Flender

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Flender (弗兰德)
Alias(es)	Four-Eyed Owl; Flander, an alternate rendering used in the text 28 192 204
Gender	Male 23
Affiliation	Shrek Academy; later Blue Tyrant Academy and Heaven Dou Royal Academy 23 153 214
Occupation/Role	Founder and headmaster of Shrek Academy; junk-shop proprietor; later manager of Blue Tyrant Academy’s daily affairs and a Heaven Dou-level teacher at Heaven Dou Royal Academy 23 153 214
Martial Soul	Four-Eyed Owl 83 85
Cultivation	Level 78 Soul Saint 28 54
First Appearance	Chapter 23 23

Background / History

Founding Shrek Academy

Flender built Shrek Academy with more than twenty years of effort alongside companions including Zhao Wuji, Li Yusong, and Shao Xin. Despite its policy of accepting only exceptional “monsters,” the academy operated from a dilapidated village and struggled financially. It had never registered with Spirit Hall, leaving it without the basic qualifications for the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament 23 135 136.

When Yu Xiaogang wrote to announce his arrival, Flender abandoned his junk shop to wait for him daily at Soto City’s gates. He welcomed his old friend and Tang San, then flew them to Shrek. He subsequently arranged an instructor position for Yu Xiaogang, placing Tang San, Ma Hongjun, and Oscar under his guidance 23 26.

Early Troubles at Shrek

After discovering Yu Xiaogang severely injured in his office, Flender blamed Tang San, rushed Yu Xiaogang to Shao Xin, and later knocked Tang San unconscious. Tang Hao witnessed the blow and summoned Flender that night to confront him for attacking his son 28.

Dai Mubai’s injuries created another crisis. Flender ordered an investigation and arranged treatment, but avoided committing to retaliation until he knew the attacker’s background. His concern included the loss of Dai Mubai’s financial support and the cost of medical care; he hoped the next enrollment period would replenish Shrek’s funds 42.

Su Chen’s Admission and Independence

Flender intended to reprimand students who missed the opening gathering, but immediately changed his approach when he recognized Su Chen as the newcomer who had defeated Zhao Wuji. He welcomed Su Chen, Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing, charged each one hundred Gold Soul Coins in tuition, and described the injured senior students’ defeat as harmless sparring 54.

He promoted Yu Xiaogang as the students’ new trainer, then intervened when conflict threatened to cost Shrek four talented recruits and four hundred Gold Soul Coins. Later, although he privately accepted Su Chen’s criticism of uniform weighted-running exercises, he hesitated to grant the twelve-year-old a teaching position. Su Chen’s threat to transfer his group to Heaven Dou Royal Academy secured an honorary appointment 56 57 67 73.

Arena Training and the Forest Expedition

Flender made a Silver Soul Badge a graduation requirement and directed students to participate in individual and paired arena matches. He also wagered his entire fortune on Su Chen’s debut, then was found celebrating his winnings in the betting area 59 63 66.

During the Star Dou Great Forest expedition, he presented Oscar’s third-ring hunt as a practical trial, with teachers intervening only in genuine life-threatening danger. He nevertheless moved to protect the students when an outsider interrupted their capture of a Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent 78.

Flender negotiated with Chao Tianxiang over the serpent, mindful that her husband Meng Shu and their Martial Soul Fusion Skill made direct confrontation dangerous. When Meng Shu later arrived and demanded Tang San as compensation, Flender attempted to defuse the encounter as a misunderstanding 79 90.

The Imperial Fighting Team Match

Repeated crises left Flender mentally exhausted, but he remained unwilling to abandon the academy into which he had poured half his life. Supervisor Ao then requested Shrek’s help against the Imperial Fighting Team, whose victories were causing losses at the Soto Great Soul Arena 125.

Flender initially cited Shrek’s lack of team-match experience and its internal divisions. An offer of ten thousand Gold Soul Coins, followed by an additional five thousand paid personally to him, secured his agreement. He persuaded Su Chen through appeals to academy and city honor, and drew Yu Xiaogang out of seclusion by presenting the match as an opportunity to prove his theories 125 126.

At registration, Flender named the group the Shrek Eight Monsters. His connection with Supervisor Ao also secured access to a luxurious arena VIP room 127.

Relocation to Heaven Dou City

Qin Ming proposed bringing Shrek’s teachers and students into Heaven Dou Royal Academy. Flender initially refused because joining another institution would mean losing Shrek’s name and independence. Yu Xiaogang’s arguments about resources and tournament eligibility, reinforced by Qin Ming’s regret over missing the tournament himself, eventually persuaded him 135 136.

Flender announced the move for half a month later. His longtime colleagues pledged to follow him, and he planned to sell or rent Shrek’s land and assets before departure 137.

During the journey, he used arena earnings to finance food and travel. In Sylvis City, his plan to send exhausted students against the brutal Fierce God Team collapsed when Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing refused. He accepted Su Chen’s alternative of individual and paired matches for the remaining students 140 141.

Heaven Dou Royal Academy’s Education Committee welcomed Shrek with generous offers, but Prince Xue Xing and Dugu Bo disrupted the negotiations. Flender chose to leave rather than continue seeking acceptance. When Dugu Bo demanded a humiliating exit, Flender appealed to Su Chen, whose intervention spared the teachers from having to roll out 144 145 146.

Blue Tyrant Academy and Return to the Royal Academy

After the rejection, Flender’s group applied to Blue Tyrant Academy. Liu Erlong welcomed them and entrusted its daily administration to him. Flender enjoyed the larger institution’s resources and declared his ambition to make its students renowned throughout the Heaven Dou Empire 149 152 153 160.

