"Wang Sheng, I'm willing to increase the enrollment subsidy I offered you to 50 Gold Spirit Coins per year. Furthermore, the academy will unconditionally prioritize helping you select and hunt for your Spirit Rings. What do you say? Join our Shrek Academy."
"Dean Flender, I've told you before, I cannot switch allegiances. I will be wherever my teacher is. Unless my teacher goes to teach at your Shrek Academy, it's impossible for me to join. I'm sorry."
"Kid, this offer is already generous enough. Don't be greedy. At most, I'll also arrange for a luxurious private room for you. Isn't it time to nod your head?"
"I'm sorry, Dean Flender, but I refuse."
"Don't refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit, kid. I'm kindly trying to recruit you into our Shrek with so many benefits, and you're not even tempted? Do you really enjoy being a watchdog at this Taoyuan Academy?"
"Look at you! Does Su Ran even treat you like a human? He's making a peerless genius like you guard the gate like a dog, living in the guardhouse. Even if you're not aggrieved, I can't stand to watch it."
"With your talent, if you come to our Shrek, I can train you as a core disciple, letting you shine on the continent and in the Spirit Master Tournament. But at Taoyuan Academy, Su Ran will only ever use you like an animal."
"Look, your spirit power is about to reach rank thirty. He went out to hunt Spirit Rings with two pretty female students, leaving you here to guard the gate. Why didn't he take you with him? He clearly doesn't care about your third Spirit Ring. Don't you feel wronged staying here?"
"Wang Sheng, you're still young. You need to think this through carefully. This is a decision that concerns the rest of your life."
"Dean Flender, please have some self-respect. My teacher is not the kind of person you describe. And I am no watchdog, nor am I some peerless genius. If my teacher hadn't allowed me to study under him, I might still be a nobody, a little Spirit Master who couldn't even dream of reaching the second ring. Being a guard at Taoyuan Academy is my own choice, not something my teacher forced upon me. If you try to drive a wedge between my teacher and me again, then..."
"I must ask you to engage me in a life-or-death duel."
At the entrance of Taoyuan Academy, amidst the falling peach blossoms, Wang Sheng stepped out from the gatehouse. Even though Flender's rank far surpassed his, he showed not a trace of fear.
From the very first day their teacher left with the two junior sisters for the Star Dou Great Forest, this Flender had been loitering outside Taoyuan Academy with shifty eyes, constantly trying to strike up a conversation and persuade him to leave Taoyuan for Shrek. The initial one-time enrollment bonus of 10 Gold Spirit Coins had even been raised to 50 a year. To Wang Sheng, this was an insult.
"A life-or-death duel with me? Are you sure? I'm a Spirit Saint," Flender said, incredulous. "You would surely die." In this day and age, a Spirit Grandmaster dares to challenge a Spirit Saint? Does he have a chance? Isn't he just seeking death?
"I once heard my teacher recite a poem: 'Since ancient times, who can escape death? Let my loyal heart shine in the annals of history.' To die defending the conviction in one's heart, what is there to fear in death?"
"Foolish! Utterly foolish! I've never seen such a blockhead, such a wooden puppet! Ptooey!"
Flender met Wang Sheng's resolute gaze, took a deep breath, spat on the ground, and stormed off with a flick of his sleeve. Damn it. I was hoping to poach a corner while Su Ran was away with his disciples, but I got rejected every time. To be snubbed by a Spirit Grandmaster... I've completely lost face. How could I possibly have the mind to fight him in a life-or-death duel? If word got out, I'd lose face if I won, and even more so if I lost.
"Whoa!"
Not long after Flender left, the spirited neighing of horses sounded from outside Taoyuan Academy.
"We're finally back, phew~"
"Senior Sister Rongrong, don't be angry anymore. Let's get off the horse."
"Hmph, hmph. Seeing as you were on my side in defending Teacher, I'll forgive you for now. But you're not allowed to do that again!"
"Mmm, I know."
Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong returned sharing a horse, Snake Grandma rode with Meng Yiran, while Su Ran and the Dragon Duke each rode one of the thousand-year spirit beasts back from the Star Dou Great Forest.
When it was time to dismount, Zhu Zhuqing leaped from the saddle first and reached up to help Ning Rongrong down. After several hours of bumpy riding and feeling the stimulating impact of the other's "huge assets," Ning Rongrong found Zhu Zhuqing much more pleasing to the eye and haughtily forgave her for her previous "indiscretion."
