The Pauper and the Investor

[Real World]

Black World, Shrek Academy.

Flender sat on a chair missing a leg, worrying over the food expenses for this year's new students.

Then he heard the words "discuss an acquisition" from the Sky Curtain.

"Clatter."

The glasses in his hand fell onto the table.

"Ac... acquisition?"

Flender's hands trembled violently.

He looked at Bai Tang San on the Sky Curtain, radiating an overwhelmingly imposing presence and the fragrance of money.

Then he looked at his own office, where he could not even afford paper for the windows.

A sense of absurdity unlike anything he had ever felt surged into his heart.

"This brat..."

"What a big mouth!"

"Do you think Shrek Academy can be bought with money?"

"I, Flender, have principles!"

Flender abruptly rose to his feet, about to put on a tough front.

But the next second—

The information about Bai Tang San's "580,000 Gold Soul Coins" in liquid funds surfaced in his mind.

Along with that evaluation: "Divine King's Stature."

"Gulp."

Flender swallowed.

Then sat back down in his chair.

"Still..."

"If he really can acquire it..."

"Wouldn't we have money to repair the Sports Field?"

"Wouldn't we have money to pay Zhao Wuji?"

"Wouldn't I... no longer have to swindle and cheat those crooked merchants?"

Flender's eyes gradually became unfocused.

It was the first sign of being corrupted by capital.

Beside him—

Yu Xiaogang stared at the Sky Curtain, his face so gloomy it seemed ready to drip water.

"An acquisition?"

"It reeks of money!"

"An academy is a place for teaching and nurturing people. How could it become a commercial institution?"

"This Bai Tang San is simply desecrating education!"

He was still stubbornly putting on a brave front.

But he knew better than anyone else—

Without money—

All his theories, experiments, and so-called training plans—

Would be nothing but castles in the air.

On the Sky Curtain—

Bai Tang San ignored the shock of those around him.

He led Xiao Wu straight through the crude school gate.

As though he were walking into his own backyard.

"This plot is too remote."

"But it is quiet, making it suitable for a closed training base."

"Those wooden houses should be torn down and rebuilt."

"I want to build the highest-standard Mimicry Cultivation Tower on the entire continent here."

"As for the teaching staff..."

Bai Tang San glanced at Flender and Zhao Wuji, who were hurrying over from afar.

A glint like someone assessing merchandise flashed through his eyes.

"A few Soul Saints and one Soul Emperor."

"They are a little poor, but their foundations are acceptable."

"As long as the pay is high enough—"

"They should make qualified thugs... ah, instructors."

Was he here to attend school?

He was clearly a chairman inspecting a subsidiary on the verge of bankruptcy!

[Black World]

The sunlight was somewhat lazy.

Dai Mubai, in charge of the second round of preliminary tests, sat behind a table with one leg crossed over the other.

His gaze was somewhat careless, until the youth dressed in blue stepped forward.

"Hold out your hand."

Dai Mubai lazily raised his eyelids.

Hei Tang San did as instructed.

Dai Mubai checked his bone age, then looked at the charming Xiao Wu beside him.

"Your bone age is suitable."

"Release your Martial Soul and show your Soul Power."

Hei Tang San took a deep breath.

Although they had fought at the Rose Hotel before, he still wanted to formally demonstrate his strength.

Buzz—!

Two yellow hundred-year Soul Rings rose beneath his feet.

The Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul did not look like much, but its dense Soul Power Fluctuation could not be faked.

The crystal ball in Teacher Li Yusong's hand lit up brilliantly.

"Level twenty-nine!"

A wave of astonished cries erupted from the crowd.

"Oh my god! Level twenty-nine at twelve?"

"That's insane! Is this the world of monsters?"

Even Dai Mubai showed a trace of approval in his eyes.

"Not bad."

"Reaching level twenty-nine at your age would make you a top genius even in Spirit Hall."

"Tang San, you are a true monster."

Hei Tang San scratched his head somewhat sheepishly, though inwardly he was delighted.

It felt wonderful to be recognized like this.

Afterward—

A cool and aloof girl, Zhu Zhuqing, stepped forward. Level twenty-seven.

A girl in an exquisite dress, Ning Rongrong, stepped forward. Level twenty-six.

The entire crowd was stirred.

They looked at one another, their eyes full of excitement and pride: We are all strong. We are the same kind.

The atmosphere was warm and harmonious.

It was as if they had already reached the peak of the continent's younger generation.

However—

The Sky Curtain's narration shattered that harmony in an almost pitying tone:

[Frogs at the bottom of a well, celebrating.]

[They thought this was the standard for monsters.]

[Little did they know that in the eyes of true monsters, this meager ability did not even reach the passing line.]

[White World]

The same village entrance.

Yet the atmosphere was so cold it felt like they had fallen into an ice cellar.

Li Yusong, who was in charge of registration, had been stunned by Bai Tang San's words, "discuss an acquisition," and had actually forgotten to retort.

Just then—

"Arrogant!"

A furious roar shattered the dead silence.

A golden figure shot out from within the academy.

Dai Mubai.

His face was livid, his fists tightly clenched.

Although Bai Tang San had scared him off with a single look at the Rose Hotel last night, costing him all his dignity—

This was Shrek!

This was his territory!

If someone simply barged in to "discuss an acquisition," where would that leave Boss Dai's dignity? Where would that leave Shrek's dignity?

"Kid!"

"No matter how rich you are, no matter how deep your background is—"

"This is a Soul Master Academy, not a chamber of commerce!"

Dai Mubai blocked the village entrance. Possessed by the White Tiger Martial Soul, his level thirty-seven Soul Power erupted without restraint.

"You want to see the dean?"

"Get past me first!"

"Only if you beat me are you qualified to talk business!"

It had to be said, those words carried some backbone.

The applicants who had yet to disperse all looked at Dai Mubai with reverence.

A level thirty-seven Soul Elder was already an unreachable existence in their eyes.

Bai Tang San stopped.

He looked at Dai Mubai blocking the path as though he were looking at a mantis trying to stop a carriage.

"Get past you?"

Bai Tang San smiled.

The smile was faint, yet filled with bone-deep contempt.

"Dai Mubai."

"Have you not learned your lesson from last night?"

"Or do you think that changing locations lets you go from 'trash' to a 'watchdog'?"

"You—!"

Dai Mubai trembled all over in fury, his eyes bloodshot.

Just as both sides stood at the brink of conflict—

Two graceful figures arrived outside the crowd almost simultaneously.

One cold, one warm.

They were Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong.

They had originally come to register, but the commotion here had drawn them over.

Bai Tang San's gaze passed over Dai Mubai and landed on the two girls.

The Purple Demon Eye turned slightly.

"Hell Spirit Cat. Decent speed, but too fragile."

"Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda. An exceptional support Martial Soul, but the physique is too weak."

With only one look, he gave his two future teammates failing preliminary evaluations.