Unlock Kamen Riders in Douluo's Way Ch 60

"Su Xuan…" The name seemed to sour the Canghui Academy teacher's mood. "One of the Shrek Seven Monsters, is it?"

Astra's eyes widened, her gaze settling on Su Xuan with newfound admiration. The teacher's stature, already respected, now seemed to tower even higher in her eyes.

She knew of Su Xuan and Yin Xiaoya, of course. News traveled, and their names were whispered with a mix of awe and curiosity. But she hadn't connected Su Xuan to this legendary group, the Shrek Seven Monsters. That was simply beyond her sphere of awareness. The world of powerful soul masters and renowned academies felt distant, almost unattainable. The name 'Shrek', however, carried weight even in her limited experience.

Su Xuan, for her part, was equally intrigued by the petite girl who had unexpectedly joined their company. She’d learned about Astra from other teachers—a whispered story of a young soul master with a peculiar and promising food-type martial soul.

Yin Xiaoya’s rescue had been a matter of chance, a fortunate intersection of paths. But the teachers' interest in Astra stemmed from something more profound: her potential. A unique talent like hers, coupled with an eagerness to join Shrek Academy, warranted protection and guidance.

"So what if we're from Shrek?" Su Xuan challenged, a hint of amusement in her voice. "Are you suggesting we're 'shamelessly robbing' you of a student? Seems to me the person in question doesn't want to stay. Last I checked, that was called free will."

The Canghui teacher's face tightened. His bravado faltered, the conviction in his voice cracking under Su Xuan’s calm assessment. Anyone with eyes could see that Astra wasn't being coerced. Her reluctance was palpable, a silent plea for escape.

"What is Canghui Academy anyway?" Su Xuan continued, pressing her advantage. "I've heard less than glowing reviews. And frankly, witnessing this… 'interaction' firsthand confirms my suspicions. Our academy is barely a decade old, yet we attract talent from across the land. It's not just about cultivation and raw power, it's about conduct, decency. Your academy has had a century to build a reputation, and you're still dragging behind. Shouldn't you consider a change in… approach?"

The teacher’s face flushed crimson, a vein throbbing visibly in his temple. He sputtered, searching for a retort, but found himself silenced by the undeniable truth in Su Xuan's words.

Just then, a figure emerged from the ranks of Canghui students: a tall, gaunt man with a somber demeanor and piercing eyes. His frame was lean, almost skeletal, and his hair was streaked with gray, lending him an air of weary authority. He scanned the scene with a calculating gaze, his presence immediately commanding attention.

"Girl," he said, his voice a low rumble that carried across the clearing, "You're hardly old enough to offer life lessons. I have little interest in Shrek's meteoric rise. But don't assume that gives you the right to condescend to Canghui Academy."

The man was clearly the leader, the guiding force behind these students. Su Xuan recognized the type: a seasoned instructor, hardened by years of training and competition, his gaze sharp, his intentions inscrutable.

Su Xuan met his gaze, a playful smile dancing on her lips. "Condescending? I'm simply pointing out the obvious. Besides," she added, her eyes twinkling, "Your tone is rather… forceful. Almost proportional to your strength, one might say."

The words hung in the air, a subtle challenge veiled in a veneer of polite conversation. Ma Hongjun and the others exchanged excited glances, their spirits lifting at Su Xuan's subtle jab. Teacher Su Xuan, they silently cheered, was on fire.

The Canghui teacher snorted, his eyes narrowing. He turned to his students, his voice laced with irritation. "You came to retrieve a student, and you’ve already caused trouble. Honestly."

Though delivered as a reprimand, his words seemed to ease the tension. The Canghui students visibly relaxed, relieved to have their leader intervene.

"Mr. Shi Nian," one of them began, "Astra, she…"

"Enough," Shi Nian interrupted, raising a hand to silence the student. "I've heard enough. You want to leave Canghui Academy, is that it?" He lowered his gaze, fixing Astra with a penetrating stare that seemed to bore into her very soul.

Astra visibly flinched, shrinking behind Su Xuan as if seeking refuge. Her eyes darted nervously, her body trembling. Fear radiated from her in palpable waves. But now, she's with Shrek, she mustered what courage she could to speak a little louder.

"I… I don't want to be bullied anymore!"

"Bullied?" Shi Nian repeated, his voice dripping with false incredulity. "Such a… dramatic claim. Astra, you've reached your current level because of Canghui. Do you really think you were 'bullied' along the way?"

"I…" Astra stammered, her voice barely a whisper. She struggled to meet his gaze, shame and guilt warring within her. What he said was true. Despite the hardships she had endured, Canghui Academy had provided her with the training and resources necessary to become a soul master.

