As countless petals fell, the pink cherry blossoms danced lightly in the wind, their fallen blossoms like clouds. The young man walked slowly, his robes fluttering, his aura extraordinary and refined, like an exiled immortal untouched by the mortal world.
"Teacher, it's all my fault for not handling the recruitment well. Please punish me, Teacher."
Seeing the approaching figure, Bell bowed his head and cupped his hands, his face full of shame.
The young man, Xin, waved his hand indifferently: "This isn't your fault. At least you didn't lose to Dai Mubai and didn't embarrass me."
"Teacher? He's the teacher of Heart of Fire Academy? He's so young?!"
Ning Rongrong's eyes widened. Although she had thought that the teachers of Heart of Fire Academy would be younger than the two old geezers from Shrek, she never expected him to be almost the same age as them!
Clearly, the teachers and students from Shrek were also a bit surprised.
"I never thought that the only one willing to take me as a master would be this girl."
Xin glanced at Ning Rongrong, a helpless smile appearing on his handsome face beneath the mask.
He had originally thought that Zhu Zhuqing had the most hope of being recruited into Heart of Fire Academy during this enrollment.
He never expected to recruit a little demoness from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School.
Although she was a bit willful, since she was his first Disciple, then willful she could be. If she had the strength to be willful, what was wrong with that?
"Teacher! I'll be your Disciple!"
Ning Rongrong adorably stuck out her tongue at Xin.
The Fist of Love that Bell had just performed was very exquisite; even Grandpa Sword might not be able to teach such a boxing technique.
This Teacher Xin must not be simple!
"Alright, then you are my Disciple from now on."
Xin gave Ning Rongrong a cherry blossom token.
...
[First Student: Ning Rongrong]
[Aptitude Rank: S]
[Spirit: Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda]
[spirit power: Rank 26]
...
"Headmaster, this young man is a bit extraordinary; his Aura is quite strong."
Li Yusong had already sensed the Aura emanating from Xin.
Flender also frowned, this masked young man couldn't be much older than Mubai and the others, yet the calm composure and spirit power fluctuations he exuded were no less than his own.
"This is the teacher of Heart of Fire Academy? He looks so young."
"He shouldn't be much older than us. His demeanor is so good, like a young man from another world, descended from the heavens."
"But why is he wearing a mask?"
"He must be ugly and unpresentable," Tang San replied to Xiao Wu.
"Is that so?"
"Mm!"
"No matter how mysterious the Aura he releases, given his age, he cannot be a powerhouse of the same Rank as us."
"Young man, no matter who you are, opening an academy opposite ours and injuring our students—isn't that a bit underhanded? Especially since you're a junior."
"How about this, I'll give you two choices. One, merge Heart of Fire Academy into our Shrek. I can let you be a teacher at Shrek. Two, you compensate our Shrek with two thousand gold coins and move your school within three days. Then this matter will be settled. Otherwise, we can only handle it according to the rules of Spirit Masters."
Flender intended to extort a hefty sum; no matter which choice, he would profit without loss.
"As I just said, if Headmaster Flender wishes to spar, I am willing to oblige."
Xin spoke calmly, neither humble nor arrogant. Just standing there, he exuded an air of carefree detachment.
He wouldn't fall for this cunning Flender's trick.
"Young man, at your age, your spirit power is at most Rank 40 or 50. The lowest-ranked teacher at our Shrek is a Spirit Emperor. You are simply not qualified to be a teacher. I advise you not to seek trouble."
"Whether I'm qualified or not, you don't get to decide."
"Besides, in this day and age, even a Spirit Grandmaster without Rank 30 can take Disciples. Why can't I?"
Xin said indifferently, making a 'please make your move' gesture with one hand, as is customary in Spirit Master duels.
Tang San's face was peculiar: "Why do I feel like I'm being subtly insulted? Is it my imagination?"
Flender's eyes narrowed:
"I had a bit of admiration for you, but since you're so stubborn, don't say that our Shrek is bullying the young. As long as you can defeat Yuesong, this matter will be temporarily settled. Otherwise, your Heart of Fire Academy will surely become a ruin today."
"Li Yuesong, go."
Li Yusong leaped from his stool. A long staff with countless intricate patterns appeared in his right hand. Six spirit rings, one white, one yellow, three purple, and one black, emerged around him, signifying that he was a Spirit Emperor powerhouse.
Too lazy to even use a Spirit Ability, he swung the long staff, producing a whistling sound as it cleaved towards Xin.
"Don't say this old man is bullying the young. I won't use Spirit Abilities. If you can win, you're impressive."
"You talk too much."
"Since you're not using them, then I will."
Xin didn't waste any more time either.
His feet sank, and the surrounding scenery seemed to become dreamlike. pruple flower blossoms began to fall from the sky, and a beautiful, massive purple flower blossom bloomed behind him.
And from within that purple flower, a large, two-handed sword with a distinctive fiery appearance flew before Xin, and seven spirit rings—yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black—appeared beneath his feet.
"Cleaver of Shamash"
Seven rings, Spirit Saint!