Shrek's "Devilish" Daily Life and the Bonds of a First Meeting

Morning at Shrek Academy began in utter chaos.

Before dawn had fully broken, Dean Flender's booming roar rang out from the dilapidated wooden house. "Get up, all of you! The sun's shining on your backsides, and you're still sleeping? If you want to be good-for-nothings, get back to your cozy little nests!"

Lin Ye sprang up from his hard plank bed, a red mark still on his forehead where the wood had pressed against it. The five of them had been assigned to a dormitory with one large communal sleeping platform, and the air carried a faint mixture of mold and sweat. On the bed beside his, Xiao Wu sat up rubbing her eyes, her ponytail a mess. She looked just like a rabbit that had only just woken up.

"What... This is even earlier than the wake-up call at Nuoding Academy..." Xiao Wu muttered, clearly still half asleep.

Tang San had already dressed with practiced speed. His Blue Silver Grass slipped silently through the crack in the door, sensing the movements outside. "There are footsteps outside. More than one person."

As soon as he finished speaking, the dormitory door was kicked open with a bang. Zhao Wuji's scarred face appeared in the doorway, an iron rod thicker than his arm in his hand. "What are you dawdling for? You have a quarter of an hour to wash up, then assemble on the training ground! If you're one second late, you'll run fifty laps around it as punishment!"

Fifty laps? Lin Ye instinctively looked out the window at the weed-covered training ground and made a rough estimate. One lap was at least five hundred meters, which made fifty laps twenty-five thousand meters! This was no punishment; it was practically a death sentence.

The five didn't dare dawdle. They hurriedly washed up and jogged all the way to the training ground. Flender was already standing there with another middle-aged man, who wore plain cloth robes and had a gentle gaze. The man held a hoe and looked like a farmer, but Lin Ye sensed Soul Power fluctuations from him that were more restrained and even more unfathomable than Zhao Wuji's.

"Let me introduce you. This is your vice dean, Yu Xiaogang." Flender gestured toward the middle-aged man.

Lin Ye and Tang San froze at the same time. Yu Xiaogang? What was he doing here?

Yu Xiaogang saw them too. A flicker of surprise passed through his eyes before he regained his composure and gave the two of them a slight nod.

"Don't be fooled by his farmer's appearance." Flender patted Yu Xiaogang on the shoulder, a trace of almost imperceptible respect in his voice. "When it comes to theoretical knowledge, there are few on the entire continent who can match him. From now on, he'll be in charge of your theory classes."

The other three new students-Tai Long, who was tall and broad and whose Martial Soul was the Great Strength Gorilla; Dai Mubai, who was gloomy and taciturn and whose Martial Soul was the Hell Spirit Cat; and Oscar, who held a lazy black cat and whose Martial Soul was the Cat Owl-all looked surprised. Clearly, they hadn't expected this ordinary-looking farmer to be the vice dean.

"All right, enough nonsense." Flender cleared his throat. "Starting today, Zhao Wuji and I will be in charge of your training. First up, a weighted run!"

He waved a hand, and several people dressed as servants came over carrying a pile of black iron blocks. Each block was engraved with a number: "fifty jin."

"Each of you will carry fifty jin of iron and run around the village until I tell you to stop!" Flender's voice boomed like thunder. "Now, begin!"

The five hurriedly strapped on the iron blocks. As soon as they stood up, their legs felt as heavy as if they had been filled with lead. Fifty jin was undoubtedly an enormous burden for them, with their Soul Power only just past level twenty.

"Run!" Zhao Wuji swung his iron rod behind them, occasionally using his Soul Power to drive currents of air that lashed anyone who fell behind.

Lin Ye gritted his teeth as the power of the Three-Legged Golden Crow circulated slowly through his body. A warm sensation flowed through all his limbs and bones, easing his aching muscles a little. He glanced at Tang San beside him. Sweat covered Tang San's forehead and his face was somewhat pale, but his steps were unusually resolute. It was as though the resilience of Blue Silver Grass had become part of his stride, making every step steady.

Xiao Wu was in the worst condition. Her Soul Power was lower than the others' to begin with, and the fifty-jin load soon left her trailing behind. Tears welled in her eyes, but she gritted her teeth and refused to stop.

