Special Training

Tang San had just lain down when Zhu Shen hauled him back up. "Little San, the special training isn't over yet."

"Teacher, my soul power is empty..." Tang San's voice was weak.

"Empty is good!" Zhu Shen's eyes gleamed. "Only extreme exhaustion leads to breakthroughs!"

He pointed at a tall tree in the distance. "See that? Climb up and jump down. You aren't allowed to use soul power."

Tang San's face turned green. That tree was thirty meters high!

"Teacher, I'll fall to my death..."

"Don't worry, this teacher will catch you!" Zhu Shen patted his chest, his eyes looking "sincere."

Tang San sighed and resigned himself to climbing. Once he reached the top, he looked down to see Zhu Shen yawning.

[Ding! Tang San's fear of falling from a great height has skyrocketed! Gained 30 Evolution Points!]

Zhu Shen was overjoyed. Tang San closed his eyes and jumped.

Just as he was about to hit the ground, Zhu Shen lazily raised a hand, using a gentle force to cushion the fall. Tang San landed hard on his backside.

"Ouch! Teacher, you..."

"A mistake, just a mistake!" Zhu Shen hurriedly helped him up. "One more time?"

Tang San rubbed his rear, wanting to cry but having no tears. This teacher was definitely doing it on purpose!

The next day, the lottery venue was packed with people.

Zhu Shen rubbed his hands together, muttering to the lottery box, "Strong team, strong team, strong team..."

Tang San's eyelid twitched. "Teacher, wouldn't it be better to draw a weak team?"

"How would a weak team train you?" Zhu Shen glared. "Don't worry, with this teacher planning, everything is under control!"

He reached his hand into the box, secretly channeling a trace of his Dragon God Bloodline. The box trembled imperceptibly.

He pulled out the result: Thunder Academy!

"Good!" Zhu Shen slapped Tang San's back hard. "A top-tier strong team! Little San, your chance to shine has arrived!"

Tang San stumbled from the blow, wailing internally: it was that familiar feeling of being set up!

Back at their lodging, Wang Sheng and the others were gathered around the schedule, wailing.

"Thunder Academy is all assault-type! How are we supposed to fight that?"

"Teacher, please think of a way!"

Zhu Shen stroked his chin. "A way... well, I have one!"

He looked at Tang San with a brilliant smile. "Little San, you'll be the main attacker. Take them on seven-on-one!"

"Pfft!" Tang San spat out the water he had just been drinking. "Teacher, I..."

"Don't be modest!" Zhu Shen waved a large hand. "Your Blue Silver Grass for control plus the Clear Sky Hammer for assault—it's perfect!"

"But the Clear Sky Hammer..."

"Only use it at the critical moment!" Zhu Shen lowered his voice. "If you can't win, reveal the hammer and scare them to death!"

Tang San's mouth twitched. Was this teacher trying to make sure he died faster?

After dinner, Zhu Shen snuck into Tang San's room.

"Little San, this teacher has prepared a secret weapon for you!" He mysteriously pulled out a small bottle.

Inside the bottle was a bright green liquid, emitting a fresh fragrance.

"What is this?"

"A Super Vitality Potion!" Zhu Shen whispered. "Drink this, and your soul power will be instantly restored!"

Tang San's eyes lit up. "Really?"

"Of course! Would this teacher ever scam you?" Zhu Shen patted his chest. "Drink it right before you go on stage tomorrow!"

Tang San took it, moved. "Thank you, Teacher!"

[Ding! The host has successfully tricked Tang San into consuming "Ten-Year Lone Bamboo Concentrated Juice" (mild diarrhea version). The effect of scamming the disciple is outstanding! Gained 50 Evolution Points!]

Zhu Shen snuck away, suppressing his laughter. Tomorrow's match would have a "surprise."

On the day of the match, lightning flickered across the arena.

Thunder Academy's captain, Yu Tianxin, possessed the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon martial soul, and his presence was astonishing.

Tang San took a deep breath and secretly drank the "potion." The taste... was a bit astringent?

At the referee's command, Yu Tianxin charged forward, transformed into a bolt of lightning!

Just as Tang San prepared to release his Blue Silver Grass, a sudden, sharp pain twisted his stomach!

