Grass Chicken Village! Ma Hongjun!

Fu Wen smiled.

"That's good. Once you break through to level twenty, I'll accompany you to hunt for a soul ring."

"Don't you still need to cultivate?"

"A few days won't make a difference."

Fu Wen waved his hand.

"Besides, I want to see what your second soul skill is."

"It'll definitely be stronger than the first!"

Oscar said with full confidence.

"That's not necessarily true."

Fu Wen teased, "Your first soul skill is the Recovery Big Sausage, your second soul skill wouldn't happen to be..."

"Shut up!"

Oscar's face darkened as he grabbed a pillow and threw it at him.

Fu Wen laughed and dodged, the two of them roughhousing in the dormitory.

Laughter echoed through the night sky, carrying far into the distance.

Early the next morning, Flender learned the news that Oscar was about to break through.

He was so happy he couldn't keep his mouth shut and announced on the spot.

"Once Xiao Ao breaks through to level twenty and returns with his second soul ring, my treat! Shao Xin will cook a huge table of food!"

"Dean, it seems I'm the one who does the cooking."

Shao Xin said gloomily.

"Then just make more!"

Flender waved his hand, full of bravado.

Shao Xin rolled his eyes, but the corners of his mouth couldn't help but lift.

He had watched both of these children grow up.

He was genuinely happy from the bottom of his heart that Oscar was about to break through to level twenty.

As for Fu Wen...

Shao Xin glanced at Fu Wen, who was sitting there eating quietly, and sighed inwardly.

This kid's rate of progress was even more terrifying than Oscar's.

Once he also broke through to two rings, three rings...

He didn't dare to think about it, really didn't dare to think about it.

"Old thing, you really found a treasure."

Shao Xin walked to Flender's side and whispered.

Flender pushed up his glasses and didn't speak, but the curve of his mouth betrayed his mood.

Yes.

He had found a treasure.

A treasure of immense value.

Early that morning, Flender was dressed neatly, looking as if he were going on a long journey.

"Dad, where are you going?"

Fu Wen put down his bowl and chopsticks, asking casually.

"To Grass Chicken Village."

Flender adjusted his collar. "There are a few children there who have reached the age of awakening, so I'm going to help them awaken their Martial Soul."

"Grass Chicken Village?"

Fu Wen raised an eyebrow.

He was familiar with that name.

Grass Chicken Village was Ma Hongjun's hometown.

The Evil Fire Phoenix Ma Hongjun, one of the Shrek Seven Devils, the future second-tier god, the Phoenix God.

Calculating the time, Ma Hongjun was three months younger than Tang Xiaosan; he should be exactly six years old now, the age for Martial Soul awakening.

"I'm going too."

Fu Wen stood up.

"What are you going for?"

Flender was stunned for a moment.

"Nothing better to do, just taking it as a break."

Fu Wen wiped his mouth. "Training every day for these three months, it's time to go out and get some fresh air."

"That's true."

Flender thought for a moment and nodded. "Fine, let's go together then."

"I'm going too, I'm going too!"

Oscar darted out from the side, waving his hand. "I'm about to break through to level twenty, I need to relax a bit too!"

"Is that relaxing? You just want to go out and play, don't you?"

Flender saw through Oscar's little scheme at a glance.

Oscar chuckled, not denying it.

"Alright, alright, you all can go."

Flender waved his hand. "Let's go, be back early."

The three of them left Shrek Academy and headed toward Suotuo City.

Grass Chicken Village was in the southeast corner of Suotuo City, not too far from Shrek Academy; it only took half an hour to walk there.

Along the way, Oscar chattered incessantly.

"Dad, why is Grass Chicken Village called Grass Chicken Village? Is it because the people there all raise chickens?"

"Pretty much."

Flender replied casually, "Most of the people in that village make a living by raising chickens, and the Martial Soul they awaken is mostly based on grass chickens, but almost none of them have soul power, so it's called Grass Chicken Village."

"Chickens? That's just as ordinary as my sausages."

"If a chicken had soul power, would it be evolving in the direction of a roast chicken?"

Oscar asked curiously.

Hearing this, Flender's mouth twitched; what kind of ghost was this kid thinking about?

Fu Wen heard this and the corners of his mouth curled up slightly.

Roast chicken?

You'll find out in a moment.

In Grass Chicken Village, a golden phoenix is about to emerge.

Half an hour later, the three arrived at Grass Chicken Village.

The village was not large, with only a few dozen households.

A stone tablet stood at the entrance of the village, with the words "Grass Chicken Village" carved onto it.

The handwriting was crooked, clearly carved by the villagers themselves.

"Dean Flender, you're here!"

A middle-aged man walked up to greet them, his face full of smiles.

He was the Village Chief Ma of Grass Chicken Village, an honest and simple farmer.

"Village Chief Ma, long time no see."

Flender cupped his hands. "Are the children all ready?"

"Ready, they're all ready!"

Village Chief Ma nodded repeatedly. "They're all waiting at the Threshing Floor!"

"Then let's go."

Flender followed Village Chief Ma into the village.

Fu Wen and Oscar followed behind.

Along the way, Fu Wen looked around at the village.

Grass Chicken Village was truly poor.

The houses were all made of adobe with thatched roofs.

The road was a dirt path, full of potholes.

Some chickens were free-ranging by the side of the road, scratching the ground for food.

"This village is way too run-down."

Oscar muttered in a low voice.

"They're poor, don't talk nonsense."

Fu Wen whispered a reminder.

Oscar let out an "oh" and shut his mouth.

The Threshing Floor was in the center of the village, an open space usually used for drying grain.

Today, a table was set up in the clearing, with six Awakening Stones placed upon it.

Six children stood beside the table; the oldest were seven or eight, the youngest five or six.

Each of them wore clothes patched over patches, yet they were washed clean.

In their eyes, there was anticipation, but also nervousness.

"Children, this is Dean Flender, here to help you awaken your Martial Soul."

Village Chief Ma walked in front of the children and introduced him.

"Hello, Dean Flender!"

The children shouted in unison.

Flender nodded and walked to the table.

"Children, don't be nervous, come one by one."

He picked up an Awakening Stone and placed it in the first child's hand.

"Close your eyes and feel the power within your body."

The child did as told.

A few seconds later, the Awakening Stone lit up.

A phantom image of a woodcutter's knife appeared in the child's hand.

"Woodcutter's knife Martial Soul, Innate Soul Power... zero level."

Flender announced the result.

The child's parents, standing nearby, wore expressions of disappointment upon hearing this.

But soon, they felt relieved.

Level zero is level zero; it's better than nothing.

Next came the second child, the third child, the fourth child...

The awakened Martial Souls were of all kinds: hoes, sickles, carrying poles...

They were all farm tools.

And all of them had no soul power.

Village Chief Ma's expression grew increasingly grim.

Among these children, not a single one stood out.

In the end, he felt resigned.

After all, this was the norm.

"The last one."

Flender picked up the final Awakening Stone and handed it to the youngest child.

This child was not tall, looking round and plump with a round face and round eyes; the whole person looked like a little meatball.

"Xiao Pang, it's your turn."

Village Chief Ma patted the child on the shoulder, his tone carrying a hint of anticipation.

This child was his nephew, named Ma Hongjun.

Although he was the youngest, he was usually sturdier than the other children.

Perhaps...