Naruto and Hinata

The next day, Di Tian dragged Xiong Jun and Zi JI back to the Star Dou Great Forest as fast as he could.

When he learned that Bi Ji could no longer transform into Tiga and that Tiga's stone statue had vanished from the cave, his elation at having the curse lifted disappeared. He seemed to age tens of thousands of years in an instant, his head drooping.

Zi JI walked over and gently patted his shoulder without a word.

After some discussion, the Soul Beasts decided to conceal the fact that Bi Ji could no longer become the Giant of Light.

Half a month later, the major powers of Douluo Continent arrived at the Star Dou Great Forest to congratulate Bi Ji on becoming Ultraman's human host and thank her for protecting the continent.

Bi Ji could only smile along.

Soon, the major powers signed a mutual-aid agreement in the Star Dou Great Forest, pledging that humans and Soul Beasts would live in peace and protect Douluo Star together.

A few days later, Di Tian and Qian Daoliu flew to Sun Moon Continent as representatives of their respective sides. There, they signed the same peace and mutual-aid agreement with the Sun-Moon Empire and the Evil Emperor.

Douluo Star thus entered a relatively peaceful period. The conflict between humans and Soul Beasts eased for the time being, and the whole continent began to recover.

The method Bi Ji had brought for condensing one's own soul rings spread across Douluo Continent through Spirit Hall. On Sun Moon Continent, the Sun-Moon Empire took charge of spreading it.

Countless Soul Masters began trying to condense their own soul rings. The way they cultivated underwent an unprecedented change.

Clear Sky Sect!

Tang San sat on his bed and, following the new method, successfully condensed a third soul ring for his Blue Silver Grass.

Tang Hao sat nearby and hurriedly asked, "Little San, how did it go? What does your third soul ring do?"

Tang San frowned, disappointment in his voice. "It increases the vitality of my Blue Silver Grass."

Tang Hao frowned too. "What use is that? Blue Silver Grass is already the weakest Martial Soul. Without combat traits like poison or toughness, it can't hold its own in a fight."

Tang San sighed. "I don't think it's useful either. Teacher said Blue Silver Grass was weak and needed poison and toughness to be effective in combat. Yet the soul ring I condensed gave me vitality, which has no combat value."

"And Tiga on the Sky Curtain said this would give us the soul skills best suited to us. What nonsense."

Tang Hao considered this for a moment. "What do you plan to do?"

Tang San hesitated. "Let's find Teacher. I think we still need his opinion. He's knowledgeable; perhaps he'll have a solution."

Tang Hao nodded. "All right. We'll leave for Shrek Academy at once. If necessary, we'll keep hunting Soul Beasts in the future. Strength matters most, after all."

Tang San frowned. "But didn't Spirit Hall just sign a peace treaty with several Soul Beast factions? Won't that cause trouble?"

Tang Hao waved a hand. "We'll do it in secret. As long as no one finds out, there won't be a problem. It seems that little rabbit still has considerable value."

Tang San fell silent for a moment, then nodded. "All right. Xiao Wu and I might as well go back to Shrek and continue our studies this time."

A gleam flashed in Tang Hao's eyes. "That works. You said the students at Shrek Academy are talented. I'll have two suitable disciples from the Clear Sky Sect join you. That will make seven, enough to enter the Continental Advanced Soul Master Tournament. Win the championship, and the whole continent will know the Clear Sky Sect's might once more!"

Fighting spirit flashed in Tang San's eyes. "Yes, Father. I'll give it everything I have."

Then he asked, "Father, do you think Ning Rongrong will enter this tournament?"

Tang Hao shook his head. "I don't know."

A cold sneer curled Tang San's lips.

"Heh. Then I'll write her a letter. With that rash temper of hers, there's no way she'll stay out of it. When the time comes, I'll make that bitch pay!"

Tang Hao warned him, "Things aren't like they used to be. Don't make it too obvious, or you'll give people something to use against you."

Tang San nodded. "I know, Father."

An hour later, Tang San arrived at Xiao Wu's residence.

Xiao Wu had been in excellent spirits lately. Now that Douluo Continent had a way to condense soul rings without hunting Soul Beasts, she felt much safer as a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast who had taken human form. The last trace of wariness she had felt toward Tang San had vanished. To her, he was still the Brother San she could rely on.

"Brother San, what brings you here?" Xiao Wu greeted him with a delighted smile.

Tang San smiled back. "Xiao Wu, there's something I want to tell you. I plan to continue studying at Shrek and enter the Continental Soul Master Elite Tournament. I hope you'll come with me."

Xiao Wu agreed without a second thought. "Sure, Brother San! I'll go with you!"

The next day, Tang Hao left the Clear Sky Sect with Tang San, Xiao Wu, and two outstanding disciples of the sect.

