show its advantages. Under the guidance of their homeroom teacher, Ye Yingluo, he had shifted from a purely agility-focused soul master to one who balanced strength and speed.

Wei Dayong, on the other hand, was still as robust as ever. His Giant Sea Elephant martial soul had made his upper body extremely muscular, and he now stood over 1.8 meters tall, resembling a broad-shouldered triangle. Despite his size, his personality remained as cheerful and simple as always.

The duo were now key students in Class One of the third years. Duan Xiaopeng's soul power had reached Rank 24, while Wei Dayong trailed slightly behind at Rank 23. While this wasn't remarkable across the continent, in the Tianhai Alliance, they were already considered promising talents.

"Heh, class monitor, Xiaopeng and I are both Grandmasters now," Wei Dayong said proudly. "And our second soul spirits are yellow ones! Teacher Ye really kept her promise."

"Congratulations!" Jing Xiaoyu smiled. "Keep it up, and maybe next year you'll represent the academy in the Tianhai Alliance Tournament."

"Yeah!" Duan Xiaopeng nodded. "Teacher Ye said the same. We'll be fourteen next year, just the right age to compete in the junior division. Our goal is to increase our soul power by two to three ranks and get some decent results."

"Great ambition! I believe in you," Jing Xiaoyu praised, giving him a thumbs-up. Compared to Wei Dayong's carefree nature, Duan Xiaopeng had always been more determined and goal-oriented—something Jing Xiaoyu respected.

"Hehe!" Duan Xiaopeng scratched his head, slightly embarrassed. "Class monitor, don't you think I'm being unrealistic?"

"Not at all," Jing Xiaoyu said firmly. "Setting goals is a good thing, especially when they're achievable through hard work. Don't worry about what others say."

He had a rough idea of Duan Xiaopeng's concerns.

"Exactly! The class monitor's right!" Wei Dayong shouted enthusiastically. "Xiaopeng, ignore what Wei Xiaofeng says. The tournament roster is Teacher Ye's decision. If she thinks we can do it, then we can!"

So it's Wei Xiaofeng again, Jing Xiaoyu thought to himself. That guy really hasn't changed.

"Thanks, class monitor! I understand now," Duan Xiaopeng said, his spirits visibly lifted. Wei Xiaofeng's ridicule no longer weighed on him.

"No problem," Jing Xiaoyu replied with a light smile. "By the way, how is Wei Xiaofeng doing these days?"

"Him?" Wei Dayong scoffed. "He just reached Rank 30 not long ago and acts like he owns the class. Unless it's

something outrageous, Teacher Ye doesn't interfere."

"I see," Jing Xiaoyu said, unsurprised.