The Idea of Disbanding the Academy

After dinner, Chen Yuan accompanied Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing to the Great Soul Arena. It was also his first time visiting the Great Soul Arena.

Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing went to register for today's one-on-one and two-on-two matches. Chen Yuan wanted to familiarize himself with the Great Soul Arena's internal layout, and there happened to be a map in the main hall, so he stopped in front of it.

Before long, he had roughly memorized the locations of the Main Venue, Branch Venues, and various arenas.

If the Royal Fight Team came here, they would definitely be assigned to the Main Venue. Whenever he had free time in the future, he could come take a look.

In the original storyline, the Royal Fight Team had been invited here by Suotuo City's Nobles because of their outstanding record while challenging Great Soul Arenas across various places. It should happen soon, so Chen Yuan would not need to search everywhere for them.

At this time, Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing returned to Chen Yuan's side after registering.

Ning Rongrong said with a grin, "Let's go, Brother Chen Yuan. We'll head near the arenas first. You can watch our performance later. First will be Zhu Qing's one-on-one soul fight, then our two-on-two soul fight."

Chen Yuan nodded and smiled. "Let's go, then. This Great Soul Arena is indeed rather interesting. I'll come here often in the future. Perhaps one day, if I see a capable opponent, I might not be able to resist going onstage to fight them."

Hearing that, Ning Rongrong's eyes immediately lit up. "Great! If Brother Chen Yuan took action, you could definitely dominate this entire Great Soul Arena."

At this moment, Zhu Zhuqing's gaze wavered, but it soon grew firm. Looking at Chen Yuan with a hint of pleading, she said, "Chen Yuan, if you need an opponent, I'm willing to be one. Perhaps I'm not strong enough or qualified to be your opponent, but I'll still fight with everything I have. You don't need to hold back. To be honest, I want to know the gap between myself and the strong. Besides, with enough pressure, I think my cultivation will improve faster."

Chen Yuan froze for a moment. He had only mentioned it casually, merely using it as an excuse to come to the Great Soul Arena. But since Zhu Zhuqing had taken the initiative to ask, he smiled and agreed. "Sure. I'll spar with you. Pure sword practice is rather dull anyway. You can be my opponent, and I won't use my Martial Soul. I'll use only a Wooden Sword as my weapon and hone my swordsmanship through real combat. If you can force out my Martial Soul, then you win..."

After pausing, Chen Yuan continued, "Or the two of you can come at me together. Rongrong can support Zhu Qing. If you can force out my Martial Soul, then you win."

Zhu Zhuqing was delighted. Given Chen Yuan's strength, fighting him would allow her to discover more of her own shortcomings. His willingness to agree was undoubtedly to her benefit.

But upon hearing the latter part, Zhu Zhuqing was unconvinced, and so was Ning Rongrong. If the two of them fought together, their strength would definitely be greater than one plus one. Yet Chen Yuan did not even intend to use his Martial Soul.

Ning Rongrong took Zhu Zhuqing's hand and said to Chen Yuan indignantly, "Brother Chen Yuan, just you wait. Our Seven Treasure Spirit Cat Combination isn't that weak. Zhu Qing, let's go. We'll head to the arena first."

With that, the two women took the lead and headed toward the arena area.

Chen Yuan then followed at an unhurried pace.

After arriving near the arena area, they did not wait long before it was Zhu Zhuqing's turn for her one-on-one soul fight. Encouraged by Ning Rongrong, she stepped onto the stage and relied on her speed and agility to defeat her opponent in an extremely short time, claiming victory in the soul fight.

Chen Yuan watched her performance. It was indeed quite good. Her body was exceptionally flexible, capable of twisting into unbelievable positions with ease. Just thinking about it was thrilling.

Not long after the one-on-one soul fight ended, it was time for the two-on-two soul fight. Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing stepped onto the stage together. With Ning Rongrong's support, Zhu Zhuqing's strength and speed were increased by 30%. Thus, even when facing two opponents alone, she handled them with ease and held the upper hand.

