Evil Fire Phoenix

The next day, Xiao Wu dragged Qin Muchu out of his dreams and onto the training ground. Two people were already waiting there: Dai Mubai and a little red-haired fatty whose belly was bigger than many middle-aged men's. At barely five feet tall, he looked like a ball of meat.

Dai Mubai spotted them and waved. "Xiao Wu, Muchu, over here!"

Qin Muchu walked over, yawning. "Where's Oscar?"

Dai Mubai smiled. "He's a Food-System Soul Master, so he usually shows up later. Come on, I'll introduce you. This is Ma Hongjun. We all call him Fatty. His Martial Soul is a turkey, though he insists it's a phoenix. Fatty, these are our new classmates, Qin Muchu and Xiao Wu."

Qin Muchu was about to greet him when he noticed Ma Hongjun leering at Xiao Wu like a drooling pig. Anger surged through him. "You damned fatty, where the hell are you looking?"

Ma Hongjun had been lost in dirty fantasies. Hearing someone curse at him, he snapped back, "Where I look is none of your damn business. Who the hell are you?"

Dai Mubai's heart sank. He knew this was going to end badly and stepped forward to intervene, but Qin Muchu had already spoken. "Who the hell do you think you're talking to? Mubai, stay out of this. I'm teaching him a lesson today."

Ma Hongjun refused to back down. "Hah! With that scrawny body of yours, we'll see who teaches whom. Today I'll show you what my flames can do. Phoenix Possess—"

Before he could summon his Martial Soul, Qin Muchu stepped in. He did not bother summoning his own, simply driving a solid punch into Ma Hongjun's plump face.

Ma Hongjun screamed. His Martial Soul Possession was cut short, and he toppled to the ground, spitting out a mouthful of blood. Clutching his cheek, he stared at Qin Muchu in terror. Qin Muchu did not care what he thought. He bent down, seized Ma Hongjun by the throat, and said coldly, "Now tell me. Where were you looking? And who the hell did you think you were talking to?"

Dai Mubai hurried to intervene. "Fatty, Muchu and Xiao Wu are together. Apologize to them, quick."

"S-sorry. I won't do it again." Ma Hongjun knew when to bow his head.

Dai Mubai gently patted Qin Muchu's arm. "Muchu, we're all classmates. Let it go. Fatty's always like this, but he isn't bad at heart. Do it for me."

Qin Muchu released Ma Hongjun with a cold snort and returned to Xiao Wu's side.

Seeing that Ma Hongjun still looked resentful, Dai Mubai gave Qin Muchu an apologetic smile and pulled the fatty aside for a thorough scolding. When they returned, the resentment had vanished from Ma Hongjun's face. Only disbelief and a trace of lingering fear remained in his eyes. He bowed to Qin Muchu and Xiao Wu. "I'm sorry, both of you. I was wrong. I shouldn't have stared or run my mouth."

Xiao Wu huffed and ignored him.

Seeing that Ma Hongjun sounded sincere this time, Qin Muchu could not be bothered to quarrel with a boy barely into his teens. His expression softened. "Watch what you say and do from now on. If you'd pulled that on some other powerful Soul Master outside the academy, you might already be a corpse."

"Yes, yes, you're right." Ma Hongjun wiped away a cold sweat. After apologizing again, he stood obediently in place, eyes lowered, not daring to glance around anymore.

A good while later, Oscar, Flender, and the other teachers finally arrived. Seeing everyone assembled, Flender nodded. "All right. First, congratulations to Shrek Academy for recruiting two more Little Monsters this year. Welcome!" He led the applause. The others exchanged puzzled looks, wondering what the headmaster was up to now. Still, following his lead at the academy seemed wise, so they gradually joined in.

As the applause died down, Flender spoke again. "All right. Since we have new members, let's all introduce ourselves again and get acquainted. I'll start. Flender. Beast Martial Soul: Four-Eyed Cat Owl. Level seventy-six Agility Attack System Battle Soul Saint."

Zhao Wuji stepped forward. "Zhao Wuji. Beast Martial Soul: Great Strength Vajra Bear. Level seventy-four Power Attack System Battle Soul Saint."

"Shao Xin. Tool Martial Soul: Sugar Bean. Level seventy-one Food-System Soul Saint."

"Lu Qibin. Tool Martial Soul: Star Luo Chess. Level sixty-five Control System Soul Emperor."

"Li Yusong. Tool Martial Soul: Dragon Pattern Staff. Level sixty-one Power Attack System Battle Soul Emperor."

"Dai Mubai. Beast Martial Soul: White Tiger. Level thirty-three Power Attack System Battle Soul Elder."

"Oscar. Tool Martial Soul: Sausage. Level twenty-five Food-System Soul Grandmaster."

"Ma Hongjun. Beast Martial Soul: Evil Fire Phoenix. Level twenty-three Power Attack System Soul Grandmaster."

Qin Muchu nodded to himself. Apart from Shao Xin of the Food System and Li Yusong, everyone was a few levels below where they had been a year later in the original story. "Qin Muchu. Tool Martial Soul: Dancing Shadow Sword. Level forty-seven Power Attack System Battle Soul Ancestor."

"Xiao Wu. Beast Martial Soul: Rabbit. Level forty-seven Power Attack System Battle Soul Ancestor."

The teachers who had not known about Qin Muchu and Xiao Wu immediately stared at them in shock. Flender smiled with satisfaction, then spoke again. "Children, let's begin today's lesson. A Soul Master's fighting strength doesn't just come from Soul Power and Soul Skills. Physical fitness is vital too. Now, everyone, run five laps around the village. No food until you finish. You'll have the afternoon free afterward, and a second lesson tonight. Oscar, you have no lesson tonight, so you'll run ten laps."

Here it came: Shrek's running lesson, a tradition that would last tens of thousands of years.

Qin Muchu rubbed his nose. "Headmaster, what's tonight's lesson?"

Flender gave him a mysterious smile. "You'll find out tonight." With that, he left.

Qin Muchu guessed that Flender's evening lesson would be Soul Fighting at the Soto Great Soul Arena.

Truthfully, the Great Soul Arena did not interest him much. With his and Xiao Wu's strength, what Soul Ancestor on this continent could stand against them? But since he had chosen to stay at Shrek Academy, following its arrangements would not hurt. After all, he had come here for a serious purpose.

As for attracting attention because he was too talented, he was not particularly worried. He lived in a real world, not a novel, and there were geniuses everywhere. To a true powerhouse, he was merely a junior with some potential. Unless a prodigy belonged to an enemy faction, what powerhouse had so little to do that they would go out of their way to target one? No one in the original story had ever been targeted by a powerhouse simply for being too talented. Oscar was a Food-System Soul Master with Innate Full Soul Power, yet he had roamed around alone for ages after offending Spirit Hall and remained alive and kicking. As long as Qin Muchu did not reveal secrets that overturned everyone's understanding, there generally would not be a problem. Besides, his Soul Power Level had long been common knowledge at Nuoding Academy. Keeping a low profile was impossible anyway.

"Brother Qin, Sister Xiao Wu, let's run together." Ma Hongjun approached them with an eager smile.

Qin Muchu glanced at him. It seemed the fatty really had been beaten into submission. You did not slap someone who came to you smiling; as long as Ma Hongjun behaved, Qin Muchu had no interest in picking a fight.

So he nodded and started running with the others.