When Yang Xiong found Zhao Wuji, he couldn't help but want to laugh a little.
At that moment, Zhao Wuji looked absolutely miserable. His face was bruised and swollen, clearly injured, and these were just external wounds. It was obvious someone had deliberately given him a beating.
Yang Xiong was speechless. It was supposed to be a simple entrance assessment, how did it escalate into a senior bullying the juniors? Yet it was also clear that Zhao Wuji had been holding back the whole time. He just wanted to test the abilities of the new students.
Zhao Wuji seemed a bit embarrassed, but also annoyed. "Yang Xiong, isn't today your first day at the academy? What are you doing here?"
Yang Xiong quickly replied, "Teacher Zhao, I heard you're in charge of the academy's combat training. I just wanted to receive some guidance from you."
Zhao Wuji was a little irritated. "Flender should've told you to get into your best condition. Tonight is your first official class, and you'll all be participating in combat."
Yang Xiong smiled. "Spirit masters at the same level as me don't pose much of a challenge anymore. I want to test myself against someone stronger, especially an expert like you, Teacher Zhao."
Zhao Wuji said, "You'd better think this through. I'm not in a good mood today and need to blow off some steam. I might not hold back, and you could get hurt. That would affect your class tonight."
Yang Xiong nodded. "Don't worry, Teacher Zhao. I won't let it interfere with my training. Besides, I already have a pretty good idea of what tonight's class will involve."
Zhao Wuji thought for a moment. "Alright. I've been itching for a fight anyway. Since you came to me, don't blame me if I'm not gentle."
After the brief exchange, the two went to the training field in the back of the mountain for a sparring match.
Despite using all his strength, Yang Xiong was completely overwhelmed during the fight. Battling someone of Zhao Wuji's rank, a Spirit Sage, meant he had no chance. By the time his spirit power and physical strength were exhausted, his body was covered in injuries and his clothes were in tatters. He looked rather pitiful.
Zhao Wuji, feeling a bit guilty, said, "Let's stop for today. Do you want me to call someone to heal you?"
Yang Xiong collapsed to the ground and said, "Thank you, Teacher Zhao. My body and spirit are unique. I also have medicine on me, so I should be fine for tonight's class."
With that, he took out some medicinal herbs from his spirit tool and consumed them. His injuries quickly began to heal.
Zhao Wuji shook his head. "You're quite a little monster. Your combat abilities are impressive, but you're still too young, and your spirit power is too low."
Yang Xiong asked, "Teacher Zhao, would it be alright if I trained with you every day?"
Zhao Wuji was puzzled. "Didn't you get enough of a beating today? I might accidentally injure you badly next time."
Yang Xiong smiled. "Thank you for your concern, Teacher Zhao. I carry plenty of healing medicine with me, so serious injuries shouldn't be a problem. My spirit is special, it only grows stronger through continuous battle."
"Also, sorry for troubling you just now. Let me treat you to a meal at the restaurant later."
Zhao Wuji shook his head. "Training students in combat is my responsibility here at Shrek Academy. Besides, the academy doesn't allow teachers and students to engage in personal transactions, so no need for dinner."
"But you are a strange one. While others are meditating in the dormitory, you're focusing more on physical training. Aren't you afraid your spirit power will fall behind?"
Yang Xiong replied, "Thank you, Teacher Zhao, but this is my own cultivation method. It's natural for it to differ from others'."
Zhao Wuji sighed and left.
As Yang Xiong watched Zhao Wuji walk away, he found the man increasingly likable, genuine and principled, someone who didn't care about personal gain.
After Zhao Wuji left, Yang Xiong found a nearby water source, pulled out a specially made iron tub from his spirit tool, and soaked himself in a medicinal bath.
After every battle, especially when injured, the effects of the bath were much more noticeable. He could even feel his body growing stronger.
Given his current physical condition, he could recover quickly even without a bath, but the bath seemed to stimulate both his body and his spirit.
When he returned to the dorm in fresh clothes, Tang San was still meditating on the bed, and Oscar hadn't come back yet.
