Simple, Brutal Rewards

Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

The empire's premier academy, with countless resources and deep connections. Its students were either rich or noble.

These two young people were actually from Heaven Dou Royal Academy?

Did that mean they were nobles of the Heaven Dou Empire?

His initial thoughts of taking advantage immediately vanished, and his tone unconsciously became more respectful. "So... so you are elites of Heaven Dou Royal Academy. Please forgive my disrespect. This old man was presumptuous just now. I hope you will not take offense."

He inwardly cursed his bad luck.

Dai Mubai was also stunned. His gaze swept over Xu Fan's hand around Zhu Zhuqing's shoulder, then he looked at Zhu Zhuqing's cold face. She showed no resistance to Xu Fan's intimate gesture, and that vague sense of familiarity in his heart was suppressed.

They were a couple, and they were from Heaven Dou Royal Academy. They truly had nothing to do with Shrek Academy.

"Since that is the case, we shall not disturb you two any longer." Li Yusong politely stepped aside.

"You are too polite, Senior. We'll be leaving now." Xu Fan nodded courteously, naturally lowered the hand around Zhu Zhuqing's shoulders, and turned to leave.

Zhu Zhuqing silently followed him, never looking at Dai Mubai again from beginning to end.

Watching the two figures recede into the distance, Li Yusong shook his head and sat back down.

Dai Mubai also withdrew his gaze and called to Tang San and Xiao Wu, "Come on. I'll show you around Shrek Academy."

Li Yusong really isn't thinking straight. He actually wanted to recruit Zhuqing and me.

Good thing I bluffed him with our identities as students of Heaven Dou Royal Academy. Otherwise, that guy might have forcibly kept Zhuqing and me here.

Tang Hao should be here too. I wonder whether he noticed the two of us. But according to his way of thinking, Zhuqing and I are unimportant, and we aren't from Spirit Hall. We shouldn't be in danger.

Time to get out of here. The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Eyes are what matter.

But Rongrong and Zhuqing said there would be plenty more going on at Shrek Academy. Tsk, tsk... an academy with a story.

[Reward obtained: Soul Power +1.]

Xu Fan's Soul Power silently rose to level 23.

He had not expected a reward of one additional level of Soul Power. Although it was far inferior to those other rewards,

it was still pretty good. Simple and brutal.

If he wrote something interesting from time to time, he could gain a little more Soul Power.

It was just that Xu Fan felt he did not have many stories to tell, so he would try to write one about once a week.

Soul Power was nice for Xu Fan to have, but it did not matter much if he lacked it. His combat strength barely relied on Soul Power anymore.

Still, it could save him some cultivation time. That was fine too.

"You said just now... that I was your girlfriend?" Zhu Zhuqing suddenly spoke, her voice calm and unruffled.

Xu Fan, walking behind her, paused and coughed lightly. "The situation was a little urgent just now. That was a Soul Emperor.

Shrek Academy may look... well, a bit plain, but anyone who can teach here must be extraordinary.

The two of us—one with a special martial soul, the other exceptionally gifted—would have been in trouble if they took an interest in us and tried to forcibly keep us here. We would not have been able to stop them."

He paused, his tone growing more serious. "The identities of Heaven Dou Royal Academy students and a couple can spare us a lot of unnecessary questioning and potential risks."

The explanation sounded reasonable and logically sound, completely based on safety considerations.

After listening, Zhu Zhuqing merely responded very softly, "Mm."

She neither refuted him nor pressed the matter.

Only Zhu Zhuqing herself knew that her emotions were not as calm as they appeared.

When Xu Fan had put his arm around her shoulder, the warmth and touch of his palm had been exceptionally clear.

So warm.

So hot.

Through the thin fabric of her clothes, that scorching warmth had spread along the line of her shoulder, making even her ears tingle faintly.

It stirred a complicated ripple in her heart.

A little... uncomfortable.

But it seemed... not entirely unpleasant?

She forcibly suppressed those chaotic thoughts.

Although she had already made her decision, she still could not do that with Xu Fan, at least not yet.

They were both too young.

They had not yet come of age.

Soul Masters on Douluo Continent developed a little each time they obtained a Soul Ring, but they still had to reach fourteen before becoming adults.

Shrek Academy.

"Perverted tiger, what was that Heaven Dou Royal Academy those two mentioned?" Xiao Wu asked.

Dai Mubai's mouth twitched. "My name is Dai Mubai, not Perverted Tiger."

"Hehe, who was it that had Twins following him around a few days ago?"

"Alright, alright, stop talking." Dai Mubai's face darkened. If the others found out, where would he put his face?

Tang San also looked at Dai Mubai. He wanted to ask as well.

He did not know much about Douluo Continent.

Notting Academy had no library, so he had naturally not read much knowledge about Douluo Continent. Most of what he knew had been told to him by Teacher.

"There are two great empires on Douluo Continent: Star Luo and Heaven Dou. We are currently in the Heaven Dou Empire. As for Heaven Dou Royal Academy, you can tell from its name that it was established by the Heaven Dou Empire's Imperial Family.

It can be considered the number one academy in the Heaven Dou Empire."

"It sounds amazing! Is it stronger than our Shrek Academy?" Xiao Wu asked as she took a bite of carrot.

Although Dai Mubai really did not want to say so, the gap in strength between the two academies was simply too great.

He nodded. "Naturally. Heaven Dou Royal Academy is backed by the Heaven Dou Imperial Family and possesses the greatest resources."

"Then, Third Brother, why didn't we go to Heaven Dou Royal Academy?"

Tang San was somewhat tempted as well. Shrek Academy looked incredibly poor. It did not even have a decent building, and it was worse than Notting Academy.

It was simply unbearable to look at.

If it had not been for Yu Xiaogang, he would never have come here.

Dai Mubai grew anxious. He had finally managed to bring these two in; he could not let them leave.

"You cannot put it that way. Heaven Dou Royal Academy is not somewhere you can enter just because you want to.

The students at Heaven Dou Royal Academy are either nobles or merchants' sons whose families paid enormous sums to get them in. They are all rich or noble.

Otherwise, you need exceptionally high talent to enter."

"Your Soul Power may be high, but one of your martial souls is Blue Silver Grass, while the other is a Soft Bone Rabbit. Heaven Dou Royal Academy would not accept martial souls of such low quality."

Dai Mubai was not making it up. After all, Star Luo Royal Academy and Heaven Dou Royal Academy were much the same.

Tang San's eyebrows drew together. "It seems this Heaven Dou Royal Academy is still an Aristocratic Academy."

"That is true, but Heaven Dou Royal Academy is still very capable. It ranks only below Star Luo Royal Academy and Spirit Hall's Spirit Academy."

"Spirit Academy?" Xiao Wu became curious again.

"Spirit Academy is an academy under Spirit Hall. It is the strongest academy on the continent. The Soul Masters there are all highly talented, and they will become the backbone of Spirit Hall in the future."