There was no denying that Wang Yan was an excellent teacher.
For someone like Huo Yuhao, who had little grounding in the fundamentals of being a Soul Master, every day was spent devouring knowledge with the hunger of a starving man.
He often raised questions in class about things he did not understand. Some sent the entire class into peals of laughter, while others were so obscure that even Wang Yan had never considered them.
But Wang Yan still did his best to answer Huo Yuhao. Even when he could not answer on the spot, he would look up the relevant information that evening and explain it to him the next day.
By now, Wang Yan had become the teacher Huo Yuhao respected most.
Wang Yan was also very fond of Huo Yuhao, especially the persistence and resilience he displayed.
As for talent, Wang Yan had never thought it would be much of a problem-
He himself was only a Soul King. Many teachers at Shrek Academy his age had already become Soul Emperors, and some had even begun pushing toward Soul Saint.
In the inner court, where geniuses gathered, there were even monsters who had become Soul Emperors before turning twenty.
But Wang Yan had always firmly believed that talent only allowed someone to move faster. How far they could go still depended on hard work.
And Huo Yuhao perfectly embodied his belief that Heaven rewarded diligence.
That was why Wang Yan often kept Huo Yuhao behind for private tutoring, leaving Qi Xuan to return to their dorm alone.
Qi Xuan now truly understood just how terrifyingly hard Huo Yuhao worked.
Every morning, without fail, he got up at six and ran laps around the field to strengthen his body, followed by classes from eight in the morning until six in the evening.
Afterward, Wang Yan kept him back for another two hours of private tutoring. Once he returned to the dorm, he went over everything he had learned that day again.
He did not even enter deep sleep at night. After showering, he sat cross-legged on his bed and began meditating to cultivate.
Every night, Qi Xuan saw Huo Yuhao cultivating before he went to sleep. By the time he opened his eyes, Huo Yuhao was already outside running laps.
For Huo Yuhao, the only times he could truly relax throughout the day were his three meals.
Qi Xuan could see the radiance of the king of the grind shining from him.
Even a lazy bum like him had been swept along by Huo Yuhao's example, day after day, and started getting up early for morning exercise.
Those who achieved great things in ancient times possessed not only extraordinary talent, but also an indomitable will.
Huo Yuhao himself did not think it was anything special. He even found it enjoyable.
Every day, he learned vast amounts of new knowledge and could feel his Soul Power steadily increasing. It gave him tremendous positive reinforcement.
He knew his talent fell short of that of his classmates. That only meant he had to work even harder and make up the difference with sweat.
"No, Yuhao, you can't keep this up! You'll drive your cultivation out of control!"
One evening, while the four of them were eating together, Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao were both startled to hear about Huo Yuhao's daily routine.
"It's fine." Huo Yuhao shoveled a mouthful of rice into his mouth. "I can already feel the bottleneck at rank eighteen loosening. I'm aiming to break through before the assessment tournament."
With the help of the Spirit-Moistening Pill, Huo Yuhao's potential was gradually being unlocked. His cultivation speed was now worlds apart from what it had been at the Duke's Mansion.
"That's not what I mean," Wang Dong said seriously. "A Soul Master's cultivation should balance exertion with relaxation. If you stretch yourself too tight, things can easily go wrong. Plenty of Soul Masters have lost control from cultivating too much and spent the rest of their lives unable to advance a single step."
"Exactly, Yuhao. You should relax a little too. Look at this guy-he never works hard at all," Xiao Xiao chimed in, pointing at Qi Xuan beside Huo Yuhao.
"How did this turn into a shot at me?" Qi Xuan, who had been happily digging into his stir-fried shredded pork, was appalled. "And since when do I not work hard? That's a completely baseless accusation."
Xiao Xiao snorted. "I saw you playing Gomoku in class this afternoon."
"You're at least three rows away from me, miss. Why do you spend every day staring at me instead of paying attention in class?"
Listening to their bickering, Huo Yuhao could not help smiling. "I'm full. You guys keep eating. I have to go see Teacher Wang."
With that, he hurried out of the dining hall.
Wang Dong watched him leave, then glumly shoveled rice into her mouth.
"Speaking of which, I actually do need a favor from you two," Qi Xuan said, as though something had suddenly occurred to him.
The two girls across from him gave him puzzled looks.
Qi Xuan held out his right hand without a trace of embarrassment. "Lend me some money."
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Meals at Shrek Academy's dining hall cost extra as well, though core disciples naturally received preferential treatment.
But becoming a core disciple would have to wait until after the freshman assessment tournament at the earliest.
Huo Yuhao had never had much money to begin with. When he left the White Tiger Duke's Mansion, his entire fortune had amounted to seventy-five Copper Soul Coins.
Although Qi Xuan was a little better off, he too had been alone since childhood, wandering on his own. He had squeezed some money out of Yu Lian, but by now, little of it remained.
If they did not find a way to get some money soon, the two of them would be living on the northwest wind.
Huo Yuhao took it in stride. At worst, he could return to his old trade and set up a grilled fish stall by the gate.
But Qi Xuan knew that running a small business was no easy matter, especially selling snacks outside a school.
Besides, that would eat into Huo Yuhao's cultivation time.
"I have money. What do you need it for?"
"To fight matches at the Soul Fighting Arena. I need to borrow some money for admission." Qi Xuan made no attempt to hide his intentions.
"A cross-year challenge in the academy's Soul Fighting Zone only costs ten Gold Soul Coins. Who are you going to find to bet against you?" Wang Dong asked, puzzled.
Xiao Xiao had an inkling. "You're not thinking of going to the one in Shrek City, are you?"
Soul Fighting Arenas were a long-established business on the Douluo Continent. They had existed as far back as ten thousand years ago and endured to the present day.
Today, Soul Fighting Arenas could be found in every country and region. Naturally, Shrek City was no exception.
The city's two million residents could not possibly all be students.
Soul Fighting Arenas were also one of the most direct ways to turn fighting ability into wealth.
According to Shrek's school history, the first sponsorship Shrek Academy ever received had been secured by the original Shrek Seven Monsters at a Soul Fighting Arena.
Xiao Xiao took out a gold banknote. "I can lend you the money, but for every nine you get, you'll have to repay thirteen."
Qi Xuan waved a hand grandly. "We're all friends here. Why stand on ceremony? I'll pay you back double tomorrow morning."
Wang Dong's eyes lit up. "Really? Then I'll lend you a hundred thousand."
Qi Xuan was speechless. "You really aren't afraid of getting blacklisted by the Soul Fighting Zone, huh?"
"I'm just teasing you." Wang Dong took out a gold banknote too. "No need for interest. Just pay me back when you can."
Xiao Xiao nodded as well, concern showing in her clear eyes. "Qi Xuan, you have to be careful."
Under Wang Dong's teasing gaze, Xiao Xiao's expression remained unchanged. "The freshman tournament is only a few days away, after all. If you get hurt, it'll definitely affect our team's strength."
"Don't worry. You two esteemed masters can just wait to collect your money tomorrow morning." Qi Xuan cupped his hands in salute and left the dining hall as well.
Shrek Academy lay in the eastern part of Shrek City, and quite a few soldiers patrolled the east gate.
Of the four gates, the east gate led directly to Shrek Academy, so anyone entering had to undergo an identity check.
There was no such check when leaving, however.
Since the next day was the weekend, quite a few people were heading out that evening. Many students wanted to stroll around Shrek City.
Qi Xuan, however, had no time for leisurely sightseeing. He headed straight for the Shrek Great Soul Arena.
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