"Not simple!"
"Truly not simple."
Over the three years Yang Fan spent at Blazing Fire Academy, Yao Lao had also successfully received the edification of a formal academy.
With just one glance, he recognized this as an even rarer External Soul Bone.
Sometimes he really wondered if this kid Yang Fan possessed some kind of prophetic ability.
Simply slipping out alone to lure a few Man-Faced Demon Spiders, and he successfully obtained a precious External Soul Bone.
"Master."
"What kind of pill do you think would be suitable to refine from this soul bone?"
Yang Fan first ruled out absorbing it himself.
Even though this was an External Soul Bone!
The reason was simple!
After absorbing this External Soul Bone—the Eight Spider Lances—a soul master would have menacing appendages growing from their back, which was completely opposite to his sharp lightning-based attacks.
So... refining it into a pill was most appropriate.
"This poisonous thing... put it away for now."
The soul bone had come too quickly; even Yao Lao, with his vast experience, hadn't figured out how to handle this External Soul Bone for the moment.
However, one thing was certain—such a treasure would definitely be useful in the future.
After putting away the soul bone, Yang Fan didn't choose to flee the scene immediately. Instead, he patiently extracted the toxins from the Man-Faced Demon Spider's corpse—the very toxins they were most proud of.
This toxin could cause instant death, but it was also an indispensable medicinal ingredient in the pill refinement process.
...
Very quickly.
Old Man Huo led the Blazing Fire group to find him.
Regarding this...
Yang Fan also produced the excuse he had long prepared: he had come out to use the bathroom and gotten lost!
After seeing that Yang Fan was safe and sound, Old Man Huo merely comforted him briefly. Once his hanging heart gradually settled, the group continued toward their next soul ring destination.
...
Another night fell.
After everyone else had fallen asleep, Yang Fan quietly took out the recently obtained Eight Spider Lances from his storage soul guide device.
He looked at it again and again...
Tang San had taken a punch from him and was probably still lying in bed right now, and now the External Soul Bone Eight Spider Lances had fallen into his hands.
He didn't believe this kid could still stir up any trouble!
However...
Dai Mubai's initiative to cause him trouble this time couldn't be left at that.
Over these three years, while cultivating diligently, he hadn't forgotten to help Yao Lao search for medicinal herbs that could repair souls.
He now had another Ten Thousand Year Sacred Soul Grass!
As for the hard-to-come-by soul bone he had his eyes on—the one from the Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament two years later.
As for the Ninth-Grade Ginseng King...
After the Crystal Blood Dragon Ginseng was gone, he had been at a loss, but this confrontation with Shrek Academy gave him an idea.
He would start with Dai Mubai!
In fact, he had already thought through his next strategy.
Cultivate, cultivate!
Yang Fan composed his mind and gradually entered a cultivation state during this quiet night.
Three years had brought obvious improvements to his soul power, dou qi, and spiritual strength, but the Heavenly Flame he longed for day and night had yet to arrive.
However, over these three years...
Yao Lao had indeed confirmed that the method he previously mentioned—devouring beast flames with beast flames—was truly feasible.
Unfortunately, wild flames on the Douluo Continent that he could devour were too scarce. Until today, he only had two top-tier beast flames in his body: the Fire Dragon Flame and the Ice Dragon Flame.
Three days later.
The group safely walked out of the Great Star Dou Forest.
Yang Fan didn't return to Blazing Fire Academy with them. Instead, he separated from the group again under the pretext of taking leave to visit home.
...
Suotuo City.
Although this city lacked the grandeur of Tian Dou, it could barely be considered a medium-sized city.
Yang Fan's target was very clear.
It was Dai Mubai!
Regarding this... he conducted a detailed analysis of Dai Mubai.
This guy liked visiting brothels!
However, ever since Zhu Zhuqing joined Shrek Academy, he should have gradually reformed this bad habit.
But... it could be exploited!
After some inquiries in Suotuo City, Yang Fan eventually found a place where he could engage in such services.
He asked for four girls right away!
"This kid..."
"Not old, but quite the appetite."
When the madam saw Yang Fan taking two girls upstairs to a room, she couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
Could he even handle it?
Don't fucking die in her establishment.
Entering the room...
Yang Fan directly took out one hundred gold coins from his storage soul guide device. For these girls, they couldn't earn this much money even if they continuously served clients for a month.
"Young master, you are...?"
One of the girls hurriedly filled a teacup on the table with hot tea.
Anyone with some experience would understand!
