Flender

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Flender (弗兰德)
Alias(es)	Dean Flender; Headmaster Flender; Boss Fu, as addressed by Liu Erlong 22 60 95
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Shrek Academy; Golden Iron Triangle; later leads Blue Tyrant Academy as Shrek’s new home 13 95
Occupation/Role	Academy dean, instructor, and proprietor of a general store in Suotuo City 13 47 95
Cultivation Rank	Soul Sage 31 87
Spirit Rings	Seven: two yellow, two purple, and three black 31 86
Status	Alive; joins the confrontation with Dugu Bo to rescue Ye Lin 100
First Appearance	Mentioned in Chapter 9; appears in person at his shop in Chapter 13 9 13

Background / History

Flender and Zhao Wuji built Shrek Academy together. Despite its dilapidated buildings, the academy represents their personal effort and investment. Flender also served as the leader of the Golden Iron Triangle alongside Yu Xiaogang and Liu Erlong 16 95.

Yu Xiaogang came to find Flender six years before the current Shrek enrollment, when his Soul Power was still level twenty-nine. Flender noticed that his old friend remained dispirited but had regained some brightness in his eyes; he later recognized Xiaogang’s renewed confidence when he openly acknowledged his Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect background 31 76.

Flender loves Liu Erlong but accepts that she wants to be with Xiaogang. Rather than pursuing her at his friend’s expense, he helps them reunite and is content to remain her friend 92 94 95.

Appearance

Flender is a tall, thin, middle-aged man with small eyes and glasses. Before visiting Blue Tyrant Academy, he shaves off a mustache he had kept for more than a decade, making his face appear about ten years younger 13 87 93.

• Gold-rimmed glasses: A recurring feature; he frequently pushes or adjusts them 36 60 79.
• Gray-brown owl wings: Spread from his back when he uses flight 36 79 90.
• Long green robe: Worn when he arrives with the Golden Iron Triangle to rescue Ye Lin 100.

Personality

Flender is shrewd, stingy, and quick to exploit a profitable opportunity. At his shop, he uses Tang San’s overheard thoughts to identify how badly the boy needs Slab Crystal and raises its price to 800 Gold Soul Coins. Even after Shrek’s debts are cleared, he secretly skims a small amount from the food budget and keeps it beneath his pillow 13 59.

His attachment to Shrek can become possessive. He initially rejects the proposal to send its students to Heaven Dou Royal Academy, then relents when Xiaogang explains that Shrek lacks both tournament eligibility and specialized cultivation facilities. His condition is that every teacher and student must go together, with Shrek’s teachers retaining responsibility for their pupils 72.

Flender can nevertheless put others’ welfare ahead of his pride. Faced with Dugu Bo’s threat, he accepts that retreat is necessary to keep the students alive. His selflessness also appears in his support for Erlong and Xiaogang’s relationship despite his own feelings for her 90 95.

He respects Xiaogang’s expertise enough to place his teaching decisions above his own. Although Tang San’s arrogance and schemes anger him, Flender still acknowledges the boy’s diligence and tells the others to learn from his willingness to cultivate 23 70.

Abilities & Skills

Soul Sage Power and Intimidation

• Possesses seven Spirit Rings with a configuration of two yellow, two purple, and three black 31 86.
• Displays his rings alongside Shrek’s other teachers during the dispute with Chao Tianxiang, establishing that the students have powerful protection 31.
• Uses his Soul Sage aura to make Xue Beng abandon his attempt to block Shrek’s entry into Heaven Dou Royal Academy 86 87.
• Recognizes that his strength is insufficient to safely oppose Dugu Bo while protecting the students 90.

Owl-Wing Flight

• Flies independently using gray-brown owl wings 79.
• Catches Tang San by the collar in midair and brings him back when he attempts to leave the forest camp 36.
• Carries Yu Xiaogang and Shao Xin out of the collapsing teaching building after Dugu Bo’s attack 90.

Hearing Tang San’s Thoughts

Flender begins hearing Tang San’s unspoken thoughts during their first shop encounter. The evidence concerns Tang San specifically, rather than a general ability to read anyone’s mind 13.

• Learns about Tang San’s apparent previous life, his insults, and his plans to interfere with Xiaogang and Erlong 13.
• Uses knowledge of Tang San’s finances and intentions to gain the upper hand in bargaining 13.
• Adopts the twenty-lap support training described in Tang San’s memories, while convincing himself the idea is his own 23.
• Anticipates Tang San’s attempt to exploit the forest expedition for a hidden opportunity and resolves to watch him 33.
• Learns that Erlong is at Blue Tyrant Academy and quietly works against Tang San’s intended interference 92.

Instruction and Heart Separation Control

Flender coaches Ye Lin in controlling the Eight Spider Lances, using the Seven Apertures Exquisite Heart training formula 47.

• Conducts the training in a secluded grove to keep Ye Lin’s External Soul Bone out of public view 47.
• Teaches Ye Lin to coordinate the eight lances as four pairs rather than mastering all eight independently 47.
• Emphasizes balanced development: excessive specialization would take time away from combat skills, conditioning, cultivation, and Soul Power control 47.
• Oversees three months of practice, culminating in Ye Lin writing five different characters simultaneously with one hand and four pairs of lances 47.

