Harmonious and friendly Shrek

With the help of Oscar's sausages, the group covered half the journey before nightfall.

The boys found it fairly easy, having endured all kinds of hellish training.

The girls, however, were the exact opposite. Strain showed on every face.

Zhu Zhuqing often trained hard on her own, but building a cart behind closed doors would never teach her how to make it fit the road.

Still, with the speed boost from her Hell Spirit Cat and the support of the sausages, she could just barely keep up.

Ning Rongrong and Lin Like had also undergone physical training in their sect, but their conditioning fell far short of everyone else's.

Tang San and the others had considered slowing their pace further.

But the stubborn Ning Rongrong refused. She wanted to prove that she was more than a pampered princess.

She even used her martial soul to support the others.

Their progress quickened, making Dai Mubai and the others see Ning Rongrong in a new light.

Dai Mubai led the way, with Zhu Zhuqing and Ma Hongjun on either flank, Tang San and Lin Like at the rear, and the two support specialists, Oscar and Ning Rongrong, in the middle.

Maintaining this formation, the Shrek group arrived at a small town outside the Star Dou Great Forest.

"It's getting late. Let's spend the night here."

Dai Mubai directed everyone to stop in the town.

The girls immediately breathed sighs of relief. Lin Like's and Ning Rongrong's legs even buckled, and they nearly fell.

"Careful."

Tang San reached out to steady them both, sending a gentle current of soul power into them.

It helped regulate their breathing and ease their fatigue.

"Thanks, Tang San."

"Thank you."

Ning Rongrong and Lin Like thanked Tang San.

"No need to be so polite. We're teammates now."

"That's right. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda really deserves its reputation as the finest support tool martial soul. We only got here so quickly thanks to you."

Dai Mubai also spoke up at just the right moment. They were all teammates now. Although Ning Rongrong's temperament had left everyone with a terrible first impression, her performance now was enough to change their minds about her.

The most important thing now, therefore, was to set aside those pointless prejudices and accept Ning Rongrong.

Of course, if Ning Rongrong kept acting like a little she-devil, she could hardly blame them for turning against her.

Teammates. Ning Rongrong mulled over the word, surprised by Tang San and the others' generosity.

They were clearly geniuses too, yet they felt completely different from her.

Tang San in particular brought the team closer together with his gentleness.

Dai Mubai could do the same because he respected the strong-not merely their strength, but their will and character as well.

Tang San's group found an inn to stay at. At the dinner table, Ning Rongrong could not help feeling surprised by how politely they treated the servers.

"You really don't put on any of the airs of soul masters, even though you're all geniuses every bit as talented as I am."

Dai Mubai said, "We're used to it. Besides, there's nothing wrong with being like this."

Shrek Academy had certainly set an excellent bad example for him back then.

He was rather glad that his mind had been enthralled at the time, making him timid and unable to live by "Anyone who doesn't dare stir up trouble is a mediocrity." Otherwise, he might have wallowed in the same mire as Shrek.

It was like a certain emperor in the Star Luo Empire's history. By feigning madness and playing the fool, he had witnessed every facet of human life from the lowliest position. Then, with extraordinary wisdom and a lofty cultivation level, he had defeated all his rivals, allowing the Star Luo Empire's national strength to surpass Heaven Dou's for a time.

Of course, Dai Mubai had suffered quite a bit himself. Several of his bones had even been broken.

And Tang San, the person who had helped him recover, had set a fine example for him.

"These servers don't have it easy either."

"Exactly, exactly."

Ma Hongjun and Oscar, who had both worked in restaurants, felt the same way deeply.

Tang San also said, "My teacher has given me a great deal of guidance in how to think."

Then Tang San began sharing his insights.

"Being a soul master is a noble profession."

"But what makes it noble?"

"Awakening a martial soul and gaining innate soul power?"

"No! No! No!"

"If we don't elevate our wisdom and understanding, we're fundamentally no different from those useless nobles with fat bellies and fat-clogged brains, or officials who sit like corpses in office and eat without earning their keep!"

"So I often search my own heart and ask what kind of soul master I should become. I'm still thinking about it."

"But whatever the answer is, improving our wisdom and understanding is absolutely essential. Even if our soul power cultivation stagnates, our minds must never stop growing."

These words deeply shook Ning Rongrong, Zhu Zhuqing, and Lin Like. It was their first time seeing Tang San so passionate.

And his words made perfect sense. This was precisely what the soul master world lacked today.

Lin Like made another mental note. Tang San truly was someone who deserved particular attention.

He resembled a founding emperor recorded in the Sun Moon Continent's history books, who had united the continent's scattered warlords and duchies, establishing the mighty Great Sun Empire to stand on equal footing with the Dark Moon Empire.

If not for the existence of the neutral Soul Tool Hall, he might have unified the entire continent in one stroke back then.

Even now, the Soul Tool Hall's discovery of the Douluo Continent had once again slowed the unification of the Sun Moon Continent.

If Tang San developed his potential and rose to a high position on the Douluo Continent, then, given time, he would undoubtedly bring enormous trouble to the Sun Moon Continent!

Clap, clap, clap!

Tang San had spoken neither loudly nor softly. Apart from the Shrek group, some of the other soul masters present had also heard the wisdom in his words.

They also admired this young man's courage in openly condemning nobles and officials.

And so they began applauding.

At another table, a group of lavishly dressed young people were also discussing him.

"Hey, Teacher Ye, that guy's awfully cocky. Should we go over and..."

"Like hell you should! We at Blue Sunshine Academy aren't thugs. If others don't provoke us, we don't provoke them. Besides, he's already so wise at such a young age. You lot had better learn from him."

It was not that Teacher Ye was particularly kindhearted. Although he thought Tang San's words had some merit, he also felt somewhat included among those being condemned.

The reason he did not provoke Tang San was that he had just tried to probe him, only for the boy to return a pointed glance.

Terrifying perception, coupled with unfathomable fluctuations of soul power.

He was far too prickly a target to handle.

What was more, the genuine thugs at another nearby table had also probed him while he was probing Tang San.

Ye Zhiqiu looked over. Good grief, every single one of them was stronger than him.

And he was a Soul King!

These youngsters might well have come from some great clan or powerful faction to gain experience. It was better not to provoke them casually.

And so the Shrek Academy group spent a peaceful night.

Ning Rongrong volunteered to pay the bill. She had no desire to become some noble with a fat belly and a fat-clogged brain, or an official who sat like a corpse in office and ate without earning her keep.

She wanted to become a powerful female soul master and raise her martial soul to the Eight Treasure level!

She was going to accomplish great things!