Douluo: One man returns, Fan Tianyin smashes Tang San to death

However, the woman suddenly changed the subject, her tone carrying a hint of teasing: "Speaking of which, you are quite young, yet you have an extraordinary bearing and a profound soul power. You must be a person of outstanding talent."

A man like that must have no shortage of women vying for his attention, right? Would you like me to introduce you to a few lovely ladies?

Lu Yu was taken aback, a rare hint of embarrassment flashing across his face.

He quickly waved his hand and said with a dry laugh, "You flatter me, young lady. I am currently focused on cultivation and have no time for anything else."

He paused, stood up, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "It's getting late, and I have other matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave now."

The woman didn't try to stop him; she simply smiled and nodded, watching Lu Yu leave.

Her gaze lingered on his retreating figure for a moment, a slight smile playing on her lips beneath the thin veil as she murmured to herself, "Lu Yu, indeed interesting..."

Outside the inn, night was falling, and the lights of Soto City stretched across the streets, exuding a bustling, vibrant atmosphere.

Zhao Wuji stood on the second floor of a restaurant, leaning against the railing, holding a glass of strong liquor in his hand, his brows furrowed.

Across from him, Flanders was leisurely sipping his tea, a sly smile on his face as usual.

"Old Zhao, your brows are so furrowed they could trap a fly."

Flander put down his teacup and looked at Zhao Wuji with a smile. "It's just letting Lu Yu meet that girl, is there any need to worry so much?"

Zhao Wuji took a big gulp of wine and glared at Flander: "You make it sound so easy! You and I both know that woman's background. If we let her get in touch with Lu Yu, who knows what kind of trouble might arise."

"If we anger her, Shrek Academy can't afford the responsibility!"

Flander waved his hand, his tone relaxed: "Don't worry, she won't blame Lu Yu."

To be honest, her relationship with Lu Yu is far from simple.

He paused, a deep meaning flashing in his eyes, "As you know, Lu Yu's background is extraordinary, far beyond that of ordinary aristocratic families."

She came here specifically to see Lu Yu; I was just going along with it and doing her a favor.

Zhao Wuji was taken aback, his wine glass hovering in mid-air, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes: "You mean... when she came to find you a few years ago, it was also for Lu Yu?"

Flanders nodded, his gaze distant: "Back then, she told me a lot of things, all of which were related to Lu Yu."

I guessed right away that Lu Yu must have a big secret behind him.

Now it seems that it is indeed the case. "

He paused, his tone turning serious, "Old Zhao, there are some things you shouldn't ask about, and you shouldn't say about."

The matter concerning Lu Yu and that girl must never be revealed to outsiders.

She recently sent word that Lu Yu didn't want to return to the family and chose to train outside. We have to turn a blind eye, understand?

Zhao Wuji remained silent for a moment, then nodded, a complex expression flashing in his eyes.

He suddenly recalled that after the All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament a few years ago, his goodwill towards Flander plummeted, and he felt that Flander was too utilitarian and even somewhat cold-blooded.

Now that I hear what he said, I understand that there were other hidden reasons behind Flanders' actions back then.

He sighed deeply and raised his glass: "I misunderstood you, old man."

I'll punish myself with these three drinks!

Flander laughed and waved his hand, saying, "Come on, you old man, you think a few drinks can erase what happened back then? But to be honest, Lu Yu is indeed a prodigy."

He paused, turned his gaze to the window, and said with a touch of emotion, "Back then, which of the students at Shrek Academy wasn't a genius? Lu Yu, Ning Rongrong, Dai Mubai, Yu Chen... they were all top geniuses."

Unfortunately, Wang Sheng, Oscar, Huang Yuan, and the others... alas, life is unpredictable.

Zhao Wuji also sighed and picked up the conversation: "Yes, the students back then were all amazing."

The new trainees are not bad in terms of strength, but compared to Lu Yu and the others, they are far inferior.

Especially that arrogance; relying on his little talent, he looks down on everyone, which is really a headache.

He paused, a glimmer of hope flashing in his eyes, "Old Fu, do you think it would be effective if we let Lu Yu come back and give these new students some pointers?"

Flander's eyes lit up, and he clapped his hands and laughed, "That's a great idea! Lu Yu is a talented, steady, and loyal kid. Let him give these new students a little stern talking-to, and I guarantee they'll behave much better."

The next morning, sunlight streamed onto the streets of Soto, and the air was filled with the fresh scent of grass and trees.

Zhao Wuji approached Lu Yu and brought up the matter of instructing the new students.

