Inside the Martial Soul Arena.
The final training session before their departure was underway.
"Nannan, move!" Dai Yueheng shouted softly.
The White Tiger transformation around him revealed its true power, fierce and incomparable. With a single palm strike, he sent Yao Haoxuan flying and engaged Ma Xiaotao in battle, though his eyes kept darting toward Lu Cheng's back.
As soon as he finished speaking, a pink silhouette flickered beside Lu Cheng. A fragrant scent wafted over, followed by two long, fair legs—rounded and smooth, yet possessing the vigorous beauty of an agility-attack system master.
It was her third soul skill, Teleportation, hailed as a god-tier skill for the agility-attack system.
Her legs wrapped straight around Lu Cheng's neck, locking him tight.
"Waist Bow!" Jiang Nannan cried out softly. Her slender, supple waist exerted force, intending to throw this guy over her head. A hint of joy flashed in her pink eyes; she had finally caught this fellow—
But in the next instant, the joy on the beauty's face slowly froze.
No matter how much effort she applied, she couldn't move Lu Cheng an inch.
The guy was like a bronze statue rooted deep into the ground, completely immovable. Instead, the soft flesh of her thighs pressed firmly against the youth's neck; she was panting and sweating from the exertion, creating a rather ambiguous and entangled scene.
"Sister Nannan, if this is all the strength you have, I'm afraid it's not enough~" Lu Cheng said with a smile.
Before he could make a move, Jiang Nannan, who was wrapped around his head, hurriedly got up. Her slender body was exceptionally light as she flipped backward and landed on the ground.
However, no one noticed.
At this moment, Jiang Nannan's exquisite face was a mix of embarrassment and shock.
In past training sessions or when fighting enemies, she always wore long pants. Even when performing a throw, the point of contact was usually her shoes clamping the enemy's head. When had there ever been such intimate contact—
But for some reason, she had sat right on him.
She was the older sister.
How could she—
Lu Cheng naturally didn't notice any of this. He strolled leisurely, raising and lowering the bow in his hand. With every release, a figure would be forced off the field by a crimson arrow.
"Still... Ma Xiaotao's team wins." Xuan Zi took a swig of wine and glanced at Lu Cheng with a hint of surprise in his eyes. "In all these days of training, it seems the team you're on hasn't lost once."
"Thank you for the compliment," Lu Cheng said with a smile.
"—"
Xuan Zi gave him a frustrated look but secretly pondered in his heart.
This kid is too much of a monster; I really need to suppress his arrogance a bit.
This mission to wipe out Evil Spirit Masters is the perfect chance to let him know the dangers of this continent. Evil Spirit Masters won't play around with you; every move is aimed at your life, and they'll kill you without a second thought.
Thinking this, his expression turned indifferent. "Since that's the case, rest for a moment, then we set off—"
Bei Bei left the field silently by himself, but before leaving, he glanced at Jiang Nannan and Lu Cheng. His gaze was complex. That intimate appearance was definitely not like ordinary siblings. It seemed now... San Shi's dream of winning the beauty's heart probably shouldn't have existed from the start.
—
Outside Shrek Academy.
Many participating disciples gathered. Seven official members, seven substitutes, plus Wang Yan and Xuan Zi, totaling sixteen people.
"Depart!"
Xuan Zi's face was indifferent. He held a chicken leg and took a bite, his mouth becoming covered in grease, which he wiped off with his sleeve in a seemingly carefree manner.
Except for Wang Yan, everyone else adopted a one-on-one carrying system.
An official member would carry a preparatory member.
Physique is proportional to cultivation. The higher the cultivation, the stronger the physical body. It is said that if a Titled Douluo stands there and allows a Spirit Douluo-level expert to attack without releasing any defensive martial soul abilities, the latter wouldn't be able to harm them in the slightest even with all their effort.
Therefore, the speed of those in the Soul King and Soul Emperor Realms was several times faster than Wang Dong'er and the others.
"I'll carry Little Cheng," Ma Xiaotao said, her eyes seductive and charming.
However, she was rejected by the latter with an expressionless face. "No need—in terms of physical strength alone, I'm not necessarily weaker than you."
"Is that so? Little brother shouldn't tell lies~" Ma Xiaotao licked her red lips. Her crimson eyes glanced downward with hidden meaning as she lowered her proud figure and whispered into Lu Cheng's ear.
"When we bathed together before, Eldest Senior Brother wasn't this stiff."
Lu Cheng: "—"
If I had been 'stiff' back then, you really would have 'given it a try.'
"You take Wang Dong'er; I'll take Ning Tian."
