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Half an hour later, Shi Quan returned to the forest.
"Zhuang Zhou, how is Shi Quan?" Shi Quan said with a feigned relaxed expression, "It's nothing, he'll recover after resting for a while."
Oscar looked annoyed, "If we hadn't listened to that thief Yu Xiaogang's nonsense back then, we wouldn't be like this today."
"Fortunately, it's not too late to remedy everything." Shi Quan patted Oscar's shoulder comfortingly, "What are your plans after returning this time?"
"We want to rescue our teachers," Oscar paused and said.
"Flender and the others?" Shi Quan nodded, "If I remember correctly, they should be imprisoned in the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, right?"
"Yes."
"Flender and the others were actually implicated by Yu Xiaogang. In fact, as long as Yu Xiaogang is found, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan should not make things difficult for Flender and the others anymore. However, from the investigation, Flender knows where Yu Xiaogang is, but he would rather suffer himself than reveal Yu Xiaogang's location. If you really find Yu Xiaogang and exchange him for Flender's freedom, do you think Flender would be willing?"
"In my eyes, Flender is incompetent, whether as a dean or a teacher. If he hadn't blindly trusted Yu Xiaogang, he wouldn't have ended up like this. Fatty is his Personal Disciple, right? Yet, after being harmed by Yu Xiaogang to such an extent, he still holds onto old sentiments, protecting the Yu Xiaogang who harmed you. When he protected Yu Xiaogang like this, did he ever think of you students?"
Shi Quan's words immediately plunged Oscar into deep thought.
"I can arrange for you to visit Flender at the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. You can have a good talk after you meet." Shi Quan gently patted Oscar's shoulder, "I originally didn't want to comment on your matters, but because you are my brother, I'm commenting a bit here. As for the specific decision, let's talk about it after you've seen Flender."
Shi Quan said no more, his gaze quietly falling on Ma Hongjun.
Oscar's expression, however, changed, clearly indicating he was deep in an internal struggle.
Time passed by minute by minute.
Suddenly, a clear Phoenix cry broke the silence of the forest.
Crimson flames abruptly erupted from Ma Hongjun's body, soaring into the sky. Everything the flames touched turned to ash.
Ma Hongjun's body stretched within the flames. Although he still looked chubby, the fat on his body had clearly shrunk a lot.
His mohawk-style long hair grew several times longer, now reaching his back. His small eyes sparkled with light. As his body moved lightly, fire circulated all over him, and a Phoenix pattern faintly appeared behind him, as if undergoing Nirvana and Rebirth.
At this moment, Fatty had lost his usual lewdness.
"So hot!"
Ma Hongjun suddenly cried out, opening his mouth and inhaling wildly. The crimson flames around his body instantly condensed into threads and gathered into his mouth. In a moment, they had disappeared. His hair also gradually returned to its original color, but his small eyes still sparkled brightly.
"How is it, Fatty?" Oscar quickly leaned forward to ask.
"So cool!" Ma Hongjun laughed heartily, "I feel like my fire has become purer, and my whole body feels lighter than ever before."
Oscar's eyes also showed a hint of joy upon hearing this, "Haha, that's good."
Ma Hongjun patted the Earth off his backside, quickly stood up, looked around, and seeing no sign of Shi Quan, he quickly asked, "Where's Shi Quan? I still need to thank him!"
"Shi Quan consumed a lot this time; he went back to rest. You can thank him later."
Ma Hongjun looked slightly stunned. He could clearly feel the changes in his Physique. His evil fire was now very pure, and it seemed he no longer had to worry about its effects on him in the future.
Shi Quan's action was equivalent to directly changing his Physique, which must have come at a considerable cost.
Thinking of this, Ma Hongjun was filled with gratitude.
"Let's go. I've already arranged accommodation for you at the academy. Stay at the academy for the next few days. We can also confirm Fatty's condition, and if there are any other problems, it will be convenient to solve them together. I've also arranged dinner for you. We haven't gathered in so long, so we should have a good get-together."
Shi Quan greeted the two and led them out of the forest.
Three days later.
Ma Hongjun finally saw Shi Quan again. Even after three days of Cultivation, Shi Quan still had a look of fatigue in his eyes that he couldn't hide, even if he tried to conceal it.
When Ma Hongjun saw this, he was instantly moved to tears, almost kneeling before Shi Quan.
The act must be complete.
Shi Quan pretended to be tired but still very concerned about them, which moved the two even more. Especially when they heard that the two wanted to visit Flender at the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, Shi Quan immediately arranged it for them.
The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan was eager to build a good relationship with Shi Quan. With Shi Quan's intervention, and it only being a visit, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan readily agreed.
As soon as the news came from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, Ma Hongjun and Oscar immediately set off for the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.
