A Wise Man Knows When to Bend

Sure enough... they came from the same academy.

He was cut from the same cloth as that Dai Mubai!

"Hey, you fat bastard, what are you staring at? Just lead the way. Keep staring... and I'll gouge your eyes out!"

Xiao Wu planted her hands on her hips and stepped directly in front of Ning Rongrong.

"You? Who the hell do you think you are?"

Ma Hongjun looked Xiao Wu up and down, picking his nose disdainfully.

What could a little slip of a girl do?

Li Yusong showed no reaction to the scene.

Instead, he thought Xiao Wu had a pretty good temperament, one well suited to their Shrek.

Tang San also stepped in front of Xiao Wu, his gaze sharp as a blade as he looked at the red-clad fatty before him.

"You'd better watch your mouth. We're going to be classmates, so don't make this too ugly."

Could this be what Ye Fan meant by putting in some effort?

He dared insult Xiao Wu? Even without Ye Fan saying anything, I would have acted!

Ma Hongjun was taken aback by Tang San's words.

If he remembered correctly, that girl had insulted him first.

Where did this double-standard bastard come from?

After recovering, Ma Hongjun also looked at Tang San with a trace of disdain.

A mere blue silver grass martial soul wouldn't even withstand a single breath of his fire.

Still...

There were quite a few of them, and one look told him they were together. He had better not invite that trouble.

Even just five people at rank twenty could beat him into a roast chicken.

"Tch, I can't be bothered arguing with you..."

Ma Hongjun muttered under his breath, then turned and walked farther inside.

Watching Ma Hongjun's greasy figure, Xiao Wu looked thoroughly displeased.

"That fat bastard... he's so annoying."

"It's fine, Xiao Wu. If he dares look at us like that again, we'll beat him up!"

Ning Rongrong comforted Xiao Wu from beside her.

"All right, there'll be a chance. Let's keep going inside."

Watching Ma Hongjun's figure gradually recede, Ye Fan also marked that down against him.

He had originally been considering whether to give this fatty a hand, but now... he would have to observe him further.

Although Ma Hongjun restrained himself somewhat around girls who were already taken, he was far too good at drawing hatred.

The group followed Ma Hongjun all the way inside.

The second trial tested Soul Power.

Quite a few people were there, but quite a few were eliminated too.

Most met the age requirement but hadn't broken through rank twenty, so they could only leave with regret.

Since everyone in the group was above rank twenty-five, Lu Qibin, who oversaw the second trial, clicked his tongue in wonder.

To think there were even two Soul Elders among them...

If Flender saw this, he would probably grin from ear to ear.

"Hongjun, take them straight to the final trial. There's no need to waste time."

"Huh?"

Ma Hongjun swallowed.

He was to take all of them to the final trial?

He hadn't paid attention while these people were testing their Soul Power... what had he missed?

That meant these girls were all above rank twenty-four.

Hiss...

Luckily, he hadn't offended them too badly earlier. Otherwise, wouldn't he get beaten up every day at the academy?

That Dai Mubai, who valued women over friends, definitely wouldn't stand with him.

No, he had to think of a way to salvage his image.

At that thought, he suddenly caught sight of a little stall in the distance out of the corner of his eye.

"Hehe... um, everyone, are you hungry? How about I treat you to some of Shrek's specialty food?"

Ma Hongjun came up to them, rubbing his hands together.

There was no trace of his earlier arrogance.

A mocking smile curled Xiao Wu's lips. "Who the hell are we, anyway? I'm afraid we can't afford your specialty food."

Ning Rongrong mischievously covered her mouth and shrank behind Ye Fan in apparent fear.

"Exactly. With you suddenly treating us like this, how could we dare eat it~ What if you've added something?"

Hearing this, Ma Hongjun scratched the back of his head, his face full of embarrassment.

"Well, um, I was a little loud earlier. Let me apologize... we're all going to be classmates, and I think we should get along!

"Wait here. I'll go get you something to eat."

With that, he turned and ran, giving them no chance to refuse.

Watching the solicitous Ma Hongjun, Ye Fan's mouth twitched.

This fellow really did know when to bend.

Watching Ma Hongjun eagerly scurry away, Xiao Wu looked puzzled.

"What's gotten into that fat bastard all of a sudden? Can Sister Xiao Wu already win people over with virtue just by looking at them?"

Ye Fan shrugged.

"He's probably... afraid you'll beat him up after you enroll. After all, once you enroll and become classmates, the teachers can't play favorites."

Hearing that, Xiao Wu understood.

So that was why...

"Hmph, so he bullies the weak and fears the strong. He's not even as good as that Dai Mubai."

Running back with several sausages in his hands, Ma Hongjun heard this and rolled his eyes inwardly.

If he were rank thirty-eight right now, he wouldn't be acting so meekly.

Just then, a little old man following beside Ma Hongjun suddenly spoke in puzzlement.

"Huh? You... know Boss Dai?"

That somewhat effeminate voice reached the girls' ears and nearly gave them goosebumps.

An old man trying to act young was truly frightening...

Ye Fan rubbed his chin and said slowly.

"I suppose getting acquainted through a fight still counts as knowing him."

Oscar nodded.

"The process doesn't matter, as long as you know him... if you'd said you knew Boss Dai earlier, I would have given you a discount on the sausages."

"Then give me my money back!"

"Sorry, the transaction is complete. It's a small business; no refunds afterward."

Oscar refused Ma Hongjun with righteous conviction.

Ma Hongjun ignored him and put the sausages in everyone's hands, one by one.

"Here, here, everyone, try them while they're hot."

He looked expectantly at the people before him.

They exchanged looks, but none of them moved.

"You... really haven't tampered with these sausages?"

Xiao Wu eyed the sausage in her hand suspiciously.

Ma Hongjun opened his mouth, but before he could speak, Oscar cut in.

"This is my signature ability as a food-type Soul Master, Oscar. They're absolutely delicious, so eat without worry. I wouldn't let this fatty defile my sausages."

Oscar patted his chest, looking pleased with himself.

Ma Hongjun looked at Oscar in disgust. "Who the hell wants to defile your sausages? I got sick of eating them ages ago."

"..."

Ye Fan looked at the sausage in his hand and muttered inwardly too.

Uncle Big Sausage, Oscar... tsk, should I let Xiao Wu and the others get used to this martial soul before they know his Soul Skill incantation?

Xiao Wu and the others froze upon hearing this.

Get used to what?

Was there something wrong with these sausages?

"Food types should all have corresponding soul incantations, right? May I ask what yours is?" Tang San asked Oscar, feigning curiosity.

After hearing Ye Fan's thoughts, he kept feeling that something was wrong.

Otherwise, why wouldn't Ye Fan say it?