Flender Poaches; Xiao Wu's Obsession

"Wang Sheng, I'm willing to raise the enrollment subsidy I previously offered you to 50 Gold Soul Coins per year. As for your soul rings, the academy will unconditionally give priority to helping you select and hunt them. Join our Shrek Academy—what do you say?"

"Dean Flander, I already told you, I can't transfer to another academy. Wherever Teacher is, that's where I'll be. Unless Teacher becomes a teacher at Shrek, I could never join Shrek. Sorry."

"Kid, these benefits are already generous enough. Don't push your luck. At most, I'll arrange a luxurious private room for you. It's time to nod, isn't it?"

"Excuse me, Dean Flander, but I refuse."

"Kid, don't refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit. I sincerely invited you into Shrek and offered you so many benefits, yet none of them move you? Do you really enjoy being a guard dog here at Peach Blossom Spring Academy?"

"Look at this—has Su Ran ever treated you like a person? He makes an unparalleled genius like you guard the gate like a dog and live in the guardhouse. You may not feel wronged, but I can hardly stand to watch."

"With your talent, come to Shrek. I can train you as a Core Disciple and let you shine across the continent, in the Soul Master Competition. But at Peach Blossom Spring Academy, Su Ran will only use you like livestock."

"Look, your Soul Power is nearly Level 30, yet he went out hunting soul rings with two pretty female students and left you here to guard the gate. Why didn't he take you along? He clearly doesn't care about your Third Soul Ring at all. Don't you feel stifled staying here?"

"Wang Sheng, you're still young. Think this through carefully. This decision concerns the rest of your life."

"Dean Flender, please show some respect. Teacher is not the kind of person you describe. And I'm neither a guard dog nor some unparalleled genius.

"If Teacher hadn't let me study under him, I might still have been an unremarkable little soul master, unable even to glimpse the possibility of a second soul ring.

"Being the gatekeeper at Peach Blossom Spring Academy was my own choice. Teacher never forced me. If you continue trying to drive a wedge between Teacher and me, then..."

"Please have a Life-and-Death Duel with me."

At the entrance to Peach Blossom Spring Academy, peach blossoms drifted down in flurries. Wang Sheng stepped out of the Gate Pavilion. Even though Flender's cultivation far surpassed his own, he showed no fear at all.

Ever since the first day Teacher had left the academy with his two Junior Sisters to hunt soul rings in the Star Dou Great Forest, this shifty-eyed Flender had been wandering around outside Peach Blossom Spring Academy. From time to time, he would strike up a conversation with Wang Sheng, trying to persuade him to leave Peach Blossom Spring Academy and join Shrek Academy.

The initial one-time enrollment reward of 10 Gold Soul Coins had even been raised to 50 Gold Soul Coins a year.

To Wang Sheng, this was an insult.

"A Life-and-Death Duel with me? Are you sure? I'm a Soul Sage."

"You'll certainly die."

Flender found it somewhat unbelievable. These days, even a Soul Grandmaster dared to challenge a Soul Sage?

Did he have any Winning Chance?

Wasn't this just courting death?

"I once heard Teacher recite a line of poetry: Since ancient times, who has escaped death? Let my loyal heart shine in the annals of history. If I die protecting the convictions in my heart, then what is there to fear in death?"

"Foolish! Utterly foolish! I've never seen such a blockhead, such a dead piece of wood. Pah."

Meeting Wang Sheng's steadfast gaze, Flender took a deep breath, spat on the ground, then flicked his sleeve and walked away.

Damn it.

He had wanted to take advantage of Su Ran taking his disciples out to poach someone, but he had been rejected every time and had run into a wall with a mere Soul Grandmaster. He had completely lost face.

Why would he actually want to have a Life-and-Death Duel with him?

If word got out, it would be embarrassing if he won, and even more embarrassing if he lost.

"Neigh!"

Not long after Flender left, a vigorous horse's whinny came from outside Peach Blossom Spring Academy.

"They're finally back. Whew..."

"Senior Sister Rongrong, don't be angry anymore. Get off the horse."

"Hmph. Since you were on my side in defending Teacher, I'll forgive you for now. But you're not allowed to do that again!"

"Mm, I understand."

Zhu Zhuqing rode the same horse as Ning Rongrong, while Snake Grandma rode with Meng Yiran. Su Ran and Dragon Duke each rode a Thousand Year Soul Beast as they returned from the Star Dou Great Forest.

When it was time to dismount, Zhu Zhuqing leaped down from the saddle first and reached out to help Ning Rongrong down.

After several hours of travel and the stimulating sensation of the other girl's ample breasts bumping against her, Ning Rongrong found Zhu Zhuqing much more pleasing to the eye. With a haughty air, she forgave Zhu Zhuqing for her earlier thoughtlessness.

