Breakthrough to Level Forty

In the early morning, Gu Chen and Gu Yuena went to the cafeteria for breakfast, arriving at almost the same time as Tang San. By the time they had finished eating, Dai Mubai finally entered the cafeteria with a gloomy expression. He merely nodded at Tang San without saying anything else.

After Dai Mubai, Xiao Wu was the fifth to arrive, followed by Zhu Zhuqing and Ma Hongjun. Ma Hongjun looked utterly refreshed, as though he had lost several pounds overnight. Although the fatty was rough around the edges, he knew how to read the room. Seeing Dai Mubai's dark expression, he did not dare say much and hurriedly finished his breakfast.

As for Oscar and Ning Rongrong, neither of them came to the cafeteria.

"Fatty, you're not going out tonight, are you?" Dai Mubai suddenly asked as breakfast drew to a close.

Dai Mubai said, "Good. Stay in the dorm tonight. I'm going out to find those twins from last time."

Ma Hongjun's eyes lit up. "Dai Laoda, if you're eating meat, do I at least get some soup?"

Dai Mubai said irritably, "That sort of thing is only enjoyable when both sides are willing. A forcibly picked melon is never sweet." As he said this, he deliberately glanced at Zhu Zhuqing.

Gu Chen could only look at him with contempt. Dai Mubai had cheated first, yet he could not tolerate the other party's resentment and even wanted to hurt her again.

If not for the marriage agreement with the Star Luo Imperial Family, Gu Chen believed Zhu Zhuqing would have left Dai Mubai without hesitation.

Crack!

At the sight of Dai Mubai's arrogant, smug expression, the chopsticks in Gu Yuena's hand had already snapped in two.

Seeing that Gu Yuena was displeased, Dai Mubai carried on Shrek Academy's old tradition of bullying the weak while fearing the strong. He instantly cowered and quietly sat down to eat.

Zhu Zhuqing showed no reaction at all, as though she had not heard their conversation. The icy young girl merely drank the rice soup in front of her.

Before long, the bell for class rang. Everyone hurriedly finished breakfast and headed to the main training ground.

Neither Flender nor any of the other teachers had arrived, but someone was already on the field: Ning Rongrong. Oscar was still nowhere to be seen.

Her fair, beautiful little face looked somewhat haggard, her eyes were red, and she seemed deeply dispirited. Still, she had brought this upon herself. She deserved the outcome.

Flender was still the one teaching them today. Tang San and the other six waited for a full quarter of an hour before the headmaster finally strolled over.

What a fucking show-off. Does he think he's a Title Douluo?

Gu Chen thought irritably.

Flender's gaze first fell upon Ning Rongrong, but he said nothing to her. "Today is the second lesson. Where is Oscar? Is he sleeping in again?"

Tang San quickly said, "When I left this morning, he was still cultivating. Perhaps he entered meditation and didn't wake up in time."

Flender frowned. "We can't have today's lesson without him. Tang San, go call him."

Tang San was just about to return to the dormitory when he saw Oscar rushing over from that direction. However, there was no panic over being late on his face. Instead, he was brimming with excitement.

"Oscar, do you want to run laps again?" Headmaster Flender glared at him.

Oscar hurriedly shook his head. "No, Headmaster, please listen to my explanation. I broke through. I've reached level thirty."

Flender's eyes immediately brightened. "Good! Good! Good! Oscar, you haven't disappointed me. You're the fourth current student to reach level thirty. On behalf of the academy, I congratulate you."

Even Dai Mubai's expression was no longer gloomy. He walked over to Oscar and patted him on the shoulder. "Little Ao, congratulations. Although you reached level thirty a little later than I did, as a Food System Spirit Master, you're already the most outstanding genius I've ever seen. Could it be that heartbreak helps a Spirit Master's spirit break through?"

Little Ao shot Dai Mubai an embarrassed glare, then looked at Ning Rongrong's red eyes and gave a bitter smile. "I've never even been in love, so how could I speak of heartbreak? Stop making fun of me."

Tang San, Xiao Wu, and Ma Hongjun also stepped forward to offer their congratulations. Ning Rongrong remained where she was, looking at Oscar with complicated eyes, while Zhu Zhuqing lowered her head, seemingly lost in thought.

