Xiao Xiao Reaches Level 20 Ahead of Schedule! Dai Huabin Plans a New Martial Soul Path

Early that morning, the white freshman uniform of Shrek Academy looked exceptionally well-fitted on Xiao Xiao.

She rushed into the Class Nine classroom like a cheerful little bird, her small face flushed red with excitement.

"Class Monitor! Class Monitor! I've broken through! Level 20! I've finally reached Level 20!" Xiao Xiao's voice rang out from the back row of the classroom.

Dai Huabin, who had been flipping through the Soul Beast Illustrated Handbook, closed the book and carefully examined the fluctuations of soul power around Xiao Xiao, nodding in satisfaction.

This was more than a month earlier than the time Xiao Xiao had obtained her second soul ring in the original timeline.

The medicinal pills and Whale Rubber provided by Ning Tian had indeed played a massive role.

Wang Dong'er and Cui Yajie immediately gathered around as well.

"That's great, Xiao Xiao!" Wang Dong'er took Xiao Xiao's small hand in hers.

Over this past month, Wang Dong'er's soul power had also reached the peak of Level 21, just a single step away from Level 22.

Cui Yajie's Nine-Tailed Fox martial soul had also become increasingly solid under the nourishment of the resources, steadily touching the threshold of Level 25.

"Since you've reached Level 20, let's not delay." Dai Huabin stood up and pulled Zhu Lu over from beside him. "Let's go, we need to find Teacher Mu Jin to approve our leave slip. We leave today."

Inside the office, Mu Jin listened to the intentions of the five students and flipped through the teaching plan on her desk.

"The five of you are going to the outer perimeter of the Star Dou Great Forest?" Mu Jin looked at the lineup of freshmen before her, which could only be described as luxurious, and couldn't help but offer a word of caution.

Dai Huabin pressed his hands against the desk.

"Hundred-year soul beasts in the outer perimeter pose no substantial threat to a Soul Elder like me.

It just so happens that we can use this opportunity to hunt for a soul ring to let the three of them practice their tactical coordination for the freshman assessment in advance."

Mu Jin pondered for a moment.

A team led by a Level 33 assault-type Soul Elder, plus a Level 26 agility-type, was a configuration that could even put up a fight against ordinary thousand-year soul beasts.

Not to mention that Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu possessed that terrifying Martial Soul Fusion Skill.

"Fine, I'll approve the slip for you."

Mu Jin took a leave slip from her drawer, scribbled her name, and handed it to Dai Huabin.

"But I'll say this first: you are absolutely forbidden from going deep into the mixed zone. The Star Dou Great Forest is ever-changing; if you encounter danger you cannot resolve, send a distress signal immediately."

"Understood."

Dai Huabin put away the leave slip and led the four girls out of the office building.

At the main gate of Shrek Academy.

All five of them had changed into tight-fitting outfits convenient for movement.

Zhu Lu wore a black leather bodysuit that perfectly outlined her toned, agility-type physique.

Wang Dong'er wore a sleek light-blue combat suit, arms crossed over her chest, looking eager to try.

Dai Huabin looked back at the gate of Shrek Academy, then turned to the four people behind him.

"There is only one goal for this trip: to help Xiao Xiao obtain the most suitable hundred-year soul ring for her Three-Life Soul-Suppressing Cauldron."

Dai Huabin's tone was calm, yet it carried the confidence of someone in total control.

"Dong'er, Yajie, this battle will be led primarily by the three of you. Lulu and I will only be responsible for suppressing the field and acting as a safety net."

"Tch, don't look down on people; this young lady can handle it all by herself!"

Wang Dong'er huffed twice.

Dai Huabin ignored her bravado and waved his hand. The five of them left Shrek City and headed south along the wide merchant road.

Wang Dong'er walked at the very front of the group, holding a blade of wild grass she had plucked from the roadside.

She skipped along, occasionally using the grass to poke at small flying insects by the path.

Cui Yajie walked in the middle, arm-in-arm with Xiao Xiao. The two were whispering to each other, sharing some secret girl talk.

Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu trailed at the back, maintaining a steady, unhurried pace.

"Xiao Xiao, in which direction do you intend to develop your Three-Life Soul-Suppressing Cauldron?"

Dai Huabin suddenly spoke up, breaking the tranquility of the journey.

The three in front stopped in unison.

