Three days later.
The beast tide had been quelled by Spirit Hall.
In a hidden cave abode.
The Sky Azure Bull Python had become a corpse, and Qian Renxue sat cross-legged on the ground, a blood-red Soul Ring pulsing around her.
Her brows were tightly furrowed, and drops of sweat fell from her smooth forehead.
Qian Daoliu watched Qian Renxue anxiously.
Qian Renxue had been absorbing the Sky Azure Bull Python's Soul Ring for three days. The resistance of its remnant soul was even more determined than expected, causing her considerable trouble.
At last, under Qian Daoliu's anxious gaze, the blood-red Soul Ring settled down and slowly slipped into place around Qian Renxue.
Qian Renxue's dark brows relaxed. She slowly opened her eyes, and a dazzling flash of golden light passed through them.
Qian Daoliu let out a long breath and could not help laughing with delight.
"Hahaha, Xiao Xue, you did it! A hundred-thousand-year sixth ring! My granddaughter has the makings of a god!"
Qian Renxue looked at the hundred-thousand-year sixth ring beneath her feet and clenched her fists, her face beaming with joy.
"Grandpa, I did it!"
She had successfully absorbed a hundred-thousand-year sixth ring!
She had successfully snatched it from under Tang San's nose!
Sure enough, with the advantage of foreknowledge, Tang San was nothing to worry about!
The advantage is mine!
Qian Renxue was already considering how to deal with Tang San.
When she returned this time, she would mobilize Spirit Hall's forces to find Tang San and have Elder Ju, Ghost Elder, Snake Lance and Pufferfish strike together to capture him!
Then the world could be brought to order, and Spirit Hall could flourish.
At that moment, Qian Renxue felt as though the Sleeping Dragon himself had possessed her.
Gu Yuena, sleeping in the Star Dou Great Forest, turned over and opened her bewildered purple eyes.
Did someone just borrow my wisdom?
The Shrek group finally returned to Suotuo City.
In the dean's office.
As Flender listened to Zhao Wuji recount the trip to the Star Dou Great Forest, his expression changed several times, filled with shock and fear.
Only when he heard that everyone could be considered to have returned alive did he breathe a sigh of relief.
"Sigh, nothing can happen to these students of the academy. We can't leave them to run wild as we did before. The next time we go Soul Hunting, I'll go with you. We must make sure these children are safe."
Flender sighed, still shaken by the thought of what might have happened.
"You actually encountered a Titled Douluo, and a beast tide too! Nothing happened to Xiao San, did it?"
A voice that sounded somewhat stiff and strange came from outside the door. The curtain was swept aside with a swish, and a middle-aged man with a crew cut hurried in.
Flender's face lit up. "Haha, Xiaogang, you're here!"
"Wuji, let me introduce you. This is my old companion from back then, and Tang San's teacher, Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang. You can call him Grandmaster; that's what everyone in the Soul Master World calls him."
Yu Xiaogang stood ramrod straight, his hands clasped behind his back.
Zhao Wuji's heart stirred, and he looked at Yu Xiaogang in surprise. "So you're the Grandmaster! I've long heard of you!"
"Oh, you've heard my story too?"
Yu Xiaogang's expression softened somewhat as he looked at Zhao Wuji.
Zhao Wuji patted Yu Xiaogang on the shoulder. "Your face is full of stories!"
Yu Xiaogang forced a faint smile onto his stiff face and nodded slightly, standing with his hands behind his back.
"You flatter me, Immovable Wisdom King. If I'm not mistaken, the Titled Douluo you encountered must have come from Spirit Hall. That Titled Douluo from Spirit Hall must have done something to provoke the king of the forest, which was why he came to the forest's outskirts and ultimately unleashed the beast tide."
Zhao Wuji humbly asked for his guidance. "How did you determine that the Titled Douluo came from Spirit Hall, Grandmaster?"
A look of disdain appeared on the Grandmaster's face. "Only people from Spirit Hall would do something that brings calamity upon the continent. Their purpose was naturally to weaken the other powers. Who knows how many Soul Masters died miserably in the Star Dou Great Forest during this beast tide?"
Understanding dawned on Zhao Wuji's face, but he asked in puzzlement, "But Spirit Hall quelled this beast tide in time. Their Soul Master squads rescued quite a few people in danger."
The Grandmaster's expression stiffened, and he said impatiently, "That was nothing more than a ploy by Spirit Hall to buy people's favor."
With that, he hurriedly changed the subject and asked:
"You're back. Xiao San came back with you, didn't he? Nothing happened to him, did it?"
Zhao Wuji sighed, his expression grim.
"On this trip, Xiao Wu was taken by the Titan Giant Ape. Most likely, she's-dead."
Yu Xiaogang frowned deeply, and Flender's face darkened.
Zhao Wuji paused, then continued:
"Tang San, Dai Mubai, Xiao Ao and Fatty were all gravely injured. They're still unconscious."
When Yu Xiaogang heard that something had happened to Tang San, his expression turned anxious. His face darkened, and he glared sharply at Zhao Wuji, shouting in anger:
"What kind of teacher can't even protect his students? If anything happens to Xiao San, I swear I'll destroy you at any cost!"
Zhao Wuji's face instantly darkened. He looked at Yu Xiaogang, who was not even level thirty, with displeasure, a look of disdain on his face. "You? I'm standing right here. Go on, destroy me. Let's see it."
As he spoke, Zhao Wuji took two steps forward, his massive, bulging chest muscles pressing right into Yu Xiaogang's face. He forced Yu Xiaogang back again and again until he fell on his backside.
Flender hurriedly stepped in to smooth things over. "Wuji, we're all on the same side. Xiaogang just spoke without thinking for a moment-"
"Enough!"
Yu Xiaogang cut off Flender's attempt at reconciliation and climbed to his feet, his face livid, his humiliation turning to rage.
He did not dare provoke Zhao Wuji again, so he could only vent all his anger on Flender.
"Flender, I entrusted Xiao San to you, and this is the result you give me?"
"He's my disciple. I treat him like my own son. If Xiao San is left with any injuries that are difficult to heal, Flender, our friendship is over!"
"I'll take Xiao San away from Shrek Academy. Don't think you can ever come looking for me again!"
Scolded to his face by Yu Xiaogang, Flender looked grim. But when he heard Yu Xiaogang speak of ending their friendship, his expression changed, and he hurriedly put on a smile and apologized meekly.
"Xiaogang, it's all my fault. I failed to protect Xiao San. Don't worry, I'll find the best healing-type Soul Master and make sure Xiao San is cured!"
Flender patted his chest.
Yu Xiaogang raised his chin and snorted. "You'd better!"
Zhao Wuji looked at Flender in bewilderment, utterly shaken.
He did not understand how Flender, a perfectly capable Soul Saint, could let Yu Xiaogang, whose cultivation was only that of a Soul Grandmaster, scold him to his face like this.
At that moment, Flender was just like a dog, meekly biting his tail in front of Yu Xiaogang.
A day later, the usually stingy Flender had no choice but to pay a great price. At last, he persuaded a healing-type Soul Emperor to treat Tang San, Dai Mubai and the others.
However, Tang San, Dai Mubai and the others were too badly injured. Parts of their bodies were simply missing. The healing-type Soul Master could only close their wounds; he could not bring the dead back to life or put flesh back on bare bones.
In the end, their injuries healed, but Tang San had also lost those few ounces of flesh forever.
Ma Hongjun's entire backside had caved in.
Dai Mubai and Oscar lay on their stomachs on the bed, one on the left and one on the right. Each had one buttock bulging, while the other half had likewise caved in.
Only when placed together did they look somewhat symmetrical.