The next day!
It seemed as if everything had returned to normal. Tang San, Chen Yuan, and Ning Rongrong didn't bring up what had happened the previous night.
After breakfast, the group prepared to return to the academy. Chen Yuan, not wanting to walk anymore, took Ning Rongrong with him and flew on his sword.
As the two figures rose higher and higher, eventually disappearing from the sight of the other Shrek students, Ma Hongjun couldn't help but feel envious. He nudged Oscar with his elbow:
"Oscar, look at you. Your third soul skill only lets you fly for a measly minute. Unlike them, they can fly for over an hour. Flying with a girl like that is just so cool."
Oscar, retracting his gaze, snorted in dissatisfaction and dodged Ma Hongjun's elbow jab. He retorted:
"What's wrong with a minute? A minute is still impressive. With that tone of yours, don't come crying to me for my mushroom sausages in the future."
Ma Hongjun chuckled and said:
"Who wants to eat your mushroom sausages? Once I break through to level 30, I'll choose a flying soul skill for my third soul ring. With my Phoenix martial soul, I'll be able to take girls flying in the sky."
Oscar wasn't about to back down:
"So what? It's still just three minutes. Don't think everyone can last that long. That third soul ring of Chen Yuan's—no one can even guess how many years it has."
As the two bickered, Zhao Wuji felt helpless. He knocked each of them on the head and shouted:
"Enough nonsense! Let's get moving. We need to get back to the academy by tonight. Flender won't reimburse me for any more lodging expenses."
Oscar and Ma Hongjun, each having been knocked on the head, finally settled down. They followed Tang San, Xiao Wu, and Zhu Zhuqing as they began running back.
Tang San's eyes were deep with thought. One thing Oscar had said stuck with him: no one could guess how many years Chen Yuan's third soul ring had.
Chen Yuan's second soul ring was already a thousand years old, so his third soul ring had to be at least three thousand years. Meanwhile, Tang San's third soul ring was only a measly sixteen hundred years.
Once they returned, he would find a chance to contact his teacher and ask about the possibility of absorbing soul rings beyond his limits, as well as when he could start cultivating his second martial soul.
Tang San was growing impatient…
---
Meanwhile, high in the sky, Chen Yuan and Ning Rongrong were flying on his sword. Chen Yuan said to Ning Rongrong:
"Rongrong, after we return, you'll stay at Shrek Academy for a while. I'm not a student there, so I can't be with you every day. I need to find a place to focus on cultivating my soul power."
Chen Yuan indeed planned to spend some time cultivating, consolidating the soul power he had gained from absorbing the Blue Silver Emperor's right leg bone, and attempting to break through to level 40.
The boost from absorbing a 100,000-year soul bone was comprehensive. His talent and potential had significantly improved.
If he worked hard, he could aim to break through to level 40 before turning twelve. If everything went smoothly, after consuming the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Grass and undergoing the Ice and Fire Body Tempering, followed by the Eye-Penetrating Dew, he was confident he could absorb any soul ring below 20,000 years.
With two soul bones and three immortal herbs, Chen Yuan believed he could achieve this. After all, he didn't know many immortal herbs, but the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Grass and the Eye-Penetrating Dew were his best choices.
---
Hearing Chen Yuan's words, Ning Rongrong's mood dipped. They had only shared a kiss yesterday, and she didn't want to be apart for too long. Love made her biased. She turned her head, looking at Chen Yuan's face, her eyes filled with reluctance. She whispered:
"I'm growing less and less interested in this academy. Brother Chen Yuan, if I hadn't run away from home and instead spent every day with Grandpa Sword, I could have cultivated with you."
Chen Yuan chuckled, his gaze distant as he looked at the blue sky and white clouds ahead. He said calmly:
"When I cultivate, it's quite boring. You couldn't stand it before. Do you think you can handle it now?"
Ning Rongrong pursed her lips and nodded firmly:
"I can handle it. Looking back now, even the days I found boring seem quite vivid and interesting."
Chen Yuan tilted his head, meeting Ning Rongrong's glistening eyes. The atmosphere grew intimate again. He suddenly felt that, with just a word from him, Ning Rongrong would obediently return to the sect with him.
But he wasn't ready to go back yet. There were still opportunities waiting for him outside. Chen Yuan smiled and said:
"Going back is fine, but not now. We still need to collect the hidden weapons Tang San promised. Let's see how many he can make, what the cost is, and how powerful they are. If they're truly practical, the sect can order a batch and arm our disciples. It would significantly boost the combat power of our lower-level disciples."
Ning Rongrong nodded in agreement:
"That's true. If our outer sect disciples—Great Soul Masters and Soul Elders—and our inner sect disciples with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda martial soul were all equipped with hidden weapons, giving them the ability to fight Soul Ancestor-level opponents, the sect's overall strength would rise to a new level."
In front of Chen Yuan, Ning Rongrong no longer hid her thoughts. She poured out everything on her mind:
"Among my classmates, Tang San seems to come from a humble background. His father is just a blacksmith, but his talent and skills don't seem like something an ordinary family could produce. His true identity must be quite mysterious."
"Xiao Wu—I can't figure her out. She's never mentioned her parents or family, and I have no idea about her origins. But the Titan Giant Ape specifically came to capture her, and she managed to escape from it. She even luckily encountered a rabbit-type soul beast that was perfectly suited to her in both species and age. Her explanations—I don't believe a single word, but I just didn't bother to say anything."
"Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing—the White Tiger and the Nether Spirit Cat—both come from the Star Luo Empire. They're both from Star Luo, and they might even be engaged. Dai Mubai—even though Brother Chen Yuan beat him half to death, and my anger has subsided, I'll always remember his disgusting face."
"Zhu Zhuqing—I feel sorry for her. Although she's a bit cold, she's very polite. It's just unfortunate that she's stuck with someone like Dai Mubai. I've seen him before, flaunting a pair of twins and going in and out of love hotels in Suotuo City."
"Hmph, that night, I was just telling the truth, but he flew into a rage and threatened to assault me. He's a scumbag. If Brother Chen Yuan hadn't arrived in time, I really don't know what I would have done."
"Oscar and Ma Hongjun—one's a coward, and the other's a scumbag just like Dai Mubai. I can see right through Oscar's intentions, but he didn't even dare to speak up for me. Hmph, I'd rather kiss Brother Chen Yuan until my lips fall off than give him a chance."
"Ma Hongjun—his martial soul is just an excuse. His mind is filled with nothing but filth. This whole trip, his eyes haven't left any woman, from six to sixty years old. He really has no standards."
"These so-called classmates—none of them are easy to deal with…"
Chen Yuan listened quietly, his expression gradually growing strange. It turned out Ning Rongrong knew everything. Her heart was as clear as a mirror.
(End of Chapter)
Word Count : 1,325
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