*****
Shrek Academy,
Inside a seemingly spacious room, Tang San and Yu Xiaogang sat together, engaged in a serious conversation.
"Tang San, you can tell me now. What happened to Xiao Wu?"
Yu Xiaogang immediately asked about the reason behind Xiao Wu's disappearance. He had watched her grow during her time at the academy, and despite everything, he couldn't help but feel saddened by the sudden departure of such a talented young girl.
"Teacher…"
Tang San clenched his fists, his expression becoming complicated as memories of that day resurfaced.
"Xiao Wu… is a spirit beast."
Yu Xiaogang's eyes widened.
For a moment, his mind went completely blank.
He could clearly tell that Tang San wasn't lying.
A human taking the form of a spirit beast was already an extraordinary matter, and a 100,000-year-old spirit beast was even more shocking.
However, seeing how emotionally unstable Tang San was, Yu Xiaogang decided not to press him any further.
'I'll ask Flender about the details later.'
Instead, he shifted the subject.
"Then what about that Lev?"
Yu Xiaogang narrowed his eyes.
"Why do I feel like the atmosphere between you and the others changed the moment he appeared?"
Although Yu Xiaogang had been satisfied with the condition of the other students, Lev was different.
The moment he had seen the young man earlier, he had felt an inexplicable sense of danger.
It was as though he had encountered a monster.
And yet, he hadn't even seen Lev display his true abilities.
Hearing the name he least wanted to hear, Tang San's expression immediately darkened.
For several seconds, he remained silent.
Then, he finally answered.
"He's strong."
Those two words were enough.
Yu Xiaogang immediately understood that there was far more to the situation than Tang San was willing to say.
He sighed before nodding.
"Alright. You can leave for now. Get some rest and prepare yourself for tomorrow."
"Yes, Teacher."
Tang San nodded before turning around and leaving.
Although teacher and disciple had finally reunited after such a long separation, Tang San couldn't bring himself to feel much joy.
His mind was still occupied by Xiao Wu.
And now, there was also Lev.
After Tang San left, Yu Xiaogang remained seated in silence.
His brows furrowed as he thought about everything that had happened.
'Just what secrets does this Lev possess?'
He had only been with the academy for a short time, yet his arrival had already caused such a drastic change among the students.
Even Tang San, whom Yu Xiaogang knew extremely well, seemed unusually wary whenever Lev's name was mentioned.
There was clearly something about him that Yu Xiaogang didn't understand.
Unfortunately, he had no answer.
Unable to suppress his curiosity any longer, Yu Xiaogang finally stood up.
He decided to visit Flender's office.
If anyone knew what had happened during their journey to the Star Dou Great Forest, it was Flender.
And Yu Xiaogang intended to find out.
*****
Dean's office,
Yu Xiaogang soon arrived at the dean's office.
Upon entering, he found Flender and Zhao Wuji inside, apparently discussing something important. His sudden appearance caught the two by surprise, and both immediately turned their attention toward him.
"Xiaogang, I thought you were preparing a training plan. What brings you here?"
Flender asked after seeing Yu Xiaogang enter without notice.
There was no anger in his voice, but he still felt that some degree of order needed to be maintained within the academy.
"I'm sorry for the sudden intrusion, but I'm really curious about that student named Lev."
Yu Xiaogang took a seat.
"And I believe the two of you can give me the answers I'm looking for."
The moment they heard Lev's name, Flender and Zhao Wuji exchanged a glance.
Both of them paused for a moment before sighing.
Yu Xiaogang immediately noticed their reactions.
Just hearing Lev's name was enough to make the two of them look troubled.
'There really is something unusual about this student.'
A faint smile appeared on Yu Xiaogang's face.
Perhaps this was an opportunity to learn something interesting.
"Is there some kind of problem with that kid?"
"It's not exactly a problem," Flender replied.
"But Lev is certainly peculiar compared to the others. It would be better if Zhao Wuji explained everything to you."
Flender then turned toward Zhao Wuji, leaving the explanation to him.
