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[1] In Chinese funeral tradition, the memorial portrait (遗照, yi zhao) is the photograph of the deceased displayed at the ceremony, and white chrysanthemums (白花) are the traditional mourning flowers. The Special Training Class is performing a pitch-perfect mock funeral -- missing only these two finishing touches.
"Gigantification?!"
Chen Shu's expression shook. He instantly ignored every other option.
Without Gigantification, the Slime's combat power dropped by at least seventy percent. It was, without question, a god-tier skill.
The last time Gigantification had been upgraded was after hunting the Ice Rabbit Lord -- nearly half a year ago.
"FIVE MONTHS! I waited five full months -- do you have ANY idea what those five months were like?!"
Chen Shu's face was flushed with excitement, his voice rising into an uncontrollable shout.
Every classmate in the vicinity scattered, terrified he was about to do something insane.
THWACK!
Shen Wushuang delivered a knuckle-rap straight to his skull. "Having one of your episodes again?"
"Ugh..."
Chen Shu snapped back to reality. But having his fantasy interrupted mid-flight -- anyone would be furious.
He couldn't help snarling, "Old Shen, you mother--"
"Hm?"
Shen Wushuang's razor-sharp gaze locked onto him. "What about me?"
"You mother... REALLY care about your students..."
Chen Shu forced the words through a rigid smile, silently swearing in his heart: I WILL bury Shen Wushuang. At least once.
"Just doing my duty," Shen Wushuang said, patting him on the shoulder with a warm, benevolent expression.
Chen Shu slipped away to a corner, silently pulled out his phone, and opened ChaoXin.
"Sis Fang Si, how much to bury someone? Name your price!"
Gotta find a thug to deal with Old Shen!
A moment later, Fang Si's reply came in.
"You're not trying to bury Teacher Shen Wushuang, are you?"
"Huh? You know him?"
"Obviously! He was my teacher three years ago. Teacher Shen is my mentor and dear companion -- if it wasn't for him, there might not even BE a Fang Si today!"
The corner of Chen Shu's mouth twitched. Did Sis Fang Si get her account hacked?
He typed back: "So you're gonna charge extra, right?"
"Chen Pi, this isn't about money -- he's our teacher! By the way, how much are you paying?"
"..."
Chen Shu nodded slowly. Yep, this was definitely the real Fang Si.
"A million?"
"Get out of here! A million to bury a Black Iron rank? Twenty million, MINIMUM!"
"Are you kidding me?! You're robbing me blind! How about a ninety percent discount?"
Two "respect-your-teachers" model students haggled back and forth.
Meanwhile, a sudden chill ran through Shen Wushuang. Something told him bad things were on the horizon.
He turned his head and spotted Chen Shu wearing the sleaziest grin imaginable. "Chen Pi, what are you doing over there?"
Chen Shu jolted so hard he nearly dropped his phone.
"Nothing, nothing..."
Shen Wushuang's eyes narrowed. "You little shit -- you're not planning to get back at me, are you?"
"How could I?!" Chen Shu declared with absolute conviction. "You're my TEACHER!"
In the end, Chen Shu shook his head in defeat, his face a picture of dejection.
Fang Si refused to budge a single yuan, insisting on twenty million. Absolute highway robbery -- not even a friends-and-family discount.
If you gave Shen Wushuang that kind of money, he'd probably bury himself.
Chen Shu let out a heavy sigh. "Can't rely on anyone! A grand ambition like this -- I'll just have to accomplish it myself!"
"Chen Shu, wanna play Fight the Landlord?"
Xu Xingxing wandered over. The three of them were the only ones in the booth with nothing to do.
"Get out of here! I am NEVER playing with you. Not in this lifetime."
Chen Shu rejected him on the spot.
Playing against Xu Xingxing was pure, unadulterated self-punishment.
Just then, a new match kicked off in the Spirit Fighting Arena below.
Chen Shu watched from the booth, bored out of his mind, and decided -- what the hell -- to just break out the BBQ grill...
"What the HELL are you doing?!"
Shen Wushuang nearly jumped out of his skin. This was beyond absurd.
"Don't worry, Teacher Shen -- I splurged this time! Genuine smokeless charcoal!"
So what he was saying was, everything before this had been knockoff garbage?
"Absolutely not!"
Shen Wushuang shot him down without hesitation.
Imagine Beast Tamers fighting for their lives in the arena below while the booth above suddenly belched out billowing black smoke and burst into flames. That image was pure nonsense.
