As soon as they stepped into the shop, they were greeted by a dim interior filled with an air of mustiness and age.
Behind the counter, Flender lay sprawled out, snoring away with gusto.
"Hey, a customer walks in and the shop owner doesn't even bother to say hello?"
Lin Feng chuckled as he spoke.
"Take what you want, just don't wake me up,"
Flender mumbled lazily, shifting his body without even opening his eyes, his tone filled with irritation.
"Boss Flender, after all these years, you don't even recognize me?"
A familiar voice echoed through the store—Liu Erlong's, full of surprise and excitement.
She hadn't expected the store Lin Feng mentioned to be his.
Flender's body froze, his eyes snapping open in shock.
He straightened up at once and scanned the shop until his gaze fell on Liu Erlong. His voice trembled with disbelief.
"Erlong? Is that really you? What are you doing here?"
Eyes wide, Flender hurried out from behind the counter and rushed over to her.
"Still as beautiful as ever, even after all these years."
He complimented her without hesitation.
"Oh, come on, Boss Flender, I'm not that young anymore,"
Liu Erlong smiled faintly and replied modestly.
Lin Feng stood off to the side, unable to get a word in, casually browsing through the store's items.
If he remembered correctly, didn't Tang San stumble upon something valuable here?
After exchanging some warm greetings, Flender finally asked,
"So, what brings you to see me today?"
"I'm accompanying my young master."
Liu Erlong turned her gaze to Lin Feng, who was still picking through merchandise.
"Young master? What's going on here?"
Flender turned toward Lin Feng, his face filled with astonishment.
"I'm Lin Feng, son of the Lin Clan—Count of Heaven Dou City."
Lin Feng gave a polite smile as he introduced himself.
"Ah, so it's Young Master Lin! Please, have a seat."
Flender quickly turned and offered Liu Erlong a seat beside him, his tone becoming more respectful.
Lin Feng looked around—no more chairs?
With no other option, he shot Flender a sideways glance.
Is this guy really one of my fated companions? Doesn't feel like I'm getting any special treatment at all.
"System, Trait Insight."
[Innate Soul Power: Rank 7]
[Martial Soul: Four-Eyed Owl (High Grade)]
[Soul Power: Rank 72]
[Traits: [Stingy (White)], [Matchmaker (Green)], [Head of Academy (Green)], [Fated Support (Purple)]
[Stingy (White)]: You're a penny-pinching miser who never lets go of a single coin once it lands in your hand.
[Matchmaker (Green)]: For the sake of brotherhood, you're willing to let go of the woman you love.
[Fated Support (Purple)]: You have a deep connection with the Fate's Chosen and will become a major force in their growth, eventually breaking through to Titled Douluo.
Yeah, "stingy" checks out.
This guy's the definition of a money-grubber.
Seeing the "Matchmaker" trait made Lin Feng smirk to himself.
Wasn't this the same Flender who, after being rejected by Liu Erlong, found out she loved Yu Xiaogang and still went ahead to bless their relationship? Even officiated their wedding?
What was he thinking? That's practically saint-level self-sacrifice.
Lin Feng clicked his tongue softly.
Flender the Simp. A well-earned reputation.
But that Fated Support trait—that was why Lin Feng had come here today.
If Flender were willing to submit and join him, it would prove that Lin Feng's approach to recruiting canon fated allies was working.
That said, it wouldn't be easy—Flender's heart was deeply tied to Shrek Academy.
But the harder it was, the more valuable the trait's power.
Lin Feng looked toward Flender, who was still enthusiastically chatting away with Liu Erlong, grinning from ear to ear.
"Xiao Gang's been missing lately—didn't even say goodbye before vanishing. I've been really troubled by it."
"Thinking back to the three of us back in the day... those were good times."
Flender sighed heavily, his voice tinged with helplessness.
Liu Erlong remained quiet beside him. At the mention of Yu Xiaogang, a complicated emotion flickered in her eyes.
But after a brief pause, she spoke softly.
"Boss Flender, it's been so many years. I don't really care where he went anymore."
"The past… should stay in the past."
Her voice was calm, but there was a trace of peace and closure in her tone.
Flender blinked, stunned, staring at her in disbelief.
In his memory, Erlong had never been able to let go of her entanglement with Yu Xiaogang.
To hear her speak so lightly of it now caught him completely off guard.
"Erlong… you really let go?"
Flender asked, unable to hide his concern.
"I have. People can't live in the past forever, can they?"
Liu Erlong nodded with a faint smile and looked out the window, eyes full of hope for the future.
"And honestly… I have to thank the young master."
"If it weren't for him, I might still be stuck."
Her voice was gentle as she shared what had happened recently, only picking out the most important parts.
Flender's expression changed again and again—from surprise, to astonishment, to regret, and finally to heartfelt blessing.
It took ten full minutes for the emotional rollercoaster to settle.
When he finally understood it all, Flender stood up and turned to face Lin Feng.
"Young Master Lin, I truly thank you for helping Erlong let go of the past."
"If not for you, she might still be trapped in old wounds."
Flender bowed slightly in gratitude.
For him to be able to help Erlong release such a deep emotional knot—this young master is truly remarkable.
"You're too kind, Boss Flender. Erlong is intelligent and capable."
"She was simply clouded by her emotions. I only nudged her a little."
Lin Feng smiled modestly and waved it off.
"Young Master Lin, by helping Erlong, you've also helped me."
"If you ever need anything, just say the word. I, Flender, will make it happen!"
Flender stood tall, thumping his chest with conviction.
"To be honest, Boss Flender… the reason I came here today is to invite you to join us—come teach at our academy."
Lin Feng's smile faded as he grew serious.
Flender's eyes widened in surprise.
Did this kid figure out my background or something? Why would he want me as a teacher?
"A teacher? Young Master Lin, could you explain what kind of academy this is?"
He furrowed his brow, deep in thought.
"It's a brand-new academy. A place that gathers incredibly gifted children—real monsters, every one of them."
"But we're still short a few instructors. And I believe that with your experience and abilities, you can help mold them into true Soul Masters."
Lin Feng looked straight into Flender's eyes, his tone steady and resolute.
Beside them, Liu Erlong blinked in surprise and glanced at Flender. Knowing how much Boss Flender values Shrek, the young master might be disappointed.
In truth, this was a test Lin Feng had just thought of—gauging whether Flender had any real interest in following him.
With the strength of his family's second uncle, founding a new academy wouldn't be difficult.
And with more and more geniuses gathering around him, it was time to build a school of his own.
Flender rubbed his chin in silence.
His lifelong dream had been to build an academy for monsters—and now that he had Shrek, giving it up wouldn't be easy.
But Lin Feng… he was mysterious, powerful, and Erlong's young master.
If I follow him, I'll get to be around Erlong all the time.
If she's part of the deal… maybe Shrek isn't the dream I thought it was.
He didn't hesitate for long before giving a decisive answer.
His reply stunned both Lin Feng and Liu Erlong. They stared at him in shock.
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