Flender urgently explained, "Your Holiness, that was a misunderstanding. At the time, Qin Ming was simply overcome with youthful arrogance and spoke rashly.
"Moreover, we were being targeted by the Poison Douluo and Prince Xue Xing at the time. It was impossible for us to remain under their jurisdiction. Qin Ming is not disloyal or ungrateful! Your Holiness, you should know that even after graduating, Qin Ming still intended to return to repay his debt to Shrek Academy. How could such a person be disloyal?
"I implore Your Holiness not to believe the one-sided words of slanderers and bury such a talented young soul master."
With that, Flender, ever the determined man, once again slammed his head forcefully against the ground.
Without the protection of soul power, his forehead had already split open, and blood now covered his face, making him look utterly terrifying.
Before Flender could say more, Liu Erlong, unable to bear the sight, angrily shouted:
"Why are you groveling like this, Boss Flender!? We haven't done anything wrong! We're the victims here!"
"You shut your mouth, Erlong! Are you so blinded by Yu Xiaogang that you've forgotten about these students? What kind of place have you put them in?" Flender snapped back furiously.
Liu Erlong, who had never been reprimanded by Flender before, was left stunned. In her daze, she began to realize that she might—just might—have been wrong.
After scolding Liu Erlong, a certain mental restraint within Flender shattered. He realized that his life couldn't revolve solely around Liu Erlong. For once, he needed to fight for himself and for those he truly cared about!
Despite Flender's repeated kowtowing and pleading, Qian Renxue remained unmoved. Having served as the Crown Prince for so many years, she had witnessed countless cases of injustice and false accusations. Flender's attempts to evoke pity couldn't sway her heart.
At this moment, Qian Renxue said, "From the moment Tang San revealed his twin martial souls, the Spirit Hall has been investigating your Shrek Academy. And when I say Shrek, I don't mean the Lanba (Blue Tyrant) Academy that changed its name to Shrek—I mean the original Shrek Academy you founded in Suotuo City."
Upon hearing this, Flender's head-knocking abruptly paused, his pupils contracting in shock.
"Oh? It seems you know what I'm talking about. You, Flender, have indeed been quite lucky.
"In the first twenty years after founding Shrek Academy, your institution admitted forty-two students, all of whom met the 'monster standards' you set for admission to Shrek.
"And your so-called standard? That they must have reached Level 20 in soul power by the age of twelve.
"I don't need to explain further—the significance of this is clear to everyone present."
At this point, all the spectators instinctively nodded. Everyone in Spirit City was either a soul master or aspiring to become one, and they fully understood the weight of reaching Level 20 by the age of twelve. This implied that the soul master had at least Level 7 innate soul power, which meant they were destined to become Soul Sages in the future.
Qian Renxue's previously calm expression now twisted into a cold smirk, causing everyone's expressions to turn serious.
She coldly asked Flender, "Principal Flender, can you tell everyone here where the remaining twenty-eight students went and what became of them, aside from the fourteen who graduated?"
Flender's lips trembled for a long while. His face had turned ashen, yet he couldn't utter a single word.
"Can't say it? Since you can't, then allow me to answer for you. The remaining twenty-eight students either failed to meet your graduation requirement of reaching Level 40, died while hunting soul beasts, or were accidentally killed in dueling arenas!"
The moment these words left her mouth, the crowd erupted in shock.
The dueling arenas weren't surprising—no matter how talented someone was, accidents could happen.
But failing to reach Level 40 was suspicious. The increase in soul power for the first sixty-nine levels of cultivation was generally linear, without significant fluctuations. If a student joined Shrek at twelve years old, there was no way they wouldn't surpass the soul power gained in the six years prior to joining the academy by the time they graduated at twenty-four.
Spirit City, as the holy land of soul masters, housed most of the continent's soul masters, many of whom had undergone systematic training at the Spirit Hall Academy. They instantly grasped the implications.
Such an unreasonable stagnation in cultivation progress could only mean one thing: the students' bodies had suffered irreparable damage, hindering their potential.
And if the lack of progress wasn't due to damaged potential, there was only one other possibility—death!
As the crowd considered Qian Renxue's implication that these students had died while hunting soul rings, their expressions grew complex.
While hunting soul rings was inherently dangerous, teachers accompanying students would never venture beyond their capabilities. Doing so would endanger not only themselves but also their students.
There was also an unspoken rule among soul master academies: if a genius student required assistance in hunting soul rings, the academy would send its top-tier team to help acquire the most suitable soul ring, ensuring the student owed the academy a favor.
Though no one knew the exact composition of Shrek Academy's teaching staff in the past, Flender, Yu Xiaogang, and Liu Erlong were famously known as the "Golden Iron Triangle," having previously shown Soul Sage-level cultivation.
Yet, despite such a formidable team, so many students requiring soul rings from soul beasts below five thousand years had perished. Something clearly didn't add up…
Flender felt increasingly uneasy as more and more suspicious gazes focused on him. He felt as though he were sinking into an icy abyss, his complexion turning ashen.
At this moment, Qian Renxue continued, "Principal Flender, I'm curious—why did so many students die or get injured in the past, yet now you suddenly act like a caring principal?
"Could it be because Ma Hongjun is your direct disciple that you're putting in so much effort? If that's the case, I must say, I find you rather disappointing.
"As a teacher and principal, I don't expect you to treat everyone equally. But I do hope you can at least justify the tuition fees your students pay."
At this point, Qian Renxue's tone shifted slightly.
"Of course, I wouldn't abandon treating talented soul masters simply because of your questionable character. However, can I really trust the soul masters you've taught enough to restore them and bring them under my wing?
"What if, after healing them and granting them appropriate status, they betray the Spirit Hall one day due to unforeseen circumstances?"
Upon hearing this, the audience unanimously nodded. Indeed, if the principal himself was so untrustworthy, what could be expected of his direct disciples?
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