A Heap of Loose Sand

Dai Mubai opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but the words would not come out. Compared to Tang San and Oscar, he was fairly well-off, but his usual indulgences were expensive too. He wanted to tell Shi Yi like a man that he would pay for Zhu Zhuqing's medicinal herbs, but how many days could the money in his pocket really last?

At that moment, even the food in front of Dai Mubai tasted bitter.

As his close friend, Ma Hongjun noticed that something was off with Dai Mubai and murmured, "Boss Dai, she's just a woman. With Young Master Dai's abilities, can't you find another suitable woman?"

Dai Mubai grew irritated at those words and snapped, "What do you know? Get lost."

"You..." Ma Hongjun glared at Dai Mubai, but when he saw the cold glint in Dai Mubai's eyes, he no longer dared to say another word.

Oscar sat beside them, eating his own meal as though it had nothing to do with him. After learning from Shi Yi about the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's rules, Oscar no longer held much hope for Ning Rongrong. Shi Yi was right—if he cultivated properly, wouldn't he be desirable anywhere?

Tang San had always had eyes only for Xiao Wu. Ever since being taught a lesson by Zhao Wuji, he seemed to have maintained a barrier between himself and everyone else. As his teacher, Yu Xiaogang understood this clearly. This was also the greatest difference between Tang San and Shi Yi.

Yu Xiaogang believed that although Shi Yi was somewhat arrogant and looked down on those his age, he knew how to assess the situation when facing someone stronger than himself. He could learn from their strengths and even use their circumstances to benefit himself. But his youngest disciple was different.

If Shi Yi was a proud wolf that would follow a stronger pack, then Tang San was like a snake skilled at hiding itself. Though he was not as openly arrogant as Shi Yi, he concealed many things. Yet whoever touched Tang San's bottom line, this disciple of his would try to make them pay, like someone stepping on a snake lurking in the shadows. Zhao Wuji was the best example. It was just that, when facing a Soul Saint, his disciple was still far too immature.

As for Ning Rongrong, she was merely a sect heiress here to experience life.

Looking at his students' varied expressions, Yu Xiaogang could not help but feel a headache coming on. His training could only maintain a superficial unity.

Yu Xiaogang sighed inwardly. "Xiao Yi was right. When people face real hardship, they can often only rely on themselves—or rather, only trust themselves."

Dai Mubai ate quickly. After finishing, he even packed another meal, clearly intending to deliver it to Zhu Zhuqing, as though afraid Shi Yi would steal the job from him.

The others finished eating and left one after another. Soon, only Yu Xiaogang and Shi Yi remained in the cafeteria.

Yu Xiaogang sighed softly. "Xiao Yi, perhaps my training methods truly aren't working. How could a team like this possibly accomplish Fusion Flow?"

Shi Yi smiled and shook his head. "Teacher, there's nothing wrong with your methods, but they do not suit the current Shrek. To truly unite, a team must first have only one voice—either yours or Xiao San's. Second, there must be an external conflict. An external conflict can often unite even people who are utterly incompatible. In truth, you should not have made me a teacher, because that creates two voices. Zhuqing, Oscar, and Ning Rongrong, for example—they trust my theories more. How could such a team possibly unite?"

"Xiao Wu has always listened to Xiao San, and Xiao San has always had his own ideas. As for Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun, even for the sake of their pride, they have no choice but to oppose me. Don't worry so much. Just teach your classes well. How much a student learns often depends not on how much the teacher teaches, but on how much the student learns for themselves."

Yu Xiaogang could only nod helplessly. He suddenly understood why Flender had chosen to let these children develop freely. Geniuses often had strong personalities, and strong personalities were often difficult to bring together. As Shi Yi had said, unless there was one overwhelmingly powerful voice or a powerful external conflict, these geniuses would find it difficult to unite.

After eating, Shi Yi smiled and slowly left. He knew very well that he was the greatest variable. His presence had invisibly weakened Tang San's influence, causing Tang San to lie low. Without Tang San as a leader, Shrek had become a heap of loose sand.

Everything I do will bring corresponding changes. Perhaps the future will become even more interesting. Shi Yi thought to himself.

Just like that, three months passed in the blink of an eye. Under Shi Yi's training, with sufficient nutrition and medicinal baths to support her, Zhu Zhuqing quickly adapted to the Iron Essence Leg Weights. From walking at the beginning, to running, and now high kicks, she had met Shi Yi's most basic requirements.

