Chapter 169: Flander — Pain!
Liu Erlong’s gaze swept past the vibrant, colorful blossoms and settled upon the group of people standing just outside the courtyard gate.
To be precise, it landed on the middle-aged man leading the group.
Flander.
The hand holding her watering can paused ever so slightly.
So many years had passed; that face looked far more aged than it did in her memories—etched with the weariness of the years and a palpable sense of fatigue.
But those eyes—those eyes that always sparkled with a shrewd, calculating glint—remained as familiar as ever... so familiar that one could recognize them at a single glance.
Liu Erlong set down the watering can she held and slowly stepped out of the small courtyard.
Her footsteps were light, making almost no sound as she trod upon the bluestone paving.
The breeze drifting in from the lake stirred the hem of her skirt and lifted a few stray strands of hair, yet it could not disperse the complex emotions swirling within her eyes.
Liu Erlong walked up to Flander and came to a halt.
She raised her head, her gaze sweeping across his face before shifting to look at Shao Xin and Lu Qibin standing behind him, as well as the four young—and slightly weary—faces accompanying them.
Finally, her gaze settled once more upon Flander’s face.
"Boss Flander..."
Her voice was soft, tinged with a sense of daze—and a hint of disbelief: "Is it really you?"
"How did you... end up here?"
Flander took a deep breath, striving to make his voice sound as natural as possible.
He managed to force a smile—a smile that held the joy of reunion, the wistfulness of passing years, and a trace of something else... a nervousness he himself could not quite define.
"Sister Erlong..."
His voice trembled slightly: "It’s been so many years; how have you been?"
Liu Erlong gazed at him, her dark eyes revealing a depth of emotion that defied words.
There was surprise, wistfulness, nostalgia, and—beneath it all—a faint trace of sorrow.
"I’ve been well."
Her voice remained soft: "It’s just that you... you still look exactly the same."
Still look exactly the same.
Those words stirred a complex swirl of emotions within Flander’s heart.
Instinctively, he reached up to touch his face—a face that, after days of ceaseless travel, appeared particularly haggard and worn.
Liu Erlong’s gaze swept past Flender, landing instead on Shao Xin and Lu Qibin, who stood behind him.
"And who might these two gentlemen be?"
Flender hurriedly stepped aside to make the introductions: "This is Shao Xin, a Level 71 Food-type Soul Saint."
Shao Xin stepped forward and bowed slightly; his demeanor was respectful, yet devoid of servility.
"And this is Lu Qibin, a Level 66 Control-type Soul Emperor."
Lu Qibin likewise nodded in greeting.
Liu Erlong gave a slight nod of her own, her voice gentle: "Greetings to you both. Welcome to Blue Tyrant Academy."
Shao Xin and Lu Qibin promptly returned the courtesy.
Liu Erlong’s gaze then shifted to the four young people standing nearby.
"And what about these children?"
Flender beckoned to them, signaling the four to step forward.
He pointed to the tall, white-haired youth with the wild, untamed air: "Dai Mubai—a Level 39 Power Attack-type Battle Soul Venerable."
Dai Mubai took a step forward and gave a slight nod, a flicker of enigmatic light flashing within his heterochromatic eyes.
Flender then pointed to the slender, black-clad girl with the cool, aloof demeanor: "Zhu Zhuqing—a Level 28 Agility Attack-type Battle Soul Venerable."
Zhu Zhuqing offered a silent bow, speaking not a word.
Flender pointed to the youth with the handsome—albeit slightly lewd—features: "Oscar—a Level 31 Food-type Tool Soul Venerable."
Oscar flashed a textbook smile, though deep within his eyes, a hint of weariness lay hidden.
Finally, Flender pointed to the youth standing at the very edge of the group—a black-haired boy with a calm, steady gaze: "Tang San—a Level 32 Control-type Battle Soul Venerable."
Tang San stepped forward and bowed slightly; his movements were precise and polite, yet his eyes were secretly appraising the beautiful woman standing before him.
Upon hearing the introductions, a flicker of admiration crossed Liu Erlong’s eyes: "Three Soul Saints, one Soul Emperor, and three students above Level 30..."
She turned to Flender, her tone carrying a genuine note of appreciation: "Boss Flender, this academy of yours is actually quite impressive."
Flender gave a wry smile.
That smile held a blend of bitterness, helplessness, and a touch of self-deprecation.
"It was actually going quite well."
He sighed. "But now..."
He paused, seemingly weighing his words.
Then, he briefly recounted the events that had transpired recently.
Naturally, he glossed over the details of how Gu Rong had given them a brutal beating—that was simply too humiliating to admit.
He merely stated that they had "run into some trouble" and that "someone had come knocking on their door."
He also omitted the true reason behind the Spirit Hall’s shutdown order; after all, one couldn’t exactly openly admit to bribery.
Instead, he claimed they had been "reported for operating an unlicensed school" and were subsequently "shut down."
Finally, he let out another sigh, his voice low and heavy.
