After the people from the Spirit Hall left, Lin Fan threw all the spirit bones they had brought into the Gene Chamber without hesitation.
A few hours later, the entire Zerg army began to change at a rate visible to the naked eye. Some of them grew several times larger in size, while others even developed the ability to release lightning.
New mutations and abilities continued to emerge one after another.
"With this... even if I have to face the Zerg Progenitor myself, I'm a hundred percent confident."
Watching his mutated Zerg swarm undergo transformation after transformation, Lin Fan couldn't help but speak softly.
Even if, in the future, the Zerg Progenitor succeeded in taking over Tang San's body, Lin Fan had nothing to fear — not with such a terrifying Zerg army under his command.
"Elder Lin Fan, His Holiness the Pope requests your presence at the Spirit Hall."
Early the next morning, Ghost Douluo appeared outside the hive, carrying the elder's token of the Spirit Hall. Thanks to Lin Fan's assistance the previous day, Ghost Douluo had successfully broken through a bottleneck. Since then, a voice deep within his mind urged him to revere Lin Fan.
At this point, Ghost Douluo had no idea that anyone who underwent the baptism of the hive would become instinctively loyal to Lin Fan.
Even if Bibi Dong herself ordered him to assassinate Lin Fan, Ghost Douluo would refuse her without hesitation.
"Understood. Take me there."
Lin Fan nodded slightly as he took the elder's token from Ghost Douluo's hand.
"Since you've all agreed to join the Spirit Hall, let me introduce you to our new elder."
When Bibi Dong saw Ghost Douluo return with Lin Fan, she led Flender and the others forward to meet him.
"Greetings, Elder."
Flender and the rest were tactful enough to bow quickly. Deep inside, they couldn't help but be curious about this youth who seemed to be around the same age as Ma Hongjun, yet held the title of elder.
"No need for formalities. I'm only holding an honorary position within the Spirit Hall."
"It seems Elder Lin Fan has something he wishes to say to them."
Noticing Lin Fan's interest in the group, Bibi Dong tactfully motioned for Ghost Douluo to leave with her.
Truth be told, Bibi Dong didn't particularly care about Shrek Academy. She was merely intrigued by the talents of Dai Mubai and the others.
She wasn't worried about them turning against the Spirit Hall, either — after all, even geniuses required time to grow, and by the time they did, the Spirit Hall would have already unified the continent.
"Two little kittens... do you want to become stronger?"
Lin Fan looked straight at Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing.
Their talents, while not the strongest in Shrek Academy, were still remarkable — especially since, like Xie Yue and Hu Liena, they could perform a Martial Soul Fusion Technique. And with Lin Fan's genetic modification...
He could easily raise them to an entirely new level.
"Aren't you curious about how Tang San got his ten-thousand-year spirit ring?"
Before the two could answer, Lin Fan's words struck like lightning.
Immediately, everyone's attention turned toward him.
Tang San's spirit ring configuration was something they all knew by heart. The sudden appearance of a ten-thousand-year ring at his level was enough to stir envy in anyone.
"What do you want from us in return?"
As someone born in the royal family, Dai Mubai understood the principle that nothing came without a price.
"I can help you, of course... All I ask is that you help me deal with Tang San."
"Hmph, if you could really increase a person's spirit ring age, would you still need our help to deal with Tang San?"
Dai Mubai snorted coldly.
From a normal perspective, he wasn't wrong.
"It's different. Only you can deal with Tang San."
Lin Fan sighed softly. Even though he commanded a Zerg army powerful enough to devastate nations, he still didn't dare make a reckless move.
Tang San was the Child of Destiny — if Lin Fan acted personally, he couldn't be sure what kind of plot armor or external force would intervene. The Zerg Progenitor's sudden awakening had already been troublesome enough.
"You can't even handle a Spirit King. Why should we believe you?"
Dai Mubai's eyes carried clear disdain, as if he were looking at another useless theorist like Yu Xiaogang.
"People always doubt what they don't understand. I don't blame you. When you're ready, you can come find me."
Lin Fan didn't get angry. Instead, he smiled faintly.
His strength and mentality were both leagues above Dai Mubai's level — even beyond Flender's.
"Are you two interested?"
Seeing Dai Mubai's stubborn attitude, Lin Fan turned to Oscar and Ma Hongjun.
The two of them possessed far greater potential.
Ma Hongjun's mutated Phoenix martial soul and Oscar's innate full spirit power made them highly desirable talents across the continent — far beyond a fallen prince like Dai Mubai.
Had it not been for his desire to escape his family's constraints, Dai Mubai wouldn't have joined Shrek in the first place.
"Dean…"
Oscar and Ma Hongjun exchanged glances, their eyes turning toward Flender.
Unlike Dai Mubai, the two were Flender's true disciples. Dai Mubai had only used Shrek as a convenient hiding place. Now that he'd aligned himself with the Spirit Hall, Shrek Academy no longer mattered much to him.
"Elder Lin Fan… this method to enhance spirit ring age—will it have any side effects?"
Flender knew both of his disciples well enough to see that they were tempted.
"Rest assured, there are no side effects. In fact, your Martial Souls might even evolve."
Lin Fan's tone toward Flender was respectful — very different from how he treated Yu Xiaogang.
Flender truly cared for his students' well-being, whereas Yu Xiaogang only wanted to use his disciples' fame to prove that he wasn't useless.
"In that case, let them decide for themselves."
"Dean Flender, are you really going to trust him so easily? Don't let a moment of carelessness ruin Fatty and Oscar's future!"
"Fatty, Oscar, don't let him fool you!"
Dai Mubai stepped forward, attempting to stop them.
"Forget it! Even if he's lying, so what? I don't want to live as a weakling forever!"
Ma Hongjun suddenly shouted, then knelt down before Lin Fan.
"Fatty, are you insane!? He's a fraud!"
"I trust Elder Lin Fan too."
Oscar's eyes were filled with determination. He knew Tang San and Ning Rongrong were about to be engaged, but he couldn't suppress his feelings for her.
As a member of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, Ning Rongrong could never marry a support-type spirit master. His hopes were already slim, and with Tang San's brilliance shining so brightly, if he didn't change himself now — he'd lose her forever.
"Good, very good. The two of you will come with me later. Dean Flender, what do you think?"
Their willingness to follow him was an unexpected surprise to Lin Fan.
If someone had told Lin Fan before that spirit ring age could be increased, he wouldn't have believed it either.
"This is their decision. I can only support them as their teacher."
Flender sighed deeply.
"Dean Flender truly embodies the spirit of a teacher. If you wish, I can speak with Bibi Dong and arrange for you to continue teaching at the Spirit Hall Academy."
****
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