Douluo Continent, my martial soul is a mushroom.

Chapter 30: The Latest Version of Cultivation Methods, Soul Arena

"Dean, could you give us some advice?"

Out of caution, Tang San decided to first learn from Flander.

"Would you like to experience that kind of training first?" Flander asked.

Tang San: "I want to understand intuition."

Ning Rongrong: "I am more interested in cultivating Qi and blood."

Zhu Zhuqing: "Qi and Blood".

Xiao Wu: "Me? I'm fine with anything."

"Then let me show you how to cultivate Qi and blood."

Flander led the four of them toward the bluestone where Zhao Wuji was.

Beside the bluestone was a lawn, on which Flanders drew ten closely spaced one-meter squares.

"Old Zhao, add 1 to 10 times the gravity here."

"OK!"

Zhao Wuji twitched his fingers slightly, and an invisible force of gravity was applied to the square.

"This person is... Immovable King Zhao Wuji!" Ning Rongrong exclaimed in surprise.

"You know him?" Xiao Wu asked curiously.

Similar to what Dai Mubai had explained to Chi Ping, Ning Rongrong began to explain Zhao Wuji's great achievements to Xiao Wu, while Zhu Zhuqing and Tang San listened quietly.

Flander was quite pleased to hear this, as it served as a way of showcasing the academy's strength.

"Alright. I'll test your physical fitness first. In these ten boxes, you will experience Teacher Zhao Wuji's third soul skill - Gravity Enhancement. The gravity multiplier will increase from left to right, with a minimum of one and a maximum of ten times. Walk through each box one by one. Don't overexert yourself; you must make sure you can move around in each box. Remember, you are not allowed to use soul power!"

The four of them looked at each other, all finding the test quite novel.

"I'll go first."

Tang San took the lead.

Upon entering the square, Tang San felt short of breath and his limbs felt heavy.

—What an amazing soul skill!

Tang San was amazed and suddenly understood Chi Ping and the others' situation. After a moment of adjustment, he stepped into the next box.

Soon, Tang San reached the seven times gravity zone, and he couldn't go any further; this was his limit.

At this moment, Tang San could barely breathe!

"Such a resilient physique and will! But no wonder Xiaoping said he had a hard time sensing qi and blood." Flander stroked his chin and muttered to himself.

The theory of Qi and Blood is very rudimentary. According to the training method Chi Ping currently possesses, only unpolished jade can cultivate Qi and Blood. The academy teachers' bodies are already set, and no matter how much they train, they cannot comprehend Qi and Blood. As for those like Tang San who have cultivated special soul skills, their bodies already have instinctive memories, which will also interfere with their comprehension of Qi and Blood.

The same applies to intuition.

Flander pulled Tang San into the zone of five times gravity.

Sudden changes in gravity can harm the body, as Ikehira has experienced. The gravity one experiences cannot increase or decrease abruptly; there needs to be an adaptation period.

"Huff! Huff!"

Sure enough, in the zone of five times gravity, Tang San's breathing gradually stabilized.

"Feeling better now? If you feel much better, then you can back down on your own. Remember, go down one level at a time, and only move down once you've adapted."

Tang San didn't quite understand, but he still slowly withdrew as Flander had instructed.

"Who's next?"

"I!"

Xiao Wu jumped out, but Zhu Zhuqing walked directly into the gravity zone.

"You're next. Let Zhu Zhuqing be tested first," Flander said.

Zhu Zhuqing's physique was inferior to Tang San's. Due to the physical disadvantages brought about by her gender, the emphasis of her martial soul, and the superiority or inferiority of her cultivation techniques, she ultimately stopped at the 6x zone.

"Where are Dai Mubai's limits?"

"Exit the test area," Zhu Zhuqing said.

Flander thought for a moment and said, "Xiao Bai's limit is 9 times gravity, second only to Xiao Ping's 11 times. However, Xiao Bai has not yet obtained his fourth spirit ring. Once he receives the baptism of the fourth spirit ring, he will be able to reach about 10 times gravity."