Lu Cheng changed the subject.
"Mm—"
Nearby, the blonde girl who was already exhausted and soaked in sweat, her face pale and supported by Wu Feng, had a flash of joy in her eyes upon hearing this. She feigned composure, lightly bit her red lip, and nodded slightly.
"What about me?" Wu Feng blinked her eyes.
"You follow behind," Lu Cheng said leisurely.
"Damn it!!!"
Wu Feng's cheeks puffed out, and she tried to headbutt him, but Lu Cheng pressed his hand against her forehead, preventing her from moving an inch.
"I'll do it," Xi Xi said with a light laugh.
She was an agility-attack system Soul King. In terms of speed and endurance, she was naturally among the top of the team.
Xiao Xiao was carried by Ling Luochen.
Jiang Nannan chose to travel alone. Endurance and speed were indeed her strengths, so even though she only had the combat power of a Soul Ancestor, she didn't fall behind much.
Two full days later.
In front of a stream.
Everyone looked exhausted and began to rest on the spot.
Xuan Zi appeared leisurely, stretched, and teased them playfully. "This is only the beginning. You can't be exhausted already, right?"
"Is this what they call looking for trouble for no reason?" Lu Cheng sat cross-legged on the ground, feeling Ning Tian's soft little hands gently massaging his shoulders, and spoke in a leisurely tone.
"What do you mean 'looking for trouble'?" Xuan Zi frowned slightly.
What he hated most was having a troublemaker in the team, especially when that troublemaker's talent was exceptionally strong, making it hard to just kick them out like other members if he was unhappy.
"Kid, this is the customary resilient character of Shrek Academy. Only by being able to endure hardship—"
"—will there be endless hardship to endure in the future. So, what exactly are you trying to say, old man?" Lu Cheng said helplessly.
"—" Xuan Zi's mouth twitched. He glared at Lu Cheng, his face showing some displeasure.
"You all joined the Monitoring Group voluntarily, right?" Xuan Zi looked around, his gaze gradually becoming serious. "My Monitoring Group has always taken the extermination of Evil Spirit Masters as its duty. Behind the Inner Academy, there are countless cenotaphs and tombstones. They are all Shrek Academy disciples who sacrificed themselves to kill enemies. By choosing to join the Monitoring Group, you must vow to fight Evil Spirit Masters to the end. If you want to withdraw now... it's still in time. I will notify the academy to replace you."
Hearing this, many Outer Academy disciples looked at each other.
How noble were these tombstones?
Not necessarily.
After all, looking closely at those so-called cenotaphs, those who died were all young disciples. Rarely were any over forty years old. Among the elders of the Sea God Pavilion, not a single one was there.
Clearly, there was a problem with this talent cultivation mechanism, a big problem—
It was like a certain village next door; those who died were all upright experts who fought bravely on the battlefield, while some cowardly survivors lived on, occupying the main hubs of the power core generation after generation.
This was also one of the reasons why the great tree of Shrek Academy was rotting.
The elders who survived generation after generation were basically extremely cunning fellows. They might not have much actual ability, but they certainly had a set of tricks for playing politics and manipulating their own people.
Of course, there were also a very few whose luck was just tough enough.
After all, with Shrek Academy's idiotic way of screening talent—sending a group of greenhorn students to kill Evil Spirit Masters without specific targeted training—how was this different from a suicide squad?
But everyone still nodded.
After all, in the end, they had to save face.
"Since that's the case, you are now members of the Monitoring Group. Xiaotao, distribute the Monitoring Group tools."
Xuan Zi showed a self-satisfied smile.
Lu Cheng took the items, his eyes a bit helpless.
The full set included a cloak, armor, a mask, and a rather old-fashioned signal flare gun. Other than that—nothing else.
How should he describe this armor? It was useful, but not by much.
It felt soft and resilient to the touch, likely made from the skin and flesh of a ten-thousand-year-old martial soul beast. But if one were serious, this set of armor probably couldn't even withstand the damage from a Soul Emperor expert. In other words, it was a bit... useless.
After all, if you really encountered danger and relied on this thing to tank damage, you'd be heading for a dead end.
So besides the mask being able to look cool—what use did it have?
"Then may I ask about the salary of the Monitoring Group? Or if it's converted into cultivation resources, how much per month?" Ning Tian sat behind Lu Cheng with her legs tucked to the side, looking at the mask in her hand as she asked curiously.
"—" Xuan Zi paused, his brow furrowing slightly.
Clearly, in his eyes, Ning Tian's subconscious inquiry was a form of provocation.