Chen Shu sighed. Every single one of his hobbies had been stripped away.
Just then, a staff member appeared outside the booth.
"Would Tang Lie please prepare for his match!"
Tang Lie nodded and stood up immediately. He'd been feeling like the booth wasn't exactly safe, and honestly? Getting out sounded great.
But the moment he saw the platform below, his face changed.
Xia Yan stood there, expressionless, as if simply waiting for his opponent to come down.
"You've gotta be kidding me. THIS unlucky?"
Tang Lie's mouth twitched. The guy was still seething from last night -- walking down there was marching straight into the cannon's mouth.
He turned to the staff member. "Hang on -- I'm a Level 8 Beast Tamer. Why am I fighting a Level 9?"
"Your teacher requested it. To help you improve your strength as quickly as possible."
"..."
Tang Lie fixed Shen Wushuang with the most aggrieved look he could muster. You can't be serious.
"Young Master Tang! You've gotta give it your all! Win some honor for the Special Training Class! All true geniuses fight above their rank!"
Chen Shu flashed a wide grin, his eyes deep and unreadable, brimming with some unspoken meaning.
Tang Lie couldn't suppress a twitch. He had the horrible feeling Chen Shu was gazing at his funeral portrait -- looking at him as though he were already dead.[1]
Xie Sunan cupped his hands around his mouth. "All rise! The class shall see Young Master Tang off!"
The entire Special Training Class rose to their feet. Their expressions turned solemn, their eyes brimming with nostalgia and grief.
All they were missing was white chrysanthemums and a synchronized bow.[1]
What the fuck! Was this really necessary?!
Tang Lie was genuinely creeped out. It felt like the entire class was taking one last look at him before the end.
"Enough!"
Black lines covered Shen Wushuang's forehead as he glared at Chen Shu and Xie Sunan. You two are stirring the pot again.
He patted Tang Lie on the shoulder and offered his comfort: "Don't worry, go on. Contract spirit casualties won't affect the Beast Tamer physically."
"..."
You call THAT comforting?!
Tang Lie took a deep breath, steeled himself, and strode down to the platform.
"Nanjiang Second High, heh... heh heh..."
The moment Xia Yan saw his opponent, a cold laugh escaped his lips.
Whatever he'd suffered last night, they were going to suffer tenfold.
"Let's go. Show me what your trash class is made of!"
Xia Yan summoned his S-rank Inferno Raging Tiger, and the confidence flooded back into his eyes.
"Damn it, quit being so arrogant!"
Tang Lie's temper was every bit as explosive -- it was just usually suppressed under Chen Shu's thumb.
Someone disrespecting him to his face? Like hell he could tolerate that.
Wind Runner Beast appeared in a flash. Its presence couldn't match the tiger's, but it was still an A-rank contract spirit.
The battle erupted instantly.
Wind Runner Beast circled high above with no intention of attacking, using its flight advantage to stall for time.
Please let those wings just be decorative...
Tang Lie stared at the Inferno Raging Tiger's pair of wings, silently praying.
But of course -- the more you feared something, the more likely it was to happen.
Xia Yan let out a cold laugh. The Inferno Raging Tiger spread its wings wide, and its massive body launched into the air, lunging straight at Wind Runner Beast with jaws agape.
"Holy shit, a FLYING tiger?!"
Cyan light erupted across Wind Runner Beast's body as its speed surged dramatically.
At the same time, it unleashed its innate skill -- Wind Binding -- temporarily slowing the Inferno Raging Tiger's approach.
Tang Lie let out a breath of relief.
"You think you can run?"
Xia Yan scoffed. In an instant, the Inferno Raging Tiger's expression turned savage beyond measure, its enormous jaws snapping wide open.
ROAR!
A terrifying howl echoed through the Spirit Fighting Arena.
Wind Runner Beast's body seized up, its eyes glazing over with confusion. It lost its balance completely and plummeted straight down.
The Inferno Raging Tiger beat its wings, blazing claws igniting with flames as it slashed toward the falling Wind Runner Beast.
This was the power of an S-rank contract spirit -- virtually no weaknesses.
No matter how you looked at it, it could obliterate any other contract spirit in a straight fight.
Wind Runner Beast was about to take a devastating hit.
In a flash of desperate inspiration, Tang Lie screamed at the top of his lungs: "Xia Yan, eat this UREA BAG!!"