Refusing to Board the Black Ship

"Now, the vote was unanimous."

"Xiaotao, Lin Feng, are you both willing to become candidates for the Ultimate Soldier Project?"

"Student Ma Xiaotao is willing to follow all of the academy's arrangements."

"Student Lin Feng refuses to become a candidate for the Ultimate Soldier Project."

The moment he finished speaking, the elders' expressions grew quite a spectacle. Some looked confused, others indignant. Even Xuan Zi stopped chewing, a flicker of amusement and surprise crossing his eyes.

This was the supreme training program Shrek Academy had built with all its core resources. It meant unimaginable cultivation resources, guidance from top instructors, and even the hopes of the entire academy for the future.

"Lin Feng," Yan Shaozhe asked slowly, his face showing no anger, though his gaze had grown grave. "Would you give your teacher a reason?"

"Teacher, I have no lofty ambitions. I just want a simple life." Lin Feng's tone was calm, with a hint of teasing. "My dream is to be like Elder Xuan—eating and drinking, carefree and at ease."

Meeting Yan Shaozhe's gaze, Lin Feng wore a relaxed, almost candid smile that seemed slightly out of place amid the serious atmosphere.

In my previous life, I worked my whole life. Can't I enjoy myself in this one?

Besides, a true man born between heaven and earth shouldn't spend his days languishing beneath others.

Shrek was certainly a mighty, sturdy ship. But once he boarded, would he get to decide when it made port or where it sailed?

He didn't want to be forced aboard Shrek Academy's black ship and turned into a killing machine for the empire's wars.

To him, Shrek Academy was merely a temporary place to live, grow, and build up his strength.

Deep down, he had never considered himself the academy's property.

One day, Lin Feng would leave this place, carve out a world of his own, and establish a sect of his own.

"The academy respects your choice. Shaozhe, if there's nothing else to discuss, let's adjourn."

Just as the atmosphere grew tense and various thoughts stirred, an old, gentle voice came from the recliner in the seat of honor.

Mu En's voice wasn't loud, but it carried authority, drawing everyone's attention back.

"Yes, Teacher. Then today's meeting is over. We're adjourned."

At Yan Shaozhe's words, the elders rose with varied expressions. Many gazes lingered on Lin Feng, but in the end, no one said another word.

Lin Feng remained calm.

He knew his choice might bring unforeseen ripples, but this was his path.

Ma Xiaotao gently nudged his arm. Her eyes held concern, along with a complicated understanding.

They exchanged a glance, then silently turned and walked out side by side, leaving the Sea God Pavilion, where countless fates on the continent were decided.

Lin Feng's life returned to its usual rhythm.

He went about his days between the classroom, the training grounds, and the dormitory.

He attended classes, cultivated, occasionally bantered with Ning Tian, Wu Feng, and Wang Dong, helped out at Tang Ya's shop, or put up with Ma Xiaotao feeding him under the pretext of "building up his health."

Under Mu En's direction, the academy neither imposed restrictions on him nor placed him under special surveillance. Everything continued as usual, which came as a relief to Lin Feng.

Half a semester flew by, and the freshman assessment was fast approaching.

It would test not only what they had learned over the past six months, but also determine the allocation of resources, class honors, and even the ambitions some people harbored.

Beneath the tranquil surface, undercurrents surged.

And Lin Feng knew that his seemingly peaceful daily life would soon be disrupted.

After cultivating for a long time on Sea God Island, Tang Ya had received the nourishment of the Blue Silver Grass there, and quickly advanced from level thirty-five to level forty.

Next, she would have to face the backlash of the Darkness Power.

Lin Feng took leave right away. He had found another way to deal with the Darkness Power: ignite it, then devour it.

He also needed to take Tang Ya to obtain her fourth Soul Ring. It was crucial for her to pass the outer court assessment.

Their target was clear: the Earth Cave Spider in Sunset Forest.

Tang San's Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul's powerful crowd-control skill, Blue Silver Cage, had come from this Soul Beast.

Unfortunately, the Man Faced Demon Spider, another overlord among spider-type Soul Beasts, had been hunted to extinction by Tang San. Otherwise, it would have been under consideration too. Most importantly, it had a chance of dropping the External Soul Bone, the Eight Spider Lances—a treasure found in only one in a hundred cases.

Their luck was both good and bad. They hadn't searched long in the depths of Sunset Forest before finding an Earth Cave Spider Emperor with seven thousand years of cultivation.

Its strength was on par with a human Soul Ancestor. It was extremely difficult to hunt, and its Soul Ring was beyond what an ordinary Soul Elder could withstand.

For a fourth Soul Ring, five thousand years was already the limit for most Soul Masters. But there were exceptions to every rule.

"Xiao Ya, this situation is a little like what happened to your ancestor back then. Hunting it won't be a problem for me, but for you to absorb its Soul Ring... it'll be harder than reaching the heavens," Lin Feng said gravely.

"It's all right. I'll get through it." Tang Ya's gaze was resolute.

"Good. Then we'll work hard together," Lin Feng said firmly.

He slowly released his Martial Soul. Three deep-black Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings appeared beneath his feet, and their immense aura jolted Tang Ya.

Before Tang Ya could recover, Lin Feng had already launched a thunderous attack on the Earth Cave Spider.

A wide-area strike from the "Fire Phoenix Lotus" cleared the numerous traps the spider had laid around them. Next, the "Mystic Ice Spirit Lotus" precisely slowed and stunned the revealed spider. Finally, the "Red Dragon Heart Lotus" struck its bloated abdomen, gravely wounding it.

Everything was crisp and clean, as if a god of war had possessed him.

Lin Feng had never feared a one-on-one fight. The only thing he feared was being mobbed by an endless swarm of insects like the Thousand Jun Ants.

Tang Ya stepped in at the right moment and landed the final blow, successfully finishing off the powerful Soul Beast.

"Xiao Feng, you're starting to feel like a stranger to me... The gap between us seems to be growing wider and wider." Tang Ya sounded dispirited. She hadn't been able to help at all and had only dragged him down.

"Don't say that. You don't need to compare yourself to me. Comparing yourself to other people is enough."

Tang Ya nodded lightly, then sat cross-legged in silence and began guiding the deep-black Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring.

After who knew how long, something changed.

Blood seeped from Tang Ya's seven orifices as the Darkness Power within her, previously suppressed by Mu En, suddenly erupted.

Black Blue Silver Grass vines thrashed wildly, all of them attacking Lin Feng, who was guarding her.

Lin Feng didn't resist, afraid of harming Tang Ya. He let the thorny vines tightly coil around both him and Tang Ya.

The thorns scraped his skin, leaving streaks of blood that quickly healed under his powerful regenerative ability.

The Fire Lotus soon succeeded in igniting the source of the Darkness Power. Lin Feng immediately circulated the Burning Technique and began absorbing the ignited dark flames.

Three days and nights passed in silent struggle.

At last, the vines binding them loosened, and Tang Ya slowly opened her eyes.

She had succeeded!

The first Soul Ancestor in the Tang Sect of this era!

The Darkness Power had been completely purified. She no longer needed the Blue Silver Emperor Bloodline to purify it.

At that moment, Lin Feng also obtained his second karmic flame—the Blue Silver Nether Fire.

This flame was the Darkness Power formed from the endless resentment of Blue Silver Grass across the Douluo Continent. Once completely ignited, it became a terrifying karmic flame, burning without end.

Having reached level forty as well, he condensed a fourth Exotic Flame Soul Ring and successfully advanced to Soul Ancestor.

They embraced tightly.

Beneath them, seeds of Blue Silver Grass sprouted from the ground, which had been burned again and again...