"Two left, one remaining?"
"What did Tang San have two of that now only one is left?"
Everyone else was completely bewildered by Flender's words. What he said was just too strange.
After a stunned silence, Flender realized he had said too much. He quickly pulled Yu Xiaogang outside the hotel.
The people left at the table just looked at each other.
Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun were the first to react. A knowing smile spread across both their faces. In an instant, everyone else understood what the Dean meant.
The three girls' faces immediately turned red. Tang San was, after all, a man. What does a man have two of? It goes without saying.
But if Tang San only had one left... was he still a man? At most, he was half a man, right?
The atmosphere in the room suddenly became very awkward.
Just then, Flender, who had been gone for less than a minute, actually returned. He waved his hand.
"Alright, all of you sit down! Order whatever you want to eat," Zhao Wuji suddenly called out loudly to the Shrek Seven Devils, changing the subject. "Today, your stingy Dean is generously footing the bill! Don't hold back, order whatever you like!"
Flender's returning smile instantly stiffened.
In contrast, the Shrek Seven Devils all cheered and immediately called for a waiter. They didn't hold back and immediately started ordering. Ma Hongjun was the first to snatch the menu. He flipped through the three pages, his eyes scanning.
He pointed at a few items, signaling the waiter.
Flender was right beside him, and seeing that his disciple had pointed to the cheapest dishes, he couldn't help but feel overjoyed. Good, as expected of my disciple, he really knows how to save me money!
However, what Ma Hongjun said next sent Flender straight from heaven to hell. He was completely dumbfounded.
"Hmm, you know what? Don't bother with the ones I just pointed out. Just bring us one of everything else on the menu! And two barrels of good ale!"
Ma Hongjun didn't give anyone else a chance to order, completing the glorious task for the whole team.
Turning to look at Flender, Ma Hongjun asked in surprise, "Huh? Teacher, what's wrong with your face? Why does it look a bit green? Didn't you sleep well last night?"
Qin Ming managed to keep his composure, but Zhao Wuji burst into loud, uninhibited laughter. Flender's stinginess was famous among the academy's teachers.
Qin Ming's expression returned to normal, and he smiled. "How can I let the Dean pay? After so many years, I've finally returned. Teachers, please give me a chance to thank you for your guidance back then. Without you, there would be no Qin Ming today."
Zhao Wuji laughed heartily. "Xiaoming, you're still as sensible as ever. I was actually hoping to see Flender bleed a little. Now I won't get to see it."
As soon as Flender heard Qin Ming offer to pay, his face immediately brightened. He turned and glared at Zhao Wuji. "You just enjoy seeing me make a fool of myself, don't you? Alright, Old Zhao, it's been a while since we sparred. When we get back, I'll find you for a practice session. It'll help promote spirit power improvement."
"Uh..." This time, it was Zhao Wuji who couldn't smile.
He and Flender had sparred countless times, and he knew Flender's strength all too well. As a power-type Spirit Master, he had no way to deal with Flender, who was an agility-attack type and a flying Spirit Master. What's more, Flender's spirit power was two ranks higher than his. At their level, the difference in each rank wasn't like it was for the students. Every single rank was an absolute gap.
Qin Ming looked at the Shrek Seven Devils who had sat down, his gaze finally resting on Huo Feng. If only this guy were a student of Heaven Dou Royal Academy. Alas, there are no "if-onlys" in this world.
Soon, the food and drinks were served. Everyone raised their glasses and drank heartily, celebrating the day's great victory. Even Qin Ming, who was from the losing team, was just as happy. The celebration continued late into the night before they all returned to their rooms.
Early the next morning, the Shrek team checked out of the hotel. This meant they had completed their month-long second phase of training.
Physically, this phase wasn't as extreme as the first. But mentally, it was even more exhausting. Every day, they had to face different opponents, and every day, they had to fight for the win. Facing strong enemies, they had to deal with their opponents and cooperate with their teammates.
Spirit duels were completely different from sparring among themselves; these were real battles.
While their practical combat experience grew, the Shrek team also discovered how effective the first phase of devil-like training had been. Their endurance, resilience, and recovery in battle had all improved significantly. Otherwise, how could they have kept up with the high-intensity battles every single day? This was especially true for those who had to fight in three duels a day. They truly saw the results of the first phase's training.
This second phase wasn't just about basic training and practical combat; Dean Flender had used it to teach them about sustained combat capability.
Returning to the familiar small village, they found it lacked Soto City's prosperity, but it also lacked the city's hustle and bustle. This unique feeling was comforting. For the Shrek team, Shrek Academy was much more comfortable than the hotel, even if its conditions weren't as good.
"Everyone, go and rest. You've all worked hard," Flender said as soon as they returned. He immediately gave the seven students a break.
Their only requirement was to fully digest and absorb the combat experience they had gained over the past month. At the same time, they all had to dedicate energy to cultivating their spirit power.
"Wuji, call everyone else here," Flender said after the seven had dispersed. Shrek Academy wasn't just his; there were three other teachers. After being apart for a month, they needed a report.
As soon as Ma Hongjun returned to the dormitory, he didn't even bother with the dust on his bed. He just collapsed onto it. "It's so comfortable to be back. Boss Dai, please don't call me. I'm going to sleep in, sleep until I wake up naturally!"
Dai Mubai pouted. "You've already forgotten your little beauty in the city so quickly?"
He was about to mock him, but when he turned his head, he saw that guy had already fallen asleep. He was even starting to snore softly.
Huo Feng was also quite tired. He tidied up a bit and then lay down on his bed, closing his eyes. His expression looked calm, but in reality, he was somewhat excited.
He had discovered that right after yesterday's team battle ended, his spirit power had already broken through to rank forty.
This meant that, if he had the chance, he could now absorb his fourth spirit ring.
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