The next morning, at the back hill of Shrek Academy.
The first rays of dawn barely pierced the mist, which hung like a gauzy veil. Yi Chen stood beneath an old locust tree with his hands behind his back, eyes closed as he waited for his three disciples to arrive.
The first to arrive was Zhu Zhuqing.
She wore a black, form-fitting training outfit, her long black hair simply tied into a ponytail, revealing a delicate, strikingly beautiful face. Yi Chen opened his eyes and glanced at her, his gaze brightening slightly.
After absorbing the Narcissus Jade Muscle Bone, Zhu Zhuqing had changed noticeably. Her already slender figure had become even taller and more well-proportioned, and her skin was as fair as jade, with a faint, lustrous sheen.
The most striking change was her bearing. A touch of ethereal grace had joined her usual cool aloofness. Standing there, she was like a secluded orchid, apart from the world, impossible to look away from.
Her features seemed more refined, too. The last traces of youthful immaturity had faded from her eyes and brows, replaced by the captivating charm of a girl blossoming into a young woman.
"Master." Zhu Zhuqing walked up to Yi Chen and bowed slightly. Her voice was as cool as ever, but held more respect than before.
Yi Chen looked her over and nodded with satisfaction. "Not bad. You've absorbed seventy percent of the Narcissus Jade Muscle Bone's medicinal power. The rest will slowly seep into your body over time. Your Soul Power must have broken through to level thirty-eight, right?"
A flicker of surprise crossed Zhu Zhuqing's eyes. She clearly hadn't expected Yi Chen to see through her cultivation at a glance. She nodded. "Yes, Master. I broke through last night."
"Very good. With your current physique and speed, even an ordinary early-stage Soul Ancestor won't be your match," Yi Chen praised.
"Once your Hell Spirit Cat fully absorbs the remaining medicinal power of the Narcissus Jade Muscle Bone, it may evolve into an even higher-level existence. When that happens, your potential will rise further still."
A hint of joy flashed in Zhu Zhuqing's eyes. Her expression remained unchanged, but the slight upward curve of her lips betrayed her happiness.
Just then, a clear voice rang out from the distance.
"Master! Zhuqing! You're both so early!"
They turned toward the voice and saw Xiao Wu skipping toward them. She wore a pink tracksuit, her scorpion braid swaying behind her, and her face was lit up with a brilliant smile. She ran up to Yi Chen and cheerfully bowed. "Good morning, Master!"
Yi Chen nodded and looked her over. The medicinal power of Lovesick Heartbreak Red had completely fused with her body. Her aura was more subdued than yesterday; unless one deliberately sensed it, it was almost impossible to tell her apart from an ordinary human. Her Soul Power fluctuations were also much steadier than the day before, clearly showing how much she had benefited.
"It seems Lovesick Heartbreak Red worked very well for you," Yi Chen said. "Your aura is even better concealed now. Even a Titled Douluo would have trouble noticing anything unusual without examining you closely. What level is your Soul Power?"
Xiao Wu grinned and proudly held up a hand. "Level thirty-nine! I'm just one step away from becoming a Soul Ancestor!"
Yi Chen nodded. "Not bad. With your foundation, reaching Soul Ancestor is only a matter of time. And Lovesick Heartbreak Red's ability to strengthen your foundations will make your future cultivation much smoother."
"Thank you, Master!" Xiao Wu smiled, her eyes curving into crescents. She was clearly very pleased with her progress.
Just then, hurried footsteps came from the distance, accompanied by Ning Rongrong's breathless voice. "I'm here, I'm here!"
The three turned to look. Ning Rongrong was running up the slope, her pretty face flushed and beads of sweat on her forehead. She had clearly rushed over. But all three of their gazes were drawn almost at once to the pagoda hovering in her palm.
The nine-tiered pagoda was crystal clear, each tier shimmering with a different color. The lights reflected off one another in dazzling splendor, and it radiated a sacred, solemn aura.
The Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda!
"Master! Look! Look!" Ning Rongrong rushed up to Yi Chen and thrust the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda in her hands before him. Her voice brimmed with barely contained excitement. "My Martial Soul really evolved! The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda became the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda!"
Yi Chen looked her over and nodded with satisfaction. "Not bad. You absorbed the Aromatic Silk Beauty's medicinal power very well. The Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda is already one of the highest-ranking support-type Martial Souls. From now on, you can provide multiple targets with several different boosts at once, and each boost will be far more powerful than before."
He paused, then added, "Your Soul Power has also broken through to level thirty-seven. Your foundation is solid, with no sign of instability. It seems you didn't slack off last night and took the time to consolidate your cultivation."
"Of course!" Ning Rongrong proudly puffed out her chest. "How could I be careless about something Master told me to do?"
The more she looked at the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda in her hand, the more she liked it, and the more excited she became. Suddenly, she spun around and stared straight at Yi Chen with shining eyes.
"Master!"
"Hmm?"
Without a word, Ning Rongrong rose onto her toes and planted a kiss on Yi Chen's cheek!
"Thank you!"
The entire back hill fell silent.
Xiao Wu's eyes widened, her mouth forming a perfect "O."
Zhu Zhuqing's expression remained blank, but one of her eyelids twitched despite herself.
Yi Chen froze, too. He touched the cheek she had kissed, at a loss for words.
Only after kissing him did Ning Rongrong realize what she had done. Her face instantly turned red to the roots of her hair. She hurriedly backed away two steps and covered her burning cheeks with both hands, stammering, "I... I didn't mean to! I was just so happy! It was an impulse... Master, don't get the wrong idea!"
Looking at her flustered state, Yi Chen shook his head helplessly and sighed. "All right, all right. I know you were just too happy. But mind your boundaries next time, understood?"
"I understand, I understand!" Ning Rongrong nodded repeatedly, wishing she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.
Xiao Wu covered her mouth and giggled, then leaned close to Zhu Zhuqing's ear and whispered, "Zhuqing, look! Rongrong's blushing!"
Zhu Zhuqing glanced at her without changing expression. "You've blushed before, too."
Xiao Wu's smile instantly froze.
She remembered how she had thrown herself into Yi Chen's arms and cried yesterday, and her cheeks began to burn as well.
Seeing the different thoughts on his three disciples' faces, Yi Chen cleared his throat and drew their attention back. "All right, now that you've had your fun, let's officially begin today's training."
The three girls quickly composed themselves and stood in a row, watching Yi Chen attentively.
Yi Chen stood with his hands behind his back and looked over the three of them before speaking slowly. "You've already mastered the basic rules of Teamfight Tactics. But starting today, I'm going to teach you how to apply the tactical thinking from this game to real combat."
The three exchanged glances, their eyes filled with anticipation.
"First, let's have a test." Yi Chen raised a finger and tapped the air lightly. Three golden chessboards unfolded before them at the same time. "You three will play a match against one another. I want to see where your skills stand now."
"Yes, Master!"
The three girls answered in unison. They each took a seat before a board and began the first test of their skills since becoming his disciples.
Yi Chen stood to one side with his hands behind his back, watching his three disciples play with serious concentration. A satisfied smile slowly appeared on his lips.
These three girls truly had impressive talent.
Given time, they would surely become great talents.