"Ahem."
"If we're talking about the most handsome man on the continent, I have three candidates in mind," Yu Xiaogang said.
"The first is the Sect Master of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon School, one of the three upper sects. The Thunder Douluo. In his youth, he was dashing and romantic. With his thunder dragon protecting him, a single gesture could call down blue lightning from the heavens. He was incomparably domineering."
"The second is the contemporary Clear Sky Douluo of the Clear Sky School. His talent is unparalleled. Back in the day, with his Clear Sky Hammer, he and his wife fought against the tyrannical Supreme Pontiff of that era, overwhelming his foes with world-shaking power."
"It's not them. It's definitely not them," Xiao Wu said, shaking her head repeatedly. From the description alone, she knew these two were not the man she was looking for. "The person I'm looking for has a perfect physique, a graceful demeanor, and is gentle and refined. His every move is like that of a young immortal, not so wild and violent."
Yu Xiaogang gave Xiao Wu a strange look. This girl was usually as close to Little San as could be. Why was she suddenly interested in another man? Sigh, Little San, oh, Little San. You can't even figure out how to turn your little sister into your wife? Do you need your teacher to hold your hand and teach you that too?
Yu Xiaogang continued, "Then it can only be the last one. The Sword Douluo of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School—Chen Xin. He was a prodigy in his youth and is the number one swordsman of the current era, second to none. In the realm of sword souls, he can be called a figure of peerless grace."
"That sounds a bit like him. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School... Chen Xin. Grandmaster, how old is he?" Xiao Wu's pretty face lit up, feeling that the third person Grandmaster described was very similar to the man she was trying to find.
"About a hundred years old."
"What! I'm asking about a young man under twenty, no more than thirty at the most! And you're telling me about a hundred-year-old man! Ugh! I swear!" Upon hearing his age, Xiao Wu instantly saw red. If it weren't for the fact that he was Third Brother's teacher, she really would have picked up a brick and smashed him with it.
"I know what you're trying to ask," Yu Xiaogang said. "Among the younger generation, such a man of peerless grace has yet to appear. If Little San has good opportunities in the future, he might have that chance."
"Furthermore, the spirit beast that captured you was the King of the Forest, the Titan Giant Ape. Its power is comparable to a 100,000-year spirit beast. Even a Titled Douluo would have a hard time dealing with it. Therefore, the person who saved you could not possibly be a young man. Unless you are lying, or you saw incorrectly." Yu Xiaogang glanced at Xiao Wu as he spoke.
"No way. Although Third Brother is also outstanding, that person... is not someone Third Brother can compare to. And I couldn't have seen wrong," Xiao Wu muttered, a little flustered. "I'm not lying..." She could mistake anyone, but she would never mistake a man so transcendent and peerless.
"Fine. Since you don't know of such a person, Grandmaster, I'll just find him myself."
"You will never find him. A Spirit Master under the age of thirty who could save you from the King of the Forest? You could search the entire continent and not find one," Yu Xiaogang stated confidently.
ROAR—
Under the starry sky, a beast's roar suddenly shattered the silence.
The little monsters of Shrek, exhausted from their daytime training, were all sound asleep. It was as if, in their dreams, they heard a terrifying roar.
"Ahhh—Don't eat me, vicious beast! Go eat Fatty, he has more meat!"
Smack—
"Are we brothers or not? You'd sic a spirit beast on me?" Ma Hongjun slapped Oscar's little face.
Oscar shot up from his sleep, touching his cheek. "I dreamed that a ferocious spirit beast slapped me! This is insane!"
"Why is there a beast roaring in the middle of the night? Little San, do you know what's going on?" Dai Mubai, who had been practicing his spirit abilities and movement techniques outside, unable to sleep, looked up at Tang San and asked.
"It seems to be coming from the Taoyuan Academy next door. I don't know what they're up to. We've been hearing beast roars frequently these past few days," replied Tang San, who was sitting on the roof of one of Shrek Academy's buildings, cultivating his Mysterious Heaven Skill and absorbing the essence of the sun and moon.
"Whatever they're planning, we have to beat them. Otherwise, Grandmaster is right, we'll be completely disgraced."
