Shrek's Night Training and the Quiet Growth of Understanding

By the time they returned to Shrek Academy, it was already late at night. All seven of them were wounded, especially Tang San's shoulder. The flesh was split open, dark red beads of blood still seeping out, making it look particularly terrifying under the moonlight. Xiao Xiaoxiao took out the medicine she carried with her—it was Trauma Medicine she had specially asked someone to buy from an old pharmacy in Suotuo City, said to be especially effective at stopping bleeding and healing wounds—and walked over to Tang San. Her voice was soft, but carried an insistence that could not be refused. "Let me do it. Master said wounds need to be cleaned carefully, or they could leave scars."

Tang San looked up at her. His dark eyes revealed no discernible emotion in the night as he silently nodded. He sat down on a wooden stool in the middle of the room and raised a hand to remove half of his dark outer robe, revealing his lean, muscular upper body. Moonlight filtered through the broken window lattice, casting scattered shadows over the old scars on his shoulder. The fresh wound beneath his collarbone gaped hideously. Xiao Xiaoxiao felt her nose sting and hurriedly looked away, though her fingertips unconsciously grew gentler.

She crouched down and first used a clean cloth dipped in warm water to wipe away the blood around the wound bit by bit, moving as lightly as though she were afraid of breaking something. Tang San's muscles occasionally tensed, but he never made a sound. His gaze merely rested on the old locust tree outside the window, as if he were thinking of something. "Does it hurt?" Xiao Xiaoxiao asked softly. The cloth in her hand had just touched the edge of the wound when she saw his shoulder tremble. She quickly pulled back. "I'll be gentler..."

"It's nothing." Tang San's voice was calm, as though he were speaking of someone else's affairs. "I've suffered wounds deeper than this." He paused, then added, "Your hands are steady. You're much better than that kid Oscar. The last time he bandaged me, he nearly wrapped my arm into a rice dumpling."

Xiao Xiaoxiao burst out laughing, and the sting in her nose eased somewhat. Her movements also became more natural. She sprinkled on the medicinal powder, watching the white powder fall over the bleeding wound and form tiny bubbles before taking a clean strip of cloth and carefully wrapping it around and around. "When you saved me last time, your arm was injured too. I never properly thanked you." She spoke softly as she wound the cloth. "And this time, you..."

"We're teammates. What's the point of saying such things?" Tang San interrupted. His gaze fell on the crown of her lowered head. The night wind stirred the girl's hair, revealing her smooth forehead. "The next time you encounter enemies, use your Spiritual Power to scout ahead first. Don't always rush forward."

Xiao Xiaoxiao's hand paused as she wrapped the bandage. She looked up at him, her eyes sparkling beneath the moonlight. "I don't want to always be the one you protect. I want to help you too."

Tang San said nothing, only looked at her. Something seemed to stir in his dark eyes, like a stone falling onto a lake and creating tiny ripples. At that moment, Oscar's shout came from outside. "Xiaoxiao, Rongrong has boiled the hot water! Come wash up later!" Xiao Xiaoxiao answered him, then hurriedly finished tying the last loop of cloth into a neat knot. "All done. Don't move this arm too much. I'll change the medicine for you again tomorrow."

Tang San nodded and raised a hand to put his outer robe back on, but Xiao Xiaoxiao reached out before him and pulled the robe over his shoulder. Her fingertips accidentally touched his collarbone. Both of them froze. Xiao Xiaoxiao quickly withdrew her hand, her cheeks growing warm as she turned and hurried toward the door. "I'll go check whether Rongrong's water is ready!"

Watching her nearly flee, the corner of Tang San's mouth lifted almost imperceptibly. He pressed a hand to the wound on his shoulder. The coolness of the medicine mixed with its faint fragrance, somehow carrying more warmth than the medicine he usually used.

Outside, Xiao Wu was pestering Oscar with questions. "Who exactly were those people? They attacked so viciously. If Third Brother hadn't reacted so quickly, Sister Xiaoxiao would definitely have been hurt!" Oscar ran toward the kitchen as he shouted back, "How would I know? But judging by their soul skill style, they weren't ordinary bandits. They seemed more like specially trained assassins!" Dai Mubai leaned against the old locust tree by the courtyard gate, idly playing with a twig in his hand. His evil eyes were filled with gravity. "Whoever they are, anyone who dares touch Shrek's people will pay the next time I see them!" Zhu Zhuqing stood beside him without speaking, but the hand gripping her short blade tightened, and a flash of cold light passed through her eyes.

