A Look Reserved for Fools

How had Tang San treated his teacher, Yu Xiaogang?

In Dai Mubai's eyes, well-very well. He could not possibly have treated him any better.

As for not taking Yu Xiaogang to the Divine Realm, that was something to joke about and leave at that. Anyone with a functioning brain would not have taken Yu Xiaogang to the Divine Realm.

The truth was that Yu Xiaogang really had not helped Tang San all that much as a teacher.

Not only that, in a certain sense, he had even harmed Tang San.

Judging by various events later in the original story, Tang San himself had realized this too. It was just that by then, he was already deeply tied to Yu Xiaogang, and severing those ties would inevitably have damaged his reputation.

Of course, deep down, Tang San was still grateful to Yu Xiaogang. After all, Yu Xiaogang had appeared and filled the emotional void when Tang San most needed someone to fill it.

As far as their relationship went, Tang San had done everything kindness and duty demanded.

Dai Mubai's move was intended to make Tang San sever his ties with Yu Xiaogang and break with him.

There was no hatred or conflict between Dai Mubai and Tang San. On the contrary, they had shared interests, so why call for Tang San's blood?

So Dai Mubai wanted to give it a try. Could he strip away some of the things surrounding Tang San?

Success would be an unexpected delight, but failure would not matter either. He would simply take things as they came.

Inside the Guest Reception Hall, Oscar had already prepared a sumptuous feast.

The students of Shrek Academy had gathered, and the teachers Zhao Wuji and Shao Xin had arrived as well.

Everyone was already seated, but no one had picked up their chopsticks first. They were all waiting for something.

Xiao Wu was already getting impatient, but Tang San beside her stopped her.

Tang San keenly sensed that something was off about the atmosphere. Ever since entering the academy, he had noticed that this group revolved around the blond young man who had never made a move-not just the students, but the teachers too.

This sparked a strong interest in the student named Dai Mubai.

Just then, Dai Mubai entered the Guest Reception Hall with Zhu Zhuqing.

"Come on, Old Zhao, you should've started eating. Why wait for me?"

Dai Mubai sat down with a smile, then had Zhu Zhuqing sit beside him.

"You brat, you give us the same line every time. Can't you come up with something different?"

"Hurry up and bring out your good wine. Old Shao and I will drink somewhere else, so we won't get in the way of you youngsters enjoying yourselves."

Zhao Wuji was the only one present who stood on no ceremony with Dai Mubai, but Dai Mubai liked precisely that lack of ceremony. It showed that Zhao Wuji did not treat him as an outsider.

Dai Mubai then took two jars of fine wine out of his Storage Soul Tool and tossed them to Zhao Wuji. After catching them, Zhao Wuji put them into his Storage Soul Tool, then picked up a plate in each hand and carried off his two favorite dishes, signaling for Shao Xin to take a couple of dishes along too.

He had come purely to keep things in order, and to remind Dai Mubai along the way not to break these newly enrolled students with his games.

With the two teachers' departure, the atmosphere gradually relaxed a little.

"We're all around the same age. Don't stand on ceremony. Let's eat first."

Dai Mubai invited them with a smile.

Ma Hongjun had long since run out of patience and immediately dug in.

Once he took the lead, the others stopped holding back too.

Before Dai Mubai could do anything, Zhu Zhuqing beside him hurried to serve him food and pour him wine. Although her movements were unpracticed, a happy smile remained on her face throughout.

This surprised Dai Mubai somewhat.

Without Dai Mubai needing to say anything, Oscar had already taken the initiative to chat with the newcomers, naturally bringing up their past experiences in the process.

"What? You two actually spent a full six years at a Junior Soul Master Academy?"

"Seriously, what were you thinking?"

Upon learning that Tang San and Xiao Wu had spent six whole years at a Junior Soul Master Academy, Oscar's face filled with shock.

"Is... is there something wrong with that?"

Tang San thought it all made perfect sense. He did not see anything unusual about it.

"No wonder you had innate full soul power, yet only reached level 29 at twelve and still haven't obtained your third soul rings."

"Someone clearly screwed you over."

Oscar looked at Tang San as though he were a fool.

The current Oscar was no longer the inexperienced Oscar of the original story. If nothing else, many of his subordinates came from Intermediate Soul Master Academies and Advanced Soul Master Academies.

He knew very well what instruction and resources proper academies offered.

In fact, in Oscar's eyes, Shrek Academy did not even make the grade. It had no medicinal meals made from Soul Beast meat, no heaven-defying cultivation environments, and no resources for medicinal baths or scholarships. If his teacher Shao Xin and his boss Dai Mubai had not been here, he would have transferred elsewhere long ago.

"What do you mean, someone screwed us over?"

"Senior, what are you trying to say?"

Tang San was deeply displeased. He kept feeling that this senior named Oscar was talking about his teacher.

"A Junior Soul Master Academy is a place that introduces Soul Masters to cultivation. A One-Ring Soul Master can graduate. Once you have one ring, staying at a Junior Soul Master Academy is nothing but a waste of time."

"Intermediate Soul Master Academies and Advanced Soul Master Academies not only offer systematic instruction, but also resources like medicinal meals, medicinal baths, and Mimicry Cultivation Environments. There are also Soul Masters your age with all kinds of Martial Souls to spar with and grow alongside. While improving your combat experience, that also gives you a sense of urgency."

"If neither of you is lying, then with your talent for innate full soul power, you could receive all of that for free. You wouldn't even have to pay tuition, and the academy would give you a fixed scholarship every day."

"Your academy's teachers would only tell you about these things once you became One-Ring Soul Masters."

"How could you not know?"

Oscar had originally intended to state outright that Tang San and Xiao Wu had been screwed over, but seeing Tang San's face gradually darken, he knew his words had stirred Tang San's emotions. At a time like this, it was better to be a little more tactful.

At that moment, Tang San was somewhat dumbfounded too.

He genuinely knew nothing about any of this.

Not only that, many of the terms Oscar used were things he had never heard before.

Could Teacher really be screwing me over?

The moment this thought surfaced, Tang San rejected it.

Impossible. With the way his teacher treated him, he could never harm him.

There had to be some misunderstanding.

"You said you had innate full soul power, but your Martial Soul is Blue Silver Grass?"

Just then, Dai Mubai spoke. Although he was asking a question, he looked as though he were pondering something.

"Yes. Is there something wrong with that?"

Hearing Dai Mubai mention this, Tang San grew a little puzzled too.

Because he had heard something else in Dai Mubai's words.