470. It's Talent

Qian Renjue was seated in the Pope’s Hall, while Bibi Dong, the current Pope, was leisurely chatting with her daughter in the courtyard.

Nearby, Hu Liena was training alongside Xiao Fei Die.

"Xiao Xue, we’ve been rather poor teachers as mother and daughter, haven’t we?"
Bibi Dong, dressed in casual attire, propped her cheek on her hand and spoke teasingly.

Qian Renxue smiled calmly, arching her brow.
"If Jue teaches them, doesn’t that mean we’re teaching them too?"

"Hmm?"
Bibi Dong turned her head, surprised.

She hadn’t expected her daughter to say something so shameless yet logical.

Laughing softly, she said,
"Haha. If Jue hears that, he’s going to have something to say about it."

"Hmph! Would he dare?"
Qian Renxue met Bibi Dong’s gaze, and the two shared a knowing smile.

Then, Qian Renxue pouted.

"Besides, the junior sister you introduced to him... he’s practically turning her into his wife now."

"Since they’re his people, who else would teach them but him?"

She continued plucking petals, tossing them into a teapot.

"That’s true."

Bibi Dong nodded, her smile widening. She had already accepted this long ago. Hu Liena was like her own child.


---

Whoosh—

"Hmm?"

Bibi Dong’s eyebrows furrowed slightly, and the teacup she was about to hand over froze mid-air.

Qian Renxue also turned her gaze toward the courtyard gate.

"Snake Lance?"

Hearing the commotion, Hu Liena and the small butterfly looked in the same direction.

Snake Lance Douluo stood like a javelin at the gate. When he saw Qian Renxue, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.

He immediately bowed respectfully.
"Your Majesty, the Pope. Miss."

"Rise."
Bibi Dong nodded slightly.

"If you’re looking for Jue, he’s in the Pope’s Hall right now."
Qian Renxue added casually,
"If it’s intelligence, you can hand it to me as well."

She had just calculated and remembered that troublesome person had been set loose again!

"Miss, it’s information from Soto City."
Snake Lance raised a hand, letting a thin envelope drift into the courtyard and land in Qian Renxue’s hand.

"Good. You may leave."
Qian Renxue nodded, waving him off.

"Understood!"
Snake Lance retreated respectfully, his gaze tinged with awe.

It seemed her cultivation had surpassed his—a terrifying talent.

Qian Renxue unfolded the intelligence report calmly, her expression turning slightly peculiar.

The information wasn’t particularly valuable; she already knew most of it.

Her curiosity was piqued, though—why were Jue’s fiancée, his disciple, and even his pet rabbit gathering in one place?

Could this be Jue’s doing?

Bibi Dong poured flower tea, her tone gentle as she asked,
"Xiao Xue, is there something going on in Soto City?"

"It’s about Tang Hao and his son."
Qian Renxue handed over the report.

"Oh?"
Bibi Dong took it, momentarily stunned.

Since Qian Renxue had castrated Tang Hao, she hadn’t paid much attention to their whereabouts.

It seemed her son was still keeping tabs.

"Why is that Ning Rongrong girl also at that academy?"

Bibi Dong still remembered Ning Rongrong.

"And my grand-disciple?"

"Maybe Jue sent them there," Qian Renxue speculated, sipping the delicate flower tea and gazing at the sunlight outside.

She softly called out,
"Xiao Die, Nana, come rest for a while."


---

Shrek Academy.

When the assembly time arrived, Flender finally learned that Tang San was gravely injured.

The revelation left him both shocked and terrified.

But when it came to Zhu Zhuqing, he was utterly helpless.

With her extraordinary talent and mysterious origins, she was someone he dared not provoke.

He simply collected everyone’s tuition fees before rushing to Tang San’s quarters.

Without Ning Fengzhi’s approval, Flender didn’t dare take action against Ning Rongrong, and the previous issues had not occurred.

The little witch remained as mischievous as ever.

Tang San’s injuries didn’t delay the lessons, though Zhu Zhuqing and the others continued participating in spirit fights.

Oscar’s spirit hunt, however, was delayed for a few days.


Five days passed in the blink of an eye.