Tang San and Xiao Wu had met both disciples after arriving at the Clear Sky Sect. One was Tang Tian, eighteen years old and level fifty-one, whose talent rivaled that of Spirit Hall's Golden Generation. The other was Tang Chuan, twenty-one years old and level forty-nine. Though slightly less gifted than Tang Tian, he was still a rare talent among the continent's younger generation.

Half a month later, the group arrived at Shrek Academy.

Grandmaster was thrilled to see Tang San. When he learned of Tang Tian's and Tang Chuan's cultivation levels, and that they intended to enter the Continental Advanced Soul Master Tournament in three years, he trembled with excitement.

He had waited far too long for a chance to prove himself. He would show the whole continent that his title of Grandmaster was no empty boast.

He had lost a great deal of face by claiming on the Sky Curtain that the Sea God was stronger than the Light God.

Whenever he went out, followers of the Light God were sure to throw eggs at him. Once, they had nearly beaten him to death.

Fortunately, Flender had arrived in time. In the end, only Grandmaster's third leg had suffered a little damage.

Grandmaster immediately summoned Flender, Zhao Wuji, and the others to discuss forming the Shrek Soul Master Team.

Flender and the others readily agreed. Why turn down a chance to earn both fame and money? If Shrek became famous, they might even collect more tuition than they could count.

And so, after all its twists and turns, a Shrek team was formed in this world after all. Its members were Tang Chuan, twenty-one, level forty-nine; Tang Tian, eighteen, level fifty-one; Dai Mubai, fifteen, level thirty-eight; Oscar, fourteen, level thirty-one; Xiao Wu, twelve, level thirty-one; Tang San, twelve, level thirty-one; and Ma Hongjun, twelve, level twenty-seven.

Without the immortal herbs they had taken in the original story, the Shrek Seven Devils would certainly have been no match for this new Shrek team by the time the tournament began.

Elsewhere, Ning Rongrong received Tang San's letter and spent two full hours cursing him. Even then, her anger showed no sign of fading.

She immediately went to Ning Fengzhi and demanded that they form the Nine Treasure Team to face Tang San in the tournament.

Because Tang San wanted Ning Rongrong dead, the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and the Clear Sky Sect had become bitter enemies.

Ning Fengzhi agreed on the spot. He bought a school outright and renamed it Nine Treasure Advanced Soul Master Academy.

The Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had far more young disciples than the Clear Sky Sect.

And with its wealth and generous benefits, attracting outstanding students would be no problem.

A few days later, a girl with pure-white eyes arrived at Nine Treasure Advanced Soul Master Academy.

Several chairs had been set outside the academy gate, where enrollment teachers from the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect sat taking applications.

The girl stepped forward. "Hello. Is it true that students here don't have to pay for housing or meals?"

A female enrollment teacher looked Hinata up and down.

Hmm. Very pretty, and she seems gentle too. But why are her eyes white? She isn't blind, is she?

Still, she answered Hinata's question.

"That's right!"

Hinata's eyes lit up, but then she asked quietly,

"You won't start charging for meals if a student eats a lot, will you?"

The teacher smiled. So this girl can eat. But how much could she possibly put away?

"Don't worry. Our academy is backed by the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. You've heard of the Seven Treasure Merchant Association, haven't you? The continent's largest merchant association belongs to the sect."

"That's a relief. I'd like to join Nine Treasure Advanced Soul Master Academy."

"How old are you? What's your Martial Soul, and what level are you?"

"My name is Hyuga Hinata. I'm fifteen, level thirty-seven, and my Martial Soul is my eyes."

The teacher looked puzzled.

"Eyes? I've never heard of eyes as a Martial Soul."

Hinata immediately summoned her Martial Soul.

The veins around her eyes bulged slightly.

Yellow, yellow, purple!

Three soul rings lit up.

After passing the age and level tests, Hinata easily qualified for admission to Nine Treasure Advanced Soul Master Academy.

The first thing she did after enrolling was rush straight to the cafeteria.

An hour later, a blond boy with whisker marks on his cheeks arrived at the academy too.

He enrolled without a hitch.

The first thing the blond boy did after enrolling was head for the cafeteria as well.

The moment Naruto stepped through the cafeteria doors, the sight before him stopped him cold. More than a dozen enormous wooden tubs were stacked in the center of the room, with empty plates piled beside them like a small mountain.

In front of that mountain of tubs sat a tiny girl.

She cradled a rice tub wider than her torso in one arm and gripped a long-handled ladle in the other, shoveling heaping scoops of rice into her mouth at an astonishing pace.

She swallowed each mouthful without chewing.

Naruto could just make out what the girl was muttering as she ate.

"Eat faster. Eat more. They might kick me out any minute!"

A ring of stunned students and cafeteria workers surrounded her. Some had dropped what they were holding without even noticing.