"No more. Your weights are way too heavy."
On a whim, Bei Bei and Mu Xuanheng had swapped their weights.
The crushing weight left Bei Bei unable to keep up with Mu Xuanheng's speed.
They could only switch back.
"Look at you—you're older than me, and you still can't handle this level of training."
Bei Bei was thoroughly annoyed. "That's because you're completely unreasonable. How can someone your age handle this kind of intensity?"
A year of training had greatly strengthened both of their bodies.
Mu Xuanheng, meanwhile, had developed in every area under the guidance of numerous teachers.
Once they finished the day's training, it was time to rest.
Their lessons on Soul Beasts had come to an end.
According to Gong Changlong, there were so many kinds of Soul Beasts that learning the basics was enough. The rest had to be picked up gradually rather than through simple lessons.
Mu Xuanheng thought Gong Changlong said that because his knowledge of Soul Beasts was incomplete and the Beast Fighting Arena had too few varieties.
After all, by his battle-royale standards, they would need tens of thousands of Soul Beasts to put their plans into practice.
Shrek didn't have that many Soul Beasts to let the two of them play with. They had clearly decided to end the lessons.
Yan Shaozhe took over with classes on Martial Souls.
Compared with the Soul Beast lessons, these required learning about many more Martial Souls.
As for Soul Tool lessons, Fan Yu had laid out a strict plan. It wasn't yet time to learn how to engrave formations.
Mu Xuanheng was too young, and his spiritual power couldn't keep up. For now, the focus was still on cultivating his way of thinking about Soul Tools.
Their sparring lessons, which should have been put on hold, resumed after Bei Bei obtained his Second Soul Ring.
The two began a new round of clashes.
"Xuanheng, I'm a two-ring Soul Grandmaster now, so you'd better watch out."
"Please. You only have one more Soul Ring. What's there to be afraid of?"
With Mu Xuanheng's encouragement and the Sea God Pavilion's support, Bei Bei was much stronger than he would have been at this point under normal circumstances.
They clashed fiercely, trading claw strikes.
"Xuanheng, after watching your Phantom Dragon Claw so many times, I've come up with a new way to use Thunder Dragon Claw."
Mu Xuanheng had hidden the name Chaofeng Dragon Claw, calling it Phantom Dragon Claw instead.
Bei Bei had learned from Chaofeng Dragon Claw's ability to attack at both close and long range, and had improved how he used his Soul Skill.
Thunder Dragon Claw had originally formed a dragon-claw imprint that shot straight at its target.
Now, however, he gathered the lightning in his hand, shaping it into a dragon's claw.
Unlike Chaofeng Dragon Claw, which ignored defenses, Thunder Dragon Claw had a chance to paralyze its target. That was Bei Bei's best chance of winning.
Xuan Zi couldn't help but praise him. "Holding the lightning in his hand and changing how he uses his Soul Skill—Bei Bei's a genius too."
Mu En shook his head. "He borrowed the effect of Xuanheng's Soul Skill, but he also found a way past the limits of his own. To accomplish this at his age is already impressive."
They looked at Mu Xuanheng and didn't know what to say.
They wanted a genius who excelled in every area.
Seeing Bei Bei improve his Soul Skill, they wanted Mu Xuanheng to do the same.
The problem was that Mu Xuanheng didn't need to.
"Xuanheng is unmatched among his peers. He's under no pressure at all. That should be a good thing, but it isn't. He can't fully realize his talent that way." Mu En sounded worried.
Xuan Zi wasn't as concerned. He hadn't created any Soul Skills himself, so he wasn't sensitive to that sort of thing. "In one year, his Soul Power has increased by eight levels, even while he's been doing his best to build a solid foundation. By the time he turns twelve, he might be close to becoming a Soul Ancestor.
"I just wonder what his next two Soul Skills will be. Chaofeng's Soul Skills are fixed, so I hope they won't be too weak."
The simulated battle continued. Using only his first Soul Skill, Bei Bei was still suppressed by Mu Xuanheng.
The ability to ignore defenses was no joke.
"Xuanheng, watch out." Bei Bei called a warning. His serpentine lightning had already sealed off the area around Mu Xuanheng, just waiting for him to fall into the trap.
"I see it. You'd better watch out too." Mu Xuanheng knew the effect of Bei Bei's Second Soul Skill, so he was prepared.
He stepped back, deliberately leaving an opening as he stepped on the lightning.
It was the perfect chance.
Bei Bei seized it and attacked at once, rushing in with Thunder Dragon Claw in its close-combat form.
In an instant, Mu Xuanheng broke free, turned, and struck at Bei Bei with a claw.
Another victory.
