Forcibly Binding Zhu Zhuqing, Dai Mubai Lost His Cool

"Dai Mubai, was that guy a student at the academy too?"

After they walked past, Tang San could not help asking Dai Mubai. That brief encounter alone had told him, instinctively, that Su Ling was no ordinary person. He was definitely an expert.

Dai Mubai said, "That's right. He's still a member of the academy for now, but he'll be leaving soon."

"Is he graduating?" Tang San asked in confusion.

"Him? He probably won't ever graduate from the academy in this lifetime!" Dai Mubai said.

At that, Dai Mubai shook his head helplessly, putting on a show of sympathy for Su Ling.

"Enough about Su Ling. That's Teacher Zhao Wuji up ahead. He'll be testing you in the final round," Dai Mubai said quietly.

Once they reached Zhao Wuji, things proceeded just as they had in the original story: the four of them had to last against Zhao Wuji for the time it took an incense stick to burn.

While the four introduced themselves and discussed their strategy, Zhao Wuji noticed Su Ling's arrival. His expression darkened, and he said in a low voice, "Su Ling, why did you come over to join the commotion instead of resting properly?"

"Teacher Zhao, I heard there were a lot of applicants today, so I wanted to take a look."

As he spoke, Su Ling found a clean spot and sat down.

"Since you managed to walk here, you must be doing reasonably well. Just watch from the sidelines."

Zhao Wuji gave Su Ling a helpless look. As far as he was concerned, Su Ling was already finished.

His failed attempt to absorb a Soul Ring had damaged his foundation. He was doomed never to advance again in this lifetime, and even recovering his health might be nothing more than a distant dream.

He paid Su Ling no further attention, and an incense stick's worth of time passed.

Tang San and the other three were ready to begin the fight!

"Wait!" Su Ling spoke up just before the battle began.

"Teacher Zhao, I think your advantage over them is far too great. Doesn't a fight like this amount to shutting the door in their faces? Does our academy not want any new students?"

Zhao Wuji glanced at Su Ling. "Then what do you suggest?"

Su Ling said, "Teacher Zhao, I think we should add a condition. None of them has reached level thirty, so why not limit yourself to your first two Soul Skills? With your level-seventy-six Soul Power and physique, you'd still have an enormous advantage. What do you think?"

"Fine. I'll only use my first two Soul Skills, and none from Soul Rings over a thousand years old. Will that do?" Zhao Wuji said.

Flender was away from the academy, and making things this difficult for the applicants was somewhat unreasonable.

Still, even with only his first two Soul Skills, he was confident he could handle four Soul Grandmasters below level thirty.

Su Ling's words had undoubtedly made the test easier for Tang San and the others, and all four cast grateful looks his way.

[Ding... Xiao Wu's affection toward the host +2. Obtained White Chest ×1.]

[Ding... Ning Rongrong's affection toward the host +3. Obtained White Chest ×1, Yellow Chest ×1.]

[Ding... Zhu Zhuqing's affection toward the host +1.]

[Ding... The host has obtained chests through increased affection for the first time. Reward: all chests upgraded by one tier. Congratulations, host. Your rewards for this instance are Yellow Chest ×2, Purple Chest ×1.]

Increasing a goddess's affection could actually earn him chests too!

He had not even decided which goddess to forcibly bind yet, and he was already reaping benefits!

Then what could these chests contain?

"System, what are the rules for obtaining chests through increased affection?"

[Each point of affection a goddess gains toward the host grants a chance to obtain a chest of a different tier.]

[Chest tiers: white, yellow, purple, black, red, gold.]

[For goddesses who are not currently bound, the lowest tier the host can obtain is a White Chest, and the highest is a Purple Chest. The higher the chest's tier, the lower its drop rate! White Chest drop rate: 50%. Purple Chest drop rate: 1%.]

"I see. That means my luck was pretty good!"

"System, open the two Yellow Chests first!" Su Ling instructed mentally.

[Ding... Congratulations, host, on opening a Yellow Chest. Obtained Gold Soul Coins ×5,000.]

[Ding... Congratulations, host, on opening a Yellow Chest. Obtained Basic Soul Power Recovery Pills ×10.]

Gold Soul Coins were certainly useful. Flender had squeezed every last one out of him to treat his injuries, and he still owed Flender several hundred more.

The system had included a note explaining the Basic Soul Power Recovery Pills' use.

They were pills for Soul Masters at the Soul Ancestor rank or below, capable of quickly restoring a certain amount of Soul Power.

If a Yellow Chest could reward him with five thousand Gold Soul Coins, what about a Purple Chest?

Just as Su Ling was about to open it, Dai Mubai suddenly walked over to him and deliberately mocked him. "Su Ling, the dean and the other teachers all told you that your method of absorbing a Soul Ring wouldn't work, but you refused to listen. Look at you now. You're finished, aren't you?"

Su Ling said, "Dai Mubai, I remember you used to call me boss. What, just because I'm injured, you think you can call me by name now?"

"Boss?" Dai Mubai chuckled. "How can someone who's finished be the academy's top student? And you still want to be the boss? Besides, I never acknowledged you as my boss, even if I used to call you that."

"Really? So that's what you thought," Su Ling said, recalling how the body's previous owner had indeed kept Dai Mubai firmly under his heel at Shrek Academy before Su Ling transmigrated.

Especially early on, the gap in their Soul Power had been enormous. Su Ling had completely crushed Dai Mubai.

But as Dai Mubai grew older and his Soul Power increased, the gap between them had steadily narrowed. They had even fought before the previous owner went to absorb his Soul Ring.

They had been on the verge of deciding a winner when Flender stopped them.

Dai Mubai said, "It's a shame I never officially defeated you in front of everyone. But that doesn't matter anymore. You're no longer worthy of being my opponent."

"That's fine. I can give you a chance. Even injured, I'm still more than you can handle," Su Ling said with a smile.

With Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing all present, defeating Dai Mubai head-on should earn him a wave of affection, right?

"You... are you courting death?" Dai Mubai stared coldly at Su Ling.

Su Ling said, "We'll fight in front of everyone once their test is over. I may have been injured, but that doesn't mean every stray cat and dog gets to bark in my face."

"Fine, fine. Very good. Don't blame me for showing no mercy later," Dai Mubai said.

"I'll be waiting!"

After saying that, Su Ling looked straight at Tang San and the other three as they prepared. His gaze happened to settle on Zhu Zhuqing, and it lingered there for a long time.

"He..." Watching him, Dai Mubai felt an inexplicable fury rise in his chest. Was Su Ling actually setting his sights on Zhu Zhuqing? How could he tolerate that?

Zhu Zhuqing was his fiancée. No one else was allowed to lay a finger on her.

Hmph. Since you're courting death, don't blame me for showing no mercy.

Dai Mubai clenched his fists. If Su Ling dared to fight him later, injured or not, he would make him pay.

And just as Dai Mubai suspected, Su Ling really was setting his sights on Zhu Zhuqing.

He was considering which goddess to use his chance to forcibly bind.

Of the three goddesses, Ning Rongrong should be the easiest to gain affection from, followed by Xiao Wu, then Zhu Zhuqing.

Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing were both essentially already paired with someone, so he needed to choose between those two.

He glanced at Zhao Wuji, who had been taught a lesson that very night merely for bullying Tang San a little. Tang Hao was constantly guarding Tang San at this point, so opposing Tang San now would be unwise.

If he had to choose between Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing, he would definitely choose Zhu Zhuqing.

"System, forcibly bind Zhu Zhuqing."