On the way.
After much deliberation, Oscar finally recounted to Ma Hongjun what Zhuang Zhou had told him earlier.
Ma Hongjun's expression also became very complicated upon hearing this, "Let's talk after we see Teacher."
"That's all we can do." Oscar leaned back in the carriage and said no more.
After a few more days of travel.
The two finally arrived at the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon's stronghold.
"Please follow me, both of you." The people of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan naturally knew the purpose of their visit and led them to a secluded courtyard.
"Go in, the person you want to see is inside." The guard at the door opened the room.
The two walked into the courtyard. The courtyard was small and very simple.
"I will not reveal Xiaogang's information; you should give up." A hoarse voice came from a room nearby.
Oscar and Ma Hongjun's expressions stiffened upon hearing this. Oscar even sighed slightly and softly called out to the room, "Dean/Teacher."
"Little Ao? Hongjun?" A flustered voice came from inside the room. Despite not having seen each other for many years, Flender still instantly recognized their voices.
Bang! The door suddenly opened, and Flender's anxious figure emerged from the room, looking at the two familiar figures before him.
Flender's body trembled slightly, his eyes instantly reddening. He stepped forward and embraced them, "Did the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan capture you two as well? How could they lay hands on the younger generation? It's my fault that I harmed you, making you suffer like me…"
Upon hearing this, the two stiffened slightly, as Flender's words were a bit profound. If they were truly captured, would Flender continue to shield Yu Xiaogang and let them remain trapped here?
"Teacher, we weren't captured. We found some connections, so the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan allowed me to visit you." Ma Hongjun explained.
Flender's expression brightened upon hearing this. He released them, "Really? That's good, that's good."
At close proximity, they realized that in just a few years, Flender had aged a lot, his temples were frosted white, his eyes had become cloudy, and he looked utterly haggard.
Ma Hongjun was instantly furious when he saw Flender in such a state, "Teacher, how could the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan treat you like this? This matter clearly has nothing to do with you."
Flender sighed, shaking his head gently and saying, "It's nothing for me to suffer. I'm relieved to see that you two are fine."
"Teacher, is it worth it for you to protect Yu Xiaogang like this, when he has harmed you so much?" Ma Hongjun asked unwillingly.
"Xiaogang is my brother, and he…" Flender paused, saying softly, "It's enough that she is happy and well."
He? She? Only Flender understood the meaning behind his words just now.
Ma Hongjun and Oscar both froze for a moment, as they both noticed that when Flender said "she," a hint of tenderness entered his eyes.
Yu Xiaogang? Tenderness?
The two couldn't help but feel a chill.
"Teacher, are you serious?" Ma Hongjun said uncertainly.
Flender quickly reacted, realizing his words were a bit ambiguous, and quickly said, "What nonsense are you thinking, kid? Xiaogang and I are just like brothers!"
"Uh-huh, uh-huh." Ma Hongjun nodded quickly. Originally, he hadn't thought much of it, but Flender's explanation made them misunderstand even more deeply.
"You brat." Flender glared at Ma Hongjun and couldn't help but shake his head, "Forget it, forget it. Tell me, how did you two get here? You didn't agree to any conditions with the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, did you?"
Oscar directly said, "Dean, we have been looking for Yu Xiaogang's whereabouts. As long as we find him, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan will definitely release you."
"No, Little Ao." Flender quickly waved his hand upon hearing this, "There's no need to look for him. My being here is entirely voluntary."
Oscar questioned, "Dean, you know where Yu Xiaogang is, don't you?"
Flender's expression darkened, "Little Ao, what do you mean?"
Oscar clenched his fists, gritting his teeth and growling, "Dean, Yu Xiaogang and Tang San have harmed us so badly. Are you really going to continue protecting him like this? Do you know how we've been living outside these past few years?"
Flender's body stiffened slightly. He slowly said, "It's my fault towards you. Blame me. It was I who brought Xiaogang to the academy. It was I who let him teach you. It was I who trusted Xiaogang too much."
Upon hearing this, Oscar shook his head repeatedly, "Dean, do you know? Because of Yu Xiaogang's training, Fatty almost died from evil fire burning his body! If we hadn't met a noble person, what you'd be seeing now would be Fatty's corpse!"
"What?!" Flender's body trembled slightly. He looked nervously at Ma Hongjun, "Hongjun, is what Little Ao said true?"
After a moment of silence, Ma Hongjun said, "Teacher, what Little Ao said is all true. The training back then depleted my Origin, squeezed my potential, and the influence of the evil fire on me intensified. Now as a Spirit Ancestor, I can no longer suppress it at all. I am alive only thanks to Little Ao; otherwise, I would have died…"