The wheels rolled over the bluestone road, rattling rhythmically. After several days on the road, the journey had finally come to an end. Su Ming lifted the carriage curtain and looked out at Shrek City, both familiar and strange.
He drew in a deep breath of air, rich with the scents of grass and woodsmoke, and quietly made up his mind. There was no need to rush back to the academy. He would take a stroll around the city first and see if he could find a bargain.
He wandered leisurely down the street, taking in the rows of shops on either side. The Soul Tool shops displayed basic Storage Soul Tools, the spirit herb stalls mostly offered ordinary herbs less than a hundred years old, and the weapon shops had standard Soul Master swords hanging from their iron racks... He had covered more than half the street without finding much worth his attention.
After all, he had Gold of Life and knew how to forge Soul Tools. Ordinary wares didn't even catch his eye.
Still, seeing so few Soul Tool shops along the street left him feeling wistful.
The original three kingdoms of Douluo might have had cultivation insights that the Sun Moon Empire couldn't match.
But traditionalists still rejected Soul Tools, believing them to be nothing more than clever gimmicks.
That was hard to swallow. A moment's thought was enough to show why that view was wrong. When the Sun Moon Empire launched its war, the original three kingdoms of Douluo had been utterly crushed.
If Shrek Academy hadn't gathered more than twenty Titled Douluo, what could those three kingdoms have done?
And yet they still refused to make progress, insisting that Soul Tools only offered a slight advantage before the seventh ring and became useless afterward.
That was only because they hadn't brought out a weapon of mass destruction like the Fixed-Station Soul Guidance Bomb.
In the end, hadn't Long Xiaoyao and Ye Xishui both taken several hits from Level 9 Fixed-Station Soul Guidance Cannons before they fell?
"Ah, stubborn old traditions are no good."
Su Ming sighed. Just as he was preparing to head back, the sweet scent of candied hawthorn drifted over from the street corner. He stopped, walked up to the stall, and bought a bright red skewer.
He bit into a sugar-coated hawthorn. Its sweet-and-sour flavor spread across his tongue. With bits of sugar still in his mouth, he ambled toward Shrek Academy.
The entrance to Shrek Academy was as lively as ever. The new students wore all kinds of clothes. Some nervously clutched their Soul Master certificates, others chatted excitedly with their companions, and a few were scared off by the sign at the entrance: "We only accept monsters, not ordinary people."
Looking at the vibrant new students, Su Ming couldn't help sighing. Student life really was the best. He thought of his former self before transmigrating, a high schooler on Earth preparing for the college entrance exams, buried in stacks of test papers and fretting over his scores every day.
He'd never imagined that he would transmigrate to the Douluo Continent and awaken the Snow Mastiff Armor Martial Soul. To him, being able to cultivate and grow stronger was far more interesting than taking the college entrance exams.
That excitement had driven him to throw himself into cultivation as soon as he awakened his Martial Soul. With talent and perseverance far beyond ordinary people, he'd overcome one challenge after another and entered Shrek Academy with ease.
Even after he'd become fascinated with forging metal and crafting Soul Tools, he'd never neglected his own cultivation. After all, he knew that in this world, strength was the foundation of everything.
Su Ming leaned against a stone pillar at the academy entrance, watching the bustle at the registration desk. Just as he was about to turn and go inside, he caught sight of two familiar figures. Wang Yan, at the registration desk, was checking the new students' information. Beside him was Xuan Zi.
Xuan Zi was crouched on the steps, holding a glossy chicken leg and gnawing at it with grease all over his mouth. In his other hand, he clutched another one he hadn't touched yet.
Su Ming's eyes lit up, and he strode over. When he reached Xuan Zi, who was absorbed in eating with his head down, he swiftly snatched the untouched chicken leg.
He even waved it around as he teased, his voice drifting into Xuan Zi's ear. "Old Xuan, do you even know how to appreciate a chicken leg? Why are you shoving it into your mouth in such a hurry?"
Xuan Zi froze when his chicken leg was stolen, then flew into a rage and was about to leap to his feet. But when he turned and saw Su Ming, all the anger vanished in an instant.
He merely rolled his eyes, then lowered his head and kept gnawing on the chicken leg in his hand. He muttered indistinctly, "You brat, you're getting more and more practiced at stealing my food."
As it happened, Su Ming and Xuan Zi had forged most of their friendship in Shrek's cafeteria.
When Su Ming had first entered the academy, he'd consumed enormous amounts of energy through constant cultivation and forging, and his appetite had been frightening. He could eat as much in one meal as ten other people, earning himself quite a reputation in Shrek's cafeteria.
Who would have guessed that the handsome, refined-looking young man would eat like a starving ghost, devouring everything in sight? Even the cafeteria aunties couldn't help taking a second look.
Bei Bei and Xu Sanshi had reminded him more than once to eat like a proper person. He was embarrassing himself. But Su Ming couldn't help it. He was the summoner of the Snow Mastiff Armor, an armor that stood at the peak of strength, and he had to train his body relentlessly.
He trained at high intensity every day, naturally burning far more energy than ordinary people. He simply couldn't control his appetite. Fortunately, the food in Shrek's cafeteria was genuinely good; otherwise, he wouldn't have known how to endure the demands of cultivation.
It was in the cafeteria that he and Xuan Zi gradually grew close. Xuan Zi loved food, too, and the two of them often teamed up to grab whatever they could. Before long, they'd become friends.
Only later did Su Ming realize that their Martial Souls might also have been compatible. His Snow Mastiff Armor belonged to metal, while Xuan Zi's Godly Taotie Bull belonged to earth. Earth produced metal, so no wonder he'd never been able to bring himself to dislike Xuan Zi.
Xuan Zi could be a real pain sometimes, but his strength was beyond question. Even more coincidentally, their fighting styles were remarkably similar. Both relied on ferocity, dominance, and killing quickly, reflecting metal's hardness and earth's solidity. They were perfectly suited to fight together, so it was no wonder they'd become friends despite their age difference.
Fortunately, Su Ming was always lecturing Xuan Zi, telling him to act more responsibly and keep his appetite under control, lest overeating cause trouble. Xuan Zi eventually grew tired of being nagged and changed his ways, at least a little.
Xuan Zi still couldn't shake his gluttonous habits, but at least he knew when to rein them in. He was also no longer as greasy as he'd been when he first appeared in the comics. His hair was neatly combed, and his clothes were spotless. He no longer looked like a disheveled middle-aged man.
Su Ming took a bite of the chicken leg he'd stolen and mumbled to Xuan Zi, "Old Xuan, pay a little attention to your image. All these new students are watching. Don't disgrace Shrek."
Xuan Zi didn't even look up as he snorted. "Mind your own business. I'll do as I please." But he slowed his movements and discreetly wiped the grease from the corner of his mouth.
Wang Yan had long since grown used to this. He shook his head helplessly and continued processing the new students' registration forms.
Leaning against the pillar, Su Ming gnawed on his chicken leg as he watched the busy new students and Xuan Zi bicker. A sense of peace settled over him.