The teacher hurried forward, his tone growing more and more excited as he introduced the four of them to Liu Erlong.
Especially when he mentioned Xiao Yexuan, he reported the facts without exaggerating in the slightest:
"Dean, this is Xiao Yexuan. He's only a One-Ring Soul Master, yet he managed to defeat a peak Two-Ring Soul Grandmaster!"
"Oh? Is that so?" A flicker of surprise crossed Liu Erlong's eyes, and her interest in Xiao Yexuan grew. She beckoned him over. "You're Xiao Yexuan, right? Come here and let me see your Martial Soul."
Xiao Yexuan respectfully did as she asked, stepping forward at an unhurried pace. He gracefully swept his hand through the air.
A folding fan painted in ink wash opened slowly. A lifelike blue bird adorned its surface, and a pale yellow Soul Ring encircled him, clear for all to see.
Liu Erlong narrowed her eyes and studied him for a moment before speaking. "You really are a One-Ring Soul Master, and your Soul Power seems a little unsettled. I take it you only absorbed this Soul Ring recently?"
"Dean, I only obtained this Soul Ring a couple of days ago." Xiao Yexuan nodded slightly, his tone modest.
"You obtained your Soul Ring just two days ago, and already you've defeated a Two-Ring Soul Grandmaster?" The admiration in Liu Erlong's eyes grew even stronger, and her voice filled with amazement. "I heard that Grandmaster had already reached the peak of level twenty-nine years ago. Though he hasn't fought in ages, decades of battle experience are no easy thing for a Soul Master of the same rank to overcome."
"To defeat him with only One-Ring Soul Power—you truly are a prodigy blessed with extraordinary talent!"
Ning Rongrong couldn't help interjecting. "Dean, there's more you don't know. That Two-Ring Soul Grandmaster has been stuck at level twenty-nine for decades, and he's a researcher who studies Martial Souls, too."
Hearing that, Liu Erlong curled her lip disdainfully. "A researcher who studies Martial Souls, and he still lost to a One-Ring Soul Master who'd only just obtained a Soul Ring? What a useless piece of trash!"
As she spoke, she looked at Xiao Yexuan with even greater warmth and expectation. "Xiao Yexuan, I've heard what this teacher said. You've made quite a few enemies out there, including three Soul Saints!"
"Heh, they've got some nerve, throwing their weight around and bullying people like that. Do they really think no one at Blue Tyrant Academy will stand up for you?"
"Don't worry, kid. Even if you haven't officially become my disciple, now that you're a student of Blue Tyrant Academy, I won't stand by and watch anyone bully you!"
Xiao Yexuan felt a warm glow in his heart. He hurriedly bowed again and thanked her sincerely. "Thank you for protecting me, Dean."
Liu Erlong gazed at Xiao Yexuan, making no effort to hide her eagerness. "Then, Xiao Yexuan, would you be willing to take me as your master?"
"Become your disciple..." Xiao Yexuan understood. His special charisma was at work again.
He could tell that Liu Erlong was so eager to take him as her disciple for reasons that went beyond his talent.
A playful, expectant smile tugged at Xiao Yexuan's lips.
If becoming Liu Erlong's disciple could unlock more interesting plotlines, then he naturally had to hold on to this connection.
At once, Xiao Yexuan put on an expression of delighted solemnity, bowed again, and said respectfully:
"Your disciple, Xiao Yexuan, pays his respects to Master!"
But in his heart, he was already scheming: Liu Erlong, by day, you'll call me Master; by night, I'll make you call me Master.
"Hahaha! Good! Good! Good!" Liu Erlong was a forthright woman. Seeing how readily Xiao Yexuan agreed, she burst into hearty laughter.
Once she had finished laughing, worry crept into her expression, and she hurriedly asked Xiao Yexuan, "My dear disciple, tell me, how exactly did you provoke those Soul Saints?"
"They're probably still on their way. When they get here, I'll make sure to teach them a proper lesson!"
"Those blind fools don't know who they're messing with! They dare bully my precious disciple!"
"I'm not afraid of Soul Saints, Soul Douluo, or even Titled Douluo!"
Liu Erlong's words rang out with force. Her fierce protectiveness made Xiao Yexuan feel immensely reassured, as if he were wrapped in a sense of security.
Xiao Yexuan thanked her profusely, but when he thought back to everything that had happened outside, he felt a little awkward and couldn't bring himself to explain.
