"Ahem, Little San, where did you just go? Why do you look so delighted?"
"I don't. How can you tell I look delighted?"
Looking at the smile Tang San simply could not suppress, Dai Mubai would certainly have cursed at him if he had not known what sort of person he was.
"No, nothing. We've finished sweeping here. Let's gather where Teacher Changsheng told us to!"
Shaking his head, Dai Mubai decided that he absolutely had to uncover Tang San's secret tomorrow. He was far too curious. What could make him smile so happily?
Everyone put the tools away, then headed together toward the hill behind the academy. There was a large clearing there. Though it was not as big as the training grounds, it was hardly small.
By the time everyone arrived, the sky was almost dark.
A ring of bonfires was already burning in the middle of the clearing. Beside a makeshift stove, Li Changsheng had rolled up his sleeves, and the kitchen knife in his hand kept flickering as he sliced up all the fresh ingredients.
Beside the bonfires, Flender, Zhao Wuji, Li Yusong, and the other teachers sat together chatting.
The whole scene looked wonderfully warm and cozy.
"Teachers, why are you all here?" Tang San and the others were surprised to see the teachers, whom they rarely saw on ordinary days, all gathered together. This was not a common sight.
"You're in for a treat today. Teacher Changsheng is cooking for you himself!"
"Hehe, I'm a little rusty, but that won't hurt anything. Come and eat!"
Li Changsheng smiled faintly. After bringing out the final dish, he called everyone over to the table.
The moment he finished speaking, Ma Hongjun was the first to charge over. Looking at the lavish spread of fish and meat on the table, tears disgracefully flowed from the corners of his mouth.
It smelled so good!
Did Little San usually eat this well? Did he get to eat Teacher Changsheng's cooking every day?
"Actually, I rarely get to eat Teacher Changsheng's cooking anymore, either. After all, what student freeloads meals off his teacher every day?"
Tang San smiled faintly. He had indeed eaten Li Changsheng's cooking many times, and it really tasted very good, especially those dishes with bold flavors.
As a member of the Bashu Tang Sect in his previous life, Tang San had enjoyed strongly flavored food.
"All right, stop standing around. Dig in!"
The Shrek Seven Devils did not immediately start eating. They waited until Flender and the others had taken some food before digging in themselves.
"Mmm! This is really good. Changsheng, you've even got this skill up your sleeve?"
"It really is good. Your cooking is almost tastier than mine, and I'm a Food System Soul Master!"
The teachers took turns praising Li Changsheng's cooking, but the students said nothing. A full day of training had left them starving, and they were now eating with their heads buried in their food.
Ma Hongjun in particular was stacking up the small bowls in front of him at an unbelievable speed. Naturally, Li Changsheng had taken his appetite into account, so he had started preparing that afternoon.
"While you're eating, I have something to tell you. Your performance in today's training actually wasn't bad. Under this sort of regimen, I wouldn't have been surprised even if someone had wanted to give up. But all of you chose to persevere, and that was excellent!"
"Mubai, leave kneading the dough until tomorrow. You'll also need to make these dishes yourselves, though I'll be there to help."
Li Changsheng's meaning was very clear. Starting tomorrow, everyone would not only have to train but also cook for themselves. Though he would help, on the whole, they would still have to rely on their own efforts.
"Teacher Changsheng, what does this have to do with our cultivation?" Dai Mubai could not help asking after hearing this. Cooking was cooking; what necessary connection did it have to cultivation?
"I'll keep you in suspense for now. You'll find out tomorrow. After dinner, you can soak in the hot spring room nearby. Medicinal baths have been prepared for you inside."
After dinner, the teachers took it upon themselves to wash the dishes. The Little Monsters were exhausted after a full day of training, so there was no need to make them handle such small chores as well.
"Teacher Li's special training really is good. Us old fellows have all found ourselves with nothing to do."
Shao Xin smiled as he spoke to Lu Qibin beside him. Flender's enrollment expansion plan had not begun yet, so they naturally had little to do now.
Shrek Academy only had this handful of students, and now that they had all been placed under Li Changsheng's supervision, the teachers were effectively on paid leave.
"Rongrong, could you come over for a moment? I have something I'd like to discuss with you," Tang San said to Ning Rongrong beside him.
"What is it, Third Brother?"
Ning Rongrong obediently followed Tang San off to one side.
Seeing this, both Oscar and Xiao Wu had somewhat complicated looks in their eyes. Xiao Wu was relatively fine; she knew her Third Brother would not act out of line. But Oscar was different. Even now, he had barely managed to exchange a few complete sentences with Ning Rongrong.
Now that Tang San had pulled her aside for a private conversation, it was hard for him not to let his imagination run wild.
Meanwhile, Dai Mubai was trying to find things to talk about with Zhu Zhuqing and did not notice what was happening over here.
"Rongrong, doesn't your Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect lack ways to defend yourselves? As far as I know, most of you are Auxiliary System Soul Masters. If you end up alone, wouldn't that leave you in a very vulnerable position?"
"That shouldn't really be a secret. What exactly are you trying to say, Third Brother?"
"I'd like to make a deal with you!"
Tang San took a compact black iron arrow case out of Twenty-Four Moonlit Bridges. It was sized to fit against an arm, with a very simple appearance and smooth lines. Its mechanism was concealed inside.
"This is called the Silent Sleeve Arrow. It's a mechanical hidden weapon I made. It doesn't require Soul Power. You just wear it on your arm and press lightly."
"Whoosh, whoosh!"
Tang San raised the arm on which he had already strapped a Sleeve Arrow and pressed lightly with one finger. The next instant, three short arrows shot in the direction he had aimed.
The three short arrows, glinting coldly, sank deep into a tree not far away.
What was most surprising was the sound. From launch to impact, no noticeable sound could be heard throughout!
"Th-this... you made this?"
Ning Rongrong lightly covered her mouth, her eyes full of surprise. A hidden weapon with this kind of power was indeed an ideal choice for arming herself. Who would have thought Tang San possessed this ability too?
"That's right. Though it isn't particularly powerful, it's perfectly adequate for basic self-defense. What do you think, Rongrong?"
"Mm... I can agree to that! But as for the exact price, I'll still need to write to my father. I'll give you an answer soon."
As Tang San had expected, Ning Rongrong did not refuse. Members of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect were already heavily dependent on Power Attack System Soul Masters. If they ended up alone, they were no different from ordinary people.
Now, equipped with Sleeve Arrows, the casualties among Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect members traveling outside could be curbed to some extent.
"Third Brother, could you give me a Sleeve Arrow? If I can send one to my father along with the letter, he might even come here in person."
"No problem. Send that Sleeve Arrow over. I have another one here. It's yours-a gift to mark our cooperation!"
As he spoke, Tang San took out another Sleeve Arrow and handed it to Ning Rongrong.
This gesture made Ning Rongrong considerably happier. Seeing this, Tang San could not help pumping a fist inwardly. Landed a major client!