Yan Shaozhe (Part 2)

"Young people really are something. They fall asleep the moment they hit the ground."

Behind him, the soul tool lamps of the outer academy formed a continuous expanse, laying golden veins across Shrek Academy. The vast night wind blew from afar, stirring Ling Bai's golden hair as he held Ma Xiaotao in his arms and let out a helpless sigh.

In that battle just now, he had used every trump card he possessed. Aside from not activating the soul bone skill of the Blazing Bone Dragon Vulture, he had thrown out every technique he knew, barely managing to subdue Ma Xiaotao, who had fought on instinct alone while still holding back her sixth soul skill, Phoenix Meteor Shower. If she regained her senses and the two of them fought fairly one-on-one, Ling Bai did not dare guarantee that he could defeat this Evil Fire Phoenix Soul Emperor.

On his very first day at Shrek Academy, she had already dumped such a huge mess on him. He truly did not dare imagine how he was supposed to live from now on.

A moment later, Ling Bai landed by Sea God Lake and discovered that Ma Xiaotao's hands had somehow wrapped around his neck. Half of her face was flushed a rosy red, making that peerlessly beautiful face appear even more radiant and captivating.

"She's actually... quite pretty when she isn't attacking."

Ling Bai spoke softly. Ma Xiaotao absolutely possessed the face of an angel and the body of a devil. If her temperament were just a little gentler, she would have been even more perfect.

One of the two living volcanoes of the inner academy—what brave soul would dare touch her?

Suddenly, Ling Bai sensed something and looked in a certain direction. A speck of white light was approaching at an astonishing speed, landing before him after no more than three or four blinks.

It was a middle-aged man in white. His handsome features carried a trace of refined elegance, his hair was meticulously combed, and his entire body radiated a comfortable aura of light.

"Oh, you're here?"

Ling Bai stared at him with lifeless fish eyes, looking exactly like a dead salted fish.

Even a clay figure had some temper. This man was clearly a teacher of Shrek Academy, and his status could not possibly be low. Ling Bai would not believe, even if he thought about it with his little finger, that the man had only arrived late after he and Ma Xiaotao had fought so fiercely and caused such a massive commotion!

"Yes, student."

The middle-aged man was no simple character either. Faced with the faintly sarcastic tone in Ling Bai's voice, his expression did not change in the slightest. It was as though two large words were truly written across his face:

Thank you!

"I am Yan Shaozhe, dean of the academy's Spirit Soul Department. Ma Xiaotao is my personal disciple. Her Phoenix Evil Fire has always been a source of concern, yet it erupted tonight without any warning. Fortunately, you were here, student. How is it? You weren't injured, were you?"

"I was. Very seriously."

"It's fine as long as you're... huh?"

Yan Shaozhe's pupils trembled slightly. The speech he had prepared sank like a stone into the sea. He stared at Ling Bai, whose aura had suddenly withered, and screamed inwardly.

He's faking it!

He's absolutely faking it!

He had clearly seen it—after fighting Ma Xiaotao, Ling Bai had looked completely fine. One second he was lively and full of vigor; the next, he was on the verge of death from severe injuries. Who would believe that?!

Ling Bai coughed weakly twice and said feebly, "Dean Yan, Senior Xiaotao's Phoenix Flame was far too powerful. I was fortunate enough to barely survive, but now evil fire is raging everywhere inside my body. It's all right. I can endure it. Although I'm only a weak four-ring Soul Ancestor, although I'm merely a new Shrek student who has just arrived... I deeply understand that one should give to one's fellow students without seeking anything in return. I am willing to give everything for my senior, even if the Phoenix Evil Fire leaves hidden injuries that delay my future. I would never take so much as a needle or thread from Shrek Academy... Don't worry, I won't tell anyone..."

!!!

Ma Xiaotao, who had quietly awakened, bit her lower lip hard and desperately held back her laughter, to the point that her face twisted slightly.

Too wicked!

This kid was far too wicked!

Ma Xiaotao knew that Ling Bai had surely realized Yan Shaozhe had arrived long ago. Perhaps Yan Shaozhe had deliberately chosen not to intervene immediately because he wanted to test him, so Ling Bai had gone along with it and openly and covertly extorted Yan Shaozhe!

