"Welcome to Shrek Academy, everyone! I am Headmaster Flender. In a little while, each of you will pay Teacher Li in the finance department 100 Gold Soul Coins as tuition!"
"Dismissed. Your first lesson will be this evening!"
Shrek's teaching methods were remarkably casual-so casual that one could not help wondering whether this was a proper school at all.
For combat-oriented Soul Masters like Shangguan Hong, Tang San, and the others, Flender had arranged nothing. Instead, the team's two Support System Soul Masters, Oscar and Ning Rongrong, were assigned laps. Familiar with the plot, Shangguan Hong knew that Ning Rongrong would reveal her little witch's true nature during this training session.
But Shangguan Hong did not care in the slightest! A little witch's true nature? Before a real devil, that was merely a child's mischief!
Shangguan Hong did not squander the day. Oscar would soon break through to level 30, and then they would head to the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt Soul Beasts! On this trip to the Star Dou Great Forest, Tang San would obtain one of his greatest future assets: the External Soul Bone, the Eight Spider Lances. That was a rare treasure indeed.
As the saying went, treasures belonged to the virtuous. From the very moment Shangguan Hong arrived in this world, he knew that he was the most virtuous of all, and that all treasures were rightfully fated to be his!
Still, securing the Eight Spider Soul Bone would require a detailed plan...
Time flew by. That evening, Flender led the Shrek group to the Suotuo City Great Soul Arena. This was Shrek Academy's first lesson for these new students. Apart from Shangguan Hong and two returning students, everyone was participating in a Soul Fighting match for the first time. Shangguan Hong, however, also pretended to know nothing and listened carefully to Dai Mubai's explanation.
Flender had already vanished. There had been no word from Ma Hongjun since last night, and he was burning with anxiety. He decided to search a few of the establishments Ma Hongjun particularly favored.
Meanwhile, Dai Mubai led the Shrek group toward the Great Soul Arena.
"Today, we're just here to get some practice. Everyone must participate in at least one one-on-one Soul Fighting match. Of course, if you want to participate in two-on-two Soul Fighting, you can form your own teams!"
Dai Mubai led everyone to obtain their first Soul Fighting badges. This time, Shangguan Hong chose to register under his real identity. Looking at the most ordinary of Soul Fighting badges in his hand, his eyes brimmed with nostalgia.
He had no intention of forming a team today and only registered for the most ordinary one-on-one Soul Fighting match.
Good thing I kept something up my sleeve back then...
Shangguan Hong was not remotely worried about exposing his identity as Young Master Bai. Amid the encouragement of his many companions behind him, he stepped into the Soul Fighting Arena. His opponent this time was a level 34 Power Attack System Soul Elder, which counted as the Great Soul Arena's welcome gift for newcomers participating in their first match.
Naturally, there were no surprises in the outcome. Shangguan Hong did not use the formidable close-combat techniques he employed when fighting as Young Master Bai. He merely summoned Azir. Under the soldiers' onslaught, the level 34 Soul Elder soon could not hold out any longer, and he duly secured his first victory under the identity of Shangguan Hong.
After finishing his match, Shangguan Hong headed back to Shrek Academy ahead of the others. Of course, that was merely an excuse. He found a dark alley and slipped inside in a flash.
"Flender went looking for Ma Hongjun. Heh, how could he possibly find anything?"
The stench in the alley did nothing to affect Shangguan Hong's appetite, nor did it affect Baron Nashor's.
Several idle youths with hair dyed every color were discussing where to get some pocket money in the alley. Yet when they turned their heads, they saw a purple-haired youth walking toward them with a whole roasted rabbit in his hand. Confusion filled their minds, but then their consciousness plunged into darkness.
The purple sea of death flowed through every corner of the alley, and these youths became appetizers for the Baron's feast.
No one would come to an out-of-the-way place like this, so Shangguan Hong listened to Baron Nashor's chewing as he changed into the outfit unique to Young Master Bai, then headed alone to the local Spirit Hall Branch.
"Friend, what brings you here?"
Suotuo City's Spirit Hall Branch looked far grander than Nuoding City's. Since it was already late, there were few people inside, and Shangguan Hong's outfit was simply too conspicuous. The moment he stepped into the branch, a Spirit Hall staff member approached him.
Looking at the puzzled gaze opposite him, Shangguan Hong suddenly produced a strange token in his hand.
The token was black iron in color and about the same size as Spirit Hall's honorary tokens, except that a strange scythe was engraved on it.
"Sorry for the trouble, but please call your deacon out! Tell him a Scavenger is here!"
A Scavenger?
The Soul Grandmaster surnamed Li who was receiving Shangguan Hong froze, feeling that the name sounded somewhat familiar...
Wait!
Soul Grandmaster Li's pupils abruptly contracted!
Hadn't something major happened in Nuo'er City not long ago? A criminal gang composed of six Soul Masters had been wiped out in one fell swoop, causing quite a stir! The head of the Spirit Hall Branch in Nuo'er City had even received a commendation from above because of it. Rumor had it that the Scavengers seemed to have had a hand in it!
As for these Scavengers, they could probably be considered a minor, unranked faction. They had no sect, only a group of executioners each seeking what they needed, much like an assassin organization. Yet this assassin organization was legal. After all, even within Spirit Hall, quite a few people tried to establish connections with the Scavengers. But these assassins were exceedingly proud and disdained setting foot in small cities.
It was precisely for this reason that the news of a Scavenger appearing in Nuo'er City had been treated as a joke.
"Please wait a moment, sir!"
Soul Grandmaster Li dared not neglect him and quickly summoned their branch's deacon. Soon, an old man with snow-white hair came hurrying up to Shangguan Hong.
"This way, honored guest!"
Looking at the old man's warmly welcoming face, Shangguan Hong could not be bothered to exchange pleasantries. Time was precious, so he stated his request directly.
"You mean you want a list of the Soul Masters in our Suotuo City whose crimes are piled to the heavens?"
The deacon froze. He had heard something about people like the Scavengers. Didn't they work for money?
"Yes. Someone paid a hefty price for me to purge Suotuo City. I imagine your Suotuo City Spirit Hall Branch would be happy to see that happen too?"
Shangguan Hong lied without blushing or missing a breath.
He was steeped in lies; even his identity as a Scavenger was fake.
Still, a Scavenger really had appeared in Nuo'er City back then, because Shangguan Hong had obtained the token in his hand only after killing that Scavenger. Come to think of it, that Scavenger with level 44 Soul Power had been somewhat troublesome. If Shangguan Hong's summons had not been sufficiently monstrous, and if he had not struck the instant that Scavenger relaxed after completing his mission, the outcome really would have been hard to say.
At first, Shangguan Hong had only grown greedy because that Scavenger possessed abundant Soul Power and seemed to be carrying treasure. But after obtaining this token, Shangguan Hong had made roundabout inquiries and learned about the Scavengers from his many underlings. Thus, he had taken the token and used the identity of a Scavenger to secure ample cultivation resources for himself.
What he needed for cultivation was neither money nor heavenly materials and earthly treasures, but Soul Masters!