He stood on the stone bridge outside the inn, arms crossed, his tone tinged with emotion: "Lu Yu, although Shrek Academy still has a good reputation these days, the level of the new students is far inferior to what you were back then."

These little guys, relying on their talent, are all getting cocky.

If you could come back and offer them some guidance, it would be a great help to the academy.

Lu Yu stood by the bridge, his gaze fixed on the shimmering river in the distance, a hint of reminiscence flashing in his eyes.

His days at Shrek Academy are still vivid in his mind; Zhao Wuji's teachings and his friends' laughter seem like they happened just yesterday.

He turned around and nodded solemnly: "Teacher Zhao, you and the college helped my brothers and me a lot back then, so I will naturally do my duty to help with this small matter."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Wuji laughed and patted Lu Yu on the shoulder: "Good lad, you're loyal! But you'd better be prepared, these new students don't have the same tenacity you had back then. They're all too pampered, far inferior to you and Dai Mubai."

Lu Yu smiled, a hint of warmth flashing in his eyes: "Don't worry, Teacher Zhao, I know what I'm doing."

A few days later, Lu Yu followed Zhao Wuji on his journey back to Shrek Academy.

The carriage bumped along the country road, and the scenery outside the window gradually changed from the bustling city of Soto to fields and villages, with lush green wheat fields gleaming golden in the sunlight.

Lu Yu leaned against the car window, his gaze distant, but his thoughts had already drifted back to Shrek Academy many years ago.

Back then, they were full of vigor and supported each other, facing challenges together.

Returning to this familiar place now, he felt both anticipation and a touch of melancholy.

The carriage finally stopped in front of the gates of Shrek Academy.

The familiar stone tablet bears the five large characters "Shrek Academy." Although the characters are somewhat faded, they still exude an indomitable pride.

Lu Yu got out of the car, took a deep breath, and felt a slight jolt in his heart as the air was filled with the scent of earth and grass.

Zhao Wuji patted his shoulder and laughed, "Let's go in and take a look. It's been a few years since I've been back, I'm afraid I've become a little rusty."

As soon as I stepped onto the path outside the academy, a familiar figure came to greet me.

Wearing a bright red robe and a simple, honest smile, Ma Hongjun waved to Lu Yu from afar: "Lu Yu! You're finally back! I heard from the brothers a few months ago that you were hanging around nearby. I thought they were mistaken, so I waited for you here!"

Looking at Ma Hongjun's familiar face, Lu Yu couldn't help but smile.

He strode forward, gave Ma Hongjun a big hug, and laughed, "Fatty, your outfit is getting more and more flamboyant."

Ma Hongjun laughed heartily, turned around and respectfully bowed to Zhao Wuji: "Hello, Teacher Zhao."

Zhao Wuji waved his hand and teased with a smile, "Ma Hongjun, you used to go against Lu Yu quite a bit, and now you're here doing his bidding. You've got some nerve."

Ma Hongjun scratched his head, a hint of embarrassment flashing across his face: "Teacher Zhao, please don't make fun of me."

"Back then, I was young and naive, and it was thanks to Lu Yu's guidance that I have achieved what I have today."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over Lu Yu, his eyes filled with emotion, "But seriously, Lu Yu, with your current strength, you're probably way ahead of me again, aren't you?"

Zhao Wuji snorted and interjected, "That's for sure."

Lu Yu's soul power is currently level 82, while yours is only level 76. You're not even as good as Dai Mubai and Yu Chen. Shouldn't you hurry up and cultivate?

Ma Hongjun gave a wry smile and nodded repeatedly: "Yes, yes, Teacher Zhao is right, I will definitely work hard!"

Lu Yu smiled but didn't respond. He simply patted Ma Hongjun on the shoulder and turned his gaze to the academy gate not far away.

Zhao Wuji led the two toward the academy, explaining as they walked: "Although the academy has recruited quite a few students in recent years, the number is still small, and the overall level is incomparable to what you were back then."

"Alas, after gaining fame, we haven't produced many more prodigies like you, and the academy's prestige has diminished considerably."

Lu Yu listened silently, a complex emotion rising in his heart.

Shrek Academy, once the starting point of their youth, now feels somewhat unfamiliar.

Just then, a group of young students walked towards them. Each of them possessed a strong aura of soul power, but their faces carried a hint of arrogance.

Upon seeing Zhao Wuji, they immediately composed themselves and stepped forward in unison, clasping their hands in greeting: "Hello, Teacher Zhao!"

