This is eight years old?!

Early in the morning, Oscar was woken up by Ma Hongjun.

He rubbed his eyes, feeling that the little fatty had improved significantly. When asked, the little fatty just chuckled foolishly, claiming he didn't know anything and had simply broken through to level eighteen last night.

Oscar nodded slightly. Although Ma Hongjun did not have innate full spirit power, after evolving his Evil Fire Phoenix into a Pure-blooded Fire Phoenix, his talent was nearly on par with it.

It was perfectly normal for Ma Hongjun to break through to level eighteen in these two years. If it weren't for the fact that he was practicing the Taiji Technique, which required far more spirit power to store at each level compared to other spirit masters of the same rank, he would likely have already reached level twenty.

Level twenty at under nine years old...

"Let's go eat first, then get straight to training."

Oscar ruffled the little fatty's hair and said softly.

"Senior brother, Teacher said I should come along too."

Ma Hongjun said with a silly grin. Seeing his senior brother's brows furrow slightly, he pointed to the small bag at his waist.

"I've already packed my luggage, senior brother."

Oscar could only shake his head helplessly. The little fatty seemed to have become overly diligent lately, but that was a good thing, so he didn't say much more.

In any case, they were heading to the Soul Hunting Forest to hunt spirit beasts; with their combined strength, they could at least run if they couldn't win.

Furthermore, they had Dean Flender and Teacher Zhao Wuji protecting them along the way. If they still encountered any danger, they might as well all just find a block of tofu and smash their heads into it!

"Let's go, eat first, but you must listen to instructions on the road, understand?"

Seeing Ma Hongjun nod, Oscar led him toward the Shrek Academy cafeteria, where Shao Xin had already prepared breakfast.

Seeing the two little ones enter, Shao Xin's eyes lit up, and he served two heaping plates of meat, handing them over.

"Little Ao, you should eat more. Once we go to hunt for your spirit ring, there won't be any good food to eat for a few days."

"We? Are you coming too, Teacher Shao Xin?"

Ma Hongjun took the tray and tilted his head.

"Yes, I'm going with you. This time we're heading to the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt spirit beasts, and all the teachers are going with you."

Shao Xin ruffled Ma Hongjun's hair. Ma Hongjun could be considered the group's favorite at Shrek right now.

It couldn't be helped... after all, it was pure phoenix fire. Now that Ma Hongjun's body had been burned clean of every last impurity, he looked just like a porcelain doll.

Plus, with his honest and sensible demeanor, everyone liked him very much.

Oscar didn't speak after taking his tray; he sat at the table and rubbed his chin slightly.

Yesterday, when Li Yusong told him that Dean Flender and Teacher Zhao Wuji were going along to hunt for spirits, he had felt something was off. The academy was placing an absurd amount of importance on this operation.

Thinking about it carefully today, he understood the teachers' intentions.

The talent for spirit research he had previously displayed had already garnered attention. This trip to the Star Dou Great Forest was likely not as simple as just letting him hunt for his second spirit ring.

It was more about letting him come into contact with more wild spirit beasts to accumulate experience.

Just as he was thinking, Dai Mubai walked in.

However, Dai Mubai's complexion was terrible. It was to be expected; no Power Attack Spirit Master would be able to handle being beaten up by a Support Spirit Master.

What was most painful was that he had used two spirit skills and unleashed all his abilities, only to end up being pinned to the ground and hammered.

It hurt, it hurt so much!

"Sit down, Mubai. Your talent is still quite good, don't be discouraged."

Oscar helped Dai Mubai get a plate of food, placed it on the table in front of him, and patted his shoulder.

"..."

Dai Mubai looked up slightly, then quickly lowered his head again. He picked up a pair of chopsticks and began shoveling food into his mouth, wanting to say something but closing his mouth instead.

He was a Power Attack Spirit Master, yet he had been defeated by a Food System spirit master. It was too embarrassing...

"Alright, don't be like that. In a while, I'll teach you my combat techniques."

Oscar picked up a piece of meat and popped it into his mouth, his voice as gentle as a spring breeze.

"Really?"

Dai Mubai looked up, his Evil Eyes narrowing into pinpricks.

Only those who had fought Oscar would know how absurd his combat techniques were!

He was a top-tier beast spirit user! His spirit power was even higher than this guy's! And yet he had been beaten into that miserable state...

"Of course it's true, but not now. We're going out to hunt spirit beasts today."

"Hm?"

Dai Mubai looked up at the little fatty beside him. This guy wasn't even ten years old yet, right... could he already be level twenty?

"Don't overthink it, it's me who needs to hunt a spirit beast."

"Hm?"

Dai Mubai looked at Oscar, completely bewildered.

"Are you saying that when you fought me, you didn't even have a second spirit ring yet?!"

The function of a Spirit Ring is not as simple as just adding a spirit skill; it also transforms a Spirit Master's martial soul and body!

There is a massive difference between a level twenty Spirit Master with a second Spirit Ring and one without.

"Don't look so shocked; you'll get stronger once you learn it too."

Oscar shook his head helplessly and said to Dai Mubai.

It was at this moment that Flender, Zhao Wuji, and Li Yusong arrived at the cafeteria one after another.

"Not bad, your state today is excellent."

Flender patted Oscar on the shoulder and nodded with satisfaction, then raised an eyebrow as he looked at Dai Mubai.

"The third prince of the Star Luo Empire coming to Shrek to study—is it because the struggle for the crown has begun?"

"Mm..."

Dai Mubai always felt that the people in this school didn't seem to know how to talk; why did they always insist on rubbing salt into a person's wounds?

"Rest assured, as long as you come here, you will definitely have the hope of surpassing your elder brother and winning the struggle for the crown."

"It's too difficult. You know he is six years older than me; I can't catch up."

Dai Mubai sighed. A major reason he fled to the Heaven Dou Empire was that he felt he had no hope left.

"You are wrong to say that. Since you have joined Shrek, Shrek will be your strongest backing.

This is Oscar, a Food System Spirit Master with innate full spirit power. He isn't even eleven yet, but he is already level twenty.

You fought a match yesterday, so you should be able to feel his talent."

Flender patted Oscar, his eagle-like eyes flashing with the light of wisdom.

Oscar knew that his foster father had his eyes set on Dai Mubai's wallet.

He looked at Dai Mubai, whose Evil Eye was growing brighter, and felt a bit of sympathy; this guy had truly been swindled.

"The little fatty is named Ma Hongjun, martial soul Fire Phoenix, a top-tier beast martial soul. Although he is only eight years old now, he is already seventeen... Hongjun, you broke through?"

Flender looked at the little fatty and clicked his tongue in wonder.

"I got lucky, I happened to break through last night."

Ma Hongjun scratched his head with a silly grin, casting a guilty glance at Oscar.

Senior brother shouldn't have noticed that I changed my cultivation technique, right?

"Eight years old? This is eight years old?!"

Dai Mubai shouted in astonishment, not even noticing that he was cursing.

This was simply too outrageous!

Awakening a martial soul at six, level eighteen at eight!

Even with innate full spirit power, this guy was way too fast—eight levels in two years!

At this rate, he would definitely be level thirty-four by the time he was twelve!

A twelve-year-old Spirit Venerable!

Ma Hongjun scratched his head in embarrassment. Having often cultivated with his senior brother, he knew clearly that his senior brother's body had taken a long time to recover from injuries; although his combat power had increased by more than just a little bit because of it, his spirit power progression had been somewhat slow.

It was equivalent to saying that the time they had spent cultivating wasn't much different, so by that calculation, his senior brother's cultivation speed was actually much faster than his own.