Ordinary clients would drop their pants and get to business upon entering the room. Those who took out money like this upon arrival were definitely not here for entertainment.
"Dai Mubai—do any of you know him?"
This was why Yang Fan wanted four girls.
But he had still underestimated!
"Dai Mubai?"
"You mean Young Master Dai?"
When the name "Young Master Dai" appeared, the expressions of the four girls present all changed slightly.
It wasn't hard to see...
All four of them had conducted business with Dai Mubai that lasted until dawn.
Yang Fan kept one of them, while the other three were dismissed from the room with the gold coins in his hand.
"Young master is looking for Young Master Dai?"
The remaining girl in red saw the fifty gold coins still on the table.
Her eyes lit up!
"Help me arrange a meeting with him, and this money is yours."
Although Dai Mubai might not visit prostitutes again in the short term, as qualified sex workers, they definitely had their own methods to make a client appear.
Even if just for a brief meeting!
"This..."
A gentleman loves wealth but acquires it righteously!
Prostitutes were no exception!
Before confirming Yang Fan's true purpose, she really didn't dare take this money.
The root cause was still Dai Mubai's identity as a soul master.
"Don't be nervous."
"Dai Mubai and I are brothers. This time, I'm here to take him back to the family."
"But he's unwilling to see me, so I could only think of this method."
Yang Fan's words dispelled some of the red-clothed woman's doubts.
When Dai Mubai had come to spend money before, she had unintentionally brought up the topic of family, but Dai Mubai had shown extreme aversion at the time, even unprecedented anger.
This corresponded perfectly with what Yang Fan said!
After careful consideration...
The red-clothed woman eventually extended her trembling hand toward the fifty gold coins on the table.
Mainly because Yang Fan was offering too much.
"Alright, I agree."
The red-clothed woman set the meeting location with Dai Mubai at the Rose Hotel—that was where Dai Mubai had first taken her, and it was also the most luxurious hotel in Suotuo City.
...
Shrek Academy.
With Flender's accompaniment, Yu Xiaogang drove a carriage taking Tang San back to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan—the family he hadn't wanted to face since his martial soul awakened.
Ever since Flender left, the entire Shrek Academy seemed to have become even more desolate.
The disobedient Ning Rongrong, the taciturn Zhu Zhuqing, the evil-fire-ridden Ma Hongjun...
It seemed no one could fit in with anyone else!
Zhao Wuji, who remained behind to manage the academy, had a strong feeling: Shrek Academy was finished.
Originally, he and Flender's group of old buddies had planned to run one more session before packing up and leaving, but the current situation meant they might not even make it to the day they could retreat with their achievements hidden.
...
On the other side.
Dai Mubai lying in bed let out a long sigh.
His injuries were different from Tang San's!
Although he had been knocked unconscious by that guy who was making eyes at Zhu Zhuqing at the small town on the outskirts of the spirit beast forest, he had no hidden ailments that would affect his future cultivation.
In fact, he could already get up and walk around now; it was just somewhat difficult when circulating soul power.
"What the fuck...?"
Dai Mubai fell into deep self-doubt.
It wasn't the injuries that delayed his current cultivation, but rather that just now, he had received news from a girl at the brothel he used to frequent.
That woman was pregnant!
This news was like a bolt from the blue for Dai Mubai.
He had just reformed his ways on this side, and on that side, the scandal broke?
But he had clearly...
How could she be pregnant?
Dai Mubai believed the child definitely wasn't his, or rather, that woman was just trying to squeeze more money out of him.
Although he was quite certain of this idea, Dai Mubai still decided to drag his exhausted body to thoroughly resolve this matter.
...
Rose Hotel.
Standing once again in this extremely familiar place, Dai Mubai felt an extremely complex emotion rising within him.
Once upon a time...
He would bring at least two girls whenever he visited the Rose Hotel.
He was the "Young Master Dai" in the mouths of the girls and hotel staff, a genius in his teachers' eyes, and the boss in Ma Hongjun and Oscar's hearts.
Yet all of this had changed!
Zhu Zhuqing's arrival seemed to constantly remind him that he was just a down-and-out prince in a foreign land.
This complex emotion was so overwhelming that after entering the Rose Hotel, he didn't even hear or see the staff's enthusiastic welcome.
Dai Mubai skillfully went up to the second floor.
Pushing open the door...
"It's you?"
When Dai Mubai saw that the person in the room was Yang Fan, he knew he had been deceived, but he still had no awareness that danger had arrived.
