Oscar had returned to the academy by noon.
He was so exhausted that as soon as he entered the academy grounds, he flopped onto the ground and didn't move.
Not far away, Ning Rongrong and a few girls were laughing and chatting, while Tang San and a few boys were playfully roughhousing.
Ah, how nice. But why had he suffered so much in the Star Dou Great Forest?
Oscar felt utterly helpless.
What kind of Soul Ring had Rongrong obtained? From what he knew of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, it should have been related to Soul Power.
Just as he was about to call Ning Rongrong over to help him up, Oscar's head swam, and he fell asleep.
"Isn't that Oscar?"
Dai Mubai had sharp eyes and spotted Oscar at once.
His shout caught Zhu Zhuqing and Xiao Wu's attention. As Ning Rongrong's roommates, they knew that Oscar had left with Ning Rongrong and the dean for training that morning, but Ning Rongrong had returned early. Oscar, on the other hand, was several hours late.
They glanced at Ning Rongrong, who seemed not to have noticed the matter at all, and the two girls didn't ask any more questions.
Perhaps Ning Rongrong had finished her training early.
The three boys ran over to Oscar. Tang San checked him and concluded, "Oscar's just exhausted. But it's strange. Why did he come back at this hour? The dean returned ages ago, too."
Ma Hongjun proudly patted his belly and said, "The dean must trust us veterans, so he brought Ning Rongrong back and then left Oscar to fend for himself. And have you noticed? Oscar's gotten stronger!"
Tang San checked again, and sure enough, Oscar's Soul Power had clearly grown stronger.
Level 30?
Another young Soul Elder in the making. Tang San's desire to grow stronger intensified, and just then, he sensed something even more unexpected. His gaze shifted to Ning Rongrong in the distance.
He frowned.
Ning Rongrong's increase in Soul Power was within his expectations. She had already been at level 30, so it was only natural that the dean would help her obtain a Soul Ring. But he could actually smell a hint of poison on her.
Anyone who regularly used poison knew that it was something outsiders could hardly detect, but an expert could spot at a glance.
His instincts told him that Ning Rongrong had gained an ability related to poison.
Before he could think it over, Dai Mubai called him over.
"Xiao San, Oscar seems to have been poisoned too. See if there's any way to fix it."
"Use a sausage."
Tang San answered matter-of-factly, then remembered that Oscar himself was the one who'd been poisoned.
Earlier.
Flender left Zhao Wuji's residence. At that moment, he had no intention of seeking out Ning Rongrong and demanding an explanation. That wouldn't befit his position.
As a Soul Saint, he was supposed to see at a glance that Ning Rongrong had absorbed a Soul Ring, then act completely unsurprised—in short, put on an air of cool indifference.
He was going to find someone else: Tang San, the son of the other Titled Douluo who had caused Zhao Wuji trouble the night before.
First, he wanted to check in on him. Second, he wanted to ask about his old friend.
Thinking of Tang San's strength, Flender's expression stiffened again.
The kid might have been a little underhanded, but his strength was a genuine level 29. Of the four new students, he had the best combat ability... no, now he might be the second strongest.
This batch of new students... it seemed only that girl called Xiao Wu had no background. What had he done to deserve such students at Shrek Academy?
Facing the young man, a complicated look filled his eyes.
"How is Grandmaster?"
After returning to the academy, Lu Ma faced two options.
One was to pass the morning and afternoon normally. The other was to use the game company's thoughtful feature to jump straight to the evening.
With a new Soul Skill, how could he not try it out?
Thinking that the game company had really designed this well, Lu Ma immediately chose to skip the morning and afternoon.
Night fell. The Suotuo Great Soul Arena!
Flender was in a fairly good mood, but the five youngsters weren't.
Even Dai Mubai felt a chill down his back. He had no idea what had gotten into Flender, making him send the new students into the Great Soul Arena to fight on their very first lesson.
He couldn't help envying the two support-system Soul Masters, Ning Rongrong and Oscar—especially Ning Rongrong, who had trained for such a short time...
"Dean, can I join in?"
Just as Dai Mubai's discontent was beginning to grow, a playful voice came from behind him. He turned around and saw that Ning Rongrong had actually run over, with Oscar following close behind.
"Rongrong, don't go... so... fast."
He reached out and finally caught up, bending over and panting heavily.
"Ning Rongrong, Oscar?" Flender was a little surprised. He adjusted his glasses and asked, "Why are you here? Your training should already be over... wasn't it enough?"
Oscar immediately perked up and hurriedly shook his head. "Dean, I tried to talk Rongrong out of it, but she wouldn't listen. She insisted on coming."
Ning Rongrong looked back at Oscar with disdain and clicked her tongue.
Flender's expression darkened.
Oscar was startled. If Ning Rongrong got punished because of him, what would become of his future? He hurriedly tried to take the blame.
But before he could say a word, Flender had already responded sternly. "Ridiculous! Oscar, how can you be so unmotivated?"
The seven of them were stunned.
Oscar pointed at himself. "Me?"
"Who else? Look at Ning Rongrong. She's more talented than you and works harder, too. How can you possibly compare?"
"Uh..." Oscar was momentarily speechless. He couldn't think of what he, a young master like Ning Rongrong, had to compare with her on. But then he remembered what he'd gone through that morning, and plucked up the courage to talk back. "I can compare because I reached level 30 during this morning's training!"
In an instant, everyone's eyes turned to Oscar.
Ning Rongrong wasn't among them, because she didn't care.
Tang San wasn't among them either, because he had sensed it that morning.
Xiao Wu, Zhu Zhuqing, and Dai Mubai stared at Oscar, but weren't all that surprised.
The most surprised was Ma Hongjun.
If that was the case, wouldn't he be the least promising one among the older students at Shrek Academy?
"Why, you little...!"
He pointed at Oscar and said indignantly.
Flender's expression shifted slightly. "Good! That's the spirit! Then you can join the Great Soul Arena matches, too!"
"Me?"
Oscar wilted at once and turned to look at everyone...
"Am I teaming up with Fatty?"
Ma Hongjun immediately tried to cozy up to him. "Of course. We're close, aren't we? Once we win, how about you share your level-up experience with me?"
Oscar's mouth twitched. "Haha, sure. Sure."
Seeing that they'd sorted things out, Flender turned to Ning Rongrong and said,
"Rongrong, you should be a Soul Elder now. Later, you can team up with Dai Mubai..."
"I object!"
Three of them spoke in unison, startling Flender.
They were Ning Rongrong, Dai Mubai, and Zhu Zhuqing.
"Dean, Zhuqing and I might have a Martial Soul Fusion Skill. I'd like to wait until she catches up before we team up. Our chances of winning would be much higher!"
"The Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda's support is no less effective."
Before you continue