Once the penny dropped, there was no stopping him.
A new hat really was useful. Ma Hongjun usually never schemed, but once he started, the more he thought about it, the more ideas he came up with.
In a flash of inspiration, he even figured out how to get his hands on a second opportunity.
He and the dean really were broke, but that didn't mean everyone else was!
Ning Rongrong and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect?
It was true that, aside from Spirit Hall, they were the wealthiest sect on the continent.
But with their own strength lacking, rashly partnering with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect would be a terrible idea. Given Ning Fengzhi's temperament, it would be a miracle if he didn't devour them, feathers and bones alike. How could they possibly use him so easily?
Other people might not know the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, but Ma Hongjun had seen what Gu Rong and Chen Xin could do.
Those two were nothing but gangsters!
Luckily, even if they couldn't work with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, there was still someone else!
"Blue Tyrant Academy!"
Thinking of Liu Erlong, Ma Hongjun—who had been in a state of post-release calm—couldn't help feeling restless at the thought of such a mature older sister.
Too bad she was a little too violent. She wasn't his type.
The dean liked her, but Liu Erlong didn't like him.
"Dean, it's not that I don't want to help you. It's just that those two are after a level of pleasure you can't handle!"
No matter what Yu Xiaogang and Liu Erlong got up to in private, all that mattered to Ma Hongjun was that she had money.
After all, Liu Erlong owned a high-level Soul Master Academy.
In this day and age, nobody who could afford to run an academy was short on cash.
First, he'd use a letter to lure Yu Xiaogang over. Once Grandmaster arrived, wouldn't Liu Erlong then be right in the palm of his hand?
"Now that's what you call borrowing a hen to lay an egg!"
His plan settled, Ma Hongjun had just pulled up his pants and was about to find Flender to discuss it when the older woman stopped him by grabbing his arm.
"Twice, and you're a regular. I'll let you have it for two Silver Soul Coins."
"Holy crap, do you have diamonds down there?
You're pulling this on a regular? You think I don't know what people around here charge?
Sixty Copper Soul Coins. Not a penny more.
Your Grandpa Ma can make hundreds of Gold Soul Coins in a minute. You think you can cheat me?"
"..."
People really could brag about anything these days.
He couldn't even afford two Silver Soul Coins, yet he claimed he could make hundreds of Gold Soul Coins in a minute?
"Just my luck. Fine, sixty it is... Why are there only fifty?"
"Oh, come on. We're regulars. Ever heard of rounding? Keep arguing and I'll round this fifty down to nothing!"
Meanwhile, in the kitchen at Shrek Academy.
Unlike Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun, who were consumed by resentment and schemes, Oscar had no such bitterness after recovering his memories as a god. His heart was instead overflowing with longing and tenderness.
After all, among the original Shrek Seven Devils, Oscar had truly been the winner in life!
Born into humble circumstances, he had worked hard to win the heart of Ning Rongrong, the darling of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. He had gone on to become the God of Food, spending eternity with the Nine-Colored Goddess. His life had been perfect, with no regrets.
To put it bluntly, as the only food-type Soul Master in a thousand years to possess Innate Full Soul Power, Oscar would have achieved plenty even without anyone else's help.
The title of Titled Douluo was practically guaranteed. With a little luck, the moment he became one, he could trigger the God of Food's divine test!
And with even more luck—and a richer life—he might even trigger the test of the God of Emotions, Rong Nianbing.
After all, that man was a chef too—a chef from another world!
So unlike Ma Hongjun, who was full of schemes, Oscar had no interest in opportunities, power, or divine positions.
There was only one person in his heart—Ning Rongrong!
"Going by my memories, I don't even need to do anything. I can just wait at Shrek Academy for six years, and Rongrong will come to me. But..."
Rather than sit around at Shrek Academy, he could make the first move!
His longing to see his wife had become impossible to suppress.
Oscar didn't hesitate for long. He packed up his few belongings and went straight to Flender to ask for leave, claiming he planned to go out in search of a Soul Ring and do a bit of traveling.
Flender was a little puzzled, but Oscar's gaze was so firm, so unyielding, that he could only nod helplessly and remind him to stay safe.
But after leaving Shrek Academy, Oscar didn't head for the Soul Hunting Forest. Instead, he turned toward Heaven Dou City.
His destination was clear—the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect!
It wasn't that he was betraying Shrek Academy.
According to the continent's customs, academy students could join other sects after graduating.
In his previous life, Oscar had in fact joined the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect for a brief time after the Soul Fighting Tournament.
But in this life, he would find Ning Rongrong sooner and protect her sooner.
He would win her heart early and settle down with her, without having to endure the long wait and countless twists and turns of his previous life.
As for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's rules...
They were indeed a difficult hurdle for an auxiliary Soul Master to overcome. But for a former god like him, finding a way around them wouldn't be hard!
Dusty from the road but full of joy, Oscar hurried toward the one he loved.
But he overlooked one thing: without Tang San's support, a Soul Master like him might not catch Ning Fengzhi's eye at all!
Meanwhile, at Nuoding Academy.
Qin Yun had quietly made his way from Holy Soul Village. After learning that Tang San and the others were in class, he had planned to sneak in for a quick visit.
Unexpectedly, as soon as he returned to the academy, he ran straight into Yu Xiaogang, who was waiting at the entrance with a worried look on his face.
Yu Xiaogang looked up at Qin Yun, froze for a moment, then blurted out:
"Qin Yun? You're not dead?"
After the previous commotion, Gangzi had been certain that Qin Yun, having offended Tang Hao, would meet a gruesome end.
That was why Gangzi had spent the past few days waiting at the academy entrance.
He was waiting for Tang Hao!
Once news of Qin Yun's death arrived, he could take control of Tang San and then use his talent to prove himself.
But what Gangzi had never expected was that Qin Yun would come back unharmed!
What was going on? Had the Clear Sky Douluo failed? That couldn't be right.
As for Qin Yun killing Tang Hao...
That was the one possibility Gangzi had never even considered.
As the continent's universally recognized theoretical master, no one knew better than Gangzi how powerful a Titled Douluo was. Or so he believed.
One of the Clear Sky Twin Stars, Tang Hao had never been weak, even among the ranks of the powerful Titled Douluo.
He was only a six-year-old child. Even if Qin Yun had some talent, how could he possibly be a match for Tang Hao?
"Maybe something came up. The Clear Sky Douluo probably went somewhere else."
After staring at the system for a long time and seeing no quest triggered by this "Dragon God Douluo," Qin Yun couldn't be bothered to pay him any mind.
To Qin Yun now, Yu Xiaogang was just an irrelevant clown, not worth mentioning.
He entered the academy, found Tang San, and led him to the back garden.
As a pleasant surprise, after all the time they'd spent getting used to each other, God King Tang's favorability had quietly climbed to 76 points.
It seemed God King Tang had been an honest fellow back in Douluo I. Maybe Qin Yun had been a little too hard on him.
Before you continue