Greedy Flender, Yu Xiaogang Hoped to Change His Fate Through the Star Official Challenge, and Tang San Regretted It (Continued)

"Wait, this is good news! Great news!"

"Everyone, stop sleeping! Get up and take a look!"

"The Star Official Challenge Arena has appeared at our Shrek Academy!"

Amid the student's desperate screams.

In just over ten minutes, the news had spread throughout the entire academy.

Large numbers of students, no longer sleepy at all, hurried to the arena.

They chattered among themselves, though they didn't see the Silver-Haired Man from the rumors.

The space above the meditation cushion at the center of the arena stood empty.

Yet they still couldn't calm their excitement and joy.

After all, today in Spirit City,

the news that Feng Xiaotian had obtained the Second Spirit, the Soul Breaking Spear,

and that Hu Liena had received a God-Given Hundred-Thousand-Year Spirit Ring

had long since become common knowledge, making everyone green with envy.

Some students tried to climb onto the arena, but an array blocked them.

No matter who attacked it, their efforts were futile.

All they could do was gather nearby, unwilling to leave for a long time.

Meanwhile, outside the dean's room,

the short, burly Zhao Wuji

raised his huge hand and pounded on the door.

He hollered at the top of his lungs:

"Boss, hurry up and open the door! Something terrible's happened!"

After a while, a middle-aged man with a hooked nose and gold-rimmed glasses,

his eyes ringed with dark circles, opened the door.

He scolded him impatiently:

"Zhao Wuji, it's the middle of the night, and you're not even asleep!"

"Are you here to pound on my door?"

"Damn it, if you break the door, you're paying for it!"

Zhao Wuji ducked his head and explained,

"Boss, I don't want to disturb your rest either!"

"But something big has happened at Shrek Academy!"

"That arena everyone across the Douluo Continent has been talking about today—the one where people can take the Star Official Challenge—has appeared at Shrek Academy Square!"

"A huge crowd of students has gathered there. Boss, hurry over and take a look!"

Flender snorted.

"Zhao Wuji, you must be itching for a beating!"

"You're even bothering me over something this trivial. You..."

"What? The Star Official Challenge Arena has appeared at Shrek Academy Square?"

Zhao Wuji hurriedly nodded, breathing a sigh of relief.

"Exactly, Boss! Let's hurry over and manage the crowd!"

To his surprise, Flender elegantly pushed up his gold-rimmed glasses.

He said with a sleazy grin, "Zhao Wuji, we've struck it rich!"

"Quick, spread the word that the arena has appeared at our Shrek Academy!"

"Then go notify Er Long and the other teachers!"

"Everyone, follow me to the entrance of Shrek Academy and collect admission fees!"

"One Gold Soul Coin per person... no, that's too little!"

"Charge everyone ten Gold Soul Coins!"

"Even if Emperor Xue Ye himself shows up, make him pay up!"

Flender let out a burst of laughter, dreaming of the riches that awaited him.

Looking at a dean like this, Zhao Wuji rubbed his forehead. Flender hadn't earned the nickname Money-Grubbing Four-Eyed Owl for nothing.

Just then, an excited shout came from a distance:

"Dean Flender! Dean Flender, something's wrong!"

"Huh? Teacher Zhao, you're here too!"

Flender and Zhao Wuji saw Ma Hongjun.

Flender walked over, threw an arm around Ma Hongjun's shoulders, and laughed.

"Ma Hongjun, you've come at just the right time!"

"Come on, let's go to the entrance and collect money!"

Ma Hongjun glanced at Zhao Wuji, who was shaking his head.

He broke free, took out a golden feather, and said,

"Dean Flender, wait a moment!"

"Look, I actually got the Lucky Star Feather required to take the Star Official Challenge!"

Flender and Zhao Wuji's eyes widened.

They stepped forward, their shock turning into boundless joy.

Flender patted the chubby boy on the shoulder and nodded approvingly.

"Ma Hongjun, you did well!"

"Now that you've been chosen by the Lucky Star Feather,"

"once you've completed the Star Official Challenge, your strength will surely skyrocket!"

"You'll bring glory to Shrek Academy!"

Zhao Wuji chimed in,

"Ma Hongjun, you're one lucky kid."

"Looks like I'll have to see you in a whole new light from now on!"

But Ma Hongjun rubbed his nose,

his face falling into a bitter grimace.

"Dean Flender, Teacher Zhao,"

"being chosen by the Lucky Star Feather and getting to take the Star Official Challenge"

"really is wonderful news."

"But if Spirit Hall or some other faction sends people to secretly cause trouble,"

"I'm afraid my little life won't survive the ordeal."

Ma Hongjun was timid and afraid of danger, especially death.

He feared what had happened to Tang San three years ago might happen to him.

He understood the principle that possessing a treasure invited disaster.

He didn't believe the Clear Sky Douluo would come to save him when the time came.

Not everyone was Tang San.

Flender snorted and exchanged a look with Zhao Wuji.

He said in a firm voice, "Ma Hongjun, don't worry!"

"As long as I'm here, and Shrek Academy is here,"

"Spirit Hall absolutely won't dare lay a hand on you!"

"Come on, let's find Xiao Gang and Er Long and discuss what to do!"

Ma Hongjun was deeply moved. He wrapped his arms around Flender and burst into tears.

"Dean Flender, you're just too good to me!"

"Hey, hey, hey, Ma Hongjun, take it easy!"

"These old bones of mine are about to fall apart!"

Flender looked disgusted as he grumbled and cursed.

Watching the heartwarming scene, Zhao Wuji

smiled from the bottom of his heart. The three of them left together...

At Shrek Academy's Fengyi Pavilion,

Yu Xiaogang held a feather radiating sacred golden light, while a man's solemn voice sounded in his mind.

When he came to his senses, he excitedly pulled Liu Erlong into his arms.

His voice trembled with joy as he said,

"Er Long, Er Long!"

"I was chosen by the Lucky Star Feather!"

"I've earned the right to take the Star Official Challenge!"

"Maybe I can get a Second Spirit too!"

"Then I can leave Luo Sanpao behind!"

"I can cast off the disgrace of being called a good-for-nothing and become a true Soul Master with offensive power!"

"I'll never be looked down on again!"

Liu Erlong gently wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes.

Her heart ached for him as she said, "Xiao Gang, this is wonderful!"

"I believe in you. You can definitely pass this Star Official Challenge!"

"You can rewrite your own fate!"

As they encouraged each other,

a series of footsteps came from a distance, and they quickly separated.

It turned out to be Flender, Ma Hongjun, and Zhao Wuji.

After exchanging information, to prevent Spirit Hall from secretly interfering,

Yu Xiaogang, Flender, and Liu Erlong went to the palace that very night to pay a visit to His Majesty Xue Ye...

Over the course of one night, news that the Star Official Challenge Arena had appeared at Shrek Academy swept across Heaven Dou City.

It spread throughout the Heaven Dou Empire as well, reaching numerous factions, who sent people there one after another.

Under Flender's arrangements, a line organized by teachers and students began openly charging admission fees outside Shrek Academy's gates.

At ten Gold Soul Coins per person, they were making a killing, though it also earned them plenty of curses.

At the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest's Mixed Area, outside a hidden cave, Tang San slowly walked away alone.

His eyes, shimmering with violet light, gazed at the three mysterious golden steles in the sky. He muttered bitterly: