Beating Up Taotie, Loosening Up

In the end, after a great deal of fuss,

Yan Shaozhe finally found two soul bones that were around ten thousand years old, along with the soul tools required as compensation.

Xia Liang accepted the compensation. After giving it a cursory inspection, he handed one soul bone to Wang Dong and gave each of them a seventh-grade defensive soul tool.

Though neither of them would most likely need them, they still made for rather nice decorations.

After taking the soul tool, Wang Dong looked at it with disdain, then raised his head to look at Xia Liang. This senior did not seem particularly easy to talk to. If he refused it, he would probably get scolded, right?

Thus, Wang Dong said nothing more. He planned to return the seventh-grade soul tool to Huo Yuhao after this senior left.

After all, it was Huo Yuhao's senior who had come to help them. Returning it would be appropriate, and more importantly...

Wang Dong really hated soul tools.

"Sir, my disciple..."

Seeing Xia Liang accept the compensation, Yan Shaozhe reminded him. He had already paid the compensation. Continuing to extort him would be going too far, wouldn't it?

Extortion? That was right. In Yan Shaozhe's eyes, Xia Liang was extorting him. Neither of the two had died, after all. Weren't they both alive and well? Not a single hair had been lost, yet one opening of his mouth had cost Yan Shaozhe two ten-thousand-year soul bones? A couple of Soul Ascension Pills would have been more than enough.

"Evil Fire Phoenix. She really does have the makings of an evil soul master."

After saying that, Xia Liang flicked his finger. The water sphere burst apart, returning Ma Xiaotao to the people in front of him.

"Sir, Xiaotao's martial soul is a phoenix. The evil fire is merely the result of her cultivation. Do not spread rumors outside, or Shrek will not take it lying down."

Upon hearing the words "Evil Fire Phoenix" and "evil soul master," Yan Shaozhe's gaze darkened. If word of this spread outside, who knew how much damage it would do to Shrek's reputation? After all, Shrek Academy was currently leading the charge against evil soul masters.

If it got out that Shrek's inner court students included a top-tier evil soul master, it would be a serious problem.

"I can't be bothered with such matters. I'm just curious—if this little girl falls into demonic cultivation, would you still be able to kill her without hesitation?"

"That has nothing to do with you, sir. Please leave."

Yan Shaozhe's tone grew even more impatient. He might not necessarily be able to defeat Xia Liang, but this was Shrek!

"Boring."

Then, a pair of wings emerged from Xia Liang's back—the elytra from Minecraft. However, he no longer needed fireworks to fly in this world.

After settling Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong, Xia Liang departed.

Behind him, Shrek's powerful experts watched Xia Liang leave without pursuing him. After all, he was still within Shrek Academy. Starting a fight rashly before knowing his exact strength could inflict devastating losses on Shrek's students.

Moreover, they still did not know which faction this person came from. They needed to plan carefully.

That was what Yan Shaozhe was considering when a voice sounded from nearby.

"Yan Shaozhe, don't forget what you promised our Soul Guidance Department."

Xian Lin'er, the dean of the Soul Guidance Department, spoke from the side, a triumphant smile on her face.

If anyone had been looking forward to the deal being concluded, Xian Lin'er was certainly one of them.

If the deal had fallen through and a fight had broken out, the two seventh-grade defensive soul tools she had provided Yan Shaozhe would have been wasted. If the negotiation failed, he would certainly deny everything and keep both soul tools for himself.

But if the deal succeeded...

"I know!!"

Yan Shaozhe still wore a professional smile, but he was gritting his teeth. The Martial Soul Department definitely did not have seventh-grade defensive soul tools, so he could only turn to the Soul Guidance Department. Yet he had not expected this woman to jack up the price on the spot! She showed no regard whatsoever for their fellow sect ties. His disciple had been captured, and she had actually kicked him while he was down.

"As long as you remember. Let's go."

Xian Lin'er waved a hand at Qian Duoduo and Fan Yu beside her, taking away the Soul Guidance Department experts who had come to support them.

"Go investigate those two little ones. Just a simple investigation will do. But as for that black-haired one, see whether he would be willing to come study soul tools."

Xian Lin'er had seen everything clearly from the sidelines. The pink-blue-haired little one deeply despised soul tools, but the black-haired student had genuinely displayed a strong interest in them.

The Soul Guidance Department lacked promising talents like that!

Therefore, Xian Lin'er intended to make contact with the black-haired little one and see whether he was interested in learning soul tools. This incident might even create some conflict between him and the Martial Soul Department. Rather than letting him leave, it would be better to keep the talent within the academy and bring him into the Soul Guidance Department.

"Alright, but what did you swindle out of that iron rooster this time? He looked like he was about to die of heartache."

Qian Duoduo agreed, though he was also curious about what deal Xian Lin'er had reached with Yan Shaozhe.

"I collected everything from before, principal and interest included, along with places for more than a dozen students."

Xian Lin'er answered. In the past, the Martial Soul Department had secretly cheated the Soul Guidance Department out of countless resources. They had not even wanted to leave the eliminated students for the Soul Guidance Department.

This time, Xian Lin'er had demanded all the resources they had taken before, with interest, along with several slots to independently select students.

In other words, after this year's freshman assessment ended, they could directly approach the students who had taken the assessment and ask whether they were willing to join the Soul Guidance Department.

In the past, the Soul Guidance Department would be driven out by the Martial Soul Department before they could even get inside.

This time, Xian Lin'er intended to recruit plenty of talent for the Soul Guidance Department.

"Hahaha, then that iron rooster Yan Shaozhe is going to be hurting for quite a while, isn't he?"

After learning what Yan Shaozhe had paid, Qian Duoduo burst into laughter. Those things would be enough to make him ache for some time.

He might even feel worse about them than the two ten-thousand-year soul bones he had given away.

"Taotie Douluo, Xuan Zi?"

At the outskirts of Star Dou Forest, Xia Liang came to a stop.

An earthy yellow light appeared behind him. Once it landed on the ground, a ragged old man with disheveled hair emerged.

"Yes. May I ask for your title, sir?"

Xuan Zi clasped his hands in greeting. He had no idea how strong the man before him was, but judging by that speed just now, he should not be much stronger than Xuan Zi himself.

Xuan Zi had come out this time to find out who Xia Liang really was and to see whether he could force out his martial soul.

"A title..."

Xia Liang had long since decided on his title. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Putting on a show now and then was not bad.

"World."

"World Douluo?"

Hearing Xia Liang's title, Xuan Zi froze for a moment. This guy was rather arrogant...

"Then let me test your methods, sir."

Xuan Zi had completely forgotten Mu En's instructions for peaceful contact. After all, he was extremely confident in his own strength. With his rank 98 cultivation, there was no need for him to be so timid.

"Then I won't waste any time either."

Xia Liang put away his elytra and stretched his limbs on the ground.

A rank 98 powerhouse with a top-tier beast martial soul should be enough to let him have some fun.