Level 30 and Level 40

"A level 38 assault-type battle Soul Elder... lost just like that..."

Xiao Wu swallowed hard. Only now did they realize just how much Su Sanjia had held back back then! Setting everything else aside, that bizarre Self-Created Soul Skill alone—developing such a powerful technique at the Soul Ancestor stage—made his talent absolutely one in a thousand years.

Su Sanjia left leisurely and hurried off to prepare for his next soul battle. He had a full five matches to fight today. Tang San and the others had only watched the first match before going to prepare for their own battles. The three of them each registered for a one-on-one match, while Xiao Wu and Tang San formed the Three-Five Team and entered two two-on-two matches. By the time everyone from Shrek Academy finished their matches and returned to the academy, it was already night.

Ning Rongrong and Oscar were waiting at the academy entrance. Ning Rongrong's eyes lit up when she saw everyone returning, and she took the initiative to greet them. Oscar, however, remained where he was, his expression somewhat grim as though he were lost in thought.

Su Sanjia went ahead and returned to his dormitory to rest. He knew what would happen next, but he had no interest in it. The reason was simple: he could sense that his Soul Power had reached its critical point, needing only one final push.

In truth, Su Sanjia was somewhat cold by nature. Aside from the few people for whom he was willing to give his sincerity, he simply did not care whether anyone else lived or died. Among those few, apart from Zhao Wuji and Oscar of Shrek Academy, there was only the old director of that orphanage from years ago. Unfortunately, the old director had passed away last year.

Another night of cultivation passed.

Sunlight streamed through the window. Su Sanjia, sitting on his bed, slowly opened his eyes. He let out a long breath and felt the surging Soul Power within him. No matter how unserious he usually acted, he now felt genuine joy.

"Finally, level 40!"

A fourteen-year-old level 40 Soul Ancestor was shocking even in the entire history of Douluo Continent! Ordinary Soul Masters were already considered geniuses if they reached level 40 by the age of twenty. Even Spirit Hall's Golden Generation only broke through to five-ring Soul Kings at twenty. If not for the help of Immortal Herbs, the others from Shrek Academy would only have reached that level as well, perhaps even less. Yet Su Sanjia had reached the realm of a level 40 Soul Elder at only fourteen. After absorbing a Soul Ring, his Soul Power would rise even further. If he relied on his own cultivation, he could become a level 50 Soul King in at most three years!

"Getting stronger feels great, but..."

Su Sanjia looked toward Oscar beside him. That brat had actually cultivated desperately through the entire night as well! If he remembered correctly, Oscar would also break through to Soul Elder today, with Tang San close behind!

After a quick wash, Su Sanjia arrived at the training ground Flender had chosen yesterday. He was the last to arrive. Xiao Wu and Tang San were gathered together, whispering to each other and occasionally smiling. Dai Mubai clearly wanted to move closer to Zhu Zhuqing, but she gave him no chance at all. Ma Hongjun was wolfing down two buns, while Ning Rongrong's eyes were red, clearly from crying all night.

After nodding at everyone in greeting, Su Sanjia moved to one side. With practiced ease, he took out a reclining chair from his storage ring and lay down on it leisurely. His long legs crossed, and at some point a piece of bread had appeared in his hand. He slowly began nibbling on it.

Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun were clearly used to seeing Su Sanjia like this, but Tang San and the others could not help giving him another look. Ning Rongrong in particular had a complicated expression in her eyes, as though she were thinking about something.

"Is everyone here? Where's Little Ao?"

A moment later, Flender appeared. He swept his gaze around and found that Oscar, the main character of this first class, was absent. Thinking of Oscar's somewhat lazy nature, his voice became sterner.

"Dean, Dean! Sorry, I'm late!"

Oscar arrived belatedly, bracing his hands on his knees as he panted heavily.

Flender glanced at Oscar without saying much. Soon, he announced the content of today's first lesson.

"Today's first lesson is simple. Every one of you must eat Oscar's tofu!"

"What?!"

