Lu Cheng: Just a Bunch of Old Farts Resting on Their Laurels (5K)

Within the Soul Fighting Zone.

They are currently conducting their final training session before departure.

"Nannan, make your move!" Dai Yueheng shouted softly.

The White Tiger Transformation around him revealed its true power, fierce and incomparable. He slapped Yao Haoxuan away and went straight to fight Ma Xiaotao, but his eyes kept looking behind Lu Cheng.

As soon as he finished speaking, a pink figure suddenly appeared beside Lu Cheng, a fragrant scent wafting over, followed by two long, fair, and beautiful legs, smooth and shapely, yet possessing the agile beauty of Battle Soul Master.

It was her third Soul Skill, the Teleportation, hailed as a divine skill for Agility Attack System.

Two beautiful legs wrapped directly around Lu Cheng's neck, locking it tightly.

"Waist Bow!" Jiang Nannan shouted softly, her slender, supple waist suddenly straining, ready to throw this guy off balance. A hint of joy appeared in her pink eyes; she had finally caught him...

But the joy on the beauty's face froze in the next instant.

No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't move Lu Cheng an inch.

This guy was like a bronze statue rooted to the ground, completely still, while her soft thighs clung tightly to the boy's neck, exhausted and drenched in sweat, in a rather ambiguous and entangled manner.

"Sister Nannan, this much strength might not be enough," Lu Cheng said with a smile.

Before he could make a move, Jiang Nannan, who was wrapped around his head, quickly got up. Her slender body was surprisingly light, and she rolled behind her in an instant before landing on the ground.

But nobody noticed.

At this moment, Jiang Nannan's stunningly beautiful face was tinged with a mixture of embarrassment, annoyance, and astonishment.

In previous training sessions, or when facing enemies, she always wore long pants. Even when she took down an enemy, the point of leverage was her shoe clamping down on the enemy's head. There was never such close contact...

But for some reason, she just sat down.

She's the older sister.

How could this be...?

Lu Cheng, of course, did not notice any of this. He strolled leisurely, his bow and arrow rising and falling. With each shot, a figure was forced out of the field by the crimson arrow.

"It's still... Ma Xiaotao's team wins." Xuan Zi took a swig of wine, glancing at Lu Cheng with a hint of surprise. "Your team doesn't seem to have lost a single game in training these past few days."

"You flatter me," Lu Cheng said with a smile.

"..."

Xuan Zi gave him a disapproving look, but secretly pondered to himself.

This kid is too monstrous; we really need to curb his arrogance.

It's a good opportunity to wipe out the Evil Soul Master and let him know how dangerous this continent is. Evil Soul Master don't play tricks; every move they make is aimed at killing. They can kill without any remorse.

Thinking it over, he said calmly, "Since that's the case, let's rest for a while and then set off..."

Bei Bei left silently, but before leaving, she glanced at Jiang Nannan and Lu Cheng with a complicated look in her eyes. Their intimate relationship was definitely not that of ordinary siblings. Now it seems that Sanshi's dream of winning the beauty's heart should never have existed in the first place.

Outside the Shrek Academy.

Many participating disciples gathered, with seven as the main selections, seven as substitutes, plus Wang Yan and Xuan Zi, for a total of sixteen people.

"Set off!"

Xuan Zi's expression was indifferent. He took a bite of the chicken leg in his hand, his mouth glistening with oil, and then casually wiped it with his sleeve.

Apart from Wang Yan, everyone else adopted a one-on-one approach.

Each starting player is accompanied by one reserve player.

Physical strength is directly proportional to cultivation level. The higher the cultivation level, the stronger the physical body. It is said that a powerful expert at the Titled Douluo level stood there and allowed a Soul Douluo- level expert to attack him without releasing any defensive Soul Skill. The latter tried his best but could not harm him in the slightest.

Therefore, the speed of Soul King and Soul Emperor is several times that of Wang Dong and others.

"I'll carry Xiao Cheng on my back," Ma Xiaotao said, her eyes alluring and seductive.

But the latter refused without expression. "No need... In terms of physical strength alone, I'm not necessarily worse than you."

"Really? Little brother, don't lie~" Ma Xiaotao licked her red lips, her crimson eyes glancing meaningfully downwards, before lowering her proud posture and whispering in Lu Cheng's ear.

"When we bathed together before, Grandmaster wasn't this assertive."

Lu Cheng: "..."

If we had been tough back then, they really would have "gone for a shot."

"You take Wang Dong, and I'll take Ning Tian."

Lu Cheng changed the subject.

