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Thinking back on all the kindness Zhu Qing had shown him over the years, a gentle smile spread across Ning Tian's face.
Xiao Wu grinned at him, her voice warm. "Congrats, Little Sixth!"
"Alright, let's get started with the lesson," Flender announced, kicking off his unusual class: eating Oscar's sausages.
Ning Tian didn't object. It wasn't worth picking a fight with Flender over something so minor. Besides, aside from Oscar's absurd soul incantations, the sausages were decent enough and did their job well.
Once the lesson wrapped up, Flender declared that Zhao Wuji would lead the group to the Star Dou Forest the next day to hunt for Oscar's soul ring. Then, he motioned for Ning Tian to stay behind.
Flender took Ning Tian's wrist, sending a strand of soul power through his body to check his condition. To his relief, there were no traces of harmful drugs, just an impressively strong physique, far surpassing even Dai Mubai's, despite his beast martial soul.
A swell of pride rose in Flender's chest, though it came tinged with thoughts of Yu Xiaogang. Both had started with half a level of innate soul power, yet their lives had taken wildly different turns.
"Ning Tian, do you know why I asked you to stay?" Flender asked, his tone steady.
Ning Tian answered without pause. "Probably to see if I've taken any drugs with side effects."
"That's part of it," Flender admitted. "As a Shrek student, your well-being is my responsibility. But there's something else…I want to ask you cultivation advice for a master." He hesitated, a rare flush of embarrassment crossing his face. Asking a student for cultivation advice felt wrong for a dean, but for Yu Xiaogang's sake, he pushed past it.
Ning Tian's lips twitched upward. "You mean that master who taught Tang San?"
Flender nodded and began recounting Yu Xiaogang's struggles.
Ning Tian kept his expression neutral, though inside, he wasn't impressed. "If he's so eager to break through, why doesn't he come ask me himself?"
Flender faltered. "You know how he is… his pride…"
"No offense," Ning Tian cut in, "but if he can't even set aside his pride for something this small, what kind of soul master is he? Just someone who hides behind others. Do you really think he's that weak? You just told us soul masters need to do whatever it takes to survive. Is he less capable than a bunch of kids?"
Flender blinked, thrown off by Ning Tian's sharp words. "Alright, fine. I'll tell him to ask you when he's here."
But in his heart, Flender knew Yu Xiaogang's ego would never bend that far.
...…
The next morning, after breakfast, the group gathered in the courtyard. Dai Mubai was nowhere to be seen, but Zhao Wuji stood before them, looking like he'd been trampled and left for dead.
Bandages coiled around his body, his face was a swollen wreck, his nose flattened, and most of his teeth were gone. A dark bruise circled one eye, painting a pitiful picture.
'Maybe Tang Hao went harder on him because he looks like Tang San,' Ning Tian thought to himself.
The others fought back laughter, but Zhao Wuji's glare silenced them. "Ning Tian, have you been to the Star Dou Forest?"
"Yeah," Ning Tian replied. His second and third soul rings had come from there.
"Good. Dai Mubai's under the weather, so you're in charge today," Zhao Wuji said.
He didn't explain further, but Ning Tian already knew what had happened. Last night, Flender had freaked out when Dai Mubai didn't return, fearing the worst. He'd rounded up the Shrek teachers and searched Soutuo City, only to find Dai Mubai unconscious in a brothel, exhausted from a full day and night of indulgence.
Ning Rongrong piped up, her voice teasing. "Teacher Zhao, did Dai Mubai get… drained dry?"
The group froze, shocked by her boldness. She really didn't hold back.
Zhao Wuji's mouth twitched. "Enough chatter. Let's head out."
His dodge only made them more curious, though.
Turning to Ning Tian, Zhao Wuji said, "Take the lead."
Ning Tian gave a quick nod and set the formation: himself at the front, Oscar and Ning Rongrong behind him, Ma Hongjun and Tang San on the sides, and Xiao Wu with Zhu Zhuqing bringing up the rear. Zhao Wuji, as their teacher, would only step in if things turned deadly.
Shrek Academy sat just 300 km from the Star Dou Great Forest. With their soul master endurance and Oscar's sausages to keep them going, they reached a small town 50 km from the forest by the following day.
It was almost funny. In the original timeline, the group had shunned Ning Rongrong at this point. But thanks to Ning Tian's influence, she'd not only finished Flender's brutal laps but also won over Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing. Tang San might not like her attitude, but he wouldn't cross Xiao Wu. Ma Hongjun just followed the crowd.
Ironically, Oscar, who'd sworn he wouldn't trade 'the whole forest' for Ning Rongrong, now found himself on the outside looking in.
......
At the town's inn, Ning Rongrong, ever the wealthy heiress, treated everyone to a meal. They claimed a corner table while Zhao Wuji, sticking to his principles, ordered his own food and headed to his room.
As they waited for their meal, Oscar shifted uncomfortably, making clumsy attempts to patch things up with Ning Rongrong. She brushed him off, her focus locked on Ning Tian instead.
"Hey, Ning Tian, can I ask you something?" she said, her eyes bright with curiosity. "Our second soul rings are all hundred-year ones, but yours is thousand-year. Can you tell, how did you manage that?"
Ning Tian shrugged. "Sure. It's not a big deal."
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