Su Sanjia's group was fine; they were old students and had taken this class in previous years. But Tang San and the others had never experienced it before. Thinking of Oscar's face once covered in a scruffy beard, his lecherous expression, and that soul chant that made people's thoughts wander, they simply could not bring themselves to eat the foul-smelling stinky tofu on the plate before them.

But under Flender's coercion, everyone still ate Oscar's tofu. The instant it entered their mouths, all their eyes widened. Food-type Soul Masters, especially one with a top-tier Food God Martial Soul like Oscar, created food that might have lacked in color, aroma, and taste, but its effects were excellent and took effect very quickly.

It was no exaggeration to say that with Oscar's current talent, once he broke through to the Soul King realm, even top sects like the Upper Three Sects would extend an invitation to him! A top-tier food-type Soul Master was practically a sword of war. Besides, food-type Soul Masters capable of breaking through to Soul Ancestor were exceedingly rare.

With nothing else to do, Flender picked up a piece of tofu as well. While explaining things to Tang San and the others, he took a bite.

The tofu entered his mouth, and Flender's pupils contracted.

This tofu restored more Soul Power!

"Oscar, you broke through to level 30?!"

The moment those words were spoken, the previously noisy crowd fell silent. After receiving Oscar's affirmative answer, a storm of shock rose in everyone's hearts.

Food-type Soul Masters cultivated much more slowly than ordinary Soul Masters. Yet Oscar was only fourteen and had already broken through to become a level 30 Soul Elder. This was absolutely the highest-tier talent among support-type Soul Masters!

"Not bad, you bastard Ao! I thought you were slacking off, but who knew you'd been quietly holding back something huge!"

Dai Mubai patted Oscar on the shoulder. Everyone swarmed around him, and Ning Rongrong's gaze toward Oscar changed completely. In the history of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, not a single Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect Soul Master had ever broken through to level 30 at fourteen years old!

"Alright, little monsters. Since Oscar has broken through to level 30, tomorrow's class will be a trip to the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt his third Soul Ring!"

"Wait a moment, Dean!"

Su Sanjia swallowed the tofu in his mouth, the corners of his lips curving upward.

"Well, Little Ao isn't the only one who needs a Soul Ring. I've also broken through to level 40!"

The moment he finished speaking, dead silence fell.

If a fourteen-year-old level 30 food-type Soul Elder was a genius among geniuses, then a fourteen-year-old level 40 Soul Ancestor was a monster among monsters!

"F-F-F-F-F-Forty?!"

Ma Hongjun reacted the fastest. He charged over with a bear hug, grabbing Su Sanjia's arm as his eyes shone brilliantly.

"Brother Sanjia, you broke through to level 40?"

"Mm, I only broke through this morning!"

The news nearly drove Flender mad with joy! Laughing loudly, he strode forward. Originally, he had planned to have Zhao Wuji lead the little monsters to the Star Dou Great Forest alone, but now it seemed Zhao Wuji alone might not be enough!

"Good, good, good! Just as expected of the most talented student in Shrek Academy's history! Don't worry. This time, we'll definitely hunt a Soul Ring that satisfies you!"

Everyone came forward to congratulate him. They teased Su Sanjia for being a monster while also planning to fleece this wealthy brat and make him treat them after returning. After all, Su Sanjia had won over ten thousand Gold Soul Coins at the Great Soul Arena yesterday! His appearance fee was absurdly high, and with the audience tips and his own bets added in, it would be a crime not to fleece him at least once!

Tang San also stepped forward to offer his congratulations. But when he saw Su Sanjia surrounded by everyone like the moon among stars, he felt increasingly powerless.

He still could not forget what Grandmaster had once told him.

"Tang San, you have the best talent I have ever seen! You will definitely become one of the greatest powerhouses in the history of Douluo Continent!"

But Su Sanjia was only two years older than him and had already broken through to level 40. Were their talents truly comparable? And with Su Sanjia's strange Martial Soul and overwhelming combat power, even if Tang San became a Title Douluo in the future, could he truly defeat such a monster?

Tang San had always believed himself inferior to no one, but now, a crack had appeared in that invincible heart.