"You can use your spirit abilities to assist yourselves. Now, go! Oscar, lead the way!" Flender ordered.
At this point, Su Ming couldn't stand it any longer and stepped forward again. He thought, In the future, neither Ning Rongrong nor Oscar would be running to train their stamina every day. Doing it just once without consistency is pointless. Even though running every day wouldn't help much either.
"Wait!"
Flender's heart skipped a beat. What's this troublemaker up to now?
"Headmaster, I'm also a support-type spirit master. Shouldn't I be running alongside Rongrong and Oscar as well?" Su Ming asked with a smirk.
Everyone's lips twitched. Are you sure you're a normal support-type spirit master?
Flender was slightly annoyed. He had hoped to give Oscar some time alone with Ning Rongrong. His sharp eyes had already noticed that Oscar had feelings for her, so naturally, he didn't want Su Ming interfering. He replied, "Su Ming, your physical condition is already excellent. And are you even really a support-type spirit master? Only your fourth spirit ability is for healing, while your other three abilities are either defensive or offensive. You're quite the anomaly!"
Su Ming could only give a sheepish smile. He was technically a support-type spirit master, but he couldn't explain that.
Still, Su Ming played the rogue and insisted, "I don't care. I consider myself a support-type spirit master. Besides, running twenty laps around the village would be difficult even for battle spirit masters, let alone support-type ones like Rongrong and Oscar."
Flender countered, "Oscar's sausage spirit can help restore energy and stamina, so they might get tired, but they'll be able to finish the run."
But Su Ming wasn't buying it. "My fourth spirit ability also helps restore energy. And with my superior physical condition, I'm clearly the best fit to support them."
At this point, Ning Rongrong stepped forward as well. "Headmaster, since Su Ming is a support-type spirit master, it's only fair that he trains with us. Also, Oscar's sausage... well, I just can't bring myself to eat it."
Flender wanted to help Oscar but couldn't push too hard, so he waved his hand in resignation. "Fine, have it your way. But don't come complaining tonight, Su Ming, when your spirit energy is depleted. Our evening class involves some real danger."
With that, Flender walked off. He knew Ning Rongrong was the daughter of Ning Fengzhi, the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Clan's master. As just a lowly spirit saint himself, Flender wouldn't dare push her too hard, or he'd be risking his life if her clan retaliated.
Given that Ning Rongrong was more mature than her original characterization, with her little "princess" tantrums and arrogance mostly gone, Ning Fengzhi hadn't written any letter instructing Flender to teach her a lesson. Her current demeanor and talent were already very satisfying to her family, so there was no need to put her through unnecessary hardships.
Oscar, watching Su Ming step in, realized that this was Su Ming's way of asserting himself. Su Ming won't give me a chance with Ning Rongrong. Looks like I don't stand a chance. Oscar's heart sank with disappointment.
With Flender out of the way, Su Ming grinned at Ning Rongrong. "Rongrong, let's run together."
Ning Rongrong smiled back and nodded. "Sure, thanks, Su Ming."
Her dimples appeared as she smiled, and Su Ming found it quite charming.
At this point, Xiao Wu stepped up beside Su Ming and said, "Brother, even though I'm not a support-type spirit master, I want to run with you."
Zhu Zhuqing stood silently beside Xiao Wu, her cold demeanor making her intentions clear.
This surprised Su Ming. Xiao Wu wanting to run with him wasn't unexpected, but Zhu Zhuqing too...?
Still, Su Ming considered this a good thing. It meant the three girls were getting along well.
Tang San, observing the situation, said, "If Su Ming and Xiao Wu are running, I'll join too."
In truth, if it had only been Su Ming running, Tang San wouldn't have joined. The main reason was Xiao Wu's presence.
Seeing that Zhu Zhuqing was joining, Dai Mubai approached her and said, "Zhuqing, let me run with you."
However, Zhu Zhuqing completely ignored him, leaving Dai Mubai's face darkened with embarrassment.
Su Ming activated his fourth spirit ability, enhancing everyone's life energy and putting their bodies in an energized state, making the run easier.
However, as they ran, they realized they hadn't even finished the first lap, and the reality hit them. There's no way support-type spirit masters could finish this task on time. Ning Rongrong finally understood why her original self had lost her temper in the story. She had never been subjected to such grueling training back in her clan. No wonder she snapped—this training was just unreasonable!
Xiao Wu complained, "At this rate, when are we ever going to finish twenty laps? Can we even make it by lunchtime?"
