Snatching the Hug So Quickly, So Cunning

Tang San was instantly engulfed in raging flames; his eyebrows, hair, and clothes all hissed and crackled as they rapidly caught fire.

Immediately following, Liu Erlong delivered a heavy, powerful punch that slammed into Tang San, sending his entire body flying.

Flender's pupils constricted. Not daring to hesitate for a second, he soared into the sky and used his own body to catch the hurtling Tang San, absorbing the majority of the impact force.

Afterward, he rushed without a moment's delay to the riverbank, dousing the flames on Tang San's body completely.

At this moment, Tang San was charred black all over, his hair and eyebrows burned to cinders, and he lay limp on the ground, gasping for his final breaths.

That was not even the worst of it; Liu Erlong's punch had shattered several of his bones.

Looking at his condition, there was no way he would be able to crawl out of bed for at least a year or two!

Had Flender not intervened in time to cushion the blow with his own body, Tang San would likely have died on the spot from the residual force of Liu Erlong's strike, dead as dead could be!

"Flender! How dare you stand against me!!"

Liu Erlong's eyes widened in fury as she roared sharply at Flender.

"Where were you hiding just now?"

"If my precious disciple hadn't used his soul skill in time to disrupt that despicable villain's movements, causing his crossbow bolt to fly into the sky, the one lying on the ground right now would be me!!"

"And you still dare to protect this insidious guy who only knows how to shoot cold arrows from the shadows!"

"Is Shrek Academy so devoid of talent that you have to keep such a ruthless beast around!!"

"This... how should I put this? Sister Erlong, please calm your anger first."

Flender was drenched in cold sweat, speaking with extreme caution as he hurriedly tried to explain to Liu Erlong.

"His background is not something you or I can afford to provoke, so it's better to..."

"Background? How big can his background be?"

Liu Erlong looked at him with utter disdain, sneering with extreme arrogance.

"In this world, there truly aren't many people I fear!"

Flender wore a bitter smile but did not offer Liu Erlong another word of explanation.

He did not want to burden Liu Erlong with worry over Tang San's background, so he could only let out a helpless, long sigh.

"Erlong, stop making a scene. Let's go, isn't it enough that we're leaving?!"

Flender knew clearly in his heart that if they stayed any longer, heaven only knew what kind of unmanageable disaster Liu Erlong would stir up next.

He turned to look at the teachers and students of Shrek Academy behind him, sighed heavily once more, and shouted in a deep voice:

"Let's go!"

"Flender! Do you... still consider me a brother?"

Yu Xiaogang was filled with unwillingness, struggling and howling as he lay on the ground.

"It's him! It's this despicable Xiao Yexuan! He used some kind of soul-bewitching trick to take Liu Erlong, to take Liu Erlong away from my side... ugh!!"

Before he could finish his sentence, the latter half was swallowed by a groan of pain.

Flender's figure flickered, appearing instantly behind Yu Xiaogang.

He raised his hand and chopped at the back of Yu Xiaogang's neck, causing the latter's eyes to roll back as he passed out cold.

Flender dared not delay for a moment, grabbing the dying Tang San with one hand and hoisting the unconscious Yu Xiaogang with the other.

His wings flapped behind him, and within a few breaths, he vanished from the sight of Blue Tyrant Academy.

The other teachers and students of Shrek Academy, seeing the raging flames rising from Liu Erlong's body, were so terrified they didn't dare to make a sound, let alone stay any longer.

They shoved and pushed one another, scurrying away in a pathetic, panicked retreat, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

Liu Erlong watched their wretched, fleeing backs with a sneer of contempt curling her lips.

"A bunch of cowards who value their lives and lack any backbone!"

As her voice faded, she turned sharply to look at Xiao Yexuan.

The flames on her body receded like a receding tide, and the rage and hostility on her face vanished without a trace, replaced by an unbreakable tenderness.

She dashed to Xiao Yexuan's side, opened her arms, and pulled him tightly into her embrace.

Her curvaceous body trembled slightly from lingering fear, and even her voice carried an irrepressible sob and tremor.

"Xiao Xiaoxuan, thank you... If it weren't for you, I would have been harmed by that despicable villain just now, and I would never... never be able to see you again..."

"Ah!!"

Not far away, Zhu Zhuqing, Xiao Wu, and Ning Rongrong, who had been circling Xiao Yexuan, were struck as if by a freezing spell, petrified on the spot at this sight.

They were all wailing in their hearts—they wanted to hug Xiao Yexuan too!

This Liu Erlong was simply too cunning!

