Youthful Exhilaration, Xu Sanshi's Misery [Please Follow and Vote]

In just half a day, the two of them returned to Sun Moon Academy.

The Communication Soul Tool regained its signal and began working again.

He first sent messages to his friends to let them know he was safe, then returned to his dormitory to wash away the grime and exhaustion.

Afterward, he fell asleep the moment his head hit the bed.

This trip had lasted two months.

Most of the time had been spent tracking that Title Douluo and searching for the Soul Beast Embryo, while the remainder had gone toward searching the Unfrozen Sea for the Sea Spirit Turtle.

They had not wasted any time on the journey there and back.

By now, he was exhausted in both body and mind.

Xu Tinglan had no intention of meditating and cultivating either. A balance between work and rest was important, and sleep was the best way to recover.

By the time evening fell.

Xu Tinglan opened his eyes and stretched comfortably, only to discover that his roommate had returned from class at some point.

The silver-haired youth sat on his bed, looking at him with curiosity.

"Two months apart, and I feel like you've gotten taller and stronger. Don't tell me you secretly took some Muscle-Building Bone-Strengthening Pills?"

Xu Tinglan rubbed his eyes.

"When did anything like that exist?"

Xiao Hongchen wore a smug expression.

"You're back from obtaining your fourth soul ring? Your cultivation speed really is impressive, kid, but it doesn't matter. I've also broken through to Soul Ancestor."

The Three-Legged Golden Toad could absorb the energy within rare metals, allowing him to cultivate even faster than someone with Innate Full Soul Power.

He also cultivated in an Auxiliary Cultivation Room, where the effects were even better.

His previous defeat had spurred Xiao Hongchen on.

Over the past few months, he had cultivated diligently without ever slacking off.

He wanted to shine in the Selection Tournament and earn a substitute spot for the Continental Youth Soul Master Tournament.

Xu Tinglan took the Soul Power Testing Soul Tool from his dormitory drawer.

He poured Soul Power into it, and the value rose steadily before finally stopping at a certain number.

Xiao Hongchen shrugged.

"Though I don't know why it took you so long to obtain your soul ring, I'm guessing your Soul Power is only around level forty-two at most."

"There's nothing to show off. I'll surpass you soon enough."

Though he said that, he still glanced at it out of the corner of his eye.

"Hm?"

It was as if Xiao Hongchen had a jet-propelled Soul Tool installed beneath him.

He sprang to his feet and leaped to the youth's side.

Rubbing his eyes, he looked utterly incredulous.

"How is it level forty-five?"

"This thing must be broken."

Seeing his roommate's comical expression, Xu Tinglan could not help trying to suppress the smile tugging at his lips.

Even without obtaining a soul ring, meditation could still accumulate Soul Power, and the Yin Yang Treasure Liquid had also raised his cultivation considerably.

That was why he had reached level forty-five.

"Try it yourself."

Xiao Hongchen took the Soul Tool from the youth and injected his Soul Power into it.

The indicator stopped at forty-one.

It was clearly not broken.

He looked utterly disbelieving.

"How did your cultivation rise so quickly? I remember Tiger Bone Marrow doesn't increase Soul Power!"

"How are you four levels ahead of me?!"

They had only been two levels apart before. After he had worked so hard for months, why had the gap instead grown even wider?

Was that right?

Xu Tinglan's eyes were smiling.

If his roommate found out that the fourth soul ring he had obtained was ten-thousand-year level, would he not make an even bigger fuss?

He explained.

"I had a special opportunity. It was the kind of thing one could only encounter by chance."

Xiao Hongchen dejectedly sat back on the bed, propping up his chin with one hand.

His handsome young face was filled with melancholy.

Knowing his roommate had returned, he had not even gone to the Auxiliary Cultivation Room after class.

His purpose had been to tell the youth: the gap between them would only get smaller and smaller.

Previously, no one his age had been his opponent.

Xiao Hongchen had felt the loneliness of being a master.

He had dreamed of having a peer who could barely contend with him, someone with whom he could compete and improve together.

