The Ninth Day of the Rich Second-Gen

Some died of drought while others drowned in floods; the arrival of new members was much the same.

Tang San was a work-study student. At school, aside from seeking out Master to study and cultivate, he worked. He had no friends to bid farewell to, so without further delay, Ming Zhen and Tang Hao quietly took Tang San and Ming Sui back to Calais City.

After once again experiencing the lightning-fast speed of a Titled Douluo, Ming Sui had gone numb. Fortunately, she had her cousin with her this time. When they stopped to rest after the first stretch of the journey, Tang San made Ming Sui a face mask, and it worked extremely well. As for why he had not made another one, there was no helping it—their two fathers were already urging them to get back on the road, and there was not enough time.

Meanwhile, Tang Yunhua, A'tu, and the mother-daughter pair Xiao Wu set out for Calais City as well. However, A'tu was far more domestic than Tang Hao. By the time Ming Zhen and the others arrived in Calais City, they had only just finished packing everything they needed to bring from home. A'tu was still muttering, "Even a ruined home is worth a fortune. Bring it all."

By the end of the move, Tang Yunhua and Xiao Wu's eyes had gone blank.

None of them knew that another group, carrying their own fortune-worth of junk and their disciples, had also set out for Calais City—and would arrive very soon.

Rewinding to yesterday, Flender returned with two options and received an enthusiastic welcome from his colleagues. Everyone had been hoping for good news, but they had not expected news this good. With almost no hesitation, they chose the first option: becoming Calais City's official Spirit Master Academy. They also decided to leave for Calais City immediately.

In a single day, they closed down their shop and crammed their accumulated bottles and jars, dust-covered antique boxes, crystal balls of unknown purpose that had never once lit up, jade and crystals full of cracks and cotton-like flaws, a wooden horse missing one leg, bone-shaped chunks of wood... all of it into Storage Spirit Tools. No matter the type, size, or use, they stuffed it all in, filling the shop with swirling dust before happily making their escape.

The happy ones traveled beneath the stars and moon, while those returning from their journey immersed themselves in cultivation.

The next day, at the City Lord's Mansion, Flender encountered the friend who had never replied to his letter while visiting the city lord.

"Xiao Gang, why are you here?!" Flender was both shocked and delighted, and all his frustration at his friend's failure to reply to his urgent letter vanished.

"Dean Flander, Master will be teaching at Calais City's Spirit Master Academy," Ming Zhen said with a smile.

"Wonderful, Your Excellency. I came this time to answer your question. We choose to become Calais City's Shrek Academy, but we hope to keep our admission requirements unchanged," Flender said seriously.

Ming Zhen's smile widened. He extended his right hand, clasped Flender's, and gave it a shake. "Shrek with only monsters is the true Shrek. Flender, welcome aboard. The academy is still under construction, so the teachers and students can stay at the City Lord's Mansion for now. Steward Ming will help you get settled. I have already signed our contract. Once you are settled in, I will have Ming An come find you to sign it."

Flender liked people who were generous and straightforward. His eyes shifted. "Your Excellency, may I boldly ask which school Xiao Gang will be teaching at?"

How could Ming Zhen fail to understand what he meant? "Master is also a professional talent we have hired. Naturally, he is free to choose the position he wishes to take."

Flender choked. That sounded right, yet also somehow wrong.

As Flender left to get settled, he dragged Master away with him, intending to persuade him to join Shrek and build it up together. Ming Zhen went to Ming Sui's courtyard. They were going to welcome some distinguished guests together.

A'tu and Xiao Wu did not arrive in Calais City until dawn. Tang Yunhua's experience of traveling through the night with them had not been particularly comfortable, and they were both somewhat tired. Their long lives as Spirit Beasts in the Star Dou Great Forest had left them completely ignorant of human life; they had not even possessed such a concept until they passed through Calais City's gates.

Xiao Wu would never forget this day.

The early morning sun spilled warmly across the ground. Unlike the dappled sunlight in the Heaven Dou Great Forest, the sunlight here came in broad, brilliant swaths.

The city gates were already open. Even in the early morning, just after daybreak, many people were coming and going. Some were heading outside the city to work, some were entering the city for their jobs, some were merchants, and some had come to visit. The stream of people never ceased.

The roads within the city were neat and orderly, crossing in a grid. The morning market along the roadside had already opened. Steaming buns, fragrant roasted bread, and bubbling soups gurgled away, making Xiao Wu's stomach rumble as well. She blushed in embarrassment.

Some nearby households came out carrying bowls and utensils to buy breakfast. Some were washing yesterday's clothes. Others were beating their children, while several children nearby watched the spectacle.

So this was humanity? This was the human world?

Xiao Wu had seen Spirit Masters hunt Spirit Beasts. Their colorful soul skills were dazzling, but they contained danger and bloodshed. Behind that beauty lay darkness and blood.

But this place was beautiful too. It was colorful too.

The golden sunlight turned the bubbles blown by children into rainbows, as colorful as soul skills. Yet when the sunlight fell on her body, it was warm and comfortable.

At the City Lord's Mansion, Ming Sui stood with Ming Zhen in the main hall, waiting for A'tu and her daughter to arrive. Tang Yunhua had sent word ahead of time. As humans, they needed and ought to give equal respect to the trust offered by a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast. Yet the first to break that courteous calm were Ming Sui and Xiao Wu.

