Chapter 57: Extra Chapter - Celebrating the 80th Anniversary of Japan's Surrender on August 15th!

Although the initiation ceremony was humiliating,
in the past, Wu Feng would have rather died than follow such instructions.
However...
The Holy Fire Cult does not forbid same-sex relationships!
She looked toward Ning Tian, waiting for a response.
The desire to vent outweighed Ning Tian's sense of shame.
With a hardened heart and a stamp of her foot,
she shouted out loud, "The Holy Fire shines bright, its radiance brings light! As a disciple of mine, meow meow meow meow!"
Wu Feng immediately chimed in, "The Holy Fire shines bright, its radiance brings light! As a disciple of mine, meow meow meow meow!"
She shouted even louder than Ning Tian, attracting the vast majority of gazes.
Seeing this, the Lan sisters accepted their fate and chanted loudly—
"The Holy Fire shines bright, its radiance brings light! As a disciple of mine, meow meow meow meow!"
[Rewrote the fates of Ning Tian, Wu Feng, Lan Susu, and Lan Luoluo. Fortune value +3500!]
Zhuge Lan was having a jolly time in the spiritual realm.
The commotion of three consecutive chants also drew strange looks from the surroundings,
turning the faces of the four girls beet red.
Yan Shaozhe's helpless voice echoed over—
"Aren't you all going to the Treasure Appreciation Fair? If you're late, you won't make it in time."
This was clearly a polite way of showing them the door out of embarrassment.
Ma Xiaotao made a funny face toward the interior, summoned her wings, and flew into the air.
Wang Dong also deployed wings and ascended.
Ning Tian, Wu Feng, and Nanmen Yun'er took out their flying soul guidance devices and skillfully put them on to fly up.
Lan Susu and Lan Luoluo: "..."
As civilian soul masters without flying soul skills, they found this moment rather awkward.
The next instant,
the sisters let out a cry of surprise as they felt an invisible force supporting their feet, lifting them into the air alongside Huo Yuhao.
"Don't worry, this is an ability derived from the mutation of my spiritual power," Huo Yuhao reassured them. "Sorry to trouble you for leading the way, Senior Sister Tao. Let's make it quick."
The few people who only now learned of this trick by Huo Yuhao couldn't help but marvel inwardly.
Just how many hidden skills does this guy have?
As the group flew past the school gates, Lan Luoluo, who was looking around with novelty, pointed downward.
"That seems to be Zhu Lu. Why isn't she accompanying Dai Huabin, and where is she going?"
The others followed her gaze, and indeed it was Zhu Lu.
The oppressive aura around her was visibly heavy as she buried her head and ran at full tilt, heading toward the eastern side of Shrek City.
"She's definitely up to no good," Ma Xiaotao said, rolling up her sleeves. "Little Yuhao, should I find an excuse to beat her half to death and throw her back to the academy?"
"Just a stray dog, let's go," Huo Yuhao shook his head and said.
He didn't wish to create needless bloodshed. Zhu Lu had never offended him, so there was no need to complicate things.
What a pity it wasn't Dai Huabin, otherwise...
Heh!
...
The Treasure Appreciation Fair was a special event organized by the Treasure Pavilion exclusively for Shrek Academy, further divided into different tiers.
Today's session was tailored specifically for inner court disciples, guaranteeing at least one soul bone, while various other cultivation resources were dazzlingly abundant.
"Since this session is open to inner court disciples, can we go in?" Lan Susu asked cautiously.
"You guys definitely can't; at most, you can look around the outer perimeter," Ma Xiaotao said, flashing a token of authority. "However, with my teacher vouching for Little Yuhao, Wang Dong, and Xiao Xiao, not only can they enter and leave freely, but they can also charge it to my teacher's tab!"
Everyone: "..."
Huo Yuhao didn't even need to guess to know that the eldest senior brother probably had no idea about this!
Never mind.
Consider it an experience to broaden their horizons.
"They're just gold soul coins, you can pull off a wolf-out-of-sheep scam,"
Zhuge Lan said with a beaming smile—
"Put up a quota for the first stage of the Muscle-Tendon Changing Classic at the Treasure Appreciation Fair. They can learn it without joining the Holy Fire Cult, but it cannot be passed on to others.
Set it as highest bidder wins. Who do you think will be bidding for it?"