Shi Nian's lips curled into a cruel smile. He saw her wavering, knew he had struck a nerve. "Of course," he continued, his voice softening, "The academy can't cater to every student's whims. But to leave simply because you're… uncomfortable? That's hardly justified. You can't forget, Astra, that your adoptive parents… sold you to Canghui Academy. Tuition fees? Non-existent. Meals? Not a single penny. It's all meticulously recorded. Black and white."

Su Xuan’s face hardened. She hadn’t realized the full extent of Astra's predicament. The girl wasn’t simply a student; she was a trustee, a debt-slave, her future entirely bound to the whims of Canghui Academy.

The concept of the "sustenance child" was a grim reality in Douluo Continent. Families, burdened by poverty or circumstance, would dedicate their children to academies or sects, surrendering all rights and autonomy in exchange for education, resources, and a chance at a better life. In theory, it was a mutually beneficial arrangement: the child received training, the academy secured promising talent.

In practice, however, the system was rife with exploitation and abuse. Children were subjected to harsh treatment, forced into grueling labor, their dreams and aspirations crushed under the weight of obligation.

Shrek Academy, like most reputable institutions, participated in the sustenance program. Ma Hongjun, for example, was a trustee, his orphaned status and lack of resources making him a prime candidate. But Shrek, to its credit, strived to treat its trustees with respect and compassion, recognizing their inherent worth as individuals.

Astra’s situation was even more dire. She wasn't merely a trustee; she had been sold. Her adoptive parents, likely desperate for money, had severed all ties, relinquishing any claim to her life. She was, in effect, property of Canghui Academy.

Under the unwritten laws of Douluo Continent, Astra had no right to choose her own destiny. Her life was forfeit, her future predetermined by the whims of an institution that saw her not as a person, but as an asset. The Star Dou and Star Luo Empires, along with the Martial Soul Hall, tacitly endorsed this system, safeguarding the power of academies and sects to control their investments.

Shi Nian's words weren't just directed at Astra; they were a message to Shrek Academy, a stark reminder of the limitations of their influence.

As the realization dawned on the Shrek teachers, their faces grew grim. The air crackled with unspoken tension. The Canghui students, sensing their advantage, smirked and sneered, reveling in Shrek's discomfiture.

Astra, witnessing the shift in mood, felt a fresh wave of despair wash over her. Disappointment, loss, and helplessness surged within her. She was trapped, a pawn in a game she couldn’t hope to win.

Seeing the reactions of everyone in Shrek, Shi Nian nodded very satisfied, and then joked: "Of course, our Canghui College is also a well-known and formal college, and it is impossible to really restrict the students' freedom of life. If you really want to leave, I will I don’t stop you, but you have to return everything you got from Canghui Academy. I’m not just talking about the cost, but also the cultivation you have obtained under the training of the academy. Do you… know what I mean?"

Astra's face turned pale immediately. Of course, she knew what it meant, after all, there were people like her before her who wanted to get rid of Canghui Academy, but the head of the academy personally destroyed the martial soul, and since then Became a useless person. In any case, she didn't want to be reduced to that end.

So she gave up struggling and walked out from behind Su Xuan with a pale face. Seeing this scene, the smile on Shi Nian's face became more and more proud. And the students of Canghui Academy also showed mocking expressions towards Shrek in a demonstration.

"Isn't this the end? It's such a simple matter, and it hurts the peace if it has to make the colleges on both sides tense?" Said, Shi Nian turned around and walked out, and said to Astra behind him, "Come on, don't waste any more time."

Su Xuan couldn't bear to look at Astra's lonely back, and was about to do something, but was stopped by other teachers, and shook his head helplessly at her.

However, what they didn't expect was that those children actually stopped Astra.

Astra became anxious, and pushed Fang Xin who was standing in front of him and said, "It's ok, I thank you all very much, but don't do this, if you get hurt, I..."

Fang Xin ignored her and kept standing in front of her to prevent her from leaving. Meanwhile, Ma Hongjun on the side had already put away his previous smirk, and with a serious expression on his chubby face, he took a step forward.

"I think we have another option, which is to beat up until you give up Astra."

"What?"

Shi Nian stopped, turned his head, and looked at these young brats with a gloomy face, then looked at Su Xuan and said, "What did you say just now, I, Canghui Academy, can't teach people? Look at your history. Students of Lake, this is called teaching? Haha, that's right, I just remembered that your Shrek style has always been the one who is not afraid of causing trouble. Among all the colleges, you Shrek has the most fighting incidents. But I also heard that you don't fight against the rules, why? Are you going to break the rules today?"

What I said back then was not wrong, under Flender's guidance, Shrek's school spirit is not to be afraid of troubles, to fight when they find a fight above, and fight when they are owed a fight. But there is a premise that you must not be caught in the braid.

That is to say, it's okay to fight until the dead, but you can't break the rules. This rule naturally refers to the rules of the soul master world.