Zhu Zhuqing nodded and stepped aside.

Next up was Xiao Wu. She reached the 5x zone but didn't reach her limit. Flander didn't say anything more.

Finally, there was Ning Rongrong. Her physique was the worst. She had never trained seriously, and with Xiao Wu as a precedent, she hadn't even made it into the double zone! Flander fell silent watching this.

"You have already completed the tests, and now you can officially begin your Qi and Blood cultivation."

Flander pointed to the runway.

"The first and most important step in cultivating Qi and Blood is to break through the limits, repeatedly break through the limits, push your body to its limits, stimulate your potential, and make breaking through the limits a normal occurrence until you reach the limits of your body! What you need to do is to consume your physical strength to reach the limit under Zhao Wuji's gravity, and then break through the limit again! So, go! By the way, if you can't hold on, leave the track, and Teacher Zhao will cancel the gravity enhancement."

"Huh? It's that simple?" Ning Rongrong exclaimed incredulously.

Flander shrugged. "How complicated do you think it is? We've only discovered the powers of Qi and Intuition for less than two years. How profound do you think our academy can research them? Besides... do you think breaking through limits is a simple matter?"

"Those who haven't experienced it have no right to speak. You'll only have the right to speak if you can persevere until Deng Xiaoping and his team finish their training."

Ning Rongrong had nothing to say.

The four people walked onto the track.

Flander gestured to Zhao Wuji to apply gravity.

As a longtime partner, Zhao Wuji understood immediately and added 5 times, 4 times, 4 times, and 2 times the gravity to Tang San, Zhu Zhuqing, Xiao Wu, and Ning Rongrong respectively.

There's a reason for this standard. If you set it to the limit, a person won't be able to move or run, and naturally, they won't be able to exercise. But if the multiplier is too low, the efficiency of consuming physical energy won't be enough. Through experiments, a multiplier that is less than twice the limit is more appropriate.

Furthermore, Ning Rongrong's limit should be around 3 times gravity, and the most suitable ratio should be 1. However, in order to temper her temperament, Flander deliberately had Zhao Wuji increase it by 1.

After running one lap, the four of them understood why Chi Ping, Dai Mubai, and Ma Hongjun hadn't paid any attention to them while they were watching.

Because I was just too tired!

One lap of the track is nearly 300 meters. Running one lap under gravity is equivalent to the same distance an ordinary person swims underwater, which is extremely physically demanding!

I can't even breathe, let alone speak!

Perhaps because the senior students set a good example, most of the new students persevered, even though they were exhausted, except for one person.

"I can't do it anymore!"

Ning Rongrong left the track before even finishing the first lap, falling backward onto the grass.

Flander's feelings were complicated.

"Can't hold on any longer?" He walked up to Ning Rongrong and looked down at her.

"Um."

"Want to try Little O's Intuition Training?"

Ning Rongrong stood up in one minute, during which time Flander made no attempt to help her.

The two arrived at the middle lawn, and Flander took a strip of pure black cloth from Li Yusong.

"Intuition is a sixth sense beyond the five senses; it is a spiritual power. When faced with danger, we sometimes suddenly have a premonition of its approach. This sudden feeling is intuition. The practice of intuition is about normalizing and making this sudden feeling controllable."

"In fact, we all have intuition, it's just a matter of whether it has been developed or not. Xiaoping proposed the theory of intuition, believing that we perceive the world through the five senses and intuition. As long as we shut down the extra senses, intuition will become our primary sense. By training in this state, we can gradually master intuition."

Flander handed the black cloth strip to Ning Rongrong.

"Like him? I want to train with him too?"

Ning Rongrong took the strip of cloth and looked at Oscar.

"No," Flander shook his head, "You will be trained by me personally."

Ning Rongrong took a deep breath. "Does everyone in the academy have to participate in these two projects?"

"Of course!" Flander nodded, pulling out a two-meter-long iron rod about the thickness of a thumb from somewhere.

