Disaster Comes from the Mouth

Early the next morning, Nan Li went to the cafeteria for breakfast first.

When Dai Mubai and the others arrived at the cafeteria, Nan Li's gaze could not help but fall on Oscar's chin.

Perhaps to welcome the new term, Oscar had shaved his beard today, making him look much cleaner and sharper. Especially with his naturally decent features, he looked almost like a completely different person from yesterday.

Nan Li raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

Jiang E Li, however, sighed. "Sure enough, boys look better when they keep themselves clean too."

Nan Li and Dai Mubai were rendered speechless. Under the pressure of their auras, Oscar and Ma Hongjun silently ate their breakfast.

"Dong, dong, dong..."

Nan Li had just finished breakfast when a bell suddenly rang outside.

"That's the signal for the headmaster to gather us."

Ma Hongjun was still chewing on a bun when Dai Mubai and Oscar grabbed him and ran. Seeing that Nan Li showed no intention of moving, Oscar reminded her, "Nan Li, when the headmaster rings the bell, it means we're gathering."

Dai Mubai's expression was cool, but he reminded her as well. "Gather at the main training field. Hurry up. You'll be punished if you're late."

Nan Li waved her hand. "Got it. You go ahead. I'll be there soon."

Oscar muttered something about how bold Nan Li was to dare be late on the first day, but from the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a red figure flying overhead.

"That's a huge bird."

"Wait, is that... Nan Li?"

"Damn, that's totally cheating!"

Oscar was stunned three times in a row.

Dai Mubai tugged him along in disgust. "You're the slowest one, yet you talk the most."

Oscar could not behave himself for more than three seconds. He darted over to Ma Hongjun, felt his thick arm, and said, "Look, you both have Flying Martial Souls. Nan Li can fly, so why can't you?"

"Isn't it perfectly normal for a grass chicken not to fly?" Dai Mubai added from the side.

"So what if she can fly!" Ma Hongjun said irritably. "My Martial Soul is a phoenix! If my Soul Power had been higher than hers, I could've roasted her into a sparrow yesterday!"

"Hmph!" Still unconvinced, Ma Hongjun snorted angrily. "She's just a woman. What's so impressive about her?"

"Hey, Fatty, you can't put it like that. Not all women are the same." Dai Mubai draped an arm over Ma Hongjun's shoulder as though they were close brothers. "Look, women with Soul Power are different from women without it. Sweet and charming ones are different from wild and untamable ones..."

"Boss Dai, don't tell me you've got your eye on her?" Ma Hongjun chuckled with a knowing look. "What, Boss Dai? Have you recently started liking challenging little girls?"

"Isn't this a bit inappropriate? Nan Li is only a ten-year-old girl," Oscar quietly said.

Ma Hongjun had always spoken without restraint. Hearing that, he laughed. "Ah, you don't understand. Isn't it more interesting to slowly raise one? Taming a fiery mare is—"

Dai Mubai's temples throbbed. He slapped Ma Hongjun on the shoulder. "What nonsense are you talking about?! I would never lay a hand on a child!"

"Boss Dai, Nan Li is about the same age as me. I've already been through countless battles. If you keep her by your side and raise her for two years, then..." Ma Hongjun shot him a meaningful look that said, You know what I mean.

Seeing that Dai Mubai said nothing, Ma Hongjun added excitedly, "Boss Dai, if you're really not interested, then I'll make my move. I got sick of Cuihua a long time ago..."

Boom! A metal ball exploded not far in front of the three of them, sending dust flying everywhere and blasting a crater nearly a meter deep into the ground.

Dan Hong had once refined gunpowder of varying power from all kinds of ores. She had used several of the strongest ones against the Cloud-Swallowing Fire Howl before. These ones had been tossed to Nan Li by Dan Hong for her to play with.

Nan Li stood on a tree branch with her arms crossed, her cool gaze fixed on the men who had been running their mouths.

"I was wondering how Shrek Academy, which claims to accept only 'monsters,' could have trash who hadn't even reached the cultivation of a Soul Grandmaster. So that's why..." Nan Li sneered, crouching slightly on the branch. "You're something that only knows how to think with its lower half."

"You!" Ma Hongjun wanted to step forward and argue, but Dai Mubai held him back.

Dai Mubai did not yet know Nan Li's identity and had his reservations. He warned, "Fatty, watch your mouth! Neither of us is her match right now."

Oscar shakily stepped forward to smooth things over. "Oh, it's a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding! Classmate Nan Li, we were discussing how you achieved such cultivation at such a young age. We didn't mean anything else!"

Nan Li said nothing. She merely sneered, clearly not believing him.

What a bunch of trash!

Nan Li turned and flew toward the training field.

By the time Dai Mubai and the other two arrived, panting heavily, Flender was already waiting on the training field with his hands behind his back.

Nan Li stood to one side as though it had nothing to do with her, even lifting her eyelids to cast them a mocking glance.

This is bad! The three of them inwardly cried. Nan Li's interruption had made all three of them late!

Ma Hongjun shot Nan Li an angry glare, blaming her for their lateness.

Flender glanced at the three of them, pushed up his glasses, and revealed a half-smile.

Dai Mubai and the other two hurried over and stood in line.

"You three have gotten bold. You dared to be late on the first day." Flender smiled maliciously. "You were supposed to be punished for losing your three-on-one battle yesterday. Adding today's tardiness, both offenses will be punished together. You three, listen up!"

Dai Mubai and the other two instinctively straightened up.

"Run one hundred laps around the entire village at full speed. You may use your Martial Souls to assist yourselves, but... if you don't finish all one hundred laps, you don't get to eat!"

Ma Hongjun and Oscar groaned silently, while Dai Mubai wore a bitter expression as well.

Although the village where Shrek Academy was located was not large, including the farmland, each lap was still three or four kilometers. Let alone Ma Hongjun and Oscar, even whether Dai Mubai could finish one hundred laps was hard to say.

After saying that, Flender turned his gaze to Nan Li. He believed that a delicate child like Nan Li needed more training. Otherwise, if her body was too weak, it would not keep up with the demands of her growing Soul Power.

"As for Nan Li, although you're a Flying Soul Master, if you face an enemy without enough Soul Power, physical strength will be key to your escape. Your task is to run thirty laps around the entire village. You may use Soul Power, but not your Martial Soul."

"If you haven't returned before lunch, then you won't be eating lunch either!"

"Yes," Nan Li answered blandly.

Flender paused and could not help thinking, Were thirty laps too few? Or are young people these days all this fierce?

But he quickly recovered and shouted in a booming voice, "Everyone, move out now!"

Ma Hongjun let out a miserable wail and followed Dai Mubai and Oscar.

Thirty laps might have been somewhat difficult for an ordinary Soul Elder, but it was nothing to Nan Li.

Flender wanted her to train her physical strength, but Nan Li had never been a delicate flower raised in a greenhouse. Without even removing her accessories, she followed behind Dai Mubai and the other two as they ran out.

Some of Ma Hongjun's lines were adapted from the Original Work.

Actually, looking at the Original Work, aside from his Martial Soul, Oscar did not seem to have any major problems either. I wonder if I missed anything.

Don't say Nan Li went too far. A'li was the sort who would never swallow her anger. If she ran into something she did not accept, she would just fight it out.