As Expected of Boss Dai
Oscar's question, along with Flender and Ma Hongjun's earlier exclamations of surprise,
Immediately drew Shao Xin, Lu Qibin, and Li Yusong's gazes to Dai Mubai.
Sensing the surprise and disbelief in everyone's eyes, Dai Mubai gave a rueful chuckle inwardly.
The teachers' shocked reactions showed just how dispirited and dissolute his predecessor's life at the academy had been.
But Dai Mubai did not offer much explanation. Now that he had transmigrated here, he would no longer continue to be as dispirited as before.
"Dean Flender, Teacher Zhao, Teacher Shao, Teacher Lu, Teacher Li, Little Ao, Fatty, my Soul Power has broken through to level 30, the Soul Elder realm."
"What?! Mubai, your Soul Power broke through to level 30, making you a Soul Elder?!"
Hearing Dai Mubai's words, everyone except Zhao Wuji, who had just learned the news, wore a look of shock.
Teacher Li Yusong was especially shocked.
Before this, he had admired and valued Dai Mubai just as much as Zhao Wuji had, and had wanted to take him as a disciple.
But Dai Mubai had become dispirited and dissolute, indulging himself like a womanizing, good-for-nothing young master, and had remained that way for a long time.
No matter how the teachers encouraged or persuaded him, he showed no sign of turning over a new leaf or changing his ways.
Li Yusong, who came from a commoner background and had always cultivated diligently and painstakingly, had ultimately lost all hope in Dai Mubai and given up on competing with Zhao Wuji for him as a disciple.
Even so, he had once considered taking Dai Mubai as a disciple, and despite his disappointment, Li Yusong still paid him considerable attention.
Especially since Shrek Academy now had only three students.
Li Yusong had given Dai Mubai a practical combat lesson just two days ago, and he knew full well that Dai Mubai's Soul Power cultivation had only been at level 27 then.
Only a few days had passed, yet Dai Mubai's Soul Power Level had not only broken through and risen,
But had risen by three whole levels, breaking through to level 30 and the Soul Elder realm in one fell swoop. How could Li Yusong not be shocked?
"Wow, as expected of Boss Dai! You quietly broke through to level 30 and became a Soul Elder without a word."
"I'm a year younger than you, and my Soul Power cultivation is only at level 25. The gap between us is really getting bigger and bigger," Oscar said, looking and sounding discouraged.
But Dai Mubai did not agree with what Oscar said.
"Little Ao, you're a Food-Type Soul Master, and one with Innate Full Soul Power at that. Your talent is even greater than mine and Fatty's.
"It's just that Food-Type Soul Masters cultivate more slowly than other types of Soul Masters to begin with. You've always cultivated diligently, Little Ao, and you've managed to cultivate your Soul Power to level 25 at your age.
"You've already done exceptionally well, Little Ao. There's no need to be so discouraged."
Although the Soul Incantations for Oscar's sausage Martial Soul were somewhat lewd, and his abundant body hair and unkempt appearance made him look rather sloppy, while his personality was also rather shameless,
Overall, Oscar was diligent, kept himself above reproach, and valued friendship and loyalty.
Dai Mubai valued this friend and companion highly and regarded him as a brother in his heart.
Seeing him feel discouraged, Dai Mubai immediately spoke up to encourage and comfort him.
Besides, there was something Dai Mubai had not said.
If he did not have the system as his golden finger, his Soul Power cultivation would still be at level 27.
He was a year older than Oscar, and Battle Soul Masters cultivated much faster and more efficiently than Food-Type Soul Masters.
Yet even so, his original Soul Power Level had only been two levels higher than Oscar's. As a Food-Type Soul Master who cultivated slowly, Oscar's Soul Power Level had only been two levels lower than his.
He was the one who should have felt ashamed and discouraged, not Oscar.
Oscar was the true genius Soul Master among Shrek Academy's current three students and the future Shrek Seven Devils.
But Food-Type Soul Masters were responsible for supplying the team and stayed at the very back during battle. Their presence was even less noticeable than that of Auxiliary-Type Soul Masters, so Oscar's brilliance had been overshadowed by the others on the team.
Dai Mubai knew very well, however, that Oscar was the true genius among the Shrek Seven Devils, a super genius who possessed both talent and diligence.
Oscar was not only the only Food-Type Soul Master in the present-day Douluo World with Innate Full Soul Power; in the future, he would also become a Food-Type Soul Master with combat ability.
On top of that, Oscar valued friendship and loyalty, and came from a commoner background, with no faction behind him to complicate matters.
Among the Shrek Seven Devils, Oscar was the one Dai Mubai most wanted to befriend and draw to his side.
"Boss Dai~" Oscar had never expected that Dai Mubai, who had once held his head high, looked down on everyone, and behaved so arrogantly, would actually appreciate and value him so highly.
Hearing Dai Mubai's words of encouragement and comfort now, Oscar could not possibly have been unmoved.
As an orphan, Oscar had always regarded the teachers and elders of Shrek Academy as his own elders, and his two fellow students as friends and brothers.
Even though Ma Hongjun was a show-off who spent all day visiting brothels, and Dai Mubai was arrogant and usually led a dissolute, licentious life, Oscar still regarded them both as good brothers.
A man would die for one who truly understood him. From Dai Mubai's words of encouragement and comfort, Oscar now knew that Dai Mubai had never looked down on him for being a commoner-born Food-Type Soul Master with no combat ability.
Instead, Dai Mubai appreciated and valued him greatly, and Oscar's friendship for Dai Mubai rapidly deepened at that moment.
When everyone had come over earlier, Dai Mubai had already used the system to scan and check their favorability toward him.
When he had checked before, Oscar's favorability toward him had been 65% (Heart-to-heart).
After Oscar was moved by his earlier words, Dai Mubai called up the system to check again. Oscar's favorability toward him had already risen to 75% (Through thick and thin).
He was only 5% favorability away from 80% (Inseparable friends) and a favorability treasure chest.
And "Through thick and thin" did not mean that two people had to go through hardship together before their favorability could reach that level.
Rather, once favorability reached that level, the other person would be willing to stand by him through thick and thin. Even in adversity and danger, that person would be willing to give him their full support and lend a helping hand, without abandoning or giving up on him.
Besides, this was also an advantage of valuing friendship and loyalty.
Because Oscar valued friendship and loyalty, and saw that Dai Mubai greatly appreciated and valued him, just a few words had raised Oscar's favorability toward him by a full 10%.
By contrast, some people were cold and heartless, disloyal and ungrateful. Even if someone went through hardship with them, they might not appreciate that person's kindness, and their favorability might not rise by much.
Instead, they would look down on that person and take it for granted. It would be fine if the person helped them again next time, but if not, they might turn hostile, disown the person, and become enemies.
That was also why Dai Mubai did not intend to farm favorability with everyone he met.
Rather than farming favorability with everyone he met, befriending someone like Oscar, who valued friendship and loyalty and was worth befriending, was the wisest and most cost-effective course.
Befriending a heartless and disloyal person, on the other hand, was simply asking for trouble and doing thankless work.
"Wow (⊙o⊙)!! Should I say, as expected of Boss Dai?"
"Teacher makes me cultivate every day. Even if I visited a brothel the night before, he'd drag me out of bed early the next morning and bring me back to the academy to cultivate.
"My Soul Power Level is only 21 now, but you've already reached the level 30 Soul Elder realm, Boss Dai."