Chapter 19: Chapter 19: A Complete Makeover for Flender
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After listening to Li Luochen, Flender couldn't help but wonder why this kid seemed so much more knowledgeable than Yu Xiaogang.
"You little brat, you talk as if you're some kind of expert at seducing women. If I didn't keep an eye on you all the time, seeing you either cultivating or studying medicine every day, I'd think you were a true master of romance. You really know your stuff."
"Haha, it's just from reading a lot of books. We can't just bury ourselves in training all the time, right? Occasionally reading some 'romance novels' is fine too—it's all learned from books."
Li Luochen shifted the blame onto books. After all, he was practically a bookworm himself—albeit one who knew a bit of martial arts and staff techniques. With a casual swing of his staff, he could unleash thousands of jin of force.
"I'm just an ordinary scholar," Li Luochen said, pretending to adjust the non-existent glasses on his face.
"So, what do you suggest about the makeover?"
Flender wondered what kind of crazy ideas Li Luochen might have.
"Haha, let's wait until we reach Tian Dou City to reveal that secret."
Flender's physique was quite robust, but his facial features were distinctive. His chin protruded slightly, his cheekbones were wide, his face was flat, and his nose had a slight hook—his appearance could be likened to the sole of a shoe.
With a bit of grooming and styling, he could transform into a strikingly heroic figure. It wasn't impossible for Liu Erlong to be impressed by him.
Once Liu Erlong became interested in him, wouldn't everything else fall into place? Li Luochen personally disliked irresponsible men like Yu Xiaogang, who acted superior despite being weak.
Let him wear the cuckold's —oh wait, no. Cousins getting together was already taboo; how could you even call it cuckolding?
Moreover, Flender and Liu Erlong were evenly matched in strength. In a few years, Liu Erlong would likely break through to Spirit Sage, while Yu Xiaogang, with no opportunities, would remain a Great Soul Master for life.
Flender and Liu Erlong had the potential to reach Title Douluo status, while Yu Xiaogang barely had a few decades left. Even with careful health management, he wouldn't live past a century. Title Douluos, on the other hand, often lived for two hundred years or more.
The two were completely mismatched. Geniuses like Mu En only appeared once every few generations. Incestuous relationships were best avoided—even Li Luochen, as someone from the information age, found such things distasteful.
Flender had done so much for Li Luochen—he had accompanied him in hunting his second and third soul rings, bought Whale Glue for him, and lent him medical knowledge. Much of what Li Luochen had achieved was thanks to Flender.
Helping Flender win Liu Erlong's heart was the least he could do. After all, Flender was a loyal and righteous man who would stand up for his friends and students.
Since Flender and Li Luochen were traveling to Tian Dou City by carriage, and the carriage moved slowly, it took them three days to arrive.
Tian Dou City, the capital of the Tian Dou Empire, was home to eighty percent of the empire's nobility. The waters here ran deep.
Flender was powerful—a level 78 Battle Spirit Sage. In a city like Suotuo, he could easily act as a local tyrant.
But Tian Dou City was different. The Tian Dou Imperial Academy alone had three Spirit Douluos: Meng Shenji, Zhi Lin, and Bai Baoshan. The deans of various high-level soul master academies were at least Spirit Sages.
The leader of the Power Clan, Titan Spirit Douluo, supported the Tian Dou Empire, and the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect also had a presence in the city.
The strongest force in Tian Dou City, however, was the royal guard—an elite unit composed entirely of soul masters, led by a Spirit Douluo.
On the surface, Tian Dou City appeared grand and prosperous, but beneath the surface, currents swirled. For instance, the Crown Prince's residence secretly housed two Title Douluo, though no one knew about it. Upon reflection, Spirit Douluos weren't exactly rare here.
But none of this concerned Li Luochen. He was just an ordinary Spirit Elder—weak, pitiful, and helpless. He was here to explore, but his immediate priority was to play matchmaker for Principal Flender.
Before playing matchmaker, though, he had to give Flender a complete makeover.
"Come on, Principal. Let's get a haircut first to freshen up, then we'll get you some new clothes. You're going to see your goddess, so dressing appropriately is crucial."
"Hmph—this kid."
Li Luochen took Flender to the bustling downtown area and found a decent barber shop. The barber there was actually a soul master, albeit not a strong one, with a scissor-type martial soul. He specialized in haircuts and had been doing this for years. Following Li Luochen's instructions, the barber gave Flender a complete transformation.
They shaved off Flender's beard and styled his hair to look neat and tidy. After all, Flender was an older gentleman, so flashy hairstyles weren't suitable for him.
To their surprise, a haircut in Tian Dou City cost three gold spirit coins. After paying, Li Luochen exclaimed, "Ripoff!" No wonder it was the capital—spending money here was like drinking water.
Li Luochen gazed at the storage ring on his left index finger, lost in thought. This ring was something he had purchased after becoming wealthy. It contained nothing but gold spirit coins—millions of them, worth his entire fortune.
The gold spirit coins of the Douluo Continent were made of pure gold, and Li Luochen's ring held millions of them.
After Flender's haircut and shave, Li Luochen looked at the newly refreshed older man and felt satisfied. The glasses needed to be changed—they made him look too old.
Next, Li Luochen took Flender to a clothing store to get him a custom outfit. Since Li Luochen didn't know much about fashion, he simply called over the staff and instructed them.
"Get him an outfit suitable for meeting a beautiful woman. If the job is done well, the payment in gold spirit coins won't be stingy."
With these words, the employees worked enthusiastically, promising to make the customer satisfied.
About an hour later, the custom-made outfit was ready. The transformation was astonishing. Flender's physique remained robust and imposing, but his attire, though not extravagant, was sure to catch the eye.
Flender now exuded the aura of a fitness-loving scholar. After replacing his shrewd-looking glasses, his overall image improved significantly. Gone was the sly, calculating vibe, replaced by a comfortable and refined presence.
"Mm~ Not bad. Principal, this look suits you very well. Let's go to Blue Tyrant Academy and let your goddess see you in a new light!"
Li Luochen admired the transformed Flender. Even if Liu Erlong was a love-struck fool, he couldn't imagine her not being impressed.
Once she was intrigued, the next step was to work on building a connection. Slowly, Flender could worm his way into Liu Erlong's heart.
The best opportunity would be during a soul-hunting expedition. After all, women craved security—even Liu Erlong, a Spirit Emperor, was no exception.
Yu Xiaogang couldn't provide her with security, but if Flender could, he could gradually win her heart. With Flender's tactful personality, Li Luochen was confident he'd seize the chance.
In any case, the opportunity was there for Flender. Whether he seized it or not was up to him. If he couldn't even compete with a useless guy like Yu Xiaogang, then perhaps it was time to find someone else for Flender.
Hmm, let's think about it. There were plenty of young Spirit Emperors and Spirit Sages among the teachers of the major academies. Maybe it was time to arrange something for Old Flender.
If this attempt failed, Flender would be heartbroken.
Li Luochen had already begun planning the next steps. He couldn't let the principal grow old alone, could he?
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