Flender heard Lu Ning's terms.
Even he, who prided himself on having seen the world,
was startled by them.
Make a renowned theoretical master, nearly fifty years old, strip naked, put his underwear on his head, and run three laps around Spirit City!?
Did he know who was in Spirit City?!
Papal Deacon Bibi Dong!
"You brat, these terms! Are you trying to drive Yu Xiaogang to his death!?"
"As your dean, don't I deserve even a little consideration?"
Flender spoke with a show of indignation.
He made sure Yu Xiaogang, not far away, could hear every word.
"What decent person would set terms like these?"
"What do you mean, put his underwear on his head and run three laps around Spirit City?!"
Yu Xiaogang heard those words from nearby.
He froze like a wooden chicken, as though lightning had pierced his body.
These terms...
"If he won't agree, there's no point competing!"
Lu Ning said firmly, "If you weren't the dean and my teacher, I'd make him run five laps!"
Flender bristled and glared.
"So my dignity is only worth two laps?"
Lu Ning patted him on the shoulder.
"Two laps is plenty."
"If it were Old Zhao, I'd only take off one. Oh, and the reductions don't stack!"
As Flender spoke, he also stole a glance toward Yu Xiaogang.
Lu Ning's move really was ruthless.
If Yu Xiaogang lost,
he would probably lose even the capital to hold his head up as a person.
But...
With Yu Xiaogang looking so dead inside now,
there was hardly much difference between him being alive and dead.
"I'll take that bet!"
"If you lose, you'll face the same punishment!"
"How about it?"
Listening to the master and disciple play off each other, Yu Xiaogang practically roared from afar.
A wager like this was hard for anyone to bear.
That went for him, and for Lu Ning as well.
Besides,
he had never thought he would lose.
If he thought he would lose this contest, he could never have agreed.
With his resolve set on certain victory,
he challenged Lu Ning.
Hearing that roar, Flender knew he had taken things a little too far and walked toward Yu Xiaogang.
"He's just a child talking."
"There's no need to take it to heart."
"He hasn't even graduated himself. Strictly speaking, he doesn't meet the standards to teach at all."
"Just let it pass. Pay it no mind."
Yu Xiaogang shoved him aside and looked at Lu Ning in the corner.
"I have only one condition."
"We won't split into two camps to compete."
"Zhao Wuji will pick two students for you to teach. Starting today, you'll have three years. Your two selected students will compete against Tang San and Xiao Wu."
"How about it?"
Zhao Wuji had also been eavesdropping nearby.
He was a little stunned when his name suddenly came up.
The anger on his face had yet to fade.
He still remembered Lu Ning saying that his dignity wasn't worth as much as Flender's!
All his affection for that brat had been wasted!
But at this moment, he knew he wasn't the main player. Whether this wager went ahead still depended on whether Lu Ning accepted Yu Xiaogang's terms.
Lu Ning spoke calmly.
"No problem."
"Then please make your choices, Teacher Zhao."
Flender was his teacher, but also Yu Xiaogang's close friend and rival in love.
Having Flender choose
would leave him caught between two difficult choices.
Having Zhao Wuji choose,
on the other hand, was relatively fair.
At least, even if Zhao Wuji favored Lu Ning, he couldn't favor him too much.
"You really want me to choose?"
"Me?"
Zhao Wuji hadn't expected both of them to act like children.
The two had agreed to such absurd terms in an instant.
"What are you babbling for? Get over here and pick students for Lu Ning!"
"Be fair when you choose!"
Flender snapped irritably.
Zhao Wuji walked into the crowd and, after a moment's thought, selected two students.
"Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing?!"
"You picked those two?"
Seeing the two students Zhao Wuji had chosen, Flender felt as though his head would explode with anger.
He had thought Zhao Wuji would pick Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun.
At least those two got along very well with Lu Ning.
And if the two joined forces,
they would at least have a slight advantage in actual combat down the road.
Yet Zhao Wuji had chosen two Soul Grandmasters!?
Even picking Oscar would have been better, damn it!
This fellow...
When had Yu Xiaogang bought him off?
Wasn't this far too blatantly rigged?!
"Boss, haven't you figured it out yet?" Zhao Wuji leaned close to his ear. "Tang San is the strongest in single combat. Even Dai Mubai just lost to him. What good would picking Dai Mubai do?"
"Wouldn't that mean watching helplessly as Xiao Ning loses?"
"Since they can't beat him,"
"I might as well pick two Soul Grandmasters with lower soul power levels."
"Think about it. Grandmaster's Tang San and Xiao Wu are already Soul Elders, while these two are both Soul Grandmasters."
"Can gaining one level take the same amount of time for a Soul Grandmaster as it does for a Soul Elder?"
"That's how I'm looking out for Xiao Ning!"
"Besides..."
Zhao Wuji lowered his voice even further.
"If he really can't teach them..."
"Xiao Ning could just bed one of them!"
"One is the only daughter of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, and the other is a noble from the Star Luo Empire. Either would make a fine connection, wouldn't she?"
"With a backer like that,"
"so what if he loses? Would they stand by and watch their son-in-law run naked around Spirit City?"
"To hell with promises. He can just renege when the time comes."
Flender gave Zhao Wuji a long look.
It was as though he had been mistaken about the man for over a decade.
Old Zhao, you're the truly devious one!
What a good choice!
"Ahem!"
"Since you're both willing,"
"then it's settled."
The smile faded from Flender's face as he spoke solemnly.
Looking at the two students Zhao Wuji had assigned to him, Lu Ning said nothing either.
He merely nodded lightly, signaling his acceptance of the contest.
Ning Rongrong was still hesitating.
Zhu Zhuqing, however, strode decisively toward Lu Ning.
As things stood, she had no feelings for Dai Mubai. Their connection remained that of an arranged marriage between their families.
As for Lu Ning,
she didn't particularly dislike him.
Because of the struggles within her family,
she held to one belief.
She only respected the strong!
Whoever could make her stronger was the one she would learn from.
She didn't know how capable this so-called Grandmaster was, but she had already seen Lu Ning's strength.
She was willing to learn from Lu Ning!
Because...
she wanted to live.
Her goal was that simple and plain.
Only the strong could survive the struggle for the Star Luo Empire's throne!
"Lu Ning, take good care of me from now on~"
Ning Rongrong watched Zhu Zhuqing stride toward Lu Ning.
Now wearing a smile as well,
she walked toward Lu Ning.
She wasn't worried about anything.
As the little princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect,
if Lu Ning couldn't teach her well, she could simply leave Shrek Academy and return to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
This wager...
What did it have to do with her?
She could find out about Lu Ning's cultivation methods before making her decision!
If she really could learn a thing or two...
then she could show off in front of her father and her two grandfathers, Sword and Bone!
Before you continue