"Xiao Wu, keep up!" Tang San noticed her plight and deliberately slowed down, gently pushing her forward with his shoulder.

Dai Mubai ran the fastest. His Nether Civet Martial Soul excelled in speed, and he remained in the lead even with the weight on his back. Tai Long wasn't fast, but his strength was astonishing; he moved with exceptional steadiness, one step at a time. Oscar stayed in the middle, muttering to himself, seemingly trying to spur himself on.

The village roads were full of potholes, loose stones, and muddy puddles. Before they had run even ten laps, everyone's clothes were soaked with sweat, blisters had formed on their feet, and their breathing had grown heavy.

"Give up!" Zhao Wuji roared behind them. "It's not too late to give up now. No one will laugh at you!"

No one answered. Even Xiao Wu, who was suffering the most, only wiped away her tears and gritted her teeth as she continued inching forward.

Lin Ye could feel the Golden Crow Power within him being steadily consumed, but at the same time, his Soul Power was circulating more smoothly. Painful as this kind of extreme training was, it could effectively temper the body and compress Soul Power. Keeping it up over the long term would do a great deal to strengthen one's foundation.

No one knew how long they had run before the sun climbed overhead, its scorching rays making them dizzy and bleary-eyed. Flender finally called a halt, and the five collapsed almost immediately, gasping for breath, without even the strength to lift a finger.

"Not bad. You held out longer than I expected." Flender showed a rare hint of approval. "Rest for half an hour, then it's practical combat class. Zhao Wuji will be in charge."

Half an hour later, practical combat class began. Zhao Wuji stood in the middle of the training ground, loosening his muscles and joints. "The rules are simple. All five of you come at me together. If you can force me to use my third Soul Skill, you pass."

The five boys and girls exchanged glances, each seeing the gravity in the others' eyes. Zhao Wuji's strength far surpassed theirs. Even working together, the five of them might not be a match for him.

"Attack!" Dai Mu shouted in a low voice and struck first. His figure blurred as he pushed the Hell Spirit Cat's speed to its limit, leaving a faint black shadow as he went straight for Zhao Wuji's flank from behind.

Tai Long followed close behind. His Great Strength Gorilla Martial Soul possessed him, his muscles bulging as his fist whistled through the air toward Zhao Wuji from the front, drawing his attention.

Oscar quickly retreated, circulating his Soul Power as he chanted, "I Have a Big Sausage!" A steaming sausage appeared in his hand. He threw it to Xiao Wu. "Xiao Wu, replenish your Soul Power!"

Xiao Wu caught the sausage and swallowed it in one bite, immediately feeling some of her strength return. Her figure flickered as she circled Zhao Wuji like a phantom, constantly harassing him with her small fists and sharp kicks.

Tang San's Blue Silver Grass erupted at the same time. Dense blades of grass spread toward Zhao Wuji like a great net, attempting to restrict his movements. The Blue Silver Cage worked with Dai Mubai's speed and Tai Long's strength, forming a simple coordinated tactic.

Lin Ye stood at the very back, the phantom of the Three-Legged Golden Crow circling above his head, its golden flames poised to strike. He didn't attack rashly, instead looking for an opening in Zhao Wuji's defense.

"Interesting. You've learned to work together." Zhao Wuji laughed heartily as two Yellow Soul Rings lit up around him. "Unfortunately, it's still not enough!"

"First Soul Skill, Immovable Bright King Body!" A golden halo enveloped his entire body. Tang San's Blue Silver Grass couldn't bind him at all, and Tai Long's fists striking him were like scratching an itch through a boot.

"Second Soul Skill, Gravity Enhancement!" An invisible gravitational field enveloped the entire training ground in an instant. Dai Mubai slowed noticeably, while Xiao Wu was pressed flat against the ground.

"Is that all you've got?" Zhao Wuji advanced step by step, his powerful presence making it hard for the five to breathe.

"My turn!" Lin Ye's gaze sharpened, and Golden Crow Fire erupted! This time, he held nothing back. The golden flames roared toward Zhao Wuji like a fire dragon, the life force within them intertwining with the sun's oppressive might to form a peculiar power.

Zhao Wuji's expression shifted slightly. He could sense how troublesome the flames were and didn't dare be careless, hurriedly circulating his Soul Power to resist them. The golden flames struck the halo of the Immovable Bright King Body with a sizzling sound. Though they failed to break through the defense, they made the halo fluctuate violently.