But when Xu Tinglan really appeared and surpassed him.

Xiao Hongchen only wanted to wave his hand and say:

I'm tired. Level 9 Fixed Soul Guidance Shell, blow apart the dream you made for me!

Xu Tinglan walked out of the dormitory and gazed at the brilliant stars on the horizon.

He instinctively spread his arms and embraced the breeze brushing against his face.

A contented expression appeared on his face.

These days really were comfortable.

Shrek Academy.

Beside a forest path near Sea God Lake, Xu Sanshi wore a bitter smile.

"Senior Xiaotao, can we take a break today?"

The woman wearing a red gauze mask sneered.

"No!"

Looking at the red-clad senior sister in the distance.

Xu Sanshi recalled everything that had happened over the past eight months.

When he had first joined Shrek Academy, Xu Sanshi had been surprised to discover that no one in their year had broken through to Soul Elder before turning twelve.

With his Mysterious Underworld Turtle Shell Shield, he had tormented the students of his year until their scalps went numb.

He quickly made a name for himself.

Later, after reaching the Soul Elder realm, he and Thunderbolt Beibei had become known as the Outer Court Twin Stars.

Even senior students had to show them respect.

They had been exceptionally glorious!

But good times did not last.

A red-clad senior sister from the Inner Court found him and ordered the two of them to cultivate together.

At first, Xu Sanshi had been overjoyed, believing love had arrived.

They sat cross-legged facing each other beside Sea God Lake.

The scorching flames on her body caused him unbearable pain.

Xu Sanshi quickly realized that the woman before him surpassed him in martial soul quality, attributes, and cultivation alike!

Without hesitation, he refused Ma Xiaotao.

Though Xu Sanshi could sense that cultivating together would strengthen his physique.

Her flames were far more powerful than his own, and resisting the corrosion of the Evil Fire inevitably affected his cultivation speed.

He also needed pills to prevent lasting internal injuries.

Even so, the cultivation process was agonizing!

He instinctively resisted and avoided it.

But what Xu Sanshi had not expected was that after he rejected Senior Ma, this crazy woman actually used Phoenix Fire to force him.

Like a cultivation maniac who had lost all reason.

She merely stood there watching coldly, while the pressure of a Soul King Peak radiated from her body.

Xu Sanshi's face turned pale, and he trembled in fear.

A wave of grievance rose from deep within him. He was only a level thirty-three Soul Elder; how could he possibly handle such Evil Fire?

Xu Sanshi went looking for Shrek's teachers.

But the Outer Court teachers said that the matter involved an Inner Court student and was not under their authority.

They were only responsible for teaching.

Xu Sanshi felt that the Outer Court teachers were not wrong, but he could not find any Inner Court teachers either.

So he could only write a letter and ask his father, the Mysterious Underworld Sect Master, to come to the academy.

To help him seek justice and stop Ma Xiaotao.

One month later.

His father did indeed arrive in a furious manner.

No one knew what he discussed with the academy, but his father's attitude made a complete one-hundred-and-eighty-degree turn. He turned around and berated him harshly.

Calling him a useless good-for-nothing who could not endure hardship.

Xu Sanshi did not dare argue with his father and could only lower his head and nod obediently.

Coming back to his senses.

Xu Sanshi's heart was now utterly dead.

He could only watch the red-clad woman before him release scarlet flames without restraint.

The skin on the youth's palms had long since cracked.

He pleaded pitifully.

"Senior sister, this really hurts. Could you lower the temperature just a little?"

The red-clad woman parted her lips.

"What a useless piece of trash. You only slow down my cultivation, and besides, it's not like you'll die."

Xu Sanshi took a deep breath.

For no reason, he thought of his younger cousin.

Regret inevitably rose in his heart.

If he had been like him and insisted on not joining Shrek, he would surely be living comfortably now, right?

What had allowed him to grit his teeth and persist until now was the gradual improvement of his physical condition.

"Cousin, the next time we meet, I'll make your jaw drop."

"This is my cultivation at Shrek."