Morning sunlight filtered through the newly reinforced windows of Shrek Academy's main building, illuminating the polished wooden floors and freshly painted walls. The air smelled faintly of varnish and blooming magnolias—a stark contrast to the dusty corridors of just a month ago.
Li Wei stood at the edge of the courtyard, arms folded, quietly observing the slow but undeniable transformation that had taken root.
'Two hundred thousand gold coins. And already, the soil is bearing fruit.'
The fencing along the southern wall had been replaced with stone. The ramshackle dormitories had been renovated into a sturdy two-story buildings, each room now equipped with proper beds, cabinets, and even magical cooling stones embedded in the corners. The old cafeteria—formerly just a shed with benches—was now a pavilion with long tables, shaded awnings, and actual chefs preparing hot meals.
Ma Hongjun strutted out of the dining hall, stuffing a roasted chicken leg into his mouth. "Man, I'm living the noble life now! Li Wei, I know that this money must be coming from you base on the recent condition, you sure you didn't steal from a royal vault or something?"
Li Wei chuckled. "If I did, would I still be attending class with you guys?"
Then Dai Mubai can be seen walking toward here before he leaned against a nearby column, arms crossed but relaxed. "You knew this place right now … it's barely recognizable from the dump that we always stay."
Oscar peeked out from behind a tree, waving a sausage stick. "I heard they're installing a medicinal spring next week. The teachers don't even shout as much anymore."
Li Wei's lips twitched. 'Even the mood shifted. When people feel safe… when they feel valued… they bloom.'
He glanced toward the main building, where an engraved plaque now hung above the entrance. It bore the Shrek emblem—an ogre's head surrounded by laurels—but beside it was something new: a stylized crest of a black and blue mask.
His insignia.
Half of Shrek Academy now belonged to him. By agreement with Flender and the board—what little of it existed—his funding gave him co-ownership and executive authority over academy affairs, at least until graduation. He hadn't asked for that much as he just want a sway in the academy, but Flender insisted to take this much.
"Think of it as a responsibility, not a reward," the man had said. "Let's see if you're as visionary as you are dangerous."
He was already making lists. Plans. Proposals.
Training equipment, artifact contracts, small wages for cleaning staff. A professional developer had been contacted through Spirit Hall's neutral channel. Even the old library, once filled with musty scrolls, now had crystal lighting and catalogued shelves.
There was still much to do—but it felt less like a burden now.
It felt… hopeful.
Later that day, in the open-air training field—
Zhao Wuji barked, "Again!"
Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun lunged forward in tandem, their spirit rings glowing. This was their third joint attack drill today. Each movement was sharper than the last.
Li Wei sat on a nearby bench, legs crossed, sipping from a chilled teacup. His Diendriver rested quietly in its holster, its surface polished and inert.
He wasn't needed in the drills today.
'A strange feeling,' he thought. 'Being still… while others grow beside me.'
He watched Mubai's claws rake the air, slicing through dummies with clean arcs. Watched Hongjun soar, scattering embers with each fiery wingbeat.
He remembered their first spar together.
'Back then… we were just barely scraping by. No cohesion. No trust.'
Now they moved with the fluidity of brothers-in-arms. Perhaps that was what he'd bought—not influence, but time. Time to grow.
"Hey," Hongjun called, catching his breath. "You're spacing out again. Don't tell me rich young masters get sleepy under the sun."
Li Wei smirked. "I was enjoying the view. You're getting faster."
"Obviously," Hongjun huffed, tossing a sweat-soaked towel over his shoulder. "You think I'm just here to eat and set things on fire?"
"Well, maybe eighty percent of the time," Li Wei teased.
Even Mubai cracked a smile.
Zhao Wuji cleared his throat. "Enough joking. Rest for fifteen, then switch to coordinated defense drills."
Oscar, now carrying a clipboard, waved from the sideline. "The new target dummies should arrive tomorrow! Reinforced for pressure testing!"
Li Wei gave him a thumbs up.
He could feel it—the spirit of the academy solidifying into something real. Not just a ragtag school in the woods anymore.
A forge.
A crucible.
That evening, the dining pavilion glowed warmly beneath lanterns. Students gathered around tables, talking louder than usual. Laughter echoed against the tiled roofs.
Li Wei sat with the others, a half-empty plate in front of him, listening rather than speaking. He had always been reserved—but now his quiet felt less like detachment, and more like contentment.
He turned slightly as Flender approached, wearing a newly stitched academy robe. No holes. No mismatched buttons.
"Still working out how to be a partner instead of a principal," Flender muttered, taking the seat beside him. "You're doing good work, Li Wei. But we both know it's not just about gold."
"No," Li Wei replied. "It's about the direction. Money can help with the build of a school. But people is need to build a legacy."
Flender snorted. "You've got lines ready for everything."
"Not lines," Li Wei said, sipping tea. "Convictions."
There was a pause. Then Flender stood up.
"Good. You'll need those convictions in Soto City."
Li Wei raised an eyebrow.
"We're going tomorrow," Flender continued. "You've built enough. Time to test yourself again. The Arena's calling."
As the moon rose, Li Wei sat alone on the rooftop of his dorm, gazing at the sky.
'Soto City. The Arena. Spirit masters who've trained for blood and coin.'
His fingers brushed the Diendriver.
'Good. I've grown too comfortable. It's time to sharpen the blade again.'
He exhaled.
Below him, the academy buzzed with new life.
And somewhere beyond the horizon, the world waited.