Zhao Wuji sighed before recounting everything that had happened.
From Lev's strange abilities during their initial tests, his peculiar behavior, the incident with the Blue Sunshine Academy, and finally everything that had occurred during their journey to the Star Dou Great Forest, Zhao Wuji explained it all in detail.
Nearly half an hour later, the room fell silent.
Yu Xiaogang's expression was filled with amazement—and, beneath it, a faint trace of fear.
If anyone else had told him these things, he would probably have dismissed the entire story as an exaggeration.
But these were Flender and Zhao Wuji.
Neither of them had any reason to fabricate such an unbelievable tale.
"To think that such a person actually exists…"
Yu Xiaogang's eyes gleamed with excitement.
"Do you know which clan he comes from?"
"Unfortunately, we don't."
Flender shook his head.
Yu Xiaogang nodded thoughtfully.
That answer wasn't particularly surprising.
If Lev really possessed such extraordinary abilities, then whoever stood behind him would undoubtedly be extraordinary as well.
'I need to approach him carefully.'
Rather than directly questioning Lev, he would first gain his trust and slowly uncover his origins.
The more he thought about it, the more excited Yu Xiaogang became.
Based on Zhao Wuji's description alone, Lev's potential was clearly on an entirely different level from the other students.
If properly guided, his future would undoubtedly be extraordinary.
And if his abilities could be properly developed…
'He could become an absolute genius known throughout the entire continent.'
The thought of personally teaching someone like that made Yu Xiaogang's heart burn with anticipation.
"What do you think?"
Flender suddenly asked.
"Can you handle him?"
After hearing Zhao Wuji's account, even Flender had begun to feel somewhat helpless regarding his relationship with Lev.
Too many things had already happened.
He could only hope that Yu Xiaogang would somehow be able to deal with the situation.
"There is no need to worry."
Yu Xiaogang confidently replied.
His expression showed no trace of hesitation.
He wasn't merely thinking about how to handle Lev.
He was already considering something much more ambitious.
He wanted Lev to become his disciple.
If he could guide a genius of this level, then perhaps he could finally prove the validity of his theories and create an existence that would shake the entire continent.
"I'd better return and prepare for tomorrow."
Yu Xiaogang immediately stood up.
Without saying anything else, he turned around and left the office.
Once Yu Xiaogang had disappeared from sight, Zhao Wuji looked toward Flender.
"Boss… are you really sure it's okay for Grandmaster to teach them?"
Flender remained silent for a moment before answering.
"Yu Xiaogang is very intelligent. I know he can handle them."
He paused and looked toward the window.
"The problem is Lev."
Flender's expression became slightly complicated.
"But judging from Xiaogang's reaction, he might already have an idea of how to deal with him."
He sighed.
"I just hope nothing goes wrong."
Zhao Wuji didn't respond immediately.
He wasn't entirely convinced of Yu Xiaogang's ability to handle a student as abnormal as Lev.
Still, Flender trusted Yu Xiaogang more than anyone.
And if that was the case, there was nothing else Zhao Wuji could do except offer his support and see what happened.
"Well, you can leave now. I still have other things to take care of."
Flender waved his hand.
Zhao Wuji nodded before turning around and leaving the office.
Once he was alone, Flender continued staring out the window.
For some reason, he couldn't shake the feeling that the arrival of Lev had already begun changing the fate of Shrek Academy.
**********
—The next morning—
Shrek Academy,
After settling their relationship the previous day, Lev and Zhu Zhuqing ran side by side toward the academy, both wearing faint, happy smiles.
Although their relationship had grown considerably closer, Lev still maintained a clear boundary between them. No matter how mature Zhu Zhuqing seemed, she was still young in his eyes, and he wasn't willing to rush things.
For now, Zhu Zhuqing was content simply staying by his side and gradually learning more about him, including how Lev interacted with Tsunade.
Rather than feeling frustrated, she actually felt more at ease.
His restraint only made her feel that she had made the right choice.
"Lev, Zhuqing, why weren't you at breakfast?"
