Thanks to Le Bai and Oscar's efforts, Tang San had eaten one of Oscar's recovery sausages while unconscious, and his condition had improved greatly.
Wanting to see Tang San wake up as soon as possible, Xiao Wu decided to stay behind for now, cultivating her Soul Power while waiting for him to regain consciousness.
Oscar finally understood what Le Bai had meant when he introduced Xiao Wu by saying she already had an "older brother." Other than feeling a little sour, he had no other thoughts.
Leaving Xiao Wu and Tang San alone, Oscar followed Le Bai and called Dai Mubai over to continue the daily training they had yet to finish that day.
By the time dusk approached, training was over, and the three of them went to the cafeteria together for dinner.
Whether it was a coincidence or Shrek Academy was simply too small, they ran into Tang San and Xiao Wu in the cafeteria.
What bothered Dai Mubai was that he did not see Zhu Zhuqing... or Ning Rongrong.
So, after dinner, Dai Mubai packed two more meals and asked Xiao Wu to bring them to Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong.
After that, everyone returned to their respective Dormitories.
Late at night, Le Bai suddenly sensed an obvious gaze watching him.
Le Bai was not foolish enough to mistake that feeling for an illusion or something else, and the visitor had already quietly pushed open the door.
Le Bai got up, went downstairs, and lit a candle. "Tang San?"
"I hope I didn't disturb you."
Tang San was quite polite.
"It would be strange if you hadn't disturbed me at this hour."
Le Bai complained, then asked, "Why did you come here in the middle of the night instead of Sleeping?"
"Those things you said during the assessment today..."
Tang San's expression was grave. "Why did you know I was a disciple of the Tang Sect? Don't lie to me. I know there is no Tang Sect in this world. At least, not the Tang Sect you and I are talking about."
"Oh, that. It's a little hard to explain. Let me think about it."
Le Bai thought for a while. "Let's put it this way. My situation is very similar to yours, but not exactly the same. Although we are both in this world now, the worlds we came from were different. Perhaps the Tang Sect I know just happens to be the same as the one you know, though they are actually different."
"That is indeed possible."
Tang San seemed to understand. He asked Le Bai, "May I ask what sect or school you belonged to in the past?"
Le Bai remained expressionless. "No sect, no school."
Tang San frowned slightly. "What do you mean?"
"That's why I said my situation is different from yours."
Le Bai sounded a little helpless. "Strictly speaking, I used to be a scholar, the kind who had never practiced martial arts. By your jianghu standards, I was one of those imperial lackeys you talk about."
"Uh..."
Tang San fell silent awkwardly.
"Is that all you wanted to ask? If there's nothing else, I'm going back to my room to continue cultivating Soul Power."
Le Bai promptly showed him out. "Next time, try to come during the day. I need to rest at night."
"Um..."
Tang San was a little nervous. "Le Bai... may I call you that?"
Le Bai said, "You can."
"Do you have any advice regarding Xiao Wu's future development?"
Tang San asked, "What you said during the assessment today made a lot of sense. Xiao Wu's current Soul Skill combination truly isn't suited for her path as a Power Attack System Soul Master."
"Xiao San, can't we talk about this tomorrow?"
Le Bai yawned repeatedly. "You spent half the afternoon lying down, but I didn't. If we keep talking like this, am I supposed to sleep tonight or not?"
Tang San suddenly felt very apologetic. "Then... then we'll continue tomorrow. Sorry, Le Bai. I disturbed your rest."
"All right."
Le Bai directly sent him away. "Go back and rest. Or cultivate Soul Power if you don't want to sleep. Several people at the academy are close to reaching a round-number level of Soul Power. You'll probably be hunting Soul Beasts together when the time comes."
Tang San left quietly.
"Seriously, he finally decided to leave."
Le Bai gently rubbed his eyes as he returned inside. "I need to hurry up and cultivate Soul Power, or I won't have any energy again tomorrow."
After a night of quiet cultivation, he got up punctually at five-thirty the next morning.
Facing the rising sun, Le Bai stretched. "Ahh~ I've barely recovered to full condition."
After washing up quickly, he headed toward the cafeteria.
