Nine years old!
After a brief moment of thought, the students in line looked at Ma Hongjun in astonishment.
Didn't that mean that the qualifications they barely achieved at thirteen were already attained by him at nine?
Tang San and his group of four were equally surprised, and even the usually composed Zhu Zhuqing turned her head in surprise.
Without a doubt, Ma Hongjun was the most monstrous soul master they had ever seen; this talent had shattered the limits of their imagination.
Tang San was relatively better off because he possessed twin martial souls. Over the years, following Grandmaster, he had come to understand just how amazing his twin martial souls were, so the blow to his heart was less severe, and he even felt a little bit of joy.
Taking the white crystal ball handed to him by Ma Hongjun, Tang San began to circulate his soul power, and a bright white light shone from his hand. He didn't need Ma Hongjun to explain the timing of this display of power; the skilled Tang San understood perfectly.
The testing crystals vary in color depending on their level. This white crystal is specifically for testing soul power below level 30. If the soul power exceeds level 30, the crystal will shatter.
With Tang San's soul power infused, the white crystal became as brilliant as a diamond, its intense light filling every corner – clearly a symbol of approaching level 30. Level 29! The
test
result silenced the other examinees' doubts.
Teacher Shao Xin smiled:
"Looks like the academy will be adding new students this year!"
Soon, Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing took turns receiving the white crystal ball, showing off their skills!
Xiao Wu, level 29!
Ning Rongrong, level 26!
Zhu Zhuqing, level 27!
Shao Xin beamed; he loved living with these seemingly promising little monsters.
"Hongjun, take them directly to the fourth level!"
"Yes, Teacher Shao!" Ma Hongjun replied.
Turning to Tang San and the others, he explained, "Students above level 25 can directly skip the second and third exams!"
Since the fourth exam was a practical combat test, Ma Hongjun slowly led the four on a tour of the academy in the open training ground behind.
"You, haven't you been training diligently? Look, those three are about your age, and their soul power is all stronger than yours,"
Ma Hongjun lectured Ning Rongrong in a familiar, indulgent tone.
"I..."
Ning Rongrong tried to argue, but the facts were undeniable; she hadn't been training seriously and was powerless to refute.
"You need to train diligently from now on, understand? Otherwise, if they pull too far ahead, I'll see how you feel." Ma Hongjun's friendly, older-brotherly tone made Ning Rongrong feel awkward.
"You, you still dare to criticize me! You're a scoundrel yourself!" Ning Rongrong cried out, her voice filled with grievance.
She couldn't hold back any longer and burst out. Although it was their first meeting, and neither of them had explicitly said anything, they had both tacitly planted the seeds of love for each other.
However, Ma Hongjun's impression on her was one of initial success followed by a gradual decline.
She felt so wronged. Their martial souls were fused, a match made in heaven, a perfect couple. But why was he, at such a young age, such a womanizer?
"Sigh! Rongrong, I have my reasons!" Ma Hongjun shook his head and said.
Actually, putting aside the enjoyment, Ma Hongjun himself was happy to do it, but being tormented by the evil fire at such a young age, forced to mature prematurely, was an unspeakable suffering.
The bitterness in his heart was hard to explain to outsiders.
It wasn't a matter of whether he wanted to or not; if he didn't, he would be consumed by the evil fire.
In short, Ma Hongjun was forced!
Ma Hongjun wanted to comfort Ning Rongrong, reaching out to touch her shoulder.
"Go away, I don't need your comfort!"
Ning Rongrong slapped Ma Hongjun's hand away and pulled Xiao Wu to the other side.
"Oh!"
Ma Hongjun, Tang San, and Xiao Wu all stared at Ning Rongrong in astonishment. This was the true nature of a witch! The little witch loved to wear the cloak of innocence and obedience.
Zhu Zhuqing, seemingly unconcerned, uttered two words indifferently.
"Boring!"
The atmosphere became somewhat awkward. The perceptive Tang San changed the subject, asking,
"Hongjun, where is the fourth test? Is it difficult?"
Ma Hongjun adjusted his red hair and bangs, saying,
"Don't worry, your opponent for the fourth test is that Soul Master who released the White Tiger Martial Soul at the registration point earlier. His name is Dai Mubai. You only need to survive for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn to pass.
In previous years, generally no one could reach the fourth test, so he usually helps guide people in the first three tests. We'll have to wait for him a while."
At this moment, they walked to a small pond where a swimming pool was being built. Sitting by the pond was a bearded, somewhat dejected-looking young man.
He was absentmindedly eating a sandwich-like food, resembling a hamburger or a meat sandwich with sausage.
"What's wrong, Xiao Ao?"
"Hongjun, why are you with so many people?"
Although there were three beauties around, Oscar had no interest in appreciating them.
"They are the students who came to take the exam this year. They've already passed the first three rounds, and I'm taking them to the fourth round .
Why are you sitting here without helping? Mubai is already too busy to handle everything."
"Ah, finally someone can make it to the fourth round this year!"
Oscar became slightly interested and got up to walk over.
But he wasn't asking about the new students; he was asking about Xiao Yuanyuan!
"Hongjun, could you ask Sister Shuang'er to call Yuanyuan back? With the idea you provided, I've thought of a way to fuse soul skills!"
"I think you're in heat and missing Yuanyuan!"
"Really, I'm not lying to you. I think we can really succeed this time!"
Oscar looked anxious, afraid that Ma Hongjun wouldn't believe him.
Ma Hongjun shook his head with a wry smile. Oscar's story goes back two years.
Ever since he met Xiao Yuanyuan while helping the Xiang family with their soul battle two years ago, Oscar's spring had begun.