Xiao Yexuan felt the soft, fragrant warmth of her figure in his arms and felt wonderful inside, nearly laughing out loud.

However, he kept his expression calm, instead revealing a gentle smile as he reached out to hold Liu Erlong back.

Like a person comforting a child who had been wronged, he patted her back gently, stroke by stroke.

"Old Master, you came into conflict with them because of me. If anyone should be thanking anyone, it is I who should be thanking you."

"Xiao Yexuan, it is only natural for a teacher to stand up for their student."

Liu Erlong choked out these words, her voice thick with the lingering fear of having narrowly escaped death.

"You saved me—you truly saved my life!"

Xiao Yexuan offered a faint smile, his tone sincere and earnest as he replied:

"Master, protecting you is just as natural for me. There is no need for such formalities."

"You are my teacher, and I am your disciple; we are one and the same, sharing in each other's glory and each other's losses!"

"Good! Good! Good!"

Hearing the words "one and the same," Liu Erlong's face instantly lit up with joy, her eyes and brows crinkling with deep, genuine happiness.

Her pretty face flushed slightly, and she pulled Xiao Yexuan's arm tighter against her, unwilling to let go even an inch.

She coughed softly to suppress the surge of emotion in her heart and said in a gentle voice:

"Xiao Yexuan, you only finished absorbing your first spirit ring two or three days ago. You still lack mastery over your spirit skills, and there are many areas in your cultivation that need polishing."

"Come with me to the clearing behind the mountain; I will personally guide your training."

"Understood, Master!"

Xiao Yexuan nodded quickly, his face showing an expression of intense excitement and eagerness.

Seeing his impatient desire to grow stronger, a wave of warmth flooded Liu Erlong's heart.

She felt more and more that Xiao Yexuan was a thoughtful and devoted disciple; he was rushing to improve so that he could better protect her next time!

However, Xiao Yexuan did not follow Liu Erlong to the back mountain immediately.

He turned his head to look at the three young girls beside him.

The three girls were still maintaining their stunned expressions from moments ago, clearly having not yet recovered from the shock of seeing Liu Erlong embrace him.

Xiao Yexuan gave a light cough to break the silence and said warmly:

"Young ladies, I am going to train with my teacher now. When I have some free time, I will come to find you."

Having said that, he turned his gaze toward Zhu Zhuqing and smiled slightly.

"Miss Zhuqing, let's meet at the entrance of the school cafeteria after classes end today. We can have a proper chat then."

"Okay! See you... see you after class!"

Zhu Zhuqing looked into Xiao Yexuan's gentle, smiling eyes, her face flushing slightly as she nodded in a hurry.

"Young Master, are you going to train? I want to train with you too!"

Ning Rongrong finally snapped out of her daze, hurriedly stepping forward to grab Xiao Yexuan's arm, her face full of reluctance to part.

She looked up, using those watery, large eyes to gaze pitifully at Liu Erlong, hoping she would agree to let her come along as well.

But as Liu Erlong watched Ning Rongrong's hand gripping her precious disciple's arm, a sour feeling welled up in her heart, and an inexplicable jealousy arose.

Her expression cooled slightly, and her clear, cold eyes swept over Ning Rongrong, Xiao Wu, and Zhu Zhuqing before she shook her head gently.

"Since you have already joined Blue Tyrant Academy, you should behave and return to your classes."

"Then... then is the Young Master going to attend classes with us too?"

Xiao Wu's eyes darted around, and she quickly stepped forward, asking cautiously.

Liu Erlong frowned slightly, then sighed softly and said:

"Xiao Yexuan is not only my disciple but also a student of Blue Tyrant Academy, so naturally, he will attend classes!"

"But for now, I am his teacher, and I have the authority to instruct him in his cultivation privately."

"You should head back first. Once his progress satisfies me, he will naturally go to the classroom to study with you."

No sooner had Liu Erlong finished speaking than she flicked her finger, and a gentle wave of spirit power instantly enveloped Xiao Yexuan.

With him in tow, her figure flashed, and she sped off in the direction of the back mountain.

Zhu Zhuqing, Ning Rongrong, and Xiao Wu wanted to say something more, but it was already too late.

Liu Erlong's speed was simply too fast; in the blink of an eye, their figures had vanished at the edge of the horizon.

Even if they wanted to chase, they could never catch up.

The three girls looked at each other, their faces filled with immense disappointment.

It was as if, with Xiao Yexuan's departure, their hearts had been left empty; they stood rooted to the spot, lost and unable to recover for a long time.