A wonderful day began with a leisurely breakfast.
Le Bai was always the earliest.
Next usually came Ma Hongjun or Dai Mubai. After two days of effort, Ma Hongjun was still just short of breaking through to level thirty, and he looked listless.
Then came Tang San and Oscar, followed shortly by Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing.
Le Bai, Oscar, Ma Hongjun, and Dai Mubai—the four older students—were already used to the cafeteria's food. They showed no particular reaction and ate as usual.
The four freshmen who had just arrived at Shrek Academy behaved noticeably differently. They paused after every bite, slowing down to savor the taste again and again.
Fortunately, all eight of them had come to the cafeteria early. Even after everyone finished eating, there was still plenty of time left.
When the eight of them arrived at the Playground together, there were still around ten minutes before the time Flender had set.
Perhaps seeing that everyone had arrived, Flender appeared early for once.
When Xiao Wu and Tang San clearly saw Flender's approaching face, they both seemed shocked, their emotions visibly stirred.
Xiao Wu lowered her voice. "Isn't that the shady merchant uncle?!"
Tang San said nothing, but he was clearly just as surprised by Flender's appearance.
"Looks like you've visited the shop our Dean runs in Suotuo City."
After hearing Xiao Wu's words, Le Bai said in a normal voice, "No need to be surprised. There are so few students at our academy that, if it depended only on the tiny amount of tuition we pay, the academy would have collapsed long ago. The Dean doesn't want years of hard work to go to waste, so naturally he has to find ways to make money. Running a shop is only one of his ways of earning money. The Dean has quite a good eye, but unfortunately, he has terrible luck with money."
Thinking of the Crystal Board he had bought for forty Gold Soul Coins, Tang San could not help nodding. "He really does."
Hearing Tang San agree with Le Bai, Xiao Wu puffed out her cheeks in dissatisfaction. "He's a Soul Saint. Wouldn't he get a huge subsidy from Spirit Hall every month? How could he be short on money?"
"What subsidy would a Soul Saint get?"
Le Bai explained to Xiao Wu, "Spirit Hall's subsidies are provided by the empire. Spirit Hall only distributes them on its behalf for convenience. They are mainly meant to help commoner Soul Masters without backing get through their hardest years. That's why they only continue until level thirty-nine. Starting from level forty, they stop. Any Soul Master who reaches level forty and still can't support himself can only be called useless."
Xiao Wu immediately did not dare say another word. She was only a transformed Soul Beast—what did she know about making money? If Tang San had not helped her manage her finances over the years, and if the little brothers she had taken in had not occasionally paid tribute to her, she might have been unable to hold on long ago and would have returned to the Soul Beast Forest.
Flender walked up to them. "Good morning, students! I am Flender, the Dean of Shrek Academy. On behalf of the academy, I welcome the four new Little Monsters joining us this year."
After a brief opening, Flender continued, "Later, each newcomer is to pay ten Gold Soul Coins to Teacher Li, who handles finances. Mu Bai, take them there."
Dai Mubai stepped forward and respectfully replied, "Yes, Dean!"
"Mm."
Flender nodded.
After Dai Mubai returned to the group, Flender began explaining the academy's teaching arrangements. "The academy's classes are separate from your usual training. Today's class will begin in the evening. During the day, you are to complete the training plans Le Bai has made for you."
"Of course, if you are confident that you can create a training plan better than Le Bai's, remember to bring it to me. If it truly is better, then from now on, you may train yourself. Neither I nor the other teachers will interfere."
"Also, remember this: do not be late for class tonight. Otherwise, I will give you an 'appropriate' punishment."
"That is all I have to say."
With that, Flender left decisively and soon disappeared from sight.
"We'll do the same as yesterday."
After arranging the daily training for himself and the other three older students, Le Bai turned to the four newcomers. "You still can't recover Soul Power while training, so the training I've arranged for you will only take up the morning for now. You'll have the afternoon to recover. Now, start by warming up with a run alongside us."
During the National Day holiday period (October 1–October 7), the update volume will increase by 50%.
Update times adjusted to: 10:00, 16:00, and 22:00.
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