"What do you want to do?"
At this moment!
Dai Mubai had already completely regarded Yang Fan as a love rival.
This guy was making eyes at Zhu Zhuqing; the two of them definitely had something going on.
Suddenly!
Yang Fan's eyes flashed with fire color, and immense spiritual power instantly swept through the entire room.
Dai Mubai only felt his vision blur, then his whole head crashed onto the room's floor.
"So much nonsense!"
Yang Fan kicked Dai Mubai's lower abdomen, sending him sliding from the living room to the bedroom like a dead dog.
The first step of the plan was complete!
Next came the second step...
Yang Fan used the hotel's paper and pen to write a letter, addressed to Dai Weisi, the eldest prince of the Star Luo Empire.
As for the content...
It was simple!
It informed Dai Weisi that the brother he dreamed of seeing was now in his hands. If he wanted the person back, bring a Ninth-Grade Ginseng King in exchange.
Otherwise... he would release Dai Mubai.
Yang Fan had originally planned to have Dai Weisi bring a mental-type soul bone in exchange.
But upon second thought...
Dai Mubai wasn't fucking worth a soul bone, and besides, Dai Weisi might not even be able to produce one.
Although the Ninth-Grade Ginseng King was equally precious, if Dai Weisi put in some effort, he might actually be able to obtain it from some royal noble.
Using one Ninth-Grade Ginseng King to clear all obstacles from his future path to becoming crown prince.
If he were Dai Weisi, he would definitely agree to this transaction that only required giving up some External possessions to eliminate future worries.
To give this letter heading to the Star Luo Empire more credibility, Yang Fan specifically included Dai Mubai's personal storage soul guide device and a lock of his hair as well.
Yang Fan didn't choose to wait idly.
For safety's sake...
He packed up the unconscious Dai Mubai and quietly left Suotuo City.
...
"What?"
"Mubai is missing?"
"Have you searched?"
Bad news kept coming!
Zhao Wuji's head felt like it had grown a full circle larger.
"I've searched everywhere he might have gone."
Ma Hongjun swore he had turned Suotuo City's brothels upside down.
There was really no sign of Dai Mubai!
"Damn it, that doesn't make sense."
Zhao Wuji scratched his completely confused big head.
If this kid didn't go to visit prostitutes, where else could he have gone?
Suddenly!
Zhao Wuji seemed to think of a possibility, and he slowly turned his gaze toward Ning Rongrong nearby.
He knew about the conflict between the two!
It was said that Ning Rongrong had once threatened to find someone to kill Dai Mubai.
If it were anyone else, it might not be possible, but Ning Rongrong was Ning Fengzhi's daughter. There would be no shortage of soul masters who would follow her orders.
"What are you looking at me for?"
"Dai Mubai's disappearance has nothing to do with me."
If it really were her doing, she would proudly admit it, but since it wasn't her doing, she wouldn't choose to be a scapegoat.
Just then...
Oscar, who had gone out to search for Dai Mubai, hurriedly ran back to the academy.
"Teacher Zhao."
"The Rose Hotel staff said they saw Boss Dai this afternoon, but only saw him go up to the second floor and never come down."
"I searched the entire second floor of the Rose Hotel but couldn't find Boss Dai."
Zhao Wuji slapped his forehead hard.
As he thought!
This kid had indeed gone to Suotuo City to visit prostitutes.
"Ma Hongjun, Oscar."
"You two go to Suotuo City and bring him back for me."
Lawless!
His nose had already been broken by someone, yet he still had the mind to go to Suotuo City to find women.
Zhao Wuji was a rough man!
At this point, he still hadn't realized that Dai Mubai had likely already encountered danger.
However, three days passed...
When they completely lost all news of Dai Mubai, Zhao Wuji finally realized the severity of the situation.
This kid Dai Mubai had really disappeared!
Yet just as Zhao Wuji was getting a headache over Dai Mubai's matter, Zhu Zhuqing also quietly left Shrek Academy.
Without a sound!
Without any farewell!
As if she had never been here before.
She had fled from the Star Luo Empire to the Tian Dou Empire specifically to find Dai Mubai, not because she had any particular feelings for him.
In fact!
The two merely had a political marriage.
Before this, they had barely even met a few times.
The reason she chose to come to Shrek Academy was entirely because the family's cruel elimination system drove her, and her desire to survive made her want to find a helper.
And now that this helper had once again gone missing, the hope in her heart was completely shattered.
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