The Bargain Teacher Was Angry!

Shrek

Second-floor balcony

Qian Renxue, dressed in plain white casual clothes, lounged against a wicker rocking chair. Her phoenix eyes gazed into the distance, and a faint, barely noticeable anticipation flickered in their depths.

Beside her, Qian Linfeng lowered his head and nervously gave an honest report of everything Lin Feng had done during this trip to the Star Dou Forest.

When she heard that Lin Feng had actually absorbed a 4,500-year Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear soul ring across ranks, her beautiful brows immediately drew together.

"Young Master, you didn't see what it was like then. Little Ancestor's condition was terrifying. The soul ring's energy battered his meridians until they were on the verge of collapse. He was covered in blood..."

The moment those words left his mouth, Qian Renxue's heart, usually calm and still, was instantly gripped by panic.

She abruptly rose from the rocking chair, cutting Qian Linfeng off as she urgently demanded,

"Was he hurt? Where is he now?"

Her usually indifferent voice was tinged with panic, and her body trembled slightly.

It was the first time Qian Linfeng had seen the Young Master, who had always been as steady as a mountain, react so strongly over someone. He froze for a moment, then quickly reassured her without dwelling on it.

"Young Master, there's no need to worry. Lin Feng successfully absorbed the soul ring across ranks, and with his own healing ability, he's fine. At the very least, I still saw him smiling."

He paused, and his tone instantly turned solemn.

"Young Master, Lin Feng is far too important to us. We absolutely cannot let Little Ancestor take such risks again."

"I watched him walk through the gates of hell with my own eyes, yet afterward, he didn't feel the slightest fear. Judging by how happy he was, next time he'll probably rely on that Death Escape soul skill of his and try absorbing an even higher-level soul ring across ranks."

"Oh, and Young Master, while absorbing the soul ring this time, Lin Feng also unexpectedly obtained a Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear right-palm External Soul Bone. He had only just absorbed it and had yet to fully fuse with it."

Qian Renxue pressed her crimson lips tightly together as an uncontrollable fury surged up from the depths of her heart.

With a slight squeeze of her hand, the white porcelain teacup she held shattered into fine fragments. Cold tea mixed with porcelain shards and spilled onto the floor.

After a long while, she finally left behind a cool, indifferent sentence laced with obvious displeasure before turning toward the stairs.

"I understand."

As for that External Soul Bone, one that could drive even a Title Douluo mad and stir up bloody turmoil, she paid it no mind and did not harbor the slightest desire for it.

She had never wanted much. All she wanted was for her Xiao Linzi to stay obediently by her side. That was enough.

Flender brought Lin Feng steadily down onto Shrek Academy's training grounds. Before leaving, he raised a hand and patted Lin Feng's shoulder, a meaningful, sly smile appearing on his face.

"Young man, good luck."

Lin Feng watched his departing figure, rolled his eyes, and muttered under his breath.

"What the hell? Saying I'm unlucky? I think you look like an unlucky bear."

He did not take Flender's words to heart at all. His mind was full of the rich rewards from this trip to the Star Dou Forest, and he hummed a little tune as he headed toward his private small building.

"Your young master is no longer the same as before. I've got plenty of money now. When I get back, I'll unlock all the remaining Godly Gear in the shop."

At the thought of unlocking new Godly Gear, Lin Feng unconsciously quickened his pace.

But the moment he pushed open the door, his steps abruptly stopped.

Qian Renxue was sitting there in simple white loungewear, reclining lazily in her chair. All her guard was down, leaving only a relaxed ease, yet she was still breathtakingly beautiful.

His gaze was involuntarily drawn to the alluring curves that even the loose sleepwear could not conceal. Then he met that suffocatingly beautiful face, and he felt a warm rush in his nose.

Whatever else could be said, his bargain teacher really had an incredible figure.

Lin Feng beamed and hurried over.

"Dear Teacher, it's been so long. Your student missed you to death."

Sure enough, that old bastard Flender was just trying to scam a thousand Gold Soul Coins out of me. How was this bad luck? This was clearly incredible luck. With such low-level fraud, he thought he could cheat me out of my money?

Qian Renxue fixed her phoenix eyes on him and spoke lightly.

"Xiao Linzi, after not seeing you for a few months, you've certainly become capable."

"Teacher, what are you talking about? I'm a little confused."

The smile on Lin Feng's face instantly froze. He blinked in bewilderment as his mind raced, frantically reviewing everything he had done recently.

Strange. I don't think I made her angry. What's going on?

Qian Renxue stared straight at him and said coldly,

"You're still playing dumb with me. The soul ring!"

"Teacher, how did you find out?"

Lin Feng jolted. He immediately recalled Flender's punchable grin before leaving and instantly understood. Gritting his teeth, he said,

"I get it, Teacher. Did Flender just tattle on me to you? Damn it, I knew that old thief was full of bad intentions."

So this was where the trap had been waiting for me. This was how he wanted to play it?

Fine, fine, fine! Flender, just you wait.

Lin Feng's eyes shifted, and he immediately put on a flattering smile, laughing awkwardly as he changed the subject.

"Teacher, you probably haven't eaten yet. Wait here. I recently developed a new dish, so I'll make it for you to try."

As he spoke, he greased his heels and hurriedly turned, intending to sneak off toward the kitchen.

"Come here and sit down properly."

Qian Renxue's phoenix eyes coldly watched his back, her cool voice leaving no room for argument.

"Otherwise, you know the consequences."

"Oh!"

Lin Feng stopped in his tracks, his heart sinking as he realized that his bargain teacher was genuinely angry.

He sheepishly shuffled over and sat in the chair beside Qian Renxue, feeling as though the temperature had dropped several degrees.

All he could say was that the bargain-teacher version of an air conditioner was really cold. His body was cold, and so was his heart...

Seeing how obedient he looked, some of the anger in Qian Renxue's heart dissipated.

"Xiao Linzi, didn't I tell you before not to absorb soul rings across ranks again? Do you think you'll have such good luck every single time?"

She had truly been furious this time. Whenever she thought of Qian Linfeng's report, of Lin Feng covered in blood and on the verge of death, an unprecedented panic rose uncontrollably in her heart, as if her whole world were about to collapse.

She hated this feeling of loss, one she had never experienced before.

Sensing the increasingly tense atmosphere, Lin Feng coughed lightly and forced himself to offer a defense.

"Teacher, wasn't I fine?"

"As they say, fortune favors the bold. By absorbing the soul ring across ranks this time, my Soul Power Level rose by four levels in a row—four whole levels! It saved me nearly a year of hard cultivation. Risk and opportunity go hand in hand. Wasn't it worth it?"

"Lin Feng!"

The anger Qian Renxue had just suppressed instantly flared up again. Her chest rose and fell slightly. Before he could finish, she leaned forward and reached out to grab his ear, gritting her teeth as she said,

"So you treated everything I said as wind in your ears? Fortune favors the bold, and it was worth it, was it?"

A mildly painful itch came from his ear. Lin Feng first bared his teeth in pain, then protested indignantly.

"Teacher, I have the Death Escape Godly Gear. Even if the absorption failed, I..."

Before he could finish, he felt the cool, soft little hand gripping his ear tighten slightly.

He instantly realized that his bargain teacher meant business and promptly changed his tune.

"Ow, ow, ow! Teacher, I was wrong! I was really wrong!"

As he spoke, he hurriedly reached out and gently held the hand that was tugging his ear, while inwardly cursing Flender from head to toe.

Damn Flender. Didn't he know that the most important thing when you're out in the world is loyalty? He actually dared to betray me. I'll remember this debt.