Flender's Wild Fantasy

On the other side of Suotuo City.

Ning Rongrong wandered aimlessly through the city.

After seeing the sights within Suotuo City, she could not help muttering to herself, "What? This Suotuo City isn't as good as the rumors made it out to be."

The only thing that interested her was probably Shrek Academy, which the coachmen and commoners kept talking about.

With Shrek Academy's enrollment season approaching, people throughout the streets and alleys were discussing how many students Shrek Academy would recruit this year.

Lost in thought, she unconsciously wandered into a local restaurant.

As the little princess of the wealthiest sect on the continent, Ning Rongrong had been clothed in finery and fed delicacies since childhood. She had tasted countless rare foods from land and sea, but that did not mean she had eaten every delicacy on the continent.

Filled with anticipation, she entered the restaurant.

At the same time, Shen Tianchen happened to be passing by on the other side of the street.

"Shrek Academy is about to begin enrollment. I should buy that piece of Plate Crystal Hair Gold first."

"I just wonder whether I'll cause a butterfly effect."

"I should go take a look at someone's little shop first."

Shen Tianchen pondered for a while.

The little shop he referred to naturally belonged to Flender. It was open to the public and sold some low-grade Soul Tools.

Being merciful to enemies was being cruel to oneself.

Buying that piece of Plate Crystal Hair Gold in advance could be considered an indirect weakening of Tang San's strength.

Although he did not want to go through such trouble, Tang San was not on the same side as him.

Later, during Zhao Wuji's test, without the help of hidden weapons, Tang San would probably lose even more miserably.

Only Zhao Wuji would suffer for it. After Tang San got beaten up, Tang Hao definitely would not let it slide. Zhao Wuji would likely get beaten even worse.

With this in mind, Shen Tianchen arrived at a shop without a signboard.

He had noticed it as soon as he entered the city. However, he had been busy looking for a place to stay earlier and had not had the time to come over. Fortunately, it was not too late now.

Once inside, the shop's decor made Shen Tianchen's eyelids twitch.

Put nicely, it was ancient and sturdy; put bluntly, it looked as though a war had been fought inside. There were only two shelves placed there haphazardly.

A number of low-grade Soul Tools of unknown origin sat on the shelves, emitting faint Soul Power fluctuations.

"There are even Soul Tools here."

Shen Tianchen found it somewhat novel.

The shop was not large. When he turned his head, he saw a man seated behind the counter.

He looked to be around fifty years old and had a hooked nose.

After withdrawing his gaze, Shen Tianchen began pretending to search the shelves for something.

Flender was a profiteer. Once he noticed a customer showing curiosity toward an item, he would surely praise it to the heavens before demanding an exorbitant price.

His Spirit was a Cat Owl, so his perception was rather impressive, but could he sense what others were thinking?

While searching, Shen Tianchen kept an eye out for that piece of Plate Crystal Hair Gold, though he did not reveal it.

Before long, he spotted a stone bearing golden patterns on the lowest shelf near the corner of the wall.

Just then, something unexpected happened.

A voice came from outside the shop. "Teacher, are you inside?"

As the voice drew nearer, Shen Tianchen gradually saw what the newcomer looked like.

A chubby youth about his age, with a head of red hair and a round build, appeared at the entrance.

Shen Tianchen knew this guy had to be Ma Hongjun, that Grass Chicken.

Ma Hongjun looked around. Seeing Shen Tianchen's actions, he assumed Shen Tianchen was stealing something and immediately shouted, "Well, well, you little thief! You actually dare steal from my teacher!"

"Are you talking to me?"

Shen Tianchen turned his head and spoke without changing expression.

He looked around and realized that Flender, who had been sitting behind the counter, had disappeared at some point.

"Of course I am. Do you see anyone else in this shop?"

Ma Hongjun rolled up his sleeves. With a thought, the Evil Fire Phoenix Spirit appeared behind him, and two yellow spirit rings rose beneath his feet.

