As countless petals began to fall, the pink and white peach blossoms danced gracefully in the wind. Amidst the beautiful, scattered blossoms that resembled wisps of rosy clouds, the young man slowly approached. The hem of his robes fluttered in the breeze, and his entire being exuded an extraordinary, otherworldly aura, like a transcendent immortal who did not partake in the matters of the mortal world.
"Teacher, it's all my fault. I failed to handle the student recruitment properly. Please punish me," Wang Sheng said, bowing his head with a look of shame upon seeing the newcomer.
The young man, Su Ran, simply waved his hand. "It's not your fault. At the very least, you didn't lose to Dai Mubai, so you haven't disgraced me."
"Teacher? He's the teacher of Taoyuan Academy? He's so young?!"
Ning Rongrong's eyes widened. While she had guessed that the teacher of Taoyuan Academy would be younger than the two old geezers from Shrek, she never imagined he would be so young as to be their peer!
Evidently, the teachers and students from Shrek Academy were just as surprised.
To think that the only one willing to become my disciple would be this girl,Su Ran thought, a wry smile forming on his handsome face beneath the mask.
He had originally thought that Zhu Zhuqing was the most likely candidate to join Taoyuan Academy during this recruitment drive. He hadn't expected to end up with the little devil from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School.
She might be a bit willful, but since she's my first disciple, so be it. What's wrong with being willful when you have the strength to back it up?
"Teacher! I'll be your disciple!" Ning Rongrong exclaimed, sticking her tongue out playfully at Su Ran.
The Tiger Form Fist that Wang Sheng had just demonstrated was incredibly profound. Even Grandpa Sword probably couldn't teach such a style of fist fighting. This Teacher Su Ran was definitely not simple!
"Very well. From now on, you are my disciple," Su Ran said, handing Ning Rongrong a Peach Blossom Token.
A panel of information flashed before his eyes.
[First Disciple: Ning Rongrong]
[Aptitude Level: S]
[Martial Soul: Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda]
[Spirit Power: Rank 26]
...
[Taoyuan Academy Dean & Teacher: Su Ran]
[Spirit Power: Rank 71 → Rank 72]
[Martial Soul: Divine Peach Blossom Branch]
[Shared Disciple Martial Soul: Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda (Shares disciple's spirit abilities)]
[Successful Disciple Recruitment: All spirit ability years increased by 10%]
[First Spirit Ability: Illusory Branch — An illusion skill, 500 years → 550 years]
[Second Spirit Ability: Dream Peach Sword — Summons a peach branch sword from a dream-like paradise, capable of piercing souls and slaying foes, 1000 years → 1100 years]
[Third Spirit Ability: Crimson Snowstorm — Peach blossom branches form a chaotic flurry of flying blades, 3550 years → 3900 years]
[Fourth Spirit Ability: Crimson Moon's Splendor — A Peach Immortal dances under a scarlet moon. The crimson moon descends and blooms with a hum, causing a massive explosion, 10,000 years → 11,000 years]
[Fifth Spirit Ability: Thousand Blazing Peach Slashes — Unleashes hundreds to thousands of Peach Immortal Slashes in an instant, stacking their power for a devastating effect, 20,000 years → 22,000 years]
[Sixth Spirit Ability: Nine Luminaries Peach Blossom Sword — Combines the power of the nine luminaries (Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, Rahu, and Ketu) to create nine peach blossom swords, each with a different power and effect, 40,000 years → 44,000 years]
[Seventh Spirit Ability: Mortal Dust True Body, 70,000 years → 77,000 years]
[Additional Rewards: Various secret techniques suitable for cultivating the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Martial Soul have been successfully delivered.]
A flicker of delight appeared in Su Ran's eyes.
In truth, Su Ran was not a native of the Douluo Continent but a transmigrator. When he realized he had arrived alone in this world, he was both shocked and thrilled. He had awakened the Divine Peach Blossom Branch Martial Soul, which was said to be a top-tier immortal-grade Martial Soul, even more advanced than Yue Guan's Odd Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum.
After several years of diligent, secluded cultivation, Su Ran had broken through to become a 71st rank Spirit Saint. It was then that he had unexpectedly awakened the [Peerless Immortal Master System], which directly rewarded him with the means to open Taoyuan Academy across from Shrek Academy and tasked him with accepting disciples.
