Waking up the next day our group came together for early breakfast with Ning Rongrong in particular looking rather... Spicy after obviously sleeping rather poorly in our shitty dorms.
Still the food was made by Shao Xin, a Soul Emperor at level 60 plus so the food was filled with dense spiritual energy that filled our bodies with the energy we would need for the day.
Then, after quickly eating Dai Mubai broke the easy silence as we woke up. "Tian Long. When do you want to head into Suotou City for shopping for herbs?"
I shrugged and said with a shrug. "Probably after training today. I imagine our teachers will be having us train here on the campus for today at least."
And my words were prophetic. As a loud clanging rang out as the metal reinforced door to the caferteria was shoved open with my face twitching as Flender came into the long hall, pulling a cart behind him.
"Haha good you all are done eating. I timed it just right!" Flender said with a grin.
And the reason for my flat expression was atop the cart was a stack of life vests and other weighted bits that were clearly stuffed with metal dust or beads with the weight of the cart visibly struggling with the weight.
There was also the fact the cart was a piece of shit. But that was just Flender being cheap.
Still I sighed as Flender more seriously spoke. "Now, in order for Shrek to get an idea of your true physcial abilities. You all need to put on these weights. Mubai, Tian Long, Xiao Wu, and Tang Wutong, you four will be using these larger vests as I know you all have stronger bodies."
I came over and with a heft, I picked up the weighted vests with a grunt escaping me before I put on the fifty-plus-pound vest that made it harder to breathe with it's sheer weight.
Then Oscar spoke up helplessly. "Teacher, what about Ma Xiaotao? Where is she?"
To which Flender coughed and said with a weird expression. "She is busy collecting money from Suotou City... Don't worry about her as she got up early to do some training as well."
But Ning Rongrong wasn't having this weighted training as she snapped. "I can't wear a hundred pounds of weights! I am a support Spirit Master, and I don't want to wear these stupid weights!"
Flender merely raised an eyebrow and said calmly. "Would you rather wear those weights and train under Zhao Wuji's enhanced gravity fields instead? Besides as a support spirit master, you yourself need to become as physically fit as possible so you can protect yourself in the case of your allies being caught up fighting others."
"Control, Soul Master's bully Attack and Defense Spirit Masters. Agility Soul Master's go after defense and support units while Attack go after support and agility soul masters." Flender spoke of the general system that Soul Master squads ran typically.
Generally speaking you wanted one of each class in Control, Attack, Agility, Defense, and Support as they would fill out the team in most situations.
Especially in the tournaments that were so popular in this world.
I gave Ning Rongrong who was flaring up in princess tsundere fury a look before I said quietly with my voice carrying forward. "Ning Rongrong, did you come to Shrek to get strong? Or just to get away from your clan's view to mess around?"
Her eye's snapped to me and she snapped out. "Shut up! I can wear those weights, I just don't want to because they are dirty and aren't fitted for a girl!"
My face twitched as Zhu Zhuqing and Tang Wutong who had picked up the vests nodded with Zhu Zhuqing saying flatly. "No curve in the chest area... It hurts."
Whelp that was Zhu Zhuqing's fault for being so developed at this point. But even Flender's face pinched at the girls pointed glares.
He then exhaled in annoyance before saying. "Fine. Just wear the back plate and the other things. This is to test your physcial states anyway. It's you all who will be running for longer anyway."
After we got our stuff on and every step was restricted by a hundred plus pounds of weighted metal scrap dust stuffed into thick canvas. He outlined Shrek's property and just told us to run until he told us to stop.
And so we went running... And continued running for a good while until people began to falter.
Oscar and Ning Rongrong were the first to falter as they were support Soul Master's with Ning Rongrong being the first to give up. While Oscar pushed himself hard and Flender told him to rest.
Then it was Zhu Zhuqing who gave out next before Xiao Wu and then Dai Mubai gave out.
Finally, after like... An hour and a half of heavy running, Flender called Tang Wutong and me to stop running as Tang Wutong was also starting to pant with the strain of the running.
The two of us came to a stop next to the others who had already stripped off the heavy weights and tossed them onto the cart beside Flender with me and Tang Wutong helping one another with our weights.
As my entire body was feeling the strain of those weights after running for so long.
After the run however. Flender looked at me and Dai Mubai before he spoke seriously. "Tian Long, Dai Mubai told me about the elixer bath you wanted to make him so he could strengthen his body. How much gold coins will you need to have to make baths for all eight of you all?"
And at seeing my confusion of mentioning eight instead of the seven people here. He said with a raised eyebrow. "Don't forget my own disciple Ma Xiaotao. She is in Suotou City right now helping raise the funds as I plan to help sponsor this."
