Tempering the Body

Shen Ranxi heard Great Sage's amused voice in her mind, as if it had drifted in from some faraway place, vague and elusive.

"Ha ha ha..."

"Oh, right, Little Girl. That fish of yours carries a trace of Kunpeng's aura. It's no simple thing..." Great Sage said no more. What was the point of telling her everything? Did he want to spoon-feed her?

"Kunpeng!!!" She took back what she had just said. Heaven was still treating her quite well.

But she would set it aside for now. She had not even figured out one Martial Soul yet.

Pinned beneath the Golden Cudgel, she spent half a day finally figuring out what was going on.

Without Soul Power controlling it, the Golden Cudgel weighed more than three thousand jin when she was merely a Soul Master. Every ten levels, the weight it unlocked would double, and only upon reaching Titled Douluo would it regain its true power.

With her current strength, she had no way of wielding the Golden Cudgel's true power.

Whenever she touched the Golden Cudgel, her speed, Soul Power, and Mental Power would be suppressed.

It did more than merely temper her body.

Once she grew accustomed to it, the recovery speed of her Soul Power and Mental Power would increase severalfold.

And during battle, enemies who touched the Golden Cudgel would suffer the same suppression.

Furthermore, when she broke free from the Golden Cudgel, her explosive power, speed, and Soul Power would surge dramatically.

Thinking of that, she could not help letting out two sinister chuckles.

Over the following days, she kept circulating her Soul Power to control the Golden Cudgel's weight, maintaining it within the limits she could bear.

Her Soul Power control often faltered, causing the Golden Cudgel's weight to fluctuate wildly—from a few hundred jin one moment to several thousand the next. Human-shaped craters began appearing all over the Village's dirt roads.

Since she needed to adapt to it, she delayed her departure once more. The days passed one by one, and that heart-rending pain seemed to have been buried deep in the bottom of her heart.

Little Bell had also been taking care of her lately. It had truly been hard on the well-behaved little thing.

Half a month passed. The blazing sun hung high in the sky like a fireball.

At the edge of the forest, one large and one small figure walked down the road with bundles on their backs. Little Bell had transformed into a pendant and floated above Shen Ranxi's head.

The scorching sunlight had reddened both their faces.

They were already very close to the city. Shen Ranxi had also shortened the Golden Cudgel to a length suitable for carrying on her back, refusing to slack off in the slightest.

"Where are you little ones headed?" A kindly old Grandfather driving a carriage stopped beside them.

"Grandfather, we're going into the city to find someone." Little Bell was very sensible now. Shen Ranxi had told her not to reveal any information, and she obediently followed that instruction.

"I'll give you a ride. Look at how exhausted you are. Your Parents are truly irresponsible, making two children so young walk such a long road. Aren't they afraid something dangerous might happen..." The old Grandfather looked at them with pity and could not stop muttering.

Shen Ranxi's expression went vacant for an instant. Village Chief Grandpa...

Little Bell could not help revealing a sorrowful expression. Shen Ranxi saw it in her eyes. "You're so little, and you've walked so far without even saying you're tired." Her tiny face was full of exhaustion.

"Grandfather, please give us a ride. Thank you." She lifted Little Bell onto the carriage.

At the same time, she put away the Golden Cudgel. Otherwise, this horse would be crushed to death.

There was simply no way to explain it.

Along the way, Shen Ranxi held Little Bell and admired the scenery, which was completely different from that of her Previous Life.

Before long, they arrived in the city.

"Children, I'll leave you here. I need to buy grain. Be careful, all right?" The old Grandfather drove away in his carriage.

Little Bell pressed herself uneasily against Shen Ranxi, her little hand tightly clutching the hem of Shen Ranxi's clothes.

She knew of Shrek Academy, but she did not know where it was.

She looked at the unfamiliar streets before her, lined with shops and bustling with noise and activity.

But none of it had anything to do with her. She felt lost for a moment.

Then they would just wander around. If they looked and asked along the way, they would surely find a solution.

"Little Bell, shall we look around and get something to eat?" Shen Ranxi pushed that faint confusion into the bottom of her heart and put on a cheerful expression.

Holding Little Bell's hand, she led her to a candy shop.

A Female wearing a long blue dress sat by the shop window. Her features were gentle, and when she saw the two adorable children, she could not help calling out to them.

"Little ones, what would you like? We sell all kinds of desserts and candies here."

Little Bell stared hesitantly at the dazzling array of candies before her, biting her finger.

In her tiny world, she had never seen so many colorful candies in so many different shapes.

"It's all right. Come in and choose. There's no rush." Seeing their hesitation, the woman smiled. "I'm the owner."

Shen Ranxi was briefly dazzled by her smile. This older sister was not stunningly beautiful, but rather gentle as water, the kind of beauty that became more pleasing the longer one looked.

When she spoke, it felt like a spring breeze brushing over them, so comfortable it made one drowsy.

By the time Shen Ranxi came to her senses, they had already entered the shop. It was not large, but it had been arranged with great care and warmth.

Warm-colored tablecloths covered the tables. Flowers in full bloom sat in pale blue vases, swaying gently in the breeze and giving off a reassuring fragrance.

The woman settled them at a table and brought over two cups of a drink they had never had before.

She had actually noticed these two children earlier. Each was more strikingly beautiful than the other. When they got off the carriage, their faces had been full of confusion, with a hint of melancholy between their brows.

The older one had calmed down quickly and comforted the younger one, even though she herself was just a little ball of a child.

On impulse, she had invited them inside. Perhaps they reminded her of the days when she and her older sister had depended on each other...

In any case, she would treat it as a rare act of kindness.

She brought them two more pastries and placed them on spotless white plates.

Shen Ranxi hesitated for a moment, but Little Bell had already sweetly thanked the woman and started eating.

Forget it. No matter how much it cost, she would ask after they had finished eating.

"I'm Mosna. You can rest here for a while. No matter what happens, you need to eat your fill before you have the strength to deal with it, right?"

Shen Ranxi appreciated her thoughtfulness and introduced herself as well. "Hello, Sister. I'm Shen Ranxi, and this is Little Bell."

The moment it entered her mouth, Shen Ranxi was startled. "This..."

As soon as she tasted it, Shen Ranxi realized Something was Wrong. This cake could actually restore Soul Power. It was unbelievable.

Could food also be imbued with Soul Power?

That was the downside of not studying. Shen Ranxi knew far too little about the world of Soul Masters and had no idea that Support System Soul Masters existed.

This older sister is no ordinary person.

While no one was paying attention, Shen Ranxi quickly stuffed the cake into the wide-open mouth that had been waiting eagerly.

With an "Awoo~," it swallowed the cake in one bite and revealed a satisfied expression.

That entire sequence took only a few seconds.

"Sister Sina, do you know Shrek Academy?"

Mosna came over and sat beside them, resting her cheek in her palm. After thinking for a while, she replied softly, "You mean that strange Academy that only accepts monsters, right?"

"Yes, that one!"

"It's fairly well-known around here. I'll draw you a map." She did not ask why two children so young were looking for such an advanced Academy.

After receiving the map, Shen Ranxi relaxed slightly.

After resting for a while, Shen Ranxi bought some candies for the two little Taoties.

Sister Sina refused to take any money and even packed several pieces of cake for them.

Shen Ranxi's ears reddened. They had eaten there and were even taking food away.

But Sister Sina's gentle yet firm attitude left her helpless.

Next time I come, I'll bring her some beautiful flowers.