Chapter 36: Shrek's Seven Monsters... Divided!
"This…" Flender opened his eyes a little wider than normal. He never thought he would hear such words from Liu Erlong's mouth. Sure, Flender witnessed how Liu Erlong could be aggressive and even foul-mouthed, but he never did Yu Xiaogang.
Now, however, he called him trash.
"Erlong. This… perhaps it is better to speak calmly? Xiaogang, he…" Even if he wanted to defend his friend, he had few words to do so. Leaving a woman more than ten years old could really not be excused. Even if said woman was actually your cousin sister, the least one could do in such cases, was to try to speak up at the moment, or perhaps days after the shock had worn off a bit.
But then again, Yu Xiaogang knew of their blood relation.
Tang San, who was Yu Xiaogang's disciple, frowned. As a reincarnated man who lived in a sect in his past life, the teachings between master and disciple, as well as the bonds created between them, prevented him from having a much more open view of things.
He was not the least bit satisfied with how his master was treated. And since he also didn't know what his master had done in his youth, then it seemed like an injustice how he was treated.
"Dean Erlong. Aren't you being too disrespectful? My master might not be the strongest person, but he's not someone you can call trash," Tang San said with a serious look. His friends looked at him, some nodded and some just kept quiet, like Zhu Zhuqing, Ning Rong Rong and Xiao Wu.
The former simply didn't want to butt in where she didn't belong, even when a fellow student might get into something dangerous. While they are classmates, the bonds between Tang San and her weren't too deep. At most, they were study partners and teammates.
Ning Rong Rong definitely wouldn't get into this trouble, she already noticed who the man sitting a little further back was. Chen Xin had already warned her not to get into trouble with Percy, so she told him what his appearance was like.
And Xiao Wu, even if she was considered a sister to Tang San and they had lived together for years in Nuoding City's core academy, the current situation brewing was more complicated for her.
Xiao Wu, as a 100,000 year spirit beast turned human, knew of the dangers to her, especially from high level spirit masters who might want to kill her for a 100,000 year spirit bone and spirit ring. But on top of that, her gaze was complicated when she saw Percy.
Except for Percy himself, no one else had noticed her familiar gaze towards him. It was as if Xiao Wu knew him from somewhere.
"Disrespect?" Liu Erlong looked at Tang San before he laughed loudly. Everyone blinked in surprise at the laughter that had not a hint of humor in it.
"Tell me, kid, where are you from? Perhaps… Nuoding?"
Tang San's gaze deepened a bit, but he answered anyway, he was not afraid.
"I was born in holy spirit village. But I studied at Nuoding academy."
"Then…" Liu Erlong's deep gaze fell on Tang San tightly: "When you left the city, have you seen anyone recognize your master? Have you seen anyone outside that city call him Grandmaster?"
"No… right?" Liu Erlong smiled as he saw Tang San's bewildered look.
"The reason for Yu Xiaogang's theory doesn't come from his research, much less his intelligence. He might have interviewed people with different martial spirits, but can that really be called research? No, the answer is obviously a big, absolute no."
"Why don't you tell him the truth, Grandmaster?" Liu Erlong shot Yu Xiaogang a look of mockery and disgust, but he could only tremble slightly, knowing that he was about to be discovered. No, in fact, he had already been discovered.
"Erlong, I… I think we should talk more calmly," he said.
"When I was young and before I met you, your respected grandmaster went to the spirit hall to work. Yes, the spirit hall, that place you seem to despise right now," Liu Erlong completely ignored him, and looked at Tang San seriously.
"As a spiritual hall master, he taught theory and was able to obtain information from the hall's libraries. But even so, he still wanted more. And in order to achieve his goal, he used the then young and naive Bibi Dong, the current pope of the spiritual hall."
"Stop it…" Yu Xiaogang stepped forward, his eyes reddening with anger.
"He not only used Bibi Dong's naivety, he even managed to win her heart so that he could obtain her permission to get his filthy hands on the most secret information of the spiritual hall. All of his theories came from that place! He didn't research anything, he just plagiarized theories and changed some information for some ideas he himself had!"