"There is no salary! Slashing Evil Spirit Masters is the inherent duty of the Monitoring Group. Do not let this sacred duty be tainted by the stench of money or defile the glory of those many students buried in Shrek's backyard."
Xuan Zi said unceremoniously, "If you want a salary, then don't join the Monitoring Group."
"Don't ask what Shrek can do for you; think more about what you can do for Shrek!!"
"——" Ning Tian pulled her neck back somewhat aggrievedly, fiddling with the mask.
"Exterminating Evil Spirit Masters is also a dangerous job where you put your life on the line. Why shouldn't we ask for a salary and cultivation resources? Besides, obtaining more resources allows us to better complete the task of exterminating them, doesn't it?" Lu Cheng said with a smile.
"You can't expect the horse to run while denying it grass to eat."
"Lu Cheng, what do you mean by that?" Xuan Zi's brow furrowed, his expression showing displeasure. He dared to jump out at a time like this; did he really think this old man wouldn't dare to discipline him?
"What I mean is—I haven't seen you old geezers from the Sea God Pavilion being very active in exterminating Evil Spirit Masters. What, is killing a few Evil Spirit Masters in your youth supposed to be a lifetime achievement? Now, when it's time to send these young disciples to risk their lives, you should instead think about how many Evil Spirit Masters you've killed today." Lu Cheng chuckled, his gaze calm as he met Xuan Zi's eyes, not backing down an inch.
"What is it, Elder Xuan? Are you speechless because you've encountered a difficult question? Don't tell me that being an elder means you're entitled to enjoy yourself. If that's the case, isn't Shrek Academy's so-called grand and righteous talk about the noble slaughter of evil spirit masters just a load of crap?"
"You, the true powerhouses of Shrek Academy, don't show your faces, allowing top-tier evil spirit masters to roam freely, yet you send young disciples to clear out small fry, often in life-or-death situations. You know the casualty rate of the Inner Academy better than I do—"
"So, is our so-called extermination of Evil Spirit Masters just a show for the ghosts?"
"Or are we just fooling them?"
"You whip it but do not guide it by the Dao; you feed it but cannot fully develop its talent; it cries out, but you cannot understand its intent. You hold the whip over it and say, "There are no good horses in the world."
"
The scene suddenly fell into a dead silence.
The many disciples of both the Inner and Outer Academies didn't dare to make a sound, standing frozen in place. Lu Cheng was the first person in years who dared to confront Elder Xuan so bluntly, seemingly unafraid of being targeted once they returned to the Inner Academy.
Xuan Zi's face was incredibly grim.
He stared fixedly at Lu Cheng, his eyes filled with ruthlessness.
Don't fall into my hands.
If Elder Mu hadn't specifically instructed him before they left to ensure he didn't make an enemy of this boy and to build a good relationship if possible, he probably would have buried this little brat in the dirt long ago.
Hiss—for some reason, his eyes felt dry and burning.
Xuan Zi indifferently looked away. "Heh, since you have so many sophistries, then this old man will let you experience what an Evil Spirit Master truly is. When the time comes, don't piss your pants. You might be treated like a precious genius at Shrek Academy, but out there, you're just a golden target."
11
Having said that, he waved his sleeve.
His figure slowly departed.
"Xiao Cheng, don't take it to heart. Elder Xuan... his heart is in the right place." Seeing Ma Xiaotao remain indifferent throughout, Dai Yueheng couldn't help but give a bitter smile; he had to be the peacemaker.
"Heh, let's keep moving. If we have to go south to the Mingdou Mountains first before heading back to the Star Luo Empire, time will be very tight." Lu Cheng didn't care at all, waving his hand with a smile.
"Um—Senior Lu Cheng, thank you."
Ning Tian quietly leaned against Lu Cheng's back, her fair face flushed. From her perspective, this was clearly Lu Cheng's way of "protecting his woman."
Then, while no one was paying attention, her red lips lightly touched Lu Cheng's cheek in a fleeting kiss. However, just as she finished, she felt several faint gazes sweeping over her.
After that, she buried her face behind Lu Cheng's back, like an ostrich refusing to show its head.
The outskirts of the Mingdou Mountains.
Looking down from the sky, numerous military tents were crisscrossed, densely covering the area outside the mountain range. They blocked any possibility of crossing from the other side of the Mingdou Mountains to rush into the northern continent.
This was the hundred-thousand-strong army under the command of the Duke of White Tiger, guarding the border of the Star Luo Empire.
Speaking of the army, it was quite interesting.
