Hearing that Ma Hongjun had agreed, the Grandmaster was very satisfied. "Alright, Hongjun. You're here to see Flender, right? Go on in. After I get the treasure from His Majesty, I'll come find you at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect." He was already dreaming of gaining a capable new subordinate.
To be fair, the Grandmaster really did care about Tang San, though there was always a purpose behind it—he wanted to use Tang San to spread his theories, even at the cost of deceiving his former lover Bibi Dong.
That was what Tianlin despised the most about the Grandmaster.
The man had seduced Bibi Dong while being considered trash—Tianlin didn't look down on that, actually admired his skills. If Bibi Dong was love-crazed, it was her own fault. Aside from being out of touch with reality and overestimating themselves, there wasn't much to say about it.
Later, getting together with Liu Erlong wasn't really an issue either. He'd been dumped by Bibi Dong first; you can't expect him to stay single forever.
Up to that point, Tianlin didn't think the Grandmaster was scum. But what he did after that was another story.
After learning Liu Erlong was his cousin, he wanted to run away, leaving Liu Erlong lonely and waiting for him for over a decade.
He could have been braver—eloped with Liu Erlong, gone into hiding, even if they'd become outcasts. Or, with Yu Yuanzhen's love for family, they might have been left alone if they kept a low profile.
But Yu Xiaogang cared only about his theories. If he couldn't prove them to the world, he'd never give up. He'd never live a humble life.
Since he couldn't give up his dreams, he should have told Liu Erlong and broken things off cleanly, keeping her reputation and not wasting her time.
Yu Xiaogang's constant evasion earned him the label of coward from Tianlin.
Later, because he deceived Bibi Dong for Tang San's sake, completely disregarding his former lover's safety, Tianlin finally labeled him scum.
Thanks to Tianlin's constant gossiping, Ma Hongjun's opinion of the Grandmaster also worsened over time.
The only thing was, neither Tianlin nor Ma Hongjun had the right to criticize him—Tianlin himself had a wife but still harbored feelings for a little angel, and Ma Hongjun had been a regular at brothels. It would be the pot calling the kettle black.
But at least, they would never evade their pasts, and would keep their promises to their loved ones, never letting them shoulder burdens alone.
Tianlin loved Qian Renxue, and though he couldn't control his feelings, he could control his actions. He would never use that love to manipulate her in battle; they'd fight openly and fairly, as they had agreed.
..
Ma Hongjun had come today to talk to his teacher Flender. He had to find the courage to face the Fire God's trial, so he could give Bai Chenxiang a future.
In the academy's back garden, Flender was, as always, napping in his rocking chair. Since the academy competition had ended, he'd basically retired early.
Though he was Dean in name, all power was held by the Grandmaster with Liu Erlong's support. He was just a mascot now, so what else could he do but enjoy retirement?
Luckily, he still had a few close friends, so he wasn't completely alone.
Ma Hongjun walked up and said, "Teacher, I'm back!"
"Oh, Hongjun, here again? Did Qin Ming drill you too hard, so you came to complain? I'll tell you, I'm not getting involved—Qin Ming's training is for your own good, I'm on his side." Flender laughed, seeing Ma Hongjun looking troubled.
Clearly, Ma Hongjun had often come to complain about Qin Ming's strict training.
"No, teacher. At first, I really resented Teacher Qin—he made my life hell every day. But gradually, I realized I was getting stronger and more focused. That's when I understood his good intentions. I've now completely gotten used to his training. Especially after meeting Xiangxiang—though I'm exhausted every day, she'll wipe my sweat and get me water when I get home. Just those two simple actions wash away all my fatigue."
"Boss Tianlin told me: people can't live their lives always joking around. We have to carry burdens. And I want to carry Xiangxiang's future."
Hearing this, seeing the completely changed Ma Hongjun, Flender laughed heartily. "Good! I'm glad you learned that. I never taught you this, neither did Xiaogang, Mubai, or Tang San. But Jun Tianlin did—letting you join the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was the best decision I made, the only thing I've ever done right as your teacher."
"Teacher, don't say that. If you hadn't taken me from the village, I wouldn't be here today," Ma Hongjun said.
"You're wrong, Hongjun. I was just a trigger—if not me, someone else would have come. No power would ignore a Phoenix soul master. You'd have shone one day anyway. Compared to Jun Tianlin, I may have taken you as a disciple, but I was helpless against your evil fire."
"I knew letting you go to brothels would ruin you, but for your own safety, I had no choice. 'Useless teacher'—who else but me?" Flender laughed at himself, then stood up and went to his room, taking out a box. "After the academy competition, I traveled all over Heaven Dou with Zhao Wuji, and finally got this treasure."
"All my life, I've pinched every penny, every beast I killed I skinned—finally, all my savings became this. Open it and see if you like it. Your useless teacher has nothing else to give you."
Ma Hongjun took the box from Flender with curiosity. As he opened it, a wave of heat emanated from inside. He'd thought it would be a soul bone, but when he looked inside, he found a fiery red flower.