A Way Out for Xiao Wu

Lin Yang walked into the shop. Before he could speak, Flender's languid voice rang out.

"If anything catches your eye, take it. No bargaining."

Lin Yang looked around. The shop was small and did not have much stock, but everything inside gave off faint Soul Power fluctuations. They were indeed Soul Tools.

Like an ordinary customer, Lin Yang browsed for a while before finally spotting a mottled crystal the size of a human head on a counter in the corner.

"How much is this?"

Without showing anything unusual, Lin Yang pointed at the plate crystal and asked casually.

Flender did not even open his eyes. "Not expensive. Two hundred Gold Soul Coins!"

Well, look at that. Serving different dishes depending on the customer, were you?

Tang San's starting price was one hundred Gold Soul Coins, but mine was two hundred.

What, had I stolen rice from your house?

Lin Yang grumbled inwardly, but outwardly, he hesitated for quite a while before slowly nodding.

"All right, I'll buy it!"

Two hundred Gold Soul Coins were nothing to him.

Just as Lin Yang was about to take out the money, Flender changed his tune again, just as expected.

"Now I'm selling it for five hundred Gold Soul Coins."

Lin Yang froze. Although he had expected this, he still could not help viciously cursing Flender inwardly as a "crooked merchant."

With the way you do business, it's a miracle this lousy shop has stayed open.

"Boss, that takes all the fun out of it." His expression calm, Lin Yang stopped reaching for his money.

"I only have two hundred Gold Soul Coins. If you're willing to part with it, I'll leave the coins. If not, there's nothing more for me to say."

He tossed the question back to him.

At that, Flender raised his eyelids slightly, a sharp gleam flashing behind his black-framed crystal glasses.

"I find it hard to believe that 'Blade Ghost,' who's been making such a splash at the Great Soul Arena, only has a paltry two hundred Gold Soul Coins on him."

Lin Yang's heart jolted at those words. Had his disguise been seen through?

No, that wasn't right!

He had changed his build and appearance. There was absolutely no way anyone could connect him to "Blade Ghost."

Then something seemed to occur to Lin Yang, and the corners of his lips lifted slightly.

His cultivation must have given him away.

Flender should currently be a Seven-Ring Soul Sage, so he could sense Lin Yang's Soul Power cultivation.

But his level of cultivation was common in Suotuo City, so he dared conclude that Flender was bluffing.

Nothing showed on Lin Yang's face. He merely asked with a hint of puzzlement,

"Boss, I've heard about Blade Ghost too, but I really am not him. Have you mistaken me for someone else?"

Hmm?

Flender's expression shifted. He studied Lin Yang carefully, and upon finding little change in his expression, could not help muttering inwardly,

Could I really have been mistaken?

At that thought, Flender sighed inwardly.

He had once gone to watch Blade Ghost and Charming Rabbit's Soul Fighting matches. He was certain neither of them was older than twelve.

Charming Rabbit, especially, might have been even younger.

Judging by their performances, they were monsters among monsters.

They were a perfect fit for Shrek Academy's philosophy of admitting only "monsters."

Yet those two little brats were as slippery as loaches.

Not only was all their identity information false, he even suspected their appearances were disguises.

Otherwise, they would not have vanished without a trace the moment they left the Great Soul Arena.

Suotuo City had two or three million permanent residents, and the number of people passing through each day was even more staggering.

Finding two people among so many was no different from fishing a needle out of the sea. Even a Soul Saint like him could not do it.

With two pieces of "uncut jade" dangling before his eyes, yet beyond his grasp, it was clearly impossible for Flender not to feel frustrated.

Somewhat dispirited, Flender asked offhandedly,

"You look young, and your Soul Power Level isn't low. Interested in joining our Shrek Academy?"

"Shrek Academy..."

Lin Yang murmured the name, seemingly recalling something, before a look of "realization" immediately spread across his face.

"The Monster Academy Teacher Qin graduated from? Boss, could you be Shrek Academy's dean-Senior Flender?"

Now it was Flender's turn to be surprised.

"You've heard of me?"

Lin Yang bowed slightly. "I'm a Heavenly Supreme Level student at Heaven Dou Royal Academy. I've occasionally heard Teacher Qin mention Shrek Academy before, so I remember a little about it."

Out in the world, your identity was whatever you gave yourself.

Surely Flender wouldn't actually make a trip to Heaven Dou City?

"The Teacher Qin you mentioned is Qin Ming, right?"

Seemingly interested now, Flender lost some of the laziness on his face.

"How is he doing at Heaven Dou these days?"

Lin Yang considered for a few seconds, then said,

"Teacher Qin is highly valued at the academy. I heard the dean is having him put together the team for the next 'Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament.'"

Hearing this, Flender's lips curved slightly upward.

"That kid... he's really made something of himself."

These words were not entirely fabricated. They were deductions Lin Yang had made based on future events.

Even if they were not completely correct, they would not be far off.

Most importantly, there was no way to verify them.

Soon, however, Flender turned his gaze back to Lin Yang.

"With your cultivation, you'll probably sign up too."

"You flatter me, Senior. My meager cultivation still falls a little short."

Flender smacked his lips. Had living tucked away in Suotuo City all these years left him this out of touch?

A genius of this caliber was not even qualified to make the team?

Or was Heaven Dou Royal Academy now overflowing with geniuses, so lavishly endowed that it could afford this?

Still, he said nothing more, and completely abandoned the idea of recruiting Lin Yang into Shrek.

How could a teacher poach his own student's people?

Flender settled comfortably back into his recliner and waved a casual hand.

"Since you're Qin Ming's student, two hundred Gold Soul Coins. Take the stone."

Delighted inwardly, Lin Yang hurriedly said,

"Thank you, Senior."

With that, he left the Gold Soul Coins and put the plate crystal into his Soul Tool bracelet. Only then did he inwardly breathe a sigh of relief.

Luckily, he knew enough information to bluff his way through.

Otherwise, he would probably have had to pay quite a price to get this plate crystal.

After leaving the shop, Lin Yang took a long look behind him, then turned and left.

Although he scoffed at Shrek Academy's educational philosophy, he did not want to offend a Soul Saint for no reason.

Besides, Shrek Academy was already a "way out" he had planned long ago.

This way out was not for him, but for Xiao Wu.

If Xiao Wu still could not master the Transparent World by the time he reached level thirty, he would arrange for her to join Shrek Academy.

He was not abandoning Xiao Wu. This was the best choice based on rational analysis.

He could not stay in this place forever.

If he wanted to raise his cultivation in the shortest possible time, immortal herbs were an opportunity he absolutely could not bypass.

And to obtain immortal herbs, he had to establish a connection with Dugu Bo.

Of course, he could also rely on the Demon God Body's undying, indestructible nature to force his way through Dugu Bo's poison formation, but that would undoubtedly make an irreconcilable enemy of a Titled Douluo.

He might even end up drawing water with a bamboo basket, with nothing to show for it.

That approach was undoubtedly the worst of the worst options.

After all, he did not have a Titled Douluo father to safeguard him at all times.

So if he could choose to build a good relationship, why choose hostility?

Provided, of course, that there was no major conflict of interest between them.

And Xiao Wu was the key to a potential conflict. Faced with a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring and Soul Bone, few people would likely be able to restrain themselves.

So until he was absolutely certain, he would not gamble on an uncertain possibility.