Oscar gave a wry smile. "If you battle spirit masters give it your all without exhausting your spirit power, you might make it. But for us support-types? We'd be lucky to finish by dinner."
Oscar, trying to be helpful, said to Ning Rongrong, "Even if we don't make it back in time for lunch, I've got sausages. Want one?"
He quietly muttered his spirit chant, "I have a big sausage!"
A delicious-looking sausage appeared in his hand, which he offered to Ning Rongrong.
Suddenly, Ning Rongrong blurted out a rather bold remark, "Eat your sausage? I've got two thick slices of bread, thank you very much!"
Everyone was stunned, not expecting such words from someone like Ning Rongrong, who usually carried herself with elegance.
Su Ming found it amusing. Now this is more in line with Ning Rongrong's little "devil" personality. As long as she wasn't being obnoxious, this contrasting behavior was actually kind of cute.
Ning Rongrong herself didn't know why she said such a thing. She had tried so hard to restrain herself, but when she thought of the first time she saw Oscar making sausages, and now seeing him again, she just couldn't stomach it. So, the words slipped out.
First impressions are important, after all.
Realizing what she had just said, Ning Rongrong blushed in embarrassment. She glanced at herself, then at Zhu Zhuqing's rather generous "assets" beside her. If mine are thick slices of bread, then what are hers? she thought, feeling even more embarrassed.
To avoid any awkward misunderstandings, Ning Rongrong quickly explained, "Ahem, I didn't mean to say that. It's just... I'm used to being spoiled at home, and sometimes words slip out that don't match my usual demeanor."
"Ha ha ha ha!" Laughter erupted.
Ning Rongrong turned to see Su Ming laughing, wiping away tears of amusement.
She glared at him and demanded, "What's so funny?"
Su Ming wiped his eyes and smiled, "It's just funny to hear someone as refined as you say something so unexpected. But honestly, I think this side of you is more authentic, more grounded in real life. It's a cute contrast."
"After all, Xiao Wu and I are commoners. If you always acted like a noble lady, it'd be harder for us to connect with you."
Xiao Wu nodded in agreement. This version of Ning Rongrong was indeed easier to get along with.
Ning Rongrong was hearing this kind of thing for the first time. Back in her clan, if she said something like that, her father might scold her, though he'd let it slide because of how much he doted on her.
But hearing Su Ming say it made her warm up to him a bit more. She found him interesting and felt more comfortable around him.
As for Su Ming calling her cute, she didn't mind at all. After all, she believed she was cute and beautiful—except in one area compared to Zhu Zhuqing.
"Since we're not going to finish this at our current pace, let's speed up!" Ning Rongrong said.
She then activated her first and second spirit abilities, boosting Su Ming, Tang San, and Oscar's speed.
The others, who had beast-type spirits and naturally strong physiques, didn't need her assistance.
Finally, they managed to complete the twenty laps just before lunchtime. The most exhausted of the group were, unsurprisingly, Ning Rongrong and Oscar. This training was extremely tough for them. Without Ning Rongrong's support and Su Ming's recovery ability, they probably wouldn't have finished until late afternoon.
Just a few seconds later, Flender appeared.
He was quite surprised that they managed to finish the twenty laps before lunch. The original intent behind this training was twofold: to see if Oscar and Ning Rongrong could grow closer and to temper Ning Rongrong's attitude, as she was a princess of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Clan.
But it seemed like neither objective had been achieved. Ning Rongrong appeared to be getting closer to Su Ming instead. As for her attitude toward Oscar, Flender could only describe it as indifferent—she even seemed to dislike the way he made his sausages.
Flender was frustrated. He had hoped to connect Oscar with the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Clan. Since Oscar had been like a son to him, a connection with the clan would have been the best outcome. But things weren't going as planned.
Moreover, his second goal had also failed. Su Ming's assistance had prevented Ning Rongrong from experiencing the hardship he'd intended. Without Su Ming, she likely wouldn't have completed the run, and Flender could've lectured her and tempered her character. He didn't think Ning Fengzhi would be too upset over something as simple as running, especially in an academy setting.
Flender also noticed that, thanks to Su Ming's influence, the seven of them were starting to form a team. Though it was still in its early stages, it was promising. This would help with the upcoming group competitions.
But he couldn't help but feel embarrassed for his disciple, Ma Hongjun, who had run off and missed this bonding opportunity. Flender made a mental note to give him a good scolding later.
Flender gave a token word of praise to Su Ming and the others, then turned to Tang San and said, "Tang San, after lunch, come see me."
Tang San nodded, guessing that Flender wanted to ask about his teacher's recent situation.