Yu Xiaogang immediately questioned them after seeing the two arrive together.
There was a hint of displeasure in his voice, apparently believing that they had deliberately ignored the instruction he had given the previous day.
Lev glanced at everyone before calmly answering.
"Grandmaster, you already know that I'm not staying in the academy dormitory, and Zhuqing won't be staying there either. Besides, the food at the hotel is much healthier than what we can get here."
He shrugged.
"So why would we go out of our way to eat here?"
Yu Xiaogang frowned.
He already knew that Lev was staying at the hotel, but he had hoped the young man would still attend breakfast with the others.
It would have given him an opportunity to observe Lev more closely and gradually build a relationship with him.
Unfortunately, Lev clearly had no intention of following his arrangements.
Meanwhile, Tang San and the others were stunned by Lev's words.
What caught their attention the most was his statement that Zhu Zhuqing would also be staying at the hotel with him from now on.
Everyone reacted differently.
However, the two most visibly affected were Dai Mubai and Ning Rongrong.
Dai Mubai stared intensely at Zhu Zhuqing before shifting his gaze toward Lev.
His fists tightened.
He was furious.
But he kept his anger buried deep inside.
After everything that had happened, Dai Mubai knew exactly how dangerous Lev was.
If Lev truly wanted to kill him, he might not even have the opportunity to resist.
'I'll endure it for now.'
Dai Mubai suppressed his anger.
'I'll wait for the right opportunity.'
Meanwhile, Ning Rongrong was completely bewildered.
'When did Zhu Zhuqing become so close to Lev?'
They had only known Lev for less than a week, yet the usually cold and distant Zhu Zhuqing had already decided to stay with him.
Ning Rongrong couldn't help but feel incredulous.
Especially since Lev had previously told them that he already had a lover.
'Just what happened between those two?'
Neither Lev nor Zhu Zhuqing paid any attention to their reactions.
The two simply found an empty spot and sat down, quietly waiting for the day's lessons to begin.
After all, that was the real reason they had come to the academy.
Seeing that everyone was present, Yu Xiaogang adjusted his expression and accepted Lev's arrangement without further comment. His gaze then swept across the other students gathered on the field.
"I have already familiarized myself with each of your spirits and abilities. Starting today, I will begin your specialized training."
He paused before looking directly at Lev.
"Lev, step forward."
Hearing his name, Lev stood up and walked toward the center of the field. He had no idea what Yu Xiaogang had planned, especially since this arrangement was completely different from what he remembered from the original story.
"I have one task for you," Yu Xiaogang announced.
"Starting now, you will fight all of them at the same time."
A faint smile appeared on Yu Xiaogang's face.
This was the training method he had devised the previous night.
Of course, training wasn't the only reason.
He also wanted to observe Lev more closely, particularly his true combat ability.
Lev, however, barely reacted to the announcement.
Tang San and the others, on the other hand, were startled.
Some of them even became excited.
Tang San and Dai Mubai exchanged a glance.
Although they knew how powerful Lev was, this was still a legitimate opportunity to fight him.
And if this was part of their training, they had no reason to hold back.
'This time, I'll see just how strong you really are.'
Dai Mubai clenched his fists.
"Now, everyone, take your positions."
Yu Xiaogang's voice brought them back to reality.
"I want to see how you coordinate and fight as a team."
Following his instructions, Tang San and the others quickly moved into position.
Before long, the field was divided into two sides.
Lev stood alone on one side while Tang San and the others formed their formation opposite him.
"Lev Hendrix. Spirit: Karyu."
Lev calmly announced.
Three white spirit rings appeared beneath his feet and slowly rose around his body.
The moment they appeared, the entire field fell silent.
Yu Xiaogang's eyes widened.
'Three… white spirit rings?'
Even he hadn't expected such a configuration.
Tang San and the others were equally stunned.
Until now, they had known that Lev possessed extraordinary abilities, but they hadn't realized that he had already reached the Spirit Elder rank.
