The First Batch of Students

At night, the moonlight was clear as water, spilling over every street in Suotuo City.

After leaving the restaurant, Bu Le, E Kao, and Tian Ya didn't go out to indulge themselves as they usually did. Instead, they looked grave and hurried home, as if something weighed on their minds.

Once they were home, Bu Le carefully took a sheet of yellow paper from his robes. It was the Meditation Method diagram Yu Xiaogang had left for them.

"What do you think of this?"

Bu Le asked the two beside him, his expression serious.

"With just one Soul Fighting match, that man accurately described the Martial Soul Characteristics of all three of us. He even pointed out that Tian Ya and I were using a Two-in-One Fusion Skill, something we didn't even know ourselves. That shows he's exceptionally knowledgeable. His learning must be genuine—he definitely comes from a great family or a major sect."

After speaking, E Kao looked over at Tian Ya.

Tian Ya nodded and added, "If a great family wanted to scheme against us, we wouldn't have the strength to resist. There'd be no need for them to tamper with something like this."

After hearing their analysis, Bu Le also found their reasoning sound. His expression relaxed a little, though he still had some concerns.

"This concerns our cultivation, so we absolutely can't be careless. I'll try it first. You two watch from the side, and if anything goes wrong, stop me immediately."

Ignoring their attempts to dissuade him, Bu Le sat cross-legged on the bed. He reviewed the Soul Power Execution Line on the yellow paper once more, making sure he had memorized it, then closed his eyes and began cultivating.

E Kao and Tian Ya couldn't help sighing. They had always treated Bu Le like an older brother because he valued loyalty above all else. Whenever anything happened, he was the first to shoulder the burden, just as he was doing now.

Their big brother did have one fatal flaw, though: he was far too lecherous. They had tried to talk him out of it many times, all to no avail, so they had eventually given up. They could only hope he wouldn't get himself into trouble.

At first, Bu Le's face remained tense as he entered his cultivation state. But as he went deeper into his practice, his expression gradually softened, growing more and more serene. His whole body seemed to relax.

Seeing this, E Kao and Tian Ya's eyes lit up. They could barely contain their eagerness.

When Bu Le stopped meditating and opened his eyes again, the two hurried over to ask, "How was it? Did it work?"

Bu Le looked at them and nodded emphatically, the corners of his mouth lifting despite his efforts to hold them back.

"The method on the paper is real. My Soul Power flowed more smoothly while I was cultivating, and I was able to concentrate better."

E Kao and Tian Ya no longer hesitated. Carefully picking up the sheet of yellow paper Yu Xiaogang had left behind, they held it in their hands and studied it thoroughly from beginning to end, making sure they hadn't missed anything. Then they each chose a spot in the room, closed their eyes, and began to cultivate.

An hour later, all three had finished. They stretched and moved around, feeling refreshed and relaxed. Not only had their Soul Power grown a little more than usual, but it was also more condensed in quality.

The three exchanged glances. Once they understood what the others were thinking, they nodded to one another.

Meanwhile, at Shrek Academy...

Yu Xiaogang went to Flender's residence and told him about his plans to start a tutoring class.

Flender immediately frowned and refused. "Our Shrek Academy only accepts prodigies. Why would we recruit those mediocre talents? If we actually did that, wouldn't we ruin our reputation? No, absolutely not."

Yu Xiaogang had come prepared. He immediately tried to persuade him. "It won't ruin your reputation. This is a tutoring class outside the academy, a part-time job. I'll go out and teach for two days each weekend, so it won't interfere with the academy's lessons. Most importantly, it'll bring in a decent amount of tuition."

Flender hadn't planned on giving in, but at the word "tuition," a glint flashed in his eyes.

Yu Xiaogang saw this and curled his lips into a slight smile. He leaned close to Flender and quietly explained the class's fees.

When he heard that each student would pay five hundred Gold Soul Coins a month, and that it would cost ten thousand Gold Soul Coins to accompany them on a Soul Beast hunt, Flender instinctively licked his lips. His eyes gleamed like gold.

Then he composed himself and coughed twice. "Ahem. I think your tutoring class has some merit, Xiao Gang."

The next morning.

Bu Le, E Kao, and Tian Ya were waiting outside the Great Soul Arena from early on.

It was almost eight, and they still hadn't seen Yu Xiaogang. Their expressions grew tense, and they couldn't help scanning the nearby streets.