Zhao Wuji smiled and nodded, then pointed to Lu Yu and Ma Hongjun: "Come, greet your two seniors."

This is Lu Yu, and this is Ma Hongjun. They were both top geniuses at Shrek Academy back then.

You little rascals, you'd better learn from this!

The new trainees were taken aback, their gazes sweeping over Lu Yu and Ma Hongjun with a mixture of curiosity and scrutiny.

They clasped their hands in unison and said, "Greetings, Senior Lu Yu and Senior Ma Hongjun!"

Lu Yu smiled slightly and nodded, but his gaze lingered on the faces of the new trainees for a moment.

Their eyes held a hint of defiance and arrogance, reminding him of Zhao Wuji's words—these new trainees were indeed getting a bit cocky.

He smiled inwardly; it seemed he would have to put some thought into giving the guidance he was about to receive.

As night deepened, the lights in Shrek Academy's inner courtyard swayed in the autumn breeze. In the stone-paved courtyard, several soul-guided lamps emitted a soft glow, reflecting on the bluestone ground and creating a faint fluorescent effect.

Lu Yu followed behind Zhao Wuji with steady steps, while Ma Hongjun was as carefree as ever, humming a tune he had heard somewhere, his hands behind his head, and a mocking smile on his lips.

At the entrance to the inner courtyard, a group of young students were already lined up and waiting. They were twelve or thirteen years old, with some childishness on their faces, but the confidence and arrogance in their eyes were undisguised.

They were dressed in the same Shrek Academy uniforms, their green badges gleaming under the lights, showcasing their pride as Inner Academy students.

Zhao Wuji stopped, his rough voice ringing out loudly in the night: "Alright, you brats, stand up straight! Today I'm going to introduce you to some senior students. They are the most talented and monstrous generation in Shrek Academy's history!"

He waved his hand and pointed at Lu Yu and Ma Hongjun behind him, a hint of pride in his eyes, "Especially this one, Lu Yu, who led the team to win first place in the Advanced Soul Master Academy Competition back then, sweeping away all opponents across the country! You little monsters, show me some respect!"

As soon as he finished speaking, all the young trainees turned their gazes to Lu Yu, with a mixture of curiosity and scrutiny.

Lu Yu stood still, his black robe swaying slightly in the night wind. His face was handsome, and his eyes were calm as water, as if he had long been accustomed to such gazes.

Ma Hongjun grinned, revealing a set of white teeth, and winked at the trainees, as if deliberately provoking them.

Among the crowd, a tall and upright young man spoke first, his tone tinged with dissatisfaction: "Teacher Zhao, the students in our main academy are all little monsters. A level 28 Great Soul Master is already considered top among their peers! This... Senior Lu Yu, I haven't heard of that name before."

The boy's name was Lu Jun, and he had an arrogant air about him. Several cadets behind him echoed him, whispering among themselves, "Yeah, Lu Yu? Never heard of him."

"There are quite a few geniuses in the main academy, is he really that amazing?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Wuji's face darkened, his thick eyebrows arched, and he sneered, "Never heard of them? That's because your vision is too narrow! In Lu Yu's competition, he defeated not only ordinary opponents, but even geniuses like Tang San, Dai Mubai, Xie Yue, and Hu Liena were overshadowed by them! Not convinced? Fine, Lu Yu, these kids are yours to deal with. Anyone who disobeys, teach them a lesson!"

After saying that, he patted Lu Yu on the shoulder, turned around and strode away, leaving the courtyard quiet.

Lu Jun was stunned, clearly not expecting Zhao Wuji to refute him so mercilessly.

He opened his mouth, wanting to say something more, but was swept over by Lu Yu's calm gaze, and inexplicably felt a sense of oppression.

Seeing this, Ma Hongjun laughed and stepped in to smooth things over: "Alright, alright, kids, don't be so unconvinced."

Do you guys remember the Shrek Seven Devils? That was a team led by Lu Yu! If it weren't for him, how could we have won first place in that competition? Every genius from the national soul master academies was utterly defeated by us!

He paused, glanced sideways at Lu Jun, and said mockingly, "What, you want to try again?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Jun and the other cadets' expressions changed slightly.

Although they were young, the Shrek Seven Devils were already a household name, and almost every battle of that legendary team was legendary.

And Lu Yu, the core figure of that team, was actually standing in front of them? The students' arrogance was completely shattered at that moment. Lu Jun's face flashed with embarrassment, and then he respectfully clasped his hands and said, "Senior Lu Yu, I was very rude just now. Please forgive me!" (End of this chapter)