Ma Xiunuo and Su Yuntao Were Moved to Tears!

"To obtain truly high-quality thousand-year Spirit Rings, or even... better ones, you have to go to wild Spirit Beast habitats."

"Your strength is decent now, but it's too dangerous for you to go alone."

"My plan is to have my friend take you there once you reach Shrek Academy."

"That would be the safest option."

The three of them naturally had no objections.

At noon on graduation day.

At the gates of Nuoding City.

Grandmaster Ma Xiunuo and Deacon Su Yuntao, two grown men, were crying like children.

"Xiao Chuan! Sob, sob, sob..."

Ma Xiunuo tightly clutched Lin Chuan's hand.

Tears and snot streamed across his wrinkled face, leaving none of the dignity he usually had as the branch hall supervisor.

"Once you leave, it'll feel like someone carved a chunk out of Grandpa's heart! It'll be so empty!"

Ma Xiunuo wiped away his tears.

At the same time, he tremblingly pulled a card glimmering with a violet-gold light from his robes and stuffed it into Lin Chuan's hands without allowing him to refuse.

"Take it! Hurry and take it!"

"This is a Gold Soul Coin card. It contains Grandpa's savings from all these years, along with the money Yun Tao scraped together by selling his house back home!"

Su Yuntao's eyes were red as well, his nose aching and his voice choked with emotion.

"That's right, Xiao Chuan! Take it!"

"The outside world isn't like our Nuoding City. Expenses are high."

"You're still growing. Don't ever make do when it comes to food, clothes, and daily necessities!"

Su Yuntao gave Lin Chuan's shoulder a hard pat.

As though he wanted to pour all his hopes into him.

"When you get to a big city, if some blind fool dares bully you, show them your Spirit Rings! Scare those snobs who look down on people to death!"

"Don't forget, no matter how high you fly, Spirit Hall of Nuoding City will always be your family home!"

"If you get tired, come back!"

Lin Chuan looked at the two men who had laid their feelings bare.

He held the Soul Coin card that still carried their warmth.

The softest part of his heart was fiercely stirred.

He knew that, in the beginning, this had been an angel investment based on mutual benefit.

But over the past six years, every holiday gift and every private extra lesson...

Their care had long surpassed the scope of an investment and become genuine affection.

Lin Chuan took a deep breath, put away the Soul Coin card, and wore an unprecedentedly solemn expression.

He clasped both their hands in return and said in a deep voice,

"Grandpa Ma Xiunuo, Brother Su Yuntao, don't worry."

"I'll remember every bit of kindness you've shown me."

A fierce glint flashed through Lin Chuan's eyes.

"Once I make something of myself, I'll definitely come back and stand up for you!"

"When that time comes, I'll make that Salas serve you tea and pour your water!"

"Good! Good! Good!"

Ma Xiunuo trembled with excitement and said "good" three times in a row.

"With those words from you, even if Grandpa closes his eyes right now, it'll all have been worth it! Truly worth it!"

As for where they would go.

Ma Xiunuo naturally strongly recommended Heaven Dou Royal Academy or Spirit Hall's advanced academy.

After all, their resources were excellent and could let Lin Chuan soar even higher.

With the talents of Lin Chuan and Tang San, all they had to do was spread the word.

Heaven Dou Royal Academy would roll out a red carpet to welcome them!

Ma Xiunuo had previously strongly recommended those two places, given their abundant resources and towering influence.

But Yu Xiaogang gave an entirely different suggestion.

"Xiao San, Lin Chuan."

The Grandmaster stood with his hands behind his back, gazing toward the southern sky.

"Royal Academy may be magnificent, and its Mimicry Cultivation Environment may be among the best on the continent. But it's too comfortable there."

"The aristocratic atmosphere is too heavy, filled with scheming, intrigue, vanity, and competition."

"That kind of environment is like a greenhouse. It can't nurture a towering tree capable of weathering storms."

The Grandmaster turned around and looked at the two of them with blazing eyes.

"I suggest you go to Suotuo City in the Balak Kingdom."

"To the south of that city is a small village. There is an academy there called Shrek Academy."

"I've mentioned it to you before!"

"Shrek?" Tang San remembered it. It had come up when discussing the hunt for his third Spirit Ring.

The teacher seemed to have connections at that academy!

A trace of fervor flashed through the Grandmaster's eyes.

"Shrek is a kind of monster. In the world of Spirit Beasts, it represents an existence that is extremely strange, yet extremely powerful."

"That academy accepts only monsters, not ordinary people."

The Grandmaster walked up to Tang San and pressed a hand onto his shoulder.

"Xiao San, your talent is very high, but you need pressure."

"Only that place's unique teaching methods, along with classmates even stranger than you, can completely squeeze out your potential and turn you into a true monster."

"Moreover, the academy's dean is a close friend of mine."

"He is a powerful Soul Sage. With him there, helping you hunt high-quality thousand-year Spirit Beasts will be as easy as turning a hand."

After saying that, the Grandmaster shifted his gaze to Lin Chuan, who was yawning nearby.

His originally stern expression instantly collapsed, becoming helpless and complicated.

"As for Lin Chuan, he's already a monster among monsters!"

"Who knows? Maybe he'll even pick up a ten-thousand-year Spirit Beast in Star Dou Forest!"

Yu Xiaogang said it in a teasing tone.

Lin Chuan: ...That might not be impossible!

Tang San did not immediately agree just because of the Grandmaster's words.

He turned his head and stared fixedly at Lin Chuan, his gaze exceptionally resolute.

"I'll listen to Big Brother."

"Wherever Big Brother goes, I'll go."

Xiao Wu, who was playing with her scorpion braid nearby, nodded upon hearing that.

"I don't really care either. As long as I can stay with Third Brother, I can go anywhere."

"Besides, that Royal Academy already sounds boring. It must have a ton of rules."

Everyone's gazes converged on Lin Chuan.

Lin Chuan rubbed his chin and pretended to think for a while.

Then his gaze swept over Tang San and Xiao Wu before finally settling on Tang San.

"Then the three of us will go to Shrek Academy together."

Lin Chuan said it with a smile, then gave Tang San a meaningful look.

He teased,

"After all, you've already acknowledged Xiao Wu as your little sister. We're family now, so of course we have to stick together."

Tang San's face instantly reddened all the way to his ears, and he became somewhat at a loss.

Yet beneath his embarrassment, an enormous warmth instantly filled his chest.

Tang San looked at Lin Chuan as his mind launched into a frantic spiral of self-persuasion.

Big Brother... He must dislike how poor Shrek Academy's conditions are.

With Big Brother's talent and strength, if he went to Spirit Hall or Royal Academy, he would be surrounded by admirers and enjoy the best resources.

Big Brother is sacrificing himself to support me!

Tang San's eyes became slightly moist.

But he held it back.

He had no idea how many times over the years Big Brother had done something like this for him!

He secretly vowed that he would treat Big Brother even better in the future.

But for Lin Chuan!

Freedom and no rules were exactly what he wanted.

Royal Academy? Is that even a place for people to stay? Having to deal with those nobles every day would be exhausting.

Shrek is great! It's just a run-down village, no one will manage me, and I can sleep until whenever I want.

When the time comes, if I need Immortal Herbs, I can just go find Dugu Bo!

Thus, Lin Chuan waved his hand.

"Shrek it is!"