Their opponents were the Cat and Mouse Combination, a pair of agility-attack Spirit Masters. Their greatest strength, speed, was completely suppressed by Zhu Zhuqing, and she knocked them off the stage one after the other.

With the outcome decided, cheers erupted from the audience. Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing were both distinctive beauties—one sweet, one cool and aloof; one blossoming like a bud, the other baby-faced and busty. They had already been immensely popular, and now they naturally drew a chorus of wolf whistles.

Even after they stepped down from the stage, the wolf whistles did not cease for a long time. Spirit Master battles were eye-catching, but battles involving beautiful female Spirit Masters were even more captivating.

After finishing today's soul fights, Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing accompanied Chen Yuan on a walk around the Great Soul Arena, and Chen Yuan also confirmed the location of the Main Venue.

Chen Yuan then accompanied Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing back to the academy. After all, they were still students of Shrek Academy.

Shrek Academy!

Yu Xiaogang pushed open the door to Flender's office. Calling it an office was generous—it was merely a wooden hut. The moment Flender saw Yu Xiaogang arrive, his heart trembled, and he immediately put on a miserable expression. "Xiaogang, I know you care for your disciple and want to give him better training, but our academy is poor. We really can't withstand your spending. We haven't even extended it to all the students yet. Just providing for Tang San and Xiao Wu has already used up half of this year's tuition fees. If this continues, the academy won't even be able to afford food in less than a month."

Yu Xiaogang remained as he always was, his face stiff and his expression gloomy. Standing before Flender with his hands behind his back, he said calmly, "Stop pretending. There's no way you could be that poor. The academy's improved meal standards are provided to every student. Tang San and Xiao Wu have the heaviest training loads, and they use medicinal baths so they won't accumulate hidden injuries. Do you want my disciples to be unable to make any further progress because they are riddled with injuries?"

Flender stopped pretending, but he still sighed and tried to persuade Yu Xiaogang. "Xiaogang, I'm not pretending to be poor. We truly are poor. Over the years, I've poured a great deal of my own money into maintaining the academy. If this keeps up, even my retirement savings will be gone, and it still might not be enough."

Yu Xiaogang nodded. "If that's the case, then after some time, I'll take Tang San and Xiao Wu and leave. Shrek Academy cannot provide the resources they need to grow, so I can only take them somewhere with sufficient resources. With their talent, there will always be an advanced Soul Master Academy willing to take them in."

Flender's expression changed. "Xiaogang, you're leaving again?!"

Yu Xiaogang glanced at him and said calmly, "Or you can disband the academy and leave with us. Flender, your academy does not meet the standards of an advanced Soul Master Academy at all. Tang San and Xiao Wu cannot remain here. Once the academy is disbanded, the other students can stay if they wish or leave if they wish. We can take those willing to stay with us to an advanced Soul Master Academy. No advanced Soul Master Academy would refuse us. Flender, I hope you will help me. I believe my disciples will one day shake the entire continent."

Flender's expression darkened. Shrek Academy was his life's work, yet it had come to this. He truly could not accept it. "Xiaogang, I..."

Yu Xiaogang said, "Flender, you still have time to consider it. Before I take Tang San and Xiao Wu away, think it over carefully. You are my closest friend, and I truly hope to join hands with you to nurture a peerless genius who will shake the continent."

After saying that, Yu Xiaogang left, leaving Flender alone with an uncertain expression. Shrek Academy was Flender's life's work, not Yu Xiaogang's. Yu Xiaogang's true life's work was his direct disciple, Tang San.

If he merely took Tang San and Xiao Wu to an advanced Soul Master Academy, they might not receive much special treatment. But if Flender, Zhao Wuji, and all those Spirit Emperor and Spirit Saint teachers left with him, that would be entirely different. This was Yu Xiaogang's scheme. As the Wisdom Horn of the Golden Iron Triangle, his strategic brilliance was unmatched in the world.