Xuan Zi: Gao Wei Was Such a Lightweight!

Not long after the Scarlet King ate the drumstick bone, Xuan Zi brought Gao Ren back to Shrek Academy.

The two descended from the sky and landed steadily at the rear entrance to the Outer Court cafeteria kitchen.

At this hour, Gao Ren's uncle was probably in the kitchen helping prepare lunch, even though he had taken the day off for Gao Ren's Martial Soul Awakening.

The clatter of spatulas rose and fell inside, yet, for once, Xuan Zi did not go in to inspect the food.

One Overlord’s Belly-Filling Leg and a hundred and fifty Overlord Drumsticks had done a great deal to dampen his appetite for lesser fare.

"Little Gao! Come out for a moment!"

Before long, Gao Wei emerged from the rear kitchen entrance in an apron and Chef's Hat.

"A-Ren, Xuan Zi, you're back pretty quickly. We've barely started making lunch."

"Of course! Little Gao, just who do you think I am?"

"You're Taotie Douluo, with Level 98 Soul Power—the white jade pillar that holds up the sky and the purple-gold beam that spans the sea for Shrek Academy."

After playing along, Gao Wei led them to the nearby Staff Lounge. They sat down to continue their Parent-Teacher Meeting about young Gao Ren.

Once Xuan Zi had recounted the Soul Hunting trip, he brought up Gao Ren's First Soul Skill.

After hearing him out, Gao Wei could not help exclaiming, "Who would've thought a problem that's troubled you for years would be solved by my nephew's First Soul Skill!"

"Exactly!" Xuan Zi beamed. "When I called this boy a Treasure-type, I wasn't wrong!"

"..."

Sitting beside them, Gao Ren grew strangely embarrassed as the two elders kept praising him to the skies. He could not help interrupting.

"Speaking of which, Teacher, didn't you come to celebrate with my uncle over drinks? Are you drinking or not?"

"Drink? Of course I am!" Xuan Zi laughed cheerfully. "Today, I'm not leaving until I'm drunk!"

"Xuan Zi, I'm afraid you can't drink right now."

"And why not?" Xuan Zi stared at Gao Wei. "Are you trying to spoil this old man's fun?"

"After you took Ah Ren to the Star Dou Great Forest, someone came over from Sea God Island. When they found out you'd gone out, they asked me to tell you there's a Sea God Pavilion Meeting this afternoon."

"A meeting? That's this afternoon!" Xuan Zi waved it off. "I'll worry about the afternoon when it comes. There's plenty of time before then.

"When it's time, I'll force the alcohol out with my Soul Power, wash up in the Bathroom, and I guarantee no one will notice I've been drinking."

Seeing Xuan Zi's How could a fighting man refuse a drink? look, Gao Wei knew that declining again would be ungracious.

So the three returned to the Faculty Dormitory together.

Since Gao Wei had a family, they chose Gao Ren's place for the drinking session.

"A-Ren, bring out another vat of wine."

At Xuan Zi's words, Gao Wei could not help asking, "But Xuan Zi, don't you already have a vat?"

"You mean this one?" Xuan Zi took it out of his Storage Soul Tool. "This is the first wine Ah Ren ever made. It has sentimental value, so it's perfect as his Apprenticeship Gift.

"And a disciple's Apprenticeship Gift to his teacher can naturally only be drunk by me, his teacher."

Gao Ren: Then what about your gift in return?

Xuan Zi: Stop whining. When I die, everything I own will be yours.

Gao Ren: What if you don't die, then?

Xuan Zi: You little brat, are you hoping this old man dies?

After that, Gao Ren brought out a fresh vat of wine, and the middle-aged geezer and the old geezer started drinking.

"A-Ren, remember to stop us when it's time for lunch. Otherwise, I'm worried Xuan Zi will drink too much to attend the Sea God Pavilion Meeting."

Before Gao Ren could answer, Xuan Zi objected.

"You're worrying over nothing, boy. With my capacity, how could I drink too much? I haven't been drunk once since becoming a Titled Douluo!"

In the blink of an eye, lunchtime arrived.

Gao Ren's uncle had passed out long ago.

Xuan Zi: Gao Wei is such a loser!

His uncle had made barely a dent in the second vat of wine he had drunk from.

If Gao Ren had not seen what a truly full vat looked like, he might even have thought no one had touched it.

Then again, that was only natural. One vat of Gao Ren's wine held over a thousand jin.

"Teacher, it's lunchtime. You should stop."

Xuan Zi let out a loud belch. A thick reek of wine hit Gao Ren in the face, making him step back and think, That's potent.

Then a thoroughly drunk Xuan Zi slurred a reply.

"I know... I know..."

He looked down into the vat and saw a little wine left at the bottom.

Xuan Zi hated wasting food. He usually picked every last scrap of meat off a drumstick.

Seeing wine still at the bottom, he picked up the vat, tipped back his head, and poured it into his mouth.

"Wonderful! Absolutely wonderful!"

Gao Ren's wine was strong. Even with the Godly Taotie Bull as his Martial Soul, Xuan Zi had reached his limit after drinking over a thousand jin. He could barely hold on and was close to falling asleep.

After drinking to his heart's content, Xuan Zi finally prepared to use his Soul Power to force out the alcohol...

"Hm? What's going on?"

Xuan Zi froze. The Soul Power that had never failed him before could not force the alcohol from his body!

"This... How is that possible? My Soul Power... can't clear it? I'm a Level 98... Super Douluo..."

Before he could finish, his eyelids grew heavy as lead. He collapsed onto the table, his snores ringing out like thunder.

Gao Ren: ...

So Soul Power can't clear my wine... Not letting Xuan Zi drink in the Star Dou Great Forest really was the wisest choice I could've made!

"That's a strong smell of wine..."

The voice came from a beautiful woman of about thirty.

She stood in the doorway carrying a food box, her gaze moving between the mess on the table and the two men slumped over it.

"A-Ren, what happened?" Lu Xiaoxiao looked first at her husband, then at Xuan Zi, her frown deepening. "I can believe your uncle drank too much, but Xuan Zi... did he pass out from drinking too?"

She looked up at Gao Ren, disbelief filling her eyes.

Seeing this, Gao Ren gave her a rundown of what had happened that day, going into detail where it mattered.

After learning what had happened, Lu Xiaoxiao gave a laugh that was half exasperation and said, "Your wine is no joke, kid." Then she went to find help nearby and had Xuan Zi and Gao Wei taken to the Infirmary.

Then Teacher Li at the Infirmary was dumbfounded too. He had no way to sober either of them up.

Since Xuan Zi still had to attend the Sea God Pavilion Meeting that afternoon, Teacher Li hurried to summon his own teacher, Elder Zhuang, a Healing-type Titled Douluo and one of the Sea God Pavilion's elders.

"Don't tell anyone I'm your teacher when you go out. You're a Soul Saint, and you can't even sober someone up!" After giving Teacher Li a thorough dressing-down, Elder Zhuang took over Xuan Zi's and Gao Wei's treatment.

After treating the two for a while, Elder Zhuang was dumbfounded too.

"Please wait here. I'll be right back." Elder Zhuang gave them a smile that was awkward but still polite. He intended to ask Mu En to come take a look.