Douluo Continent: The creation of Jixia Academy made Bibi Dong drool with envy.

Chapter 61 Your dad on a snowy night? What does that have to do with me?
The streets and alleys were completely silent.

The air seemed to freeze, filled with a tense atmosphere.

On one side was the Fourth Prince Xue Beng, who was all bark and no bite but still maintained the dignity of the royal family, along with his silent guards and the thugs who had been beaten black and blue.

On the other side was Dongfang Yao, who was full of vigor and not afraid of the threat of imperial power, and his three companions, Gongsun Li, Dugu Yan and Xuan Mo, who had different expressions but equally firm stances.

And at the heart of the standoff between the two sides.

The girl in the black dress, Zhu Zhuqing, who had just been rescued, was experiencing incredibly complex emotions.

She silently watched the figures blocking her way, especially the carefree young man, Dongfang Yao, who had gotten into trouble for standing up for her. Something in her heart seemed to be gently touched.

Once upon a time, at Shrek Academy, she also experienced similar conflicts and defenses among her peers.

But the feeling back then was completely different from now.

Shrek's allies are driven more by self-interest and survival.

They were forced together by some fate that bound them together.

Their relationship was filled with competition, suspicion, and even... betrayal.

Dai Mubai's attitude towards her, Tang San's protectiveness of Xiao Wu concealing his controlling nature, Ma Hongjun and Oscar's banter...

All of that made her feel suffocated and out of place.

In her view, the so-called Shrek monsters were more like a mob swept up by fate, forced to cause trouble and face crises together—they might share trouble, but they might not share hardship.

But what about these people from Jixia Academy?
They were clearly old enemies to me, and certainly not friends.

But simply because he saw himself being bullied.

The young man named Dongfang Yao did not hesitate to draw his sword to help, even at the cost of contradicting an imperial prince.

And his companions: the gentle and beautiful girl holding the umbrella, the woman with cold, snake-like eyes, and the taciturn yet reliable boy like a mountain…

Without the slightest hesitation, they chose to stand shoulder to shoulder with him and face the pressure from the imperial power together.

These are true companions, aren't they?
This is the kind of sense of belonging she has always longed for—the kind where she can confidently entrust her back to the other person, share joys and sorrows, and stand together through thick and thin!

A warm current quietly rippled through her long-frozen heart.

Although she knew that she might never become a true "companion" with them.

But at this moment, she was unwilling to stand idly by, unwilling to let them get into even bigger trouble because of her.

Zhu Zhuqing took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the surge of blood and fatigue from the battle, and silently took a step forward, arriving beside Dongfang Yao and the others.

She didn't speak, but looked coldly at the avalanche opposite her, and quietly released her martial spirit—the Netherworld Cat!
Yellow, yellow, purple!

Three spirit rings rose beneath her feet. Although her aura was somewhat unstable due to exhaustion, the sharp aura of an agility-type spirit master clearly indicated her stance.

She wanted to stand with these strangers who offered help!
Seeing Zhu Zhuqing step forward and reveal her spirit ring, Dongfang Yao's eyes lit up, and he turned back to grin at her:
"Hey, Catwoman, you're a true friend. Don't worry, with this genius here, this prince won't be able to touch a hair on your head."

Zhu Zhuqing did not respond to his overly familiar manner, but simply stared coldly at the avalanche, her eyes filled with wariness and... a hint of barely perceptible gratitude.

When Xue Beng saw another three-ring Soul Master step forward, and a stunningly beautiful young woman with such a top-notch figure and temperament, his expression instantly became even more unpleasant.

Dongfang Yao was already extremely troublesome enough, but now there's another agility-type Soul Master who's equally powerful, plus those three Jixia Academy students who don't look like good guys either...

How...how are we supposed to fight like this?!

No, we can't fight!
Avalanche screamed wildly in his heart.

He is now 100% certain.

These people in front of me are definitely core disciples of Jixia Academy.

Offending one person is equivalent to offending the entire Jixia Academy.

Thinking of the tragic end of the Blue Lightning Tyrannosaurus Rex family, and the terrifying dean who could annihilate a Title Douluo with a single finger, Xue Beng felt his legs go weak.

but…

He glanced again at those around him who appeared to be watching the spectacle, but were actually sharp-eyed informants hidden among the crowd…

He can't retreat.

Once he backs down, once he shows the slightest weakness towards Jixia Academy, then all his years of pretense will be in vain.

What awaits him is even tighter surveillance from Crown Prince Xue Qinghe, and even... merciless suppression and elimination!
How to do? !

We can't win a fight! We can't retreat!

Avalanche felt like he was being roasted over a fire, caught in a complete dilemma!

The muscles in his face twitched slightly from tension and his attempt to appear calm, and cold sweat poured down his forehead like rain.

"You... you..."

Xue Beng pointed at Dongfang Yao and the others with a fierce but cowardly expression, wanting to say a few polite words, but found that his voice was trembling.

"Do you... know... the consequences of offending me, His Highness?!"

"Consequences?" Dongfang Yao scoffed, taking a step forward. A powerful aura belonging to a Soul King was faintly emanating from him, pressing down on Xue Beng.

"I'd like to see what the consequences will be!"

"you…"

Forced by Yao's imposing aura, Xue Beng subconsciously took a half step back, his heart filled with even greater horror.

Soul King? !
This boy, who looks no more than fifteen or sixteen years old, is actually... a five-ring Soul King?!

Monsters! Those who come from Jixia Academy are indeed monsters!

How to play this? !

Just as the avalanche was terrified, his mind went blank, and he was on the verge of collapse.

suddenly.

A gentle, refined, yet undeniably authoritative voice, like heavenly music, came from outside the crowd.

"Fourth brother, stop!"

What followed?

The crowd automatically parted to make way for each other.

A young man, dressed in a light gold prince's robe, with a handsome face, an elegant and noble demeanor, and a perfectly gentle smile, slowly walked over, surrounded by a group of equally distinguished guards.

It was none other than the current Crown Prince—Xue Qinghe.

The moment I saw Xue Qinghe appear.

An avalanche is like a drowning person grasping at the last straw.

His eyes instantly lit up with an immense sense of surprise.

He didn't care whether Xue Qinghe was his opponent or not.

All he knows now is…

savior?

Prince Xue Qinghe has arrived.

Now... there's finally hope!
(End of this chapter)