New Course, Target: Soul Arena

Flender lectured Oscar and Ning Rongrong. Naturally, Luo Chuan had no interest in it and turned to leave.

However, Flender suddenly called out to him. "Xiao Chuan, wait before you go."

"Something wrong?" Luo Chuan turned back helplessly. In the entire academy, he was probably the only one who dared speak to Flender so casually.

"Stay even if there's nothing! Zhu Zhuqing, you stay too." Flender glared at Luo Chuan. Luo Chuan curled his lip, helplessly found a wooden stump to sit on, closed his eyes, and relaxed. Zhu Zhuqing remained silent, leaning against a pillar some distance away from Luo Chuan.

Flender ignored Luo Chuan after that and lectured Oscar and Ning Rongrong at length. Only after assigning them their tasks did he call Luo Chuan over again.

At this point, Tang San and Xiao Wu had also stayed behind out of curiosity about Flender's teaching methods. Flender glanced at Tang San, then said, "Tang San, don't you have anything to say about yesterday's assessment?"

Tang San's expression darkened slightly. He looked at Luo Chuan and said, "He injured Xiao Wu first. Besides, my injuries were far worse than his. What do I have to say?"

Luo Chuan's expression did not change, while Flender shook his head slightly and asked him, "What do you think, Xiao Chuan?"

"Think what? A life for a life, a debt repaid with money! I injured Xiao Wu, so as Xiao Wu's brother, it's only natural for Tang San to want revenge." Luo Chuan spoke indifferently. Flender was slightly surprised. Had this kid been scared stupid by the Clear Sky Douluo?

However, Luo Chuan quickly continued, "Go on."

Luo Chuan indeed was not finished. He immediately said, "If I was injured, that only means I wasn't strong enough. But if someone uses another person's life to deal with their own enemy, that is a wicked and crooked path!

"I think the person who should have received an apology most after yesterday's battle was Zhu Zhuqing. But it seems certain people never cared about anyone else's feelings at all."

"Zhu Zhuqing wasn't injured."

"I can't argue with you." Luo Chuan could not be bothered to debate Tang San. Whether Tang San admitted his mistake had nothing to do with him. Tang San froze. Luo Chuan's single sentence gave him no chance to explain, yet still nailed down what he had done.

Luo Chuan looked at Flender. "If there's nothing else, I'm going back. Help me pay the tuition."

Flender's mouth twitched. "Don't you have money? I heard you won five thousand Gold Soul Coins in one go yesterday! Hand them over, and I'll keep them safe for you."

"No. They refused to honor the bet. What can I do?"

At the side, Zhu Zhuqing frowned, but said nothing. She merely said, "Dean, I'll head back too."

"Wait!" Flender frowned, then looked at Tang San again. "Do you really think you did nothing wrong?"

Xiao Wu was somewhat anxious. She also felt that Tang San had gone too far in using Zhu Zhuqing yesterday. She immediately tugged at Tang San, then bowed to Zhu Zhuqing. "Zhu Qing, actually... actually, my brother isn't usually like this. He only lost his reason because I was injured yesterday. It's all my fault. I'll apologize to you in his place."

Seeing Xiao Wu apologize, Tang San could only follow suit. Yet in his heart, he did not think much of it. He had indeed used Zhu Zhuqing to some extent yesterday, but that was because he was sure Luo Chuan would block the attack.

Zhu Zhuqing's expression remained calm. "It's fine."

Zhu Zhuqing did not want to get tangled up with Tang San either. She only needed to stay away from someone like him in the future.

Flender watched Zhu Zhuqing's departing back, then took Tang San away alone. No one knew what he said to him, but after Tang San returned, he sought out Zhu Zhuqing again and apologized once more.

This time, he was much more sincere. Only after Zhu Zhuqing forgave him repeatedly did he leave with an apologetic expression.

On the roof, Luo Chuan lay on a straw mat spread beneath him, stretched out atop Tang San's roof and basking in the warm sunlight. He "slept" for the entire day.

Not until evening did Ning Rongrong skip past Luo Chuan's dormitory and call out, "Luo Chuan, you're still sleeping?"

Luo Chuan ignored her.

Ning Rongrong frowned and raised her voice. "Luo Chuan, wake up!"

Luo Chuan turned to look at Ning Rongrong. His eyes slowly opened, without the slightest trace of sleepiness. "Disturbing someone's sweet dream is rude."

Ning Rongrong stared wide-eyed at him, looking mischievous. "You weren't asleep at all. Don't think I can't tell."

Luo Chuan closed his eyes again and lay on his back facing the sky, ignoring Ning Rongrong.

Ning Rongrong was rebuffed. She immediately waved her little fist at Luo Chuan, then gave a light snort and left.

In the distance, Zhu Zhuqing took in the entire scene, then turned and entered her room.

Night fell. Everyone gathered once more on the small Training Field.

Then the scene from the original story occurred. Ning Rongrong was harshly scolded by Flender, and everything proceeded smoothly.

Until Flender suddenly called Luo Chuan's name. Luo Chuan looked baffled. How had this gotten dragged around to him?

"What?" Luo Chuan had clearly been distracted just now. Flender's anger flared up at once, and he asked, "Tell Ning Rongrong your current age!"

Luo Chuan rolled his eyes and said, "Twelve!"

"Bullshit! Down to the month!" Flender snapped.

"Eleven years and nine months!"

Flender gave Luo Chuan a satisfied look, then turned to Ning Rongrong. "What else do you have to say? Luo Chuan is younger than you, yet he's already a Soul Elder!"

"But he isn't on the Heavenly Ranking!"

"Foolish!" Flender snorted coldly.

Ning Rongrong stood there in a daze. Ever since childhood, she had grown up surrounded by everyone's care. On top of that, she was a genius herself and had been spoiled beyond measure. She had always believed that she was the most outstanding, the most talented. Even if she was not strong enough yet, that was only because of her age. But at Shrek, she was actually the one with the worst talent.

At that moment, every word Flender said was like a sharp sword piercing her heart, utterly shattering the thing she had been proudest of.

Ning Rongrong's face turned pale. Suddenly, she let out a wail and burst into tears, then turned and ran toward her dormitory.

Luo Chuan watched Ning Rongrong's crying figure leave without the slightest ripple in his heart. He merely looked at Flender with amusement. "Did you get a token of authority from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect?"

Flender immediately glared at Luo Chuan. "What the hell do you know, brat? If you can't speak properly, shut up!"

Luo Chuan grinned and habitually draped his arm over Fatty's shoulder.

Only, Fatty was a little taller today. Luo Chuan turned his head in surprise and saw Zhu Zhuqing looking back at him in confusion. The two stared at each other.

Luo Chuan awkwardly withdrew his arm. "Sorry, I thought you were Fatty."

Fatty chuckled and waggled his eyebrows at Luo Chuan. He had deliberately changed positions.

"It's fine." Zhu Zhuqing did not mind, while Flender coughed twice and began the evening's lesson.

With his hands clasped behind his back, Flender said, "All right, prepare to leave. You've seen the results for Ning Rongrong and Oscar. If you want to remain here and cultivate, you must follow the academy's rules. Attend every class properly. Here, my words are commands. Next, you will begin your first class since coming to Shrek.

"Each of you will complete your own course independently. Don't blame me for not warning you in advance. If you don't do well enough, even if you don't die, you'll lose a layer of skin."

Dai Mubai had also returned after completing the task Flender assigned him.

Flender waved his hand. "Let's go. Follow me."

With that, he tapped the ground with the tip of his foot and shot out lightly toward the academy entrance.