"Haha, now that's more like you! All right, I'll take you to have a look at Shrek Academy. Enrollment happens to be open these next couple of days."
Patting Li Changsheng on the shoulder again, Flender immediately made to close up the shop.
"Wait, Little San, do you need that thing?"
Calling Flender to a halt, Li Changsheng pointed at a piece of transparent, orange-yellow crystal on a shelf in the shop.
"This is... Plate Crystal!"
Tang San's eyes lit up. This was good stuff, a material for making the Dragon Whisker Needle, one of the Tang Sect Hidden Weapons. It was specifically used to pierce protective astral Qi, making it the best tool for countering those with powerful defenses!
His teacher truly combined theoretical knowledge and strength in one person!
"Yes! I need it!"
"What's that thing good for? Well, since you have a use for it, take it."
Flender spoke casually, his mind entirely occupied with taking Li Changsheng around Shrek. No wonder a magpie had been calling on a branch when he got up early this morning. It turned out Changsheng was coming!
Looking at Flender's impatient expression, then at Tang San, Li Changsheng smiled faintly. There's plenty you don't know, kid.
For instance, over these past five years, every time Xiao Wu went to condense a Soul Ring, Tang San would ask Li Changsheng about her whereabouts, but Li Changsheng would cover for her.
The girl still naively believed she had hidden it well and fooled Tang San.
After all, the place where Xiao Wu condensed her Soul Rings was the little house on the back mountain. With Luo Sanpao's perception, Li Changsheng could easily detect her movements.
He would leave Tang San to discover her identity as a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast in human form himself later. Li Changsheng did not want to deal Tang San that blow so early.
Sometimes, the truth had to be discovered for oneself.
"Changsheng, you might not know this, but I actually have a disciple too. Unfortunately, though he possesses the Evil Fire Phoenix Martial Soul, it has a very serious flaw."
"Every so often, his Evil Fire erupts, and once it grows restless, it turns into endless hunger. He has to eat huge amounts of food to burn off that fire."
Flender sighed as he walked. He had no solution either. For now, he could only have his disciple forcibly suppress it with Soul Power, and when he could no longer hold it down, he could only gorge himself.
Ma Hongjun...
It seemed things had developed exactly as Li Changsheng had envisioned. Ma Hongjun did not need to rely on sex to vent his fire; he only needed to eat like mad.
But that was ultimately no solution. To resolve it, he would still have to take Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower, though it would also be nice if the system could provide a reward.
"It's fine. Let me take a look at him later. Maybe I can solve it?"
"All right, then sorry for the trouble, Changsheng!"
Flender led Li Changsheng and the other two toward Shrek Academy. Suddenly, a hotel along the road caught Li Changsheng's attention.
The Rose Hotel.
The place where the vast majority of fanfic protagonists slapped Dai Mubai in the face and won Zhu Zhuqing over.
Looking at it, Li Changsheng actually had the illusion that he had arrived at an internet-famous check-in spot.
"What's wrong, Changsheng? This is a couples' hotel. I have to say, business really is quite good."
Seeing Li Changsheng staring at the Rose Hotel, Flender patiently explained.
Tang San and Xiao Wu also exchanged looks.
"Brother, do you think Teacher Changsheng wants to find a girlfriend? This is a couples' hotel!"
"Ahem, Xiao Wu, Teacher Changsheng is pure as ice and jade, and he's still very young. He probably doesn't place much importance on matters between men and women, right?"
Tang San felt rather embarrassed. Although he also had plans to find Li Changsheng a virtuous wife later, he had yet to put them into practice.
"Mm, I'm just curious. Do any Shrek Academy students come to places like this?"
This was the last question Li Changsheng was concerned about. He wanted to know how Dai Mubai had changed.
Naturally, Flender held nothing back in answering Li Changsheng's question, replying at once, "How should I put it? A student from the academy used to come here a while ago, but I confined him. As you know, this is the golden period for cultivation. Running off to find women instead of cultivating properly is simply outrageous!"
"Don't worry, Changsheng. I'll never allow anyone from Shrek Academy to behave so recklessly!"
Afraid of provoking Li Changsheng's displeasure, Flender hurriedly patted his chest in assurance.
Li Changsheng nodded, then continued on with Flender.
As they walked, the buildings around them grew sparser until they finally left the city.
"Brother, I'm so tired!"
"Uh, Xiao Wu, what do you have to be tired about?"
Looking back, they saw Tang San carrying Xiao Wu on his back, slowly making his way toward them. Judging by his expression, although he was tired, he seemed to be enjoying himself.
"Hehe, I was saying it for you!"
"We're almost there!"
Up ahead, Flender waved at Li Changsheng, and the outline of a village gradually came into focus.
Only when they drew near did everyone get a clear view of it. A simple village stood here, though its buildings could not really be called dilapidated.
The village entrance was already packed with people. Many parents had brought their children, who had just graduated from junior Soul Master Academies, here to register.
At the very back, a sign reading "Shrek Academy admissions office" stood on the ground.
An old man was surrounded by the crowd.
"Who would've thought? The place might be a bit shabby, but there sure are a lot of people signing up!"
Xiao Wu jumped down from Tang San's back, her pink eyes curiously surveying the surroundings.
"Actually, I've been thinking about spending some Gold Soul Coins on renovations. You'll have to make do for now."
Flender's meaning was simple. His academy's surroundings were not particularly good, which, by equivalent exchange, meant the accommodations could not be considered particularly good either.
Li Changsheng did not mind. He had lived in a small village since childhood and had stayed in worse surroundings than these.
Tang San and Xiao Wu went without saying: one had been his father's nanny since childhood and could not even get enough to eat, while the other had walked out of a forest.
"Before you register, let me explain the rules so you don't waste your money. Anyone older than thirteen or below rank twenty-one won't even pass this first round!"
"And the registration fee is ten Gold Soul Coins. Don't hope to get lucky. If you know you don't qualify, leave!"
At that moment, the old man seated in the middle of the crowd spoke loudly. His tone was neither warm nor cold, but it was loud enough for everyone nearby to hear.
They all began discussing it, and some parents even took their children by the hand and left outright.
"Let's go. How could anyone possibly get into this academy?"
"Exactly. My child was already a top student at his junior Soul Master Academy."
Li Changsheng and the other three watched the departing parents without any change in their eyes. "Go on, Little San, Xiao Wu. Give it a try."
Flender did not stop them either, remaining where he stood. But as the crowd slowly dispersed, Li Yusong spotted him anyway.
"D-Dean? What brings you here?"