Just then, two figures emerged from the corner ahead. One was a middle-aged man dressed in black—Yu Xiaogang. The other was Flender, wearing a leather jacket and round glasses.

Since the tutoring class was a private venture, it couldn't be held at Shrek Academy. The two had come into Suotuo City early that morning to look for a suitable venue.

In the end, they settled on a boxing gym as their teaching location. The gym was closed on weekends, so the timing worked perfectly.

As for why there was a boxing gym in Suotuo City, that had to do with the different cultivation schools among Soul Masters: Soul Power Flow, Soul Skill Flow, and Combat Skill Flow.

Most Soul Masters on Douluo Continent followed the Soul Power Flow during the early stages of cultivation. They devoted a great deal of time to Meditation Cultivation, hoping to break through their Soul Power bottlenecks as quickly as possible and focusing on raising their Soul Power Level,

Later, after their Soul Power Level had reached its limit, they would switch to the Soul Skill Flow. They would begin developing their Soul Skills more deeply and learning to use them with greater flexibility.

As Soul Masters studied their Soul Skills, they would often come into contact with the final school: Combat Skill Flow.

By studying fighting techniques beyond their Martial Souls, such as boxing and swordsmanship, Soul Masters could often achieve results no less impressive than those of Soul Skills. Combined with Soul Skills, these techniques could be even more effective.

So it was hardly surprising that there was a boxing gym in Suotuo City.

In fact, martial arts schools like these could be found all over the continent. Some families also had their own signature combat techniques, such as the Tang Sect's Secret Arts carried by Tang San, the Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer of the Clear Sky Sect, the Distraction Control of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, and the Seven Kill Sword Art of Sword Douluo Chen Xin.

Yu Xiaogang and Flender met up with Bu Le, E Kao, and Tian Ya, then led the three into the boxing gym.

"Let me introduce everyone. This is Flender, my assistant instructor."

Yu Xiaogang glanced at the man beside him. Flender understood and immediately released his Martial Soul.

The wings of an enormous cat owl flickered behind him. Seven Soul Rings—yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black—rose from beneath his feet, pressing down on everyone present with a powerful sense of oppression.

Bu Le, E Kao, and Tian Ya couldn't help swallowing. Seeing that the effect had been achieved, Yu Xiaogang waved for Flender to put away his Martial Soul, then began guiding the three in their cultivation.

The first step was to adjust their Meditation Cultivation routes.

Yu Xiaogang had the three sit in a circle and meditate with their eyes closed. Then he channeled Soul Power into their backs, using the gentle nature of the inner force from the Mysterious Heaven Skill and drawing on his own knowledge to find new routes for them.

Time passed, and before long, the sun was setting.

Yu Xiaogang withdrew his Soul Power. He looked somewhat tired, but his eyes were brighter than ever.

Building on the original sheet of yellow paper, he had found two more Execution Lines for each of them. And when the three practiced using their new Meditation Method, they seemed to resonate with one another, causing their Soul Power to intermingle.

Yu Xiaogang and Flender exchanged glances. As members of the Golden Iron Triangle, they were familiar with this phenomenon. It meant the compatibility between their Martial Souls had reached an exceptionally high level. Although the three were nowhere near as compatible as the Golden Iron Triangle, it was still remarkable.

Bu Le, E Kao, and Tian Ya came out of meditation one after another, their faces full of astonishment.

"Teacher Wang, you're truly our greatest benefactor."

Bu Le's face was full of respect. He then took three bags from his Soul Tool at his waist and slammed them onto the wooden floor.

Hearing the metallic clinking inside, Flender's eyes lit up. He hurried over and opened the bags. A golden light spilled out, leaving him utterly entranced.

Yu Xiaogang couldn't help rolling his eyes. He coughed a few times to bring Flender back to his senses, then smiled at the three across from them. "Next weekend, come straight here. We'll explain Fusion Skills then. You still have plenty of potential to develop in that area."

Bu Le, E Kao, and Tian Ya nodded repeatedly. After saying goodbye to Yu Xiaogang and Flender, they left the boxing gym.

Once the three were out of sight, Flender's smile—already difficult to suppress—stretched from ear to ear. He patted the three bags full of Gold Soul Coins and let out a crafty laugh.

"Xiao Gang, I'm going to give this tutoring class my full support. Not for any other reason, but because as teachers, we have to carry on the fine tradition of educating and nurturing students."

"Sure, sure. Educating and nurturing students."

Watching Flender rub the Gold Soul Coins, Yu Xiaogang shook his head helplessly.