Douro Continent

Chapter 286 Xiao Wu: Brother, comb my hair (Part 1)

The master said earnestly to Tang San, "Now that you know you belong to the Clear Sky Sect, I hope you can maintain a calm mind, not easily seek out your sect, and not focus too much on it. Do you understand your teacher's good intentions?"

Tang San nodded without hesitation and said, "Teacher, I understand. Whatever I do, strength must come first. Before I feel I have sufficient strength, I will never easily seek out the Clear Sky Sect. Or rather, I will at least wait for my father to appear before I have any possibility of returning to the sect. Besides, as you know, I've always cherished freedom, and sect life itself isn't suitable for me. Actually, I'd rather just be a blacksmith's son. What meaning does identity have for me?"

Grandmaster looked at Tang San in surprise. After all, Tang San was just a teenager in his eyes. He hadn't expected his disciple to see things so clearly. A smile crept across his stiff face as he patted Tang San's shoulder again. "I'm relieved. There are still six months until the Advanced Soul Master Academy Tournament begins. This is not only a stage for you to showcase your talents, but also the best opportunity for you to hone your skills. In this continent-wide tournament, you will encounter all the young generation of powerful Soul Masters. Defeating and conquering them will not only enhance your combat experience, but also provide an opportunity to build confidence. I've already discussed it with Flander. After this Soul Master Tournament, you kids can graduate from the academy."

"Graduation? Teacher, isn't that a bit too early?" Tang San said in surprise.

The master smiled and shook his head. "No, it's already quite late. In ordinary advanced soul master academies, reaching level 30 is enough to graduate, and even then, you're considered top students. None of you are currently at level 30. Even from Shrek Academy's perspective, I think you should all be around level 40 after participating in this competition. Xiao San, the academy isn't everything. For your lives, training at the academy is only one part. More importantly, you need to hone your skills in the outside world; that's the real battlefield where you'll be tested."

Whether in his previous life or this one, Tang San didn't have much experience in society, but looking at the affirmative look in Grandmaster's eyes, he knew that his teacher's decision was correct.

Perhaps because he had never been to the outside world, he still harbored some fear of the unknown.

Of course, now is not the time to think about these things. Tang San naturally couldn't have imagined that it would be six years before he actually ventured out into the world.

Stepping out of the Grandmaster's office, Tang San felt an indescribable sense of liberation and clarity, a feeling that filled him with comfort. He had rediscovered his purpose in life. What did it matter if he came from a powerful sect? What did it matter if his father was a Title Douluo? None of that truly belonged to him.

Only when you become strong yourself will these things have meaning.

Tang San had thought it through clearly. At his current age, nothing was more important than cultivation, and all his energy should naturally be focused on it, rather than indulging in idle thoughts.

From this point on, Tang San and the rest of the Shrek Seven Devils entered into a six-month period of arduous training.

The master did not provide them with any further special training, but would give them tactical guidance every now and then, especially on how to cooperate with each other and how to better use their soul skills.

It seems that everyone has their own soul skill, which they just need to use.

In reality, however, this involves a great deal of knowledge. When to use which soul skill, and with what amount of soul power to use which soul skill—each situation contains hidden mysteries. The Grandmaster spent decades researching these aspects, and with his guidance, the Shrek Seven Devils can be said to have avoided countless detours.

Just as Tang San said when he gave the immortal herbs to everyone, the effects of these herbs were not limited to what was released at that moment. With continuous cultivation, everyone except Xiao Wu, who did not take the "Heartbreak Red of Longing," could feel changes in their bodies.

Not only is their soul power increasing faster than before, but more importantly, the immortal herbs are transforming their martial souls and bodies. Tang San carefully selected herbs that are almost all the most suitable for each of them.

Through their continuous cultivation, the power of heaven and earth contained in the herbs gradually merged with their bodies, resulting in a comprehensive increase in their strength.

Even the ninth-grade purple fungus, which wasn't even considered a celestial-grade item, helped Grandmaster raise his soul power from level 30 to level 35 in just six months. As for the Shrek Seven Devils, during those six months, apart from Dai Mubai, whose soul power only increased by one and a half levels, reaching level 44 close to 45, only Xiao Wu among the remaining six hadn't reached the level 40 bottleneck.

