Flying Daggers

That day, the Shrek students gathered on the training grounds. Zhao Zilong looked at the middle-aged man walking beside Flender and smiled to himself. So he came after all! Yu Xiaogang, though your Soul Power should only be around level ten now, right?

"Teacher, you're here." Tang San saw Yu Xiaogang approaching and immediately spoke with excitement.

"Mm." Yu Xiaogang nodded lightly, then looked at Xiao Wu and Tang San. "Xiao San, you've been slacking off a little in your cultivation lately. Xiao Wu is already a level 31 Soul Elder, while you're still level 29. You'll have to work harder!"

Tang San felt a little awkward. Ever since his Soul Power had dropped by one level in the Star Dou Great Forest, he had spent so many days shut away in his room cultivating that he had only just managed to raise his Soul Power back to level 29. And yet he was being told he'd slacked off.

"Yes, Teacher. I'll work hard," Tang San replied.

Ma Hongjun looked at Yu Xiaogang and quietly asked Zhao Zilong and Dai Mubai, "Since that person is Third Brother's teacher, he must be really impressive, right?"

Dai Mubai nodded in agreement. "Mm, probably! After all, Xiao San is so impressive."

Zhao Zilong sounded a little cool as he replied, "Tang San had Innate Full Soul Power, for crying out loud! Xiao Wu didn't have a teacher either, did she? Look how high her Soul Power is now."

"That's only natural." Xiao Wu smiled confidently. "Besides, Master mainly taught Xiao San theoretical knowledge."

"Theoretical knowledge?" Dai Mubai furrowed his brow slightly, then said, "No wonder Xiao San knows so much."

Flender walked over and looked at the Shrek students. "All right, Little Monsters, eyes over here."

The group lined up, and Flender introduced him. "This is Master. From now on, he'll be responsible for guiding your cultivation. Master, say a few words."

Master Yu Xiaogang stepped forward. From beginning to end, he kept his hands behind his back, his face expressionless, as if he were immensely imposing. Anyone meeting him for the first time would probably be intimidated by his air.

"I've already read everyone's profiles. Starting now, I'll arrange your training. It begins tomorrow, and I'll announce the details before class. Before breakfast tomorrow, I expect to see everyone here. Anyone who's absent will bear the consequences."

Master's few brief words immediately left everyone feeling that he was unfathomable and inscrutable. Zhao Zilong looked over and asked, "Um, Dean, do we have any more lessons today? If not, I still have to take Yiran and Rongrong to practice Hidden Weapons."

At Zhao Zilong's words, the corner of Master's eye twitched. Were his words really that uninteresting?

"All right, Little Monsters, you're dismissed," Flender said helplessly.

Afterward, Zhao Zilong took Meng Yiran and Ning Rongrong to a special training ground. This had originally been where he and Meng Yiran first trained, but Ning Rongrong had said she wanted to learn too. Naturally, Zhao Zilong wouldn't refuse a request from a beautiful girl.

At the training ground, Zhao Zilong took a burlap sack out of his Soul Tool. It was filled entirely with four-pointed throwing stars.

Meng Yiran picked up a throwing star. It was lighter than a throwing knife. "Zi Long, you were able to hit a target behind a tree with a throwing star before. How long will I need to practice that move?"

"That move is too difficult. If you really spent a lot of time practicing that Spinning Hidden Weapon Technique, you'd be putting the cart before the horse and wasting time you could spend cultivating Soul Power." Zhao Zilong picked up a throwing star and explained, "I only trained in it because the nature of my Martial Soul lets me work well with Hidden Weapon techniques. You have absolutely no need to do the same."

"Yiran, when you fight someone, you can do what I do: use a Soul Skill, then throw out a few Hidden Weapons when they're caught off guard. If you hit, that's a gain. If you miss, you've lost nothing."

Meng Yiran thought that made sense and nodded. "Mm, all right!"

"By the way, Zi Long, you made this many?" Ning Rongrong looked at the great number of throwing stars, surprised.

"Mm." Zhao Zilong then took out a bundle and handed the Flying Needles to Ning Rongrong. "This kind of Hidden Weapon is more suitable for you."

"What are these?" Ning Rongrong took the bundle of Flying Needles and asked in confusion.

"They're called Flying Needles," Zhao Zilong explained. "Throwing stars have greater striking power, while Flying Needles focus more on penetration. They require finger strength and wrist strength, and if you can add some Soul Power, they'll be even more powerful."

"Of course, you have to train first to aim accurately. Otherwise, no matter how powerful they are, they're useless. If you can get accurate enough, even a Support Soul Master should have some means of protecting herself, right?"

Ning Rongrong nodded. "All right, I'll give it a try."

Ning Rongrong looked at the target in front of her and threw a Flying Needle, but she had no idea where it went. Her accuracy was appalling!

Meng Yiran, on the other hand, handled the throwing stars with ease. After all, they were lighter than throwing knives, and Meng Yiran had already practiced throwing knives in the past.

Just then, Oscar walked over with a grin. "Heh, Rongrong, Zi Long, Yiran, you're all here!"

Ning Rongrong looked at Oscar, displeased. "Oscar, what are you here for?"

"I wanted to find Zi Long and learn to throw daggers too." Oscar wore a cheeky smile. After all, he had been pursuing Ning Rongrong all along. Now that he saw his goddess go off to learn throwing daggers from Zhao Zilong, how could he possibly feel at ease?

Zhao Zilong's lips curled into a smile. "You really just want to learn to throw daggers? I think your intentions lie elsewhere."

Oscar came right out with it. He walked over, put an arm around Zhao Zilong's shoulder, and pulled him aside to whisper, "Zi Long, you already have Meng Yiran. Are you still going to compete with me for Rongrong? You can't be so greedy. You have to be devoted to one person."

Zhao Zilong patted Oscar on the shoulder. "Xiao Ao, it's not that your brother is trying to steal her from you. You really don't have a chance!"

Oscar wasn't happy to hear that. "Xiao San already has Xiao Wu, and Boss Dai and Zhuqing are obviously a couple. Isn't it obvious? Meng Yiran treats you so well. How can you let her down?"

Zhao Zilong silently mourned Fatty for half a second. Oscar hadn't mentioned him at all, from beginning to end. He said, "Xiao Ao, I'm not trying to discourage you, but even if Rongrong really liked you, the two of you still wouldn't have a future. You should know that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is the world's number one support-type sect. The one thing the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect has no shortage of is Support Soul Masters. Soul Masters with the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda Martial Soul must have attack-type Soul Masters as their partners. If you don't believe me, go ask Ning Rongrong yourself."

Oscar fell silent at those words.

Although Ning Rongrong hadn't heard what Oscar said clearly, she could more or less guess. That guy followed her around every day like a little tail, and it really annoyed her. "What are you talking about?"

"Oh, nothing." Zhao Zilong stopped paying attention to Oscar and walked straight over to Ning Rongrong.