Early morning.
In Flender's room, Yu Xiaogang was like a lapdog begging for food, half-sprawled and half-kneeling beside the table, clutching Flender's sleeves with both hands.
"Flender! Dezi! I've lost everything!"
"Ah-"
Flender grew impatient with his shaking, pulled his sleeves free, and straightened his collar.
"Tang San, Xiao Wu, Zhu Zhuqing, Dai Mubai, Oscar, Ma Hongjun... six! All six! Li Hanqiu has taken them all!
What place is there for me, Yu Xiaogang, in Shrek anymore?"
Yu Xiaogang sounded pitifully aggrieved. His eyes were red, and unwiped snot clung to his stubble.
"Flender, think about it! These children are Shrek's future! Are we just going to stand by and let Li Hanqiu..."
"Sit down first," Flender said.
Yu Xiaogang did not sit. Instead, he leaned even closer. "Call Li Hanqiu here right now! Make him cough up his disciples! Let this Grandmaster teach them!
You're the dean. You have that authority!"
"Authority? Call Li Hanqiu here?" Flender took a leisurely sip of tea.
"And what would that accomplish? What am I supposed to say? 'Li Hanqiu, you're forbidden from taking any more students. Give these students back to Yu Xiaogang'?"
"Exactly!"
"Exactly, my ass!" Flender sighed, then softened his tone.
"Xiao Gang, in all fairness, compared with Li Hanqiu, you really might not be suited to teaching."
Yu Xiaogang opened his mouth to defend himself, but his words caught in his throat halfway out.
Li Hanqiu was only twenty-five this year, yet his soul power was already infinitely close to the Soul Emperor realm. Who knew how his Holy Light Ao Martial Soul had grown that way?
It had become increasingly majestic and imposing over the years. Whenever Yu Xiaogang saw it, he could not stop trembling.
As for Yu Xiaogang himself, he was not yet fifty, with a soul power level of twenty-nine.
His martial soul was Luo Sanpao-no, it ought to be called Farting Pig now. A purple thing that could not even squeeze out an audible fart.
Compared with Li Hanqiu's Holy Light Ao, one was in the heavens and the other in the dirt. There was simply no comparison!
Flender set down his teacup and looked at him, his tone gentler than before.
"Xiao Gang, I've thought things over these past few days. Li Hanqiu may be arrogant, but he has real ability.
The students really are better off in his hands than following you. Besides, no matter whom Shrek's students take as their master, aren't they still Shrek's students?"
Those words struck Yu Xiaogang like a thunderbolt out of a clear sky. He stood rooted to the spot, stammering.
"You... what do you mean by that? Flender, you've taken his side?!"
"We've been friends for years, Dezi!!"
Yu Xiaogang sprang to his feet in agitation, his face covered in scruffy stubble as he played the friendship card again and again.
"I'm not favoring Li Hanqiu." Flender raised his head, his eyes calm behind his glasses.
"I've simply realized something. Shrek Academy is my life's work. Perhaps losing you wouldn't matter much. But losing Li Hanqiu..."
Flender did not finish, but his meaning was clear.
Li Hanqiu was the academy's soul. Yu Xiaogang was, at best, a mascot.
Yu Xiaogang shuddered all over. His lips trembled, and for a long while, he could not utter a word.
Just then, two very soft knocks suddenly sounded at the door.
"Dean Flender, I'm here."
Flender rose and nodded toward the doorway. "Please come in, Teacher Li."
The door opened, and Li Hanqiu walked in.
He was not wearing his old blue robe today. He had changed into a moon-white long robe, which, paired with his sword-like brows and star-bright eyes, made him a truly pleasing sight.
Moreover, after just a few days apart, Li Hanqiu seemed a little leaner again. His eyes, in particular, had grown even more serene, making anyone who looked at him feel their heart skip.
Flender glanced at Yu Xiaogang's scruffy beard and snot-smeared face, then at the distinguished-looking Li Hanqiu.
A jumble of feelings stirred in his heart.