Shen Tianchen could not help laughing. "I thought it was a Phoenix Spirit. Turns out it's just a Grass Chicken on fire. By the way, when are you turning into roast chicken, little fatty?"

"You bastard, you're courting death!"

Ma Hongjun immediately flew into a rage.

Stealing his teacher's things was one matter, but this guy even dared mock his Spirit. He hated people like this the most.

"First Spirit Ability, Phoenix Fireline!"

Fire-attribute Soul Power gathered in his mouth. Just as he was about to unleash it, Shen Tianchen moved.

The Dragon Abyss Sword appeared in his hand. With only two simple slashes of Sword Qi toward Ma Hongjun, he broke his Spirit Ability.

The all-around suppression of Spirit and Soul Power Level meant that Shen Tianchen did not even need to use a Spirit Ability before sending Ma Hongjun flying.

At that moment, Flender stood on the rooftop diagonally across from the shop, his eyes fixed on the battle below.

The moment he heard his disciple's voice, he had guessed why Ma Hongjun had come.

Ma Hongjun possessed the Evil Fire Phoenix Spirit. In order to suppress the evil fire within his body, Flender had tacitly allowed him to visit brothels.

He was only a Soul Grandmaster now and could receive only a few Gold Soul Coins from Spirit Hall each month.

Places like brothels were bottomless money pits. How could that little money possibly be enough?

Flender could easily tell from Shen Tianchen's clothing that he was not short on money. As a profiteer, Flender naturally did not want to let such a customer slip away.

When Ma Hongjun and Shen Tianchen clashed, he had still been considering a solution that would satisfy both sides—one that could resolve their conflict while also making Shen Tianchen spend heavily.

But when he saw Shen Tianchen send Ma Hongjun flying so effortlessly, Flender immediately became interested.

"This little fellow doesn't look very old, yet he defeated Hongjun so easily. He really is a rare talent."

At that, a glint flashed through Flender's eyes.

Suotuo City was not particularly renowned across the continent, and there were no Advanced Spirit Master Academies in the nearby cities either. Shen Tianchen must have come here because he had heard about Shrek and wanted to enroll.

That was right, it had to be so.

While he was pondering, Ma Hongjun had already been lifted up by Shen Tianchen like a chick.

Then Shen Tianchen casually tossed him onto the roadside as though throwing away trash.

Poor Ma Hongjun. He had attacked without understanding his opponent's strength, and now his backside hurt terribly.

"Do you know who my teacher is?"

Knowing he could not beat Shen Tianchen, Ma Hongjun planned to use his teacher's reputation to intimidate him.

Comparing teachers?

A mysterious smile appeared at the corner of Shen Tianchen's lips.

Could a mere Soul Sage with a Cat Owl Spirit compare to a peak Douluo?

Still, within Suotuo City, aside from the Ghost Leopard Douluo lurking in the shadows, Flender should have been the strongest on paper. However, there might be other powerful figures hiding here.

No wonder Ma Hongjun was so arrogant.

"Tell me, little fatty, I merely passed by and came in to buy something. Which eye saw me stealing?"

"In the Spirit Master World, strength reigns supreme. Show me the strength to defeat me before you speak. I'll give you time to recover. Don't say I'm bullying you. As long as you can beat me, you can decide any compensation you want. Keep pushing me, and prepare to lie in bed for ten days to half a month."

Shen Tianchen spoke as calmly and methodically as ever.

Hearing this, Ma Hongjun's body began trembling uncontrollably. He then turned and ran.

Shen Tianchen did not stop him. He knew Flender had to be watching from somewhere.

Elsewhere.

Flender wanted to step in and smooth things over for Ma Hongjun, but he could not interfere in a spar between people of the same generation.

"With him joining the academy, its future will be boundless."

That was right. In his eyes, Shen Tianchen had come specifically for Shrek Academy.

Ma Hongjun was not bad either, but he was far inferior to Shen Tianchen. If Shen Tianchen joined, Flender could only let Ma Hongjun suffer a little and become the junior disciple.