Shrek's Prospects Were Looking Up

On the other side, Flender sat facing Zhao Wuji.

Zhao Wuji sat there with his usual carefree air, but his eyes gleamed with wisdom.

Though the man looked like a simpleton, he was as sharp as a tack.

Otherwise, after offending Spirit Hall and being hunted by the Strength Clan, he wouldn't have been able to live so comfortably.

"Wuji..."

Flender glanced at Zhao Wuji, but didn't know what to say. He could only reach for the teacup on the table to ease the awkwardness.

"You know how bad it feels now? Where were you before? If you'd cared a little more about Oscar, would he have pushed himself into cultivation deviation?!"

Zhao Wuji slapped the table, glaring at him.

That was a bit unfair to Flender. Although he'd become increasingly strict with Oscar, it was only to spur the boy on.

Over the years, Flender had practically treated Oscar like his own son. He cared about him a great deal.

He'd forbidden Oscar from calling him father because he was worried the boy would grow spoiled by his affection. He was thinking of Oscar's future. No one knew how terrifying a Food System Soul Master with Innate Full Soul Power might become once he grew up.

But it was easy to imagine: if war between the empires broke out, Oscar would be worth an endless supply of provisions and a million soldiers simply by standing on the battlefield!

If the boy didn't train properly and spread word of his talent, an enemy nation might find out and send a Titled Douluo to assassinate him, shamelessly disregarding all rules!

"I made mistakes over the years, but the question now is how to save the boy's foundation. I can't ruin his whole life."

After a cup of tea, bitterness spread from his stomach throughout his body.

No one could have imagined that he would push the boy this far, driving him into cultivation deviation and nearly costing him his life. Now Flender felt nothing but remorse.

"Go to Yu Xiaogang. Doesn't he always boast that he's the foremost authority on theory?"

Zhao Wuji snorted. He didn't care about sparing Flender's feelings. He was going to use this opportunity to make his position clear and get Flender to stay away from that piece of vermin.

"Wuji..."

Flender had known Yu Xiaogang for a long time and had even opened a Soul Master Academy. How could he not know what kind of person Yu Xiaogang was?

He'd kept in touch with Yu Xiaogang all these years not just out of brotherly affection, but also because Shrek had been in dire financial straits. He'd hoped to gain some opportunities through Yu Xiaogang's ties to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.

"Our Shrek is short on promising students. A while ago, he told me he'd taken on a disciple—a Blue Silver Grass Soul Master with Innate Full Soul Power."

"Blue Silver Grass? Innate Full Soul Power? Don't listen to his bragging. If such a Soul Master really exists, I'll tear down Spirit Hall with my own hands."

"He wouldn't lie to me about that. We made a deal: in six years, he'll bring his disciple here to teach."

Flender stood and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window. He gazed at the night outside as he spoke to Zhao Wuji.

"You've got to be joking. You're letting him teach the students? He's a twenty-ninth-rank Soul Master. No matter how impressive his theories are, they've never been tested. Are you going to use the kids as guinea pigs?"

Zhao Wuji's brows knitted together, and his tone grew harsher. If Flender hadn't been his longtime leader, he might have stood up and challenged him to a Soul Master battle just to knock some sense into him.

"Yu Xiaogang is my brother, that's true. But Ma Hongjun is my only disciple, and Oscar is my only adopted son. Do you think I'd joke around with their lives?"

Flender turned and glared at Zhao Wuji, then sighed.

"You're clever, but it's only cleverness in small things.

"If Yu Xiaogang really were a worthless man with no ability at all, do you think I'd have stayed in touch with him all these years?"

Flender sat back down and motioned for Zhao Wuji to do the same.

"I've gotten to know him well over the years. He may only study theory and lack practical experience, but he's done plenty of experiments at a junior Soul Master academy. That's enough for him to guide the kids through basic training.

"Of course, that alone wouldn't make me trust him with Oscar and Ma Hongjun.

"What does make me trust him is that he has access to important records from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan and Spirit Hall!

"We're all commoner Soul Masters. You know how much those records could help the kids!"

Hearing this, Zhao Wuji fell into thought, the disdain on his face slowly fading.

If that was the case, having Yu Xiaogang teach here could benefit the children beyond measure.

"Boss, don't worry. When he gets here, I'll treat him with all due respect."

But he left something unsaid: if Yu Xiaogang tried to influence the kids with that sanctimonious nature of his, Zhao Wuji wouldn't let it slide.

Flender stood and patted Zhao Wuji on the shoulder, a smile appearing on his face.

"That's more like it. You're truly a brother I can trust with my back. Yu Xiaogang has helped me a lot, and I owe him for that. My talent is limited, so I can't do much for Erlong, but the knowledge Yu Xiaogang brought back from Spirit Hall has helped her a great deal. Otherwise, I wouldn't have let him go so easily..."

The two talked late into the night in the little house. That night, they finally washed away the discord that had built up between them over the years.

Meanwhile, in a dark room, Ma Hongjun tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep even as dawn approached.

There was only one reason: what Oscar had told him was far too tempting!

It could put an end to his Evil Fire!

Once his Evil Fire was gone, he'd be a proper Fire Phoenix, not some damn Grass Chicken Phoenix.

As soon as it was light, he hurried over to Shao Xin's room, dark circles under his eyes, and knocked on the door.

"Ahem, Teacher Shao, um, is Oscar feeling better?"

Shao Xin could tell at a glance that Ma Hongjun hadn't slept all night. He smiled and invited him in.

"Little Ao's doing better now, but don't get too rowdy. We don't want his injuries getting worse, understood?"

Shao Xin put on a stern face and spoke seriously to Ma Hongjun.

"Master, I'm fine."

Oscar propped himself up. His face was still deathly pale, but a little color had returned to it.

He was looking at Ma Hongjun, a faint smile on his lips.

"Fatty, you came to visit me so early. Did you bring some treasure to help me recover?"

Ma Hongjun scratched his head awkwardly. He was only six—what could he possibly have that was worth bringing?

Seeing his awkward expression, Oscar burst out laughing and stopped teasing the younger boy.

"I told you to come find me in three days. You couldn't even wait one night? I wasn't joking about what I told you before."

Seeing Oscar suddenly turn serious, Shao Xin grew curious too. He pulled over a stool and sat beside them, ready to find out what secret the two boys were keeping.

Ma Hongjun glanced at Shao Xin, then back at Oscar.

"You fool, he's my master. Why would we hide it from him?"

Oscar frowned and scolded Ma Hongjun.

There had always been one rule for passing on a legacy: the Way must not be taught lightly, and if it is taught, it must be taught to the right person.

Ma Hongjun wasn't a bad kid by nature. If Oscar kept a close eye on him after passing on the legacy, he would surely become a fine person in the future. Shao Xin was gentle and kind, and neither of them was wicked. They both met the standard for inheriting it.

Besides, what he was passing down now was the Taiji Mental Method. It was widely circulated in another world, meant to cast a wide net and find talented people with the right character.

The method was also extremely difficult to learn. One had to reach a certain level of Quiet Meditation just to begin. Without a master's guidance, it could take decades to glimpse its true secrets. Anyone who managed to begin Quiet Meditation would surely be a mild-mannered person with a good heart.

Someone like that, after learning the Taiji Mental Method, would be devoted to the Way even if they never joined Wudang. That, too, would be a contribution to Wudang.

That was the greatest difference between orthodox Daoist arts and certain heretical, crooked paths!