When Flender saw the Three Faculty Members coming to welcome them personally, a smile also appeared on his face, and he nodded slightly in greeting.
"Then let's first take a look at the school grounds His Highness prepared for us."
Meng Shenji was very pleased with Flender's attitude.
He cupped his hands and led the way.
"Please."
"By the way, I heard Teacher Qin say your academy has a twelve-year-old Soul Ancestor. Is that true?"
Leading the way, Meng Shenji asked the question seemingly in passing.
Flender's smile deepened.
His proudest achievement was having taught a student like Lu Ning.
But he did not answer directly.
Instead, he changed tack. "Qin Ming got it wrong. He's been away from the academy for some time, so he really doesn't know much about it."
The anticipation in Meng Shenji's eyes dimmed, and he spoke in a self-consoling tone. "Yes."
"I imagine Teacher Qin's expectations for his juniors were simply too high, and he overstated things."
"But that's no matter."
"Leading a group of twelve- and thirteen-year-olds to defeat the Imperial Fighting Team already proves your academy is capable of nurturing geniuses."
Flender shook his head. "He didn't overstate it."
"He understated it."
"The junior Qin Ming mentioned is currently a Five-Ring Soul King. As luck would have it, he only obtained his Soul Ring a few days ago. That delayed us a little longer, so I hope you won't hold it against us, Chief Meng."
The moment Flender said this,
the Three Faculty Members stopped in their tracks.
Bai Baoshan, the Heavenly Star Furnace Soul Master, looked utterly astonished. "What did you say?!"
"A twelve-year-old Five-Ring Soul King!?"
"Are you fucking kidding?"
Bai Baoshan meant no offense. The answer he had just received was simply too unreal. Even if they were boasting, they would never dare boast like that. A twelve-year-old Five-Ring Soul King-the entire continent had never seen a Soul Master reach that rank so young.
Never mind a Soul King-even a Soul Ancestor would have been enough to shake the entire continent!
Yet Flender actually said
he had trained a Five-Ring Soul King!?
"I'm not kidding."
Flender thoroughly enjoyed the astonished expressions on the faculty members' faces.
They had only just arrived.
He couldn't put these faculty members in their place right off the bat, but he couldn't let them look down on Shrek Academy either, could he?
He had to let them see what a true genius looked like!
Flender beckoned. "Xiao Ning, come let the faculty members see whether you really are twelve."
Lu Ning walked over and held out his hand to Bai Baoshan. "I don't know whether you can tell by touch, but I really am still about a month shy of thirteen."
Bai Baoshan reached out and felt his bones. Bone age could roughly determine a Soul Master's age.
Of course,
that did not work on parts that had absorbed Soul Bones.
After feeling his hand, Bai Baoshan also felt Lu Ning's right leg. A little cold sweat had already broken out on his neck. He could not believe the answer before him, but he still nodded lightly to Meng Shenji.
"Indeed, heroes have emerged from the young since ancient times."
Meng Shenji appeared somewhat more composed.
Stroking his beard, he praised Lu Ning.
At the same time, he did not forget to compliment Flender.
"Dean Flender, to think that you could nurture such a disciple as a Soul Saint."
"You have my admiration."
Lu Ning coordinated perfectly with Flender at that moment. As soon as Meng Shenji finished, his calm voice rang out. "Chief Meng, my teacher isn't a Soul Saint."
"A Soul Saint... that was a long time ago."
"Now, my teacher has already reached the Soul Douluo realm. He has long since acquired all eight rings."
Meng Shenji's hand froze on his beard. In that moment of distraction, he nearly pulled it out.
The three of them were the only Soul Douluos permanently based at Heaven Dou Royal Academy.
But now...
Heaven Dou Royal Academy had a chance to add another seat!
"A Soul Douluo?"
"Dean Flender, you really have given us a wonderful surprise!"
Meng Shenji no longer put on any airs.
Not only did he switch to more respectful language, he even stopped referring to himself as an old man before Flender. With both of them possessing eight rings, Flender was now a fellow cultivator of equal standing. The speed of his change in attitude was jaw-dropping.
"You're too kind, Chief Meng."
"Have we arrived?"
As they talked,
the group reached the foot of Heaven Dou Royal Academy's mountain.
The entire mountain, along with the lake and forest, belonged to Heaven Dou Royal Academy. Some parts were natural, while others were deliberately constructed Mimicry Cultivation Environments.
Meng Shenji nodded slightly and led everyone toward the new campus, keeping them separate from Heaven Dou Royal Academy's existing students.
This would prevent those spoiled nobles from influencing these geniuses.
"Dean Flender."
"What do you think of this place?"
"All the Mimicry Cultivation Environments you might need will be open to you."
"Ordinary students won't be able to enter without permission. It's just..." Meng Shenji paused. "As for the members of the Imperial Fighting Team, Dean Flender, would you see whether they're qualified to join Shrek?"
The two discussed the details.
Lu Ning stood nearby with Zhu Zhuqing, each taking a swig of wine to maintain their cultivation state.
Ma Hongjun's face was filled with impatience.
He had never liked listening to such details. He nudged Lu Ning with his elbow. "Brother Ning, how about we take a stroll around Heaven Dou City later?"
Lu Ning raised an eyebrow.
"To find the triplets?"
Ma Hongjun shook his head repeatedly. "No."
Pulling Lu Ning away from the crowd, he explained, "To challenge a school!"
"Come back me up. If I lose, you can help me win back some face."
Lu Ning did not understand what he meant.
The two left the group and headed down the mountain.
Ma Hongjun walked ahead, speaking indignantly. "Brother Ning, haven't you noticed?"
"The dean's gaze was off when he looked at Blue Tyrant Academy just now!"
"Really off!"
Lu Ning clicked his tongue.
"It was."
"You want to challenge Blue Tyrant Academy?"
Ma Hongjun nodded emphatically. "Yeah. Blue Tyrant Academy must have offended the dean somehow before. I can't beat the teachers, but the students should be no problem, right?!"
Lu Ning was momentarily speechless.
Ma Hongjun really did care about Flender.
Even though they had not been in the same carriage, he had precisely picked up on Flender's unusual mood. It was just... he had read it wrong!
It wasn't that Blue Tyrant Academy had offended the dean. Its dean and Flender had a romantic history!
"Hongjun, it's not what you think."
"There's... something more to this."
"Their dean is friends with our teacher. Our teacher likes their dean. Do you understand what I'm saying?"
Lu Ning explained, but Ma Hongjun frowned.
"I understand."
"Then that's all the more reason to challenge them."
Lu Ning: "?"
Ma Hongjun stared into Lu Ning's eyes, his face utterly serious. "Our teacher liking her is an honor."
"What reason does she have to turn him down?"
"Since she won't agree, her students can forget about having any peace."
"I'll start by challenging the Soul Grandmasters, then the Soul Elders and Soul Ancestors. Once I'm at her level, I can just beat her up every day, can't I?"
"..." Lu Ning looked at Ma Hongjun. "Are you serious?"
Ma Hongjun strode forward.
"I'm not joking."
"As disciples, aren't we supposed to ease our teacher's worries and solve his troubles?"
"Our teacher can't have the woman he loves. Isn't that a trouble of his?"
"If you won't go, I'll go myself."
Lu Ning watched Ma Hongjun. His own thinking had only reached the stage of I demand that you like me. But Ma Hongjun was even quicker to act. He did not care at all whether he was a match for her.
He had already reached I don't care whether you like me. You're mine anyway.
Lu Ning slowly gave Ma Hongjun a thumbs-up.
What a good disciple!
No wonder Flender likes you best.
Before you continue