The group headed to the Shrek Academy cafeteria, where lunch was already prepared.
Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu were curious about the food. Would it be plentiful and nutritious?
To their disappointment, the meal was far from luxurious. It consisted of simple fare—rice, steamed buns, pickled vegetables, and a small portion of meat. It wasn't even enough to fill their stomachs.
Su Ming had expected this but couldn't help wanting to complain about Flender's stinginess. How is this supposed to provide the proper nutrition for a spirit master?
Xiao Wu couldn't help but ask, "Oscar, is this what you guys usually eat? This is fine for breakfast, but after all that training, this isn't nearly enough to replenish what we've lost."
Oscar smiled wryly. "Well, it can't be helped. The academy has limited funds. If you're really hungry, I can make some sausages—they're meat, after all."
Su Ming interjected, "Let's make do with this for now. We can head into the city for a proper meal later."
He then handed Xiao Wu a carrot. "Here, Xiao Wu. This should be enough for you, right?"
Xiao Wu accepted the carrot with a happy smile. As long as she had carrots, she was fine—she didn't eat much meat anyway.
If it were just Xiao Wu, Su Ming would've considered using a space talisman to teleport them to the city for a proper meal. But with so many people around, he didn't want to expose his secret abilities.
Meanwhile, at the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Clan, Sword Douluo Chen Xin and Bone Douluo Gu Rong stormed into the main hall, furious.
"Fengzhi, how could you let Rongrong go off on her own? What if something happens to her?" Chen Xin demanded.
Ning Fengzhi sighed, "Sword Uncle, Bone Uncle, don't worry. I've arranged for someone to protect her. She won't be in any danger."
Just as Chen Xin was about to argue further, a messenger arrived at the hall.
The young disciple knelt respectfully and reported, "Clan Master, I bring news. The young lady has successfully arrived at Shrek Academy and passed the entrance examination."
At this point, Sword Douluo couldn't hold back any longer: "Fengzhi, what's going on here? What even is this Shrek Academy? I've never heard of it, and it sounds like some low-tier academy. How could you let Rongrong go to a place like that?"
Bone Douluo, standing by, also looked at Ning Fengzhi, waiting for a reasonable explanation.
Ning Fengzhi sighed and explained, "Rongrong has been wanting to go out and experience the world for a while now. Letting her go to train and meet peers is a good thing. We can't keep her in the clan forever. Plus, the headmaster of this academy is Flender, one of the Golden Iron Triangle."
Suddenly, Ning Fengzhi paused. "Shrek Academy? Now that you mention it, I seem to recall Rongrong briefly mentioning this academy before. But how did she know about it...?"
Turning to the young disciple, Ning Fengzhi asked, "What's the situation at Shrek? What kind of academy is it?"
The young disciple replied cautiously, "Forgive me, Clan Master. Shrek Academy has at least one Spirit Saint and several Spirit Emperor-level experts. I wasn't able to investigate further, but from what I saw, the academy is very rundown, located in a rural area, and unranked."
"Oh, and this year, including the young lady, there are five new students. The weakest among them is at the 30th rank, and the strongest has reached an unbelievable level of 43. They're all around the same age."
Bone Douluo grew anxious: "Fengzhi, this is absurd! How can such a shabby academy help Rongrong grow stronger? She would be better off at Heaven Dou Royal Academy!"
Ning Fengzhi thought for a moment before replying, "Sword Uncle, Bone Uncle, please don't be so hasty. Yes, the academy may be rundown, but did you hear? Aside from Rongrong, the other four students are extremely talented. One of them has already reached the 43rd rank, which is unheard of at such a young age."
"Even the youngest Titled Douluo didn't have such strength at twelve."
"Also, a while ago, I overheard Rongrong mention Shrek Academy, even though she's always been at the clan. How would she know about such an unknown academy? Something feels off, but I can't quite put my finger on it."
Sword Douluo frowned. "So, what's your plan?"
"My plan is to let things unfold naturally. Rongrong's already enrolled, and her classmates are so gifted. Who knows, we might be able to recruit them into our clan in the future."
Ning Fengzhi continued with a hint of amusement, "I'm also curious about this 12-year-old genius at rank 43. If he's not a support-type spirit master and if Rongrong likes him, perhaps we could even match them."
"Bone Uncle, why don't you go check out Shrek Academy? If anyone's bullying Rongrong, feel free to give Flender a beating."
