"Boss, are we heading straight back now?" After leaving the yellow dormitory building, Chen Yong breathed a sigh of relief. He really wasn't used to so many older students eyeing him like tigers stalking their prey. Still, being the center of everyone's attention felt incredible. If only he could one day become as strong as his boss.
"Boss? Why are you calling me that?" Some time had passed, and the weakness from borrowing power had faded. Jiang Hai asked curiously.
At the mention of this, excitement appeared on Chen Yong's face. "Boss, you're so clever! Using your idea, I earned twenty-eight gold coins in just over two hours. I've never earned so much money in my entire life. The moment I earned that money, I made up my mind: you're my boss. Whatever you tell me to do, I'll do it!"
Jiang Hai found this rather amusing. "We're classmates and roommates. What would I ask you to do?"
"Whatever you ask, Boss, I'll do it," Chen Yong said in his rumbling voice. "Oh, right, Boss, here's your money. You came up with the idea and helped me earn all this, so half should go to you."
Chen Yong took out half the gold coins.
Jiang Hai shook his head with a smile. "We earned that money together. By that logic, I should give you half of what I earned today, too!"
"I... that's not what I meant!" Chen Yong hurriedly waved his hands.
Jiang Hai laughed. "I'm teasing you. Keep your money safe. As you saw, I'm not short on cash. If I ever am, I can borrow some from those lovely older students. The second- and third-year students might be harder to borrow from now, but aren't there still fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-year students? Those lovely upperclassmen will surely lend us some generously."
Some distance away, Mu En heard Jiang Hai's words, and the corner of his mouth twitched despite himself. This little fellow really had gall enough to swallow the heavens. What did he take his upperclassmen for?
Still, wasn't this more like a child? Jiang Hai had been so solemn before that Mu En had almost forgotten he was only eleven or twelve.
"Oh, right. If you really feel bad, how about doing me a favor?" Jiang Hai asked.
"What favor?" Chen Yong asked.
"Stand guard for me. I'm going to absorb the Mystic Water Pill!"
"All right! As long as I'm here, I guarantee nobody will disturb you while you absorb the Mystic Water Pill, Boss. They'll have to step over my corpse first!" Chen Yong thumped his chest in assurance.
"What nonsense are you talking about?" Jiang Hai said with a laugh. "I'm only absorbing a Mystic Water Pill. What danger could there be inside Shrek Academy?"
Chen Yong scratched his head sheepishly. "Boss, where are you going to absorb it? Back in the dorm?"
"If I absorb it in the dorm, will you still be able to live there?" Jiang Hai said. "The Mystic Water Pill cleanses the meridians and purifies the marrow. The impurities it expels stink horribly. Let's find somewhere by Sea God Lake instead. Once I'm done, I can take a bath in the lake!"
"A b-bath in Sea God Lake?" Chen Yong stammered.
"What are you afraid of?" Jiang Hai said. "Nobody said we couldn't bathe in Sea God Lake. Besides, we'll sneak in. No one will notice!"
Jiang Hai had truly let himself loose. He had always been a good student in his previous life. Given another chance in this life, he simply had to experience what being a bad student was like.
Taking a rather reluctant Chen Yong with him, Jiang Hai ran to Sea God Island by Shrek Academy's entrance. He sat cross-legged in a secluded spot, took out a Mystic Water Pill, and swallowed it.
Threads of icy energy bloomed in his belly, instantly turning into a raging fire that swept through every corner of his body.
Jiang Hai quieted his mind and focused, using the Meditation Method Zhang Lexuan had taught him to guide the circulation of his soul power.
Chen Yong stood a short distance away, furtively looking around. Alongside his unease, he felt a little excitement, as though they were doing something naughty.
It was already night, and hardly anyone was near Sea God Lake, allowing Jiang Hai to absorb the Mystic Water Pill's medicinal power in peace.
In the darkness, a faint blue glow surrounded Jiang Hai. Wisps of mist drifted over from Sea God Lake and hovered quietly over his skin, a delicate fragrance lingering amid the moisture.
Meanwhile, the Mystic Water Pill's medicinal power repeatedly washed through Jiang Hai's clogged meridians.
After all, Jiang Hai had only begun cultivating at eight, missing the best time for martial soul awakening and cultivation. His innate soul power had been only half a level. His rapid leaps in strength had nothing whatsoever to do with his own talent; they came entirely from his martial soul's special effects and repeatedly squeezing his potential to its limits.
The Mystic Water Pill cleansed the meridians, purified the marrow, and improved the constitution. For Jiang Hai as he was now, it was nothing short of a miracle medicine.
Time slowly passed. Threads of the Mystic Water Pill's medicinal power flowed constantly in and out through Jiang Hai's pores. The fragrance grew fainter, replaced by a foul stench.
Fortunately, Jiang Hai was absorbing the medicine outdoors, where the smell dispersed quickly. Even so, Chen Yong couldn't resist quietly moving a little farther away.