Lu Cheng stood in the sky, his gaze falling upon the most numerous "ordinary" soldiers in the army. These fellows generally had no soul power. Although they had awakened martial souls, most were just tools like hoes, giving them slightly more strength but no substantial lethality.
But these guys could still cause real damage.
For example, through human wave tactics or a volley of ten thousand arrows, they could even shoot down a soul master below the rank of Soul King. And when the numbers reached—
At a certain level, they could even push an elite team entirely composed of Soul Kings or higher into a corner—that's right, Ju Zi.
In the original story, when the Grand Duke of Radiance rebelled, the empires of the original continent seemed backward; their main forces were still soul masters mixed with soul tool masters, with tens of thousands of "ordinary soldiers" providing support.
When ten thousand arrows were fired at once, it would continuously drain the soul power that soul tool masters wasted by using defensive soul tools to stay alive—
Truly a low-power world.
Lu Cheng's pupils glowed red as his vast and precise mental force covered more than half the camp. He observed the soldiers; some were rubbing arrows, some were wiping ordinary short metal weapons, and others were whispering in small groups or standing solemnly on guard duty.
The few central tents were clearly better equipped. They were likely the White Tiger Duke's personal guards, numbering about a hundred. Their strength was all at the Soul King Realm, and they were significantly more Soul Tool-oriented, with storage Soul Tools, flying Soul Tools, long-range and melee weapons, and even milk bottles—
This was quite interesting.
After all, looking at the entire Star Luo Empire, the core army was still stuck in the old era, essentially pure soul masters, yet the Soul Tool equipment here was so... cutting-edge.
It was evident that the conflict between the White Tiger Duke and the Sun Moon Empire's Soul Tool legion stationed opposite was not nearly as intense as the rumors of them "beating each other's brains out" suggested. It was highly likely that the two opposing sides fought fiercely during the day but met at the front lines at night to quietly trade arms (Soul Tools).
"Junior Lu Cheng, this is my father's army. What do you think?"
Dai Yueheng's figure appeared beside him. Looking at the scene below, his eyes held a hint of pride.
"Not bad. Well-equipped and well-trained—" Lu Cheng nodded slightly.
However, he didn't mention one thing: having many ordinary soldiers, no matter how well-trained or numerous, even a million-strong army was useless. The true core strength—those hundred-odd elites—was still insufficient. Otherwise, the entire front line wouldn't have collapsed the moment the Sun Moon Empire got serious.
"Young Master!"
Clearly, the massive camp had also noticed the sudden arrival of the Shrek group. Several White Tiger personal guards flew up to meet them. The murderous and intimidating aura of the guards instantly softened the moment they saw Dai Yueheng.
The leader, a white-haired old man named Du Leisi, had eyes filled with excitement and even glistening tears.
"You've finally returned—"
"The commander has been waiting in the tent. He said that when you arrived, I must bring you and your classmates to see him."
"I understand. Everyone, this way, please."
Dai Yueheng nodded slightly.
Inside the tent.
A tall, powerfully built middle-aged man with tiger-like eyes slowly stood up. His gaze swept over the others, narrowing slightly only when passing over Ma Xiaotao, before finally settling completely on Lu Cheng.
"I presume this is little brother Lu?"
"Marshal Dai." Lu Cheng had a smile on his lips, not backing down at all.
Their eyes met, and then Dai Hao laughed heartily, waving his hand grandly. "I have prepared a banquet for today. Let us drink until we are merry."
"We still have to go into the mountains to clear out bandits tomorrow, so it's better not to overindulge." Lu Cheng declined with a light smile.
Dai Hao's eyes grew even more surprised. After a few pleasantries, he signaled Du Leisi to lead everyone out.
Only the father and son remained in the tent.
Dai Hao's gaze was calm as he glanced at the respectfully kneeling Dai Yueheng. "I've read your letter from a few days ago—that kid is indeed someone special. He remains unfazed by favor or humiliation and knows his place. With such talent, he is remarkably steady, restrained, and not at all arrogant—"
"In time, he will surely stand at the peak of this continent."
"But—is he really only thirteen?" Dai Hao frowned slightly, asking his most suspicious question.
"That should be correct. He has only been enrolled for two years." Dai Yueheng's expression was grave.
"Tsk—" Dai Hao's eyes flickered.
"A monster."
"Regarding your brother—"
Just as Dai Yueheng lowered his head—having given Dai Huabin a beating earlier for offending Lu Cheng, he thought his father would scold him for disregarding family ties—the latter waved his hand.
"When you go back, give him another sound thrashing for me."
"The blind animal. Some people are not for him to be offended."
Dai Yueheng looked up. "Eh?"