"Um..."

The blonde girl, who was already exhausted and drenched in sweat, her pretty face pale, and being supported by Wu Feng, saw a hint of joy flash in her eyes upon hearing this. She pretended to be reserved, bit her red lips, and nodded slightly.

"And what about me?" Wu Feng blinked.

"You can follow behind," Lu Cheng said leisurely.

"Damn it!!!"

Wu Feng puffed out his cheeks and headbutted, but Lu Cheng held him down with one hand, preventing him from getting any closer.

"I'll do it," Xi Xi chuckled.

She is Agility Attack System Soul King, and naturally, she excels in both speed and stamina, making her stand out in the entire team.

Xiao Xiao was led away by Ling Luochеn.

Jiang Nannan chose to travel alone, and endurance and speed were indeed her strengths. Therefore, even though she only had the combat strength of Soul Ancestor, she did not lag behind by much.

Two days later.

In front of a stream.

Everyone looked exhausted and rested on the spot.

Xuan Zi appeared leisurely, stretched, and teased, "This is nothing, are you already past your prime?"

"Is this what you call forcing yourself to suffer?" Lu Cheng sat cross-legged on the ground, feeling Ning Tian's soft little hands gently massaging his shoulders from behind, and said leisurely.

"What do you mean by 'forcing yourself to endure hardship'?" Xuan Zi frowned slightly.

What he hates most is having troublemakers in the team, especially when those troublemakers have exceptionally strong talents, unlike other team members whom he can simply kick out if he's unhappy.

"Kid, this is the tenacity that Shrek Academy has always valued. Only those who can endure hardship..."

"There will be endless suffering in the future, so what exactly are you trying to say?" Lu Cheng said helplessly.

"..." Xuan Zi's lips twitched, he glared at Lu Cheng, and his face showed some displeasure.

"You all volunteered to join the Inspection Corps, right?" Xuan Zi looked around, his expression gradually turning serious. "Our Inspection Corps has always taken it upon ourselves to eradicate Evil Soul Master. Behind the entire inner courtyard, there are countless cenotaphs and tombstones, all belonging to disciples of the Shrek Academy who sacrificed themselves to fight the enemy. Choosing to join the Inspection Corps means vowing to fight Evil Soul Master to the end. If you want to withdraw now... it's not too late. I will notify the academy to find replacements."

Upon hearing this, the outer disciples exchanged glances.

How noble is this tombstone?

Not necessarily.

After all, if you look closely at those so-called cenotaphs, they are all occupied by young disciples, with very few over forty years old, and none of them are like the Sea God Pavilion Elder.

It's obvious that this talent development mechanism has problems, big problems...

Just like in the movie next door, all those who died were brave and upright warriors who fought valiantly on the battlefield, while some cowardly and opportunistic individuals survived and occupied the core of power generation after generation.

This is also one of the reasons why Shrek Academy, this giant tree, has decayed.

The surviving elders of each generation are basically all extremely cunning and opportunistic. They may not be particularly capable, but they are absolutely adept at scheming, playing political tricks, and manipulating their own people.

Of course, there are a very few people whose birth charts are strong enough.

After all, Shrek Academy's idiotic talent selection method—sending a bunch of greenhorn students to kill Evil Soul Master without any specialized training—is no different from a suicide squad.

But everyone nodded.

Ultimately, appearances still matter.

"In that case, you are now members of the Inspection Corps. Xiaotao, distribute the Inspection Corps's tools."

Xuan Zi revealed a smug smile.

Lu Cheng took the items, his eyes showing a hint of helplessness.

The complete set included a cloak, armor, mask, and a rather outdated signal flare; other than that... nothing.

Well, this armor... it's useful, but not much.

It feels soft yet tough to the touch, likely made from the hide and flesh of Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast. But to be precise, this set of protective gear probably wouldn't be able to withstand the damage from a Soul Emperor, making it somewhat... useless.

After all, if you really get hurt, relying on this thing to absorb damage is probably a sure way to die.

So besides being a cool mask... what's the point of this thing?

"Then what about the salary of the Inspection Corps? Or how much would it be per month if converted into cultivation resources?" Ning Tian sat with his legs crossed behind Lu Cheng, examining the mask in his hand, and asked with some curiosity.

"..." Xuan Zi paused, his brows furrowing slightly.

Clearly, in his eyes, Ning Tian's subconscious question was a provocation.

"No salary! Slaying Evil Soul Master is the duty of the Inspection Corps. Don't let this sacred duty be tainted by the stench of money, or defile the glory of the many students buried in Shrek's backyard."

