Sitting at the dining table in the hall, Tian Chen enjoyed a sumptuous breakfast under the maids' attentive care before leisurely leaving the estate and heading straight for Spirit Hall Academy.
Perhaps because the end of the year was approaching, the city streets seemed much more bustling than before.
Vendors moving through the streets called out in dialects from all over, tirelessly pitching their goods to passersby and adding a touch of life to the imposing city.
Making his way through the dense crowds, Tian Chen arrived at Spirit City's gates with practiced ease.
Meng Tao, who had previously entered the Soul Hunting Forest with Tian Chen, had received word long ago and had been waiting for him atop the towering city walls.
After learning of Tian Chen's talent, which far surpassed that of ordinary people, during their last trip to the Soul Hunting Forest, he had made up his mind completely.
His eyes, as sharp and keen as a hawk's, continually scanned the passing crowds.
With his Iron Armored Falcon Martial Soul, he already possessed eyesight far beyond that of ordinary people and spotted Tian Chen in his silver-white fox-fur coat at a glance.
He hurriedly gave an instruction to the city guards beside him, then excitedly spread his arms and leaped from the wall, completing his Martial Soul possession in midair.
His arms transformed completely into enormous wings with a metallic sheen, and he let out a clear cry as he flew toward Tian Chen.
The people entering and leaving Spirit City looked enviously at Meng Tao, whose six Soul Rings pulsed around him. Being able to enter and leave Spirit City meant they were at least Soul Grandmasters above rank twenty, and they understood Soul Masters far better than ordinary people did. The Soul Emperor realm was also their lifelong pursuit.
With their generally ordinary talent, however, most of them would stop at rank twenty-nine.
Although these people were somewhat displeased by the commotion Meng Tao had caused, none dared voice it. They were merely commoners at the very bottom of Spirit City and could not afford to offend Meng Tao, who held an important post in the city guard.
Naturally, Tian Chen could not have missed such a showy entrance.
Watching Meng Tao circle nearby, Tian Chen knew perfectly well what he was thinking. Besides, this was not the first time Meng Tao had taken him flying.
He had thoroughly enjoyed himself back in the Soul Hunting Forest and could not help feeling somewhat envious of flying-type Soul Masters. Unfortunately, unless he encountered some special opportunity, he would only be able to fly briefly by relying on his abundant Soul Power after breaking through to Soul Saint.
As for soaring freely through the sky like Meng Tao and his grandfather, he would have to wait until he broke through to Titled Douluo.
Pushing off with his toes, Tian Chen leaped directly onto Meng Tao's broad back.
He had already done this several times in the Sunset Forest, so he deftly wrapped his fox-fur coat tightly around himself and sat cross-legged on Meng Tao's back.
Meng Tao understood without a word, beat his wings, and vanished into the sky.
Intent on currying favor with Tian Chen, Meng Tao had also prepared thoroughly. Taking the winter's biting winds into consideration, he released his first Soul Skill the moment they took flight, forming a wall of wind around himself to keep out the cold, damp air.
The most important thing in life was knowing oneself. Having come from a background as a commoner Soul Master, he understood this all the more deeply after experiencing harsh reality.
The fact that he had cultivated from a commoner Soul Master without any backing to a Soul Emperor proved that he was no fool.
Of course, he also understood that he was merely an insignificant figure to Tian Chen. He saw that very clearly.
Seeing that Tian Chen had no intention of speaking, he wisely kept his mouth shut and silently carried Tian Chen to Spirit Hall's entrance.
Spirit Hall Academy was not far from Spirit City to begin with, and with his cultivation, the journey took only a few minutes.
A short while later, the two appeared in the sky above Spirit Hall Academy.
However, Meng Tao did not dare carry Tian Chen into the airspace above Spirit Hall Academy without permission.
After all, there was more than one Soul Douluo inside, and Spirit Hall Academy also held a highly exalted position within Spirit Hall.
Meng Tao slowly folded his wings and landed with Tian Chen at Spirit Hall Academy's main gates.
He first bowed his head respectfully to Tian Chen and watched him enter Spirit Hall Academy. Only then did he turn around in satisfaction and return to Spirit City.
Tian Chen had no intention of rejecting Meng Tao's voluntary allegiance, but he was not yet at the point of trusting him completely.
He currently needed Meng Tao to handle things for him, while Meng Tao needed to borrow his influence-or rather, his grandfather's influence. They were merely taking what they each needed.
As for how far things would go in the future, that would depend on Meng Tao's performance.
He was only a Soul Emperor, and Tian Chen did not take him particularly seriously.
Rather than spend his attention on a middle-aged man who had only cultivated to Soul Emperor in his forties, he might as well think about how to spirit Ma Hongjun away.
Having read the original work, the member of the Shrek Seven Devils he admired most was Ma Hongjun.
Ma Hongjun had plenty of bad habits. He was gluttonous and lecherous, but he was the most sincere of the Shrek Seven Devils.
Of course, what Tian Chen valued even more was his talent. His top-tier Martial Soul, the Fire Phoenix, was a powerful Martial Soul capable of rivaling Tian Chen's own Golden Crocodile King.
After securing the immortal herbs in the future, he also planned to give Ma Hongjun the cockscomb phoenix sunflower to purify his Martial Soul.
Just imagine how terrifying Ma Hongjun's talent would be if he were free of the torment of Evil Fire from childhood.
Moreover, Ma Hongjun's personality was another important reason Tian Chen had chosen him.
Ma Hongjun had few schemes or ambitions. He sought comfort and was content with his lot, and most importantly, he repaid kindness.
That was the kind of subordinate Tian Chen needed. Otherwise, would raising an ungrateful wolf not be a complete waste?
As for the other commoner genius, Oscar, Tian Chen had no intention of recruiting him. He held no prejudice against Oscar; he simply disliked his personality.
In the original work, Oscar was definitely a deeply calculating person. He had merely kept a low profile beneath Tang San's halo.
Could a support-type Soul Master who survived alone in the Frozen Forest for five years possibly be a simple character?
In Tian Chen's team, one clever person-himself-was enough. He hated the feeling of things slipping beyond his control.
Taking a deep breath, Tian Chen put a stop to the tangled thoughts in his head and arrived at the elementary class's entrance with practiced ease.
Although he had not attended class for several weeks, he felt little unfamiliarity.
He habitually pushed the door open and entered, searching for Li Kai.
"Hm?"
He did spot Li Kai, but Hu Liena had forced him into a corner, and she had also taken over both seats they had previously claimed.
Seeing Tian Chen enter, Li Kai hurriedly began explaining with a miserable expression.
"All right, it's not your fault."
After learning what had happened, Tian Chen patted Li Kai's shoulder. Ignoring Yan's face, flushed red with anger a short distance behind Hu Liena, he casually sat down in the seat beside her.
Sure enough, simps get no house.
Of the Shrek Seven Devils, only Ma Hongjun would be taken in as a subordinate.