Ning Rongrong took another deep breath, tied the strip of cloth over her eyes, and also plugged her ears.

"Put more force into it, tie it tight! If you can still see me, if you can still hear my voice, then it's not acceptable!"

Ning Rongrong clenched her fist, then relaxed it, pulling the strip of cloth tight, causing her head to ache from the pressure.

"Is this alright?"

Because she couldn't hear human voices, Ning Rongrong spoke very loudly.

Flanders finally smiled.

"If you're going to hit me, then do it now!" Ning Rongrong shouted, showing no ladylike demeanor whatsoever.

Regular, scheduled attacks are useless for training intuition.

Ikehira summarized this key training point, which Flander wholeheartedly agreed with.

So he wasn't in a hurry, and instead circled around Ning Rongrong with the iron rod in his hand.

Darkness brings fear, and fear incites anger.

Ning Rongrong grew increasingly agitated and raised her hand to tear off the blindfold.

Just then, Flander finally struck, hitting Ning Rongrong's outstretched right hand.

This made Ning Rongrong even angrier. She took a step in the direction she thought Flander had made the move and threw a punch, then fell flat on her face.

Anger, resentment... and murderous intent!

Ning Rongrong wished she could go home right now and call her Sword Grandpa and Bone Grandpa to slaughter all the Shrek Academy students!

But she didn't dare!

So she started yelling, started cursing, started crying, started despairing...

Flander remained unmoved and continued to prevent Ning Rongrong from tearing off the cloth strip on her head.

Ma Hongjun, Oscar, and Dai Mubai all broke down during training, and even Chi Ping was no exception.

That was half a month before Chi Ping developed his intuition. Nearly half a year of darkness and despair, useless efforts, and loneliness with no one to believe in him caused this strongest student in Flanders' heart to break down and cry.

But Ikehira resumed training the next day.

From that moment on, Flander realized that someone who couldn't even endure the hardships of training could never become a great Soul Master!

Ning Rongrong's commotion quickly attracted the attention of Tang San and his companions.

Xiao Wu angrily left the track, and Zhao Wuji began to gradually reduce the gravity. By the time Xiao Wu ran over to help Ning Rongrong up, the gravity had been reduced to normal.

"You're bullying me!" Xiao Wu, supporting Ning Rongrong, glared angrily at Flander.

Flander looked at Ning Rongrong, who was curled up in Xiao Wu's arms, and said expressionlessly, "Are you scared?"

Ning Rongrong did not respond.

Flander continued, "Don't deny it, it's normal to be afraid. Chi Ping, Mu Bai, Hong Jun, and Xiao Ao were all afraid when they were doing intuition training, especially Chi Ping."

Did you know that Ikehira developed his intuition and qi on his own? Before developing his intuition, he endured a far heavier fear of darkness than you just felt, for half a year, and he never took off the cloth strips for more than half an hour each day.

Compared to him, the fear you just experienced is nothing!

"The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda is indeed recognized as the number one support martial soul on the continent. For you to possess such soul power at your current age, your innate soul power should be at level eight or nine, making you a prodigy within your sect. But at Shrek Academy, you are nothing! Neither your martial soul nor your talent!"

"You're talking nonsense." Ning Rongrong finally reacted. She stepped back from Xiao Wu, stood up, and her chest heaved violently.

She had always known that she was the most outstanding disciple of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School in this generation. She had several older brothers, but none of them had broken through to level twenty before the age of twelve like her. Even her father, the sect master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, had said that she was the only genius in hundreds of years who had the potential to transform the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda into an Eight Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda. Flander's dismissive remarks about her and her martial soul were utterly worthless; how could someone as proud as her accept such a thing?

"I'm talking nonsense? Then tell me, who are you better than here?" Flander said disdainfully, pointing at them one by one.

"Chi Ping, whose martial soul is the Firefly Mushroom, was born into a commoner family. At the age of 15, he reached level 41 as a Soul Master. He independently developed two abilities: Intuition and Qi and Blood, as well as a set of self-created physical and spiritual skills. His combat strength is no less than that of a top-level martial soul master of the same level. He is the most outstanding student in our academy."

