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At this moment, Yu Xiaogang's group was stunned for a second, and then they all burst out laughing. The sound of their laughter filled the air, echoing with clear mockery and disbelief.
"Haha!" Yu Xiaogang mocked without any concealment, his eyes full of disdain. "Just based on a few of you, you've actually founded an academy? A group of Spirit Masters in their teens at levels twenty or thirty, are you sure you're not just misleading the younger generation? It's honestly pathetic to see such arrogance."
Flender was also speechless and shook his head slowly. He felt that Su Yan and the others were only acting this way out of spite toward Yu Xiaogang. To him, the idea was nothing more than a childish joke. He looked at them and asked, "What kind of strength do you even have to exchange pointers with our Shrek Academy? Do you really think you can stand on the same stage as us?"
Indeed, the people in the Group Chat were also a bit dazed by the sudden announcement.
Call Me Her Majesty the Empress: When did you guys just found an academy? I didn't see any construction or paperwork!
Red Dust Dream Dream Dream: Su Yan, can I join your 'A Bit Stronger Than the Other Side' Academy? That name is so funny and arrogant, I love it!
Bai Chenxiang: I want to join too! It sounds much more exciting than staying here.
Liu Erlong: I'm really going to die laughing. You walked out the door and came right back just to say you founded an academy? That has to be a world record for the fastest school opening in history!
Bo Saixi: Wrong! This action is equivalent to a 'next meeting' statement. It's quite a dramatic way to handle a departure.
Bibi Dong: I suddenly understand. When you're out and about, your identity is whatever you give yourself. You said you just founded an academy, so now you are Dean Su. It's as simple as that.
Tang Yuehua: Certified by the Pope of the Spirit Hall, this academy now exists. If she says it is real, then no one in the world can say otherwise.
Everyone: Hahaha!!
Facing the ridicule from both reality and the Group Chat, Su Yan looked at Zhu Zhuqing and the others very seriously. He ignored the laughter and focused on his companions. He instructed them with a firm voice, "Right now, everyone looks down on our academy. They think we are a joke. So, next, we must show our true strength and use facts to slap them hard in the face. We will show them that we aren't playing games. Do you understand?"
Zhu Zhuqing and the others nodded heavily, their expressions becoming cold and determined. "Good. We will definitely let them know how formidable our academy is! We won't let them insult us anymore," they promised.
Su Yan turned back to look at Yu Xiaogang's group. His gaze was sharp. "You are the first ones who dared to laugh at our academy, so next let's speak with true ability. What did I say when I left just now? I said that the next time we meet, I want to inspect the results of your cultivation under Yu Xiaogang. It's time to see if his teaching is actually worth anything."
Flender frowned and asked with some doubt, "Do you mean you want them to have a match with our Shrek students? Are you really suggesting a formal duel between our groups?"
Yu Xiaogang looked at Flender, his eyes showing a questioning look. He wasn't quite clear on the respective strengths of the Shrek group and Su Yan's group. He hadn't seen them fight seriously yet.
Su Yan spoke up confidently, "We'll do a best-of-five match to decide the winner. We want to be fair. But since you only have four students available right now, I'll gift you the win for the fifth round. That should make things easier for you, shouldn't it?"
"Oh?" Hearing this, a smile appeared on Flender's face. He loved an advantage, and he loved money even more. "Just a simple competition seems a bit boring. Why don't we add a wager to make it interesting? The losing side gives the other ten thousand gold coins. That should be enough to keep everyone focused."
Ning Rongrong stretched out her small hand and shook her head. "One hundred thousand! Flender, you miser, a mere ten thousand gold coins is nothing. How do you even have the face to say such a small amount?"
Flender felt even happier in his heart. To him, this was like picking up money from the ground. "Good! Then it's a deal. One hundred thousand gold coins it is."
Zhao Wuji quickly pulled Flender aside and whispered urgently, "Old man, you're betting that much... do you even have a hundred thousand gold coins? Our pockets are empty!"
Flender replied calmly in a low voice, "Do you think we will lose? Don't be silly. This is a guaranteed win."
Zhao Wuji also wanted to laugh after hearing that. This old ghost was indeed trying to get something for nothing. However, Zhao Wuji said with some hesitation, "As far as I know, the girls around Su Yan all have spirit power exceeding level thirty. Shrek might not necessarily win for sure! We should be careful."
Hearing Zhao Wuji's words, Flender looked at Yu Xiaogang with a serious expression and asked, "Yu Xiaogang, do you have confidence in Tang San? Can he handle this?"
Yu Xiaogang said with a face full of pride, "My disciple Tang San will surely win! He is a genius among geniuses. There is no way he can lose to them."
"Good." Flender was now at ease. "Tang San can win, Mubai can win, plus this kid Su Yan is gifting us a round. This hundred thousand gold coins is already in the bag. Shrek Academy will finally have money this year. We can finally fix the roof and buy better food."
At this moment, Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun, and Oscar were all confused. They looked at each other with wide eyes. Wait? We didn't say we wanted to compete! Why are they betting our lives away? It seemed they didn't have the right to choose either. Oscar muttered under his breath, "I'm a support Spirit Master, why am I involved in a combat duel too? This isn't fair at all."