Only after more than two full hours did Jiang Hai completely absorb the Mystic Water Pill's medicinal power.
Jiang Hai suddenly opened his eyes and dove straight into Sea God Lake with a splash. The cold lake water rippled around him, bringing indescribable refreshment.
Moreover, after taking the Mystic Water Pill, Jiang Hai felt as though the water of Sea God Lake had come alive, leaping and cheering around him.
Only after a while did that feeling fade completely.
Jiang Hai swam ashore and changed into a fresh hemp robe, feeling as though his body had become clearer and freer. He circulated his soul power. Having already reached rank fourteen, it rose another rank to fifteen-and had even reached the peak of rank fifteen.
Now, Jiang Hai could pass Shrek Academy's assessment on the strength of his own soul power alone. Yet without joining Shrek Academy, his soul power would never have made such tremendous progress. If some ordinary person had challenged Xu Sanshi, would he have even acknowledged them, let alone offered a Mystic Water Pill? Dream on!
There was no denying that the Mystic Water Pill had brought Jiang Hai enormous benefits. His soul power circulated much faster than before. Even if he cultivated on his own now, he wouldn't lag too far behind an ordinary soul master.
More importantly, all his meridians had grown tougher, and the previously blocked areas were now completely clear. His blood and vital energy flowed more smoothly. Although his strength hadn't increased, his explosive power had grown greater.
The Mystic Water Pill certainly lived up to its reputation.
Jiang Hai sighed in admiration. The breakthrough in soul power was only a minor matter. The improvements to his physique and meridians were his greatest gains this time.
"Let's head back," Jiang Hai said.
Chen Yong nodded and asked curiously, "Boss, what rank is your soul power now? It feels much stronger than before."
"Rank fifteen!" Jiang Hai said.
"Rank fifteen?" Chen Yong exclaimed. It wasn't too high, but too low. He had always thought Jiang Hai's soul power must be higher than his own-that he had surely reached rank twenty and simply hadn't obtained his second soul ring yet. But now Jiang Hai said his soul power was only rank fifteen, even after taking a Mystic Water Pill.
Jiang Hai knew what Chen Yong was thinking. "My situation is a little unusual. My soul power really was below rank fifteen before. Shrek Academy granted me special admission. Only now have I reached the passing mark!"
"Boss, that's not what I meant," Chen Yong said. "And you shouldn't feel discouraged. Even if your soul power wasn't enough before, it is now! Nobody can say anything. Whatever rank your soul power is, you're still my boss."
"I know," Jiang Hai said with a smile. "Let's go back. It's getting late. We should get some proper rest."
When they returned to the dormitory, Mu En was gone as well. Jiang Hai smiled without saying anything more. Back in Dormitory 109, he took a rare break from cultivation and lay on his bed, replaying the day's challenges in his mind and identifying the gaps in his performance.
As his intelligence grew, Jiang Hai felt that his memory had improved considerably as well. Everything that had happened replayed in his mind with perfect clarity. He went over it again and again, identifying his shortcomings. As he pondered, he grew sleepy and drifted straight off.
Early the next morning, Jiang Hai woke from a deep sleep feeling strong and brimming with energy. He hadn't slept in a long time, having spent all his nights cultivating.
Chen Yong was already up and had just returned from washing. Once Jiang Hai had washed as well, he asked, "Boss, I'm planning to go out and exercise. Want to come?"
Jiang Hai nodded. "Let's go together!"
Some of the Mystic Water Pill's medicinal power had settled into his body, and physical exercise would help him absorb it better.
The two first went to the dining hall and wolfed down a hearty meal.
Neither lacked money now. Jiang Hai had earned over a hundred gold coins in a single evening yesterday, more than enough to eat to his heart's content. Chen Yong was much the same.
After eating, the two began running around Shrek Academy.
After two laps, Jiang Hai felt that the effect wasn't particularly noticeable. He immediately summoned his martial soul, the Bronze Coffin, hoisted it onto himself, and began running again.
Jiang Hai had trained like this before, but with over a thousand jin of extra weight, even he struggled immensely. His pace slowed drastically, and his steps became labored.
Chen Yong glanced at Jiang Hai, his eyes filled with admiration. After a while, he found a pair of iron locks somewhere that looked to weigh over a hundred jin, strapped them onto himself, and began running alongside Jiang Hai.
Chen Yong was very strong, but running with over a hundred jin of iron locks on his back was still a struggle.
It wasn't until nearly noon that the two sat down, utterly exhausted, at the edge of the square by Shrek Academy's entrance. Quite a few new students saw them and pointed at them while talking.
Jiang Hai sat upright and closed his eyes to cultivate, not forgetting to remind him, "Chen Yong, when your body reaches its limit, your soul power cultivation speeds up too. This is the best time to cultivate soul power!"
Chen Yong nodded and forced himself to sit up and cultivate as well. Just as Jiang Hai had said, he felt his soul power improving faster.
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