Fortunately, the teacher beside him was sharp-eyed and quick to read the room. He stepped forward and gave Liu Erlong a full, unvarnished account of what had happened at the academy.
It wasn't complicated. Xiao Yexuan had merely been standing quietly to one side when Shrek's people started provoking and bullying him for no reason. Deep down, they looked down on him for being a mere One-Ring Soul Master.
The teachers from Shrek, in particular, were a bunch of spineless, useless people with utterly contemptible character.
Even when the report reached the part about Tang San giving his teacher artificial respiration—a scene that made her sick—Liu Erlong forced herself to endure the discomfort and listened to every word.
When she was done listening, all that remained in her heart was boundless outrage.
Shrek's teachers were so cold even toward their own people. They had plenty of time to urge a student to give Yu Xiaogang artificial respiration, but they themselves cowered and wouldn't step forward.
How could such despicable people presume to teach others? They didn't deserve to set foot in Blue Tyrant Academy!
"People of such wretched character actually think they can join Blue Tyrant Academy?" Liu Erlong planted her hands on her hips, an explosive aura flaring around her. Contempt and fury filled her voice. "Do they think Blue Tyrant Academy is some place any stray cat or dog can wander into? What a joke!"
She had always been hot-tempered and hated evil with a passion. By now, she was seething with rage. From the look of it, she wouldn't just flatly turn away the Shrek delegation when they arrived—she might even lose her temper and beat them black and blue to vent Xiao Yexuan's anger.
Standing nearby, Xiao Yexuan secretly rejoiced, eagerly awaiting the show to come.
If Liu Erlong knew that the "useless piece of trash" she'd been cursing was Yu Xiaogang, and that the man who'd urged a student on while doing nothing to save anyone was none other than Flender, how would she react?
He didn't have to wait long. Soon, two teachers led the Shrek delegation over in a great procession.
The moment Liu Erlong and Yu Xiaogang's eyes met, they both froze, their expressions turning complicated.
Flender seemed to have known Liu Erlong was there. He merely smiled, a long-lost warmth showing on his face.
But when Yu Xiaogang saw Liu Erlong, his eyes darted away at once. His expression turned flustered, and he instinctively tried to avoid her gaze. Clearly, he had no intention of acknowledging her.
Just then, Xiao Yexuan deliberately moved to Liu Erlong's side, pointed at Yu Xiaogang in the distance, and raised his voice so everyone could hear. "Master, that's him! That peak Two-Ring Soul Grandmaster, level twenty-nine. He dueled me earlier, and I beat him!"
Yu Xiaogang had intended to slip away quietly before Liu Erlong could react.
But Xiao Yexuan called him out in front of everyone, laying their grudge bare. Yu Xiaogang was so humiliated that he could no longer bring himself to flee.
What was more, hearing Xiao Yexuan call Liu Erlong "Master" sent shock waves through him.
This was the last thing he wanted to see!
Anyone could become Liu Erlong's disciple. Anyone but Xiao Yexuan!
That despicable fellow had already left him in a wretched state once. If he became Liu Erlong's disciple now, he'd surely make things even harder for him in the future.
But then Yu Xiaogang thought it over and found his confidence returning.
He knew how madly Liu Erlong had loved him back then. Even after all this time, surely her feelings hadn't completely faded.
If he used this chance to reconcile with Liu Erlong, her affection for him would surely give him tremendous influence at Blue Tyrant Academy.
Then he would not only make Liu Erlong strip Xiao Yexuan of his place as her disciple, but also make Xiao Yexuan suffer every humiliation imaginable and finally avenge himself!
At that thought, Yu Xiaogang quickly schooled his face, banishing its panic and gloom. His whole bearing changed in an instant.
He puffed out his chest, clasped his hands behind his back, and struck a pose of lofty self-importance, as if he were the most powerful Soul Master beneath the heavens.
Yu Xiaogang opened his mouth, about to reminisce with Liu Erlong.
But Liu Erlong suddenly arched her brows, fury blazing in her eyes as she pointed at him and swore without holding back:
"Yu Xiaogang! So it was you, you useless piece of trash who bullies those weaker than you! You dared bully my precious disciple!"
"The shit you ate after fighting my disciple earlier wasn't nearly enough to make up for the grievances and injuries he suffered!"
Before you continue