Only after Bei Bei obtained his Second Soul Ring and changed how he used Thunder Dragon Claw did the two of them start trading wins.
But Mu Xuanheng still won more often.
"After all those matches, I still can't resist this Martial Soul suppression." Bei Bei complained helplessly.
His Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon was clearly a top-tier Martial Soul, yet he was still being suppressed. It left him frustrated.
Mu Xuanheng patted Bei Bei. "Hey, once you evolve into a Bright Holy Dragon, the suppression won't be so strong."
That was only meant to comfort him. How could Chaofeng fail to suppress a Bright Holy Dragon? Even Mu En had been suppressed, let alone Bei Bei.
"You two, come with me. There's something I want to discuss."
They followed Mu En.
Mu Xuanheng was puzzled. What could come up at this time? He couldn't figure it out.
But as soon as Mu En began speaking, Mu Xuanheng understood.
"Do you know about the Tang Sect?"
It would have been unrealistic to say they didn't. How could anyone at Shrek have failed to hear the stories about Tang San?
They both nodded.
Mu En continued. "Ten thousand years ago, our ancestor Tang San founded the Tang Sect and brought it to an age of great glory. Hidden Weapons were the Tang Sect's proudest legacy.
"But four thousand years ago, the collision with the Sun Moon Continent ushered in an era of Soul Tools. From then on, the Tang Sect fell into decline. I want you to join the Tang Sect and carry on its legacy. What do you think?"
Bei Bei looked at Mu Xuanheng. Though he was older, Mu Xuanheng had always been the more decisive one between them.
Having lived three lives, Mu Xuanheng could barely even act like a child. If it weren't for his different hormone levels—and Chaofeng, that master of mind games—he wouldn't have been able to pull it off.
In their day-to-day interactions, he also guided Bei Bei, sometimes without him noticing.
Now was the moment when that guidance came into play.
Mu Xuanheng spoke up. "If Soul Tools caused the Tang Sect's decline, then it should focus on developing Soul Tools. What difference would it make if we joined?"
Neither of them was a Soul Engineer. Mu Xuanheng was still limited by his spiritual power; he could only watch from the sidelines and wasn't able to try things himself.
"There's only one person left in the Tang Sect now. It's a sect in name only. After all, it was founded by our ancestor Tang San. We can't just watch it disappear." Mu En felt that they were bound together: if the Tang Sect fell, Shrek might be next.
But Mu Xuanheng didn't see it that way. Mu En wanted to preserve the Tang Sect for that very reason, while Mu Xuanheng wanted to see it disappear.
"They clung to tradition and declined. Isn't it unfair to make us pay the price?" He looked up at Mu En, with none of a child's mannerisms. "I don't think our joining would keep its legacy alive.
"If it's truly a sect with a solid foundation, it can survive on the margins. Take the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, for example.
"If the times leave it behind, then that's the choice the times have made."
Mu En changed his mind, but still wanted to ask one question. "What if one day Shrek is left behind by the times too?"
Mu Xuanheng replied, "Like I just said, that would mean Shrek no longer meets the needs of Soul Masters. That would be our problem. If we were eliminated, then so be it. But that will never happen in this era."
"Hmm?" Mu En asked without thinking.
"Because I'm here. We'll either change our sails and meet the new era, or reach the summit of the old one and become its so-called pinnacle. Either way, we won't be left behind."
He was confident—utterly confident.
Bei Bei nodded beside him. "Progenitor Xuan, I think so too. There's no need for me to join the Tang Sect."
"To have your own ideas at such a young age—that's a good thing. When I was your age, I hadn't thought of any of this."
After Mu Xuanheng spoke, Mu En stopped bringing up the Tang Sect. He could see how firmly Mu Xuanheng had made up his mind.
Bei Bei's refusal to join the Tang Sect wouldn't have much of an impact. What Tang San wanted had never been Bei Bei; it was the fortune Huo Yuhao carried.
Without Bei Bei, it would simply be harder for Tang Ya to keep the Tang Sect going.
But the first spark between Bei Bei and Tang Ya hadn't even been lit before Mu Xuanheng snuffed it out. Without seeing Tang Ya's determination, Bei Bei wouldn't fall for her.
Naturally, there would be no Mystic Water Pill later on either. That would weaken Huo Yuhao's start.
"The Child of Fortune has lost a sliver of his luck? No matter. As long as he joins my Tang Sect, it'll all return." Tang San couldn't contain his delight. Then his expression suddenly changed. He sensed a ripple of divine power. "Is there another god on Douluo Continent daring to make a move?"
At that very moment, an unprecedented celebration was underway in the Star Dou Forest.
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