Ning Rongrong was feeding firewood into the large iron pot in the kitchen. When she saw Xiao Xiaoxiao enter, she smiled and waved. "Come on, the water has just boiled. I saved a wooden basin for you. You wash first." Xiao Xiaoxiao walked over and helped her add another piece of firewood. As she watched the dancing flames, she kept thinking of the moment she had bandaged Tang San—of the long old scar on his back, as if some sharp weapon had cut it open. How much must that have hurt? "Rongrong, do you think Tang San suffered a lot before?" she asked softly.

Ning Rongrong paused, then sighed. "Who knows? Third Brother never talks about himself. But look at how he practices Hidden Weapons, and that Purple Demon Eye of his. Those definitely couldn't have been cultivated overnight." She tossed some mugwort into the pot. "But now he has us. We'll grow stronger together from now on. Then no one will be able to bully us, and no one will make Third Brother suffer so much again."

Xiao Xiaoxiao nodded, and the desire to grow stronger in her heart became even fiercer.

The next day, just as dawn was beginning to break, Xiao Xiaoxiao was awakened by the sounds from the courtyard. Rubbing her eyes, she pushed open the door and saw Tang San practicing Hidden Weapons in the center of the yard. The Willow Leaf Knife in his hand carved a silver arc through the air before pinning itself precisely in the center of the old locust tree's target—a target made from several bundled branches, already densely embedded with Hidden Weapons.

"Morning." Xiao Xiaoxiao walked over and looked at the Hidden Weapon in his hand. "You started practicing so early?"

Tang San turned to look at her. A thin layer of sweat covered his forehead, and his face was flushed from training. "I'm used to it. The air is good in the morning, suitable for practicing Purple Demon Eye and Hidden Weapons." He pointed at the stone table beside him. "I left two steamed buns for you. Oscar made them last night. They're still warm."

Xiao Xiaoxiao walked over, picked up a white steamed bun from the stone table, and took a bite. It was sweet, with the fragrance of wheat. "Was it true when you said you'd teach me movement techniques today?" she asked as she chewed, her eyes shining as she looked at him.

Tang San nodded and took a thin booklet from his robes. "I adapted this from the Tang Sect's movement techniques. It's suitable for soul masters to evade sneak attacks in battle. Read it first, and ask me if there's anything you don't understand." He paused before adding, "Don't rush into practicing it yet. We'll start with the basic footwork. Follow me."

As he spoke, he walked to the open space in the center of the courtyard. He planted his feet shoulder-width apart and bent his knees slightly. "This is the opening stance of Tread Snow Without Trace. The key lies in the force beneath your feet. Be light, be steady, as though you're stepping on cotton. At the same time, pay attention to your surroundings and use Spiritual Power to sense possible sneak attacks."

Xiao Xiaoxiao quickly set down her steamed bun and copied his stance. But the moment she bent her knees, her center of gravity became unstable, and she nearly toppled sideways. Tang San reached out to steady her. The instant his palm touched her arm, he promptly withdrew it, his voice still calm. "Shift your center of gravity back a little. Keep your waist straight. Don't bend over."

Xiao Xiaoxiao's face reddened. She quickly adjusted her stance and practiced bit by bit along with Tang San's movements. At first, she could never catch the rhythm. Either her steps were too heavy or she moved in the wrong direction. After half an hour of practice, sweat had seeped from her forehead and her calves had begun to ache. "Is it difficult?" Tang San asked as he saw her stop to rub her legs.

"A little." Xiao Xiaoxiao smiled awkwardly. "I've never practiced this kind of movement technique before. I always feel like my hands and feet don't coordinate."

Tang San said nothing. He merely stepped beside her and slowed his movements, demonstrating one step at a time. "Look. Step out with your left foot first, touch the ground with your toes, then shift your right foot over. Move your center of gravity between both feet, like this..." His voice was soft and patient. Xiao Xiaoxiao watched his footsteps and copied him little by little. Gradually, she actually began to get the feel of it.

