92: Chapter 92 even wanted to dote on Shrek.

Yu Xiaogang's door had been locked from the inside for an entire day. No matter how Flender shouted from outside, there was not a single sound from within.

It wasn't until the sun set and the twilight of Soto City crept into Shrek's humble courtyard that the tightly shut wooden door finally creaked open a crack.

Yu Xiaogang stood behind the door, his hair messy and plastered to his forehead, his eyes bloodshot. He looked as haggard as if he had aged ten years, yet in his eyes, a trace of paranoid light still remained.

It was more likely that he was just hungry and wanted to come out to find something to eat.

He looked at Flender outside the door, his voice as hoarse as sandpaper rubbing against wood: "What are you still doing here? Are you here to watch me make a fool of myself?"

"Why would I want to watch you make a fool of yourself?" Flender frowned, pushed the door open, and walked in. Looking at the fragments of manuscripts all over the floor and the scattered tables and chairs, he sighed heavily. "Xiaogang, we are brothers who have been through life and death together. Now that you've fallen into such a state, how could I just ignore you?"

Yu Xiaogang turned his face away, gripping his fists tightly, and said nothing. The humiliation and collapse of these past few days had long since crushed his self-esteem to pieces. If it weren't for the obsession to make a comeback still bottled up inside him, he would have given up long ago.

"I know you're holding in your anger, and I know you're single-mindedly focused on wanting to make contact with that child named Luoluoke." Flender patted his shoulder, his tone firm. "Don't worry, I'll help you with this, brother."

Yu Xiaogang turned his head abruptly, a glimmer of light instantly igniting in his eyes, like a drowning person clutching at a straw: "You have a way?"

"Of course I do."

Flender grinned, a hint of merchant-like shrewdness flashing in his eyes: "Have you forgotten? We have Shrek Academy. The only monster academy on the entire continent, accepting only Geniuses and teaching only monsters. With this reputation, couldn't we attract a child who possesses a unique externalized spirit?"

He paused, continuing to build up hope for Yu Xiaogang: "Next, I will send people to promote it all over Soto City, plastering our Shrek Academy recruitment notices on every street and alley. We'll highlight that our academy has the continent's top Spirit theoretical system, customized training plans specifically for mutated Spirits and externalized spirits, and that you, the Great Master of Spirit theory, will be personally overseeing the teaching."

"Just think, that child's Spirit is so unique; who else in the entire continent can understand it besides you? As long as the promotion is done right, he will definitely know about Shrek Academy and will definitely come knocking on our door. When that time comes, as the academy's Chief Theory Teacher, you can make contact with him and guide him in a legitimate way. Wouldn't the opportunity just present itself?"

These words were like a beam of light, instantly splitting through the haze in Yu Xiaogang's heart.

He stood frozen, pondering Flender's words repeatedly. The more he thought about it, the more feasible it seemed. The light in his eyes grew brighter, and his body couldn't help but tremble slightly.

"Right... that's right!"

Yu Xiaogang grabbed Flender's arm, his voice trembling with excitement: "Why didn't I think of that! I am a teacher at Shrek, I can use the academy's name to make contact with him legitimately! I don't have to lower myself to go find him; he will come to me for guidance!"

"Exactly."

Flender watched him regain his fighting Spirit and breathed a sigh of relief, patting his hand: "Leave this to me. Tomorrow, I'll have people go to the city to put up notices and build up the momentum. I guarantee that the entire Soto City, and even the surrounding towns, will know about our Shrek Academy and that we have the top-tier Spirit theory instruction here."

Yu Xiaogang nodded repeatedly, the previous decadence and collapse swept away, leaving only plans and obsession filling his mind. He squatted down, scrambling to pick up the manuscript fragments on the floor, muttering to himself: "Right, I need to reorganize the theory, write a specialized research plan for externalized spirits, and when he comes, I must make him convinced and accept me as his master..."

Flender watched his crazed state, opened his mouth, but ultimately didn't say anything. He just shook his head and turned to go out to arrange the promotion.

He knew clearly in his heart that Shrek Academy was currently just an empty shell: a few dilapidated tile houses, five teachers, and not even a proper training ground. The so-called "Monster Academy" was, in the end, nothing more than an obsession of his and his brothers.

But as long as they could bring in a Genius like Luoluoke, and as long as they could use Yu Xiaogang's theory to recruit more promising seedlings, Shrek would have a chance to turn things around.

Early the next morning, the streets and alleys of Soto City were plastered with Shrek Academy's recruitment notices.

Bright red paper, gold-stamped lettering, written in an extravagant manner:

[The only monster academy on the entire continent, accepting only naturally gifted Geniuses!]

[Personally taught by the number one Spirit theorist, Great Master Yu Xiaogang, with customized training plans for mutated Spirits and externalized spirits!]

[One-on-one guidance from top-tier Spirit Masters to help you break through your Spirit's shackles and reach the pinnacle of Spirit Masters!]

As soon as the notices were posted, they instantly attracted the attention of countless people. Local Spirit Masters and parents gathered around the notices, discussing them fervently, their eyes full of curiosity as they looked at the words "Great Master of Spirit Theory" and "Customized Training for externalized spirits."

However, the Transmigrators mingling in the crowd, looking at this notice, only felt it was incredibly ironic, rolling their eyes with disdain written all over their faces.

"Holy crap, that old fox Flender really dares to brag, huh? The top academy on the entire continent? A three-no sham academy that doesn't even have proper school buildings has the nerve to say that?"

In a tea stall at the corner of the street, a Loose Cultivator Transmigrator sneered and cursed in a low voice to his companion beside him.

"Isn't that the truth! To put it bluntly, he's just a gambler. He opens a crappy academy and sets the recruitment threshold higher than Spirit Hall—not accepting anyone under twelve who isn't a Spirit Elder. It's purely like buying a lottery ticket; if he bets on a Genius like Tang San, he hits the jackpot, and if he doesn't, he just waits around to die." Another Transmigrator looked on with disdain.

"That's not even the most disgusting part. When a student brings them honor, they call them the pride of Shrek, but when a student gets into trouble, they turn their backs on them. What trash!"

"And Yu Xiaogang dares to brag about being the number one Spirit theorist? His set of theories is half-baked; besides fooling Tang San, who else can he fool? It's just Flender playing along with his act."

"I've finally figured it out; these two are birds of a feather. One wants to use the academy to make a comeback, and the other wants to use a Genius to make a comeback. They are both just trying to get something for nothing."

The more they talked, the angrier they became. The fire from messing with Yu Xiaogang earlier hadn't even died down yet, and now, seeing Flender promoting this sham academy with such fanfare, they had a belly full of fire with nowhere to vent.

"Damn it, just messing with Yu Xiaogang isn't fun anymore." A bearded Transmigrator slammed the table, a glint of ruthlessness flashing in his eyes. "Since their Shrek Academy likes to show off so much, why not let Bu Le take care of those teachers of theirs too!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the eyes of the surrounding Transmigrators instantly lit up.