Bone Douluo immediately responded, "No problem, I'll go take a look right away. I've missed Rongrong these past few days. I just hope Flender hasn't done anything out of line, or I'll make him pay! After all, Rongrong is like a little princess to the three of us. We dote on her too much to let anyone bully her."
Then, with a playful glance at Sword Douluo, Bone Douluo taunted, "Chen Xin, jealous much? I get to see Rongrong, and you don't. Ha!"
Sword Douluo grumbled, "You! Don't get cocky, Gu Rong. If your spirit wasn't easier to observe, I'd be going with you!"
Back at Shrek Academy.
That afternoon, after their run, everyone except Tang San, who was called by Flender, went to Soto City to shop and relax.
The three girls primarily bought clothes, daily necessities, and, of course, indulged in various delicacies.
Su Ming, on the other hand, stocked up on pre-cooked meals and stored them in his spirit tool's refrigerator. The academy's meals were just too poor, especially considering the 250 gold soul coins they had paid.
By evening, after enjoying a satisfying meal, they returned to the academy, awaiting the headmaster's instructions.
That night, on the academy's training field, Flender coughed twice before addressing them, "Before we begin tonight's lesson, I need to announce something. Tang San has been at rank 30 for a while now and needs his third spirit ring from the Star Dou Forest. I'll make arrangements over the next few days, and Vice Headmaster Zhao Wuji will take you all there!"
"Any questions?"
At this point, Oscar stepped forward, "Headmaster, I feel like I'm close to reaching rank 30 as well. I'll work hard over the next few days to catch up."
Flender smiled in delight, "Good! Oscar, for a food-type spirit master to reach rank 30 at your age is remarkable! Make the most of the next few days, and once you reach rank 30, we'll head out immediately."
With that, Flender led the group toward Soto City.
As they walked, Su Ming began writing in his diary again:
[Today was the first day of school at Shrek Academy. Early in the morning, Xiao Wu and I, along with a few others, went to the village to find breakfast because Oscar said the academy's cafeteria wasn't open yet.]
[After we finished eating, we stumbled upon Ma Hongjun harassing a girl. He was saying things like, 'Since we're breaking up, let's do it one last time.' The girl clearly didn't agree. What he was doing wasn't far from assault—his mind's completely clouded by lust!]
The three girls reading the diary blushed slightly at the mention of "one last time" and looked at Ma Hongjun with even more disdain.
Ma Hongjun, feeling a chill down his spine, turned around but saw nothing out of the ordinary—just three beautiful girls. His eyes gleamed with lust.
"Fatty! What are you staring at?!" Xiao Wu snapped.
Startled, Ma Hongjun quickly looked away, not wanting to get beaten up, and tried to suppress his fiery desires.
[Ma Hongjun's spirit, the Evil Fire Phoenix, mutated from a common fowl. Although it's a top-tier beast spirit, it comes with the flaw of 'evil fire,' which greatly increases his desires.]
[This forces him to constantly seek out women to release his pent-up energy. Given that he's a spirit master, it's not easy for him to find ordinary women who can handle it. But that doesn't stop me from looking down on him.]
[Compared to Ma Hongjun, Dai Mubai might be slightly better—but not by much. At least Dai Mubai has money and can afford to visit brothels, while Ma Hongjun, being a commoner, can't afford it as often. And let's face it, with his looks, it's unlikely he could get a girlfriend normally. So, he resorts to coercion, which is disgusting.]
The three girls considered this and found it quite reasonable. Ma Hongjun likely didn't have the money for regular visits to brothels unless Dai Mubai treated him. Otherwise, he would have to coerce women to satisfy his desires.
Of course, this didn't mean Dai Mubai was much better. Sure, he had money and looks, but that didn't rule out the possibility that he could also coerce women.
After all, Ma Hongjun had once bragged that Dai Mubai could "visit three women in a day."
Thinking about this, Zhu Zhuqing's aura grew colder.
[Speaking of which, I can't understand how Xiao Wu, Zhu Zhuqing, and Ning Rongrong became friends with these two in the original story.]
[The first time Xiao Wu met Ma Hongjun, he tried to make her his girlfriend. Xiao Wu ended up beating him up, with Tang San standing by.]
[And Zhu Zhuqing? Did she forget that Dai Mubai abandoned her and went to the Heaven Dou Empire, spending his time in brothels? And yet, they later reconcile. No wonder people call her a 'clingy cat,' saying she clung to him to change her fate. In the end, she still ended up fawning over him, competing for the throne of the Star Luo Empire.]
[And as for Ning Rongrong, Dai Mubai once grabbed her by the throat, threatening to violate and then kill her, before doing it again. This happens tonight after the Soul Arena. Did she just forget about that?]
