"Wait! Oscar, we appreciate your kindness, but there's no need to trouble yourself."
Chu Chengzhou quickly intervened to stop him.
"No trouble at all—it'll be ready in no time!"
"Stop! Let me say something first!"
"Mm-hmm, go ahead, speak!"
"Perhaps you don't know this, but over half an hour ago, I beat up a Soul Elder with a White Tiger martial soul and a Soul Grandmaster with an old hen martial soul. You might want to seriously reconsider."
Chu Chengzhou spoke slowly, deliberately emphasizing the word "seriously."
Upon hearing this, Oscar froze for a moment, then gasped in shock.
Good heavens~ It seems this new student, Chu, is quite the tough character!
Ma Hongjun, that fatso, was one thing—he mostly bullied Oscar, a food-type soul master, within the academy—but even Dai Mubai, known as "Dai Tiger," got beaten?
Wait a minute… seriously reconsider? Could it be that this new student knows the inside story about my sausages?
Thinking this, cold sweat began to bead on Oscar's forehead.
"Haha~, well, uh, juniors, I suddenly feel a bit unwell. Let's save the sausage treat for another time."
Oscar awkwardly chuckled and hastily retreated back into his wooden hut.
BANG—!
The door slammed shut, shaking loose a cloud of dust.
"Brother, didn't Oscar just say he'd treat us to sausages? Why did he suddenly change his mind?"
Xiao Wu couldn't help but complain.
"Maybe… he really isn't feeling well? Perhaps he developed acute hemorrhoids?"
Chu Chengzhou said with a straight face.
Xiao Wu: "..."
The student dormitories at Shrek Academy were run-down, and due to being unoccupied for so long, they were covered in thick layers of dust.
By noon, the two had finally cleaned both rooms.
Glancing at the dormitory with its missing eave, drafty walls, and overall dilapidated state, Chu Chengzhou became even more determined to spend money hiring someone to build a new house.
Not only should it be built to be "high-end," ensuring comfort for himself and Xiao Wu, but it could also serve as an invitation for other "close" students to stay over in the future.
He wondered what Dai Mubai would think about it?
Using his money to build his own house, wooing his fiancée, and having his own children…
Dai Mubai: I thank you sincerely!
Seeing that it was getting late, the two headed toward the academy cafeteria.
Just as they set off, Chu Chengzhou encountered Flender and a middle-aged man of average height but extraordinarily muscular build—his steel-like physique suggested he was also heading to the cafeteria for a meal.
"Flender, are these the two new students?"
Stroking his chin and sizing them up, Zhao Wuji asked Flender.
"Yes, it's them! Chu kid, Xiao Wu, let me introduce you. This is our vice-principal at Shrek Academy, Zhao Wuji—a 76th-level Soul Sage powerhouse. You can call him Teacher Zhao."
Flender introduced Zhao Wuji to the two.
"Pleased to meet you, Teacher Zhao!"
The two greeted him.
"Mm, nice to meet you too!"
Zhao Wuji nodded, his gaze filled with curiosity as he looked at Chu Chengzhou.
He simply wanted to see how Chu Chengzhou, who had reached 29th-level Soul Grandmaster by age 16, managed to convince Flender to admit him directly without any entrance exams.
Xiao Wu was understandable—she was a 38th-level Soul Elder at 16, her talent undeniable.
After all, Dai Mubai, at 15 years old, was a 35th-level Soul Elder, which wasn't far off from Xiao Wu.
But what about Chu Chengzhou?
A 29th-level Soul Grandmaster at 16 likely barely entered the two-ring stage at 12. What did it mean to admit him directly without testing?
Clearly, Zhao Wuji didn't know that Flender had agreed to Chu Chengzhou's request and inflated their ages by four or five years.
'Could it be that this kid is rich, and Flender, that miser, succumbed to the lure of money?'
Zhao Wuji thought to himself.
With this in mind, Zhao Wuji glanced at Flender.
"Big Brother Flender, isn't it about time you paid us the wages you've been holding back?"
Tugging at Flender's sleeve, Zhao Wuji whispered quietly.
"Old Zhao, don't rush me. We're all brothers here—I won't owe you forever. Once the academy's finances improve, I'll make sure to pay you right away!"
Adjusting his glasses, Flender spoke sheepishly in a low voice.
"You sneaky bastard Flender, still playing tricks on me, huh?"
Zhao Wuji was furious. In the past, not having money was one thing, but now, even with money, he still refused to pay wages? Such stinginess—no wonder he'd been single for over fifty years!
"Tricks? What tricks?"
Flender looked genuinely confused.
"This kid has mediocre talent. Are you telling me he got into the academy without paying?"
The admission standards at Shrek Academy weren't low, and candidates had to pass numerous tests. A 29th-level Soul Grandmaster at 16 admitted without testing? Zhao Wuji wouldn't believe it even if you killed him!
"I didn't take any money!"
I didn't just refrain from taking extra money—I even had to cover costs myself!
Not to mention, the academy cafeteria provided free meals three times a day.
"Really didn't take any money?"
Zhao Wuji's eyes widened. This didn't match the Flender he knew! Would this guy really engage in a losing deal?
"Really didn't take any money!"
Flender rolled his eyes.
Am I, Flender, the kind of person who bends over for petty gains? Do you, Zhao Wuji, underestimate me that much?
"Then why did you accept him?"
Zhao Wuji was even more perplexed.
"I didn't take any money, alright? Old Zhao, stop asking so many questions—you'll understand later."
Flender said meaningfully.
Although Chu Chengzhou's displayed talent wasn't on par with Xiao Wu's, as long as he didn't die young, reaching the rank of Title Douluo was almost guaranteed.
Even a lower-ranked Title Douluo was still a figure of admiration in the world.
Hearing this, Zhao Wuji glanced thoughtfully at Chu Chengzhou.
In his impression, Flender, though stingy, wasn't stupid. If he did this, there must be a deeper reason.
Perhaps Zhao Wuji was just an ordinary person, unable to see the brilliance in Chu Chengzhou?
Shrek Academy wasn't a formal soul master academy, so naturally, its cafeteria couldn't be described as "high-end."
It was an ordinary wooden building covering several dozen square meters, with a slightly worn sign reading "Cafeteria" hanging at the entrance.
Before entering the cafeteria, Chu Chengzhou heard Oscar's voice.
"Dai Boss, why are you eating in the cafeteria today? Don't you usually go to Suotuo City for better meals?"
At the long wooden table, Oscar, holding a simple meal, looked at Dai Mubai with surprise.
Upon hearing this, Dai Mubai's expression darkened. He didn't reply but instead shoveled the unappetizing food into his mouth with great effort.
How could he possibly admit that he had just been robbed and now couldn't afford to wine and dine women or splurge on fancy meals? That would be too embarrassing!
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