Xuan Zi said bluntly, "If you want a salary, then don't join the Inspection Corps."

"Don't ask what Shrek can offer you; think more about what you can offer Shrek!!"

"..." Ning Tian shrank back with a hint of grievance, kneading the mask.

"Exterminating Evil Soul Master is a dangerous job that puts your head on the line, so why can't we ask for a salary and cultivation resources? Besides, having more cultivation resources will help us complete the task of exterminating Evil Soul Master more effectively, won't it?" Lu Cheng said with a smile.

You can't expect the horse to run without feeding it.

"Lu Cheng, what do you mean?" Xuan Zi frowned, his eyes showing displeasure. "You dare to jump out now? Do you really think I won't deal with you?"

"What I mean is... you old guys from the Sea God Pavilion haven't been very enthusiastic about eradicating Evil Soul Master. What, is eradicating a few Evil Soul Master when you were young considered a lifelong achievement? Now that you're sending these young disciples to risk their lives, you should think about how many Evil Soul Master you killed today." Lu Cheng chuckled lightly, his gaze meeting Xuan Zi's calmly, without backing down an inch.

"What's wrong, Xuan Zi? You can't answer a difficult question? Don't tell me that becoming an elder means you should be enjoying a life of luxury. Isn't Shrek Academy's so-called grand and righteous talk about slaughtering Evil Soul Master just bullshit?"

"You Shrek Academy's true powerhouses don't step forward, allowing top-tier Evil Soul Master to roam freely, while sending young disciples to wipe out small fry, even risking their lives. You know the inner courtyard's casualty rate far better than I do..."

"So, our so-called extermination of Evil Soul Master is just a show for ghosts?"

"Or are you just fooling them?"

If the horse is not trained properly, if it is not fed to its full potential, if its cries cannot be understood, and if one stands before it with the whip and declares. "There are no horses in the world."

"..."

The scene suddenly fell silent.

The disciples from both the inner and outer academies stood frozen in place, not daring to utter a sound. Lu Cheng was the first person in recent years to dare to confront Xuan Zi so directly; wasn't he afraid of being retaliated against when he returned to the inner academy...?

Xuan Zi's face was extremely gloomy.

He stared intently at Lu Cheng, his eyes filled with malice.

Don't fall into my trap.

If it weren't for Mu En's instructions before he left—that he must not antagonize this person on the journey and must try his best to build a good relationship with him—he probably would have already buried that little beast in the ground by now.

Hiss... For some reason, my eyes feel dry and hot.

Xuan Zi indifferently shifted his gaze. "Heh, since you have so many twisted theories, then this old man will let you experience what Evil Soul Master is like. Don't be so scared that you wet your pants. Do you really think that being treated as a genius treasure at the Shrek Academy means you're just a gold nugget outside?"

Having said that, he flicked his sleeve.

The figure slowly disappeared.

"Xiao Cheng, don't worry about him. Xuan Zi... he means well." Seeing that Ma Xiaotao remained unmoved, Dai Yueheng couldn't help but smile wryly. He had to play the peacemaker.

"Hehe, let's keep going. If we head south to the Ming Dou Mountain Range first and then return to the Star Luo Empire, the time will be quite tight." Lu Cheng waved his hand with a smile, not caring at all.

"Um... Senior Lu Cheng, thank you very much."

Ning Tian quietly nestled on Lu Cheng's back, her fair face flushed. From her perspective, this was clearly Lu Cheng's way of "protecting his wife."

Taking advantage of the fact that no one was paying attention, she gently pressed her red lips against Lu Cheng's face, giving him a light peck. But as soon as she finished kissing him, she noticed several pairs of eyes glancing over.

After that, it hid behind Lu Cheng, like an ostrich, and never showed its face again.

The outer perimeter of the Ming Dou Mountain Range.

From the sky, numerous military tents crisscrossed and densely packed outside this mountain range, blocking any possibility of crossing over from the other side of the Ming Dou Mountain Range and rushing into the northern continent.

This is the 100,000-strong army under White Tiger Duke stationed on the frontier of the Star Luo Empire.

Speaking of the army, it's quite interesting.

Lu Cheng stood tall in the sky, his gaze falling on the "ordinary" soldiers, who constituted the largest group in the entire army. These guys generally lacked Soul Power; although they had awakened Martial Soul, they mostly possessed tools like hoes, which only made them slightly stronger but did not cause any real harm.

But these guys can also cause real damage.