As Su Ming wrote, the three girls reading the diary grew silent, their expressions darkening. Why did they become such close companions with those two in the original story?
Zhu Zhuqing, in particular, was in deep reflection. Clingy cat? No, I'm not! she thought. I won't admit that!
She was no longer the Zhu Zhuqing from the original story. She was determined to stick to her own path, and accepting Dai Mubai was not part of that plan.
[Later, Dai Mubai tries to suppress his true nature because of Zhu Zhuqing's presence, hoping for her forgiveness. Just like now, he's constantly hovering around her. Whether he's sincere or not, I don't know.]
[Zhu Zhuqing's figure is far more attractive than those twins, and she possesses a natural advantage over Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong. Plus, she can perform a spirit fusion technique with Dai Mubai—the Netherworld White Tiger. So, Dai Mubai restrains himself.]
[Eventually, Dai Mubai succeeds in winning her back. After we return from the Star Dou Forest, during a team match against the Emperor Team, they perform the Netherworld White Tiger fusion for the first time.]
The girls wondered about this "Emperor Team." Could they be from Heaven Dou Royal Academy?
[As far as I know, spirit fusion techniques require a high degree of compatibility between the spirits involved, as well as emotional closeness between the spirit masters. So how did Zhu Zhuqing go from being cold toward Dai Mubai when she first joined, to being able to perform a spirit fusion with him just a few months later? Unless she forgave him and gave herself to him, I can't think of any other explanation.]
Zhu Zhuqing's face grew even colder as she read this. Her fingers dug into her palms, yet she didn't feel the pain.
I just gave myself away? she thought. What happened to changing my fate? Is this really how I did it? No wonder people call me a clingy cat... Even I feel like one now.
How could I have gone from being cold toward Dai Mubai to performing a spirit fusion technique with him in just a few months? The timeline is too short—I don't want to believe it!
Sensing something was wrong, Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong each took one of Zhu Zhuqing's hands, trying to comfort her. Zhu Zhuqing, feeling their warmth, shook her head slightly, indicating she was fine.
But internally, she was resolute. She wouldn't tolerate Dai Mubai's advances anymore. She wouldn't demean herself like that.
[As for Ma Hongjun, Dai Mubai can suppress his desires, but at least he has Zhu Zhuqing. How will Ma Hongjun control his evil fire? Until Tang San gives him the Phoenix-Tail Crest Herb, which will resolve the issue, he'll still need women. Before that, how do you think he's been handling it? The answer's obvious.]
[It baffles me that Xiao Wu and the others managed to live with him for so long, despite his nature. Just because his evil fire is resolved doesn't mean his personality changes.]
Meanwhile, Bibi Dong wasn't concerned with these personal matters. Instead, her attention was caught by the mention of the Phoenix-Tail Crest Herb. Where did Tang San find such a rare immortal herb?
Bibi Dong had once sent her subordinates to search for similar plants but had come up empty-handed. If Tang San could find this herb, he might have access to others as well. And knowing that Su Ming had knowledge of the future but wasn't sharing it outright infuriated her.
[After I taught Ma Hongjun a lesson, we all went to the training field and met Flender. Just like in the original story, Flender told Oscar and Ning Rongrong to run 20 laps around the village. That's an impossible task for support-type spirit masters. I believe Flender had two motives: first, to test Ning Rongrong, the little princess of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Clan, and second, to create an opportunity for Oscar to get closer to her.]
[I have to admit, Flender is a crafty old fox. With his Owl spirit, he sees things sharply. He must have noticed Oscar's interest in Ning Rongrong, so he's trying to play matchmaker.]
Upon reading this, Ning Rongrong's skin crawled. Oscar likes me? He's trying to pursue me?
The thought of Oscar's lewd behavior made Ning Rongrong recoil in disgust. First impressions were everything, after all.
No wonder he offered her a sausage during their run earlier—that must've been his way of courting her. Does he think he's handsome or something?
[Speaking of Oscar, while we were walking from the village to the training field, he whispered to me that Xiao Wu was mine, Zhu Zhuqing was Dai Mubai's, and so he could only go after Ning Rongrong. He even asked if I was okay with it.]
[Of course, I had a big problem with that! I don't have many flaws, but one thing about me is that I like beautiful women. Of course, they have to be normal and not too violent.]
[So I told him right away that Ning Rongrong was also my type and advised him not to waste his time. Besides, Oscar's just a food-type spirit master, and he doesn't meet the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Clan's standards.]
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