Yu Xiaogang's Surprise

Early the next morning, Su Mo and the others set out under Zhao Wuji's personal lead, heading for the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt Oscar's third Soul Ring.

Not long after Su Mo and the others left, Shrek Academy welcomed an old friend Dean Flender had not seen in many years.

"Xiaogang, you finally came. I've been waiting for you for ages!"

When Flender saw Yu Xiaogang, his face immediately filled with excitement, and he happily welcomed him into the academy.

"Yes, it's been a long time!"

Yu Xiaogang sighed as well, then looked at Shrek Academy before him.

"Right, where are Xiao San and the others?"

After that, Yu Xiaogang directly asked about Tang San.

He had come here precisely to continue teaching Tang San.

Flender immediately laughed loudly. "Haha, Xiaogang, your timing really is unfortunate. A student at the academy broke through to rank 30, so Zhao Wuji took all the students to the Star Dou Great Forest first thing this morning!"

"Is that so? Looks like I came one step too late!"

Yu Xiaogang smiled faintly and did not mind too much. After all, he was already here. Once Tang San returned, he would naturally be able to see him again.

"Xiaogang, our Shrek Academy recruited quite a few little monsters this year. I guarantee even you'll be very surprised!"

As Flender led Yu Xiaogang into the academy, he spoke to him.

Then Flender's steps suddenly paused. As he continued walking, he sighed and said, "But if we're talking about impressive, it still has to be Notting Academy, where you were before. Of the five new students Shrek Academy recruited this year, a full three of them came from that Notting Academy of yours!"

"What? Three students came from Notting Academy?"

Hearing Flender's words, Yu Xiaogang also stopped in surprise, looking at Flender in disbelief.

At Notting Academy, he had not known of any other student outstanding enough to enter Shrek Academy.

"You didn't know?"

Seeing Yu Xiaogang's astonished expression, Flender was surprised too. He had not expected Yu Xiaogang to be unaware that the Notting Academy he had previously been at was that incredible.

"Besides Tang San and Xiao Wu, who is the other one?"

Yu Xiaogang was also very curious, so he asked directly.

"A little monster called Su Mo. He's the same age as Tang San!"

Flender did not hide it and quickly said Su Mo's name.

"What? Su Mo? Are you sure he's called Su Mo? He's also from Notting Academy? What is his Martial Soul?"

Hearing the name from Flender's mouth, the surprise on Yu Xiaogang's face became even stronger than before.

In Yu Xiaogang's mind, the scene from six years ago quickly surfaced: before he had accepted Tang San as his disciple, a child named Su Mo had taken the initiative to seek him out, wanting to become his student.

Only, after Yu Xiaogang learned of Su Mo's talent, he regretfully turned him down.

Over these years, Yu Xiaogang had devoted his entire heart to teaching Tang San, and had not paid attention to how Su Mo had fared after entering Notting Academy.

With Tang San, how could he possibly still pay attention to Su Mo!

However, Su Mo had been an extremely special student at Notting Academy. Even though Yu Xiaogang had not deliberately asked around, he knew that Su Mo had cultivated very hard throughout his six years at Notting Academy, spending almost all his time on training.

It was just that, even knowing how hard Su Mo worked—even to the point of desperation—Yu Xiaogang had never expected to hear Su Mo's name here at Shrek Academy, a place that only recruited monsters.

"That's right, he came from Notting Academy. Tang San and Xiao Wu both know him. His Martial Soul is the Soul Hunting Spear!"

Seeing Yu Xiaogang so surprised, the strange look in Flender's eyes grew even stronger.

Yu Xiaogang was actually this shocked. Why?

Could this Su Mo have some major background?

"It really is him. What rank is he now?"

Hearing that Su Mo's Martial Soul was the Soul Hunting Spear, Yu Xiaogang was certain. It was that boy who had once wanted to take him as a teacher and had been politely refused by him.

"Rank 22 Soul Grandmaster!"

"What? You seem very surprised?"

Flender was also very curious about what Yu Xiaogang was so surprised about.

Wasn't he clearly a student from your Notting Academy?

"Do you know what Su Mo's Innate Soul Power was?"

Yu Xiaogang did not answer immediately. Instead, he asked Flender a question with a hint of astonishment.

To be honest, Yu Xiaogang was extremely shocked at this moment. He did not understand how Su Mo had advanced so quickly.

"What, what was his Innate Soul Power?" Seeing that Yu Xiaogang's expression seemed off, Flender became even more curious.

"Rank 2 Innate Soul Power!"

Yu Xiaogang no longer kept him in suspense. He lifted his head to look at Flender and spoke slowly.

"What?"

"How is that possible..."

Sure enough, after hearing Yu Xiaogang's words, Flender immediately cried out that it was impossible.

Innate Soul Power level 2—how could he possibly have advanced so quickly?

"Exactly. How could it be..."

"Back then, this Su Mo even wanted to take me as his teacher. It was only after I learned of his talent that I politely turned him down!"

"Now I'm just as surprised. How did he cultivate so quickly?"

Seeing Flender's shocked expression, Yu Xiaogang felt the same way and continued speaking.

"I truly didn't expect his Innate Soul Power to be only level two..."

Flender murmured, thinking over Su Mo's situation before guessing, "Xiaogang, do you think this could have something to do with his naturally powerful physique?"

"After all, his body is so strong that his second soul ring could even withstand a Thousand Year Soul Ring! If his cultivation speed is a little faster, that still makes sense, doesn't it?"

Su Mo had entered Shrek Academy, and Flender had also learned that Su Mo's second soul ring was a Thousand Year Soul Ring—how could he possibly not be curious?

So on the day he brought Su Mo and the others to Suotuo City, he had questioned Su Mo about it, and Su Mo had given the same explanation he had once given Ning Rongrong.

That was why Flender knew Su Mo's constitution was naturally stronger, and that with his constant physical training, his physique far surpassed others his age.

"What?"

"A Thousand Year Soul Ring??"

But after hearing Flender's words, Yu Xiaogang was once again utterly shocked.

No matter what, he had never expected to hear something like Su Mo's second soul ring being a Thousand Year Soul Ring.

"You're shocked too, right? Haha..."

Seeing Yu Xiaogang's surprised look, Flender laughed, then explained Su Mo's situation to Yu Xiaogang in detail.

He had more or less figured it out. Although Su Mo came from Notting Academy, Yu Xiaogang seemed to know very little about him.

"So that's how it is. I didn't expect this Su Mo to have that kind of talent too!"

After listening, Yu Xiaogang also exclaimed with deep emotion.

Soul masters born with divine strength and naturally powerful physiques were not unheard of in the past.

It was just that he had never paid attention to them before, because those soul masters who possessed such talents had not made use of them, instead focusing solely on cultivating their martial souls.

"If his physique is strong, then it is indeed possible to break through the limits and absorb a soul ring!"

"A powerful physique being able to increase cultivation speed is also a theory I've proposed before. Since his physique is strong enough for his second soul ring to withstand a soul ring of thousand-year quality, then it's reasonable for his cultivation speed to be somewhat faster!"

"I really didn't expect him to show this kind of performance too!"