The Next Day
Tang Yin woke up groggily with his hair looking like a bird's nest, yawning as he shuffled to the rooftop.
Zhuqing, Rongrong, and Meng Yiran were already there, gracefully absorbing the morning's purple qi. Without a word, Tang Yin sat down a short distance away and began practicing his Purple Demon Eye, doing his best not to disturb the peace.
As the purple qi faded, Tang Yin and the girls ended their cultivation and headed to the cafeteria. Oscar and Ma Hongjun were already wolfing down their food, while Tang San and Dai Mubai were nowhere in sight.
After grabbing their meals from Teacher Shao Xin, the girls joined the feast.
Halfway through eating, Tang Yin's eyes lit up.
"Right... Tang San's hidden weapons—the Godly Zhuge Crossbow and Silent Sleeve Dart—are ready. Perfect for mass production and making money. Hehe… Tang San, get ready to be robbed."
He grinned wickedly, already plotting.
After their meal, Tang Yin casually headed to Tang San's dorm, where his brother was diligently cultivating using Yu Xiaogang's conveniently "plagiarized" manual.
With a flick of telepathy, Tang Yin erased all knowledge of hidden weapon production method—except for the Godly Zhuge Crossbow and Silent Sleeve Dart—and restricted Tang San from sharing these two weapons production method.
"I'm going to work you like a slave—hahaha!" Tang Yin laughed inwardly, amused by his own villain arc. Who knows? Maybe the Asura God was watching from the God Realm, shaking his divine head in disapproval.
Not stopping there, Tang Yin also helped himself to Tang San's private stash—over twenty Zhuge Crossbows and ten Silent Sleeve Darts. Then, just for good measure, he scrubbed Tang San's memory that involved him making these deadly toys. Satisfied, he casually strolled off in search of Rongrong.
Tang yin found Ning rongrong on the training grounds, practicing Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track with Zhu Zhuqing and Meng Yiran.
The moment he approached, Rongrong paused mid-step, eyebrows lifting in surprise. Tang Yin never disturbed them during training—this had to be important.
"Everyone, come over here! Let me give you hidden weapons for self-preservation," Tang Yin announced with a mysterious smile, pulling out a pair of sleek, compact weapons from his storage belt—a Silent Sleeve Arrow and the godly Zhuge Crossbow.
"Hidden weapons? What are those?" Rongrong asked curiously, her eyes lighting up. Both Zhuqing and Yiran perked up as well, clearly intrigued.
Tang Yin handed each of them a set of the concealed weapons. "These so-called hidden weapons are tools for taking lives. And when used alongside the movement technique I taught you, they can be a Deadly Combo."
To demonstrate, he combined the weapons with the Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track and the Mysterious Jade Hand. With swift, fluid movements, the arrows shot out silently and precisely, embedding themselves in a distant tree with a sharp thud.
"When I use these hidden weapons with my movement techniques, killing a Soul Ancestor is as easy as slaughtering a chicken," he said calmly.
The girls stared at him, speechless.
'Killing a Soul Ancestor with a weapon? Unbelievable... but seeing that impact, it might just be true,' they all thought.
Rongrong's eyes sparkled with admiration. "Tang Yin, did you make these hidden weapons yourself?"
Tang Yin nodded with quiet pride. No one knew the truth behind their origin—and he wasn't planning to share it.
Rongrong leaned forward, clearly excited. "Would you consider selling them? If you do, my Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect would buy every last one! Most of our clan are auxiliary-type Soul Masters—these hidden weapons could save their lives!"
"Hmm... let me think for a second, Rongrong," Tang Yin said, tapping his chin theatrically as if deep in thought.
Rongrong seized the moment, stepping closer with a coy smile. "Tang Yin, what would it take for you to sell those hidden weapons to my sect?" she asked coquettishly. Before he could answer, she leaned in and planted a gentle kiss on his cheek.
Zhu Zhuqing and Meng Yiran both gasped in unison. Rongrong had stolen the initiative right under their noses! Zhuqing was naturally reserved, and though Yiran had a fiery streak, she lacked the courage to make such a bold move—at least not first.
'Tch. Such good sister I have,' Meng Yiran fumed internally.
Tang Yin blinked, stunned by the sudden kiss. Then, pretending to be bashful, he touched his cheek and replied with mock righteousness, "Well, I can't wrong you after you've already paid such a steep price, can I?"
Rongrong giggled, clearly pleased with herself. "Then I'll ask for leave from Dean Flender and return to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect to talk to my father."
Zhuqing and Yiran suddenly felt the heat of competition. If they stayed passive, Ning Rongrong might just run away with all the points. Sharing a silent look, they made their move.
Zhuqing dashed to one side of Tang Yin and gave him a soft peck on the other cheek. Not to be outdone, Meng Yiran stormed up to his other side and planted a more forceful kiss, practically stabbing his cheek with her lips as she vented her frustration.
Zhuqing, blushing, murmured, "Thank you for the thoughtful gift."
Yiran crossed her arms, huffing. "Mine's compensation. Take it or leave it."
Tang Yin could only smile wryly at the whirlwind of affection swirling around him. Yet deep down, pride bloomed like a lotus in spring.
'Three girls competing over me? Who else can pull this off? Just me. Haha!'
His ego was thoroughly inflated.
Rongrong stomped her foot, unwilling to let them steal her thunder so easily.
Tang Yin smiled contentedly, certain that his future was only going to get brighter from here on out.
Two Months Later
Flender stood quietly, staring at the fluttering Shrek Academy flag. His eyes were distant, full of twenty years of memories. A large hand suddenly clapped him on the shoulder—it was Zhao Wuji.
"Stop brooding. Let's go. We'll come back someday. Worst comes to worst, we retire here together." Zhao Wuji said warmly.
Flender snorted like an old tsundere. "Who said I'm old, huh? Hmph!" He turned and walked off, nose in the air.
Zhao Wuji just chuckled and shook his head, watching his old friend's back with a wry smile.
Outside the gates of Shrek Academy, the teachers and students stood ready with their belongings packed. It was time to move on.
Flender cleared his throat dramatically. "Little monsters, you've been resting for two months. From now on, it's time to pick up the pace!" He laughed smugly, released his martial soul, and soared into the air—only to swoop down and grab Yu Xiaogang like a sack of potatoes.
"Put me down! I can walk just fine!" Yu Xiaogang shouted in protest.
"You're slower than the students. I don't have the patience to wait for you," Flender retorted, zooming off.
Zhao Wuji sighed. "Even if he wants to save money, this is just elder abuse..." He began jogging after them.
Meanwhile, Oscar summoned his martial soul with a flourish and activated his third soul skill. "I have a mushroom sausage!" he proclaimed.
Tang Yin and Rongrong burst into laughter, while Zhuqing and Yiran smiled quietly, trying not to let their amusement show too much. Oscar, slightly dejected, passed the sausages to everyone.
Tang Yin took a bite, and moments later, a pair of ethereal wings sprouted from his back. He gave a whoop of excitement and soared into the air, chasing after Flender and the others en route to Tian Duo Academy.