"This is bad. Fatty, what kind of terrible idea was that?"
"You boys are the worst! So filthy! Can't you be pure and noble like our Third Brother?"
Seeing Zhu Zhuqing run to Taoyuan Academy in such a disheveled state, Tang San and Xiao Wu understood what had likely happened and started blaming Ma Hongjun.
Ma Hongjun felt a little guilty. He admitted that he had egged Dai Mubai on, but he hadn't expected Boss Dai to actually be so bold, nor had he expected that a fiancée would resist so fiercely, as if her life depended on it.
Just then, Dai Mubai arrived outside Taoyuan Academy and shouted, "Zhu Zhuqing, you are my fiancée! What good does it do to hide in someone else's academy? With our parents' order and the matchmaker's word, do you really think you can run away?"
On the training grounds of Taoyuan Academy, Wang Sheng put on a pair of iron fists, which would amplify the power of his Tiger Form Fist. He stood at the academy gate with his arms crossed, staring intently at Dai Mubai. If Dai Mubai dared to force his way in, he would strike with a heavy blow!
Inside the academy, Su Ran's figure finally appeared. Following behind him was a young girl in pink and white. Ning Rongrong looked radiant and full of life. In the past, she only liked to call him "Teacher" when she had a question about an ultimate technique, but now, she called him "Teacher" for any reason at all.
Moreover, with the formation of her second layer of the Golden Bell, she could now easily handle some of the basic training, and some of it could even be canceled. The focus now was more on refining her blood and bones, which was mainly catalyzed through diet and spirit power circulation. This gave her more time to cling to Su Ran.
Seeing the multiple bloody scratches on Zhu Zhuqing, Ning Rongrong couldn't help but cover her mouth. She went forward to help Zhu Zhuqing up, her heart aching for her. She applied the White Medicine Jade Skin Ointment her teacher had given her to the wounds.
"What happened to you? You're so injured."
"Fortunately, the injuries aren't too severe. What happened?" Su Ran asked.
But Zhu Zhuqing knelt directly in front of Su Ran, leaving Ning Rongrong stunned.
"Teacher, I have understood the question you asked me before. Since I have decided to follow you on a different path, I must press forward without hesitation and not care about the shackles that hold me back."
"I want to become strong, not just to survive, but to live for myself! I want to defeat Dai Mubai, and I want to break free from the control of my family!"
"Please accept me as your disciple!"
When Ning Rongrong heard Zhu Zhuqing's final words, her eyes went wide. Wait, what? My heart ached for you because you were covered in wounds, I'm treating you and putting medicine on you, and you're here to steal my teacher?!
"Have you thought it through?"
"I have thought it through."
"Very well. Go and bring a cup of tea, kowtow to me three times, bow three times, and recite this oath. From this day forward, you will be my disciple."
A Peach Blossom Token flew out from Su Ran's sleeve and floated into Zhu Zhuqing's hand.
Dragging her injured body, Zhu Zhuqing brought a cup of peach blossom tea from the Taoyuan Pavilion and, with a thud, knelt before Su Ran, performing three kowtows and three bows.
On the back of the Peach Blossom Token was an oath:
"In all the mortal world, I, Zhu Zhuqing, have but one master, who can move mountains, sever rivers, overturn seas, open the heavens, command gods, and pluck the stars!"
[Ding~]
[Disciple Zhu Zhuqing has been accepted. Zhu Zhuqing's aptitude level is S, age 12, rank 27.]
[Disciple acceptance reward issued: Spirit power increased, all Spirit Ring years increased by approximately 10%, awarded a 30,000-year Hell Beast Spirit Bone (to be absorbed by the disciple, can be shared by the master), awarded one of the three great ultimate techniques of the Hell series (pending selection).]