More importantly, none of them had ever seen his third spirit ability.
Their expressions gradually became serious.
They already knew the destructive power of Lev's first and second abilities.
Now they had to account for another unknown spirit ability.
And that wasn't even mentioning Lev's bizarre ability to use other people's spirit abilities.
Despite the overwhelming odds against them, none of them backed down.
One after another, they released their spirits.
Tang San was the first to make a move.
"First Spirit Ring Ability: Bind!"
Countless Blue Silver Grass vines erupted from the ground and shot toward Lev from every direction, attempting to completely restrain him.
But—
Lev was no longer there.
Tang San's eyes widened.
'So fast!'
In the blink of an eye, Lev had already crossed the distance between them.
His figure flashed directly toward Ning Rongrong.
"Protect Rongrong!"
Tang San immediately shouted.
Dai Mubai reacted without hesitation and rushed forward.
"First Spirit Ring Ability: White Tiger Shield Body Barrier!"
A powerful defensive barrier formed around him as he positioned himself between Lev and Ning Rongrong.
At the same time, Tang San supported him from behind.
"Third Spirit Ring Ability: Spider Web Restraint!"
A massive spider web, roughly six to seven meters in diameter, shot toward Lev, attempting to ensnare him.
Lev's eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at the enormous web.
'So he obtained his third spirit ring from a Man-Faced Demon Spider.'
He remembered the original storyline and immediately thought of the possibility that Tang San might have encountered another one rather than the exact same Man-Faced Demon Spider that had provided him with his external spirit bone.
'Interesting.'
Lev's gaze flickered.
'I might have to make another trip to the Star Dou Great Forest later.'
The thought briefly crossed his mind before his attention returned to the battle.
The enormous spider web was already approaching.
Seeing their coordination, Lev immediately used another ability.
"Spirit Ability: Swift Flight Mushroom Sausage."
He summoned the sausage and ate it without hesitation.
The moment he swallowed it, his body suddenly became lighter as he rose into the air.
"W-What?!"
Tang San and the others were completely stunned.
Oscar's eyes widened the most.
"He can really use our spirit abilities…"
Their previous suspicions had finally been confirmed.
Lev could copy and use the spirit abilities of others.
However, they didn't have time to dwell on the revelation.
The battle was still ongoing.
***Nadare***
While hovering in the air, Lev raised his hand and began writing something in the air.
A dragon suddenly emerged from the glowing characters.
It roared loudly before transforming into numerous small fireballs that hovered around Lev.
With a thought, Lev controlled the fireballs and sent them shooting toward Tang San and the others.
Seeing the incoming attack, Tang San and the others didn't hesitate.
They had already accepted that Lev possessed a bizarre and unpredictable arsenal of abilities.
Their only advantage was their numbers.
They decided to use that advantage to attack and defend simultaneously.
"Ning Rongrong!"
"Seven Treasure Words, First Spoken: Strength!"
A powerful enhancement immediately enveloped the group.
With the support of Ning Rongrong's amplification, Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun stepped forward and launched their attacks simultaneously.
"First Spirit Ring Ability: Phoenix Fire Wire!"
"Second Spirit Ring Ability: White Tiger Intense Light Wave!"
A straight line of blazing flames and an intense white beam shot forward together.
The two attacks collided with Lev's fireballs.
BOOM!
A powerful shockwave spread across the academy grounds.
The resulting explosion echoed throughout Shrek Academy.
"What was that?"
Flender and Zhao Wuji immediately rushed toward the source of the disturbance.
When they arrived, however, both of them stopped.
Before them was Lev fighting Tang San and the others while Yu Xiaogang stood calmly on the sidelines, observing the battle with a faint smile.
Flender immediately understood.
He approached Yu Xiaogang.
"What are they doing?"
"I want to see how they fight."
Yu Xiaogang continued watching the battle.
"I want to understand their limitations so that I can develop appropriate methods to improve them."
Flender nodded slightly before turning his attention toward the battlefield.
Zhao Wuji remained beside him, silently observing.