In the Chat Group, the conversation was heating up.
I Am an Orphan: Good, good, good, it's not about the money, it's about the pride, right? This is going to be an epic face-slapping session.
Bo Saixi: What does everyone think about this match? Who has the advantage?
Wang Dong: I'm quite curious now. What is the true strength of Old Ancestor Zhuqing and the others? I haven't seen them go all out.
Nine Treasures Little Princess: You guess! You might be very surprised by what you see.
Ma Hongjun: Oh no! I forgot that Old Ancestor Rongrong just got two system spirit rings and a cultivation technique last night. Taking on four might not be a problem for her alone, right?
Ma Xiaotao: Old Ancestor Rongrong, can you please not hit my ancestor Ma Hongjun's face? He's already fat as it is. If you hit his face and make it swell, he really won't be able to find a girlfriend.
Bai Chenxiang: That would be for the best. It saves some poor girl from having to deal with him!
Liu Erlong: Flender, that greedy guy. I want to see how he's going to produce a hundred thousand gold coins in a bit when he loses. He doesn't have a copper to his name.
Tang Yuehua: Isn't Flender a Spirit Saint? How can he not even produce a hundred thousand gold coins? That seems impossible for someone of his rank.
Liu Erlong: I don't know how to put it. In short, he's quite poor. The academy is run terribly, and his businesses have all lost money. He's better at fighting than managing finances.
At this time, Flender and Yu Xiaogang called Tang San, Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun, and Oscar together to discuss their strategy.
Flender said with a serious face, "In the upcoming matches, you must defeat them and win the hundred thousand gold coins sponsorship for our Shrek Academy. Our future depends on this money. Don't let me down."
Yu Xiaogang looked at Tang San and said solemnly, "Little San, you go first and take the first victory! I want you to show them the gap between a real genius and whatever they are trying to be." Yu Xiaogang was already impatient to prove himself and his teaching methods.
"Okay, Teacher." Tang San was very confident. He stood up straight and adjusted his clothes. As long as he wasn't fighting Su Yan, who could be his opponent? He didn't believe anyone else in that group could stop his Blue Silver Grass.
Flender thought for a moment and looked at Dai Mubai, "Then Mubai, you go second. Let's take three wins and end this match directly. We don't need to drag this out."
"Yeah!" Dai Mubai nodded. He clenched his fists, feeling the power of the White Tiger within him. As long as he wasn't facing Su Yan, he was also very confident in his strength as a Spirit Grand Master.
Tang San walked out to the center of the clearing and looked at Su Yan's group with a serious face. He cupped his hands in a traditional greeting and said, "Tang San, Tool Spirit Blue Silver Grass, level 31 control system Battle Spirit Elder. Please advise!"
Ning Rongrong was excited and jumped up, wanting to fight. But before she could speak, Zhu Zhuqing took a cold step forward. Her eyes were fixed on Tang San like a predator watching its prey.
Seeing this, Flender's group felt deep regret in their hearts! They had been careless in their planning. They thought Su Yan's group was using a tactic of pitting the weak against the strong. They assumed Zhu Zhuqing was the weakest and was being used to exhaust their strongest fighter, Tang San.
Zhu Zhuqing said expressionlessly, her voice cold as ice, "Zhu Zhuqing, level 47 Spirit Ancestor."
Whoosh!
After Zhu Zhuqing finished speaking, the air around her began to vibrate with intense pressure. Four spirit rings—yellow, yellow, purple, purple—lit up on her body, rotating slowly around her. Especially the fourth spirit ring's color; it was a deep, dark purple that had almost turned black. The aura coming from her was overwhelming.
Everyone was shocked. Flender's group all stared with wide eyes, their jaws dropping in unison.
"How is this possible?" Flender gasped, his glasses nearly falling off his face. "You... weren't you only level 27 a few days ago? In such a short time, you actually increased your spirit power by twenty levels? How is this possible! It defies all logic of cultivation!"
Wang Dong: This? I am seeing this right?
I Am an Orphan: Scumbag, what have you been feeding Zhu Zhuqing? How did her spirit power increase so much in such a short window? This is insane!
Red Dust Dream Dream Dream: This is the real cheat king! Forget the others, this speed is godly.
Xiao Xiao is the Cutest: Brother Su Yan, I want that too! Please teach me your secrets!
Dark Avenger: I feel like even if I joined the Holy Spirit Cult directly and used their darkest methods, it wouldn't be possible to have such a fast improvement speed.
Bibi Dong: It's not impossible. If you just let loose and absorb pure energy without any restrictions, there's a good chance! But it's still very impressive.
Ma Xiaotao: Xiao Ya, I'm serious... you should go and take Bibi Dong as your teacher now! She clearly knows things we don't.
Zhang Lexuan: ???
Nine Treasures Little Princess: Hehe, I'm very curious now what Zhuqing's self-created spirit ability is. Is it as powerful as mine and Her Excellency the Supreme Pontiff's?
Call Me Her Majesty the Empress: Oh? I suppose we are about to find out exactly what she can do.