If Chen Ping's request had been converted directly into Gold Soul Coins...
Six straight months of meals from counter eight would have cost no small sum.
Even Shrek's chefs who specialized in cooking Soul Beast ingredients only earned that much in a month.
But the beauty of it was that Chen Ping hadn't asked for money. He only wanted to nourish his body, only wanted to avoid falling too far behind his classmates.
It was truly hard to refuse a boy determined to hold his breath and push himself toward excellence, even if that boy had an enormous appetite.
"What a greedy little brat."
A smile curled at the corners of Xuan Zi's mouth. He could clearly see the hunger to grow stronger in Chen Ping's eyes.
At Shrek Academy, not every Soul Master with that look in their eyes could become one of the outstanding few who stood head and shoulders above their peers.
But those outstanding few who did stand head and shoulders above their peers invariably had that same fierce, all-consuming hunger to grow stronger in their eyes.
"Hmph. Since this meal of yours really does taste good, I'll agree."
"Of course, that's provided the Premium Buddha Jumps Over the Wall you mentioned really tastes even better than this pot."
"Once the term starts, go to counter eight and eat to your heart's content. I'll speak to them. However much you eat, put it all on my tab."
Xuan Zi finally nodded.
This boy could barely afford his daily meals, yet he still managed to stir up so much trouble.
Now he wanted to see what sort of waves Chen Ping could make on a full stomach.
Chen Ping paused, however, then asked somewhat sheepishly, "Xuan Zi, could I start eating there tomorrow?"
"That would take me to three months after the term starts. Just right."
At those words, Xuan Zi blinked, then seemed to realize something. A gleam flashed in his eyes. "Just right, three months after the term starts, eh?"
"You're that confident you can secure a Core Disciple training slot in the third month of your first term?"
"Do you know how many genius Soul Masters compete for those training slots in Shrek's annual freshman tournament?"
Xuan Zi raised his head and narrowed his eyes at Chen Ping, as though he wouldn't rest until he had stumped him.
Chen Ping didn't answer directly, but the faint smile at the corners of his mouth laid his thoughts bare before Wang Yan and Xuan Zi.
"Heh, heh, heh. All right, eat first."
"When I get back, I'll have a word with Old Zhao in the kitchen. Just go and eat tomorrow. I guarantee nobody will ask you for money."
"But let me make this clear first. Whenever I've gathered enough ingredients, you have to give my meals priority."
A smile appeared on Xuan Zi's face. "I'll see whether you can actually earn a Core Disciple training slot in the tournament three months after the term starts!"
More than two months passed in the blink of an eye.
Today was another day for Chen Ping to deliver Premium Buddha Jumps Over the Wall to Xuan Zi.
And tomorrow, Shrek would officially begin registering its new students.
Chen Ping took two of the three pots of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall simmering on the kitchen stove and put them into his Storage Ring.
As for the remaining pot, Chen Ping took out his newly purchased Storage Necklace, drew it inside, and chuckled.
He was no longer penniless, as he had been when he first arrived at Shrek.
These days, he could buy a Storage Necklace with half a cubic meter of space whenever he pleased.
After merely comparing thirty different shops, he had decisively bought this Storage Necklace, which offered the best value for money.
What could he do? The life of the wealthy was simply that dull and tedious.
A fourth-year senior girl had originally reserved this pot of Premium Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, but for some reason, she had suddenly canceled, saying she would try it another time.
Just as Chen Ping was fretting over what to do with the pot, a new customer reserved it.
That was an unexpected delight. After all, every time Chen Ping made Premium Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, he had to wait until Xuan Zi had gathered enough ingredients.
Each batch of ingredients was enough to make four pots, but Chen Ping only delivered two.
Of the remaining two, he ate one himself and checked whether any little moneybags would pay to sample the other.
His belly was certainly full of scheming black ink.
Still, if anyone dug into the matter, Chen Ping had a defense ready.
An Ironhide Savage Pig only had two hind hocks. Could Premium Buddha Jumps Over the Wall stewed with fore hocks really still be called Premium Buddha Jumps Over the Wall?
And among the ingredients delivered for soaking, some were simply too small, while others looked unattractive. Could he casually throw those in and serve them to the venerable Xuan Zi?
As the saying went, a dish needed color, aroma, and flavor. If its appearance wasn't even up to standard, how could he boldly call it premium?
Those ingredients that looked too small or unattractive simply had to be removed.
And what about the Buddha Jumps Over the Wall made from the leftover ingredients?
That was lower-grade Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, not the premium kind. Using slightly less attractive ingredients was perfectly reasonable.
Though it was lower grade, its nourishing effects ultimately weren't much worse than those of the premium version.
This was what it meant to remember that every needle and thread was hard-earned, and that even half a strand of silk came from painstaking labor.
Chen Ping moved quickly.
Over the past two months and more, he had already made several deliveries and had become quite familiar with the layout of Shrek Academy.
Standing before Sea God Lake, Chen Ping took out the Sound Transmission Soul Tool Xuan Zi had supplied especially for him.
Chen Ping had barely called out before Xuan Zi appeared in front of him.
Chen Ping swore he hadn't even blinked, but Xuan Zi really was that fast.
All he had to do was call through the Sound Transmission Soul Tool, and Xuan Zi would appear before him from Sea God Island in the blink of an eye.
Every time he saw this, Chen Ping wondered just how much alcohol Xuan Zi had drunk on that mission for two generations of the Shrek Seven Devils to nearly be wiped out by the Death Messenger's explosions.
In the end, he hadn't even caught the Death Messenger, a mere level-fifty Evil Soul Master.
Was your level 98 cultivation fucking real or fake?
Chen Ping took out the two pots of Premium Buddha Jumps Over the Wall and was about to hand them to Xuan Zi, only to discover that he took just one this time.
"Huh?"
Chen Ping gave Xuan Zi a puzzled look.
Xuan Zi sighed. "Did you think I ate both pots myself every time I ordered two pots of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall?"
"Do you remember how many pots you prepared the first time I met you?"
Chen Ping thought for a moment. "Four?"
Xuan Zi sighed at his answer. "Those four pots were exactly where things went wrong. When I left afterward, I packed up the remaining pot of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall to eat on the way."
"But just as I passed the Outer Court student dormitories, Mu En spotted me. Not only did I miss out on that pot, but ever since then, one of the two pots you bring hasn't been mine either."
"Mu En is in good spirits today. He isn't on Sea God Island; he's gone to enjoy the cool breeze in front of the freshman dormitory again. Take this pot straight to him."
"Don't worry about not recognizing him. Head toward the freshman dormitory. He's the one who likes sitting in a reclining chair by the entrance, enjoying the cool breeze."
At this point, Xuan Zi cast a reluctant glance at the other pot of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall and began reflecting on his mistakes with an expression of bitter anguish.
Oh, Xuan Zi, Xuan Zi, why did you have to pack up that pot of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall?
Even if you packed it up, couldn't you have put it in a Storage Soul Tool and eaten it after getting back? Why did you have to eat it on the way?
Now Mu En has set his sights on it, and you lose a pot every single time. Learned your lesson now, haven't you?
Before you continue