At that moment, Xiao Wu came out of the room rubbing her eyes. When she saw the two of them practicing movement techniques, she immediately perked up. "Little Sanzi, Sister Xiaoxiao, what are you practicing? Let me join!" She bounced over, heedless of anything else, and began copying Xiao Xiaoxiao's movements. But her temperament was too restless, and she soon found it boring. "Ah, this is way too dull! Fighting Brother Mubai is much more fun!" With that, she pouted and ran off to find Dai Mubai. Soon, the sounds of her sparring shouts with Dai Mubai filled the courtyard.

Watching her leave, Xiao Xiaoxiao could not help but laugh. "Xiao Wu is still so lively."

"That's just how she is. She's suited to direct assault, not movement techniques like this that require patience." Tang San's gaze fell on Xiao Xiaoxiao's feet. "That last step was right. Try again. This time, I'll sneak attack you from the side. Use the footwork you just learned to evade."

As he spoke, his figure blurred, and he appeared behind Xiao Xiaoxiao. His hand formed a blade as he lightly struck toward her shoulder. Xiao Xiaoxiao's heart tightened. She quickly used her Spiritual Power to sense his position and shifted her feet according to the steps she had just learned. She actually evaded him. "That's right, just like that!" There was a trace of barely detectable praise in Tang San's voice. "A little faster. A sneak attack won't give you much time to react."

For the next half hour, Tang San continuously "sneak attacked" Xiao Xiaoxiao from different directions. At first, he still managed to touch her a few times, but after enough practice, she was able to skillfully evade him with her movement technique. By the time they stopped, Xiao Xiaoxiao's back was soaked with sweat, but she felt thoroughly invigorated.

"Rest for a while." Tang San handed her a waterskin. "You learn quickly. Faster than I expected."

Xiao Xiaoxiao took the waterskin and drank. The sweet spring water slid down her throat, making her feel much better. "It's because you teach well," she said softly. When she looked up at him, she met his gaze directly. Both of them froze. Xiao Xiaoxiao hurriedly looked away, her cheeks beginning to burn again.

At that moment, Oscar emerged from the kitchen carrying a plate of sausages. From far away, he called out, "Tang San, Xiaoxiao, come eat breakfast! I made new Recovery Sausages today. After training all morning, you need to replenish your Soul Power!" Steam rose from the sausages in his hands, carrying an enticing aroma. Xiao Xiaoxiao and Tang San walked over and each took a bite. The meat was firm and carried a faint herbal fragrance, with noticeably stronger Soul Power fluctuations than ordinary sausages.

"Oscar, your sausages are getting better and better!" Xiao Xiaoxiao said.

Oscar proudly raised his chin. "Of course! I'm the future God of Cookery! Once I become a Titled Douluo, my sausages will cure every illness!"

Ning Rongrong came out of the room and could not help laughing when she heard that. "Oscar, you should improve the taste of your sausages first. That Detox Sausage you made last time—the flavor was simply..."

Everyone burst into laughter. The morning sunlight filtered through the branches and leaves of the old locust tree, casting mottled shadows across the ground. The entire Shrek Academy was filled with lively warmth.

Over the following days, Xiao Xiaoxiao practiced movement techniques and evasion skills with Tang San every day. Tang San taught her in great detail. He not only taught her footwork, but also how to use Spiritual Power to sense movement around her, how to judge an enemy's attack direction from their gaze and movements, and even how to use the least amount of Soul Power to activate Spiritual Power and create illusions that could disrupt an enemy.

Once, Tang San took her to train in the forest behind the mountain, where the trees were dense and suitable for setting traps. Tang San set up many simple traps in the forest—tripwires, disguised pits, vines hanging from trees—and had Xiao Xiaoxiao walk from one end of the forest to the other while avoiding every trap. At first, Xiao Xiaoxiao accidentally stepped on a tripwire and was struck on the back by a branch hanging above it. It did not hurt, but it gave her quite a fright. Tang San walked over and brushed the fallen leaves from her back. "Remember, be careful where the fallen leaves in the forest are too thick. There may be pits beneath them. If vines are arranged too neatly, they were definitely placed by someone. Go around them."

Xiao Xiaoxiao nodded. When she entered the forest again, she was far more careful. She used her Spiritual Power to closely sense her surroundings, and her steps grew lighter. Whenever she encountered something suspicious, she stopped to observe it. Gradually, she was actually able to avoid every trap. When she emerged from the other end of the forest, Tang San was waiting for her while leaning against a large tree, a wild fruit in his hand. Seeing her come out, he handed it to her. "This is wild hawthorn. It's sweet and sour, good for relieving fatigue."

