A few girls who had been laughing and playing came to the shaded pavilion, each finding a lounge chair to lie on. At this moment, Oscar and Dai Mubai were left wearing only beach shorts, competing with each other in the swimming pool.
This was the treatment of Class One of Shrek, or rather, the treatment of the Shrek Team.
Now that all the little monsters had returned, the academy was about to host the Shrek Team's selection tournament.
With Ma Hongjun and the others' strength, it was practically guaranteed they would be chosen. Because of this, Flender had already provided them with various living and training facilities according to the Shrek Team's standard.
The girls watched the two handsome men with eight-pack abs swimming in the pool. Dugu Yan and Zhu Zhuqing's eyes were filled with affection.
At this moment, Ma Hongjun and Tang San came out of the villa together. When they saw Dugu Yan and Ning Rongrong had returned, joy appeared on their faces.
The excitement on their faces was hard to hide. Even Tang San, who had lived two lives, couldn't suppress it.
That was because the soul bone he had just acquired brought him benefits far greater than he had imagined. This twenty-thousand-year-old Sky Blue Vine torso bone completely made up for his earlier loss, granting him the strong vitality he had lacked before.
Xiao Wu saw Tang San and cried out in delight, "San! You're out!"
Ning Rongrong's eyes lit up too, and she said to Ma Hongjun, "I didn't expect senior to actually give you a soul bone. I'm so jealous!"
Ma Hongjun and Tang San walked over. Tang San patted Xiao Wu's head. "This time's harvest was great. The soul bone senior gave me suits me perfectly."
Ma Hongjun grinned. "Hehe, I'm the boss's most prized disciple. I got mine with real ability, okay?"
Hearing this, Dai Mubai, who had just come out of the pool, chuckled. "You won this time, but next time the winner will definitely be me!"
Looking at Dai Mubai's eight-pack, Ma Hongjun couldn't help wanting to show off his own body too. After all, he could now be considered quite the handsome man.
"Relax. With the boost from this soul bone, the gap between you and me will only grow." Ma Hongjun laughed. "Beating me won't be so easy."
Oscar also came out of the pool. Dugu Yan handed him a towel, which he draped over himself. Rolling his eyes at the bickering pair, he said calmly, "Don't get too full of yourselves. Maybe next time your opponent will be me."
Hearing this, the girls nearby giggled. Ma Hongjun and Dai Mubai glanced at each other, and Dai Mubai quietly took a towel from Zhu Zhuqing before stepping up beside Ma Hongjun.
Then the two of them said together, "Hehe, then don't blame us for teaming up."
Tang San watched this scene with a smile. This kind of friendship was something he had never experienced before.
In his previous life, he was an assassin who had hardly ever known the joy of family or friendship. Even in this world, his father had never given him the warmth that ordinary families shared.
Not until he met Xiao Wu, and later his teacher, did he begin to feel a little warmth.
But when he discovered his teacher's true nature a year ago, he grew disheartened, though he hid it so well that no one else noticed.
He didn't know how to handle relationships, because he had never experienced them, but deep down, he longed for it all. After all, he was still a normal person.
Over the past year at Shrek Academy, he had experienced many emotions he had never known before. Though Tang San knew some of it was because senior looked after him behind the scenes, he truly liked this atmosphere.
Now he had completely blended in. At the very least, everyone acknowledged him, letting him genuinely feel friendship or rather, the warmth of home.
Oscar ignored the two "shameless" guys and looked at Tang San. "San, how much did you gain?"
Tang San picked up a coconut and handed it to Oscar, smiling. "The soul bone gave me a huge boost. My soul power has risen from the peak of rank thirty-four to rank thirty-six. I can clearly sense that my martial spirit is on the verge of evolution. If I choose my fourth soul ring well, my Blue Silver Grass might undergo its first evolution."
Oscar took the coconut and nodded. Xiao Wu and the others nearby were all happy for Tang San's improvement.
Oscar said, "It seems this soul bone really suits you. I'll plan out some options for your fourth soul ring, but you can also try making your own choices. When the time comes, we'll all go with you to hunt for it."
Tang San nodded. "I understand, senior. Thank you."
Oscar waved his hand. "Thanking me makes it sound distant. If you really want to thank me, then just train hard. Your strength will be the greatest thanks."
Tang San felt warmth in his heart and didn't say more.
Ma Hongjun chuckled. "Boss, my improvement isn't small either."
Oscar sipped some coconut juice and looked at him. "Tell me, let's see what you've got."
Ma Hongjun said, "After absorbing the soul bone, my soul power broke through directly to rank fifty. I'm only one soul ring away from becoming a powerful Soul King."
"And the soul bone skill I got is really powerful. If I fought Mubai right now, I'd beat him into the ground!"
Everyone laughed at this. Ma Hongjun's improvement was indeed great, and they were happy for him.
But Dai Mubai wasn't so pleased. "Hehe, I'm only rank forty-five right now. You're already rank fifty and even got a soul bone. Of course I wouldn't be your match in a one-on-one fight. But if I combine with Zhuqing, you might not win either."
Ma Hongjun curled his lips and looked at Ning Rongrong with a grin. "You've got Zhuqing, but I've got Rongrong! She's probably already rank thirty-two, so helping me for the time it takes to burn a stick of incense is no problem. And that's all the time I'd need to crush you."
Pulled into the conversation, Ning Rongrong blushed and punched Ma Hongjun lightly. "I won't help you. I'm on Zhuqing's side."
