The father and son who had wanted their registration fee back saw what was happening. "Guess it's our bad luck," they said, then turned to leave.
"Hey, sir, don't go just yet." Qian Renyu stopped them, then turned to Li Yusong. "I've heard Shrek Academy only accepts monsters. What exactly counts as a monster?"
"Our admission requirements are that applicants be no older than twelve and have at least twenty-one levels of Soul Power. Only those who meet both requirements qualify for the second round of testing," Li Yusong replied.
"Anyone no older than twelve with twenty-one levels of Soul Power would be a genius in any faction. They'd be given special attention and nurtured. What resources does Shrek Academy have to cultivate these geniuses?"
"Besides, a genius is a genius wherever they go. Do they really need you to teach them?"
"Or are you saying all you can do is turn geniuses into geniuses?"
"Kid, you're looking for trouble!"
As he spoke, Li Yusong released his Soul Rings: one white, one yellow, three purple, and one black. He was a Soul Emperor.
"Watch what you say, kid. You'll have to take responsibility for your words. Let's see if you can handle that."
"What, you want to fight? Zhang Zhuan, Yang He."
At the sound of Qian Renyu calling their names, Li Yusong showed no reaction. But in the distance, Tang San and Xiao Wu felt cold sweat break out all over them. Xiao Wu in particular had been given plenty of "attention" by Zhang Zhuan and Yang He back at Nuoding Academy.
Zhang Zhuan and Yang He stepped forward. Without even releasing their Martial Souls, they gave Li Yusong a thorough beating. Before long, he was lying on the ground, barely alive and unconscious.
Seeing this, Dai Mubai knew he couldn't get involved. He hurriedly said, "Teacher Li, hang in there! I'll go get some help!"
With that, he raced into Shrek Academy.
Before long,
"Who dares cause trouble at Shrek Academy?"
As he spoke, a man emerged from Shrek Academy. He wasn't tall, but was broad-shouldered and burly. He released his Vajra Bear Martial Soul, and seven Soul Rings—two yellow, two purple, and three black—circled him. It was Zhao Wuji.
Behind Zhao Wuji stood another man with a prominent hooked nose and a pair of glasses. He released his Cat Eagle Martial Soul, and seven Soul Rings—two yellow, two purple, and three black—circled him as well. It was Flender.
Seeing the two Soul Saints emerge, Zhang Zhuan and Yang He braced themselves for a fight. They immediately released their Martial Souls and stood protectively in front of Qian Renyu.
Zhang Zhuan and Yang He had only just entered the ranks of Soul Saints. They had reached that level in their thirties only because Qian Renyu often had Jin Qiang, Yin Dao, and other Titled Douluo train them, and because he had spared no expense on their behalf. Naturally, they would struggle against Flender and Zhao Wuji, two veteran Soul Saints.
But they weren't afraid. After all, they had a Titled Douluo backing them up.
Seeing that Zhang Zhuan and Yang He had only recently broken through to Soul Saint, Zhao Wuji's confidence soared. He decided to skip the pleasantries and attack.
Flender was a flying-type Soul Master, so he was hovering in the air. With his glasses on, his four eyes immediately spotted Qian Renyu.
This was the young master with a Titled Douluo bodyguard!
He'd gotten his shop smashed twice just for trying to rip him off. If he did it again, wouldn't Shrek Academy be in danger?
At that thought, Flender quickly stopped Zhao Wuji from attacking.
Then he recalled his Martial Soul and said to Qian Renyu, "I didn't know you were coming, young master. Please forgive us for not welcoming you properly."
"Forgive you? That's easy. Smash Shrek Academy, and I'll forgive you."
Flender's face twitched.
"Enough. Your Shrek Academy is already such a dump that there's not much to smash. Just refund these people's registration fees first."
"Ten times the amount."
Tenfold refunds weren't much to Flender compared with the cost of Shrek Academy. He gritted his teeth and accepted.
Before long, everyone who'd been swindled received ten times their registration fees back.
"Now that the registration fees have been refunded, let's talk about personal compensation for me."
"How would you like us to compensate you, young master?" Flender asked miserably.
"That old man from your Shrek Academy just threatened me, relying on his Soul Emperor cultivation. It caused serious harm to my young and fragile heart, so you can compensate me with a hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins."
A hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins was more painful than being killed. Flender instinctively shook his head.
"What? Looks like you're unwilling. Then I'll have my elders discuss it with you."
At the mention of Qian Renyu's elders, Flender immediately thought of the Titled Douluo who had smashed his shop. He shook his head even harder.
"Of course, young master. It's only a hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins. We'll pay."
Flender searched high and low, turning the place upside down, and managed to find only twenty thousand Gold Soul Coins. He then pooled money with the other Shrek Academy teachers, but they still came up with only thirty thousand.
That left seventy thousand Gold Soul Coins. Where could he get the rest? Flender turned to Dai Mubai.
Flender knew exactly who Dai Mubai was. There was no way he was short of money.
Dai Mubai understood what Flender was like. Besides, he had nowhere else to go for the time being, so he took out the remaining seventy thousand Gold Soul Coins.
"Dean, I'm a member of Shrek Academy, so of course I should help the academy through this. I'll cover the remaining seventy thousand Gold Soul Coins."
"Mubai, well done! The dean's faith in you wasn't misplaced."
Flender handed Qian Renyu the hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins he'd scraped together.
"Young master, here are the hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins. Will this do?"
"Mm, that's enough for the personal compensation."
"But I'm still young. What if the fright I suffered today affects me in the future? So you'll have to give me another hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins as a guarantee for my future livelihood."
"Th-this..." Flender's face sagged until it looked like it might drag on the ground.
"What? Looks like you're unwilling. Then perhaps I should have my elders discuss it with you."
"N-no, there's no need," Flender hurriedly said.
Flender was out of money, but he couldn't afford to offend the Titled Douluo behind Qian Renyu either. What could he do?
As he thought about it, Flender looked to Dai Mubai again.
Dai Mubai: Oh, for—
Before long, Flender handed Qian Renyu another hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins from Dai Mubai.
"Young master, surely that's enough now?"
"Mm, I don't have any problem with it."
"But my two bodyguards just put on quite a show. So many people saw it, including all of you."
"You can't watch a performance for free, can you? Surely you should give them a little something?"
"Of course, I know you're not well off, so I won't ask for much. A hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins will do."
Flender: #####
"What? Looks like you're unwilling. Then should I have my elders talk it over with you?"
Before Flender could answer, Zhao Wuji spoke up. "Hey, kid, are you asking for trouble? Looks like you don't know the might of a Soul Saint!"
Zhao Wuji tried to continue, but Flender hurriedly clamped a hand over his mouth.
Then he looked to Dai Mubai again.
Dai Mubai felt as if a hundred thousand alpacas were stampeding through his heart.
Oh, for #####! MMP.
Flender once again took the hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins from Dai Mubai and handed them to Qian Renyu.
"Young master, can we finally put an end to this?"
"Of course, of course."
As Qian Renyu spoke, he suddenly spotted Xiao Wu in the crowd, staring at him with murderous intent.
Before you continue