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"Don't worry, that kid has a pretty strong mental fortitude. Two years without contact isn't a big deal," came Xu Shengqun's nonchalant voice.
"Nothing unexpected happened to me—I wasn't spotted by anyone or anything like that. I just chose to disappear on my own."
The female voice didn't respond further.
You're right.
"Still, it's true that we need to speed things up. The little one is already ten months old. Staying here indefinitely isn't an option. I'll try to finish this final step within a month."
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Shrek Academy
"Go study in the outer court?" Xu Lizhi and Ye Xinglan had received the notice a few days later than Xu Yuan.
At this moment, Xu Lizhi didn't look disheartened at all; instead, he seemed quite happy.
Ye Xinglan appeared indifferent, but deep in her eyes was a flicker of anticipation.
Since the age of seven, they had been cultivating in the inner court. Although there were older students around, most of them were in seclusion, so communication was limited.
Moreover, those older students were essentially half a generation apart from them, not their peers, which inevitably left them feeling somewhat bitter.
Now that the academy had sent them to study in the outer court, far from feeling down, they were actually more excited.
What would life be like with classmates?
"This year's freshman homeroom teacher will be me. I've already completed the enrollment procedures for you three. Classes begin officially in three days—don't be late," Shen Yi said.
She was still paired with Wu Changkong as the homeroom teacher for Class 1, Grade 1.
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"Brother Yuan, isn't Teacher Wu the same Senior Wu who's Tang Wulin's mentor?" Xu Lizhi asked.
"Yes, Senior Wu has a bad temper, but his combat skills are quite impressive. You can ask him to help you train in real combat," Xu Yuan said, glancing at Xu Lizhi.
Xu Lizhi chuckled awkwardly before putting on a pitiful expression. "Brother Yuan, can you keep training me? I'm afraid Senior Wu might accidentally injure me…"
"My fighting style is already familiar to you. Continuing to practice with me won't lead to much improvement. You should fight against different soul masters to make greater progress."
"Huh?" Xu Lizhi groaned in despair.
Although having combat ability was the dream of any food-system soul master like himself, training his combat skills without relying on martial soul advantages and depending solely on the Tang Sect's secret techniques was truly agonizing.
"Senior Wu is also from the Tang Sect. He knows more about its secrets and can give you better guidance."
Xu Yuan patted Xu Lizhi on the shoulder.
Xu Lizhi sighed helplessly.
Brother Yuan's words made perfect sense.
Due to the possibility of being distracted by classes in the outer court, Xu Yuan had to streamline his cultivation schedule.
"The Tianyuan Brush lacks soul rings and soul skills, but with the support of forbidden techniques, it can still be developed normally. I can't afford to abandon it."
Of course, transferring to the outer court didn't only bring negative impacts to Xu Yuan's plans.
For instance, mecha construction.
The outer court offered courses in mecha operation, which Xu Yuan could attend while simultaneously experiencing what it felt like to truly control a mecha. This would also help him design a better personal mecha.
Everyone's needs were different.
For personal-use equipment like mechas, the closer it aligned with the soul master's individuality, the better the performance.
However, mechas could be passed down, which was why standardized mechas existed. While these standard mechas made it easier for many to get started, they weren't necessarily the perfect fit for every soul master.
Even theoretical designs tailored to a soul master's needs might not fully meet their requirements.
Only through actual hands-on practice could one achieve the best feel.
Moreover, as soul power increased, the feel would change, requiring continuous improvements to the mecha.
It wasn't as if a mecha, once built, remained unchanged forever.
A truly top-tier mecha engineer's mecha and battle armor were constantly evolving, reshaping, and improving over time.
Though adjustments would come later, the foundational framework still needed to be solid from the start.
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
Having made a small bit of progress, Xu Yuan, notified by Xu Lizhi, left the inner court dormitory and headed to the first-year teaching building in the outer court.
He still resided in the inner court for convenience in seeking Yun Ming's guidance during cultivation. As for Xu Lizhi and Ye Xinglan, they had no intention of moving to the outer court dormitory just yet.
After all, the difference between living alone in a private courtyard versus sharing a shabby dorm room with others was stark.
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First-Year Outer Court
Xu Yuan found Classroom 1.
The spacious classroom already had some students seated.
As Xu Yuan entered, he drew the attention of many pairs of eyes.
First was the innate aura of a powerful individual—an intangible presence that stood out even in this small classroom.
With just a glance from afar, it was clear that this person was extraordinary.
Many students observed him briefly before discussing his origins.
"Talents abound on the continent. It's only at Shrek Academy that you see one outstanding soul master after another surpassing me."
Of course, there were others with ulterior motives, their eyes sparkling as they looked at Xu Yuan.
Take a certain Miss Xu Xiaoyan, for example, who instinctively began admiring Xu Yuan's good looks.
Xu Yuan's sharp eyebrows and piercing eyes, combined with his striking handsomeness, exuded an air of dominance honed by years of spear practice. His gaze carried an indescribable impact, radiating a sharp and imposing aura.
When Xu Yuan's gaze swept over, Xu Xiaoyan blushed and shyly lowered her head.
"He's even more handsome than three years ago," she thought, her heart racing wildly.
Xu Yuan scanned the classroom, paying little mind to Xu Xiaoyan and focusing instead on a few others.
First was Wu Siduo, whose soul power fluctuations were the strongest, and who also exerted a subtle pressure on Xu Yuan.
The overwhelming force of a self-fusion technique at the Soul Ancestor level was undeniable.
A single Soul Ancestor using a self-fusion technique could reach attributes comparable to a Soul King, even approaching those of a Soul Emperor.
Especially Wu Siduo's Hell White Tiger.
She had reached Level 40 as a Soul Ancestor at just thirteen years old, cultivating both of her martial souls simultaneously, with equally impressive spiritual power!
Her talent alone meant her martial soul quality had already reached the pinnacle of both the Evil-Eyed White Tiger and the Hell Cat martial souls.
Either one of them, on its own, would have been enough to grant her full innate soul power.
Moreover, Xu Yuan suspected that the more her self-fusion technique was used, the more her two martial souls' inherent qualities would improve over time.
As the quality of her martial souls improved, their fusion became stronger, creating a positive feedback loop.
Though there was surely a limit, the sheer potential of this feedback was terrifying.
Xu Yuan's gaze paused on Wu Siduo, meeting hers directly.
"So strong!" Wu Siduo felt the pressure.
Her previously unshakable confidence wavered for the first time.
Xu Yuan continued scanning the room, spotting Zheng Yiran and the Dark Bear. Two other prodigies from the Youth Genius Rankings hadn't arrived yet.
Tang Wulin also hadn't shown up.
Gu Yue, on the other hand, had already taken a seat in the middle of the third row.
After a quick glance around, Xu Yuan made his way to the second-to-last window seat in the back row.
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