Two and a Half Years

Two and a half years later.

Shrek Academy, battle arena.

Oscar flourished his sword and slipped it behind his back, his mind wandering.

Over the past two and a half years, he had fully mastered the four skills of his Second Soul Ring. Once he had combined them seamlessly, he had even developed plenty of new applications.

For example, he could sell sausages around town and use Mental Sharing to gather new information. Or he could stuff a Simulation Gold Jade Sausage inside a Mental Confusion Gold Jade Sausage to create spirit bombs with all kinds of appearances.

At the same time, his cultivation speed hadn't slowed like everyone else's. It had actually picked up, and in just two and a half years, he had reached level thirty-seven, the Soul Elder rank.

With Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's help, he had obtained his third Spirit Ring by hunting a two-thousand-five-hundred-year-old Emerald Swan Soul Beast.

Although there had been plenty of trouble along the way, Sky Dream had even warned him to avoid Star Dou Great Forest as much as possible in the future, lest he invite retaliation. And his third Soul Skill was limited to producing just one sausage a day, with a shelf life of only three days.

But Oscar thought it was all worth it!

The Soul Skill, Grace Hymn Emerald Sausage, not only gave him the life-force recovery skill he had long dreamed of, but could also instantly restore the consumer's life force to full. As long as someone still had a breath left, he could pull them back from the gates of death!

Most incredible of all, if he ate one himself, its doubled effect could make his life force overflow, affecting nearby living beings and gradually improving their talent and cultivation speed!

Oscar had used the unique properties of Grace Hymn Emerald Sausage to help Meng Yiran break through to level thirty-three and obtain her third Soul Skill—Snake Spirit!

At the thought, the corners of his mouth lifted slightly. Nearby, Ma Hongjun hopped down from a wooden post and said regretfully:

"Aw, junior brother, I told you to spar with me before you went to your senior brother. Got beaten up, huh?"

Dai Mubai stood opposite Oscar, his luxurious clothes slashed to tatters.

"Fight you? When I first reached level thirty, didn't we already fight? You nearly singed all the feathers off my bird!"

Dai Mubai panted heavily and turned toward Ma Hongjun, his tiger eyes full of embarrassment and anger.

Over the past two and a half years, with Oscar's Grace Hymn Emerald Sausage helping him, he had reached level thirty-nine. But against these two senior brothers, he was still... powerless. He simply couldn't win.

After all, Ma Hongjun had shot up to level thirty-two as if he'd swallowed a powerful tonic!

Against Ma Hongjun's Fire Phoenix, Dai Mubai didn't dare get close. Otherwise, forget his clothes—even his fur would get roasted off!

He really had no idea how these two brothers cultivated. One was a thirty-two-year-old Soul Elder at just eleven, the other a thirty-seven-year-old Soul Elder at just thirteen!

Most ridiculous of all, he'd heard from Ma Hongjun that Oscar's cultivation speed had slowed considerably because of his technique and his injuries!

After all these years, Oscar's injuries were probably almost healed. Wouldn't that mean he'd get even faster?!

Could he reach Soul King before he turned fifteen?!

Sometimes, Dai Mubai really wanted to dissect the brothers and see what strange things they had hidden inside their bodies.

"Junior brother, that was an accident. Why are you still holding it against me?"

Ma Hongjun shook out his black robe and said with a cheerful grin.

Dai Mubai turned away with a snort. By order of seniority, he was now Ma Hongjun's junior brother, but for the sake of the Taiji Combat Method, he wasn't going to argue with him.

"Enough. All you do every day is bicker!"

Meng Yiran walked over from a distance and gave Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun an annoyed look. Then she gently handed Oscar a cup of water.

Oscar smiled and accepted it. He no longer hesitated like he once had.

The sect's rule against marriage was meant to protect them, so they wouldn't ruin their cultivation. But now that he had a Martial Soul and Soul Power, he no longer needed to worry about that.

The sect would never let some outdated rule limit its disciples' futures. As long as they had a better path ahead, harmed no one, and didn't disrupt society, they were free to follow it. That was the meaning of following the natural way.

Oscar understood that his earlier hesitation came down to wondering what his master and senior brothers would think if they found out. But in the end, he was only restraining himself, enslaving himself.

Only by ceasing to seek validation from outside himself could he become his true self and unleash his true nature.

At the very least, he now felt that it was all worthwhile.

"Big Sister Yiran is always so fierce to me and junior brother, but she's as gentle as water with senior brother~"

Ma Hongjun said his shameless line with a perfectly serious expression. Dai Mubai glanced over and nodded in agreement, making Meng Yiran blush. She stamped her foot in embarrassment and said:

"Mind your own business!"

In the distance, Zhao Wuji watched the boys and girls fooling around, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly... all the way to his ears.

He hadn't had much faith in their chances at the Continental Elite Spirit Master Tournament before. But after seeing these four outstanding Soul Elders, they now fully believed the group could achieve excellent results in the tournament someday!

At the thought, he turned to Flender, who was lying on the rooftop, and said:

"Boss, I don't think there's any need to have that Yu Xiaogang teach them, is there?

"Over the years, Xiao Ao has gained plenty of knowledge about Soul Beasts in various Soul Hunting Forests. We've even made several rounds through Star Dou Great Forest.

"I feel like Xiao Ao can completely outclass that so-called Grandmaster, both in theory and in strength!"

Flender scratched his beard. This was what he had been agonizing over most lately.

In the past, he would have let Yu Xiaogang teach without a second thought. After all, no matter how poor Yu Xiaogang's character and judgment were, he had precious records from Spirit Hall and the Tyrant Dragon family—legacies that they could never hope to gather, no matter how hard they tried!

But Yu Xiaogang seemed to have gotten into serious trouble two years ago... Bringing him here might not be a good idea...

"I'll think about it some more... By the way, did you finish investigating those people around Xiao Ao?"

"Not yet. They're too slippery. Besides, Xiao Ao is your adopted son, after all. If you're worried, why not just ask him yourself?"

Over the years, Flender had long noticed that a group of Soul Masters were around Oscar.

He was most worried that they might have ulterior motives toward Oscar, but the private investigation had turned up nothing.

He couldn't bring himself to ask Oscar directly, so he had no choice but to send Zhao Wuji.

"Boss, I think those people get along well with Xiao Ao. And Xiao Ao is capable. You should have a little faith in him."

Zhao Wuji had actually already asked Oscar about them. He had even been involved in setting up Sky Net at the very beginning.

As for keeping it from Flender, that had been a decision they'd made together.

It wasn't that they distrusted Flender. It was just that Oscar said it involved the workings of heaven, and for Flender's safety, they had to keep it secret.