Xiao Xiao turned around, clutching the storage ring Ning Tian had given her, her tone somewhat hesitant.

"I originally thought about going the control-type route."

She bit her lower lip and added, "But if the Class Monitor has a better suggestion, I am willing to listen to you."

Wang Dong'er tossed away the wild grass in her hand and leaned in.

"Control-type is pretty good. You can hide in the back and throw black cauldrons to smash people, and if you run into danger, you can use the cauldron to block. It's very safe."

Dai Huabin raised his hand and flicked Wang Dong'er on the forehead.

"What do you know? That would be a waste of a divine gift."

Wang Dong'er clutched her forehead, huffing as she waved her fist.

Dai Huabin turned to Xiao Xiao, his tone earnest.

"Your Martial Soul is a cauldron. By its very nature, a cauldron represents weight and suppression."

"Instead of messing around with those flashy control tactics, you should push your weight and defense to the absolute limit."

"Imagine it: three cauldrons merging into one, reaching a terrifying level of mass."

Dai Huabin held up three fingers to emphasize his point.

"The sheer impact of these three cauldrons combined, coupled with their inherent absolute defense, is enough to crush the vast majority of opponents at your level."

"This simple, brutal approach can achieve the same effect as your first Soul Skill, Cauldron Shock, but with even greater power."

"This way, you can save your precious Soul Skill slots to stack even more extreme weight and defensive attributes."

After hearing this, Cui Yajie clapped her hands together sharply.

"That's right! When you encounter an enemy, just hurl an iron mountain at them—who needs control?"

"One force overcomes ten techniques; just smash them flat and be done with it!"

Xiao Xiao nodded, lost in thought.

"Squad Leader, I'll listen to you."

Her voice was soft, but it carried a sense of deep trust.

Among these five people, Dai Huabin's word had long since become law.

Dai Huabin continued his inquiry.

"And what about your second Martial Soul? What are your plans for the Nine-Phoenix Flute?"

Xiao Xiao answered this time without hesitation.

"I want to take the pure support route."

Dai Huabin sighed and raised a hand to rub his temples.

"Xiao Xiao, you have Twin Martial Souls."

"You have a top-tier talent that others dream of, yet you insist on walking the most mediocre path?"

"Using your first Martial Soul to tank damage on the front line, while hiding in the back blowing a flute for support?"

"Do you think you can handle all that at once?"

Wang Dong'er let out a giggle from the side.

"The mental image is too much. Xiao Xiao, carrying a giant black cauldron while taking a beating, all while pouting to play the flute. Wouldn't you just suffocate yourself?"

Xiao Xiao's face flushed red, and she reached out to tickle Wang Dong'er.

"Dong'er! You're talking nonsense!"

The two girls broke into a playful scuffle on the merchant road.

Dai Huabin waved his hand, putting an end to their bickering.

"For your second Martial Soul, don't be in a hurry to attach any Soul Rings."

"In the future, I will find a way to help you hunt for mental-type Soul Beasts."

"Since it is a musical instrument, it can be used to launch attacks through sound waves."

Dai Huabin explained his vision in detail.

"Mental-type attributes combined with sound wave attacks are pervasive and impossible to guard against."

"Most importantly, this allows your two Martial Souls to be used perfectly in tandem."

"You can use the Three-Life Soul-Suppressing Cauldron to crush them like Mount Tai from the front, while using the Nine-Phoenix Flute to shatter their minds with sound waves from the back."

"Of course, there is one more important point: once your mental power increases, controlling the three cauldrons will become much easier."

After these words were dropped, all three girls fell silent.

Wang Dong'er opened her mouth, and it took her a long time to squeeze out a sentence: "I suppose you have some insight."

Zhu Lu followed quietly behind Dai Huabin's side.

This advanced and precise theory of Martial Souls made the admiration in her heart deepen even further.

"Squad Leader!"

Xiao Xiao clenched her fists, her small face flushed slightly with excitement.

"I'll remember that. Thank you, Squad Leader!"

Dai Huabin nodded with satisfaction.

Back when he read the original story, he could never understand why Xiao Xiao's Nine-Phoenix Flute Martial Soul was burdened with Soul Skills like slowing effects.

A support Martial Soul that couldn't support its teammates was truly baffling.

In Dai Huabin's view, sound wave attacks were the only correct direction.

But it was fine; at least he had finally changed the disastrous development path Xiao Xiao had taken in the original story.