"And because her husband is a teacher in the Soul Tool Department, which can only ever pick from the students the Martial Soul Department rejects, she often takes advantage of her position to send talented students over to the Soul Tool Department ahead of time."
Hearing this, Wang Dong was immediately filled with righteous indignation. "That's going too far! What if the people sent to the Soul Tool Department don't want to study Soul Tools at all?"
Nan Zhuliu looked at Huo Lingtong. "Both your Martial Soul and your Soul Skill are very well suited to studying Soul Tools. Given Teacher Zhou's personality, she'll definitely try every means possible to get you into the Soul Tool Department. If you don't want to go, you must be careful."
"Teacher Zhou and Teacher Fan Yu did talk about having me join the Soul Tool Department, but because neither my Soul Power nor my Soul Skill met the requirements, they planned to wait until my Soul Skill reached a certain level before having me join."
"Then what do you think?"
Huo Lingtong said somewhat hesitantly, "Although my talent is the worst, I'd still rather stay in the Martial Soul Department."
She did not know much about Soul Tools, but she knew that if she wanted revenge against the White Tiger Duke's Estate, she had to become a powerful Soul Master.
Her talent was poor, but to catch up with them, she would spend more time, effort, and sweat in pursuit.
Wang Dong could not help asking, "Then what if Old Lady Zhou targets you for not joining, or even expels you from Shrek? You saw it yourself. She means what she says."
"Well..."
Nan Zhuliu suggested, "It's simple. The best way is to become a core disciple of the Martial Soul Department. As long as you become one, even your homeroom teacher can't expel you at will."
"Besides, joining the Soul Tool Department isn't necessarily a bad thing. As I just said, both your Martial Soul and your Soul Skill are very well suited to studying Soul Tools. You might shine brilliantly in that field. The only thing you need to watch out for is not getting involved with Teacher Zhou's husband."
Nan Zhuliu's words were like an anointing of wisdom poured over her head, and Huo Lingtong instantly saw the light. "I understand."
The three chatted as they walked, unaware that the old man sitting at the entrance had heard their entire conversation.
The old man slowly opened his eyes. A chilling glint flashed in the depths of his cloudy yellow eyes. "Interesting, interesting."
"This child named Nan Zhuliu not only possesses a Martial Soul with the very finest dragon bloodline, but his insight, courage, and intellect are also first-rate even across the entire Outer Court of Shrek Academy."
"What a fine case of killing with a borrowed knife. What a fine case indeed! Hahaha."
"But I refuse to let you have your way. I'd like to see just how far you can go."
"As for this Zhou Yi, she's somewhat troublesome. That Fan Yu, if I remember correctly, seems to be Duoduo's future successor..."
How could Nan Zhuliu possibly not have known that Mu En had heard his conversation word for word?
Just as Mu En had muttered to himself, he wanted to kill with a borrowed knife. Whether it succeeded or not, he would lose nothing either way.
The afternoon lesson for First-Year Class Nine was still on the fundamentals of Soul Masters, while the physical training for First-Year Class One went up another level in difficulty.
The afternoon classes soon passed, and Huo Lingtong and Wang Dong both rushed straight back to the dormitory to wash up.
Nan Zhuliu went to the cafeteria for dinner and picked up a portion for Huo Lingtong while he was there.
Outside the gates of Shrek Academy-
Huo Lingtong said somewhat apologetically, "Sorry, everyone. Starting today, I'll be busy with classes and cultivation, so from now on, I'll only sell thirty grilled fish a day at most."
No one in the long line complained.
After yesterday's incident, everyone who came to buy grilled fish behaved themselves. They knew that behind the seemingly delicate Huo Lingtong stood a backer whose strength utterly overwhelmed Xu Sanshi, someone who ranked near the top even among the upper-year students.
In fact, when they heard that Huo Lingtong was only selling thirty grilled fish, the first thirty people in line secretly rejoiced, glad they had come early today.
Although those beyond the thirtieth spot felt indignant, when they looked at the person beside Huo Lingtong with two conspicuous points of golden light on his head, the extraordinarily long line silently dispersed of its own accord.
"Bei Bei, can you smell that? It smells so good, like Lingtong's grilled fish."
Bei Bei and Tang Ya walked over.
At the sight of Huo Lingtong, Tang Ya's eyes lit up, and she jogged over. "I was wondering when a vendor with such great cooking skills had shown up by the academy. So it's you selling grilled fish, Lingtong."
"Sister Tang Ya and Brother Bei Bei! So you're students at Shrek Academy too." Huo Lingtong greeted them happily.
After greeting her, Bei Bei smiled without saying anything.
He was somewhat puzzled as to how Huo Lingtong, who had only obtained her first Soul Ring and broken through to become a Soul Master a few days ago, had entered Shrek Academy.
Surely it was impossible for her accumulated foundations to erupt and carry her straight to rank fifteen, no matter how he thought about it.
"Lingtong, your grilled fish smells as good as ever. Could you sell me one?" Tang Ya winked playfully at Huo Lingtong.
As soon as she said this, the students waiting in line glared at her.
As though she had not caught her meaning, Huo Lingtong said, "Sorry, Sister Tang Ya. I only prepared thirty fish today, and these senior students have already been waiting a long time. I can't make them wait so long for nothing. Tomorrow, I'll prepare a few extra so you can eat your fill. Is that all right?"
Tang Ya could not help feeling a little disappointed. "All right..."
After Bei Bei and Tang Ya left together, the students in front of the stall all gave Huo Lingtong thumbs-ups, leaving her somewhat bewildered.
The student at the front, dressed in a yellow school uniform, explained quietly, "Senior Brother Bei is very famous in the Outer Court. He and Senior Brother Xu from yesterday are known together as the Outer Court Twin Stars."
"They say he broke through to rank thirty when he was twelve. Now he's thirteen, and his cultivation is already close to rank forty. He'll break through to become a Soul Ancestor within two years at the latest. He's one of the strongest in the entire Outer Court."
"If it weren't for keeping Senior Sister Tang Ya by his side company, Senior Brother Bei's strength should have made him a fifth-year student long ago."
"And Senior Sister Tang Ya has always been flighty and never thinks before she speaks. She's offended plenty of people in the Outer Court, but everyone lets it slide out of consideration for Senior Brother Bei. You're the first person who's dared to turn her down."
Huo Lingtong was surprised inwardly, but did not show it on her face.
Realizing he had said a little too much, the student in the yellow uniform hurriedly added, "Junior Sister, I'm only telling you this because you took us into consideration. Please don't tell them."
Huo Lingtong smiled. "Don't worry, Senior Brother. I won't tell anyone."
"Your grilled fish is ready, Senior Brother. Here you go."