"And just like that, with nowhere left to go, we had no choice but to head north all the way to Heaven Dou City to try our luck."
"I never expected... that the moment we entered the city, we’d spot a recruitment notice for the Blue Tyrant Academy."
He turned his gaze toward Liu Erlong, his eyes filled with a mix of nostalgia and emotion.
"Er-long—I never imagined I’d find you here. And I certainly never imagined you’d have gone and opened such a massive academy."
Upon hearing his story, Liu Erlong fell silent.
Her gaze drifted back to the Shrek group, a flicker of complex emotion passing through her eyes.
The plight these people had endured... was truly wretched.
As she observed the undisguised exhaustion and haggardness etched upon their faces, a wave of sympathy rose within her heart.
More importantly, these were the people brought here by Flander.
The very same Flander who had once roamed the world by her side—the man with whom she had forged the legendary "Golden Iron Triangle."
A fierce, murderous glint flashed through Liu Erlong’s eyes—the manifestation of the fiery temper that ran deep in her veins, now surging to the surface.
Yet, just as quickly as it appeared, that menacing aura vanished, replaced by an air of bold, unpretentious warmth.
She took a step forward, raising a hand to clap Flander on the shoulder. "Boss Flander, since you’re already here, there’s no need for any further explanation."
Her voice carried an air of indisputable resolve. "I am the sole authority here at the Blue Tyrant Academy. So, consider it settled: you’re all staying. From now on, this place is your home!"
At these words, the faces of the entire Shrek group lit up with joy. Tang San and the others hurriedly bowed in salutation: "Thank you, Headmaster!"
Liu Erlong smiled and waved her hand, her smile hearty and sincere: "Alright, since you are Boss Fu’s students, you are practically family; there is no need to be so formal."
Her gaze swept over the four of them once more, lingering for a brief moment on each of their faces.
Then, her eyes came to rest upon Tang San.
To be precise, they settled on Tang San’s belt.
It was a peculiar belt, entirely milky-white in color, with twenty-four milky-white jade stones evenly embedded along its length. Each jade stone was no larger than an adult’s thumbnail; their luster was soft and warm, and beneath the sunlight, they radiated a gentle, ethereal glow.
Liu Erlong’s pupils contracted ever so slightly.
The smile on her face gradually faded away.
"Your name is Tang San?"
Her voice suddenly grew low and deep: "This belt... where did you get it?"
Tang San was slightly taken aback.
Instinctively, he reached out and touched the belt.
It was a storage Soul Tool gifted to him by his teacher—a treasure he had named the "Twenty-Four Bridges and the Bright Moon Night"—and it was one of his most cherished possessions.
"My teacher gave it to me."
Liu Erlong cast aside all concern for propriety; she lunged forward abruptly and seized Tang San by the shoulders with both hands!
The sheer force of her grip was so immense that even Tang San—a Level 32 Soul Elder—could not help but go rigid with shock!
"Who is your teacher?!"
Liu Erlong’s voice suddenly rose in pitch, trembling with an emotion she could barely contain: "Is his name Yu Xiaogang?!"
Startled by this sudden, abrupt action, Tang San instinctively tried to pull away.
But Liu Erlong’s hands held him fast, gripping his shoulders like a pair of iron pincers.
Seeing this, Flander—who had been standing nearby—hurried forward: "Sister Erlong, go easy! Don’t scare the students..."
He reached out, intending to pull Liu Erlong away, but his hand froze halfway through the motion.
Pain! It hurt so much!!
A dull ache settled deep within Flander’s heart.
In her heart... there was still only Xiaogang.
Always and forever—only Xiaogang. But he said nothing; he simply withdrew his hand in silence and stepped aside.
Liu Erlong seemed to realize her momentary lapse in composure and released Tang San.
Yet, her dark eyes remained fixed intently upon him, awaiting an answer.
Tang San took a deep breath, steadying his nerves.
He looked at Liu Erlong, then glanced at Flender, his mind rapidly analyzing the situation before him.
This beautiful woman harbored no ill will toward his teacher.
On the contrary, she seemed... to care deeply for him.
Moreover, she appeared to share a profound connection with the Academy Head.
More importantly, for her to establish a high-level Soul Master Academy—one that exclusively recruited commoners—in a place like Heaven Dou City, where land was worth its weight in gold, her background surely could not be simple!
Tang San’s eyes shifted ever so slightly.
A thought began to quietly take root in his mind.
His teacher and Xiao Wu had been abducted by that mysterious figure; alone and lacking allies, he had no idea where to even begin searching, let alone how to rescue them.
But what if... what if he could enlist the aid of this Academy Head?
Given her strength and background, the chances of locating his teacher and Xiao Wu would undoubtedly increase manifold!
With this realization, Tang San made his decision.
He looked at Liu Erlong, his gaze sincere, his voice tinged with a perfectly measured sorrow: "Yes, my teacher is indeed Yu Xiaogang."
"Then... where is he now?"
Seeing their continued silence, Liu Erlong’s voice grew increasingly low and heavy: "Xiaogang... is he alright?"