Over those three months, Shi Yi had not asked Zhu Zhuqing to do any combat training. Aside from physical conditioning, she only meditated. During that time, her Soul Power Level had also risen by one rank.

Shi Yi himself wore high-density tungsten steel armor that he had forged. Although his control over his strength was still far from perfect, he could now move freely within Zhao Wuji's Gravity Field. It was not as though Zhu Zhuqing had never tried entering Zhao Wuji's Gravity Field while wearing the Iron Essence Leg Weights. The result was simply that she lacked the strength to do so—she could not even lift her feet.

That gap inevitably left Zhu Zhuqing feeling frustrated, but Shi Yi thought highly of her. Setting aside the fact that he was a transmigrator, Shi Yi believed that his own perseverance was inferior to hers.

"Three months have passed. Today's training is over. Like Teacher, I'll give you seven days off..."

Before Shi Yi could finish, Zhu Zhuqing interrupted him. With her usual economy of words, she said, "Training."

Shi Yi smiled. "Keeping yourself wound too tight isn't always a good thing. I know what you're thinking. You've trained for so long, yet as an Agility Attack System Soul Master, you're still slower than I am. I can explain that."

Zhu Zhuqing looked at Shi Yi without speaking.

Shi Yi slowly explained, "A Soul Master's speed is often made up of many factors. You should know that I am a Pure Strength Soul Master. Strength is one factor that affects speed, because my powerful strength lets me produce explosive speed in an instant. Combined with how much I focus on physical training and the high upper limit of pure strength, ordinary Agility Attack System Soul Masters cannot be faster than me in a short burst."

"Now, as for you. First, as your cultivation deepens, your Beast Soul Possession will make you faster and your body lighter. As you continue adding Soul Rings, all of them being Leopard Cat-type Soul Rings, the power of those Soul Rings will make you even faster and may even grant you speed-enhancing Soul Skills. After undergoing my training, your core strength, leg strength, strength control, breathing, posture, stride length, and stride frequency have all improved greatly. Compared to everyone else, you are already the fastest."

"But I'm still not as fast as you, am I?" Zhu Zhuqing said flatly.

"This is merely the short-term advantage of pure strength's high upper limit. It is an advantage you cannot overcome through training in the short term, no matter what you do. Your speed advantage will only show itself over a longer period, understand? With long-term training, as your cultivation rises, as you gain more Soul Rings and Soul Skills, and as your strength grows, your speed will definitely surpass mine." Shi Yi looked helpless.

"I'll continue tomorrow." With that, Zhu Zhuqing slowly left.

Shi Yi watched her tall, slender back and opened his mouth, but he did not know what to say. Zhu Zhuqing did not want to rest, but he certainly did.

After sighing softly and standing there for a while, Shi Yi saw that it was about time and headed toward the cafeteria. As he walked, he saw someone staggering toward him ahead.

When that figure saw Shi Yi, he somewhat evasively changed direction. Before Shi Yi could wonder why, he heard another voice.

"Damn, who is that? Why does he have a pig's head?" Oscar cried out in an exaggerated tone.

Shi Yi looked closely. The person staggering toward them with an unsteady gait was actually Ma Hongjun, though he looked extremely miserable. Not only were his clothes torn in several places and his face covered in grime, but his round, chubby face had swollen by an entire size. Purple-black bruises ringed his eyes, and dried blood clung to the corner of his mouth. When Shi Yi looked at him, his gaze immediately darted away.

"Fatty, what happened to you?" Oscar hurried over and supported the swaying Ma Hongjun. Then, with practiced ease, he summoned a Recovery Big Sausage and handed it over.

Ma Hongjun did not stand on ceremony. He gobbled down the sausage in just a few bites, and only then did he look somewhat better.

"Damn it, this was humiliating." Ma Hongjun's eyes were filled with hatred. His face had always been round and his eyes small, but now that his face was swollen, his eyes were nearly squeezed shut by the fat on his cheeks.

Oscar looked at Ma Hongjun, then shifted his gaze toward Shi Yi in the distance, seeming to understand something.

Oscar frowned and said slowly, "Fatty, don't tell me you caused trouble outside again."

Ma Hongjun snapped, "What do you mean, caused trouble? I clearly had my eye on that girl first. That sleazy uncle has no shame!"

After hearing that, Oscar roughly understood. On Douluo Continent, whoever had the bigger fist made the rules. Ma Hongjun had clearly been taught a lesson by someone stronger.

