The Only Super Sequence!

He turned around and looked at Yan Shaozhe:

"Level 30, six months at most."

"Level 40, one year."

"Level 50, two years."

"Level 60, four years."

He paused, his gaze turning profound:

"Ten years."

"In ten years at most, he will reach the level of a Title Douluo."

Yan Shaozhe gasped.

Ten years to reach Title Douluo?

Is such a speed even humanly possible?

"But Teacher, his Soul Power growth relies on the evolution of his contracted beasts, and for them to evolve, he must first reach the threshold..."

"I know." Elder Mu nodded: "So what we need to do is not to force growth, but to pave the way for him."

"Furthermore, his contracted beasts can cultivate together and provide mutual feedback; that is the truly terrifying part."

"His growth rate will even skyrocket as the age of his soul beasts increases and the number of his contracted beasts grows!"

He walked back to the desk and picked up a pen and paper.

"Starting tomorrow, Bai Lan's cultivation plan will be adjusted."

"His importance is too great."

"I am going to place him alone into the one and only Super Sequence level talent cultivation list."

"In the ten thousand years since the founding of Shrek Academy, he is the first."

"Resources will be fully prioritized and supplied without limit."

"Practical training will be upgraded from the Simulated Soul Beast Forest to real soul beast hunting."

"One-on-one guidance once a month, conducted by me personally."

Yan Shaozhe was stunned.

"The only Super Sequence..."

"Teacher, you yourself..."

Elder Mu nodded, his pen moving without pause.

"You led the hunt for his second contracted beast; I will lead the third."

He put down the pen, looked up, and stared at Yan Shaozhe:

"Didn't you say you wanted him to contract a soul beast capable of concealing its aura? I know where there is one."

Yan Shaozhe's eyes lit up: "Where?"

The corners of Elder Mu's mouth curled up slightly, revealing a mysterious smile.

"Star Luo Empire, Shadow Valley."

"There is a... Void Shadow Beast there."

Yan Shaozhe's pupils constricted.

A Void Shadow Beast?

A rare dual-attribute soul beast of the shadow type with a trace of the space type?

"Teacher, does such a thing really exist?"

Elder Mu nodded: "It exists. And I know its exact location."

He paused, his gaze turning profound:

"Three thousand years old, it just finished evolving and is currently in a weakened state."

"It fits Bai Lan's contract conditions perfectly."

Yan Shaozhe took a deep breath.

A three-thousand-year-old Void Shadow Beast, after evolving twice...

Thirty thousand years?

Or perhaps... one hundred thousand years?

"Teacher, when shall we go?"

Elder Mu did not answer directly, instead turning his head to look out the window.

The night was deep.

The surface of the outer courtyard lake was very still.

In the distance, a figure could be vaguely seen sitting cross-legged by the lake, deep in cultivation.

That was Bai Lan.

Even late into the night, he did not rest.

Elder Mu watched for a while, then suddenly smiled.

"Wait until he reaches level thirty."

"When he hits level thirty, I will take him."

He turned around and looked at Yan Shaozhe:

"During this time, you are responsible for laying a solid foundation for him."

"There must be no mistakes before he reaches level thirty."

Yan Shaozhe bowed solemnly: "Yes, Teacher."

Elder Mu waved his hand and sat back down by the window.

Moonlight spilled in, illuminating his aged face.

Yan Shaozhe looked at his silhouette and suddenly felt an indescribable sensation.

The teacher was gambling.

Gambling that Bai Lan could grow up.

Gambling that he could pave the way for him before he died.

"Go," Elder Mu said, his voice calm: "Let him cultivate well. When he reaches level thirty, I will go find him personally."

Yan Shaozhe nodded and turned to leave.

When he reached the door, he suddenly paused and looked back.

Elder Mu was still sitting by the window, gazing at the night sky outside.

Under the moonlight, his shadow was stretched very long.

Yan Shaozhe suddenly remembered many years ago, when he had just enrolled, the teacher had sat by the window just like this, looking in the same direction.

Back then, the teacher's back had been much straighter than it was now.

He withdrew his gaze and pushed the door open to leave.

Behind him, Elder Mu's voice drifted over softly:

"Kid, don't let me down."

In the night, that paper crane flew out the window once more, disappearing over the surface of the lake.

The next morning.

Bai Lan woke up from his cultivation and opened his eyes.

Outside the window, the sun was bright.

He stood up, pushed the window open, and took a deep breath of fresh air.

Suddenly, a paper crane flew in from outside and landed in his palm.

The paper crane unfolded automatically, revealing a few lines of text:

"When you reach level thirty, come to the Sea God Pavilion to find me."

"I will take you to contract your third contract beast."

The signature consisted of only one character:

Mu.

Bai Lan looked at the note, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly.

The third contract beast...

He raised his head and looked out the window.

The sunlight was very warm.

The road ahead was still very long.

But he knew that from today on, there was someone who would always be waiting for him up ahead.

That person was named Mu En.

The Dragon God Douluo.

The Pavilion Master of the Sea God Pavilion at Shrek.

And also, for him, Bai Lan, the greatest backer in this world.

He also knew his own uniqueness.

Once it was known to the outside world, or even to others within the academy, it would be reported back to the sects.

At that point, only staying within the academy would be safe; anywhere else would be a death trap.

Especially once Mu En passed away.

Without a peerless Titled Douluo like Elder Mu to hold the fort, the Holy Spirit Cult and those restless imperial forces would surely stage a comeback, bringing an irreversible catastrophe directly upon the academy.

By then, his only option would be to run and hide completely to stay safe.

Time flowed like water, slipping away quietly.

Three months had passed since Elder Mu sent that message that night.

Shrek Academy, Outer Court, primary dormitory.

Bai Lan sat cross-legged on his bed, eyes half-closed, his breathing long and steady.

Faint fluctuations of Soul Power swirled around his body, ethereal yet continuous.

The Contract Book hovered before him, its pages turning slowly without a breeze.

On the first page, the mark of the Arrow Bamboo emitted a soft, cyan glow.

On the second page, the silver butterfly silhouette of the Void Butterfly King trembled gently, as if it might break free from the page at any moment.

The third page remained blank.

That was the spot reserved for a future contracted beast.

Bai Lan opened his eyes and exhaled a breath of stale air.

"Level 29 peak."

He murmured to himself, his gaze resting on his own hands.

Three months to go from level 26 to level 29 peak—three levels.

Compared to the frantic sprint of nine levels in the previous half-year, this speed was much slower.

But Bai Lan knew this was the normal rhythm of cultivation.

For a Soul Master, the further one progressed, the more energy was required.

The gap from level 29 peak to level 30 was a hurdle.

It was the threshold between a Great Soul Master and a Soul Elder.

Many people got stuck here, some for half a year, others for several years.

If not for the fact that he had two soul beasts cultivating alongside him, providing mutual nourishment, he wouldn't have been this fast.

"No need to rush," he told himself.

A knock came from the window.

"Bai Lan! Are you in?"

It was the voice of Bei Bei.

Bai Lan put away the Contract Book and stood up to open the door.

Outside, Bei Bei stood there in a fitted outfit, smiling brightly.

Tang Ya and Xu Sanshi followed behind him.

"Let's go, let's go! Outer Court mission!"

"Dean Yan personally approved it for the four of us to team up and head to the Soul Beast Forest to collect herbs!"

Tang Ya leaned in, her eyes sparkling.

Bai Lan was slightly stunned: "Dean Yan personally approved?"

"That's right."

"He said you need more combat experience, and while you're at it... to help you break through."

Bei Bei nodded.