Part 6 - The Runaway Prince

Su Fan shifts his gaze to the old man.

"Old man, you should return the applicant's money."

The old man can only sigh and returns the money to the first applicant. The applicant then looks at Su Fan.

"Thank you so much for helping."

"Next time, be more careful when applying."

The applicant nods and then leaves the place. Su Fan looks at the remaining applicants and gives them advice.

"I'm sure all of you know the academy's requirements. So don't waste your time if you don't meet them—unless you want to be exploited by this old man at level 60."

Hearing Su Fan's words, nearly nine out of ten applicants leave the place. The old man is shocked that Su Fan knows his power level. Su Fan then tosses three gold pouches onto the table.

"I'm paying the registration fee for myself and my two friends."

"Even so, I still need to verify your age and level."

Su Fan extends his hand, and the old man touches it.

"This... Have you practiced a spirit technique?"

"Yes."

The old man nods in understanding. Su Fan then reveals his martial spirit, Kusanagi, and four spirit rings: purple, purple, black, and black. Everyone is shocked by his spirit ring configuration, including Tang San and Xiao Wu, who have never seen Su Fan's spirit rings before. The pressure from the rings makes it clear that they are real. After displaying them for a while, Su Fan retracts his martial spirit and spirit rings.

"Well?"

"You are truly a monster among monsters. There might be no one better than you on this continent, not even legends. You're accepted. But you've already met the graduation requirements, so..."

"It's fine. I'm waiting for my friends to graduate too."

"Alright then."

Next, the old man examines Ning Rongrong. She extends her hand and he touches it before nodding.

"Does your family know you're here?"

"As long as I meet the requirements, you should accept me, right?"

The girl's voice is soft and pleasant, making her sound friendly. He nods, agreeing with her statement. After that, she approaches Su Fan.

"Classmate, my name is Ning Rongrong. What about you?"

"Su Fan."

Su Fan replies flatly. However, his lack of enthusiasm does not make Ning Rongrong angry. Instead, her interest in him grows, and her eyes sparkle.

"Su Fan, how did you absorb a thousand-year spirit ring for your first ring?! My father and grandfather said it's impossible to have a thousand-year first ring—"

Ning Rongrong, who initially sounded gentle and friendly, suddenly turns into an excited girl, talking a lot and bombarding Su Fan with questions.

'What's with this girl? She's nothing like in the stories. Her behavior somehow reminds me of Karin.'

He restrains himself from pushing Ning Rongrong away and waits for Tang San and Xiao Wu to register. The old man examines Tang San and Xiao Wu's bones. Then, Tang San and Xiao Wu reveals his martial spirit and spirit rings, and the registration is completed.

As Tang San and Xiao Wu finish registering, Dai Mubai, who had fainted earlier, finally wakes up and looks at the four new students. Before he fully regains consciousness, he hears the old man give him an order.

"Mubai, take them inside."

Ning Rongrong stops talking and shifts her attention to Dai Mubai, whose face still looks swollen from Su Fan's beating.

"Hahaha! Su Fan, look at his face. He looks like a little bear."

Su Fan chuckles at Ning Rongrong's comment. Dai Mubai, known for his short temper, immediately flares up at her mockery.

"You!!!"

Ning Rongrong hides behind Su Fan, sticking out her tongue to tease Dai Mubai. Seeing Su Fan's sharp gaze, Dai Mubai suppresses his anger.

"You four, follow me."

He walks while touching his swollen face from Su Fan's powerful kick. They follow him, with Su Fan and Ning Rongrong continuing their conversation. Xiao Wu, who has been watching Ning Rongrong stay close to Su Fan, starts feeling jealous. She rushes up, grabs Su Fan's arm, and points at Ning Rongrong.

"Hey! Stay away from Brother Fan, you little fox!"

"Hah?! You're just his friend! What does it have to do with you if I stay close to Su Fan?!"

Tang San and Dai Mubai watch two beautiful girls fighting over one guy, making them feel jealous—especially Tang San, seeing the girl he likes competing for someone else.

Meanwhile, Su Fan, seeing Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu arguing, flicks both of their foreheads.

"Ow!"

Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu rub their foreheads and look at Su Fan with sad expressions.

"Don't fight."

That simple request is enough to make both girls stop. Xiao Wu clings to Su Fan's arm and gives Ning Rongrong a smug look. Seeing this, Ning Rongrong grits her teeth and looks away in frustration while sneakily trying to hold Su Fan's hand by distracting him with conversation.

As they walk inside, Dai Mubai senses something familiar from the registration area. His behavior catches Xiao Wu's attention, and she comments.

"What are you looking at? Are you planning to target another girl?"

"No. I just feel something familiar. Like a connection to my martial spirit."

"Are you talking about the martial spirit fusion technique?"

Su Fan continues looking straight ahead, not glancing at Dai Mubai while speaking. But Dai Mubai unconsciously nods.

"Yes."

"Based on your identity, that means a girl from the Zhu family is likely enrolling in this academy. And she's probably your fiancée."

Dai Mubai suddenly felt guilty and avoid of their gazes. Su Fan knows this not because he remembers the story. His memory of Douluo Dalu is blurry, and he only recalls the general plot. He gained this knowledge from spirit masters who traveled and hired his services. They told stories about the Star Luo Empire, giving him a broad understanding of it.

Meanwhile, Ning Rongrong, as the princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, immediately realizes Dai Mubai's identity, while Tang San and Xiao Wu still look confused about their conversation.

"That means... you're the runaway prince who fled because of the throne rivalry?"

Dai Mubai does not respond but simply nods at Ning Rongrong's question. After a few seconds of thinking she realizes something.

"Wait a minute! That means you left your fiancée to suffer alone back there?!"

To Be Continued...