Meanwhile, Lev descended from the air and looked down at Tang San and the others.
"This…"
He smiled faintly.
"…is the difference between us."
Tang San and the others understood exactly what he meant.
They had no chance of winning.
Yet none of them were willing to surrender.
Especially Tang San and Oscar.
Both of them had already reached the Spirit Elder rank, and their strength had increased considerably.
They still wanted to see just how far they could push themselves.
"I, your father, have a big sausage!"
Oscar's voice suddenly rang out.
Several sausages appeared in his hands, which he immediately distributed among Tang San and the others so they could recover their spirit power and stamina.
Dai Mubai then stepped forward.
"Third Spirit Ring Ability: White Tiger Vajra Transformation!"
His body immediately underwent a transformation as his physical strength surged.
At the same time, Zhu Zhuqing finally moved.
She dashed forward alongside the others.
Having sparred with Lev repeatedly over the past few days, she wanted to test the abilities he had given her against Tang San and the others.
This was the perfect opportunity.
Everyone was giving their all.
Perhaps there was even a small chance that they could force Lev to take them seriously.
Ning Rongrong immediately raised her Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda.
"Seven Treasure Words, Second Spoken: Speed!"
A powerful enhancement enveloped the group.
Their speed increased dramatically.
Tang San, Dai Mubai, and Zhu Zhuqing immediately rushed toward Lev and engaged him in close combat.
Lev didn't retreat.
Instead, he welcomed them.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
The three attacked from different directions.
However, Lev effortlessly evaded every attack.
Even so, Zhu Zhuqing's speed and movements caused everyone watching to become shocked.
'When did she become this strong?'
Tang San and the others couldn't understand it.
Only a few days had passed, yet Zhu Zhuqing's movements were completely different from before.
Her speed, strength, and combat instincts had improved dramatically.
And yet, despite their combined assault, Lev continued to evade them with ease.
***Homura***
Lev smiled as he watched the three attack together.
He then raised his hand and began writing another series of characters in the air.
A completely different dragon emerged behind him.
ROAR!
The dragon released a thunderous roar.
Tang San, Dai Mubai, and even Zhu Zhuqing immediately stopped.
They instinctively retreated several steps.
They had already learned their lesson.
The most dangerous thing about fighting Lev was not simply his strength.
It was the fact that they never knew what ability he would use next.
And this was the first time they were about to witness his third spirit ability.
The dragon suddenly twisted.
Its enormous body transformed into a long whip.
Tang San and the others initially assumed it was some kind of weapon-type spirit ability.
But their expressions soon became confused when the whip wrapped itself around Lev's arms and legs.
'What is he planning?'
Tang San frowned.
They hated fighting something they didn't understand.
And Lev had given them exactly that.
Lev simply looked at them with a faint smile.
Then he raised one hand and made a provocative gesture.
"Come."
His expression seemed to say that he was waiting for them.
Tang San, Dai Mubai, and Zhu Zhuqing exchanged glances.
They knew that Lev was provoking them.
But they also knew that they still had one advantage.
Numbers.
Tang San gritted his teeth.
"Don't stop! Keep attacking!"
With that, the three once again rushed forward.
The battle continued.
"Second Spirit Ring Ability: Hell Hundred Claws!"
Zhu Zhuqing moved at incredible speed, unleashing a barrage of attacks toward Lev.
Tang San immediately supported her.
"First Spirit Ring Ability: Bind!"
"Second Spirit Ring Ability: Parasite!"
Blue Silver Grass vines erupted from the ground and wrapped around Lev from multiple directions, attempting to restrict his movements.
The three worked together relentlessly.
They attacked whenever an opportunity presented itself, coordinating their abilities and movements without worrying about their rapidly decreasing spirit power.
For a while, the battle continued like this.
Then Dai Mubai finally found an opening.
He immediately took advantage of it and threw a powerful punch straight toward Lev's chest.
Bang!
However, what should have been a devastating blow was nothing more than a minor inconvenience to Lev.
He simply raised both arms and blocked the punch head-on.
