The Holy Spirit Cult's Supreme Elder Gets His First Assignment!

"For Xiaotao to drink?"

"Yes, for your sister Xiaotao." Xuan Zi held out a hand to Gao Ren. "First, give this old man some Overlord Drumsticks. I'll explain the details when they get here."

Gao Ren had a bellyful of questions, but he made some Overlord Drumsticks for Xuan Zi first.

Before long, Ma Xiaotao and Yan Shaozhe appeared beside Sea God Lake.

Ma Xiaotao had changed clothes. The sight of Xuan Zi happily devouring Overlord Drumsticks made her mouth water at once.

But Xuan Zi might have serious business with her teacher, so she held back from asking Gao Ren for any. She could eat after they finished talking.

As soon as Yan Shaozhe arrived, he bowed slightly to Gao Ren and Xuan Zi. "Xuan Zi, A-Ren, I'm truly sorry about what happened earlier. I apologize to you both on Xiaotao's behalf."

"Yan Shaozhe, spare us that nonsense." Xuan Zi waved a hand. "Let's get down to business."

"Just say the word, Xuan Zi."

Yan Shaozhe had always been shrewd. He kept his posture exceedingly humble, as though currying favor with Xuan Zi, the future Sea God Pavilion Master.

"Yan Shaozhe, you're Xiaotao's teacher." Xuan Zi pointed to a vat of Immortal's Drunk nearby. "Today, this old man wants you to drink with her."

Yan Shaozhe felt as though his brain had shrunk.

Drink with Xiaotao? What the hell? Xuan Zi, are you serious?!

Yan Shaozhe: "Uh... uh..."

Seeing him gaping like that, Xuan Zi's temper flared. "If this old man hadn't already drunk his share of wine for the week and couldn't have any more of A-Ren's, I wouldn't need you to do it!"

"Why do I have to drink?" Ma Xiaotao asked, her face full of confusion.

Xuan Zi answered seriously, "Because drinking A-Ren's wine can strengthen your spiritual power.

"When your Evil Fire flares up, stronger spiritual power will let you keep your wits longer. It'll give you more room for error.

"If something unexpected happens, we'll have a better chance of rescuing you in time."

Understanding finally dawned on Yan Shaozhe.

They had considered strengthening Ma Xiaotao's spiritual power to counter the Evil Fire of her Evil Fire Phoenix before.

But it hadn't been as cost-effective as their other options, so the idea had eventually come to nothing.

Gao Ren's arrival had solved that problem.

Compared to the costly treasures that strengthened spiritual power, Immortal's Drunk only consumed Gao Ren's Soul Power. Its value for money was through the roof!

"A-Ren, make some Overlord Drumsticks for them to eat with their drinks."

"You got it!"

Gao Ren answered and covered a dining table—which Xuan Zi had produced from who knew where—with Overlord Drumsticks.

Ma Xiaotao had rarely drunk alcohol before. After all, it wasn't good for her.

But with Overlord Drumsticks to eat alongside it, she was happy to drink more of a beverage she'd never cared for.

Gradually, the wine went down more and more easily.

Drumsticks with wine—each drink tasted better than the last.

A flush spread across her cheeks, and alcohol began to cloud her eyes.

"A-Ren... heehee... your wine... is so good..." Ma Xiaotao giggled foolishly, cradling her bowl.

Yan Shaozhe, the other drinker, stopped after a single bowl.

He knew full well that Soul Power couldn't dispel the effects of this wine.

He sat quietly to one side, watching his student drink bowl after bowl until she finally slumped over asleep.

Looking at Ma Xiaotao sleeping so soundly, Xuan Zi spoke with a note of satisfaction in his voice:

"Yan Shaozhe, I imagine you're rather glad to see this, aren't you?"

Yan Shaozhe paused, thought it over, then nodded.

"Cultivating makes Xiaotao's Evil Fire stronger, so while she's suppressing it, I don't allow her to cultivate.

"But that girl is stubborn. She still sneaks off to cultivate now and then.

"To be honest, as her teacher, I'd rather see Xiaotao healthy than see her rival the first generation of Shrek."

"Getting drunk and falling asleep is another way to cut down on her cultivation time and slow the rate at which her Evil Fire flares up." Xuan Zi smiled at the unconscious Ma Xiaotao. "Judging by how she drank today, she's probably hooked on A-Ren's wine."

Gao Ren listened from the side, inwardly exclaiming, Well, I'll be damned.

Xuan Zi usually looked like a brute who solved everything with muscle, but that didn't mean he had no brains.

The moment food or drink was involved—provided he wasn't hungry—his intelligence shot up with a clatter!

Six months had passed since the incident with Ma Xiaotao.

During that time, Gao Ren's Soul Power Level had risen from thirteen to nearly twenty. His next level was just around the corner.

Nearly seven levels of Soul Power in six months might have sounded fantastical, but that was the reality.

As Xuan Zi's disciple, Gao Ren enjoyed the finest resources Shrek Academy had to offer.

Even though he was a food-type Soul Master and cultivated more slowly than a Battle Soul Master, he had still reached his current level.

His level wasn't the only thing that had grown dramatically. Gao Ren had also become far better known throughout Shrek Academy.

He couldn't help it. The Overlord Drumsticks he sold in the Outer Court cafeteria were just that good.

Anyone who tried one could hardly give them up. Those who hadn't tried one scrimped and saved, wanting to know just how delicious the Overlord Drumsticks everyone talked about really were.

After dinner, Gao Ren sat on a picnic blanket, watching Ma Xiaotao across from him drink wine and eat meat.

With Xuan Zi keeping watch through his spiritual power, Gao Ren was much bolder than before.

Even alone with Ma Xiaotao, he wasn't afraid of her at all.

Over those six months, Ma Xiaotao had become a complete and utter drunkard.

Her Soul Power cultivation hadn't risen much, but she had indeed grown considerably stronger.

The improvement in her spiritual power had given her far greater control over the fire element.

Together, those gains had made her Evil Fire much more stable.

"A-Ren."

Hearing Xuan Zi's voice, Gao Ren turned to look.

"Teacher, you're here."

Xuan Zi sat down across from him, grabbed an Overlord Drumstick, and dug in.

Once he had finished it, he told Gao Ren something. "In a few days, this old man is taking some Inner Court disciples to the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt for Soul Rings.

"Once that's done, I'll take over as Sea God Pavilion Master. Then you'll be able to call yourself 'the Sea God Pavilion Master's disciple.'"

At the news, Gao Ren's pupils contracted sharply.

Wasn't this when that disaster happened?!

Xuan Zi got separated from twelve Inner Court disciples, and eight of them were killed by a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast!

The first disaster Xuan Zi led after 'taking office' as a supreme elder of the Holy Spirit Cult!

"A-Ren, what's wrong?" Xuan Zi noticed something was off with his disciple.

"Nothing..." Gao Ren forced himself to stay calm. "I'm just a little tired. I want to get back and meditate."

"Tired? I suppose that makes sense." Xuan Zi nodded. "Since your cultivation rose, you've had to fry more and more drumsticks every day."