Snake Grandma and Meng Yiran dismounted in turn. Looking at the Peach Blossom Tree before the gates of Peach Blossom Spring Academy, they found that although it was not exactly grand or luxurious, it had the feeling of a secluded paradise, with peach blossoms dancing through the air and a faint fragrance drifting about.

"So this is our Peach Blossom Spring Academy? It's so beautiful."

Meng Yiran's eyes widened. Few girls would dislike a campus environment filled with falling peach blossoms.

"The campus environment is decent enough, but the academy is far too small. It doesn't even cover one-tenth the area of Beast Academy."

Dragon Duke spoke blandly. Beast Academy had been the advanced Soul Master Academy where Meng Yiran had previously studied. It had once performed outstandingly in the All Continent Elite Soul Master Competition, making it one of the local kingdom's key-supported Soul Master Academies.

He and Snake Grandma were also Honorary Teachers at Beast Academy.

"Hmph, it may be small now, but it'll definitely grow bigger in the future. Just wait and see," Ning Rongrong snorted.

"Girl, I know your Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is wealthy, but show This Old Man some respect. Even the elders of your sect would have to address me as Senior Dragon Duke."

"No, they wouldn't. You're just bragging."

"Heh..."

"Teacher, you're back?"

"Mm, we were delayed by two days. You were guarding the academy alone—nothing happened, right?"

Hearing the commotion, Wang Sheng came out to help tie up the horses. Su Ran spoke to him.

Wang Sheng touched his head and led the two swift horses to the academy's stable.

"Nothing major. I already handled it all."

"That's good. But if you run into any trouble you can't handle, just tell me."

"Mm!"

The moment he saw Su Ran, Wang Sheng felt brimming with motivation, as though his entire body had been filled with energy.

"But, Teacher, why did you bring back two soul beasts?"

"One of these soul beasts is the Third Soul Ring I prepared for you. The other is for your new Junior Sister."

"Let me introduce you. This is Meng Yiran, my new student. These two are Meng Yiran's grandfather and grandmother; just call them Dragon Elder and Snake Elder. This is my student, Wang Sheng."

Su Ran said.

"Alright, Wang Sheng, take these two soul beasts to the Side Courtyard and keep them separately. Use Iron Cages, and bind their limbs with at least three Iron Chains. They'll probably break free of my illusion completely in a few minutes. Move quickly, and don't get hurt."

"Mm, yes, Teacher!"

Wang Sheng nodded fiercely, somewhat excited.

That despicable Flender, did you see that?

Who said Teacher didn't care about me? Who said Teacher wouldn't help me hunt my Third Soul Ring?

Teacher brought my Third Soul Ring straight home for me!!!

I, Wang Sheng, was originally utterly ordinary, but Teacher carried me all the way. What could I possibly be dissatisfied with?

Even if Teacher hadn't helped me hunt my Third Soul Ring, with Teacher's looks and charisma alone, I'd still willingly follow him!

I just want to say, even if I had to be a dog—a dog belonging to Teacher Su Ran—what would be wrong with that?!

Woof!

Woof woof woof!

At dawn the day after Su Ran and the others returned, Zhao Wuji also came back with Shrek's students.

But their return was nothing like their departure.

When they left, they had run beneath the blazing sun like idiots.

When they returned, they sprinted back through the drizzling rain like idiots.

Rain could extinguish flames, but it could not extinguish the passion in Xiao Wu's heart.

Even after leaving the Star Dou Great Forest, Xiao Wu still could not stop thinking about it. She could not help asking:

"Teacher Zhao, Third Brother, did you really not see a boy in the Star Dou Great Forest who was extraordinarily handsome and six or seven feet tall? He saved my life! Otherwise, that giant ape would have killed me. He's my savior—I have to find him."

"Xiao Wu, you've asked us this more than ten times already on the way. We really didn't see anyone like that."

"Yeah, Xiao Wu. You keep saying this guy was handsome, but just how handsome was he? How does he compare to Boss Dai?"

"Dai Mubai? Compared to my savior, he isn't even one ten-thousandth as good."

Xiao Wu pouted, speechless.

That night, she had actually gone back and asked Er Ming to help her find him. But after searching the entire night, they still found no trace of that person. He had most likely already left the Star Dou Great Forest, so she could only return to find Shrek's group.

"I won't give up! I'll definitely find you!"

Xiao Wu rubbed her stomach. She had used that White Towel as a bellyband, so that she could think of that handsome young man at every moment, as though he were touching her.

Ma Hongjun and Oscar exchanged glances, then looked pityingly at Tang San. Xiao Wu... hasn't fallen for someone else, has she?

Just one night—she had only disappeared for one night, and she...

Well, sometimes, when that one night was so exhilarating and so unforgettable, it really could leave someone longing for more, unable to stop.

Tang San's feelings were somewhat complicated.

Xiao Wu had suddenly started simping for another guy. He felt rather dejected.