He glanced at Ye Xinglan. "We were just talking casually. No disrespect intended. Since the teacher has spoken, let's leave it at that."
"Leave it?" Ye Xinglan still wanted to push back, but a single look from Shen Yi stopped her cold.
Shen Yi gave Arthur a slight nod. "Thank you for being understanding. I'll make sure to have a word with them."
She then turned and snapped at Yu Henglong and the others, "Get back over there, now! If you're late for the exhibition match, don't think I won't deal with you personally!"
Yu Henglong shot Arthur one last complicated look before finally leading his team away.
As Xu Lizhi passed by, he quietly made a helpless face at Arthur on his way out.
Watching them go, Wu Changkong clapped Arthur on the shoulder. "Come on, the exhibition match is about to start."
Arthur didn't move. He looked at Wu Changkong. "That match coming up, it's the Skysea Alliance's team going up against the previous tournament's youth division champions, right?"
"That's right." Wu Changkong raised an eyebrow. "Why do you ask?"
"Do you think the Skysea Alliance actually wants to win?"
At that, Wu Changkong felt a sudden, uneasy premonition.
"By all reasonable measures, the Skysea Alliance shouldn't be able to win." Arthur laid it out plainly. "Some people have guessed that the Alliance deliberately invited Shrek's students so everyone could see the gap between themselves and the continent's top talents."
"But if they already know they're going to lose, why put out their previous youth division champions? Why not find a group of kids the same age? Wouldn't it be more striking to have this year's youth division champions face them at the end?"
Wu Changkong fell silent.
"The previous youth division champions are the strongest card they have to play."
"So if the outside world is calling this an exhibition to show the gap, why play your strongest card at all?"
"Because the Skysea Alliance wants to win. They want it badly."
Wu Changkong lifted his gaze toward the Spirit Battle Stage, already buzzing with noise, and his voice dropped a notch. "What exactly are you getting at?"
"I can help them win."
Wu Changkong's expression tightened. "How?"
"Simple. Let me take the stage." Arthur looked up at him. "As long as the Skysea Alliance puts me out there, they win. Guaranteed."
"And you think they'll agree to that?"
Arthur shook his head slightly. "If they want to win, they'll find a way to let me on."
Wu Changkong's brow furrowed deep. He was certain, with bone-deep confidence, that Arthur alone could demolish all seven of those students without breaking a sweat.
He understood Arthur's strength better than anyone. In their recent sparring sessions, he could feel Arthur growing stronger almost every single day.
It was nothing like the first time they had crossed hands. Now, going up against Arthur, Wu Changkong had to bring everything he had just to hold his ground.
He could sense it clearly: if he fought without his battle armor, it wouldn't be long before Arthur beat him.
"Even if they want you in, there has to be a reason," Wu Changkong said gravely, his gaze drifting to the Alliance staff stationed near the Stage. "The roster for the exhibition was finalized long ago, and they've been advertising it as the previous youth division champions. Everyone already knows who's on that team. Swapping someone in at the last minute isn't that simple."
Arthur waved a hand, smiling easily. "A reason? That's the easy part. Just say one of the championship team's members had a sudden health issue, and I'm stepping in as a specially invited substitute. Either way, the Alliance just wants the win. A small move like that is nothing for them."
Wu Changkong had no answer for that. Because it was true.
Arthur found Wu Changkong's reactions interesting today. His expression had shifted more times in this one conversation than in all the days before put together. Arthur knew the real reason: Wu Changkong couldn't stand the thought of watching Shrek lose.
So he stepped over, threw an arm around Wu Changkong's shoulder, and grinned. "Hey, Teacher, lighten up a little."
"Besides, they already apologized just now. I don't have to go after them so hard."
"If you don't want Shrek to lose, just say the word and I'll sit it out."
"We're all friends here."
Wu Changkong's face darkened. He snapped back to his usual cool, aloof self, every bit the picture of stubborn pride. "Do whatever you want. Why are you asking me."
Arthur just laughed.
"I'm going to go find whoever's in charge of the match."
Beside them, Xie Xie's eyes went perfectly round. "Holy crap! No way, no way, no way!"
"Arthur, you're seriously going up there? You'd be fighting Shrek!"
He rubbed his hands together, barely able to contain himself. Just getting to watch a fight like this, even if they got knocked out and sent home right after, the whole trip would have been worth it.
Xu Xiaoyan covered her mouth, wide-eyed with shock, her long lashes trembling. "Arthur, you're really going to compete? Shrek is the number one academy on the continent."
Even as she said it, a bright flame of excitement quickly lit up behind her eyes. "But with you there, I know you'll win!"
The image of Arthur standing at the peak of the Spirit Ascension Platform that day was carved permanently into her memory.
In Xu Xiaoyan's eyes, Arthur was simply unbeatable.
Na'er's beautiful eyes shimmered with eager anticipation. "Me too! I'm coming too!"
"What would you do up there?" Arthur wasn't going to play along with that. This was his moment to shine, and he intended to enjoy every second of it alone.
Sorry, Na'er. Maybe next time.
Definitely next time.
"No, no, no." Na'er grabbed his arm and swayed it back and forth. "I'm really strong! I'll punch them all flying for you."
Hearing that, Arthur was even more set against it. If you punch them all flying, what's left for me to show off with?
"Nobody's punching anyone flying. Young ladies are supposed to be gentle. Don't be so rough."
"Okay." Na'er immediately went sweet and prim, the picture of a proper little lady.
With Arthur's background, getting to the person in charge of the exhibition match was no trouble at all.
He was from Eastsea City, and this was Skysea City, but his public standing alone was more than enough. Setting aside Muye's usual low profile, Arthur was the only living family of the Light Dragon Sparrow Douluo, and a personal disciple of the Saint Craftsman Mu Chen. That was enough to walk through any door in the Federation with his head held high.
The path to the organizer's office was clear all the way.
Inside, the Skysea City Governor rose to greet him.
His face was warm with enthusiasm, and he treated Arthur as nothing less than an equal.
He crossed the room quickly and took Arthur's hand in both of his. "Young Master Su, your reputation precedes you! I never expected you to come in person. Please, have a seat!"
He gestured to an aide to pour tea and, in the same breath, quietly turned things over in his mind. The relative of the Light Dragon Sparrow Douluo, a disciple of the Saint Craftsman Mu Chen. For someone of that caliber to come to him directly, there had to be something significant behind it.
Arthur didn't dance around it. The moment he sat down, he cut straight to the point. "This exhibition match. Do you want to win it?"
The Governor's eyes sharpened. The warmth on his face pulled back a fraction, though he kept his tone polite. "Young Master Su is joking, surely. In any competition, of course one wishes to win. It's just that Shrek Academy's strength..."
He left the rest unsaid, though the helplessness behind his words was impossible to miss. The public narrative had been a calculated move, a way of managing expectations before the fact.
Truth was, if they won, his path within the Skysea Alliance would open up in ways he could only dream of.
"Put me in the match." Arthur cut him off, his voice flat, carrying the quiet weight of someone who already knew the outcome. "I'll win it for you."
"Young Master, you're too kind..." The Governor had been about to decline diplomatically. The boy was young, however talented, what could he really change about the outcome? But he stopped mid-thought.
He stared, transfixed, at the three jet-black soul rings that had materialized behind Arthur.
In that moment, gazing into that absolute darkness, he thought he could see the bright and open road of his own future stretching out before him.
The Governor clenched his jaw.
He was in.