Chapter 129: Replacing Dai Mubai
Suo Tuo City, Shrek Academy, beneath the worn and shabby wooden arch.
"Mubai, are you really dropping out?" Flender looked at the dejected Dai Mubai, unable to hide his reluctance.
This was his cash cow. If the academy lost its funding, he couldn't squeeze another coin out of Dai Mubai.
Behind Flender, Ma Hongjun wore a trace of guilt on his face. The idea of Dai Mubai leaving made him deeply unsettled.
Because sometimes, Dai Mubai would take him into the city for a good meal, so he didn't have to eat with the village-girl girlfriend he was stuck with every day.
"Boss Dai, I'm sorry. I was impulsive last time and dragged everyone into trouble!" Ma Hongjun tried to persuade him to stay.
He thought it was because he provoked Ning Rongrong, leading the three of them to get beaten half to death—and even violated—and with Zhao Wuji missing afterward, that Dai Mubai wanted to quit the academy.
Dai Mubai waved a hand. "It's all in the past. And that whole incident wasn't your fault. I just never expected her identity to be so… complicated."
"I'm leaving because of family matters. Even if I stay here, it's nothing but self-deception."
Dai Mubai let out a long sigh. He had run here precisely to avoid facing Dai Weisi, hoping to enjoy himself until Dai Weisi turned twenty-five.
But instead, he got slapped down—twice. He was better off living freely in Star Luo City.
At least there, as long as he kept a thick skin, he could enjoy life right under Dai Weisi and his father's noses.
But in Suo Tuo City, his life was actually in danger. Once, when Zhu Zhuqing arrived to break off the engagement, and once when he crossed Ning Rongrong and got her retaliation.
Both times, he ended up battered from head to toe.
He had finally figured it out. Instead of "living freely" here, he was better off going home.
"Mubai, no matter what difficulties you have, Shrek Academy will always have a place for you. All of us teachers are willing to support you," Flender said.
Flender was a Soul Saint. Normally, he wouldn't speak so politely to a student.
Anyone else trying to withdraw would never get off so easily. But Dai Mubai was his golden goose.
To keep the academy running, Flender's bottom line was very… flexible.
"Dean, thank you for your guidance these last three years."
Dai Mubai exhaled softly. If only he weren't weighed down by the struggle for the throne—he really did like it here.
At that moment, Oscar spoke up as well: "Dean, I want to withdraw too!"
He had joined Shrek because the academy had a food-type Soul Saint who could guide him in cultivation.
But after the previous incident, he realized Shrek Academy wasn't as impressive as he'd imagined. Shao Xin's help was limited.
So he wanted to go to Heaven Dou City or Star Luo City to look at their academies. With his innate full soul power, he wasn't worried about finding a good place.
"What? You want to withdraw too?" Flender was stunned.
"Oscar, think carefully. In other places, you won't find a food-type Soul Saint to teach you."
"If you're willing to stay, I can convince Teacher Shao to take you as his personal disciple. How about that?"
He glanced at Dai Mubai—once one student opened this bad precedent, it wasn't easy to stop the next.
"Dean, I've already thought it through," Oscar said firmly.
This place held painful memories for him. Cultivating here meant he'd always remember that miserable night.
Flender sighed. "Fine. I'll give you three days. After three days, give me your final answer."
"If you still feel the same, then I'll approve your withdrawal."
Flender planned to stall him. Once Dai Mubai left, he'd have plenty of ways to "handle" Oscar.
Want to withdraw? Sure. Just pay back the two years of tuition subsidies.
Considering how many Soul Saints had been teaching him, ten thousand gold soul coins weren't too much, right?
If Dai Mubai didn't have such a special background, Flender would never have let him withdraw so easily.
If Shrek Academy really let people drop out whenever they wanted, then the ones who died during failed soul-beast hunts in the past wouldn't have died at all.
He had no structured teaching method. The academy survived purely through scams, coercion, and manipulation.
Ma Hongjun opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but in the end, he said nothing.
He had no right to withdraw. Ever since he awakened his martial soul, Flender had taken him in.
Flender was like his foster father, his teacher, and Ma Hongjun had never intended to leave anyway.
"Dean, then I'll take my leave. I hope we meet again someday," Dai Mubai said his farewells and left with his guards.
...
A small city on the border between the Heaven Dou Empire and the Star Luo Empire.
Qi Tian and Zhu Zhuqing stood concealed in the shadows, watching Dai Mubai enter a brothel, leaving his guards stationed outside.
"Pfth! As expected—dogs can't stop themselves from eating filth!" Zhu Zhuqing muttered.
The two followed Dai Mubai's group from Suo Tuo City all the way here, and discovered that he would try his luck with the women in every small town he passed through.
And he was extremely cautious—always posting guards outside, as if terrified of running into trouble again.
"Zhuqing, don't be angry. You have nothing to do with him anymore. No need to upset yourself," Qi Tian said.
Hearing that, Zhu Zhuqing quickly explained, not wanting Qi Tian to misunderstand that she still cared about Dai Mubai:
"Qi Tian, I'm not angry. I just can't stand that kind of behavior!"
She couldn't help it—her upbringing made it hard to change her mindset. Watching her former fiancé act so depraved made her uncomfortable.
Fortunately, she had met Qi Tian at age ten. Otherwise, under the Dai family's influence, her thinking would've been even more deeply imprinted.
And once she practiced the martial-soul fusion skill and was dominated by the White Tiger martial soul, as a member of the Zhu family, she would have no way to escape.
"All right. I'm going to start the operation. Wait here," Qi Tian said.
He activated his soul skill, transforming into Dai Mubai—just like Qian Renxue disguised herself as Xue Qinghe.
With his powerful spiritual power, even a Titled Douluo would struggle to see through his disguise.
"Zhuqing, do I look like him?" Qi Tian asked.
Zhu Zhuqing frowned. She really hated seeing Qi Tian in Dai Mubai's form—it felt wrong in every way. Still, she checked him carefully.
"You need to look more depressed… and your eyes should light up when you look at women. Yes—like that!"
Feeling nauseous, Zhu Zhuqing pushed Qi Tian away, urging him to hurry.
Qi Tian concealed his aura, slipped to the door of Dai Mubai's room, and slipped inside.
With his current cultivation, neither Dai Mubai nor his guards could detect him.
After all, Dai Mubai was essentially a discarded prince. The guards he hired were mediocre at best.
While Dai Mubai was still "fighting" and abusing the person beneath him, he suddenly felt a chill down his back. Before he could even turn around, he lost consciousness.
"This soul-bone skill is quite good," Qi Tian thought.
Using this on a weakling like Dai Mubai was simply perfect.
Outside, Spirit Hall's soul masters were already in place. They would handle the aftermath and take Dai Mubai back to Spirit Hall.
Waiting for him might be the same fate as Tang Hao's.
Qi Tian took Dai Mubai's soul-tool, left the room, and reunited with his guard team.
—
End of Chapter