Join Tang San and Get Xiao Wu

A frigid gust, laced with shards of ice, swept across the arena, making the Bloodthirst Wolf Spirit Master feel as though his very blood was freezing solid.

At the same time, Zhu Zhuqing's spirit ring glowed as she prepared to launch another attack.

"I surrender! I surrender!" the Spirit Master shouted hurriedly.

Knowing when to yield is wise. He realized that he had run into a truly formidable opponent. With the strength Meng Bei had demonstrated, even he and his brother combined wouldn't be able to defeat him. Alone, he stood no chance at all.

If he didn't surrender now, he might end up dead.

Hearing the opponent's surrender, Meng Bei and Zhu Zhuqing halted their attacks. 

The referee quickly stepped onto the stage, summoning medical personnel to carry off the injured members of the Bloodthirst Duo. 

Then, the referee loudly declared the **Qingbei Duo** victorious.

The audience erupted into cheers.

---

**[Ding! A side quest has been triggered.]** 

**Side Quest:** To uphold the honor of Shrek Academy, accumulate 100 victories in the Great Spirit Arena, including solo, duo, and team matches. 

**Difficulty:** Hard. 

**Reward:** A three-level boost in spirit power.

Meng Bei's eyes lit up. It seemed he would need to spend a lot of time in the Great Spirit Arena in the future.

One hundred victories sounded like a lot, but if he remained diligent, he estimated it might only take one or two months to complete. 

The reward was worth it: a three-level spirit power increase, equivalent to a year of rigorous cultivation.

However, this posed another challenge: his rapid progress might raise suspicion. 

He needed a plausible explanation to hide the abnormal speed of his growth, or it would lead to unnecessary complications.

Meng Bei pondered this as he walked. 

Meanwhile, Zhu Zhuqing returned early to focus on training. Every spare moment was precious to her—her chance to change her destiny depended on unrelenting effort. 

Among the Shrek Seven Devils, Zhu Zhuqing worked the hardest, even though her natural talent was the weakest. 

The heavens didn't always favor the diligent.

---

On the way back, Ning Rongrong appeared ahead of Meng Bei, pretending to trip and fall.

Feigning weakness, she called out softly, "Meng Bei, Meng..."

Unfortunately, her voice was too faint for Meng Bei to hear. Lost in thought, he walked right past her.

Ning Rongrong felt a surge of frustration. As the cherished daughter of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Clan, when had she ever been ignored like this?

She considered storming off but eventually decided to follow him. 

This time, she resolved not to let the opportunity slip away.

Stepping in front of him, she blocked his path.

"Meng Bei," she called out firmly. 

"Ah, Sister Rongrong, do you need something?" Meng Bei asked, surprised.

In truth, he wasn't surprised at all. This was the result of his earlier strategy of playing hard to get.

The outcome had taken longer than expected, but it had finally worked. He had assumed Ning Rongrong wouldn't last this long without approaching him, but her perseverance had exceeded his expectations.

"I... I wanted to talk to you about something," Ning Rongrong said softly, her head bowed, her cheeks tinged with pink.

---

**[Ding! A side quest has been triggered.]** 

**Side Quest:** Ning Rongrong's Dilemma. As one of the Shrek Seven Devils, Ning Rongrong is troubled by personal issues that could disrupt the group's cohesion. Please handle this matter properly. 

**Difficulty:** Easy. 

**Reward:** A one-level increase in cultivation.

---

Meng Bei quickly deduced what Ning Rongrong wanted to say. 

"Rongrong, it's noisy here. Why don't we go to that café and talk?" he suggested.

Ning Rongrong agreed, and the two walked to a nearby café. 

After finding a quiet corner and ordering two cups of coffee, Meng Bei sat across from her, silently waiting for her to speak.

Sitting so close, Ning Rongrong's heart raced uncontrollably. 

She began to regret following him to this quiet place. In the bustling street, she'd felt braver. Here, with no one else around and Meng Bei sitting so close, her courage began to falter. 

But she couldn't delay any longer.

Summoning her resolve, she clenched her fists, closed her eyes, and blurted out everything in one breath. 

"I'm sorry, Meng Bei. I was too stubborn that day. I didn't mean to push you away—I never hated you. I just couldn't admit how I felt. But I didn't expect you to stop talking to me completely. Can we go back to how we were before?"

---

Silence.

The café was so quiet that the faintest sound could be heard.

Ning Rongrong dared not open her eyes. She feared seeing Meng Bei's mocking expression as he rejected her, saying, "Don't dream."

He would walk away without a second glance, leaving her utterly humiliated. 

But nothing happened.

Meng Bei neither responded nor left. 

The suspense was excruciating. Every second felt like an eternity.

Unable to bear it any longer, Ning Rongrong opened her eyes.

There he was, his face just inches away, his mesmerizing blue eyes locking onto hers.

"Rongrong, do you like me?" Meng Bei asked playfully.

The proximity made Ning Rongrong blush furiously. Her heart raced as if it might leap out of her chest.

"N-no, I don't! You're mistaken!" she stammered weakly, trying to deny it.

But even she could tell her excuse sounded unconvincing.

Suddenly, Meng Bei leaned closer, tilting her chin upward. Before she could react, his lips pressed against hers.

Ning Rongrong froze, her mind going blank. 

She instinctively responded, feeling as though she were in a dream—a beautiful dream.

---

**[Ding! Side quest completed. Cultivation level increased by one.]**

Meng Bei's spirit power quietly rose to level 34.

After what felt like an eternity, they finally separated, leaving a faint trace of connection in the air.

Licking his lips, Meng Bei smiled. "Sister Rongrong, and you said you didn't like me? You're not being honest."

"I-I didn't! You're the one who forced it!" she retorted, flustered.

Meng Bei smirked, "Oh? But didn't you respond just now?"

"You—!" Ning Rongrong fumed, her embarrassment reaching its peak.

"If you keep this up, I'll tell my father! He'll bring the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Clan to teach you a lesson!"

"Would you really, Rongrong?" Meng Bei teased, holding her hand and pulling her into his arms.