Morning at the Rain-Listening Waterside Pavilion was as warm and gentle as water, but at Shrek Academy, the atmosphere held a trace of strangeness.
On the training grounds early that morning, Tang San was drenched in sweat as he ran weighted laps with a bamboo basket full of rocks on his back.
He deliberately slowed his pace and swept his gaze around the grounds, his brows drawing together almost imperceptibly.
Strange. Teacher always placed the greatest importance on morning training. Why was he nowhere to be seen today?
After finishing his final lap, Tang San approached Flender, who was resting nearby with his eyes closed, and bowed respectfully. "Dean Flender, may I ask why my teacher hasn't come to supervise training today? Is he unwell?"
Flender opened his eyes and pushed up the crystal glasses on his nose. "Oh, Xiaogang? He suddenly had some new inspiration regarding martial soul theory last night. He said he needed to consult some unique ancient texts at the main hall in Spirit City, so he left overnight. He was in quite a hurry and told you to train properly under me for the time being."
"He went to Spirit City to consult reference materials?"
Tang San nodded obediently on the surface and stepped aside, but the instant he turned away, a gleam of piercing insight flashed through the depths of his eyes.
He scoffed inwardly. Teacher's excuse might fool Dean Flender, but that was all.
Going to Spirit City? Impossible.
He must have suffered a crushing defeat when he went to demand Xiong Shaoqing's secret technique yesterday. He might even have been thoroughly humiliated.
Xiong Shaoqing was a level-fifty Soul King with a living Soul Ring. Shrek Academy's strength alone couldn't possibly suppress him.
*Teacher must have realized he couldn't seize it by force