Xiao Xiaoxiao accepted the fruit and took a bite. The sweet and sour juice spread through her mouth, truly easing much of her exhaustion. "How did you know there were wild hawthorns here?" she asked.

"I found them when I came to the back mountain with Master to gather herbs before," Tang San said. His gaze fell on her arm. "Did that branch scratch you just now?" Xiao Xiaoxiao lowered her head and saw that there was indeed a small scratch on her arm, with tiny beads of blood seeping from it. Tang San took out a small porcelain bottle, poured out some ointment, and gently applied it to her scratch. "This is ointment I made with Blue Silver Grass juice. It stops bleeding quickly."

His fingers were cool, carrying the crisp scent of the ointment. When they touched her skin, Xiao Xiaoxiao could not help trembling. She quickly pulled her arm back. "Thank you. I can do it myself."

Tang San said nothing. He merely handed her the porcelain bottle and turned to walk back. "Next, I'll teach you how to tell whether food has been poisoned. This is important. The Poison Douluo we encountered in Suotuo City last time was an expert in poison. We need to be careful when facing enemies like that in the future."

Xiao Xiaoxiao followed behind him, clutching the little porcelain bottle in her hand, warmth filling her heart. She looked at Tang San's back. His steps were steady, and his back was straight, like a verdant pine that would not bend even in wind and rain. Suddenly, she felt that being able to grow stronger alongside him was a very fortunate thing.

The days passed one by one amid sweat and laughter. Xiao Xiaoxiao's progress became increasingly apparent. Not only did her movement techniques become more agile, but her control of Spiritual Power also became more refined, and she reacted much more quickly to sudden situations. Once, a teacher invited by Headmaster Flender set up a "surprise attack test"—several senior students pretended to be enemies and suddenly attacked them. Using the movement techniques Tang San had taught her, Xiao Xiaoxiao not only evaded their attacks, but also used Spiritual Power to create small illusions that disrupted the enemies' vision, creating opportunities for Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing to counterattack.

After the test ended, Flender stroked his beard and nodded in satisfaction. "This girl Xiaoxiao has improved quite a bit. It seems Tang San has put in plenty of effort." Master stood nearby and nodded slightly as well. "Combining Spiritual Power with movement techniques is a good direction. It can have unexpected effects on the battlefield in the future."

Tang San stood some distance away, watching Xiao Xiaoxiao excitedly discuss the test with Xiao Wu. A trace of a smile flashed through his dark eyes. Xiao Xiaoxiao seemed to sense his gaze and turned toward him. Their eyes met in the air. Xiao Xiaoxiao smiled at him, and he gave a slight nod in return. Neither said anything, yet it seemed as though something quietly passed between them.

That night, Xiao Xiaoxiao lay in bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep. She remembered how Tang San had used Purple Demon Eye behind her during the day's test to help her lock onto the enemies' positions. She remembered the patience in his expression when he taught her movement techniques, and the gentleness with which he had handed her the wild fruit and ointment. Suddenly, she felt something slowly sprouting within her heart, like a young shoot in spring, full of vibrant life.

She knew that she could no longer simply be the one being protected. She wanted to become stronger—strong enough to stand at his side, strong enough that when he faced danger, she could protect him just as he protected her.

The moonlight outside the window was still bright, shining over Xiao Xiaoxiao's face. A smile rested on her lips as she slowly closed her eyes. That night, she slept peacefully. Her dreams were filled with scenes of training with Tang San, as well as his approving words: "You learn quickly."

In another room, Tang San sat at the table, holding a newly polished Hidden Weapon. Moonlight shone on his face as his gaze rested outside the window, and no one knew what he was thinking. After a while, he picked up the booklet on the table and turned to a page filled with notes he had written about combining movement techniques with Spiritual Power. Beside them were several small footprints, records he had secretly made of the footwork Xiao Xiaoxiao had been most prone to getting wrong when she first began training. The corner of his mouth lifted almost imperceptibly. He put the booklet away and continued polishing the Hidden Weapon in his hand, the thin calluses on his fingertips gleaming faintly under the moonlight.

Shrek's night was quiet. There was only the rustling of wind through the leaves, and the unspoken feelings quietly growing in the hearts of the young men and women, slowly fermenting beneath the moonlight.