"I'd guess he had a senior schoolmate who was his unattainable first love, but she didn't like him. He couldn't forget her all these years, so he'd stayed chaste."
Song Mu talked until his mouth went dry. He casually picked up the glass of water on the bedside table and took a sip.
After drinking, he rubbed his stomach and realized he was a little hungry.
He turned to look out the window and saw that it was already getting late.
"Time to go eat. What would you like? I'll bring you something."
"No need to trouble yourself. I'm not hungry." Wang Dong'er's voice no longer sounded as timid as before; she seemed to have returned to normal.
Song Mu thought that she couldn't just go without eating.
"Why be so polite? Now that you've become my Soul Beast, I'm naturally responsible for you."
"I really am not hungry. I don't seem to need food anymore."
Song Mu was surprised. "Oh? There's actually something like that? All right, then. If you ever feel like eating, just let me know."
Song Mu didn't press her. He got out of bed, put on his shoes, and headed out to buy food at the cafeteria.
"Song Mu, thank you."
After closing the dormitory door, Song Mu heard her thanks and waved a hand. "No need to thank me. If you want to hear more stories, just tell me. I'd be happy to."
"Okay."
In the early morning, sunlight streamed through the window into Song Mu's dormitory.
Song Mu slowly opened his eyes, climbed out of bed, and stretched luxuriously.
"Ha—"
He got dressed, got out of bed, and went to wash up.
"Good morning."
The call connected to Wang Dong'er, and Song Mu sent his words to her through his consciousness without interrupting his toothbrushing.
They'd discovered this while talking the day before. That way, when he chatted with Wang Dong'er outside, he wouldn't have to speak aloud.
That would keep other people from thinking he was some strange person talking to himself.
There was also a video-call function, though it only showed Song Mu's point of view. He couldn't see what Wang Dong'er saw.
"Good morning to you, too."
Wang Dong'er was awake as well and replied to Song Mu.
After wiping the droplets of water from his face with a towel, Song Mu looked at himself in the mirror and sighed. "Still as handsome as ever."
Once he'd finished washing up, he got ready to go out for breakfast.
"It's still new-student registration these days, so classes won't start for a few more days. How about I take you around Shrek City?"
Song Mu was afraid Wang Dong'er would stay cooped up in the King Ball for too long and feel stifled, so he wanted to take her out for a change of scenery.
"Maybe not. I don't really want to go out," Wang Dong'er said in a muffled voice.
"All right. Like I said, if you feel like going out, just tell me."
"Mm."
It was like giving counseling to someone with autism. Yesterday's "talk therapy" had been quite effective, and Song Mu believed Wang Dong'er would ask to go out on her own in a few days.
Mu En was still lying in his usual spot downstairs in the dormitory building.
"Good morning, old man!"
Mu En gave a slight nod in reply.
Song Mu kept walking toward the cafeteria.
Just then, Song Mu thought he heard someone calling him from behind.
He turned around and, sure enough, saw a young man waving as he ran toward him.
Song Mu didn't recognize him. Judging by his face, the young man seemed older than Song Mu. He wore a yellow school uniform, which meant he was an upper-year student.
"Student Song Mu!"
The young man came up to Song Mu.
"Is there something you need, senior?" Song Mu asked, looking at the panting young man.
"Director Du wants to see you," the young man replied.
Du Weilun wanted to see him?
Had the academy already found out that his Martial Soul had awakened?
Song Mu glanced at Mu En from the corner of his eye. Then again, Mu En had been lying nearby watching when he captured Wang Dong'er.
"Sure. Thanks for letting me know, senior. I'll go after breakfast."
Office of the Director of the Spirit Department, Outer Court.
Knock, knock, knock—
Du Weilun heard the knock and looked up. "Come in."
The door opened, and Song Mu walked in. "Good morning, Director Du."
"Student Song Mu, have a seat."
Song Mu pulled out a chair and sat down. "Director Du, what did you want to see me about?"
Du Weilun pushed up his glasses, his expression serious. "Student Song Mu, your Martial Soul has fully awakened, hasn't it?"
Song Mu wasn't surprised to hear that. He'd more or less guessed why Du Weilun had summoned him before he arrived.
Song Mu nodded. "Yes, it has fully awakened."
Du Weilun continued, "I called you here because I want to learn about the abilities your Martial Soul gained after awakening. I'll report back to the academy afterward, and it'll decide how to train you based on your potential."
"If your talent reaches a certain level, the academy might even name you as one of the next Shrek Seven Devils."
"Some upper-year students have already been selected as future members of the Seven Devils."
Becoming one of the Shrek Seven Devils was an immense honor for any Shrek student, but Song Mu's attention was elsewhere.
He was thinking about whether to stay at Shrek Academy. He'd come to Shrek in the first place to awaken his Martial Soul. Now that it had fully awakened, was there any need to stay?
Shrek had the richest store of knowledge on the Douluo Continent, which Song Mu needed. And Shrek had a Beast Fighting Zone that housed many Soul Beasts.
The day before, Song Mu had learned from his Martial Soul that he could grow stronger by capturing Soul Beasts. If he captured all the Soul Beasts in the Beast Fighting Zone, his strength would increase tremendously.
For now, staying at Shrek Academy would be a great help to him.
Having made up his mind, Song Mu looked up at Du Weilun. "Then how would you like to learn about my Martial Soul, Director Du?"
At last, Du Weilun smiled at his answer.
"All you need to do is demonstrate your Martial Soul's abilities and let me experience them."
"I remember your Martial Soul can capture Soul Beasts. Come with me. I'll take you to the Beast Fighting Zone, where our academy keeps its Soul Beasts."
Song Mu nodded and followed Du Weilun to the Beast Fighting Zone.
The Beast Fighting Zone was the largest building at Shrek Academy. Its grounds covered an area as large as all the Spirit Department's teaching buildings, the dormitories, and Shrek Plaza combined.
All the tax revenue from Shrek City went to Shrek Academy, and a third of it was invested in the Beast Fighting Zone. That showed just how important the zone was to the academy.
"So you're Song Mu. You're a fine young man! I'd heard about you already. Your Martial Soul can actually capture Soul Beasts. If this old man had a Martial Soul like yours, I'd be over the moon."
Inside the Beast Fighting Zone's elder's office, a burly old man patted Song Mu on the shoulder and spoke to him with a broad smile.
Du Weilun spoke up from beside them. "Elder Gong, I'm here to have Song Mu test his Martial Soul."
The burly old man was named Gong Changlong. He was also known as the Beast King and was an elder of Shrek, in charge of the Beast Fighting Zone. He'd spent most of his life dealing with Soul Beasts.
Although Elder Gong had never met Song Mu before, he already liked the Soul Master whose Martial Soul could capture Soul Beasts.
"Sure. I'd like to see how this kid captures Soul Beasts, too."
Elder Gong looked a little excited. The thought of using a Martial Soul to capture Soul Beasts held an enormous fascination for him.
"Song, how many years can the Soul Beasts you capture have?"
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