"Ugh!" His movements stiffened, and cold sweat broke out instantly.

Yu Tianxin's dragon claw was already right in front of him!

"Little San, dodge!" Zhu Shen shouted "anxiously" from off the stage.

Tang San gritted his teeth and rolled to the side, narrowly dodging the attack. His stomach let out a loud rumble, and his face turned pale.

[Ding! Tang San has experienced a sudden incident on the arena, social death index skyrocketing! Evolution points +80!]

Zhu Shen pinched his own thigh hard under the stage to keep from laughing out loud. This was a massive profit!

Tang San clutched his stomach, his Blue Silver Grass swaying sluggishly.

Yu Tianxin frowned. "What the hell are you doing?"

Tang San had bitter words he couldn't speak and could only force himself to endure. He mobilized his Xuantian Skill to forcibly suppress his churning intestines.

"Third Spirit Ability, Blue Silver Bamboo Prison!" He endured the cramping pain to activate his spirit ability.

Tough bamboo cages erupted from the ground, trapping Yu Tianxin.

"Nice!" the Notting Academy side cheered.

Yu Tianxin let out a violent roar, and lightning exploded! The bamboo prison shattered instantly!

"Give up!" He lunged, his dragon claws aiming straight for Tang San's face.

A purple light flashed in Tang San's eyes; his Purple Demon Eye saw through the trajectory, and he narrowly avoided the strike with a pole-vaulting maneuver.

While in mid-air, his stomach churned violently once more!

"Pfft—" A loud fart echoed through the amplified spirit device, reaching every corner of the arena!

The entire venue fell into dead silence.

Tang San froze in mid-air, his face turning red to the tips of his ears in an instant.

[Ding! Tang San has achieved an epic-level social death! Evolution points +200! Dragon God Bloodline purity increased to 27%!]

Zhu Shen was dumbfounded, then covered his face and laughed wildly. "San! You... pfft, hahaha!" The effect was far beyond his expectations!

Yu Tianxin was also stunned, forgetting to even continue his attack.

Tang San landed, so ashamed and angry he wanted to die; he just wanted to find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

"I surrender!" he practically roared, turning to leap off the stage and sprinting away.

The entire arena erupted in earth-shattering laughter.

"Hahaha! Can't win, so you just fart?"

"The people from Notting Academy are truly interesting!"

Zhu Shen wiped tears from his eyes while laughing. "Cough, cough! An accident! Purely an accident!" He hurriedly chased after him.

In the corridor of the rest area, Tang San crouched in a corner, his head buried in his knees.

"San... pfft... are you okay?" Zhu Shen struggled to hold back his laughter.

Tang San looked up, his eyes as resentful as a neglected maiden's. "Teacher... that potion..."

"Oh! It must have been a fake sold on the black market!" Zhu Shen said with a look of "indignation." "I'll go smash their shop when we get back!"

[Ding! Detected that the host has successfully shifted the blame, Deception skill +1.]

Tang San watched him silently, not believing a single word. It was the same old routine!

"Alright, alright!" Zhu Shen patted him. "Victory and defeat are common occurrences for a warrior! Come, your teacher will treat you to a big meal to recover!"

"I'm not eating!" Tang San muttered.

"Really not? There's a newly opened roasted spirit beast meat place in Spirit City, I heard..."

Tang San's stomach let out an uncooperative growl. His face turned even redder.

Zhu Shen suppressed his laughter. "Let's go! Turn your grief and anger into appetite!"

At the dining table, Tang San transformed into a bottomless pit, devouring three large plates of meat.

As Zhu Shen served him, he calculated: he had enough evolution points to upgrade his bloodline by two levels. How delightful!

"San," he said earnestly, "even though this time was... um... an accident, you've gained valuable experience!"

Tang San buried his head in his meat and mumbled, "Next match, I'll prepare my own food."

[Ding! Tang San's trust in the host -1.]

Zhu Shen didn't care at all. Let it drop! Evolution points were what mattered! He watched Tang San with a smile. "Eat slowly, don't choke. There's a team match tomorrow; you need to be full to have the strength to... be scammed, cough, to fight!"