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In addition to their daily training, this group of beasts had enormous appetites—especially Little Gold, whose meat intake was dozens of times greater than Su Wen's. With every meal from Aunt Lu, it seemed like the inner court cafeteria might be emptied within a few more days.
Although Su Wen had five million gold soul coins in his pocket, with the way these three cubs were eating, he figured that within six months, his wallet would be completely drained.
He didn't go to Elder Mu for help.
Instead, he approached the head of the Beast Combat Zone directly.
It was essentially a form of foster care.
He would leave the soul beasts under their care—hygiene, food, and living conditions (the Beast Combat Zone was heavily funded by the academy, covering a large area. For high-level soul beasts, the zone even simulated their original habitats. For instance, a facility mimicking the extreme northern lands had been built specifically for several Ice Jade Scorpions)—all their responsibility.
In return, the soul beasts could help handle challenges from students, increasing the zone's reputation.
Coincidentally, with a year left before the main storyline began, they could act as sparring partners while also gaining combat experience. As wild soul beasts, they naturally had the instinct to hunt, but they lacked combat techniques tailored to fighting humans.
It was a mutually beneficial arrangement.
Of course, if he left the academy or there was a real battle, Su Wen would retrieve them. (Because of his Martial Soul, once a soul beast is captured, the Spirit Ball creates a link with it, and the Spirit Ball resides in Su Wen's spiritual sea. Therefore, with just a thought, he could summon them through the Spirit Ball, no matter where they were.)
Seeing Elder Gong agree with a cheerful grin, Su Wen yawned.
...
"Sister Xiao Tao, if you want my life, just say it. No need for all this roundabout stuff…"
Su Wen swallowed hard.
He stared at the bean and rhino horn stew on the table. His lips twitched as he took in the sight of the pitch-black rhino horn—boiled into mush. This was the horn of a Rhinohorn Beast, a commonly used "high-nutrition" ingredient. But the soup was thick and black, and who knew what else had been added?
And the beans on top, still bubbling, were clearly "fresh"—which is to say, undercooked. Probably forgotten during cooking and tossed in at the last minute.
White steam rose.
An indescribable smell wafted into his nose.
Su Wen's face turned green.
"How could Sister Xiao Tao ever harm you!" Ma Xiaotao rolled her beautiful eyes. "Trust me, this is my carefully prepared All-Inclusive Nourishing Soup. I spent an entire day making it. Come on, have a taste…"
"Where did you learn to make this?" Su Wen squinted, trying to stall.
"Don't worry about that. Just say—are you eating or not?" Ma Xiaotao turned her head with a hint of guilt.
"Fine, I'll try it."
Su Wen replied flatly, his hand clenched under the table. With the other hand, he picked up a spoon. Under Ma Xiaotao's eager gaze, he scooped up a "fresh" bean—the only thing on the table that looked remotely edible. It was called Crystal Earth Bean, a plant-type soul beast commonly found in a province in the eastern region of the Heaven Soul Empire.
Crunch, crunch~
As Su Wen chewed expressionlessly, Ma Xiaotao's heart leaped into her throat.
"Does it taste good?" she asked cautiously.
"It's well made," Su Wen nodded.
"That's great…" Ma Xiaotao beamed and turned to head back into the kitchen to serve him a large bowl.
"Don't make it again next time," Su Wen said, stirring the black mess in the bowl with a look of utter despair.
Ma Xiaotao: "???"
"…"
"Well then, eat more~"
Ma Xiaotao sat beside him, resting her chin on her hands and blinking her big eyes—her lashes practically brushing Su Wen's face.
"Hey, Xiao Wen, I have news about what you asked me to look into," Yan Shaozhe rushed in.
"Jiang Nannan really did—"
He caught sight of the All-Inclusive Nourishing Soup on the table and froze. "Is this for feeding soul beasts?"
He gave Ma Xiaotao a surprised glance. "Didn't expect you to be this reliable…" He leaned in, dipped a chopstick into the soup, and sniffed it, then suddenly frowned. "Actually, don't give this to the soul beasts. This stew is too toxic. Little Gold and the others are still just thousand-year soul beasts. Their bodies might not be able to withstand it."
Su Wen: "…"
Ma Xiaotao: "…"
Su Wen stared at Ma Xiaotao with the weary look of someone who had narrowly escaped death. "Look into my eyes!"
Guilty, Ma Xiaotao grabbed the bowl and bolted. "I'll go clean up the kitchen. You two talk~"
"You actually ate it?" Yan Shaozhe crept closer.
"Just one bean," Su Wen said flatly.
"That shouldn't be fatal… I mean, it probably won't cause much harm," Yan Shaozhe said with a mischievous grin.
Su Wen: "…"
"Elder, you said there's news about Jiang Nannan?"
"That's right. I recently asked Du Weilun to look into it. The girl's father died early, and she lives with her mother. Right now, her mother is gravely ill. She took leave a few months ago and returned to the Heaven Soul Empire to care for her."
Su Wen saw a flicker of anger in Yan Shaozhe's eyes.
Most likely, a Shrek Academy teacher had suppressed this matter. It wasn't so much hiding it as simply not treating it as important—let alone reporting it to Du Weilun or him.
"Zhou Yi?" Su Wen raised an eyebrow.
"Hm? How do you know her?" Yan Shaozhe asked, surprised.
Su Wen's lips twitched.
So it really was her… Infamous even in the original story.
"Not her. It's Yang He, a homeroom teacher from second-year class three." But then Yan Shaozhe shook his head. "Zhou Yi might not have the best reputation, but she does care about outstanding students. After all, they factor into her evaluations." He glanced at Su Wen meaningfully.
"Yang He? Never heard of him," Su Wen shrugged.
"I wouldn't have known without investigating, but that scumbag has embezzled over ten million gold soul coins by extorting student funds," Yan Shaozhe said coldly, his face full of anger.
"Shrek Academy students must be pretty loaded…" Su Wen clicked his tongue in amazement.
But he also understood.
If Yang He hadn't been so greedy, using his position as a teacher to extort money from students while also suppressing Jiang Nannan's letter of appeal to the academy—thus keeping Yan Shaozhe and Du Weilun completely unaware—Dean Yan probably wouldn't be this furious.
Students are the foundation of a school. If you're digging up the roots, how do you expect to survive in the outer court?
Chances are, in a few days, he'd either be dismissed or… disappear.
"There are always hidden masters…"
Su Wen could only sigh with such feeling.
Even Yan Shaozhe looked a little embarrassed.
After all, the Martial Soul Department was under his full management. And now, this kind of lapse had occurred… right in front of Su Wen.
"Managing the academy is a future concern for you, Elder. Right now, the priority is not letting Jiang Nannan take the wrong path," Su Wen reminded him.
"A girl with no one to rely on, forced down a dark road—that would be entirely to the credit of your Martial Soul Department."
"You brat…"
Yan Shaozhe shot Su Wen a glare, a headache brewing.
"Fine, then. I'll make a trip to the Xuanming Sect."
Clearly, being an old fox, he took one look at the whole picture and immediately understood the Xuanming Sect's scheme…
(End of Chapter)