After graduating from Musu Junior Soul Master Academy, Xiao Yuanyuan went to Soto Intermediate Soul Master Academy, where she became classmates and good friends with Gan Shuang and others. It was at Gan Shuang's invitation that she helped the Gan family with their Soul Battle.
After the Soul Battle, Xiao Yuanyuan also graduated from Soto Intermediate Soul Master Academy. Then, at Ma Hongjun's invitation, she joined the Fairy Robe Pavilion.
Driven by curiosity about similar martial souls, soul skills, and soul spells, and a desire for friendly exchange and discussion among soul masters of the same type, Oscar and Xiao Yuanyuan had many topics to discuss. Whenever Ma Hongjun and Dai Mubai went to Soto City for a date, Oscar would go with them to find Xiao Yuanyuan.
Gradually, their relationship grew stronger and developed rapidly. As their exchanges deepened, they discovered that their martial souls seemed to be able to change.
However, there was no precedent for martial soul fusion among food-type soul masters, and their martial souls were different from those of Dai Mubai and Xiang Chengxian, or Ma Hongjun and Ning Rongrong. They were two martial souls with no connection or resonance whatsoever.
But as their feelings deepened, their relationship grew closer, and their exchanges and explorations became more profound, they gained a better understanding of each other's martial souls and soul skills.
They discovered that while martial souls couldn't be fused, soul skills seemed to be able to.
With this discovery, Oscar pleaded with the dean to allow Xiao Yuanyuan to join Shrek Academy.
Although Xiao Yuanyuan was excellent, she didn't meet Shrek Academy's monster standard, and was far too old. The main reason Xiang Chengxian was admitted was because of his martial soul fusion skill with Dai Mubai.
Flander initially wanted to refuse, but considering he had made an exception for Xiang Chengxian, he couldn't show favoritism.
He told Oscar that if he could also achieve some kind of fusion with Xiao Yuanyuan, he would agree to let her join.
Flander was also curious; he hadn't believed Oscar's claim that their soul skills could fuse, since one provided meat and the other vegetarian food, and they had no interaction. He
asked Shao Xin, a fellow food-type soul master, but even he didn't know; in his knowledge of food-type soul master history, there was no precedent for fusion.
When Oscar and Xiao Yuanyuan demonstrated their soul skill fusion, it was simply creating bread and sausage, then placing the sausage on top of the bread.
This seemingly joking fusion of soul skills was hardly convincing; there was no indication of fusion anywhere. Everyone thought Oscar and Xiao Yuanyuan were playing a trick on them.
However, both insisted they felt a fusion of soul power and a connection between their soul skills.
Eating their bread and sausage did have a remarkable effect, but it wasn't significantly stronger. The two items already had an amplifying effect, so it was only slightly better than eating a piece of bread and a sausage simultaneously.
However, this slight improvement convinced everyone that their soul skills could fuse, they just hadn't found the right method.
Therefore, Flander said that Oscar and Xiao Yuanyuan should continue their research, and once they successfully fused soul skills, Xiao Yuanyuan would join Shrek Academy.
From then on, the two spent their days researching soul skills, but progress was minimal. Coincidentally,
Fairy Robe Pavilion was expanding, and Xiao Yuanyuan often accompanied the Shuang'er sisters on business trips, leaving Oscar to ponder unrequited love and the fusion of soul skills.
Oscar also consulted many people, hoping to broaden his thinking.
When he consulted Ma Hongjun, Ma Hongjun also began to help him find a solution.
Food, bread, sausage!
Ma Hongjun immediately had an inspiration and analyzed these three keywords.
Food is related to cooking; single ingredients produce a monotonous flavor and are difficult to make delicious. Generally, different ingredients need to be combined, and considerations such as seasonings, ingredient ratios, and cooking methods must be taken into account.
If we consider bread and sausage as two ingredients, Oscar and Xiao Yuanyuan are two chefs who need to turn these two ingredients into a delicious dish.
Therefore, Ma Hongjun gave Oscar an idea: go to the kitchen and research. Bread is based on flour, and sausage is based on meat. Research from these aspects, and he told him it would definitely be useful.
Oscar is the future successor to the God of Cookery; only knowing how to make sausages would be a bit pathetic!
So, during Xiao Yuanyuan's absence, Oscar immersed himself in the kitchen, conducting extensive research.
It must be said that Oscar truly deserves his title as the future God of Cookery; he is incredibly talented in the culinary arts.
Now, Oscar is in charge of preparing the daily meals at Shrek Academy, with the former cafeteria ladies all helping him. And the delicious food he makes has earned him high praise from everyone.
After everyone tasted the delicious food, they all praised Ma Hongjun's suggestion and marveled at Oscar's culinary talent.
However, Oscar's research on soul skill fusion hadn't progressed yet, and when he went to find Ma Hongjun again,
Ma Hongjun wondered why the sausage had to be placed on top of the bread. Couldn't it be inserted inside?
Then, a flash of inspiration struck him, reminding him of the famous Eastern snack, roujiamo, and the famous Western fast food, the hamburger.
He explained his idea to Oscar, whose eyes lit up, and he threw himself back into his kitchen research.
Now, half a year later, fueled by the power of love, Oscar, who had been working alone in the kitchen, seemed to have achieved success!
His otherworldly version of roujiamo was a success; he was just waiting for Xiao Yuanyuan to return and try it.
Sausage, bread—Ma Hongjun was really looking forward to it!
How long had he been in this world?
He really missed the taste of roujiamo!
I'm getting hungry while writing this, time to eat!