Yu Xiaogang's Request

"If you don't weather the storm, how will you see the rainbow? No one succeeds just like that..."

"These little monsters are getting more and more spirited the longer they train! Are they challenging us?" Listening to the song the little monsters were singing, Flender couldn't help letting a smile creep across his lips.

"I think this is pretty good." Yu Xiaogang stood beside him, watching the Shrek group with a calm expression. "My original goal was simply to make them understand the power of teamwork. Now that they've understood it for themselves through this song, the purpose of the training has been achieved."

Flender looked at Yu Xiaogang and asked, "What comes next?"

Yu Xiaogang clasped his hands behind his back, his expression haughty. "Now we have to train their ability to work together as a team. First, they have to understand that they're part of a team. Only then can we move on to the next stage of training."

Flender nodded as he listened, then looked at Yu Xiaogang and asked, "By the way, what do you plan to do about Zi Long?"

Yu Xiaogang furrowed his brows and said, "He is a bit of a troublemaker, but he really is a rare genius. Maybe what he said is right. Still, it won't be easy to make me, Yu Xiaogang, back down."

Flender sighed. "All right! I've already handed the training over to you, so handle it yourself!"

Several hours later, everyone had run fifty laps. Each of them was so exhausted they could barely stay on their feet. Zhao Zilong was in better shape than the others, but even he was worn out by the fifty laps. He braced his hands on his knees and panted nonstop.

Flender came over and said, "All right, little monsters, go eat first! Zhao Zilong, you keep running. You're not allowed to eat until you finish the remaining fifty laps."

"You've got to be kidding, Dean! Are you trying to kill me?" Zhao Zilong immediately started complaining.

Flender's lips curled into a smile. "Weren't you singing so enthusiastically just now? If you don't weather the storm, how will you see the rainbow? No one succeeds just like that. Since you know success doesn't come easy, then train hard. How can you become strong if you don't train hard? Get back to running!"

Zhao Zilong gritted his teeth and started running again. Running his mouth had felt great at first, but now that he was actually being punished, the fatigue in his body was making his head swim. He cursed inwardly, My Soul Power is only level thirty-five innately, so cultivating Soul Power is really slow for me. I might as well improve my Physique early. Once I sign in with the Shrek Seven Devils and complete the mission, I can go snatch the Immortal Herbs. Then I can turn things around in an instant.

The others merely glanced at Zhao Zilong as he started running again. After all, they had no energy left after fifty laps. Dai Mubai looked over and said, "Um, Dean, no matter how good Zi Long's stamina is, there's no way he can keep going for another fifty laps. He's been running all morning. If he doesn't eat lunch, how will he manage?"

"What, do you want to run with him?" Flender gave a cold snort.

Dai Mubai immediately fell silent. Though he felt a little sorry for Zhao Zilong, he was exhausted and hungry himself. After fifty laps, he barely had any strength left.

After lunch, they arrived at the training field. Yu Xiaogang looked at the eight Shrek students and said to Flender, "Flender, why isn't Zhao Zilong here? Tell him to stop running."

After speaking, Yu Xiaogang saw no sign of Zhao Zilong and asked, "Did he go somewhere to rest?"

"I'll go look." Flender immediately flew into the air and searched the academy. He still couldn't find Zhao Zilong, even after circling over to the neighboring village. That was when he spotted the boy eating there.

Flender landed and saw Zhao Zilong had ordered several dishes. He immediately scolded him, "You little brat, I told you to run laps, and you actually came all the way here and ordered so many dishes. Does this look like you're being punished?"

"Oh, the Dean's here!" Zhao Zilong greeted him at once. "Come, Dean, have a seat. I ordered plenty of food, so join me for a bite! Want something to drink? I'll treat you."

"Cut the act." Flender put on a stern expression and demanded, "I told you to run laps. Why did you come here to eat? Who gave you permission?"

"My stomach did."

Flender's eye twitched at that answer. This kid really had the nerve to say that! Zhao Zilong grinned. "Dean, didn't Master say this morning that we're still growing and need a proper balance of nutrition? I've run more than fifty laps and I was starving. If I don't eat, it'll definitely affect my height."

"If it weren't like this, how could it count as a punishment?" Flender sat opposite Zhao Zilong, pushed up his glasses, and scolded him. "You really are something. Couldn't you just apologize to Master and give him a way to save face?"

"I just think his training isn't as good as yours, Dean! Besides, I feel like his Soul Power is far weaker than yours."

Flender felt somewhat pleased, but also a little surprised. Yu Xiaogang hadn't revealed his Martial Soul or Soul Power from beginning to end, yet Zhao Zilong had still noticed?