Even Yu Xiaogang stared wide-eyed, muttering to himself:
"How has this Li Hanqiu fellow gotten even more handsome? Hmph! Instead of properly cultivating his soul power, who's he dressing up for all day?"
Li Hanqiu had just been on the Back Mountain, advancing his soul armor cultivation another step.
The cultivation method for "Martial Soul Avatar Armor" was far more difficult than that for soul marks.
Cultivating soul armor required compressing soul power into sheets, then interlocking them one by one until they were so tightly joined that not a single gap remained.
He had tried more than twenty times and barely managed to form half a vambrace.
Then Flender had unexpectedly come to see him, leading to this meeting.
"Teacher Li."
"Dean."
The two exchanged a greeting.
Li Hanqiu's gaze settled on Yu Xiaogang.
"Gangzi's here too." He smiled. "What is it? Offering the dean advice again?
Who are you accusing me of abducting this time? Or stealing?"
Yu Xiaogang's face turned the color of pig liver. He scrambled up from the floor and pointed at Li Hanqiu. "You! You've gone too far!"
"I've gone too far?" Li Hanqiu stepped closer.
He stood a head taller than Yu Xiaogang and looked down at him.
"You're the one who spent years chasing after my disciples and fawning over them.
When your gifts failed, you spread rumors about me and egged others on to use underhanded tricks. If I'd wanted to pursue the matter, Yu Xiaogang, you'd have been dead long ago."
Yu Xiaogang gritted his teeth, unable to speak.
Li Hanqiu reached out and patted his shoulder.
"Starting today, stay away from my students."
He applied just a little pressure, and Yu Xiaogang felt as though a mountain had settled on that shoulder. His legs buckled, and he nearly fell to his knees again.
"Otherwise, I won't mind letting the whole academy hear the story of 'Farting Pig' one more time."
Li Hanqiu withdrew his hand and turned to Flender.
"Dean, if there's nothing else, I'll go teach my class."
Flender watched him for a moment, then waved a hand. "Go ahead."
Li Hanqiu pushed the door open and left.
Daylight spilled in, falling across his moon-white robe until its whiteness dazzled the eyes.
The Training Ground.
All six of his disciples had arrived.
Tang San and Xiao Wu stood at the front, while Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing stood beneath the shade of a tree.
Oscar and Ma Hongjun were whispering in each other's ears about who knew what.
Ning Rongrong was the last to arrive.
Holding up her skirt, she walked through the sunlight with slow, lazy steps. Her pink hair drifted gently in the breeze, and she looked utterly carefree.
"Teacher Li, what strange new teaching method have you dreamed up today?"
Her voice was sweet and coy. Anyone could tell she had come to enjoy the show.
Li Hanqiu stood in the middle of the field, hands behind his back, and swept his gaze around them.
"Today, we'll spar."
He raised a hand and pointed first at Dai Mubai. "Mubai, you'll lead the attack."
Then he pointed at Ning Rongrong. "Rongrong, you'll provide support."
At that, the smile on Ning Rongrong's face faded a little.
"You want me to support him?"
She brushed aside the hair by her ear and said unhurriedly, "Teacher Li, my Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda is the finest support martial soul in the world.
Not every stray cat or dog deserves its help, you know~"
Dai Mubai's eyes chilled. "What do you mean?"
"Exactly what I said." Ning Rongrong gave him a disdainful glance. "A brute like you only knows how to charge straight in and hit things. Supporting you with my Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda would be pointless."
"Say that again!"
Dai Mubai stepped forward. His blond hair rose without a breeze, and his knuckles cracked as he clenched his fists.
"What?" Ning Rongrong retreated half a step, but her tongue remained merciless. "Dai Mubai, others might not know, but I've heard your story.
The Star Luo Empire's Third Princess, and that's all the tolerance you have? A few words and you're ready to throw punches? You really have no upbringing."
"You-"
"Enough," Li Hanqiu said.
His voice was not loud, yet the entire field fell silent at once.
"First match: Mubai and Rongrong against Tang San and Xiao Wu."
Before you continue