Oh my, what an adorable little girl, Ming Sui thought. She even has rabbit ears. Is she a Spirit Master with a rabbit-type martial soul?

Oh, Beast God above, Xiao Wu thought, her mouth falling open. What an adorable human cub. Those round eyes, chubby cheeks, and tiny round hands... what a lively, adorable little cub. I want to pet her.

The brave were always the first to enjoy the world. Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts were no exception.

As Ming Sui waited for the adults to finish socializing, she suddenly felt something brush past her cheek. Before she could react, a warm hand pinched her face. It was not hard, but it was full of affection.

Xiao Wu was completely satisfied. Not only had she pinched those chubby cheeks, she had also seen the cub's round eyes widen even further in shock.

What a perfect little cub, Xiao Wu thought.

The new members adapted to Calais City very quickly.

The city lord's subordinates worked efficiently. Shrek's teachers and students soon moved into the academy reserved for them in Calais City. Although it had not been fully completed yet, it was more than sufficient for the current Shrek. The new school still accepted only Shrek Seven Devils. Ming Zhen had also built a comprehensive Spirit Master School beside it. Students at Calais Spirit Master School whose aptitude met Shrek's standards could apply to enter Shrek.

Master was eventually dragged over by Flender to become a teacher, but he often forgot to teach because Ming Zhen had opened part of the archives to him, and he had become completely engrossed in them.

Shrek gained another teacher as well: A'tu. Due to her abundant Spirit Beast Knowledge, Dean Flander hired A'tu as a general knowledge teacher. She happily went off to work, and the Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast from the core region of the Heaven Dou Great Forest had been thoroughly transformed into a worker.

The moment Tang Hao arrived in Calais City, he shut himself away in the place where the archives were stored. Ming Zhen and Tang Yunhua simply let him make a home there.

City Lord Ming Zhen and City Defense Commander Tang Yunhua no longer had any excuse to slack off. They went back to work honestly. Calais City had grown wildly for a long time, and it now needed precise control. The two of them were so busy every day that their feet barely touched the ground. Sometimes, they felt as though they had forgotten something, but they simply could not remember what.

School-aged cub Ming Sui, Tang San, and pseudo-school-aged cub Xiao Wu were bundled up and thrown into Shrek. Flender was not upset at being forced to make an exception; he was only secretly delighted at finding treasures. These three future Shrek Seven Devils made him drink an extra two ounces every night.

After asking her parents, Ming Sui also sent Ning Rongrong a letter, sharing what she had seen on her travels. She and Xiao Wu quickly became good friends. Her greatest trouble was that Sister Xiao Wu always liked pinching her cheeks. Shrek was large enough, so Tang San applied to Flender for a room to serve as his Blacksmith Workshop, though he had to pay one Gold Soul Coin in rent every month. He happily forged every day, but swiftly became depressed after seeing Xiao Wu pinch Ming Sui's chubby cheeks.

Everything in Calais City entered a period of rapid development.

Two months later.

Douluo Continent had no custom of celebrating the New Year, but Ming Zhen's family did, and Tang San did too.

Over those two months, Ming Sui broke through to level 15, Xiao Wu broke through to level 16, and Tang San broke through to level 17. Ming Zhen and Tang Yunhua had more or less sorted out Calais City. It was time to celebrate the New Year.

Just as Tang Yunhua, Ming Zhen, and their family of three, Tang Hao and his family of two, and the mother-daughter pair A'tu and Xiao Wu celebrated the New Year together, the gates of Shrek Academy were knocked upon by a pair of young people with excellent looks and temperament.

"We are not enrolling students at the moment." The gatekeeper poured the two young Lord Soul Masters cups of hot water, politely informed them, and pointed out the nearest inn.

"Isn't this Shrek? It only accepts monsters, and I'm a monster too." Dai Mubai said urgently. "I'm not even eleven yet, but I'm already level 28. I heard Calais City has a school that only accepts monsters, so I came here specially."

Level 28 before the age of eleven!

The gatekeeper hesitated. After working here for two months, he knew just how much the teachers treasured monsters. Perhaps he should ask one of the teachers inside?

Just as he was about to say something, an old man emerged from the school and walked toward the gatehouse.

The gatekeeper's eyes lit up. "Teacher Li, Teacher Li, there are Lord Soul Masters here who want to enroll."

"Xiao Wang, is it? Oh, we have not reached enrollment season yet." Li Yusong glanced at the boy. Then he paused. Something was not right. "Eh? Let me take a look."

He said to the boy, "I am Li Yusong, a teacher at Shrek. May I see your martial soul?"

The boy sighed in relief. "I'm Dai Mubai, a level 28 Assault System Battle Soul Master. My martial soul is the Evil-Eyed White Tiger." As he spoke, he released his martial soul. Two yellow soul rings shone beside the white tiger.

Li Yusong's eyes gleamed with delight. "Come in with me. I'll take you to see the dean." Dai Mubai looked at the aloof girl beside him. "Her name is Zhu Zhuqing. She is seven years old and already has level 15 Soul Power. Can we go together?" Zhu Zhuqing silently released her martial soul beside him, and a yellow soul ring slowly floated around her.

The Evil-Eyed White Tiger and the Hell Spirit Cat. Interesting. Li Yusong readily waved them inside, then turned to instruct gatekeeper Xiao Wang to collect his bonus from the dean tomorrow.