Inside a training ground.
"Whoosh~"
A series of sharp sounds of tearing air echoed.
Zhu Zhuqing stood in the center of the field, her resolute eyes fixed forward. Her sharp claws, carrying powerful force, swung down, quickly lifted, and swung down again, repeating the mechanical motion.
A flush appeared on her fair face, and crystal-clear beads of sweat rolled down. Her chest heaved more and more violently, as if her stamina was reaching its limit.
"Sou!"
Zhu Zhuqing's eyes sharpened, and she slashed her claws behind her.
"Clang!"
A crisp sound of impact rang out.
Lu Feng retracted his Knuckle Duster Martial Soul. Looking at the sweat-drenched Zhu Zhuqing, he smiled faintly, "Zhuqing, are you trying to murder your dear husband?"
"Hmph, where have you been these past few days?" Zhu Zhuqing snorted coldly, asking indifferently.
Lu Feng handed her a towel and chuckled, "Out making money, of course. What's wrong, did you miss me?"
"Hmph, I couldn't be bothered to miss you." Zhu Zhuqing snorted softly, took the towel from Lu Feng, and wiped the sweat from her face.
The two walked over to a nearby seat and sat down to rest.
Lu Feng came up behind Zhu Zhuqing, placed his hands on her shoulders, and released his warm, light-attribute soul power.
"Zhuqing, let me give you a massage."
"Don't touch me... mm."
After more than ten minutes, Zhu Zhuqing felt much better. Her stamina had recovered by seventy or eighty percent, and the sore feeling in her arm muscles had completely disappeared.
"Lu Feng, your soul power is truly amazing. It's even better than an auxiliary-type Soul Master's," Zhu Zhuqing couldn't help but say.
She had experienced similar soul skills back in the Star Luo Empire.
But the effects of those imperial teachers' soul skills, compared to Lu Feng's, were like heaven and earth.
"Hmph, well, look who I am."
Just as the two were being affectionate, an uninvited guest appeared.
"Bang!"
The door to the training room was violently pushed open. Tai Long swaggered in with several burly lackeys.
"Lu Feng, come out with me," Tai Long said, pointing his finger arrogantly.
"What is it?" Lu Feng said indifferently.
At the same time, his eyes darted. Bruh I beat you once and you came back.
Lu Feng snorted coldly, a trace of mockery flashing in his eyes. Never mind Tai Long's Soul King father, even if his Soul Douluo grandfather came, Lu Feng was confident he could retreat in one piece.
If nothing else, if I just used Luo Wu Pao's possession, could Tai Tan even fly?
However, just as Lu Feng was about to get up, Zhu Zhuqing suddenly tugged on the corner of his clothes. Lu Feng looked back and saw Zhu Zhuqing looking at him with a worried expression.
"Don't worry, it's nothing." Lu Feng gently patted the back of her hand.
Zhu Zhuqing frowned slightly. "Tai Long was beaten last time, yet he's still acting so arrogantly. He must have found backup."
Lu Feng's heart stirred. "Zhuqing, go find Flender and the other vice-deans. Just say someone is here to cause trouble."
Lu Feng naturally didn't expect them to stand up for him. He just didn't want Zhu Zhuqing to worry.
"Okay." Zhu Zhuqing nodded and ran off quickly.
Lu Feng followed Tai Long and the others toward the academy's main gate.
Outside the Shrek Academy gate, an old man stood quietly. He looked to be about 1.9 meters tall, strongly built, with graying hair and a beard. His short hair stood on end like steel needles.
"Grandpa, that's Lu Feng. He's the one who beat me up like that," Tai Long ran to the old man's side and whispered.
He put one hand on his hip and pointed at Lu Feng with the other. "Lu Feng, I admit you're strong. But if you want to make it in Heaven Dou City, strength alone isn't enough."
Tai Tan stood with his hands behind his back and glanced coldly at his grandson. "Shut up."
He only used two words, but it made Tai Long choke back the words he was about to say.
Lu Feng looked at Tai Tan in front of him and frowned slightly. Under his Purple Demon Eye, the soul power fluctuations around Tai Tan were thirty percent stronger than Gu Lin's.
This is a tough one. Lu Feng raised his internal soul power to its peak, ready to run at any moment.
Facing a Soul Douluo expert, he had no interest in fighting head-on.
At the same time, a wisp of emerald-green smoke slipped from his fingertips, then instantly dissipated into the air.
This was the life-bound snake venom Dugu Bo had left for Lu Feng. This poison wasn't for enemies, but for sending signals.
Dugu Bo had a pet called the Nine-Section Jadeite Serpent. Its sense of smell was extremely sensitive, especially good at seeking out poisons. After training, when this life-bound venom was released, the Nine-Section Jadeite could sense it even from the Sunset Forest.
"Was it you who injured my grandson a few days ago?" Tai Tan asked indifferently.
Lu Feng nodded. "Yes."
"Good." A bright light burst from Tai Tan's eyes, and an abundant power erupted from his body.
"You injured Tai Long, that's his lack of ability. But the Strength Clan's family rule is: if you hit the young, the old must step in. I won't bully you. I'll just break both your legs," Tai Tan said indifferently.
"Heh." Lu Feng chuckled lightly, a trace of mockery flashing in his eyes.
Sure enough, I don't have the protagonist's script.
Originally, Lu Feng couldn't be bothered to deal with Tai Tan, nor did he plan on seeking Dugu Bo's help. In Lu Feng's view, no matter how strong Tai Tan was, could he really kill his way into the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy?
However, the Strength Clan was extremely protective of its own.
If he avoided this, the other party would definitely pester him endlessly like sticky candy.
What's more, Zhu Zhuqing was still at Shrek Academy.
The best way to deal with this kind of person was to beat him so badly, so fearfully, in one go, that he would never dare to pester him again.
On the top floor of the teaching building, two figures stood against the wind.
"Fengzhi, do we need to intervene?" the Bone Douluo asked in a low voice.
He had dealt with Tai Tan several times and they were old acquaintances. Despite Tai Tan's aggressive appearance right now, it was actually just his way of recruiting people.
The Strength Clan had a cultivation method called "Dark Devil Gorilla Fist's Power". It didn't look like it did much damage when it hit someone, but in reality, a hidden power would invade the Soul Master's body. In severe cases, it could even shatter their meridians.
However, the Strength Clan also had a treasure called 'Black Jade Paste'. This item had a miraculous effect on healing internal meridian injuries, and could even temper a Soul Master's physique.
Tai Tan had once had his clansmen beat him until he was severely injured, then took the Black Jade Paste to refine his meridians, finally breaking through to level 80 in one go.
First, beat the person down, then offer generous conditions for them to join the clan.
If the other party was willing to join, that was fine. If they weren't willing, then the Strength Clan would take no responsibility for the damage to their meridians.
"Uncle Bone, wait a little longer. If we step in now, Lu Feng will only owe us a favor. It won't be too late for you to intervene when he's forced into a corner by Tai Tan," Ning Fengzhi said indifferently.
Gu Rong nodded. "Fengzhi, sometimes you just think too much. Our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan has money and power. Are you worried we can't win over a mere Soul Ancestor?"
Ning Fengzhi shook his head and chuckled lightly. "Uncle Bone, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda is, after all, only an auxiliary Martial Soul. That's why I'm used to thinking deeply about every step I take, as if treading on thin ice."
"Tai Tan wishes to subdue Lu Feng, like a mantis preying on a cicada, unaware that an oriole is stalking him from behind."
Gu Rong said no more, his expression serious as he stared at the two on the field preparing to fight.