The fact that the first person to break through the level 40 bottleneck surprised everyone. Originally, everyone thought that the candidate would be either Zhu Zhuqing, who had already reached level 38 when she took the immortal herbs, or Tang San, who was diligent in his cultivation and had extraordinary talent.

To everyone's surprise, among the six of them, the first to break through level 40 was Oscar, the food-type Soul Master who was the most difficult to cultivate. After four and a half months of cultivation, he successfully broke through the bottleneck and stepped into the threshold of level 40. He only needed to obtain a Soul Ring to officially upgrade his title from Soul Venerable to Soul Master.

Others may not know Oscar's efforts, but Tang San knows them all too well. Although Tang San doesn't know what happened, Oscar has been training much more diligently ever since Ning Rongrong returned from the family.

Oscar used to be the most sleepy one, but in the past few months, Tang San has not seen him sleep once, and he rarely goes back to the dormitory. He spends every day diligently cultivating his martial soul in the cafeteria, which is the most suitable place for him to cultivate.

His rapid improvement in strength is certainly related to the 'Six-Petaled Fairy Orchid,' but his hard work and dedication also played a decisive role.

After five months of cultivation, Zhu Zhuqing broke through to level 40, and two days later, Tang San broke through as well. Ten days later, Ma Hongjun and Ning Rongrong also broke through their bottlenecks one after another.

At this point, except for Xiao Wu who did not consume any celestial herbs, the other six members of the Shrek Seven Devils had all reached level 40.

According to the master's theory of accumulation, breaking through a bottleneck does not necessarily require obtaining a martial soul first. Continue cultivating, and soul power will still accumulate and will be released when you obtain a soul ring.

Since everyone's soul power was similar, the master decided to hunt soul beasts only after everyone reached level 40.

Of course, Xiao Wu couldn't wait any longer. While everyone else had reached level 40, she was still struggling to climb from level 37 to 38 because she hadn't taken any celestial herbs. Reaching level 40 would take at least another six months to a year.

Tang San had tried to persuade Xiao Wu several times to take the Love-Sickness Heartbreak Red, but Xiao Wu refused no matter what. She carried the Love-Sickness Heartbreak Red with her every day, cherishing it dearly.

The Acacia Heartbreak Red was also strange. Without any nourishment, it was able to absorb the power of heaven and earth on its own while following Xiao Wu. Instead of withering, it became even more vibrant and beautiful, shining brightly alongside Xiao Wu.

Its seemingly delicate branches and petals are more resilient than any metal.

It's truly amazing.

In the past six months, Tang San also fulfilled his agreement with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School was indeed financially powerful. In just six months, it produced the necessary parts, which Tang San assembled and completed the equipment for the direct disciples of the sect. There were even some left over, which were stored as reserves.

It was precisely because it took time to manufacture these things that Tang San's cultivation speed was slower than Oscar and Zhu Zhuqing's, and he was the third to break through to level 40.

During this time, a small incident occurred. After Ning Fengzhi retrieved the blueprints, he ordered his craftsmen to manufacture and study them, even comparing them with finished products. However, no matter what they did, they were unable to produce any of the hidden weapons. Even if a single part was removed from the finished hidden weapons, the craftsmen of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School could not reattach them.

Left with no other choice, Tang San was ultimately the one who had to complete the assembly.

Although this wasn't exactly a loss for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, it still made Ning Fengzhi somewhat embarrassed.

Again, he

How could we know that Tang San was using a manufacturing technique that the Tang Clan had researched for hundreds of years? Wasn't the Tang Clan afraid that others would imitate their hidden weapons? In all of these manufacturing processes, there are some special techniques that only Tang Clan disciples know. They exist in every part of the hidden weapon like a code. If any code is missed, the secret of the hidden weapon's manufacturing process cannot be solved.

This is also a key reason why Tang San felt comfortable entrusting the blueprints to Ning Fengzhi.

As night fell, Tang San, unusually, did not cultivate. He sat in front of the wooden house, leaning against the wall and gazing at the twinkling stars in the night sky.

As a plant-type Soul Master, his training ground for mimicry naturally had to be among plants, and the quiet wooden house where Liu Erlong used to live now belonged to Tang San.

Tang San really liked the environment here. Not only was it quiet, but the fresh air and the scent of the plants were also his favorite features.

(End of this chapter)