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"Hey, Uncle, what are you doing here?"
Oscar remembered Lan Minghua vividly. Aside from the children, he was the only person who had eaten his sausages with such gusto. Even if he hadn't paid.
Before Lan Minghua could respond, Zhao Wuji urged Oscar to make more sausages.
"Huazai is the new teacher the Headmaster recruited. You'll be seeing a lot of him. For now, get those sausages out so Mubai and the others can eat."
"Oh, okay!"
Oscar replied and, seeing no girls around, recited his incantation loudly and confidently.
"Your Daddy has a big sausage!"
Soul power surged as a glowing orb appeared in his hand. When the light faded, two large sausages materialized.
Zhao Wuji took them and personally fed them to Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun.
Oscar glanced up at Lan Minghua, curious to see his reaction to the incantation. But Lan Minghua didn't seem bothered. It was just a chant; only someone with a dirty mind would think otherwise.
This was his second time meeting Oscar, and he was now certain about taking him as a disciple. His talent and character were both commendable.
"Handsome, how about becoming my disciple? I can give you, a support-type Soul Master, the battle strength of an assault-type."
Oscar chuckled, covering his mouth. "Uncle, stop joking. What could you possibly teach me?"
Lan Minghua had expected this response and didn't press the issue.
"Fine. Anyway, I'm a teacher at 'Shit-lek' now. If you change your mind, you can come to me anytime."
Turning to Zhao Wuji, who had just finished feeding the duo, he asked, "Old Zhao, where am I staying?"
"Huazai, your house has been ready for a while. Just take a left up ahead and go straight for about a hundred meters. Need me to show you the way?"
"No need, I can find it myself." Lan Minghua shuffled off in his slippers, strolling leisurely toward the house.
Oscar stood dumbfounded, his mouth agape.
"T-Teacher Zhao! Is that uncle really the new teacher the Headmaster recruited?!"
Zhao Wuji stared at Lan Minghua's departing back and nodded firmly. "Flender sent me a letter himself. It's legit. And his strength is no less than mine—he's a Soul Saint at the very least."
Oscar was completely stunned.
What kind of Soul Saint looks like a vagabond who can't even afford five copper soul coins?
Wait—a Soul Saint?!
The realization hit him. He had just rejected a Soul Saint who wanted to be his master.
Don't underestimate Soul Saints. In the world of Douluo Dalu, a Soul Saint was already a true powerhouse.
Seeing Oscar's troubled expression, Zhao Wuji added, "Xiao Ao, if you want him as your master, you should go now. A Soul Saint master is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
Shrek Academy had graduation. After that, teachers were no longer obligated to protect their students. Life and death were left to fate. But a master was different—a master would treat you as one of their own.
Oscar's mind raced as he recalled Lan Minghua's words. He was deeply tempted.
To give a support-type Soul Master the power to rival an assault-type?
As a support-type, Oscar was keenly aware of his own weakness. Without companions for protection, even the most useful support was still just support. He knew that if Lan Minghua wasn't bluffing, this was his chance to change his destiny.
"Teacher Zhao, I'm heading out!"
Without waiting for a reply, he pedaled his tricycle and sped off like the wind.
On the ground, Ma Hongjun had woken up after eating the sausage, though Dai Mubai was still unconscious. Perhaps his skin was thicker, so the damage wasn't as severe.
The moment he saw Zhao Wuji, Ma Hongjun clung to his leg and wailed. "Teacher Zhao, you have to get justice for me! Some filthy beggar tried to kill me!"
"You have to kill him! We can't let him tarnish Shrek's name!"
Zhao Wuji sneered. Ma Hongjun had conveniently omitted his own role in starting the fight. If Lan Minghua had truly wanted to kill him, he'd already be dead.
Still, not wanting conflict between students and teachers, he warned coldly, "Enough. Do you think I don't know who started this?"
Ma Hongjun's expression froze. He hadn't expected his petty trick to be seen through so easily.
"He is a new teacher personally recruited by Flender, and his strength is on par with mine. If you want to cause trouble, go do it yourself. Don't try to use me as your weapon."
With that, Zhao Wuji turned and walked away. In his youth, he had made plenty of enemies; he understood the ways of the world now. Offending an expert as strong as himself for Ma Hongjun's sake? He wasn't that stupid.
Watching Zhao Wuji's retreating back, a flicker of killing intent flashed deep in Ma Hongjun's eyes. He helped the still-dazed Dai Mubai up and headed back to the dorms.
Lan Minghua arrived at the house Zhao Wuji had described and pushed the door open. It was nothing special—clean and simple.
"Flender actually put some thought into this. At least it's better than the student dorms." When it came to social courtesies, Flender knew what he was doing.
Lan Minghua sat down, lost in thought. He'd forgotten to ask when Shrek's enrollment began.
Knock, knock, knock!
He had just sat down when a knock came at the door, followed by a voice.
"Uncle, are you still looking for a disciple? I've come to ask you to be my master!"
Lan Minghua didn't know what Zhao Wuji had told Oscar, but he could guess. He definitely knew about his strength now. That was just how the world worked.
"Handsome, come in."
The door swung open. Oscar slid into the room on his knees and bowed deeply.
"Master, please accept this disciple's bow!"
Lan Minghua didn't accept immediately. "Handsome, why the sudden change of heart?"
Oscar didn't hide anything. "Because you're strong," he said respectfully. "Teacher Zhao said you're no weaker than the Headmaster. And you said you could make me as strong as an assault-type. That's why I want you as my master."
It was honest and direct. Lan Minghua was pleased. No pretense.
"One last question. When does Shrek start enrolling new students this year?"
Oscar, though puzzled by the question, answered truthfully. "Enrollment day is tomorrow. Teacher Li is in charge."
"I see." Lan Minghua paused for a moment. "Alright, get up. From this moment on, you are my, Lan Minghua's, disciple."
"Thank you, Master!"
The moment he accepted Oscar, the system's voice sounded in his mind.
[Ding! Disciple successfully recruited.]
['Famed Teacher' title unlocked.]
[First Disciple: Oscar]
[Soul Power: Level 29]
[System Talent Rating: 95]
[Famed Teacher Points: 950]
[How to Earn Points:
Recruit disciples with talent ratings of 80 or higher. Points are awarded at a 1:10 ratio (Rating 95 = 950 Points).
Teach disciples techniques. As they master them and grow stronger, you will be rewarded with points accordingly.]
Lan Minghua raised an eyebrow. The system had given him 950 points for Oscar's 95 rating, not 900. It seemed his initial assumption about it rounding down was wrong.
Oscar rubbed his hands together, grinning shamelessly. "Uh, Master, shouldn't you be teaching me something now?"
Lan Minghua once again pulled out the manuals. "These are my original soul techniques. Pick one."
"Master, I want this one—Indestructible Diamond Body!"
"Brave choice, handsome. That one is very difficult to train. You're in for a world of pain."
Lan Minghua's tone turned playful, making Oscar shiver.
"Ha!"
(End of Chapter)