Yan Shaozhe's face darkened the more he listened. At last, he waved a hand and said with a smile that did not reach his eyes, "Listen to yourself. Do you take Shrek Academy for a place that cannot distinguish right from wrong? You were injured protecting a fellow student, so the academy must reward you. Here, take this!"

As he spoke, Yan Shaozhe tossed Ling Bai a white jade bottle.

When he removed the wooden stopper, a fragrant scent wafted out. Through the mouth of the bottle, Ling Bai could see three pills the size of longans lying quietly within. They were crystalline and translucent, with faint halos of light flowing across their emerald green surfaces.

"Soul Nurturing Pills. Dean, you're generous."

Ling Bai expressed his thanks to Yan Shaozhe.

Yan Shaozhe raised a brow. "It seems you've taken them before?"

Soul Nurturing Pills were the advanced form of Soul Ascension Pills. They were refined from the essence of more than thirty ten-thousand-year plant-type soul beasts and possessed miraculous effects that cleansed the tendons and marrow while nourishing the spirit.

Only a very small number of plant-type soul masters on Douluo Continent could refine Soul Nurturing Pills, and their annual yield was merely three to five pills.

Although Ling Bai had recognized the Soul Nurturing Pills, Yan Shaozhe felt that he did not seem particularly delighted. Instead, he appeared rather perfunctory:

Soul Nurturing Pills? Not bad, not bad. Thanks.

Only disciples from top families or major sects had encountered Soul Ascension Pills. Ling Bai's reaction made Yan Shaozhe hesitate somewhat over the plan he had been preparing.

"Dean, my name is Ling Bai. I come from the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect."

He had enrolled earlier using a letter of recommendation from the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect. If Yan Shaozhe wanted to investigate, he could certainly obtain this basic information from Du Weilun, so Ling Bai simply told him frankly.

"The Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect?" Yan Shaozhe suddenly understood.

No wonder Ling Bai had been somewhat dismissive of the Soul Nurturing Pills. The Sect Guardian Douluo of the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect was the strongest surviving plant-type Titled Douluo on the continent today!

His title was Jian Mu!

Jian Mu Douluo was a powerhouse from the same generation as Mu En, the Dragon God Douluo and master of the Sea God Pavilion. Even Yan Shaozhe, the dean of the Spirit Soul Department, had to bow and respectfully address him as Senior. The Soul Nurturing Pill was a top-grade pill that Jian Mu Douluo had improved from the Soul Ascension Pill in his younger years.

With Ling Bai's talent as someone from the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, the sect and Jian Mu Douluo would probably let him eat Soul Nurturing Pills like candy.

"Has Senior Jian Mu been well in recent years?"

Yan Shaozhe had once heard his teacher, Mu En, mention that when the two great figures of the Body Sect had caused chaos across the continent, it had been Mu En and Jian Mu Douluo who went to stop them.

After a fierce battle, Mu En, the Dragon God Douluo, severely wounded Du BiSi, the master of the Body Sect. Du BiSi retreated to the Body Sect and died years later when his injuries proved incurable. Mu En had also paid the terrible price of one vertebra, leaving him unable to straighten his back for the rest of his life.

Jian Mu Douluo had fought Du Busi alone for three days and three nights. Both were severely injured, and Jian Mu Douluo was left with a lasting ailment. From then on, he retired into the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect and vanished from public view.

"The same as before."

Ling Bai's tone was calm. Those five simple words gave no indication of how much truth they contained.

"When the great edifice was about to collapse, he stepped forward. Jian Mu Douluo is a senior I deeply respect, though unfortunately I have never had the honor of meeting him. His presence is a blessing for both the continent and the academy," Yan Shaozhe said with emotion.

"Leave Xiaotao to me. Your injuries are not light, so go back and rest properly. I'll think further about your compensation."

Using the excuse Ling Bai had given him as his own excuse, Yan Shaozhe took Ma Xiaotao from Ling Bai's arms, turned, and left.