"Do you know why he is seen as a fool? It's because every theory he wrote is only good for low-level spiritual masters! Tell me, young man, do you really think that true experts would set their eyes on a theory that is useless to them!"
"Stop! Don't say anything else!" Yu Xiaogang shouted angrily as he clenched his fists.
Ignoring the powerless man once again, Liu Erlong continued to speak: "And if that wasn't enough, when Qian Xunji, the former pope and Bibi Dong's master caught your grandmaster's eye, he ran away. He didn't even fight a bit for the woman he had fallen in love with. He panicked, ran away, not even thinking about solving the problem of his martial spirit."
Liu Erlong spread her hands with a disgusted expression.
"In this world filled with miracles, immortal herbs, and all kinds of precious materials, a solution could still be found, but it wasn't. Yu Xiaogang, your vaunted grandmaster, is just cowardly trash."
"No…" she shook her head. "Even some people might pick up trash and turn it into a treasure. He's nothing, he's scum. Something that no one wants, not even his own clan. And that's why he set his sights on me..."
"Brother Flender... do you remember that time? When you were doing our marriage ceremony. When my father came to tell me that I was Yu Xiaogang's first cousin..."
Flender, who had been in a surprising silence listening, nodded seriously. Of course he remembered that moment, not only because it was the moment he completely gave up and let go of his love, but because of the seemingly sad and desolate outcome.
"He knew it, he knew everything. Yu Xiaogang knew that we were first cousins. The only reason he approached me and decided to marry me, was because he wanted a link to the Blue Electric Tyrant Dragon Clan that he was expelled from. He wanted one more chance to prove that he wasn't trash, but instead of using his own ideas or solving his problems, he decided to harm someone else."
"Yu Xiaogang…" Liu Erlong stared at the man with great resentment on her face. The hatred in her eyes was more than clear.
"You don't know how much I hate you. The damage you did to my heart and mind… I hate you so much," she hissed with a voice laced with venom and eyes sharp as daggers.
Flender's fists were clenched tightly and he turned his head slowly.
"Xiaogang… is it true?"
Yu Xiaogang fell silent under Flender's harsh gaze, even the gazes that contained a bit of contempt from Ning Rong Rong and Zhu Zhuqing. Tang San was also staring at him, expecting him to deny everything and for it to be a misunderstanding, but seeing his silence, he could only close his eyes tightly.
"You came for my academy's recruitment, right?" Liu Erlong took a step forward and a purple spirit ring appeared beneath her feet. With a second step, a second spirit ring appeared, but this one was black. And with each step, his spirit rings manifested until they reached the eighth level.
Level 86 Spirit Douluo! Eight spirit rings: purple, black, black, black, black, black, black, and black. Thanks to the rewards from the Goddess of Love's tasks, the ages of his rings had increased by quite a bit.
"Spirit Douluo!" Zhao Wuji exclaimed in shock. "And that setup… How is it possible?"
"I have no problem with you guys entering my academy, I invite you from the heart," Liu Erlong smiled, but his face turned cold as he pointed a finger at Yu Xiaogang.
"But that scum has to get out or die."
Yu Xiaogang had his face full of black lines. He was angry, but he couldn't do anything. He was ashamed that the truths of his life had been revealed, but he couldn't do anything. In this world where the strong had much more say than the weak, Yu Xiaogang couldn't do anything.
His teeth clenched tightly, as did his fists. His eyes were red with resentment as he glared at Liu Erlong for revealing so many things.
Flender let out a sigh as he looked up at the sky. While he would have liked to defend his friend at first, the more Liu Erlong spoke, the angrier he felt. And now he didn't even want to lift a single finger to help. And he also had to think about the future of his students. Flender might be greedy when it came to money, but he would never let the future of Shrek's students be disrupted and held back.
He, Flender, had his pride when it came to being a teacher.
If he had to choose between his students and what he thought of as a good friend, then the former will always be the right choice for him.
"Good…" Flender nodded decisively, "Shrek Academy will join Blue Tyrant Academy."
"Good, Dean…" Ning Rong Rong immediately stepped forward and walked to the other side, right behind Liu Erlong. "Honestly, I didn't want to leave the rest, but I also didn't want to create trouble in this place. My father would even be willing to break my legs if I offend that person."
