Encounter

The prerequisite for carrying it forward was that the students who left Shrek Academy had to make something of themselves.

It could be said without exaggeration that Ning Chuan was the most likely of all Shrek's students to break through to become a Titled Douluo.

As the dean of Shrek Academy, Flender naturally could not betray his own student and watch Ning Chuan throw his life away for nothing.

It was already late at night. Other than Ning Chuan, none of the students at Shrek Academy knew that so much had happened that night.

As for Ning Chuan, although he knew Tang Hao had come, he did not know Tang Hao had already set his sights on him.

But even if he had known, he would not have cared.

Because not just him—if anyone from Shrek joined Spirit Hall, Tang Hao would take action to eliminate them.

That was simply the kind of person he was.

Before then, all Ning Chuan needed to do was lie low and steadily build his strength. And fleece Tang Hao while he was at it. He believed that within a few years, Tang Hao would no longer be able to suppress his injuries and would be forced to cut off one hand and one foot. By then, the man would have lost all value.

Early morning.

The sky had only just begun to brighten when Ning Chuan got up. Practicing his swordsmanship every day was something he had to do.

He left his private dormitory and headed to the Small Woods near the academy.

He found someone who had risen even earlier than him. It was Zhu Zhuqing. At that moment, she was practicing her Soul Skills against a tree.

"First Soul Skill: Hell Stab!"

"Second Soul Skill: Netherworld Hundred Claws!"

Making use of the traits of an agility attack-type Soul Master, Zhu Zhuqing moved around a large tree that would take several people to encircle like a black shadow, darting about in a steady rhythm.

In the blink of an eye, the tree was covered in claw marks of varying sizes. The largest were half a meter long, while even the smallest measured over a foot.

"She really is working hard."

Ning Chuan knew that Zhu Zhuqing had the weakest talent among the Shrek Seven Devils, yet her Soul Power had never fallen behind. That was inseparable from the effort she put in, several times greater than that of ordinary people.

"Who's there?"

Just then, Zhu Zhuqing noticed him as well.

"It's me."

Ning Chuan stepped out from behind a large tree.

Seeing that it was Ning Chuan, Zhu Zhuqing's originally cold expression softened considerably. "Why are you out so early?"

"Aren't you out early too?"

The two smiled at each other. Zhu Zhuqing said, "Thank you for what happened yesterday. Otherwise, I definitely would have been seriously injured."

"It's nothing. I was the one who proposed the strategy in the first place. If something went wrong because of me, then naturally I had to keep you safe."

Ning Chuan was talking nonsense. In reality, if it had been Tang San or Dai Mubai, who the hell would have cared whether they lived or died?

But his words stirred something in Zhu Zhuqing's heart. Having lived amid assassinations since childhood, this was the first time someone had said they would protect her.

Without waiting for her response, Ning Chuan took five oversized custom Barbell Plates from his Storage Soul Tool belt.

Each plate weighed a full hundred jin. Five of them came to five hundred jin.

Ning Chuan strung them together with an iron bar.

Then, gripping the handles at both ends of the bar with both hands, he began practicing sword-swinging motions.

Watching Ning Chuan swing such a heavy weight without turning red or even breathing heavily, and without using the slightest bit of Soul Power, Zhu Zhuqing asked in surprise, "Is this how you cultivate every day?"

"Not exactly. I started with only a hundred jin, then gradually increased it as my strength grew."

Ning Chuan answered as he swung.

As he spoke, he seemed to feel that the barbell had become a little light, so he added another plate.

Zhu Zhuqing said nothing more, though she looked as if she wanted to speak but hesitated. Her gaze toward Ning Chuan held a hint of urgency.

This was not love at first sight, of course. Rather, she had seen hope in Ning Chuan for becoming stronger herself. But they had only just met, and he had saved her yesterday, so it was not easy for her to ask.

Ning Chuan suddenly said, "From the way you just used your Soul Skills, your speed is very fast, but your movements seem overly formulaic. That makes it easy for others to find a pattern and expose your weaknesses."

Zhu Zhuqing knew he was giving her guidance, and her eyes immediately lit up. "Then what should I do?"

Ning Chuan turned to look at her, a faint smile appearing on his face. "Have you ever heard this saying? Speed is power..."

When the sun rose, Ning Chuan and Zhu Zhuqing walked out of the Small Woods, chatting and laughing.

Zhu Zhuqing was beginning to feel hungry. With that big sucker Tang Hao around, Ning Chuan was not afraid of starvation, but he still ate normally every day.

However, since they had only just arrived at Shrek Academy and did not know where the cafeteria was, Ning Chuan suggested they follow the cooking smoke and buy food from the villagers.

Before they knew it, the two had left the grounds of Shrek Academy. There, they happened to see Xiao Wu and Tang San confronting a fat man covered from head to toe in purplish-red flames.

No, perhaps it would be more fitting to describe him as a barnyard chicken.

His mohawk hairstyle gathered toward the center of his head, while long feathers extended from his thick, exposed arms. His hands had turned into claws.

Honestly, if not for the two Yellow Spirit Rings circling him and the flames covering his body, it would have been easy to mistake his Martial Soul for that of a barnyard chicken.

"Little Six, where did you run off to so early in the morning? We couldn't find you anywhere. Hurry... hurry up and teach him a lesson! This fatty is trying to forcibly take an innocent woman!"

Upon seeing Ning Chuan arrive, Xiao Wu's face brightened with delight. But when she noticed Zhu Zhuqing beside him, her little face immediately fell.

Tang San, meanwhile, revealed a trace of joy on his previously gloomy face.

Few knew that yesterday, after Tang Hao had beaten Zhao Wuji senseless, Flender had gone to see Tang San. Using Spirit Sage-level Soul Power, he had personally treated Tang San's injuries. Thus, Tang San had awakened from his coma in the middle of the night. Oscar, following Flender's instructions and worried that something might happen to him, had stayed by his side the entire time. Once Tang San awoke, Oscar told him what had happened afterward.

Tang San did not suspect Ning Chuan of being behind it. He merely thought that Zhao Wuji had deliberately targeted him in order to break free of his Blue Silver Grass, placing even more gravity on him.

That was what had caused him to lose consciousness.

Yet he still could not let it go, because judging from the strength Ning Chuan had displayed yesterday, Ning Chuan had clearly already far surpassed him. Unless he used a Hidden Weapon, he had no chance of fighting him.

And the reason he was happy now was that Ning Chuan and Zhu Zhuqing had come together.

Clearly, he was pleased to see it happen. This way, no one would compete with him for Xiao Wu.

Ma Hongjun had not returned to the academy the previous night and had no idea what had happened there. He had been looking for his girlfriend, Cui Hua, only to be stopped by a little girl and a lump of charcoal. Then another pretty boy appeared, and his anger immediately surged.

"Oh? You actually dare come out and interfere? And you've even got the kind of bitch face I hate most. Don't think I'm afraid of you just because there are more of you. Come on, come on! Let's see if Fatty Ma doesn't beat you so hard today that you'll be scrambling for your teeth!"

As he spoke, he raised both hands. His First Spirit Ring suddenly lit up, and he opened his mouth wide, about to unleash his First Soul Skill, Phoenix Fire Line.

P.S. Second update. Please vote with monthly tickets.

Thanks to Enjoying Headwind for the 1,500 Qidian Coin tip.