Trinity Martial Soul Fusion Skill

Flender participates in the Golden Iron Triangle’s three-person fusion with Yu Xiaogang and Liu Erlong 100.

• Takes the right side of the formation, with Xiaogang at the front and Erlong on the left 100.
• Channels Soul Power into Xiaogang alongside Erlong 100.
• Their joined power causes Luo Sanpao’s dragon body to grow larger before the confrontation with Dugu Bo 100.

Equipment / Items

• Gold-rimmed glasses — His characteristic eyewear 36.
• Seven Apertures Exquisite Heart formula — A written training method he gives Ye Lin for Heart Separation Control 47.
• Thin iron masks — Distributes them to the students before their arena activities 26.
• Slab Crystal — Shop stock purchased by Tang San for making Dragon Whisker Needles; Flender charges 800 Gold Soul Coins and offers credit with interest 13.

Relationships

• Yu Xiaogang — Longtime friend and Golden Iron Triangle teammate. Flender supports his recovery, defers to his educational expertise, guards him during dangerous Spirit Ring absorption, and helps reunite him with Erlong 23 31 78 94.
• Liu Erlong — Friend, teammate, and woman he loves without reciprocation. She entrusts him with Blue Tyrant Academy’s leadership after her reunion with Xiaogang 95.
• Zhao Wuji — Fellow Shrek teacher who built the academy with him and helps protect its students 16 79.
• Ye Lin — Shrek student whom Flender personally trains. He trusts Xiaogang’s assessment of Ye Lin’s unusually high Spirit Ring tolerance and later joins the effort to rescue him from Dugu Bo 38 47 100.
• Tang San — Customer and student whose overheard thoughts make Flender distrust him. Their encounters include exploitative bargaining, imposed training, and Flender preventing his departure from the forest camp 13 23 36.
• Qin Ming — Former student who greets him respectfully and helps arrange Shrek’s proposed exchange with Heaven Dou Royal Academy. Qin Ming later leaves that academy rather than remain after his teachers are humiliated 60 72 92.
• Ma Hongjun — Shrek student whose disrespect earns a slap when he unknowingly insults Flender as Qin Ming’s teacher 69.
• Dugu Bo — Overwhelmingly stronger opponent who endangers Shrek at Heaven Dou Royal Academy and later abducts Ye Lin, prompting the Golden Iron Triangle’s intervention 90 97 100.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Suotuo City and Shrek’s Opening Lessons

Tang San visits Flender’s shop expecting to obtain Slab Crystal cheaply. Hearing his thoughts turns the transaction into a concealed contest: Flender learns about his hostility and apparent foreknowledge, then leaves him short of money and owing a debt 13.

At the start of term, Flender gives Xiaogang authority over Shrek’s courses. He assigns Oscar, Ning Rongrong, and Tang San twenty laps around the village, with no lunch unless they finish 23.

Star Dou Forest Expedition

Flender leads the full group of teachers and students into Star Dou Forest, rather than sending Zhao Wuji alone. After Xiaogang separates from the party to assist Meng Yiran, Flender takes responsibility for finding Ye Lin’s third Spirit Ring 29 31 32.

He accepts Xiaogang’s assessment that Ye Lin can withstand a ring under ten thousand years old and directs the capture of a Darkgolden Terrorclaw Bear. Once Ye Lin obtains its ring and External Soul Bone, Flender leads the party out of the forest and grants two days off upon their return 38 42 43.

Arena Training and Academy Finances

The students’ expensive training leaves Shrek owing 2,000 Gold Soul Coins. Arena betting subsequently provides enough money to clear the debts and retain a surplus, though Xiaogang insists that the remaining funds be spent on the students 51 58 59.

Flender initially refuses Manager Ao’s request to face the Imperial Fighting Team. Discovering that its leader is Qin Ming turns the proposal into a reunion, and he accepts after discussing the educational value of the match with Xiaogang 60.

Failed Heaven Dou Exchange

Flender agrees to the exchange only after securing a place for all eight students and six teachers. He later leads the group to Heaven Dou Royal Academy, where Xue Xing’s intervention and Dugu Bo’s attack destroy the arrangement 72 83 89 90.

After helping rescue his companions from the collapsing building, Flender decides not to stay. The risk of continued harassment outweighs the academy’s promised opportunities 90 91.

Blue Tyrant Academy and Ye Lin’s Rescue

Flender directs the displaced group toward Blue Tyrant Academy and encourages Xiaogang to stop avoiding Erlong. Once the two reconcile, he accepts Erlong’s offer to lead the academy and establish it as Shrek’s new home 92 94 95.

When Ye Lin disappears, Flender examines the surroundings and concludes that he was likely abducted. He accompanies Xiaogang and Erlong to Sunset Forest, where the Golden Iron Triangle forms its fusion to confront Dugu Bo 97 98 100.

Notable Quotes

“If my instructions ever conflict with Grandmaster’s, follow his.” 23

“A barrel holds only as much water as its shortest stave allows, not its longest.” 47

“I’ll see you off here. Send me a message if anything happens, and I’ll come right away.” 79