Tang San’s injuries had stabilized. Aside from missing a chunk of flesh from his thigh, he was otherwise fine and able to resume training and daily activities.


---

Evening.

On the training ground of Shrek Academy, the entire group had gathered.

Flender tried once again to introduce his "adaptation training," but Xiao Wu and the other girls firmly refused.

Even Tang San and Dai Mubai weren’t interested in participating. Moreover, Xiao Wu and the girls weren’t willing to let anyone force them into acknowledging Flender’s methods.

Left with no choice, Flender had to temporarily give up.

After all, these were top-tier talents! Once they matured, they would become the pride of Shrek Academy. He couldn’t afford to scare them away.

"Very well, let’s set that aside for now."
Flender looked at the seven gathered students and smiled.

"After tonight, rest up well. Tomorrow morning, we’ll set off to help Oscar hunt for a spirit ring. Dismissed."

With a wave of his hand, Flender turned and left. A sly gleam flickered in his eyes.

He was crafty. Even if Ning Rongrong and the others managed to avoid tonight’s training, how about tomorrow’s long journey?

Without Oscar’s recovery sausages, someone like Ning Rongrong wouldn’t hold out for long. When the time came, she’d have no choice but to eat them!

Flender clasped his hands behind his back, a devious smile on his face as he disappeared into the night.


---

Once Flender left, Dai Mubai and the others heaved a sigh of relief.

They preferred not to eat Oscar’s sausages if they could avoid it, and Dai Mubai certainly didn’t want Zhu Zhuqing to rely on them.

In his mind, Zhu Zhuqing wasn’t just a person—she was a resource, and she belonged to him.

Patting Oscar on the shoulder, Dai Mubai said:
"Oscar, can’t you just have some purer thoughts? Look at the mess you’ve caused now."

"Boss Dai, I…"
Oscar looked utterly defeated, almost in tears, occasionally sneaking glances at Ning Rongrong.

"Hmph! Birds of a feather!"
Ning Rongrong glared coldly at Dai Mubai, Oscar, and Fatty Ma Hongjun.

Over the past few days, she’d figured out what kind of people they were.

If the opportunity arose, she wouldn’t hesitate to knock them all unconscious and give them a beating!

Zhu Zhuqing nodded slightly, agreeing with Ning Rongrong’s assessment of them.

"Rongrong, Xiao Wu, let’s go back to the dorm and rest."

"Sure, let’s go!"
Xiao Wu seemed cheerful, knowing that the spirit hunt meant she’d get to see the Holy Son soon.

Zhu Zhuqing shared the same quiet joy in her heart.

"Let’s go."

Ning Rongrong clung to Zhu Zhuqing’s arm, snuggling against her. Sleeping together at night was just too comfortable!

She couldn’t help but wonder who would be lucky enough to enjoy this kind of softness in the future.

Ning Rongrong glanced down at her own petite frame and pouted. She needed to figure out a way to give her Holy Son brother a similar level of comfort.

But soon, her expression turned sour.

She glanced at Zhu Zhuqing with a resentful look.

She had repeatedly asked Zhu Zhuqing how to "fatten up her cat," but Zhu Zhuqing always gave the same two-word response: "Natural talent!"

It was infuriating!

As a master’s wife-in-training, this was humiliating for Ning Rongrong.


---

"Tang San, rest early!"

Xiao Wu casually waved a hand as they walked away.

Tang San smiled in response.

Meanwhile, Dai Mubai stared at Zhu Zhuqing’s retreating figure, frowning slightly. He threw an arm around Ma Hongjun’s shoulder and called out loudly in that direction:
"Fatty, let’s go. I’ll take you out to relax a bit."

"What? For real, Boss Dai?"
Ma Hongjun’s face lit up with happiness at the sudden suggestion.

However, in the next moment, Dai Mubai noticed Zhu Zhuqing’s lack of reaction and immediately kicked Ma Hongjun aside.

"Scram!"

"What the—Boss Dai, are you messing with me?"


---

Tang San ignored their antics. Instead, he was busy asking Oscar about the Star Dou Forest.

After all, his theory-focused teacher had never discussed that place with him.