Bestowing Honors Upon Oscar

Upon hearing this, the smile vanished from Xue Zhe's face. His gaze toward Xue Tianxing instantly grew more anxious:

"Nine thousand years? Tianxing, you're being reckless!"

"Not entirely."

Liu Tianfeng waved a hand and recounted the entire process in detail—from how Xue Tianxing had devised a way for him to injure the Ice Flame Roc, to the violent surge of Soul Power during the absorption of the Soul Ring, and finally, the sudden appearance of the Six-winged Angel Spirit that suppressed the Soul Ring. He left out nothing.

When he spoke of the Six-winged Angel's appearance, Liu Tianfeng even shot Xue Zhe a glare, his tone carrying a hint of reproach:

"I thought that when you told me Tianxing had Innate Level 20 Spirit Power, you'd already laid all your cards on the table. Who would've thought you were still holding something back? Tianxing actually has Twin Martial Souls—the Ice Phoenix and the Six-winged Angel! With talent like that, you actually dared to keep it from me!"

Xue Zhe looked somewhat embarrassed by his words. Rubbing his hands together, he explained:

"Uncle Liu, it wasn't that I meant to hide it from you. You saw Tianxing's second Martial Soul too—the Six-winged Angel. There are too many implications behind it. If word got out, it might draw Spirit Hall's attention. How could Tianxing possibly have a peaceful life then? I had no choice but to keep it secret."

"Forget it. It's not too late to know now."

Liu Tianfeng sighed, his gaze turning gentle once more as he spoke to Xue Zhe and Xue Tianxing:

"From now on, I'll keep a closer eye on Tianxing and stay by his side at all times. I'll make sure he grows up safely. I absolutely won't let him take such risks again."

"Then thank you, Uncle Liu."

Xue Zhe quickly nodded, then turned to Xue Tianxing. His tone became more solemn as he said:

"Now it's your turn. You knew that eight thousand years was already the limit, yet you insisted on attempting a nine-thousand-year Soul Ring. Didn't you consider the consequences? At the least, if something happened to you, how would your mother and I go on? At the most, the future of the Balak Kingdom rests on you. If anything happened to you, what would become of the kingdom? If you dare pull such nonsense again, I'll have your mother use the family discipline. Let's see if she doesn't smack you with a ruler!"

Xue Tianxing lowered his head and obediently listened without uttering a single word of protest. He merely nodded again and again.

"Father King, I know I was wrong. I won't dare do it again."

Xue Tianxing could tell that although Father King's words were full of reproach, every sentence was wrapped in concern. His heart felt warm.

Only after lecturing Xue Tianxing did Xue Zhe turn his attention to Oscar standing nearby.

Oscar had already been nervous. Now, under the gaze of a king, he became even more flustered. Instinctively, he shrank behind Xue Tianxing and tightly clenched the hem of his clothes.

Seeing this, the sternness on Xue Zhe's face faded somewhat, replaced by a gentle smile as he spoke:

"You must be little Oscar. Tianxing wrote to me on the road and said you were willing to join our Balak Kingdom. I'm very pleased."

Oscar froze for a moment. He had not expected Xue Zhe to know his name, and hurriedly looked up.

"Y-yes, Your Majesty."

"I will fulfill the conditions Tianxing promised you right now."

Xue Zhe raised a hand in signal. An attendant behind him immediately stepped forward, carrying a scroll and a brocade box. Xue Zhe took the scroll and announced in a clear voice:

"Effective immediately, Oscar is bestowed the title of Viscount of the Balak Kingdom. He is granted a residence in Wutong Alley, east of the royal palace. The courtyard is elegant and spacious enough for you and your family to live in. In addition, you are awarded five hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins as settlement funds."

Xue Zhe pointed to the brocade box and continued speaking to Oscar:

"Inside are the viscount's token and the deed to the residence. As for your family, I have already sent royal guards to bring them here. They should be on their way to Balak City now. It will not be long before you are reunited."

Oscar was completely stunned.

Although Xue Tianxing had already told him about these promises, when Xue Zhe truly placed all of this before him, it still felt like a dream—from a commoner boy to a viscount in one leap, with a residence of his own and the chance to remain with his family from now on. Happiness had come too suddenly, and for a moment, he did not know what to say.

"Oscar, hurry and thank Father King."

Xue Tianxing lightly nudged his arm and reminded him in a low voice.

Only then did Oscar come back to his senses. He hurriedly gave Xue Zhe a deep bow, his voice trembling.

"Th-thank you, Your Majesty! Long live Your Majesty!"

Xue Zhe laughed at his reaction and waved a hand.

"No need for such formality. From now on, cultivate peacefully in the kingdom. If you lack anything, tell Tianxing or come directly to me. Cultivate well, and do not waste your talent."

"Yes! Oscar will remember!"

Oscar nodded vigorously, his eyes shining like they held fallen stars. He knew that from this moment onward, his life had completely changed.

Meanwhile, Flender flew at top speed and soon returned to Shrek Academy—the dilapidated little village hidden in the small forest outside Suotuo City.

The moment he landed at the courtyard entrance, he saw Zhao Wuji cultivating bare-chested. Shao Xin was crouched beside the stove, busy with something, while the other teachers were occupied with their own work in the yard. When they saw him return alone, all their movements stopped.

"Why did you come back alone?"

Shao Xin was the first to rise. He rushed to Flender in a few strides, his brows tightly furrowed as he urgently asked:

"Where's Oscar? Didn't he come back with you? Did something happen while hunting for a Soul Ring? Flender, what were you doing? How did you fail to protect him?!"

The string of questions left Flender stunned for a moment before he could not help laughing.

"Old Shao, you asked so many questions in one breath. Which one am I supposed to answer first?"

Zhao Wuji put on his shirt beside them and wiped the sweat from his face, waving at Shao Xin.

"Alright, Old Shao, don't panic. Can't you see the look on the Dean's face? If something had really happened to Oscar, would he be smiling? He's obviously fine."

Only then did Shao Xin regain his senses. He carefully studied Flender's expression and, seeing no trace of worry in his eyes, gradually relaxed his tense shoulders. Still, he could not help muttering:

"If he's fine, just say so. You scared me half to death."

"Come on, everyone, sit down. I'll tell you all about it."

Flender called everyone over to the stone table in the courtyard. He picked a stone to sit on first, then slowly recounted what had happened in the Star Dou Great Forest—though he was careful not to mention that Xue Tianxing was a Level 30 Soul Elder with Twin Martial Souls. He only said that the young prince of the Balak Kingdom had already become a Level 20 Soul Grandmaster at the age of seven and possessed extraordinary talent. He also focused on how Oscar had caught Xue Tianxing's eye and been invited to join the Balak Kingdom. Not only had he been granted a viscount's title, but he could also bring his family to the royal capital to enjoy a better life, one that would surely be a hundred times more comfortable than at Shrek.

"...So Oscar chose to stay of his own accord. That kid got lucky and met a benefactor."

After finishing, Flender picked up the rough porcelain bowl on the stone table and took a drink of water.

The courtyard fell silent for a moment before laughter erupted.