Shi Yi merely smiled faintly at the sight and did not bother with such boring matters. He turned and slowly entered the cafeteria.

Ma Hongjun seemed to have been watching Shi Yi all along. The smile on Shi Yi's face felt like a slap across his own. Once Shi Yi entered the cafeteria, Ma Hongjun angrily said, "Smile while you can. One day, I'll make him pay."

Oscar looked at Ma Hongjun, made several more Big Sausages, and said indifferently, "Let's go inside and eat first."

With Oscar's Recovery Sausages helping him, Ma Hongjun's condition improved considerably. Only then did the two enter the cafeteria.

It was mealtime. The moment Oscar helped Ma Hongjun into the cafeteria, everyone's eyes immediately focused on Ma Hongjun.

Shi Yi, Tang San, and Zhu Zhuqing said nothing and quietly dealt with the food in front of them. Ning Rongrong merely gave Ma Hongjun a disgusted look before continuing her meal.

The interesting part was that, after Oscar gave up on Ning Rongrong, Ma Hongjun had actually begun pursuing her, that toad dreaming of swan meat. Naturally, the young miss had mocked him mercilessly, and he did not dare do anything about it.

Even Dai Mubai, his former like-minded friend, remained silent when he saw Ma Hongjun's miserable state. For his own survival, for the Hell White Tiger, he could no longer go out with Ma Hongjun to do those sorts of things. Naturally, he would not stand up for Ma Hongjun now.

The unity they had once maintained to achieve their training goals had become incredibly fragile amid all these conflicting thoughts. Such was the human heart.

Everything had begun to change when Tang San chose his Martial Soul development path.

By choosing the Attack System path, he had failed to establish his authority through Zhao Wuji during Shrek's entrance examination. From that moment on, Tang San lost his position as the team's leader and became an ordinary student. Not to mention that the Immortal Herbs were now lying in Shi Yi's Soul Tool. Without prestige and without benefits, Tang San could not possibly gather a team capable of resisting Spirit Hall as he had in the original story.

Seeing that no one spoke, and that no one even cared about his injuries, Ma Hongjun snorted coldly and strode away.

As for where he went, Shi Yi guessed he had gone to find Flender. Given the little fatty's personality, there was no way he would take that beating without getting even.

After Ma Hongjun left, Ning Rongrong carried her tray over and sat beside Shi Yi. "Were you tricking me? I've trained for so long, so why don't I feel anything at all?"

Shi Yi's face darkened at her words. "Do you think Martial Soul Evolution is so easy? Especially for a Martial Soul like the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, whose quality is already quite high. You expect your Martial Soul to evolve after just three months? Someone who didn't know better would think you had suffered unimaginable hardship. Besides, everything I mentioned only has the potential to promote Martial Soul Evolution—it does not guarantee it. And have you truly felt nothing over these three months? Hasn't your physical condition improved? Hasn't your meditation cultivation speed increased?"

Ning Rongrong stuck out her tongue. "Is there no other method? An easier one?"

Shi Yi nodded solemnly. "There is. Have your father mobilize the sect's forces to hunt Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts and get you a few Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bones. Then you won't need to work hard. Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bones would definitely be enough to awaken the power deep within your bloodline and promote Martial Soul Evolution."

"Can Soul Bones really make a Martial Soul evolve? Then why hasn't my father's Martial Soul evolved?" Ning Rongrong asked.

"I divide the sources of a Soul Master's power simply into the body, Soul Power, Mental Power, and Martial Soul. These factors affect and promote one another. As long as you continuously improve the first three, your Martial Soul, as a Soul Master's twin, will eventually change. That is why Soul Masters above rank ninety-five see changes in their Martial Souls whenever they gain another level of Soul Power. You can verify that with Sword Douluo."

"Your talent is excellent. As you often say, you are the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's greatest genius in a hundred years. So do not waste your talent. I can say with certainty that you have the potential to achieve Martial Soul Evolution, but you should learn from Zhuqing. If you had the same will as Zhuqing, your Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda becoming a Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda would only be a matter of time," Shi Yi explained slowly.

"Then can I join your training?" Ning Rongrong asked, blinking her large eyes.

"You?" Shi Yi raised an eyebrow as he looked at Ning Rongrong.

Perhaps thinking that Shi Yi would refuse, Ning Rongrong glared at him and even puffed out her small chest. "What's wrong with me? If Zhuqing can do it, so can I."

"Sure. It'll cost extra." Shi Yi nodded with a light laugh.

"Ah?"