"Good chance!" Tang San seized the moment and unleashed his Soul Power at full force. The golden patterns on his Blue Silver Grass lit up, and the blades grew as tough as steel wire as they wound around Zhao Wuji again. At the same time, he quietly flicked out several Dragon Beard Needles, shooting them at Zhao Wuji's eyes!

Zhao Wuji instinctively closed his eyes to evade them. At that very instant, Dai Mubai appeared behind him, his claws flashing coldly as he struck at the center of Zhao Wuji's back! Tai Long also gave it his all, smashing a fist toward Zhao Wuji's knee! Xiao Wu took the opportunity to break free of the gravitational field and launched a Waist Bow kick at his chin!

"You've got some skill!" Zhao Wuji roared, and a third Soul Ring lit up around him-a purple Hundred-Year Soul Ring!

"Third Soul Skill, Great Strength Vajra Palm!"

The phantom of a huge golden palm formed in front of him and swept toward the five with overwhelming force!

"Dodge!" Lin Ye shouted, condensing Golden Crow Fire into a shield at the very front.

Bang!

The golden palm collided with the flame shield. Lin Ye felt a tremendous force strike him, sending him flying backward like a kite with its string cut. He slammed into a wall and spat out a mouthful of blood. The flame shield shattered instantly, scattering golden fire in every direction.

Tang San and the others were also blasted away by the shock wave, each of them injured.

Zhao Wuji withdrew his palm and looked at the five lying on the ground, a satisfied smile on his face. "Not bad. You managed to force me to use my third Soul Skill, so you pass." He walked over to Lin Ye and tossed him a bottle of healing medicine. "Those flames are interesting, but they're a little too weak."

Lin Ye struggled to his feet and caught the medicine bottle without a word. He knew the gap between him and Zhao Wuji was far too great. He had to cultivate even harder.

The days that followed were a hellish ordeal. Every day they got up before dawn for weighted runs, followed by practical combat class. In the afternoon came Yu Xiaogang's theory lessons, and at night they had to meditate on their Soul Power, only getting to rest late into the night.

Yu Xiaogang's theory lessons were completely different from those at Nuoding Academy. Rather than lecture on the dry classifications of Martial Souls and the ages of Soul Rings, he analyzed the most suitable paths of development and combinations of Soul Rings according to the characteristics of each person's Martial Soul.

"Tang San, it's right for your Blue Silver Grass to follow the path of vitality." Yu Xiaogang stood before Tang San, holding a blade of Blue Silver Grass. "But you can't focus only on defense and restraint. You also need to develop its sensory abilities. The roots of Blue Silver Grass can spread throughout the earth. In theory, your range of perception could expand without limit, and you could even sense the movements of Soul Beasts deep underground."

He then turned to Lin Ye. "The source of your Three-Legged Golden Crow is life and the sun. The flames are only the outward form. What's truly powerful is its control over life energy. Try using Golden Crow Fire to nourish other Martial Souls. You might be able to develop support abilities."

Lin Ye fell into thought. He tried using the life energy of Golden Crow Fire to nourish Tang San's Blue Silver Grass, and sure enough, both its growth rate and resilience improved noticeably. And when Tang San's Blue Silver Grass passed life energy back to him, the Golden Crow Power within him also grew more active.

"Your Martial Souls seem to complement each other in some way." Watching this, Yu Xiaogang's eyes flashed. "If you can put that complementarity to use in actual combat, its power will far surpass what you can achieve fighting separately."

Under Yu Xiaogang's guidance, Lin Ye and Tang San began trying to work together. Tang San used Blue Silver Grass for control and perception, while Lin Ye used Golden Crow Fire to attack and provide support. Their coordination grew more and more seamless. During one practical combat class, they even joined forces to drive Dai Mubai back step by step, leaving everyone astonished.

Xiao Wu also made great progress. With the help of Oscar's sausages, her speed and explosive power grew stronger and stronger, and her Waist Bow became powerful enough to threaten Soul Masters of the same level. Tai Long focused on tempering his strength, and his Great Strength Gorilla Martial Soul grew more formidable through constant practical combat. Oscar developed new varieties of sausage that could not only replenish Soul Power but also heal minor injuries.