[Su Ran]
[Rank: 73]
[Martial Soul: Divine Peach Blossom Branch]
[Shared Disciple Martial Souls: Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, Hell Civet]
[First Spirit Ability: Illusory Branch — An illusion skill, 850 years → 935 years]
[Second Spirit Ability: Dream Peach Sword — ...1500 years → 1650 years]
[Third Spirit Ability: Crimson Snowstorm — ...4200 years → 4620 years]
[Fourth Spirit Ability: Crimson Moon's Splendor — ...11,200 → 12,210 years]
[Fifth Spirit Ability: Thousand Blazing Peach Slashes — ...22,300 years → 24,530 years]
[Sixth Spirit Ability: Nine Luminaries Peach Blossom Sword — ...44,300 years → 48,730 years]
[Seventh Spirit Ability: Mortal Dust True Body, 77,300 years → 85,030 years.]
"Go back. Zhu Zhuqing has already become my disciple. From now on, she is a student of Taoyuan Academy and has nothing more to do with your Shrek Academy," the masked Su Ran said calmly, walking to the academy gate to address the group from Shrek.
"As for you, Dai Mubai, it would be best if you did not come to bother her again."
Hearing this, the students from Shrek looked at each other in disbelief.
"Did Zhu Zhuqing really join Taoyuan Academy?"
"Holy crap, this Taoyuan Academy is insane, always stealing students from our academy."
"Wait, what? Am I the only girl left at Shrek now?" Xiao Wu asked, bewildered.
Dai Mubai's face was ashen. "Teacher Su Ran, aren't you going too far? Zhuqing was already a student of our Shrek Academy. How can she just join your Taoyuan Academy?"
"So what?" Su Ran retorted. "Did she ever formally become a disciple of any of your Shrek teachers?"
"Well, no."
"In that case, a student has the right to choose their school and the right to withdraw. Moreover, she has already become my disciple. It is only natural that she joins Taoyuan Academy," Su Ran stated coolly.
"But she is still my fiancée! What right do you have to tell me not to see her?" Dai Mubai felt incredibly aggrieved. Ever since this Taoyuan Academy had appeared across from Shrek, nothing good had happened to him.
"Fiancée. She is merely a fiancée. Even if you were married, does she not have the right to leave?" Su Ran said coldly.
"Isn't a woman just an accessory to a man? This is a marriage alliance between our families. How can she leave just because she wants to?"
"And why can't she? Didn't you also choose to run away and leave your clan? Are you the only one allowed to escape while others are not allowed to choose to leave?"
Su Ran's words stabbed Dai Mubai right in the heart.
Dai Mubai gritted his teeth, a dark light flickering in his eyes. "Our engagement is not an ordinary family alliance. If you interfere, do you know what the consequences will be?"
"Since I, Su Ran, have accepted this disciple, I will face whatever trouble comes our way in the future," Su Ran declared, completely fearless.
So what if it's a marriage alliance between the great clans of the Star Luo Empire?
Although the empire's army was formidable, they had few truly powerful Spirit Masters. As long as he taught his students well and nurtured Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing, with the feedback from his disciple system, he could probably break through to the Spirit Douluo realm within two years, perhaps even obtaining a 100,000-year Spirit Ring. At that point, no one in the entire Star Luo Empire could make him afraid.
"Then let's do it according to the rules of my Star Luo Empire!" Dai Mubai shouted. "Let Zhu Zhuqing come out and face me in a Spirit Master duel. Whoever wins gets to decide."
Su Ran glanced at Dai Mubai with a look of disdain, then turned and walked back into the academy.
"A Spirit Master duel? Are you even worthy?"
"In less than a year, I can teach her to be stronger than you."
The White Tiger Martial Soul, with the bloodline of a holy beast and astonishing killing power, yet its ancestral defensive spirit ability is the White Tiger Protective Barrier. What kind of waves can he possibly make with that?
"If that's the case, why don't you dare to let her fight me? Have you no respect for the rules?"
"The reason is simple. Your Star Luo rule is that the strong make the decisions. Right now, I am the strong one. So, I make the decisions."
Su Ran stood under the peach tree. From the heavens, a peach blossom branch descended, breaking through the sky like a divine miracle!
(End of Chapter)