The more talented the disciples he recruited, the richer his rewards would be. He could also share his disciples' Martial Souls and spirit abilities.
As for Wang Sheng, Su Ran had met him years ago when passing through Nuoding City. At the time, Wang Sheng was a working student without even ten ranks of spirit power, and his mother was gravely ill. Out of kindness, Su Ran gave him some money for her treatment.
From that day on, Wang Sheng dropped out of the Nuoding Academy and dedicated himself to following Su Ran as an assistant. Over time, he learned a great deal, becoming a follower who was like a disciple but not officially one, though he addressed Su Ran as his teacher.
And so, Wang Sheng had transformed from a rookie with no spirit abilities into a talented Spirit Grandmaster. He currently served as Taoyuan Academy's gatekeeper, security guard, and handyman, occasionally picking up techniques by observing.
"Dean, this kid is something else. His aura is quite strong," Li Yusong commented, already sensing the power emanating from Su Ran.
Flender frowned as well. This masked youth couldn't be much older than Mubai and the others, yet the calm and carefree demeanor he possessed, along with the fluctuations of his spirit power, felt no less inferior to his own.
"So that's the teacher of Taoyuan Academy? He looks so young."
"He can't be much older than us. His aura is incredible, like an otherworldly youth who descended from the heavens."
"But why is he wearing a mask?"
"He must be ugly and can't bear to show his face," Tang San answered Xiao Wu.
"Is that so?"
"Mhm!"
"No matter how mysterious the aura he projects is, given his age, he can't possibly be a powerhouse on our level," Flender declared.
"Kid, I don't care who you are, but opening an academy across from ours and injuring one of our students is not the right way to do things. Especially for a junior like you."
"How about this? I'll give you two choices. One, merge your Taoyuan Academy into our Shrek Academy, and I'll let you teach here. Two, you compensate us with two thousand Gold Spirit Coins and move your school within three days. Then we'll call it even. Otherwise, we'll have to settle this according to the rules of Spirit Masters."
Flender planned to extort a hefty sum; either option was a win for him.
"I've already said, if Dean Flender wishes to spar, I am willing to accompany you," Su Ran replied, neither humble nor arrogant. Just by standing there, he exuded an air of carefree detachment. He wasn't about to fall for the cunning Flender's tricks.
"Kid, at your age, you're at most rank forty or fifty. The weakest teacher at Shrek Academy is a Spirit Emperor. You aren't qualified to be a teacher. I advise you not to ask for trouble."
"Whether I'm qualified or not is not for you to decide," Su Ran retorted calmly. "Besides, in this day and age, even a Spirit Grandmaster who hasn't reached rank thirty can take on disciples. Why can't I?" He then made a simple, one-handed gesture common in Spirit Master duels, inviting his opponent to make the first move.
A strange expression crossed Tang San's face. Why do I feel like that was a dig at me? Is it just my imagination?
Flender's gaze hardened. "I was beginning to admire you, but since you insist on being stubborn, don't say that Shrek is bullying the weak. As long as you can defeat Yusong, we'll let this matter rest for now. Otherwise, your Taoyuan Academy will be reduced to ruins today."
"Yusong, go."
Li Yusong leaped up from his stool. A long staff covered in countless fine patterns appeared in his right hand. Six Spirit Rings—one white, one yellow, three purple, and one black—materialized around it, signifying that he was a Spirit Emperor.
Too lazy to even use a spirit ability, he swung the staff through the air with a whoosh, bringing it down on Su Ran.
"Don't say I'm bullying the young. I won't even use my spirit abilities. If you can win like this, I'll admit you're skilled."
"You talk too much."
"Since you won't use yours, I'll use mine," Su Ran replied without wasting any more time.
He stomped his foot, and the surrounding scenery seemed to turn dreamlike. Peach blossoms began to fall from the sky, and a beautiful, enormous peach tree bloomed behind him.
From within that tree, a radiant immortal peach branch flew to Su Ran's side. At the same time, seven Spirit Rings rose from under his feet: yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, and black.
Seven rings. A Spirit Saint!
(End of Chapter)