His authority did not extend to ownership: Liu Erlong firmly rejected his proposal to rename Blue Tyrant as Shrek. During tournament selection, he tried to preserve places for his former students and protect Yu Xiaogang’s standing, but Su Chen’s group refused the proposed compromise 202 203 204.

The dispute eventually forced Flender to choose between Yu Xiaogang, his companion of decades, and Liu Erlong, the woman he had loved for years. He left Blue Tyrant with Yu Xiaogang’s group. After Tang Hao compelled Xue Xing to readmit them, Flender returned to Heaven Dou Royal Academy and received a Heaven Dou-level teaching position 207 208 212 214.

Appearance

• Black-framed crystal glasses: His signature accessory, frequently adjusted during speeches, negotiations, and moments of alarm 54 56 63.
• Shovel-shaped face: Specifically noted during his meeting with Chao Tianxiang 79.

Personality

Flender is intensely money-conscious. He itemizes damage and cleaning charges, worries about medical bills, gambles on students’ victories, and uses arena fighting to cover travel expenses. His public appeals to honor often conceal a financial objective, most clearly when he accepts Supervisor Ao’s additional personal payment 28 42 63 126 140.

He is quick to read a power imbalance and adjust his behavior. On recognizing Su Chen, he abandons reprimands for extravagant praise; when facing dangerous elders or powerful sect representatives, he favors diplomacy and deference. His description of a severe beating as “superficial injuries” shows his willingness to sacrifice consistency to avoid confrontation 54 79 90 117.

His attachment to Shrek and its people is nevertheless genuine. He initially resists relocation because the academy is his home, eventually accepts it for the students’ opportunities, and encourages defeated students rather than letting them give up. His loyalty to Yu Xiaogang persists even when he recognizes his friend’s pretensions or privately doubts his methods 56 67 117 135 136 203.

Abilities & Skills

Four-Eyed Owl Martial Soul

• Grants winged flight; Flender carries Yu Xiaogang and Tang San simultaneously from Soto City to Shrek 23.
• Manifests with seven Soul Rings when he prepares for an approaching threat in the Star Dou Great Forest 85.
• Enables rapid airborne travel to investigate disturbances, including Liu Erlong’s confrontation with Yu Xiaogang 192.
• His Level 78 Soul Saint strength does not allow him to withstand Dugu Bo’s pressure comfortably; Zhao Wuji catches him when his legs nearly give way afterward 54 146.

Academy Administration

• Founded and maintained Shrek Academy for more than twenty years with his colleagues 135.
• Handles fees, accounts, recruitment, staffing, relocation, and asset disposal 26 42 54 137.
• Receives responsibility for Blue Tyrant Academy’s daily affairs because Liu Erlong recognizes his experience managing teachers and students 153.
• Reviews Blue Tyrant’s account books directly after taking over its administration 160.

Negotiation and Persuasion

• Uses knowledge of an opponent’s connections to avoid escalating disputes, as with Chao Tianxiang and Meng Shu 79.
• Appeals to different motivations: academy honor for Su Chen, and theoretical recognition for Yu Xiaogang 126.
• Can be forced to compromise when talented recruits threaten to leave or refuse his arrangements 57 73 140.

Equipment / Items

• Crystal glasses — Black-framed spectacles closely associated with his appearance 54.
• Abacus — Used to calculate charges against Tang San 28.
• Map — Used during the journey to Heaven Dou City, though it does not show Heaven Dou Royal Academy’s location 142.

Relationships

• Yu Xiaogang — Old friend regarded as a brother. Flender arranges his employment, promotes his reputation, repeatedly mediates on his behalf, and eventually leaves Blue Tyrant with his group 23 26 56 203 207 208.
• Liu Erlong — Longtime companion and the woman he has loved for years. She entrusts him with administration of Blue Tyrant but rejects his attempt to rename it 153 202 207.
• Zhao Wuji — Close colleague who helps protect students and pledges to follow him to Heaven Dou City; their exchanges mix familiarity with sharp teasing 78 125 137.
• Li Yusong and Shao Xin — Long-serving companions involved in Shrek’s teaching, treatment, and survival. Both support the relocation rather than separate from Flender 42 137.
• Su Chen — Student turned honorary teacher whom Flender is reluctant to offend. He relies on Su Chen’s influence to secure cooperation and preserve the teachers’ dignity during their expulsion 54 73 126 146.
• Tang San — Student whom he disciplines, teaches, and later defends diplomatically before prominent visitors 28 117 118.
• Dai Mubai — Student and important financial supporter; his injuries concern Flender both personally and financially 42.
• Qin Ming — Former Shrek student whose proposal opens a path to Heaven Dou Royal Academy’s resources and tournament eligibility 135 136.
• Tang Hao — Tang San’s father, whose retaliation Flender fears. Tang Hao later secures the group’s readmission to Heaven Dou Royal Academy 28 54 212.
• Supervisor Ao — Arena official and business contact who commissions Shrek’s match against the Imperial Fighting Team 125 126 127.

Notable Quotes

“No matter how poor Shrek is, it is still our home.” 135

“As long as the teachers remain and the students remain” is Yu Xiaogang’s argument for relocation; Flender’s own response emphasizes the cost: “That is the blood and sweat of us old brothers for more than twenty years.” 136

“Broaden our horizons, build big, grow strong, create new glories!” 160