"Dean Yan, why are you here?"
Hearing that familiar voice, Yan Shaozhe could not recall who it was for a moment.
But when he turned around and saw the newcomer's face clearly, surprise entered his voice. "Oh, Master Ye. Why did you come to the Outer Academy?"
As the academy's only Food-type Soul Master at the Soul Douluo rank, Ye Tian had prospered in the Inner Academy thanks to his superb cooking and his ability to perfectly preserve the energy within Soul Beast meat. Even quite a few elders of Sea God Pavilion had wanted to introduce their younger relatives to Master Ye.
However, Ye Tian had rejected them all. He felt that women from prominent families had been pampered since childhood and were arrogant and overbearing. If he married one, while it might not be a one-hundred-percent certainty, there was at least a ninety-nine-percent chance that she would mistreat his grandnephew.
Therefore, until he had raised Bai Ran to adulthood, Ye Tian basically would not consider major matters in his own life.
Besides, a Title Douluo could live for centuries. Even at seventy or eighty, they could still marry and have children. Ye Tian was not even fifty yet, so he was still young.
"I came..."
"Uncle, you're here."
Bai Ran hurriedly jogged over and hid behind Ye Tian.
Although his uncle was only a Food-type Soul Master, the protective measures on him rivaled those of a ninth-level Soul Engineer.
He might not have much combat ability, but when it came to running away, no one could fault him.
Uncle?
Hearing what the child called Ye Tian—
Yan Shaozhe's heart immediately skipped a beat. Oh no. If Master Ye finds out that my disciple nearly killed his own grandnephew, I'll probably only get to eat shredded potatoes stir-fried with ginger, or chilies stir-fried with chilies, whenever I go to the Inner Academy Cafeteria in the future. No, please.
At that thought, Yan Shaozhe hurriedly used Soul Power to transmit his voice.
A voice suddenly rang out in Bai Ran's mind. "Little one, don't speak carelessly. This old man can grant you one request."
Bai Ran: I nearly died. One isn't enough.
Yan Shaozhe: At most two.
"Uncle..."
Yan Shaozhe: Three. Three.
"What is it, grandnephew?"
"Nothing. I'm hungry. I want to eat the egg fried rice Uncle makes."
"Alright, let's go."
Ye Tian had actually already seen the shattered defensive barrier on the ground. But seeing that Bai Ran had said nothing and was uninjured, Ye Tian did not intend to pursue the matter.
Besides, the other party was the dean of the Martial Soul Department. Back when Ye Tian had studied at Shrek Academy, Yan Shaozhe had already been a vice dean.
Ye Tian: I can't afford to offend such an important figure. At most, when he comes to the cafeteria in the future, I might suddenly fall ill and temporarily be unable to tell seasonings apart—like mistaking salt for sugar, or white liquor for white vinegar.
After Ye Tian and Bai Ran left—
Yan Shaozhe's gaze fell upon Ma Xiaotao, the disciple who had nearly caused a disaster.
As Ma Xiaotao's Soul Power continued to rise, the problem with the Evil Fire inside her became increasingly severe. Its outbreaks also grew more frequent, to the point where it was affecting her daily cultivation.
According to ancient records, Ma Xiaotao's ancestor, Ma Hongjun, one of the original Shrek Seven Monsters ten thousand years ago, had also suffered greatly from "Evil Fire."
But his way of dealing with the Evil Fire had been through the union of yin and yang—put more bluntly, visiting prostitutes. Later, he had completely cured the Evil Fire problem with the power of immortal herbs.
Immortal herbs simply could not be found in this era. Even though Yan Shaozhe was a dean of Shrek Academy and held considerable standing throughout Douluo Continent, he could not obtain a single stalk.
As for the union of yin and yang?
In Yan Shaozhe's view, there was absolutely no problem with Ma Xiaotao, who was nearly twenty, finding a man and getting married.
Yet among the many outstanding Inner Academy disciples, she did not fancy a single one.
Come to think of it, there was another method: find an Ultimate Ice Soul Beast over one hundred thousand years old and have Ye Tian turn it into "medicinal food." It might be able to resolve the Evil Fire within Ma Xiaotao's body.
However, that plan would have to wait until Ye Tian broke through to Title Douluo and Yan Shaozhe himself reached level ninety-six or even ninety-seven.
After all, to hunt an Ultimate Ice Soul Beast, they would have to go to the Far North. A Soul Beast over one hundred thousand years old with the Ultimate Ice attribute possessed combat power comparable to a level ninety-six Super Douluo.
With Yan Shaozhe's current level ninety-five strength, he would not be able to defeat one even if he went.
Moreover, Yan Shaozhe did not even possess a single one-hundred-thousand-year Soul Ring. Even with an exceptional martial soul like the Bright Phoenix, his strength among Super Douluo could only be considered average, or perhaps even below average.
"Huh? Xiaotao, your Evil Fire has already been suppressed once!"
As Yan Shaozhe sent Soul Power into Ma Xiaotao's body, preparing to help his disciple stabilize her condition, he was astonished to discover that the previously rampaging Evil Fire had already been suppressed.
"T-Teacher, where is that little brother from earlier?"
Having completely regained consciousness, Ma Xiaotao's first instinct was to search for the young boy who had made her feel so comfortable.
When she failed to find him, disappointment could not help appearing on her face.
"Ma Xiaotao!"
"T-Teacher..."
"Do you know what you did wrong?!"
"B-But I can't just stop cultivating."
Ma Xiaotao felt inexplicably wronged. She did not want this either.
But the Evil Fire problem had always plagued her, and the higher her Soul Power Level became, the more intense the backlash brought by the Evil Fire grew.
At the very least, it had previously only erupted during overloaded battles. Now, even her ordinary cultivation could trigger an Evil Fire outbreak.
If the Evil Fire problem remained unresolved, Ma Xiaotao would be trapped at the Soul Emperor rank for the rest of her life, unable to break through.
"Sigh, Xiaotao, if nothing else works, find a man you can tolerate and make him your partner."
Yan Shaozhe had already put it rather tactfully.
"No."
Among the Inner Academy disciples of her generation, not one had greater talent than her.
In Ma Xiaotao's eyes, only a man stronger than her could conquer her.
"Still, what did that little brother throw on me just now? Why could that ice suppress the temperature of the flames on my body?"
Ma Xiaotao found it strange.
Although the Evil Fire Phoenix had been tainted by Evil Fire, making its fire attribute impure and preventing it from reaching the Ultimate Fire level, it was not far off.
Yet that ice had been able to suppress it. Even if it was not Ultimate Ice, it had to be close.
"Xiaotao, I advise you to calm down. That child is Master Ye's grandnephew. If you touch him, don't even think about eating a single bite of Master Ye's cooking ever again."
Yan Shaozhe: If she really does something excessive, she absolutely must not say she's Yan Shaozhe's disciple.
"Master Ye? That Master Ye from the Inner Academy Cafeteria?"
At those words, Ma Xiaotao instantly calmed down.
Even though she might not get to eat there once after queuing for months, just smelling that aroma was enough to make her wolf down three bowls of rice.
If she could never eat Master Ye's food again, Ma Xiaotao would rather let the Evil Fire burn her to death outright. At least that would be a quick death.
Before you continue