"Boss Dai, Fatty, there's a reason you lost to them," Tang San said after a moment of thought. "That teacher at Taoyuan Academy is definitely not simple. The things he teaches are very profound. Although I can't identify what Zhu Zhuqing is learning, the techniques Ning Rongrong and that Wang Sheng are using are very similar to martial arts I once saw in an ancient book, called the Golden Bell Shield Iron Shirt and Xing Yi Quan."
"One of these martial arts can turn the body into bronze skin and iron bones, impervious to blades and spears. The other can imitate the momentum and movements of animals to unleash astonishing fist techniques." Tang San had been reluctant to reveal too much, but he spoke up anyway. He hadn't expected that this world would also have ultimate techniques similar to the martial arts sects of his previous life, and that they could be cultivated alongside a Martial Soul.
"Little San, you know these two martial arts? Quick, teach me! If I knew that blade-proof technique, I'd definitely beat that pink-haired girl until she kneels and calls me grandpa!" Ma Hongjun, who had been woken by the noise, groggily stumbled out. Hearing Tang San's words, he was instantly wide awake.
Tang San shook his head. "I've only seen records of them in that ancient book. I've never learned them myself, so I can't teach you."
"Tch, what's the use of just knowing the name? We still can't counter it. We're done for. I think we're going to die of exhaustion before Grandmaster's training even pushes us past our limits."
"Oh, heavens above, why are you so cruel to me? Losing to a pink-haired support girl... this is more painful than death," Ma Hongjun lamented, leaning against the doorframe and sighing at the sky. After losing to Ning Rongrong, his status in the academy had plummeted. Whether it was Flender, Zhao Wuji, or the newly arrived Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang, they all looked down on him. It hurt him deeply.
"Just because I can't teach them doesn't mean there's no way to counter them," Tang San said after some consideration.
"Little San, you have a way to counter them?" Dai Mubai asked eagerly.
"Nothing in this world is invincible. There's definitely a way to break their techniques; there's nothing to be afraid of. However, I haven't fully figured it out yet. I'll need to study it to get a result. For now, everyone should focus on the special training and raise your own strength. Then, combined with my method, we should have a chance to win if we face the students from Taoyuan Academy again."
"Alright, Little San. I'll trust you this time."
"Mmm. Boss Dai, Fatty, although I don't know the Golden Bell Shield Iron Shirt or Xing Yi Quan, I did jot down some other moves from that ancient book. I've handwritten them over the past few days. If you're interested, you can try learning them. They should be helpful."
"Point Strength Method? Using a point to break a surface? This is a bit like that pink-haired girl's inch punch."
"Qi Circulation Method? Mobilizing the entire body's energy to launch an attack. Interesting."
Tang San tossed two small booklets to Ma Hongjun and Dai Mubai. They were both surprised by the contents.
"As long as you master these two techniques, you shouldn't lose to them again. The Point Strength Method will allow you to concentrate your power in one spot for better defense-breaking. The Qi Circulation Method can mobilize your entire body's strength, putting your body in its optimal state," Tang San explained calmly.
These two methods were basic principles from the Tang Sect's hidden weapon manuals. Just extracting them to teach his teammates shouldn't count as leaking Tang Sect secrets, right? To revitalize the Tang Sect, letting them learn some outer-sect techniques was a necessary measure.
"What about me? What should I learn?" At that moment, Oscar also came out, clutching his sore back, his eyes hopeful.
"Uh, sorry, Little Ao. You're a food-system Spirit Master. I didn't see anything suitable for you in that ancient book. My apologies."
"Ah? I see. Alright then." Oscar looked crestfallen.
"Third Brother, I'm sorry. I can't stay here and study with you anymore. I have to go find my true love. Otherwise, I'll regret it for the rest of my life."
That midnight, in the plaza of Shrek Academy, Xiao Wu stood under the moonlight with a bundle on her back, clutching a farewell letter.
Just as she gritted her teeth, hardened her heart, and was about to place the letter at the door of the boys' dormitory and run for it, the dormitory door let out a soft creak, making her jump.
"Xiao Wu? What are you doing here?"
"Third Brother... I..."
"Shh. Since you're here too, come with me. Follow me, Xiao Wu."
Tang San carefully closed the door and led Xiao Wu toward the outside of Shrek.
"Where are we going?"
"To investigate the source of the beast roars we've been hearing at night recently."
(End of Chapter)