Farewell, Flender

Lan Hong looked at Old Cat Grandpa and smiled faintly.

"It's me! Old Cat Grandpa, I came back to see you and everyone else!"

"Hehe! So it's you, kid. You've changed so much after just a few years—and you even found yourself a pretty girlfriend!"

"Old Cat Grandpa, you..."

"That's right, I'm Little Hong's girlfriend. Hello, Grandpa, my name is Dugu Yan!"

"Good! Good! Haha! Don't just stand there. Hurry inside and have a seat!"

Dugu Yan looked at Lan Hong with a mischievous smile, while Lan Hong could only feel helpless.

After entering the house, Lan Hong took out the things he had prepared for Old Cat Grandpa from his Spatial Soul Tool.

"Ah! Why did you buy so many things, child? I don't lack anything here!"

"How could you not lack anything? It's not like I don't know what kind of life you all live!

I won't leave too many Gold Soul Coins behind, lest someone set their sights on them!"

"I'm already satisfied just seeing you come back to visit me! How have you been these past few years?"

"I've been doing very well. You don't need to worry about me at all!"

"Yeah! He's amazing! He's a genius!"

"That's good!"

At that moment, Lan Hong checked Old Cat Grandpa's pulse. There was nothing wrong with his health; it was simply inevitable that his bodily functions had declined with age.

"These are pills I prepared for you, Old Cat Grandpa. Take one every seven days, and they'll strengthen your body and keep all illnesses at bay.

There are also Poison Evasion Pills and some wound medicine. I prepared them in case of emergencies."

"Why did you prepare so many things? These medicines aren't cheap. You should keep them for yourself!"

"I refined all these medicines myself. I still have plenty, so just accept them without worry!"

"Good! Good! Little Hong has really made something of himself! You won't be staying long this time either, will you?"

"Mm! I'll stay for a few days at most, then I'll leave. Sorry, I can't spend more time with you!"

"What are you saying? Silly child! It's all right. The world outside belongs to you young people. As long as you remember these old bones, I'm already content!"

Lan Hong stayed in Cat King Village for several days. He visited every household and brought gifts, making everyone happy and proud of him.

Several days later, Lan Hong bid Old Cat Grandpa farewell and left Cat King Village. Though he was still somewhat reluctant to leave, there was nothing he could do about it.

"Where are we going next?"

"First, we'll head to Suotuo City to see a friend. I hope she's doing well!"

"A friend? A man or a woman?"

"A woman!"

"Don't tell me she's your first love?"

"No!"

"That's good!"

Lan Hong did not respond. He was thinking about Xiao Wu. Though he had explained some things to Xiao Wu before leaving, he could not guarantee whether she would become like she was in the original plot.

After all, Xiao Wu had ultimately become the sheath of the Asura Sword in the original plot. If the Asura God had interfered, it would not be surprising if Xiao Wu's personality had been twisted into anything at all—but that was the outcome Lan Hong least wanted to see.

Several days later, Lan Hong and Dugu Yan arrived in Suotuo City. By coincidence, it was exactly two days before Shrek Academy's admissions.

"Many people here are talking about Shrek Academy's admissions. Is Shrek Academy some impressive academy? How come I've never heard of it?"

"You've never heard of it?"

"No!"

"Qin Ming graduated from Shrek Academy. That method he used to train the body was also taught by Shrek Academy!"

"What! That harmful method was taught by that lousy Shrek Academy? How has an academy like that not been shut down?"

"Is it possible that Shrek Academy itself isn't legitimate?"

"Huh?"

"The reason all of Suotuo City is discussing Shrek Academy's admissions is simply because someone has been spreading rumors.

An academy that only recruits monsters has quite the gimmick. It can attract plenty of people!"

"It only recruits monsters?"

"Twelve years old, Soul Power above level twenty, optimal Spirit Rings, and a certain degree of actual combat ability. Those are Shrek Academy's admission standards."

"Geniuses like that would be key students at any academy, all right!

What gives Shrek Academy the confidence to recruit such geniuses?"

"Other than having fairly decent teachers, Shrek Academy has nothing! And the teachers are only strong in terms of strength. As for teaching? I won't comment!"

"Why do you know so much?"

"I lived here for a few months and carefully investigated Shrek Academy's situation!"

At that moment, Lan Hong and Dugu Yan stopped in front of a shop. Lan Hong remembered that this shop belonged to Flender.

"Hmm? What is it? Is there something special about this shop?"

"Let's go in and take a look!"

Lan Hong entered the shop and saw Flender reading, with absolutely no intention of receiving customers.

Lan Hong did not mind. He casually browsed around and saw that the Crystal Plate was still there, which meant Tang San had not come here yet.

"This place is full of junk. There's nothing good here at all!"

"There really isn't anything good, but these damaged Soul Tools are somewhat useful to me."

Lan Hong picked out several Soul Tools, took the Crystal Plate, and walked over to Flender.

Flender glanced at them and directly quoted a price of two hundred Gold Soul Coins.

"The market price for these damaged Soul Tools is ten Gold Soul Coins. I don't know the value of this crystal, but two hundred Gold Soul Coins is far too high. One hundred Gold Soul Coins."

"Five hundred Gold Soul Coins!"

"Fifty Gold Soul Coins!"

"Are you here to pick a fight?"

"Spirit Hall's emblem can't be used however you like. If I report you to Spirit Hall, do you think they'll shut this shop down?"

"You're threatening me! Do you know who I am?"

"Four-eyed Cat Eagle Flender!"

"Hmm? You know me? Huh! You look somewhat familiar!"

"It's been several years. Principal Flender hasn't changed much!"

"You're Hong Mao?"

"It's me!"

"So it's you, kid! You disappeared without a sound several years ago. I thought you'd died long ago!

Since we know each other, I'll give you a discount. One hundred Gold Soul Coins!"

"Then thank you!"

Lan Hong paid one hundred Gold Soul Coins and left. His relationship with Flender was only that much; they were not close enough to sit down and reminisce.

"Has that kid made it big? He paid one hundred Gold Soul Coins without batting an eye, and the girl beside him doesn't look ordinary either. Did he latch onto a rich woman? Forget it, none of my business! I made a profit today anyway!"

Only after leaving Flender's shop did Dugu Yan speak.

"You called him Principal Flender just now. Could he be..."

"Mm! He's Flender, the principal of Shrek Academy!"

"The principal acts like that, so one can imagine what Shrek Academy must be like!

You said you came to see a friend. Don't tell me your friend is planning to join that Shrek Academy?"

"Maybe! We'll know once we find her and ask!"

"Where are you going to look for her?"

"Follow me!"

Lan Hong brought Dugu Yan to the Rose Hotel. Dugu Yan was not ignorant of such things, and her face flushed slightly.

"Why did you bring me to a place like this?"

"Didn't I say so? We're waiting for my friend!"