The group rested briefly on the spot. Zhao Wuji squatted down and carefully treated Tang San's wounds again, trying to be as gentle as possible, but it still caused Tang San to ache.
Just as the atmosphere was becoming somber, a petite figure suddenly emerged from the dense forest, her hair slightly disheveled and a few green leaves still clinging to her head.
"Xiao Wu!"
Oscar was the first to exclaim in surprise: "Xiao Wu, you're not dead!"
Xiao Wu raised her eyebrows and glared at him angrily: "Oscar! Are you hoping I'll die?"
Before she could finish speaking, she spotted Yang Chen standing in the center of the crowd. Her eyes lit up instantly, and without saying a word, she rushed over and leaped into his arms.
Yang Chen instinctively pulled her into a steady embrace. Xiao Wu clung tightly to his neck and called out softly:
"elder brother!"
That affectionate word carried an undisguised dependence and joy.
Between the two, there was already an unspoken understanding that they were more than friends but not quite lovers. She had been by his side since she was a child and had an almost instinctive attachment to him.
After Xiao Wu jumped off him, Zhao Wuji finally breathed a sigh of relief and asked in a deep voice:
"Xiao Wu, how exactly did you escape from the Titan Ape? That's the king of the forest. Even I couldn't withstand a single move from it."
Xiao Wu tilted her head, looking completely bewildered.
"I don't know either. Just as the Titan Ape was about to take me away, a particularly loud and powerful bull's roar suddenly rang out. Then the Titan Ape became extremely nervous, threw me aside, and ran away in a panic."
"It roared before it left, which knocked me unconscious. When I woke up, it was gone."
Zhao Wuji frowned, his face full of confusion, but he couldn't figure out the reason, so he could only nod:
"Well, it's good that you're alright. Being able to come back safely is the most important thing."
Xiao Wu suddenly smiled mischievously, puffed out her chest, and said smugly:
"Isn't it a coincidence? When I was knocked unconscious, several thousand-year-old soul beasts next to me also fainted. When I woke up, there was one that was perfect for me, so I hunted it down without hesitation!"
"My soul power has directly broken through to level 30!"
"I came to find you guys as soon as I finished absorbing the spirit ring!"
Ma Hongjun's eyes widened on the spot: "No way... this works? You can even find a thousand-year soul ring by picking up a bargain?"
Dai Mubai, Ning Rongrong, Oscar, and others were also shocked and incredulous.
Yang Chen stood aside, watching Xiao Wu brag without batting an eye. He couldn't help but smile slightly, understanding the situation but not pointing it out. He simply gazed at her tenderly.
Not far away, Tang San lay on the ground, looking at Xiao Wu, who had escaped death and was not only unharmed but had also greatly improved in strength. Compared with his own miserable state of excruciating pain in his lower body and bleak future, Tang San felt a pang of sorrow in his heart, and the despair in his eyes almost surged up again.
The group did not linger and carefully made their way back to Shrek Academy.
Zhao Wuji immediately went to Flander to report the situation, recounting in detail his encounter with the Titan Giant Ape and the Human-Faced Demon Spider in the Star Dou Great Forest.
Flander's face turned pale and then red, and after a long while, he let out a heavy sigh:
"We almost lost the whole army during one training exercise... Luckily, only Tang San was injured, otherwise I really wouldn't know how to explain it to the forces behind them."
Training officially resumed the next day.
As the morning sun shone over the training field, Zhu Zhuqing walked straight up to Yang Chen, a hint of determination in her cool eyes:
"Yang Chen, can you tell me how I can become as strong as you?"
Yang Chen glanced at her, said nothing more, and simply said, "Come with me."
Meanwhile, Zhao Wuji had already begun directing Dai Mubai and the others in regular physical training.
Yang Chen stepped forward and said to Zhao Wuji:
"Teacher Zhao, please activate your Martial Soul - Gravity Domain."
He paused, then raised his hand and patted the dozens of kilograms of weights already strapped to his body:
"I want to hone my skills in your field and break through my limits."
Zhao Wuji was taken aback for a moment, then nodded: "Good lad, you've got guts!"
As soon as the gravity field was activated, an invisible layer of pressure appeared in the air.
Just then, Zhu Zhuqing also quietly walked over.
Her eyes were resolute; she was willing to pay any price to become stronger and save herself.
Yang Chen glanced at her but did not stop her.
Let's go together.
He was standing at the very center of gravity, where the pressure was strongest;
Zhu Zhuqing stood on the outermost edge, and even so, her face turned slightly pale.
Looking at Zhu Zhuqing's stubborn figure, Zhao Wuji nodded to himself: This was the first time he had seen such a hardworking and resilient girl.
In the arena, Yang Chen wielded a three-pointed double-edged sword. Despite the heavy gravity, his swordplay remained steady, each swing exuding power and whistling wind, while his soul power flowed more and more smoothly.
Zhu Zhuqing gritted her teeth and used her claws to repeatedly thrust, tear, and strike the wooden stake.
After training, Yang Chen would sit aside and patiently guide Zhu Zhuqing on her power generation techniques and body movement.
In just a few days, the distance between the two quickly closed, and their feelings for each other quietly grew stronger.
Xiao Wu hadn't seen Yang Chen for the past few days, and finally found him today. Upon seeing the scene, she immediately exclaimed:
"Brother! I want to train too! I want to train in Teacher Zhao's gravity field too!"
Seeing this, Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun, Oscar, Ning Rongrong, and others also gathered around:
"We want to do it together too!"
"It can't be just Yang Chen who gets stronger!"
In an instant, the entire training ground became lively, with everyone gritting their teeth and persevering in the gravity field.
Just then, Flander walked over with a figure.
That person was Tang San.
His injuries had barely stabilized, and he had already hunted down a suitable spirit ring, further advancing his spirit power. However, a lingering gloom remained between his brows.
As soon as he stepped into the training field, his gaze fell on Yang Chen in the center of the field.
At this moment, Yang Chen had become the center of attention, the leader whom everyone subconsciously followed.
Tang San looked at that dazzling figure that was impossible to ignore, his heart filled with mixed feelings, and in the end he could only nod helplessly.
Yang Chen's power was so great that he couldn't muster even the slightest thought of resistance.
His only thought now is to become stronger as soon as possible, find the magical herb that can heal his injuries, and reclaim everything that belongs to him.
Flander's gaze fell on Tang San, his tone tinged with concern: "Tang San, your injuries are just beginning to heal, and your foundation is not yet stable. It is not advisable for you to participate in high-intensity training immediately. You should rest and observe from the sidelines for now, focusing on recuperating your body."
Tang San bowed slightly, his voice calm but with a hint of stubbornness: "Thank you for Dean Flander's kindness, I understand."
Seeing this, Flanders said no more and let him choose for himself.
Time flew by in the daily grind of training, and Yang Chen's soul power advanced rapidly, quietly breaking through to the thirty-eighth level Soul Master, his strength becoming increasingly unfathomable.
On that very day, a slightly hunched figure stepped into the Shrek Academy training ground—it was none other than the long-absent Master, Yu Xiaogang.
Yang Chen instantly understood that Flander wanted to invite Yu Xiaogang to be their special training teacher.
Yang Chen glanced at him, a cold smile creeping across his face. He remembered that in the original story, this guy actually considered the Ten-Year Lonely Bamboo as a candidate for Tang San's first spirit ring, while Bald Qiang next door had the Hundred-Year-Old Beauty Pine! -- Tang San: I want to become a god; Yu Xiaogang: Let's secure the Ten-Year Lonely Bamboo first;