"..."
Hearing this, Tang San, who had just struggled to his feet, couldn't help spitting out another mouthful of blood. His vision went black, and he passed out.
Ever since transmigrating, Tang San had enjoyed smooth sailing. When had he ever been beaten this badly?
Dai Mubai's expression was icy, but he said nothing more.
Seeing this, Lin Fan shook his head and turned to leave. "Dad, let's go. There's no need to waste our breath on these people."
"As for joining an academy?"
"Even if I were to attend one, I'd find something better than Shrek Academy. What kind of backwater academy is that? I've never even heard of it!"
Hearing this, Zhao Wuji clenched both fists, his face full of fury.
But when he saw Lin Qingfeng holding the Frost Sword, Zhao Wuji didn't dare make a move.
All he could do was rage impotently, watching and listening...
Actually, Lin Fan wasn't wrong.
If Tang San, the destined protagonist of the original world, hadn't entered Shrek Academy, it would have been nothing but a backwater school, barely able to keep its doors open.
Now that Lin Fan had transmigrated here, Tang San was no longer the one and only destined protagonist. Could Shrek Academy still rise to prominence? The answer was obvious—it couldn't!
"Starry Sky City, the Lin Clan... Lin Fan?!"
A gleam flashed in the eyes of Meng Yiran, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing. They had already committed everything about Lin Fan to memory.
"Hahaha, I finally absorbed a Soul Ring!"
"I'm a Soul Elder!"
Just then, a burst of laughter rang out. Oscar opened his eyes and leaped to his feet.
But Oscar soon realized something was wrong.
He'd successfully absorbed a Soul Ring and become a Soul Elder. Wasn't that something worth celebrating?
Why wasn't anyone congratulating him?
Why were they looking at him like that?
Looking around, Oscar finally spotted Tang San and the others still sprawled on the ground. He couldn't help but turn pale with shock.
Seeing this, Ning Rongrong shook her head slightly, her contempt for Oscar, Tang San, and the others growing. Earlier, every one of them acted like they were so impressive, even trying to push me out. Turns out they're no better than trash in front of a true genius. Starry Sky City, Lin Fan... Should I go find him?
"..."
Meanwhile, Lin Fan was silently feeling the changes in his body.
After this battle, his Soul Power had actually increased again!
On his status panel, his Soul Power had leaped from level 14 to level 18!
Lin Fan was rather surprised. As far as he knew, Soul Power could generally be raised in only two ways: cultivation and absorbing heavenly treasures.
A battle could at most deepen one's understanding of Soul Power, or help a Soul Master break through a bottleneck, such as going from level 29 to 30 or 39 to 40. It couldn't possibly make someone leap several levels at once.
[Wait!]
Lin Fan's eyes lit up as it suddenly occurred to him: he'd inherited the Poké Ball's mechanics. Could he have inherited the battle experience mechanic, too?
Dai Mubai, Tang San, and Hongjun were all higher level than him, so defeating them had earned him more experience—and that was why he'd jumped so many levels at once!
His eyes darted about as Lin Fan immediately confirmed his theory, unable to hide his delight.
He'd thought he would have to cultivate like a miserable shut-in to become strong.
But now it seemed he only needed to keep fighting. He didn't have to worry about bottlenecks or talent; he could level up all the way to the strongest!
Even to the level of a God King!
"Fan'er."
Just as Lin Fan was imagining himself becoming a God King and laying waste to all before him, Lin Qingfeng suddenly spoke. "I've been thinking. With the talent you've shown, it seems there's no academy worthy of you aside from the Royal Academy."
"You've only just awakened your Martial Soul, yet you can defeat a Soul Elder and two Soul Grandmasters at the same time. That talent is truly formidable."
"How about I take you to the Heaven Dou Royal Academy once we're back in the city?"
"..."
Lin Fan shook his head and said softly, "Dad, let's put the academy question aside for now. I just want to travel and train on my own."
What a joke. School had been hard enough in his previous life. Now that he'd finally transmigrated to Douluo Continent, where strength ruled, why would he go back to school?
Besides, he had a cheat. He could become even stronger without going to school!
"All right."
Lin Qingfeng didn't want to force Lin Fan, so he nodded in agreement.
After leaving the Star Dou Forest, Lin Fan and Lin Qingfeng made their way to the inn and met up with the servants waiting for them. Then they headed for Starry Sky City.
They hurried along, but just as they were about to reach Starry Sky City, they collided head-on with a lavish carriage and its entourage.
The group's carriages were luxurious, and even their guards were quite strong—certainly stronger than the guards of Starry Sky City.
"Who's there?"
"How dare you block this prince's carriage? Are you tired of living?"
A loud, blustering voice came from inside the carriage. Soon, the curtain was pulled aside, and a young man in fine clothes leaned out, glaring at Lin Fan and Lin Qingfeng's carriage.
[A prince, and so domineering... Could this be Prince Xue Beng, pretending to be an idiot so he can cling to someone powerful in the end?]
Lin Fan's eyes shifted as he immediately guessed who the newcomer was.
In the original story, Qian Renxue had disguised herself as Xue Qinghe, the crown prince of the Heaven Dou Empire, and slaughtered her way through the imperial palace.
Following Prince Xue Xing's instructions, Xue Beng had pretended to be an idiot, acting like a wastrel so he could escape the purge.
Since Tang San hadn't risen to prominence yet, Xue Beng should still be in the middle of pretending to be an idiot.
"This is troublesome."
Lin Qingfeng furrowed his brows slightly. He didn't know the full story, but when it came to a prince, he was a subject of the Heaven Dou Empire and could never match the other man in status.
Even though his Soul Power was comparatively high, there were Soul Masters in the Heaven Dou Empire stronger than him.
"There's nothing troublesome about it."
Lin Fan wasn't worried. He knew Xue Beng was only pretending to be an idiot; he wasn't actually stupid.
The Lin Clan held considerable status in Starry Sky City. Xue Beng couldn't afford to make an enemy of them. After all, he had no way of standing against Qian Renxue right now, so he had to win over every faction he could.
Most likely, Xue Beng had come to Starry Sky City to win over officials from the surrounding cities and various influential clans.
Even so, Lin Qingfeng hesitated before lifting the curtain and dismounting. "Lin Qingfeng of Starry Sky City greets the Fourth Prince."
"Oh? You're Lin Qingfeng?"
Xue Beng looked pleased and was about to speak, but his expression suddenly changed.
He didn't know whether there were any of Xue Qinghe's spies in the entourage, so he immediately shouted angrily, "I don't care who you are! How dare you block this prince's way? Are you looking for death?"
At this, Lin Qingfeng's brows drew together, and anger stirred in his heart.
"Cough, cough!"
A cough suddenly rang out. "Your Highness, the Fourth Prince, it looks like Clan Head Lin has been traveling a long way. This was an unintentional offense. Please be magnanimous."
"Clan Head Lin, I'm Dugu Bo. I hope you'll do me this favor."
"..."
The appearance of a Titled Douluo immediately took the wind out of Lin Qingfeng's sails. Besides, the man's attitude was quite decent—he was simply even more contemptuous of Xue Beng.
Inside the carriage, Lin Fan's eyes lit up.
Dugu Bo?
Didn't that mean... another chance to make money?!
Before you continue