For example, by using sheer numbers and firing a barrage of arrows, one can even kill Soul Master below the Soul King level. And when the numbers reach a certain level, they can even push an elite squad whose members are all at the Soul King level to the brink of defeat... That's right, Ju Zi.

In the original work, when the Brilliant Grand Duke rebelled, the country was as backward as the empire of the original continent. The main force was still composed of Soul Master mixed with Soul Engineer, and there were even tens of thousands of "ordinary soldiers" supporting them.

When a barrage of arrows is unleashed, it continuously depletes the Soul Power that Soul Engineer waste on using Defensive Soul Tool to save their lives...

This is truly a low-level martial arts world.

Lu Cheng's eyes glowed red, and his immense Spiritual Power precisely enveloped most of the camp, surveying the soldiers. Some were rubbing their bows and arrows, some were wiping their ordinary metal short weapons, some were whispering to each other, and others stood solemnly on guard.

The innermost tents were clearly better equipped, likely housing the White Tiger Duke's personal guards, numbering around a hundred, all at the Soul King level or higher. They also exhibited a significantly greater reliance on Soul Tool, Storage Soul Tool, Flying Soul Tool ranged and melee combat, even including Milk Bottle...

That's interesting.

After all, looking at the entire Star Luo Empire, the core army is still stuck in the old era, consisting of pure Soul Master, while the Soul Guidance Equipment here is so... cutting-edge.

It is evident that the fight between White Tiger Duke and the Soul Engineer Legion stationed here by the Sun Moon Empire was not as fierce as rumored. In fact, it was quite likely that the two adversaries would engage in fierce battles during the day and meet at the battlefield at night to secretly trade weapons (Soul Tool).

"Junior Brother Lu Cheng, this is my father's army. What do you think?"

Dai Yueheng's figure appeared beside him, looking at the scene below with a somewhat arrogant and smug expression.

"Not bad, well-equipped and well-trained..." Lu Cheng nodded slightly.

However, he didn't mention that having a large number of ordinary soldiers, no matter how well-trained or numerous, would be pointless even with a million-strong army. The real core strength... those hundred or so elite soldiers were still insufficient. Otherwise, the entire battle line wouldn't have collapsed when the Sun Moon Empire got serious.

"Young Master!"

Clearly, the large group also noticed the sudden arrival of the Shrek Devils and dispatched several White Tiger Guards to take flight and approach. The White Tiger Guards, who were originally filled with murderous intent and intimidation, instantly calmed down upon seeing Dai Yueheng.

The elderly man with white hair at the head of the group, Du Leisi, had an excited look in his eyes, which were also glistening with tears.

"You're finally back..."

"The commander-in-chief is already waiting in the tent. He said that when you arrive, he must bring your classmate to meet him."

"I understand, everyone. Please proceed."

Dai Yueheng nodded slightly.

Inside the tent.

A tall, imposing middle-aged man with fierce eyes slowly stood up. His gaze swept over everyone else, but when he passed over Ma Xiaotao, his eyes narrowed slightly before finally settling on Lu Cheng.

"I suppose this must be young Brother Lu?"

"Marshal Dai." Lu Cheng's smile remained unwavering.

Their eyes met, and then Dai Hao smiled broadly, waving his hand with a rather hearty air. "Today we've prepared a banquet; we won't leave until we're drunk."

"We still have to go into the mountains to suppress bandits tomorrow, so I'd better not drink too much," Lu Cheng said with a light laugh.

Dai Hao's eyes widened in astonishment. After exchanging a few polite words, he gestured for Du Leisi to lead the group away.

Only the father and son remained inside the tent.

Dai Hao's gaze was indifferent as he glanced lightly at Dai Yueheng, who was kneeling respectfully on the ground. "I've read your letter from a few days ago... That lad is indeed a remarkable person. He remains calm in the face of both honor and disgrace, knows his limits, and possesses such talent yet is remarkably composed and reserved, neither arrogant nor impetuous..."

"Given time, they will surely stand at the pinnacle of this continent."

"But... is he really only thirteen years old?" Dai Hao frowned slightly and asked the most suspicious question.

"That should be correct; he's only been enrolled for two years." Dai Yueheng's expression was grave.

"Tsk..." Dai Hao's eyes flickered slightly.

"What a prodigy!"

"About your brother..."

Just as Dai Yueheng lowered his head, thinking that his father would scold him for not valuing family ties after he had beaten up Dai Huabin because he had offended Lu Cheng, the latter waved his hand.

"When you get back, give him a good beating too."

"That blind bastard! There are some people he can't afford to offend."

Dai Yueheng looked up. "Huh?"