"You're the teacher of Taoyuan Academy?" Ma Hongjun grumbled. "What kind of skill is it for a teacher to bully a student?"
"It is only natural for a teacher to discipline a misbehaving student," Su Ran stated calmly. "However, merely punishing you would be letting you off too easily. When a disciple is untaught, the fault lies with the master."
Su Ran then declared, "Wang Sheng, however he bullied Rongrong, you will hit him back in the same way."
"I am going to Shrek Academy to have a discussion with his teacher."
"Yes, sir."
At Su Ran's command, Wang Sheng rushed out from Taoyuan Academy, released his Battle Tiger Martial Soul, and charged toward Ma Hongjun.
Meanwhile, Su Ran slowly began to walk into Shrek Academy.
Watching Su Ran's calm, protective back, Ning Rongrong's eyes filled with adoration. "When Teacher isn't being strict, he's quite charming. Is he going to Shrek Academy to reason with their teachers?"
"A teacher who protects his disciple is the most charismatic of all!"
"I hope I can cultivate the second layer of the Golden Bell soon, so I can finally see what Teacher really looks like!"
Over the past month, although she had spent most of her time in grueling special training, Teacher Su Ran had often been there with her. While he was incredibly strict during training and never let her slack off, outside of it, he was quite thoughtful. He would personally prepare the herbal medicines and beast blood for her tempering baths, get hot water ready for her, and help treat the injuries she sustained from her training.
When she was on her period, he would even prepare brown sugar water for her. Not even her own father had ever been so considerate!
During this month, she had also asked Wang Sheng many questions about Teacher Su Ran. She learned that her teacher had also reached his current level of strength step by step, through his own painstaking cultivation. He dared to be a pioneer, not only challenging the age limit with his very first Spirit Ring but also crossing ranks to challenge a thousand-year ring for his second. Although he succeeded, he must have faced a life-and-death struggle at the time.
What amazed Ning Rongrong the most was the look of pure worship and infatuation on Wang Sheng's face whenever he spoke of their teacher's appearance.
Wang Sheng had told her that in the past, Teacher Su Ran's peerlessly beautiful face had once caused the young women of an entire city to go wild, surrounding him so densely that he couldn't escape. There were even daughters of dukes and nobles who offered vast sums of money to propose marriage. Some powerful individuals, including Spirit Kings and Spirit Emperors, had even tried to force him into marriage. He had barely managed to escape.
And all of this was simply because Teacher Su Ran was born devastatingly handsome.
Therefore, from that day forward, Su Ran wore a mask at all times, never showing his true face to the world, lest his beauty become a curse—a Peach Immortal bringing disaster upon the mortal realm.
When Ning Rongrong first heard this story, she thought it was just a tall tale with little truth to it. Although Teacher Su Ran did have a remarkable aura, how could anyone be that handsome? Even her Grandpa Sword, who was said to have been devastatingly handsome in his youth and had many admirers, never had powerful nobles and experts wildly confessing their love or trying to force him into marriage.
Now, Ning Rongrong's curiosity about Teacher Su Ran's appearance was growing by the day.
What kind of face was hidden beneath that immortal dragon and peach blossom mask?
By the time Su Ran emerged from Shrek Academy, the sun had just set, and night was falling.
Outside the academy, Ma Hongjun had been beaten black and blue by Wang Sheng, all the fight knocked out of him.
Ma Hongjun and Oscar finally understood why even Boss Dai had lost to this Wang Sheng. The man had been practicing his Tiger Form Fist for years and had reached a level of great mastery. Every punch and every stance was like a ferocious battle tiger in the flesh. His style was a seamless blend of offense and defense, far beyond what amateurs like them, who could only trade blows with their spirit abilities in a turn-based fashion, could ever hope to compare with.
When Oscar tried to give Ma Hongjun a Recovery Big Sausage, Ning Rongrong just snorted and threw two Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda buffs on Wang Sheng, resulting in an even more brutal beating.
"Dean, avenge us! Their Taoyuan Academy is bullying us, waah~" Ma Hongjun cried, clutching his swollen, pig-like face as he saw Flender walk out.
"Shut up, you brat! This is all your fault. I'll deal with you later," Flender scolded.
He then turned to Su Ran, forcing a smile. "Dean Su Ran, it is our Shrek's failure for not teaching this boy properly. I will definitely discipline him more strictly in the future. Please, calm your anger. We mustn't let this incident harm the peaceful relationship between our academies. It must be fate that our two schools could open right next to each other."
Su Ran simply replied, "It is best that you understand this. To be honest, I quite dislike having to come to someone's door to settle matters. I, too, wish for a more peaceful world."
"Naturally, naturally," Flender said, still smiling placatingly.
Su Ran had already walked to the entrance of Taoyuan Academy. He glanced at the barely recognizable Ma Hongjun and seemed moderately satisfied. The boy had brought this upon himself; he deserved it.
"Let's go, time to return to the academy. I trust that Dean Flender will properly educate his students from now on and will no longer allow them to harass young women," Su Ran stated calmly.
"Hmph!" Ning Rongrong shot a final cold glare at Ma Hongjun and the others before following her teacher back into their school.
Watching their calm and stylish departure, Ma Hongjun felt incredibly aggrieved. "Dean, why?!"
"Since when has our Shrek been afraid of trouble?!"
"Are we just going to let this go???"
"You still have the nerve to talk, you fatty? All you do is cause trouble for the academy. As punishment, you will compensate the academy for 100 Gold Spirit Coins in damages," Flender snapped.
"What? I have to pay money too?!" Ma Hongjun was on the verge of tears.
"Fatty, getting fined 100 Gold Spirit Coins is letting you off easy. Do you have any idea what that Su Ran did when he went into our academy?" At that moment, Dai Mubai, Tang San, and the others walked out of Shrek Academy, their faces grim.
"What did he do? He wouldn't dare act presumptuously, would he? Does he think our Dean and Teacher Zhao are just for decoration?"
"He... really did dare." Dai Mubai's eyes held a trace of fear as he looked toward the white, immortal-like figure inside Taoyuan Academy.
Just moments ago, this Su Ran had barged into Shrek alone, stating that their student had bullied his. Since he didn't want to bully a junior, he would have to challenge their teachers instead. Anyone could step up.
Zhao Wuji, being hot-tempered and already indignant about Li Yusong's serious injuries, couldn't stand Su Ran's arrogance and stepped forward without hesitation.
The result... the Immovable Bright King was beaten into a torn fishing net.
Zhao Wuji, renowned for his defense and attack power, was riddled with holes by what looked like an ordinary peach branch. He was now lying on a plank, covered in bloody wounds, waiting for first aid. If the fight had continued, Flender was afraid Su Ran might have demolished the entire academy. They were already short on funds; it would have been adding frost to snow.
"Fatty, you really are something else. Boss Dai already lost to that Wang Sheng. Why did you have to go and provoke them? Your old habits acting up again?" Tang San said.
Dai Mubai's face darkened. "I was careless before. I didn't expect him to have mastered a fist-fighting style. I'll definitely win next time. My White Tiger Martial Soul is the king among tigers."
"That Wang Sheng's Tiger Form Fist is indeed quite formidable... but... Fatty didn't just lose to him. Fatty lost to that support-type Spirit Master, Ning Rongrong..." Oscar said weakly, touching a bruise on his face.
"What? Fatty, you lost to a support-type? You lost to that girl?!"
"How is that possible?!"
"What in the world did this Su Ran teach her? A support-type can actually defeat a power-attack type Spirit Grandmaster?! This is insane."
At this revelation, everyone from Shrek was utterly shocked.
(End of Chapter)