I cleared my throat and said slowly. "The elixer bath woudn't be good for most of us honestly. It woudn't even be good for me as I am aligned with Wood, Fire, and Earth mostly. Only Dai Mubai is aligned with the Gold and Metal alignment. But I do have other elixers in mind that could help us."
Ning Rongrong snorted and interrupted. "What kind of elixers can you make? If you make something for me that cripples me. Can Shrek stand if my grandpa's come and blow this place over!?"
I saw Flender flush with anger as I knew that Shrek was his love child. His pride and joy even if he was innately a rather shitty teacher.
He LOVED Shrek as he was a Soul Master from a commoner background and he had built it up from the ground up with no nobles having their grubby hands in it.
Ning Rongrong... Was the daughter of the Sect Master of the Seven Treasures Sect. Literally the second most powerful sect on the mainland and this little princess was a witch to say the least.
Still he snorted and said 'calmly' "If you believe Xiao Tian's elixers are too... Low quality for you. Then do not be surprised when your training falters and you fall behind as his Martial Soul allows him to create powerful elixers that do not harm a Soul Master's foundation without gross overuse."
I cleared my throat and then spoke up. "Frankly speaking. There is another general elixir bath that can help our bodies strengthen. And it doesn't have the elemental alignment issues, but its also still expensive and doesn't have as good of an effect."
I took a breath and then added. "However, it's advantage is that I can more easily make the elixer bath... And it's materials are more easily sourced even without as much money."
Flender raised an eyebrow and asked in annoyed confusion. "You just said the elixer is more expensive... So how is it cheaper now?"
My lips twitched as I said rather bluntly. "The Elixer is called the Life Return Blood Elixer for a reason. It uses blood, and especially essence blood, along with some herbs to cure the blood toxicity to refine the body."
Flender hissed inwardly as he muttered. "The Blue Lightning Dragon Clan's herbal baths to boost their dragon bloodlines... It sounds so similar."
Either way he shook his head and said thoughtfully. "I see, so Wuji and I can get Spirit Beasts for their blood, and you guys can just buy the herbs if we can't find them, huh!"
I nodded. "That is the point."
Though... From behind me, I could feel Xiao Wu's heavy stare into the back of my head. So I coughed and said with a firm nod.
"Yes, uhm, if you get spirit beasts that are of the evil variety. You know, the ones that cultivate via eating others, especially and drinking their blood. They would be even better. The bigger the spirit beast, the better, as we can get more blood out of it. Even long term in fact."
Flender gave a thoughtful grunt of agreement before he cleared his throat and said. "Good! In any case. Here is two thousand gold coins... Almost all of my liquid funds right now so you better now waste it! Go get the herbs for both of those elixers and such while I go find a couple spirit beasts and bring them here. Is there an age limit I should worry about?"
I nodded and then said firmly. "Yes, nothing over twenty thousand years of cultivation. Their blood toxicity would be too strong for any herbs we can simply buy."
To which Flender grunted and said under his breath as he left. "Casually asking me to bring a twenty-thousand-year-old beast home... I have an Owl martial soul. Not a damned Ox!"
All the while I was tossing the bag filled with gold coins in the air, I was handed before I tossed the bag to Tang Wutong and said. "Keep it in your Soul Guide, Wutong. Now let's get going, I guess."
Dai Mubai laughed and said cheerfully as he wrapped an arm around Oscar and I. "Yeah, come on, guys. I know best the fun spots for gentlemen to have fun. You know I even got a bit of a reputation in Suotuo City as a skilled dancer as well haha!"
But as the girls followed behind us three guys. I felt Dai Mubai tense as Zhu Zhuqing said blandly. "I also came through Suotuo City on the way to Shrek... Why is it that all of the inn's know you by name? And you maintain a curated list of the town's beauties you have 'tasted'?"
I could all but hear Dai Mubai inwardly screaming as he nervously laughed and said helplessly. "Oh, just good times with the locals. You can't just hold up at home all alone and train from dawn to dusk, right? A tiger needs to climb a mountain and let itself be known!"
Yeah, Dai Mubai was fucked as it seemed in this timeline as Zhu Zhuqing came around Soutuo City. She got ALL of the dirty info she could have wanted about the prodigal genius coming to play with the local girls.
Still! Not my problem, as while Dai Mubai turned around and walked backwards and 'tried' to speak to the cold block of ice in expression Zhu Zhuqing.
Tang Wutong came up and casually began helping me make a list for all the materials we needed for the elixers.