Buying Shrek

The people from Judgment Hall stopped what they were doing, and the Soul Sage stepped forward to negotiate.

"Senior, what is this about? I will tell you everything I know."

"It has nothing to do with you. He is the one I'm looking for."

Lin Mian pointed at Flender, then snapped his fingers again. Flender slowly woke up.

He looked utterly bewildered, having no idea what had happened. He only knew that he had heard a snap, and after that, he remembered nothing.

"You're awake? That was a comfortable nap, wasn't it? Now I have something to ask you. I wonder if you'll agree."

"Then again, you'd better agree. Otherwise, you might not know when you'll wake up next."

Flender's face was filled with terror. "Was everything that happened just now your doing? How did you do it?"

He simply could not imagine that someone who looked so young possessed such strength.

"Since Senior captured him for us, naturally, Senior may ask him whatever you wish." The Soul Sage spoke at precisely the right moment, saving Lin Mian the trouble of explaining.

Sure enough, when Flender saw the Judgment Hall Soul Sage treating this person with such respect, he believed in the young man's strength.

"Please enlighten me, Senior. What is it?"

"It's simple. I want to buy this academy."

As soon as he heard that, Flender became agitated. This academy was the work of his entire life. How could he simply sell it?

"Don't rush to refuse. Are you sure you can afford not to sell?"

"You were arrested for fraud. How many people have you swindled over the years? If not five thousand, then at least two thousand, right?"

"With that many people, at ten Gold Soul Coins each, that comes to twenty or thirty thousand Gold Soul Coins. Adding the compensation you owe, it will be close to fifty thousand Gold Soul Coins."

"You probably can't come up with that much money. Once you enter Judgment Hall, I'm sure you know the consequences of being unable to pay."

"Do you really want to keep guarding this academy until you get out of Judgment Hall, rather than paying the money and spending fewer days inside?"

Hearing this, Flender fell silent.

Of course, he did not want to remain in Judgment Hall forever. He had heard that once someone entered Judgment Hall, their Soul Power would be drained dry every day, over and over again.

How could someone who craved freedom endure such a life?

"How much is Senior willing to pay?"

"Five thousand Gold Soul Coins."

"Fifty thousand! That would be just enough to compensate ordinary people for their losses."

"Only five thousand. This rundown place is out in the countryside. Five thousand Gold Soul Coins is already the absolute limit."

Lin Mian was not short on money, but he had no intention of being taken for a fool.

"Can't you add more?"

Flender was dumbfounded. Wasn't bargaining part of doing business?

"No. At worst, I can wait until Judgment Hall liquidates your assets and buy it then. It should be even cheaper that way."

Those words struck Flender's weak spot.

"Five thousand, then."

"Deal. A pleasure doing business with you."

Lin Mian took out five thousand Gold Soul Coins from his storage Soul Tool and handed them to Judgment Hall.

It was merely money being passed from one hand to the other. No matter what, it would not escape.

Seeing the Gold Soul Coins land in Judgment Hall's hands, Flender, who loved money dearly, felt as if his heart were bleeding.

His own money had gone straight into Judgment Hall's hands before he had even touched it himself.

"Flender, is that all you have? This isn't enough to cover the compensation and Judgment Hall's fines."

Judgment Hall's words came at exactly the right time.

Flender felt as though he had suffered another crushing blow.

With his head hanging low, he said, "There are another twenty thousand Gold Soul Coins in my Soul Tool, and fifteen thousand more in my room. I'll take you to get them."

These were the savings he had accumulated over so many years, and now they were being completely emptied out.

As a miser, the pain nearly killed him.

"Go. Take us to get them."

"Wait. I'll put some restraints on him first. Otherwise, he might not behave."

Lin Mian seemed to have noticed Flender's little thoughts. With a point of his finger, he sealed all the Soul Power in Flender's body.

Feeling that he could not mobilize any Soul Power at all, Flender completely abandoned every thought of resistance.

He could not afford to provoke him. He truly could not.

"Master, why did you buy this academy?" Zhu Zhuqing asked as she walked over.

"To live in, of course. Are you stupid? If a house isn't for living in, what else is it for? To burn for fun?"

"Or do you enjoy squeezing into one room with me that much?"

Lin Mian tapped Zhu Zhuqing on the head. He had no idea what his disciple was thinking.

Zhu Zhuqing cried out in pain.

Fine, live there if you want. Why did you have to hit me?

Watching the two of them, Ning Rongrong felt that they had a wonderful relationship.

"Come on, get in the car with your master. I've never driven one of these before, so today is the perfect time to give it a try."

"Rongrong, come along too. Teach your master how to drive this thing."

He had driven ordinary cars before, but he had never driven a Soul Tool Car.

"Okay, Master, I'm coming."

Ning Rongrong jogged over and climbed into the car.

"Teach your master how to drive this car," Lin Mian said humbly.

The moment he got in, he was stunned. The interior of this Soul Tool Car was completely different from the cars he knew.

"Okay." Ning Rongrong sat in the driver's seat.

"This is the Soul Core switch." Ning Rongrong pointed at a button. "As long as you press it, the Soul Power stored inside the Soul Core will be released and pass through the various mechanisms, making the Soul Tool Car move."

"The Soul Power stored in each Soul Core can sustain roughly three hundred li of travel."

"I once went with my father to see the place where Judgment Hall produces Soul Tool Cars. Those mechanisms were amazing. Each one was an independent Soul Tool, but they needed the Soul Core to power them."

"While we were there, I also heard people say that they were researching a type of formation."

"That formation could gather the Soul Power between heaven and earth. If it were inscribed on a Soul Core, then even without a Soul Master charging the Soul Core, the Soul Tool Car could keep running continuously."

"Really? That's incredible." Zhu Zhuqing was the one who spoke.

"Of course it's true. My father also said that if that formation could be developed, it would have an absolutely revolutionary effect on the Soul Master world."

Both young girls wore expressions of admiration for Judgment Hall.

"Alright, Rongrong, demonstrate it for me first."

Lin Mian was pleased that they admired Judgment Hall, but he was more interested in the Soul Tool Car right now.

"Okay, Master."

Ning Rongrong pressed the Soul Core switch, and the Soul Tool Car started as expected.

Ning Rongrong drove quickly. She had owned this Soul Tool Car for two months and was fairly skilled at driving it.

The Soul Tool Car sped down the road, kicking up dust from the ground.

The pedestrians nearby covered their noses and mouths one after another.

Lin Mian gauged their current speed. It should have been around one hundred kilometers per hour. It was nothing remarkable to him, but it was already quite fast for ordinary Soul Masters.

Zhu Zhuqing frowned slightly, feeling that it was not good to disturb other people.

Suddenly, her pupils contracted. A child had appeared ahead of them.

At that child's speed, there was no way to dodge in time.

"Stop! Stop quickly! There's someone ahead!"

"What is there to fear from an ordinary person? If they get hurt, we can just pay more money. They'd be thrilled to receive more compensation, and they wouldn't dare report Judgment Hall."

Ning Rongrong's face was full of excitement, and she had no intention of slowing down.

As danger became imminent.

Zhu Zhuqing closed her eyes, not daring to look.