However, these questions could all be set aside for the moment in the face of the overwhelming temptation of "recruiting an unparalleled genius."
Flender barely hesitated before nodding. "That's fine."
"The academy already has regular practical training courses for its students, and acquiring Soul Rings also requires entering Soul Beast forests. I can agree to this request."
"I'll make the arrangements personally and ensure you get enough quality opportunities to fight, on the condition that you follow orders and don't act on your own."
"Then I agree."
Xiao Qing nodded too. All he wanted was an environment where A'Man, Xiao Feng, and the others could keep growing through battle, along with a temporary, relatively safe shelter.
In the original story, Shrek Academy was poor, but it did protect its own and had its principles.
What's more, Flender, standing before him, might have been greedy for money, but he had a clear line he wouldn't cross.
"Then it's settled." A trace of a smile appeared on Flender's face, more genuine this time. "From now on, you're a student of Shrek Academy. I'm the dean, Flender, a seventy-eighth-level Soul Saint."
As he spoke, Flender stepped aside to reveal Oscar and introduced him to Xiao Qing.
"This is Oscar, a student at the academy and your future senior. Let's get out of here first. This place isn't safe anymore. One-Eye and his people—or others who've caught wind of things—could be sneaking this way right now."
Xiao Qing didn't hesitate any longer. With a thought, he recalled Xiao Feng and A'Man beside him into the Prism Ball.
Seeing Xiao Qing put away his Soul Beasts, Flender didn't ask any questions. Everyone had their secrets; prying into them would only make people resentful.
"Come with me. I know a relatively secluded way out."
Flender turned and motioned for Xiao Qing to follow.
Oscar stood beside Flender, waved at Xiao Qing with a friendly smile, then hurried to catch up with the dean.
For the final stretch out of the outskirts of Star Dou Forest, Flender chose a quieter but more rugged route.
But just as Flender had said, the "bounty" on Xiao Qing had already begun to stir things up.
During three brief rest stops, they avoided at least five groups of Soul Masters looking for Xiao Qing.
After leaving the forest and reaching the edge of the nearest town, Flender didn't choose to enter the town for supplies or hire a ride.
He stopped and, with a serious look, said to Xiao Qing and Oscar, "To build up your stamina, we're walking back to school. The whole way."
Oscar was clearly used to this. He merely nodded with a pained expression.
Xiao Qing raised no objection either. With a Soul Saint like Flender leading them, taking a route through the wilderness was time-consuming and tiring, but it offered the best concealment.
The nearly thirty hours of nonstop travel were a huge burden for Oscar. By the latter half of the journey, Flender was practically hauling him along for part of the way.
Xiao Qing felt tired too, but the stamina and willpower he'd honed in the forest carried him through the entire journey.
When a seemingly long-abandoned field and a few shabby buildings came into view up ahead, Flender stopped.
"We're here."
Xiao Qing's gaze swept over the "Shrek Academy" sign, crudely nailed together from wooden boards, the field overgrown with weeds, and the roofs that looked ready to collapse.
The place was even more run-down than he'd expected, but strangely, he wasn't disappointed. Maybe it was because he'd lived in Star Dou Forest for so long.
As they approached, a few people were carrying some old wooden tables, chairs, and equipment across the field.
One of them was exceptionally burly. He noticed Flender and the other two approaching at once, raised his head, and boomed, "Flender, you're back! Is this the 'special situation' you mentioned in your letter?"
Flender first introduced him to Xiao Qing. "This is Vice Dean Zhao Wuji, a seventy-sixth-level Power Attack System Battle Soul Saint. But I'm sure that before long, Vice Dean Zhao will become a Soul Douluo!"
Then he turned to Zhao Wuji and introduced Xiao Qing. "This is Xiao Qing, our new student."
Zhao Wuji's gaze fell on Xiao Qing like a physical weight, scrutiny mixed with a trace of curiosity.
"Kid, how old are you? What's your Soul Power level?"
"Over eight years old. I'm a twenty-second-level Battle Soul Master."
Xiao Qing answered Zhao Wuji in an even tone.
Zhao Wuji's eyes widened instantly, disbelief flashing across his face.
He looked sharply at Flender, then back at Xiao Qing, his voice rising without meaning to. "Eight years old? Level twenty-two? Flender, are you sure?"
Flender could no longer keep the corners of his mouth from lifting. His smug delight was practically spilling out, but he still tried to maintain the dean's "composure" as he pushed up his glasses.
"You think my perception was wrong? Xiao Qing's Martial Soul is a mutated summoning type. He'll demonstrate exactly what it can do himself, when the time comes."
"Also, he made a request: he needs regular practical training against Soul Beasts. I agreed."
Zhao Wuji's shock quickly turned into an almost ecstatic excitement. He slapped a battered table beside him, and it groaned under the strain.
"Good! Good! Now that's a real monster! I like him!"
The look he gave Xiao Qing instantly turned fervent, like he was gazing at an unparalleled treasure.
But Flender's next words cooled him down a little. "There were some complications on the way back with them, so I didn't get to find Oscar a Soul Ring. And the enrollment day is only a few days away. There's plenty to do."
Zhao Wuji immediately understood what Flender meant.
During enrollment, Flender had to be present as dean. Finding a suitable Soul Beast for a food-type Soul Master like Oscar took time and patience, and could also involve a fight.
Without a moment's hesitation, he waved his hand and took on the task. "You handle the enrollment chores. I'll take the two of them to Sunset Forest. The sooner Oscar gets a Soul Ring, the more he can protect himself."
Zhao Wuji pointed at Oscar, then looked at Xiao Qing and grinned. "While we're at it, we'll see what our new Little Monster is made of. Kid, are you afraid of fighting Soul Beasts?"
"No."
Xiao Qing's answer was brief and firm. It was exactly what Zhao Wuji wanted.
Quick and decisive!
"Then it's settled. We leave first thing tomorrow morning."
Zhao Wuji made the decision, then called out to the other two men on the field who looked like teachers. "Lu Qibin, Li Yusong, put those things aside for now. Come meet the new student!"
After briefly meeting the two teachers, both Soul Emperors, Flender had Oscar take Xiao Qing to settle into the dormitory.
The dormitory was a simple one-story building with basic furnishings, but it was reasonably clean.
Oscar pushed open a door and said a little sheepishly, "The conditions are pretty rough. We'll share this room for now. I sleep in that bed over there."
Xiao Qing nodded and looked around the room. There were three hard beds and a simple table and chairs; there was almost nothing else.
For Xiao Qing, who'd lived in Star Dou Forest for so long, it was more than enough.
Just then, the blankets on the bed at the far side of the room shifted a few times, and a tousled red head poked out. The commotion seemed to have woken him.
He was a chubby boy, sleep still on his face, though his eyes darted about quite sharply.
He looked first at Oscar, then at the unfamiliar Xiao Qing, his gaze plainly curious and appraising.
"Oscar, you're back with your Second Soul Ring already? Who's the guy beside you?"
The red-haired boy rubbed his eyes and sat up. He was plump all over, but his movements weren't clumsy.
"Fatty, you just woke up? This is Xiao Qing, the new student the dean recruited. He'll be with us from now on. Xiao Qing, this is Ma Hongjun, one of our classmates."
Oscar calmly introduced Xiao Qing and Ma Hongjun to each other.
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