Dai Mubai, with the top-tier martial soul White Tiger, is a level 40 Soul Master at the age of 15 and is about to obtain his fourth soul ring, gaining control over the power of blood and qi.

Ma Hongjun entered school at the age of 9, reached level 30 at the age of 12, possessed a mutated phoenix martial spirit, and mastered the power of qi and blood.

Oscar, whose martial soul is Sausage, entered school at the age of 12 and is now 14 years old. He is a level 32 Soul Master with innate full soul power, has mastered intuition, and has mastered the Six Styles. When he unleashes his power, he possesses strength, defense, and speed comparable to a Battle Soul Master of the same level.

Tang San, spirit soul Blue Silver Grass, level 29 at age 12, possesses a special spirit skill, and can fight Chi Ping. Xiao Wu, level 29 at age 12. Zhu Zhuqing, level 27 at age 12. All three of them can withstand the hardships of Qi and Blood cultivation; even with Intuition cultivation, they will endure it for far longer than you!

"Tell me, who can you compare yourself to!" Flanders said coldly.

Ning Rongrong was speechless.

"Whether you continue or not is up to you!"

Ning Rongrong stood there, pale-faced and utterly dejected.

Xiao Wu tried to comfort him, but was glared at fiercely by Flander and sent back onto the track.

Flander was in no hurry and quietly waited for Ning Rongrong to make her choice.

Should they continue training with the bandages and stay at Shrek Academy, or should they throw away the bandages, give up training, and leave Shrek Academy?

Flander awaited Ning Rongrong's decision.

"continue!"

Ning Rongrong tied the cloth strips around herself and shouted fiercely.

—Not beyond redemption.

Flander, holding the iron rod, continued training Ning Rongrong.

……

Training ended at 6 p.m.

After receiving treatment from Shao Xin and having a hearty meal in the cafeteria, Flander led everyone to the Soto City Grand Arena before 7 o'clock.

Next up is Shrek Academy's traditional program.

You cannot graduate from the Arena without obtaining the Gold Battle Badge.

It used to be the Silver Battle Soul Badge, but as the original four gradually mastered intuition and Qi and Blood, the graduation requirements naturally increased.

Of the original four, only Oscar lost a lot of matches due to his participation in one-on-one battles; the others have all met the graduation requirements.

In the Soul Arena, players below level 30 mainly use Iron and Bronze Souls, and Gold Souls only appear around level 40, and even then, they are in the minority! The old four-man group can't find any opponents right now!

The original four members made a contract with the Battle Arena.

The Soul Arena arranges one one-on-one and one two-on-two Soul Battles for the four-person team each month to maintain their Soul Battle level. Chi Ping and Dai Mubai are paid 2,000 Gold Soul Coins per month, and Oscar and Ma Hongjun are paid 1,000 Gold Soul Coins per month. The condition is that the original four-person team, apart from the Soul Battles arranged by the Soul Arena, will not actively participate in Soul Battles or disrupt the order of the Soul Arena.

Today is roughly the time to finish the task and collect the salary.

After witnessing the original four's battle and participating in the battle themselves, the new four deeply understood the true value of Shrek Academy's reputation as a "monster."

Ning Rongrong felt this especially deeply!

……

At 9 PM, the battle ended, and we returned to Shrek Academy.

Before returning to his dormitory, Tang San finally found an opportunity to deliver Yu Xiaogang's letter to Flander.

After reading the letter, Flander decided to go find Yu Xiaogang and hand over the Soul Hunting Operation, which was originally to be led by Yu Xiaogang, to Zhao Wuji.

"Get some rest. Tomorrow, Teacher Zhao Wuji will take you to the Star Dou Great Forest to participate in Xiao Bai and Hong Jun's Soul Hunt. Today's Soul Battle won't show the monsters' full strength."

(End of this chapter)