Beyond their training, the relationships among the five were quietly changing as well. Dai Mubai remained unruly, but after fighting alongside Tang San and Lin Ye several times, he came to acknowledge them a little more. Tai Long was honest and kindhearted, always offering to help anyone in difficulty. Oscar became everyone's "mobile supply station," his sausages always proving useful at critical moments.

That evening, the five lay on the dormitory's communal sleeping platform, none of them sleepy.

"What do you think the dean and vice dean used to do?" Oscar asked curiously. "They both seem so impressive, but they've chosen to hole up in a run-down place like this and teach."

"I heard the village elders say the dean used to be a big shot, apparently the dean of some academy. Later, he came here, though nobody knows why," Tai Long said in his deep voice.

Dai Mubai sneered. "Big shots? Looks to me like they're just a bunch of failures fooling themselves here."

"Don't talk about the dean and the others like that!" Tang San frowned. "Without them, how could we have made progress so quickly?"

"So what if we've progressed quickly?" Dai Mubai rolled over and sat up. "In this lousy place, no amount of training will make us top Soul Masters! Sooner or later, I'm leaving for the wider world!"

"You're leaving?" Xiao Wu asked in surprise.

Dai Mubai didn't answer. He simply lay down with his back to everyone.

Silence fell over the dormitory. Lin Ye looked at the moon outside the window and understood that, harsh as Dai Mubai's words were, there was some truth to them. Shrek Academy could provide rigorous training, but it was too remote and lacked resources. Anyone who wanted to become a top Soul Master would have to leave sooner or later.

"No matter what happens in the future," Tang San suddenly said, his voice calm but firm, "at least for now, this is the best place for us. We should cherish this time and work hard to improve ourselves."

Lin Ye nodded in agreement. "Little San's right. Once we're strong enough, it won't be too late to see the world outside."

Xiao Wu, Oscar, and Tai Long nodded one after another, and harmony returned to the dormitory.

In the days that followed, training remained grueling, but the five worked together more and more seamlessly. They encouraged one another during weighted runs, fought side by side in practical combat class, studied diligently in theory class, and even secretly shared Oscar's "special sausages" at night. Though they didn't taste very good, they were excellent for replenishing Soul Power.

Yu Xiaogang watched it all with a gratified smile. He knew that although the five children had different personalities, they had already formed a wonderful bond without realizing it. That bond might become their most precious treasure in the future.

Flender remained as strict as ever, though whenever he saw the five working together seamlessly, the corners of his mouth would occasionally lift in a barely perceptible smile.

Lin Ye could feel his Golden Crow Power growing stronger and his control over life energy becoming more skillful. He could even use Golden Crow Fire to give injured companions basic treatment during battle. Tang San's Blue Silver Grass, meanwhile, had expanded its range of perception beyond a hundred meters, and the restraining power of his Blue Silver Cage had increased severalfold. He had also developed a new Soul Skill, Blue Silver Thorn Array, which could make Blue Silver Grass suddenly erupt from the ground in a dense array of spikes, catching enemies off guard.

One day, Flender suddenly made an announcement. "Next month, the Continent-Wide Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament will begin. Although we're a junior academy, I've already entered you. This is your first chance to truly see the continent's Soul Master World, and a chance to test the results of your training."

The five immediately grew excited. The Continent-Wide Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament was a major event in the Soul Master World, bringing together talented Soul Masters from academies across the continent. Taking part in such a competition was undoubtedly an enormous opportunity for them.

"But don't celebrate too soon." Flender poured a basin of cold water over their excitement. "At your current level, you'd just be there to make up the numbers. For the next month, your training will double! Whether you can accomplish anything in the tournament is up to you!"

Double the training meant even more hellish days, but anticipation shone in all five pairs of eyes.

Lin Ye looked at his companions, and fighting spirit suddenly filled his heart. He knew the Continent-Wide Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament would be their first step onto the stage of the Soul Master World. And perhaps the shadow of Spirit Hall would appear there again.

But this time, he was no longer alone. He had a brother like Tang San, to whom he could entrust his back; companions like Xiao Wu, Oscar, and Tai Long, who fought by his side; and fine teachers like Yu Xiaogang and Flender.

No matter how many difficulties and dangers lay ahead, they would face them together.

The story of Shrek had only just begun.