Douluo Dao : Soul Archer: The Bow of Destiny

Stepping through the dense foliage, Zhao Wuji led the group forward, his imposing figure standing at the front.

Behind him, the young geniuses of Shrek Academy followed closely:

Tang San, with his calm yet vigilant expression.

Xiao Wu, the energetic yet mysterious girl.

Dai Mubai, radiating his usual arrogance and confidence.

Zhu Zhuqing, her cold demeanor masking deeper emotions.

Ning Rongrong, appearing proud yet composed.

Oscar, slightly nervous but determined.

The group had just bullied Canghui Academy, much like the events in the original novel. However, unlike the story, Zhu Zhuqing, Ning Rongrong, and Xiao Wu had merely watched without interfering.

It seemed like some things were already starting to shift from the original timeline.

But what really caught Feng Xuan's attention was Xiao Wu suddenly stopping in her tracks.

Her ears twitched slightly as if she had sensed something. She scanned the surroundings, her large, expressive eyes darting through the trees.

And then—

She locked eyes with Feng Xuan.

A flash of recognition appeared on her face before she suddenly smiled brightly.

"Feng Xuan!"

Her voice carried through the quiet forest, instantly drawing the attention of the entire Shrek Academy team.

Feng Xuan sighed internally. So much for staying hidden.

Hearing Xiao Wu's excited call, Zhao Wuji furrowed his brows, his sharp gaze landing on Feng Xuan.

Tang San, standing beside him, narrowed his eyes slightly. There was a faint flicker of hostility in his expression, but he remained silent.

Meanwhile, Zhu Zhuqing's eyes lit up for a brief moment before she quickly suppressed her emotions. She glanced at Dai Mubai, who was standing nearby, and clenched her fists.

She still hadn't told him about her decision to break their engagement.

Now wasn't the time.

But seeing Feng Xuan again stirred something within her. He was growing stronger at an alarming rate, and she knew that if she wanted to truly gain control over her fate, she had to become stronger too.

As for Ning Rongrong, she seemed curious but remained composed, watching quietly.

Oscar, though initially confused, simply followed the reactions of the others.

Feng Xuan exhaled slowly, his gaze shifting between the two girls he had gotten close to. Despite everything, seeing Xiao Wu's genuine smile and Zhu Zhuqing's subtle but warm gaze made him feel a rare moment of peace.

However, the moment his eyes landed on Tang San—

A surge of suppressed anger flashed through him.

His fists tightened unconsciously.

Tang San's very existence was a painful reminder of his master's suffering.

It was Tang Hao—Tang San's father—who had shattered Feng Xuan's world.

Because of Tang Hao's reckless arrogance, his master, Shivarjuna, had fallen into Yog Nindra—a deep meditative coma, to recover for loss of Yogic energy.

For Days, Feng Xuan had kept this grievance buried within his heart.

But now, standing face-to-face with Tang San, the hatred resurfaced like an unextinguished flame.

Yet, he did not act rashly.

His control over his emotions was absolute.

Taking a deep breath, he suppressed the fury in his heart and instead forced a neutral expression onto his face.

If Tang San had noticed Feng Xuan's barely contained anger, he did not show it.

Instead, he remained calm, but alert.

As if he instinctively knew that Feng Xuan was not a friend as before now their path is different.

Zhao Wuji was the first to speak. His deep voice broke the silence.

"Feng Xuan, right? What are you doing here in Star Dou Forest?"

Feng Xuan met his gaze evenly. "What do we do in forest obviously gain experience?"

Zhao Wuji's brows raised slightly. "Experience? You must be quite strong to be hunting those."

Feng Xuan didn't reply. He had no interest in explaining himself.

Xiao Wu, sensing the tension, quickly stepped forward to break the ice.

"Why are you all looking so serious? It's just Feng Xuan! I've known him for a while. He's really strong!" she said cheerfully.

Zhu Zhuqing, despite holding back her emotions, couldn't help but nod slightly in agreement.

"He is indeed powerful."

Tang San remained silent, his mind analyzing the situation.

He now didn't trust Feng Xuan. Something about him felt… dangerous.

Zhao Wuji sighed and eventually waved his hand. "Forget it. We're here to find a third spirit ring for Oscar. Let's not waste time."

Feng Xuan took this opportunity to calmly step back.

He had no reason to interact with Shrek any further.

But just as he was about to leave, Zhu Zhuqing spoke up.

"Are you leaving already?"

Her voice was quiet, but in the silent forest, everyone heard her clearly.

Feng Xuan paused.

Glancing back at her, he gave a small nod. "Yes. I've finished my task here. I have no reason to stay."

Her fingers tightened slightly, but she quickly relaxed. "I see… Be careful."

It was a simple farewell, but Feng Xuan could hear the unspoken emotions behind it.

Xiao Wu, on the other hand, pouted. "Ah! You're leaving already? But we just met again!"

Feng Xuan gave her a small smile. "We'll meet again."

And with that—

He activated Spatial Blink, his body flickering out of sight.

Once Feng Xuan was gone, the group remained silent for a moment.

Ning Rongrong glanced at Zhu Zhuqing curiously. "You seem to know him well."

Zhu Zhuqing didn't answer.

Dai Mubai frowned slightly but didn't press the issue.

As for Tang San, he turned to Zhao Wuji.

"Teacher Zhao… That guy, Feng Xuan… How strong exactly is he? I now feeling suffocating due to his pressure."

Zhao Wuji exhaled deeply. "A rare talent. He's not someone to take lightly. I didn't feel his soul power fluctuation but if he can pressure you without notice by me then it's likely above your level."

Tang San narrowed his eyes.

He already had a feeling that Feng Xuan would become a problem in the future.

And he wasn't wrong.

For from this moment on—

Feng Xuan and Tang San were destined to walk different paths.

Paths that would one day… collide.