Only Gu Chen and Gu Yuena remained unmoved, looking utterly out of place among the others.

"All right. Today's lesson begins now." Flender's voice pulled everyone back from congratulating Little Ao.

"Today's lesson is very simple. Oscar, you're today's main character. Today's lesson is that every one of you, aside from Oscar, must eat at least one of each of the two kinds of sausages Oscar creates with his Soul Power."

Flender declared righteously, "This is called adaptability training. Let me ask you: which is more important, life or dignity? If you could choose only one, which would you choose? Although Oscar's Spirit Incantations are a little indecent, I said yesterday that he is a Food System Spirit Master with Innate Full Soul Power and extraordinary talent. The spirit sausages he produces are the finest Food System Spirit I have ever seen. During your time at the academy, he is one of you. You will train together, and if you cannot develop mutual understanding with him, you will be wasting your best support companion."

"At the same time, this is training for your mindset. If you cannot even do this, how will you survive in the world of Spirit Masters in the future? To survive, you must do whatever it takes. Forget eating a sausage—when your life is in danger, you may have to eat even rats, cockroaches, and earthworms."

Gu Chen said nothing. He simply walked up to Oscar and, after Oscar used his spirit skill, put the Restorative Great Sausage and Detoxifying Small Cured Sausage into his mouth.

Because of what Gu Chen had said before they enrolled, Gu Yuena, Tang San, and the others did not object. They merely picked up the sausages and put them into their mouths.

Only Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing hesitated repeatedly. Seeing that even Gu Yuena had eaten them, they finally ate the sausages as well.

At this point, only Ning Rongrong remained.

"Give them to me." With that crisp voice, Ning Rongrong strode up to Oscar. Both hands shot out, each taking one of his Great Sausages and Small Cured Sausages.

Ning Rongrong's expression was calm, but the unwillingness in her eyes betrayed her feelings. She was still only a young girl; how could she possibly conceal all her emotions completely?

Yes, after a night of thought, she had still decided to stay. It was not because she had compromised, but because she wanted to prove herself to everyone at Shrek Academy. How would she prove it? By surpassing every other student and possessing greater Soul Power than them.

Heh, what foolish confidence.

Meeting Ning Rongrong's gaze at such close range, Oscar suddenly felt a chill run through his body.

Ning Rongrong picked up the Great Sausage and viciously bit into it. She truly looked rather ferocious.

In just a few bites, Ning Rongrong swallowed both Oscar's Great Sausage and Small Cured Sausage.

Flender was somewhat stunned. He had thought he would need to persuade everyone before they accepted Oscar's sausages, yet it had gone so smoothly.

Flender nodded in satisfaction. "Good. All of you have passed today's lesson. Remember this: when you are together in the future, Oscar will be your logistical supply. Forget those meaningless Spirit Incantations. Preserving your lives, becoming stronger, unleashing your full strength, and even exceeding your limits are what matter most. Now, each of you should return and prepare. You have one day to adjust and rest. Early tomorrow morning, everyone will set out under Teacher Zhao Wuji's lead for the Star Dou Great Forest to help Oscar obtain his third Soul Ring. This is not Oscar's matter alone; it is also training for all of you. Before encountering a thousand-year soul beast, Teacher Zhao will not easily intervene. Everything will depend on yourselves. All right, dismissed."

Returning to the Star Dou Great Forest? Then it was about time to begin condensing my fourth Soul Ring.

"Let's return to the dormitory and break through the Soul Power we've suppressed for half a year to level forty. This trip back to the Star Dou Great Forest is the perfect time to condense our Soul Rings," Gu Chen said to Gu Yuena through Sound Transmission into Strings.

I admit that things have been a little dragged out lately. But there's no point dragging things out when I haven't even signed a contract, right? (￣ε(#￣)Σ I want to tell readers who dislike Tang San this: after the protagonist returns from the Star Dou Great Forest, he will leave Shrek Academy. Please patiently finish reading the protagonist's final days at Shrek Academy (manually smug). By then, the plot of the first volume will also end, and we'll enter Spirit Hall.

Lastly, I'm asking for recommendation votes once again.