After knocking for a long while without getting an answer, Flender feared his disciple would be burned alive by his Evil Fire, so he had no choice but to force the door open.
But what he saw was very different from what he had imagined.
Ma Hongjun sat upright on the bed. Aside from his cheeks being slightly flushed, there was no sign that his Evil Fire had turned on him.
"Hongjun?"
"Hey, teacher, you're worrying over nothing. If I really couldn't hold back, would I make things difficult for myself?"
Hearing this, Flender relaxed a little.
But he still wasn't entirely reassured. He stepped forward, placed a hand on Ma Hongjun's shoulder, and sent his Soul Power coursing through him. Only after confirming that there really was nothing wrong did he finally set his mind at ease.
"What on earth is going on with you, kid?"
"Oh, teacher, don't worry about it. I'll tell you when the time is right."
The affairs of gods were far too ethereal. Ma Hongjun feared that if Flender found out, he might forbid him from continuing the trials.
It wouldn't be too late to tell him about the God of Calmness after he had completed a few more trials, made substantial progress in his cultivation, and gained better control over his Evil Fire.
Flender shook his head, but in the end, he didn't press the matter.
"I'm going away for a while, probably a few dozen days."
"If your Evil Fire needs dealing with while I'm gone, go to Red Light Street yourself."
"Oh? Where are you going, teacher?"
"Nothing much. An old friend I haven't seen in years invited me over. I'm going to Fasinuo Province."
Not long after Flender left, information about the Second Trial appeared in Ma Hongjun's mind, making the chubby boy beam with delight.
The Second Trial Lu Xian had issued the fat boy was still to stay away from Red Light Street.
The only difference was that the time limit had increased from a week to ten days.
After all, increasing the number of days he had to hold out was all it took to raise the difficulty. A more difficult wish meant a more generous reward.
That saved him the trouble of wasting his energy coming up with a different trial.
When the Tenth Trial came around, he could just turn up the pressure on the little fatty.
Thanks to the Luck Domain, Lu Xian had never been short of money again.
He hadn't collected his Spirit Hall stipend in a long time, which also helped ensure that no one outside would notice how quickly his Soul Power was increasing.
Someone who had gone six years without registering for a stipend after awakening their Martial Soul, then returned to a branch hall already at level twenty...
If he went back a few months later to collect his Soul Elder stipend, they'd surely arrest him as an Evil Soul Master.
With Gold Soul Coins to spare, Lu Xian saw no reason to scrimp on himself.
Besides the Broom Shop outside Red Light Street, he had also bought a detached little courtyard not far away.
It was a much better place for practicing his increasingly powerful Soul Skills.
Through his mental connection with the Broom, Lu Xian discovered that Tang San had already raised his cultivation to level twenty.
Tang San's own diligence certainly played a part, but most of his cultivation had come from the trials issued by the Jinx.
There was no denying that Lu Xian's arrival had done much to save Tang San from the years Gangzi had held him back.
A few days later, Flender arrived in Nuoding City, full of anticipation.
He hadn't expected Gangzi, whom he hadn't seen in so long, to be living in a place like this.
He went to the dormitory for faculty at Notting Academy and used his mental power to investigate. Gangzi was giving a lesson to a little boy.
Realizing this must be the genius disciple the other man had mentioned in his letter, he didn't interrupt.
He waited until Gangzi's lesson was over before knocking on the door.
The moment it opened, old passions came flooding back.
Both their eyes were filled with the weight of years and wistful sighs.
"You've gotten old."
"Of course. Who doesn't? You've aged too, haven't you?"
After inviting Flender into the dormitory, Gangzi began introducing his prized pupil.
"This is Tang San, a genius with Innate Full Soul Power. He just turned eight this year, and he's already reached level twenty. He only needs one Soul Ring to become a Soul Grandmaster."
"Oh?"
Sure enough, when Flender heard that this was a true genius, his eyes lit up.
His greedy nature was on full display.
"So you're Tang San?"
"I've known your teacher for decades. You've heard of the Golden Iron Triangle, haven't you?"
"I'm the Horn of Flight."
"Back in the day..."
"Ahem. Just get to the point."
Yu Xiaogang's face turned livid as he coughed twice, cutting Flender off.
He feared the other man might bring up how he'd seduced his cousin, which would do no favors for his already shattered image.
Flender paused. To his credit, he didn't continue. Instead, he changed the subject:
"I was wondering whether Student Tang San might be interested in attending the advanced Soul Master Academy I founded after he graduates."
Tang San, caught off guard by the invitation, froze for a moment, then looked at Gangzi questioningly.
"Mm. Flender is a genuine Soul Sage, and the academy he founded is quite capable."
"Is that so? Then I'll go to your academy after I graduate."
As soon as he heard that Flender was a Soul Sage, Tang San wisely accepted the invitation.
Flender was so delighted to have recruited a super-genius in just a few words that he couldn't stop grinning.
His tone grew a little more cheerful, too.
"Xiao Gang, did you call me here because you needed help with something?"
"Yes. As I just said, Xiao San needs a Second Soul Ring."
"Of course, while we're at it, find me a suitable Third Soul Ring too."
"No problem. Leave it to—"
Flender had thought it was a small matter, but suddenly he froze and stared at Gangzi in disbelief.
"Xiao Gang, have you advanced?"
"That's right. I had a little insight, and I've now broken through to the Soul Elder stage. I need a Soul Ring."
"That's wonderful! When are we leaving?"
Flender might have been stingy, but he still valued old friendships. Hearing that Gangzi had made a breakthrough, he was truly happy for him.
But while Flender's heart was with the other man, Gangzi's mind was busy scheming.
Gangzi planned to use Tang San, his disciple, to prove himself and establish his own path.
The Soul Master Tournament was the perfect stage. As long as Tang San made a spectacular debut, Gangzi could prove his own wisdom and teaching ability.
He had his own reasons for sending Tang San to Shrek Academy.
After all, only at Shrek Academy would he have control over the students' training.
At some other advanced Soul Master Academy, who would pay any attention to a Soul Elder whose only talent was farting?
If they assigned Tang San a different instructor, and Tang San performed well, wouldn't all the credit go to someone else?
That was a raw deal he wasn't about to accept.
"Better sooner than later. Let's set off tomorrow!"
"Good. Let's go to the Star Dou Great Forest. There'll be more suitable Soul Beasts there."
If they were only finding a Soul Ring for Tang San, a Soul Grandmaster, the Soul Hunting Forest would be enough.
But they also had Gangzi, who was on the verge of becoming a Soul Elder.
It had taken twenty years for him to get this Soul Ring, so Flender intended to put real effort into finding one that suited him.
Hearing this, Yu Xiaogang didn't refuse. In fact, he'd been thinking the same thing.
With a master like Flender there to protect them, the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest wouldn't be dangerous.
Besides, the trials for him and his disciple hadn't been triggered in a long time. Yu Xiaogang wanted to see whether going to the Star Dou Great Forest would set one off.
The moment Tang San heard he could soon obtain his Second Soul Ring, he grew extremely excited.
Neither master nor disciple had received a trial in two whole months, and they couldn't help feeling a little bereft. Hunting Soul Beasts would be a good way to distract themselves from that anxious, unsettled feeling.
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