Zhao Wuji just shook his head before following Flender. Behind them, Oscar and Ma Hongjun followed. While the latter was a bit more shameless than all the people put together, he had loyalty. And Flender was his teacher, he took him in when he thought that his martial spirit would be hopeless thanks to his dark mutation, so he would follow him without any problems.
Furthermore, if they followed Yu Xiaogang, the small reputation they already had for winning fights in the spiritual battle arena would immediately plummet. Following a treacherous man who does despicable things would do that.
Zhu Zhuqing came soon after.
"Zhuqing?…" Dai Mubai asked doubtfully, looking at his fiancée's back.
"I will not follow a despicable man, Dai Mubai. And if I want to survive our families' ceremony, I will need good training and backing. Dean Flender and Dean Liu are offering me this."
"I will not waste the opportunity to gain freedom in my choices."
Dai Mubai frowned even harder. Looking at his fiancée, he let out a sigh. He had already cast her aside for being a coward when he was young. He knew that he had a long way to go if he wanted to be strong and win Zhu Zhuqing's heart.
But…
He looked at Tang San, who hadn't moved a single inch from his spot beside Yu Xiaogang, his master. In this time together, they had formed a friendship and brotherhood, so walking away would also mean going against those ties. It was a bit of a difficult decision for him.
On one side was a girl he desired, and on the other a friend and brother.
Closing his eyes and gritting his teeth, Dai Mubai crossed his arms and stood beside the other two men.
Zhu Zhuqing looked at him coldly at this moment. She had expected it, but she still had some hopes. When Dai Mubai ran away at that time, it had deeply hurt her. And when she found him again, she found that he was a complete bastard who would look for women to spend the night and then not even take responsibility.
"Perfect…" Liu Erlong nodded, but then looked at the pretty and bold Xiao Wu.
"You?"
"She stays by my side," Tang San frowned and glared fiercely. Since they were six, they had been together. Tang San had promised to protect her, and even fell in love with her, even if he didn't know it himself. As in his past life he was locked away in the Tang Sect all his life, he didn't know the love between a woman and a man, so he didn't understand it. Tang San thought the feeling he felt was only that of a brother for his sister.
Regretfully…
"I'm sorry, Brother San," Xiao Wu bowed with her head lowered, in a complete bow. Her eyes had a bit of tears, but she definitely couldn't follow Tang San.
"Xiao… Wu?" Tang San looked at Xiao Wu in shock, retreating two steps.
"No… you'll stay with me, right?" he asked with a confused expression.
"I'm sorry, but I can't disobey my mother's orders," Xiao Wu stood up and looked at Tang San apologetically.
Xiao Wu turned around, leaving Tang San heartbroken and confused.
"Why?" he asked softly, but then shouted: "Xiao Wu! Why, Xiao Wu?!"
The young lady in the pink dress stood in front of Percy under everyone's gaze. She looked at him for a few moments with sad eyes before they changed to determination. Finally, she bowed and spoke respectfully.
"This young lady, Xiao Wu, acknowledges and greets her family's benefactor."
Percy, totally confused, could only manage a serious face and nod.
"There's no need for so many labels, go with the rest of your friends. They will support you in this difficult time for you."
"Thank you...", Xiao Wu smiled lightly before approaching Ning Rong Rong and receiving a hug from her. Zhu Zhuqing also placed her hand on her shoulder. Both girls knew of the close relationship with Tang San, but who knew that the man sitting there would be a benefactor of her family.
They could only admire Xiao Wu for having such filial love and loyalty towards her family as to break a friendship of years.
"Yu Xiaogang…"
Suddenly, Liu Erlong leaped forward, reaching out with her delicate hand towards the head of the man she hated so much.
"Die!"
Yu Xiaogang's eyes widened. He was afraid. Liu Erlong's delicate and soft hand was already inches away from his face, and seemed to contain great power.
"You can't touch my master!!" Tang San shouted angrily as he leaped forward while summoning a hammer from his right hand.
BANG!
A powerful sound reverberated through the place at that moment.
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