Tang San's nose was sharp. "Yang Xiong, I smell medicinal herbs on you. And what happened to your injuries, did you get into a fight?"
Yang Xiong smiled. "I'm fine. These are from a combat training session with Teacher Zhao. I'll recover soon."
"As for the herb scent, I always take a medicinal bath after fighting. Don't worry about it."
Though Tang San looked curious, they didn't know each other well yet, so he simply closed his eyes and continued meditating.
Yang Xiong then returned to his bed to meditate.
Soon it was evening, and everyone gathered again on the training field.
Flender didn't look pleased. "Oscar, Ning Rongrong, did you two finish your twenty laps?"
Oscar replied, "Yes, Headmaster, I finished mine."
Flender snorted. "I asked both of you. Ning Rongrong, did you finish?"
Ning Rongrong seemed indifferent. "It was too far, and I was too hungry. I couldn't keep going."
Flender's face turned cold. "So you went off to Soto City on your own, wandered around the commercial district, and just got back?"
Ning Rongrong became angry. "You were spying on me?"
Flender laughed in anger. "As the headmaster, I'm responsible for all of your safety. You left the academy without permission and ignored your assigned tasks. That alone disqualifies you from being a proper spirit master. On the battlefield, you'd already be punished by military law."
Ning Rongrong snapped, "This is just a school, not the military. This is such a minor issue."
Flender nodded. "To you, maybe. But to me, the academy's rules are absolute. You have two choices—pack your things and leave, or prove you're committed to staying."
Yang Xiong glanced at her. Honestly, he kind of hoped she'd walk away, then he could leave too.
Ning Rongrong was furious. "You want me to leave? Flender, who do you think you are? You're just a low-level Spirit Sage."
Everyone around was shocked. Even Dai Mubai's expression grew serious, being a Spirit Sage was no small feat.
Flender remained calm. "You're right. I'm just a minor spirit master, nowhere near the level of your Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan. But right now, you're only a Grandmaster. Even if you are the most talented disciple your clan has ever produced, you're still far below my level. Spirit masters compete in power, not status. If you don't respect this academy, then leave."
Flender glanced around, especially at Yang Xiong. "Shrek Academy doesn't care about adding or losing a student. Anyone who violates the rules can leave."
Ning Rongrong was shaking with anger. "Flender, how dare you? No one has ever spoken to me like that before!"
Flender sneered. "What's there to be afraid of? This is my academy. Not even the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan can interfere. Your father might spoil you, but I won't. In my eyes, every student here is better than you. You've disgraced your powerful spirit."
Ning Rongrong cried out, "You think they're all better than me? In what way?"
Flender replied, "Dai Mubai became a Spirit Elder at thirteen with a top-tier beast spirit, the White Tiger. Do you think you can reach that level by that age? Even if you do, his combat experience is leagues ahead of yours."
"Tang San and Xiao Wu are twelve and already level twenty-nine. Their resources and training conditions are nowhere near yours."
"As for the others, I see them working hard to improve. Even if their spirit power is lower now, they'll surpass you in time."
Ning Rongrong gritted her teeth. "What about Oscar and Yang Xiong? Are they better than me too?"
Flender replied, "You couldn't be more wrong. Oscar is more talented than Dai Mubai. Have you ever seen a food-type spirit master with innate full spirit power?"
"As for Yang Xiong, his spirit power may be lower, but his combat strength and physical endurance are the highest among all of you, perhaps even surpassing Dai Mubai. His unique spirit might one day forge an entirely new path in the spirit master world."
Everyone was stunned and turned to look at Yang Xiong, especially Dai Mubai and Tang San, both of whom were confident in their own strength.
At that moment, Ning Rongrong couldn't take it anymore. She ran off to the dorm, crying.
Yang Xiong immediately stepped forward. "Headmaster, I'll go check on Rongrong. Please wait a moment."
He added to himself: After being single for two lifetimes, maybe it's time to find a girlfriend.
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