Snake Grandma and Meng Yiran also dismounted, looking at the peach trees in front of Taoyuan Academy. While not luxurious or grand, it had the feel of a hidden paradise, with peach blossoms dancing in the air and a fresh fragrance drifting on the breeze.
"Is this our Taoyuan Academy? It's so beautiful," Meng Yiran said, her eyes wide. Few girls would dislike such a campus environment filled with peach and maple trees.
"The campus environment is decent, but the academy is too small. It's not even a tenth of the size of the Exotic Beast Academy," the Dragon Duke commented dryly. The Exotic Beast Academy was a high-level Spirit Master academy where Meng Yiran had previously studied. It had performed outstandingly in the Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament and was one of the key academies cultivated by the local kingdom. He and Snake Grandma were also honorary teachers there.
"Hmph! It's small now, but it will definitely get bigger in the future. You just wait," Ning Rongrong huffed.
"Little girl, I know your Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School is rich, but show me some respect. Even if the elders of your school were here, they would still have to address me as Senior Dragon Duke."
"No they wouldn't! You're bluffing."
"Hey..."
"Teacher, you're back?"
"Mmm. We were delayed by two days. Did anything happen while you were guarding the academy alone?" Wang Sheng came out upon hearing the commotion to help tie up the horses, and Su Ran spoke to him.
Wang Sheng scratched his head as he led the two thousand-mile steeds to the stables. "Nothing major. I've already taken care of everything."
"That's good. But if you run into any trouble you can't handle, just let me know."
"Yes, sir!" Seeing Su Ran, Wang Sheng was filled with motivation, feeling energized from head to toe. "But, Teacher, why did you bring back two spirit beasts?"
"One of these beasts is your third Spirit Ring. The other is for your new junior sister."
"Let me introduce you. This is Meng Yiran, my new student. And these are her grandparents. You can call them Elder Dragon and Elder Snake. This is my student, Wang Sheng," Su Ran said.
"Alright, Wang Sheng, take these two beasts to the side courtyard and cage them separately. Use iron cages and at least three large iron chains to bind their limbs. They probably have a few more minutes before they completely break free from my illusion. Be quick, and don't get hurt."
"Yes, of course, Teacher!" Wang Sheng nodded vigorously, a little emotional.
You despicable Flender, do you see this? Who said my teacher doesn't care about me? Who said he wouldn't help me hunt for my third Spirit Ring? My teacher brought my third Spirit Ring right to my doorstep!!! I, Wang Sheng, was originally a nobody. It's all thanks to my teacher that I've come this far. What more could I ask for? Even if he hadn't helped me, I would still willingly follow him just for his looks and charisma! I want to say, even if it means being a dog, what's wrong with being Teacher Su Ran's dog?!
Woof!
Woof woof woof!
In the early morning of the day after Su Ran's group returned, Zhao Wuji also brought the Shrek students back.
However, their return was different from their departure. They had set off running like idiots under a blazing sun. They returned running like idiots in a drizzling rain.
The rain could extinguish fire, but it could not extinguish the passion in Xiao Wu's heart. Even after leaving the Star Dou Great Forest, she couldn't stop thinking about him.
"Teacher Zhao, Third Brother, are you sure you didn't see an extremely handsome young man, about six or seven feet tall, in the forest? He's my lifesaver! Otherwise, I would have been killed by that giant ape! He saved my life; I have to find him."
"Xiao Wu, you've already asked us no less than ten times on the way back. We really didn't see such a person."
"Yeah, Xiao Wu, you keep saying this guy is handsome. Just how handsome is he? How does he compare to Boss Dai?"
"Dai Mubai? Compared to my lifesaver, he's not even worth one ten-thousandth, okay?" Xiao Wu pouted, speechless.
That night, she had actually doubled back and asked Er Ming to help her search for the man, but after a whole night of looking, they found no trace of him. He had likely already left the forest, so she could only return to the Shrek group.
"I won't give up! I will find you!"
Xiao Wu touched her stomach. She had started using the white towel as a belly band so that she could be reminded of the handsome youth at all times, as if he were touching her.
Ma Hongjun and Oscar exchanged glances and then looked at Tang San with pity. Xiao Wu... has she fallen for someone else? She was gone for just one night, and she... Then again, sometimes, if that one night was too amazing, too stunning, it could indeed make one long for it, unable to let go.
Tang San's mood was a little complicated. Xiao Wu was suddenly fawning over another guy, and he felt strangely dejected.
(End of Chapter)