Dai Mubai Steps Forward

Seeing no one chasing after him, Ma Hongjun stopped, panting heavily as he cursed, "Those two damn bastards, just wait for Old Man!"

From childhood to adulthood, he had never suffered such humiliation in Suotuo City.

Once he got back, he would have a proper word with Flender. Those two ignorant fools actually dared offend him!

Hmph, just wait!

Suddenly, a hand landed on his shoulder.

Startled stiff, he hurriedly turned around, and his face immediately lit up with delight. "Teacher, you have to stand up for me."

Flender waved a hand and pulled two Gold Soul Coins from the pouch at his waist. "Go back and get some proper rest. Don't go to that place today."

With that, he turned around.

The two honored guests were still waiting. If he did not return soon, they would be gone.

Before leaving, he added, "Hong Jun, you'll soon have a senior brother. Go tell Mu Bai that he'll have a formidable opponent in the future."

Before Ma Hongjun could press him for answers, his figure vanished from the spot.

"What's going on?" Ma Hongjun was puzzled.

After standing there in a daze for a long while, he suddenly understood something.

Wu Qi's martial soul was also a flying creature, and he looked quite young!

Could it be that Teacher had taken a liking to that kid?

Ma Hongjun grew wary.

He had been taught a lesson by the other party today. If that guy became the eldest senior brother in the future, how would he survive?

An elder brother was like a father. If Wu Qi started managing him like a father, how could he still live freely and happily?

"No, I have to give him a show of strength! Let him know that I've got people backing me too."

Ma Hongjun knew he was no match for him, but Dai Mubai of Shrek Academy was the real boss.

Moreover, the two were very close. Getting Dai Mubai to stand up for him was certainly possible.

Seeing that Flender had not returned, Wu Qi decided to leave for now.

The two had not gone far when, upon reaching a corner, they ran into Flender, who had caught up with them.

Wu Qi asked blandly, "Are you here to recover the 'stolen goods' from us?"

Flender adjusted his glasses. "Wouldn't I know whether you stole anything? So, did you find anything you liked?"

Wu Qi did not answer, but Qiangu Changkong nodded seriously.

Flender warmly beckoned them over. "Come, come, come. Return to the shop with me and pick whatever you want."

In his heart, he had already regarded Wu Qi and Qiangu Changkong as one of his own.

Flender had many faults, but when it came to his own people, he would not play such petty tricks.

Wu Qi noticed the change in his attitude and found it rather baffling.

Of course, how could he possibly know what was going through Flender's mind?

Inside the shop, Wu Qi casually selected several damaged Soul Tools and picked up that piece of Banjing Fajin along the way.

Qiangu Changkong, meanwhile, browsed and picked out a large pile of Soul Tools.

Wu Qi could not help clicking his tongue. "What are you buying so many for?"

The Soul Tools sold in Flender's little shop were almost all defective goods, the sort that could barely still be used.

Most of these Soul Tools had originally been quite effective, but due either to a lack of maintenance or deliberate damage, less than a tenth of their original effects remained.

At most, the Soul Tools Qiangu Changkong had chosen would be somewhat useful to Soul Masters below Level Twenty. If Flender intended to jack up the price because of this, then there was no need to buy them.

"Boss, how much?" Wu Qi asked.

Flender thought for a moment before giving an unbelievable price. "One hundred Gold Soul Coins for the whole lot."

Wu Qi raised a brow.

In the original timeline, Tang San had spent one hundred Gold Soul Coins on a single piece of Banjing Fajin. They were buying more than ten items.

For Flender, these Soul Tools had cost him nothing. He had scavenged them all from the Star Dou Great Forest.

One hundred Gold Soul Coins was a friendship price, or perhaps what he considered a master-disciple price.

Wu Qi did not understand his reasoning, but buying so many Soul Tools for one hundred Gold Soul Coins was absolutely a bargain.

After paying, the two left the shop without looking back.

Just before they stepped out the front door, Flender called out a reminder. "You two, we will meet again. I hope you won't be surprised when that time comes."

Wu Qi shrugged and did not stop.

Watching the two disappear from sight, Flender immediately shut the shop's front door.

They might be older than Shrek Academy's admission limit. If he did not make arrangements in advance and they failed to enroll, that would be a joke.

"Is that boss an idiot? He only charged one hundred Gold Soul Coins for so many Soul Tools. Good thing we left quickly. Once he comes to his senses, he might come after us for more money."

Having scored such a huge bargain, Qiangu Changkong could not put down the Soul Tools in his hands.

"Didn't you notice anything strange?" Wu Qi asked in return.

Qiangu Changkong was not stupid. Having followed Wu Qi for so long, he had learned quite a bit.

"He was just doing us a favor. We could easily teach his disciple a lesson, so he probably guessed that our backgrounds were extraordinary and used this to show goodwill."

That could not be denied, but Shrek Academy had operated for so many years without being annexed, proving that Flender was unlikely to bow to the powerful and wealthy.

Perhaps Flender had misunderstood something and was showing them goodwill. But refusing a bargain would make him the fool, and Wu Qi was not about to make up the difference for him.

"Did you buy so many Soul Tools to give them to someone?"

These Soul Tools were greatly helpful to Soul Masters who had only recently begun cultivation, but Wu Qi had never heard that Qiangu Changkong had any younger brothers or sisters.

Qiangu Changkong lowered his voice. "You haven't been at the Worship Hall for long, and you spend most of your time cultivating, so it's normal that you don't know."

The recipient of these Soul Tools was Golden Crocodile Douluo's granddaughter—Jin Yuting.

Jin Yuting was only eight years old, yet she had not inherited Golden Crocodile Douluo's Golden Crocodile King martial soul. On top of that, her Innate Soul Power was only Level Five. To a top-tier powerhouse like Golden Crocodile Douluo, this was undoubtedly a disgrace.

Therefore, Golden Crocodile Douluo had never brought Jin Yuting into the Worship Hall. The other worshippers knew of his helplessness and did not speak of the matter either.

As for Jin Yuting, she was currently studying in the Primary Soul Master Academy division of Spirit Hall Academy. However, she had never revealed her family background, and many High Officials within Spirit Hall did not know where she came from.

Qiangu Changkong remembered that before Jin Yuting awakened her martial soul, he had often played with her. After she awakened it, Golden Crocodile Douluo had hidden her away to prevent her talent from being exposed and mocked.

"I didn't expect there to be such a matter. Second Granduncle's feelings must be complicated." Wu Qi sighed.

According to the theory of martial soul inheritance, the stronger the parents were, the greater the likelihood that their children would awaken with high Innate Soul Power. However, accidents were not impossible.

Yu Xiaogang, for example, was a textbook case of a mighty father producing a useless son.

Qiangu Changkong sighed. "On the Douluo Continent, Innate Soul Power determines everything. I hope Yuting can have a better life in the future."

There is still a chance, Wu Qi thought.

If he could obtain the Immortal Herbs in Dugu Bo's possession, he could defy fate and change her destiny.

Golden Crocodile Douluo had treated him well. If there was a suitable Immortal Herb, he would not mind giving one to Jin Yuting.

It would be difficult to approach Dugu Bo. Dugu Yan was his way in. But he absolutely could not appear too abrupt. After all, he came from Spirit Hall, and that background would inevitably make Dugu Bo wary!