This is also the reason why Su Xuan couldn't help it now, but he still had to endure it. Among the academy sects of the Douluo Continent, talking is not just about competition, and it's not just about fighting; there are more human accidents.

So there are black forces like the Ax Gang all over the world, but human society punishes them very little, because they still follow the rules on the surface.

Conversely, if an existence like an evil soul master appears, it will alarm the entire soul master guild, and they will not hesitate to gather all their strength to kill them, because they don't follow any rules for these existences.

However, even knowing this, Xiao San, Tang Wu, Fang Xin, and Ma Hongjun still stepped forward to stop Astra who was about to leave.

Su Xuan was worried that things would go in a bad direction, and was about to go forward to persuade him, but was stopped by Mantis.

"What are you going to do?"

"What else can I do? Naturally, stop these children?"

"In what capacity?"

Su Xuan looked at what you were talking about.

"If you are talking to them as a soul master, I advise you to forget about it." As she spoke, Mantis touched the immortal who was still sleeping, "If you don't understand, just shut up and talk to me." Just watch here. The same goes for you guys, don’t make a move.”

These teachers looked at each other, and finally focused their attention on Su Xuan. Su Xuan was silent for a while, then took a step back, unexpectedly found a chair in the guild hall, and sat down. When other teachers saw her doing this, they naturally followed suit.

Those Shrek teachers who saw Su Xuan all those years ago didn't intend to show up, and there was a gloomy look on their faces. This attitude is obviously telling myself that they will not interfere with what these brats do no matter what.

"It seems that you want to break the rules? This is the Soul Masters Guild. What happened now will be spread out in a while."

"Then spread the word. Anyway, it has nothing to do with Shrek, and we are not talking to you as soul masters." Ma Hongjun took another step and stood in front of the crowd, "Don't worry, it's not the teacher who beat you. They, but this uncle."

As if he had heard something funny, Shi Nian cast a puzzled look at the Shrek teachers, including Su Xuan: "Hehe, he said he wanted to fight me? Are you sure?"

Su Xuan glanced at Ma Hongjun's back and breathed a sigh of relief: "Yes, we won't take action, even if you beat him up. Of course, they don't represent Shrek now, so even if they are beaten, No, I won't lose Shrek's face."

"Hahahaha, you really deserve to be called Shrek, your brains are really weird." Shi Nian laughed loudly, "Okay! Since you don't know how to educate the juniors, then this old man will educate you for you!"

Ma Hongjun sneered: "Our senior said a word, people should never be suffocated by the rules to the point of urgency. And he also said that the rules are for people, not for animals."

Shi Nian's expression froze, and his face became gloomy: "Little rascal, don't think that I won't dare to strike hard because of your young age."

"You still worry about whether your waist will be twisted. Old man, don't think that you are old, and I dare not hit hard, sir."

As he spoke, Ma Hongjun reached out and took off the Henshin Onsa from his waist.

Seeing his action, Fang Xin and others knowingly pulled Astra back a little, and gave way to the place. And the strangers around had already been attracted by this scene, and they all gathered around with great interest.

Some acquaintances still booed: "At this time, a 52-level spirit king, can't he still bully a child?"

"I don't think the soul power of this little ghost is strong? It must not even be at the twentieth level. It's really a newborn calf who doesn't know tigers."

"This kind of kid with a little achievement should be severely beaten by the society. Hehe, do you know how hard the year will be?"

The staff of the Soul Masters Guild naturally noticed that the guild hall is so big and spacious, it's not for people to fight. So they hurriedly prepared to be stopped by the guardians who maintained order. However, he was stopped by Liu Zhou who was in charge of the evil soul master incident.

"Director Liu, if this makes them fight..."

"It's okay, if there is any damage, I will be responsible."

While speaking, his eyes kept looking at Ma Hongjun in the arena. With the intelligence gathering ability of the Soul Masters Guild, he had already done some investigation on these people. Apart from the mystery of Xiao San and Mantis who appeared behind, he certainly already had some understanding of these Shrek members, including this Ma Hongjun.

This is obviously a waste with a negative mutation of the martial soul, but he dares to stand alone in front of a soul king, which shows that there must be something special about him.

Reminiscent of the fact that Ma Hongjun said that he was also a Kamen Rider when he first met them, so he felt that he would probably see what the so-called Kamen Rider is next.

Shi Nian also wondered why the people from the Soul Masters Guild didn't come forward to stop him. But now, with so many onlookers watching, he naturally won't stop. Of course, it is impossible to go all out to avoid being ridiculed and bullied children. Therefore, he only showed two soul rings.

In this regard, Ma Hongjun sneered, he flicked the Henshin Onsa lightly, and accompanied by a melodious long chant, black sound waves visible to the naked eye appeared on the Henshin Onsa. He slowly lifted it up to the top of his head.

"Old man, I suggest that you'd better go all out, otherwise, I'm afraid you'll find excuses when you're beaten up and crying."