Huo Yuhao was still filtering through the roster when
Tianmeng Iceworm already chimed in eagerly.
"How stupid!"
"That day, Zhuge disguised himself as a demigod, and all those Titled Douluo saw it.
It's just that due to their status, they can't all join the Holy Fire Cult.
Now there's a chance to touch a demigod's cultivation technique—even if they can't use the first stage themselves, doesn't every family have a few younger generations?
There's only one spot, so no matter who comes, it's useless; they're going to fight tooth and nail for it!
Besides, this is only the first stage. If they want the subsequent stages, they'll eventually have to join the Holy Fire Cult.
Zhuge, you are truly so insidious!"
Huo Yuhao's eyebrows twitched slightly upon hearing this. He hadn't expected there to be so many schemes behind it.
"Then... should I give it a try?"
"The principal subject is here, just speak up," Zhuge Lan said.
Huo Yuhao raised his head
to see Elder Lin Huiqun smiling kindly, while Ma Xiaotao took a quick step forward to link arms with her, acting all spoiled and cute.
Xu Sanshi and the others felt their facial muscles twitch violently.
Was this really the female maniac Ma Xiaotao?
She actually knew how to pull this off too?
Good grief!
Yet Elder Lin Huiqun completely fell for it, agreeing to let everyone through with just a few words.
Ma Xiaotao shot a triumphant look at the others, raising an eyebrow.
Nailed it!
Huo Yuhao stepped forward at this moment and bowed slightly.
"Elder Lin..."
"Ah, the generations are getting mixed up," Lin Huiqun interrupted. "Elder Mu even gave me pointers back then, though unfortunately my talent wasn't enough to be taken as a disciple."
Huo Yuhao's mind spun quickly.
If status and prestige couldn't be used, playing the respect-your-elders card should work, right?
"Grandma Lin, I have something I'd like to put on consignment."
He pulled out a book that was emitting faint starlight.
This was conjured up by Zhuge Lan at the cost of 10 fortune points, and as for its effect...
"Grandma Lin, this skill book contains the first stage of the Muscle-Tendon Changing Classic. Crushing it directly will grant a 100% mastery of all its essence, yielding effects far superior to being taught by an outsider.
Those who master it may join the Holy Fire Cult, though of course, it doesn't matter if they are unwilling to join.
However, there is a taboo set within by Brother Lan. The moment anyone attempts to leak the contents of the Muscle-Tendon Changing Classic, they will suffer a wisp of his spiritual attack.
I don't know the exact destructive power, but it's best not to try it lightly, because that wisp of spiritual power comes with a tracking function."
Huo Yuhao's words were intentionally vague, leaving room for Lin Huiqun to fill in the blanks with her imagination.
Could a safety measure left by a demigod be simple?
Basically, it lacked any possibility of unauthorized propagation.
Yet, whether it was instant comprehension or the ability to learn without joining the cult, both were tremendous temptations.
Even...
"That Tai Chi boxing, do you have any thoughts of selling it?" Lin Huiqun asked expectantly. "The kind with taboos set like this would work too!"
Titled Douluos like them had no use for the Muscle-Tendon Changing Classic.
But Tai Chi boxing was different!
At this, Huo Yuhao hesitated for a moment, waiting for Zhuge Lan to speak.
"Why not fleece a sheep that walks right up to your door?" Zhuge Lan chuckled. "Besides, people don't worry about scarcity, they worry about inequality. Once someone breaks through using Tai Chi boxing, could the other Titled Douluos possibly sit still? When we roll out more cultivation techniques later, they'll be even less able to resist!"
Huo Yuhao felt a surge of joy.
He still held a strong sense of belonging to Shrek, and being able to help the academy made him very happy.
He immediately followed the prearranged script—
"Brother Lan did give me a copy of the Tai Chi boxing skill book. I originally planned to instill it directly if I couldn't comprehend it, but my talent was quite good so I didn't need to use it.
If Grandma Lin and the others really want it..."
"We want it! Of course we want it!" Lin Huiqun said excitedly. "How much? The old woman is buying it!"
Huo Yuhao pressed his lips together. *Are you trying to monopolize it?*
If so, how could the asking price possibly compare to an auction?
Just as he was pondering how to bring it up, Ma Xiaotao beat him to it!
Trying to take advantage of her little Yuhao? Did they ask her permission first?