"And who told you I'm only rank thirty-two? Let me tell you, my soul power is already rank thirty-nine. I'm about to break through to forty!"
Hearing Ning Rongrong and Ma Hongjun's words, everyone laughed, but Ma Hongjun and Tang San were shocked.
Rank thirty-nine?
Three months ago when she went home, she was only rank thirty-one, right? How long has it been? She advanced eight ranks already? Is she cheating?
But Ma Hongjun secretly glanced at Oscar. Having experienced the Phoenix Nirvana Pill, he knew only Oscar's immortal-grade pills could make this possible.
Someone of Ning Rongrong's background would never use methods that damaged her foundation to force her soul power up.
The only way to raise her level so much, so quickly, without harming her talent Ma Hongjun knew his boss had that ability. Thinking of how Oscar had gone with Rongrong to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, the truth was obvious.
But while Ma Hongjun had figured it out, Tang San hadn't. In his view, how could there be treasures in this world that could raise a soul master's power so quickly?
Seeing the disbelief on their faces, Ning Rongrong explained, "My improvement is thanks to a treasure called the Qiluo Tulip Pill. After taking it, my Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda evolved into the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, and my soul power rose greatly."
Hearing this, a thought struck Tang San like lightning. "Qiluo Tulip Pill? Could it be that this world has medicinal pills like those from my previous life?"
Ning Rongrong glanced at Oscar. "Speaking of which, I should thank senior. This pill came from his sect."
Tang San immediately looked at Oscar. Oscar smiled. "This kind of treasure pill is extremely rare. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect paid my Sword Sect quite a lot in return."
Everyone understood. After all, Oscar had already given them so many treasures, even soul bones. They naturally wouldn't be greedy.
They lingered on Ning Rongrong for a while. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda was already the top auxiliary martial spirit. Now that it had evolved into the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, it was great news for the team.
Eventually, the topic returned to Ma Hongjun. Now that his soul power was rank fifty, he only needed one soul ring to become a Soul King.
But he wasn't in a rush. Instead, he looked at Oscar. After thinking, Oscar said, "No need to hurry these next two days. Teacher Erlong has prepared the Shrek Team selection tournament. With your strength, there's no doubt you'll get in, but you still need to show your abilities. It'll intimidate and motivate the others."
Everyone nodded at this, then headed to a private dining hall to share a meal.
The eight of them hadn't been together in a while, so it was worth gathering properly.
The next morning, Shrek Academy's broadcast announced that all students should gather at the main campus field. Oscar led Dugu Yan and the others over.
On the high platform, the new headmaster Flender gave a long speech before finally saying, "The next Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament is approaching. I plan to select a new group of true geniuses to form the Shrek Team. Over the next week, each of you will have a chance to become a member. There is no limit to the number. As long as your strength is enough, I will accept you."
Flender also described the benefits of being on the team. The most tempting was not the villas or the private training grounds, but the weekly lessons taught by Soul Douluo-level experts.
Now that Flender and Zhao Wuji were both Soul Douluo, they held special lectures every six months, but only the top fifty students had the chance to attend.
But now, Flender said Shrek Team members would get a Soul Douluo class every week. This was the greatest reward.
For most of the students, Soul Douluo were the strongest experts they would ever see in their lives.
With such an opportunity, how could they not fight for it? But chances always favor the prepared. For those who usually slacked off, even if the chance was right in front of them, they might not be able to grasp it.
Blue Tyrant Academy had once had several geniuses, so Shrek wasn't lacking talent.
The tournament began that morning. Levels eleven to twenty-five formed one group, levels twenty-six to thirty another, and those above thirty a third.
Flender only made three divisions, because aside from Oscar and his companions, the strongest at Shrek was Tailong, rank thirty-five at seventeen years old.
There were a few other decent seeds who had reached over rank thirty, but not strong enough to warrant more divisions.
Of course, Flender specifically singled out Oscar. Anyone above rank forty or who gained Oscar's approval could directly enter the team.
Three months ago, before enrollment, Oscar had already arrived at the academy. After just one month, he became first seat by beating Tailong without even using his martial spirit.
Other than Tailong and the teachers, almost no one knew Oscar's true strength. Tailong refused to say anything, and no one dared challenge Oscar.
After all, if they couldn't even beat Tailong, and Oscar defeated him without using his spirit, only a fool would try.
And the reason Tailong's father and grandfather didn't come to cause trouble afterward, unlike in the original story, was because of Tang Hao.
When Tailong told his father Tai Nuo about being beaten, Tai Nuo had intended to confront the academy to regain his son's dignity. But when Tang Hao heard Oscar's name, he stopped him.
Thinking of Tang San, Tang Hao didn't want to make a fuss. He scolded Tai Nuo not to bully juniors, so the matter was dropped.
The tournament began. Shrek had two campuses, and dueling arenas and fields everywhere became selection grounds. With more than two hundred students, it would take time to choose the final elite.
Of course, this wasn't strictly necessary. Liu Erlong already knew who the promising ones were. But Flender wanted Oscar and the others to appear at the end to inspire the students, so he made a grand show of it.
Oscar, Dugu Yan, Ma Hongjun, and Dai Mubai were all above rank forty, so they didn't need to compete. Just showing up at the end to look cool was enough.
As for Ning Rongrong, she simply used Oscar's duplicated sausages to go on stage and crush opponents. With her rank thirty-nine soul power, she enjoyed the thrill of fighting like a battle soul master.
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