If Zhao Zilong told the others that Master's Soul Power was low, then it wouldn't just be Zhao Zilong causing trouble. The other little monsters would surely kick up a fuss too. After all, the Douluo Continent was a place where the strong ruled, and those with low Soul Power were looked down on wherever they went. Flender said, "Oh, so you've already noticed Master's Soul Power is weaker than mine."

"And not by just a little," Zhao Zilong said with some contempt.

Flender felt a little awkward and explained, "Because of the nature of his Martial Soul, Master's Soul Power is a bit low. But Master is the greatest theorist in the world. He knows many ways to train Soul Masters. I know Master's words today made you lose face, but his training really is very suitable for you little monsters."

Without waiting for Zhao Zilong to retort, Flender continued, "You're a genius, and so are they. Even without Master's training, your cultivation talents are far beyond ordinary people's. But what Master is teaching you is basic conditioning to strengthen your foundations. The body is a vessel, and Soul Power is water. In the world of Soul Masters, many focus only on increasing their Soul Power and neglect training their bodies. That won't do."

"The stronger your body is, the purer your Soul Power can become. Physical training can also temper your willpower and strengthen your willpower and mental power. That will be one of your strengths when you face Soul Masters who specialize in mental attacks in the future."

Zhao Zilong listened while eating. "That does sound like it makes some sense!"

Flender lowered his voice and warned him, "Remember, don't tell anyone that Master's Soul Power is low. Understand?"

"Got it."

Flender nodded. Yu Xiaogang still hadn't started the little monsters' special training. If Zhao Zilong told them about this now, Yu Xiaogang would lose face, but more importantly, the other little monsters would surely refuse to let a Soul Master with low Soul Power train them. After all, geniuses had the pride of geniuses. Once Yu Xiaogang's training had achieved some results, even if they found out his Soul Power was low, they wouldn't mind.

"All right, hurry up and eat. Once you're done, get over there and join the others."

A little over ten minutes later, Zhao Zilong returned to the training field. Master watched him stroll over at an unhurried pace, and the corner of his eye twitched. When Flender had come over earlier, he had already told him what happened. Yu Xiaogang was a little angry, but he hadn't said anything. Every school, and even every class, had one or two troublemakers. What was most annoying about them was that sometimes they put their teachers in an impossible position.

So although Yu Xiaogang was a little displeased, he couldn't be bothered to say anything more. He said, "Zhao Zilong, get back in line."

"Oh."

"Not bad, Zi Long. You're awesome." Seeing Zhao Zilong go straight back into formation, and that Master didn't seem inclined to pursue what had happened that morning, Dai Mubai couldn't help admiring him.

Yu Xiaogang looked at the nine students before him and said, "For the next six months, I'll train your physical fitness during the day. Every night, I'll prepare a medicinal bath for you. It'll help relieve your fatigue, and it can also improve your Physique."

"Zhao Zilong, step forward."

Zhao Zilong furrowed his brows at the words, but still stepped out.

Yu Xiaogang looked at Zhao Zilong and said, "I know you're a genius. In fact, in terms of talent, you may be the best among everyone here."

Hearing Yu Xiaogang say this, Zhao Zilong immediately felt awkward. What the hell is good about my talent? Compared with the Shrek group, it's nothing at all. He quickly waved his hands. "No, no, Master, my talent shouldn't be that good. Don't flatter me like that."

Yu Xiaogang clasped his hands behind his back. Though he didn't have a good impression of Zhao Zilong, the training still had to continue. If Zhao Zilong kept butting in to cause trouble every few days, or if some other student also started making a fuss, the training wouldn't achieve anything. He had to get these little monsters to listen first. Otherwise, the training ahead would be impossible to carry out.

He said, "You don't need to be modest. Geniuses have the pride of geniuses. I can understand that you were unhappy when I reprimanded you right off the bat this morning, so I take back what I said."

At Yu Xiaogang's words, Zhao Zilong froze for a moment, and the other Shrek students were astonished too. Yu Xiaogang looked at the rest of them and said, "I know Flender hasn't given you much training. Aside from morning runs and one class, you've spent the rest of your time studying on your own. Their training has been very relaxed, so you've all gotten used to slacking off. It's only natural that you'd be a little unhappy about suddenly having an unfamiliar teacher train you."

"But I can tell you this: if you accept this training program, then after six months, I can't guarantee how much your Soul Power will increase, but your bodies will absolutely be strengthened and transformed. So I hope that for these six months, you'll follow my arrangements properly. If you see no results after six months, I'll resign immediately."

"Did you all understand?"

"Understood."