The force of the impact pushed him backward several meters, but that was all.
Lev casually stabilized himself.
Meanwhile, Tang San, Dai Mubai, and Zhu Zhuqing were already breathing heavily.
They had launched countless attacks.
Yet all they had accomplished was forcing Lev to retreat a few steps.
It was then that Tang San and the others finally understood the purpose of Lev's third spirit ability.
'It enhances both his physical strength and defense…'
It was an ability perfectly suited for close-quarters combat.
The longer the battle continued, the more terrifying Lev became.
Dai Mubai wiped the sweat from his forehead before looking toward Ma Hongjun.
"Fatty! Use all your spirit power and attack!"
With those words, Dai Mubai finally dropped to one knee.
Despite his exhaustion, a smile appeared on his face.
It was the same with Tang San and Zhu Zhuqing.
Everything they had done until now had been preparation.
They had been creating an opportunity for their strongest attacker.
Ma Hongjun, who was hovering approximately three meters above Lev, immediately understood.
He gathered the remaining spirit power within his body.
"Second Spirit Ring Ability: Bathing Fire Phoenix!"
Flames erupted around his body.
"First Spirit Ring Ability: Phoenix Fire Wire!"
A massive stream of flames surged from his mouth.
With Ning Rongrong's amplification and Oscar's support, Ma Hongjun poured nearly all of his remaining spirit power into the attack.
This was their finishing move.
Tang San, Dai Mubai, and Zhu Zhuqing all smiled upon seeing the attack descend.
'He can't dodge this!'
The distance was simply too close.
Even if Lev possessed incredible speed, there was nowhere for him to escape.
He could only take the attack head-on.
Yu Xiaogang, Flender, and even Zhao Wuji reached the same conclusion.
But the very next moment—
Their expectations were shattered.
"Spirit Ability: Spirit Avatar—Vigorous Vajra Bear."
Lev calmly activated another ability.
He looked upward without the slightest trace of panic.
There was no way he could fail to notice their plan.
After all, Lev had spent five years surviving in the Sunset Forest.
He had long since lost count of how many times he had been ambushed by spirit beasts.
Compared to those experiences, this was nothing more than child's play.
A powerful aura suddenly erupted from his body.
His figure rapidly transformed.
In an instant, Lev's body became that of a massive bear.
Unlike Zhao Wuji's Spirit Avatar, which could reach a height of more than five meters, Lev's transformation was only around three meters tall.
But its smaller size did nothing to diminish its presence.
Lev simply remained where he stood.
He raised one hand.
And then—
He took Ma Hongjun's strongest attack head-on.
BOOOOOOM!
A terrifying explosion engulfed the area.
Everyone stared in disbelief.
Nobody had expected this.
Not even in their wildest dreams had they imagined that Lev could use Zhao Wuji's spirit abilities.
And not just any of them.
He had actually used Zhao Wuji's Seventh Spirit Ring Ability—Spirit Avatar.
That was far beyond simply copying another person's abilities.
It was abnormal.
Completely abnormal.
Yu Xiaogang's eyes widened in shock.
Flender was equally stunned.
But Zhao Wuji's reaction was entirely different.
He stared at Lev's transformed figure in disbelief.
His fists slowly clenched.
A strange mixture of shock, disbelief, and anger surged through his mind.
That was his ability.
His Seventh Spirit Ring Ability.
Yet now, right before his eyes, another person had used it as though it belonged to him.
Zhao Wuji's expression darkened.
For the first time, he truly understood just how terrifying Lev's ability was.
Ma Hongjun's attack struck Lev's raised hand, yet it failed to leave even the slightest scratch.
The flames that had been powerful enough to forcefully exhaust nearly all of Ma Hongjun's spirit power dissipated against Lev's palm as though they were nothing more than an insignificant spark.
"Impossible..." Ma Hongjun muttered.
He could no longer maintain his position in the air. With his spirit power completely exhausted, his body fell heavily toward the ground. He landed awkwardly and immediately began panting heavily, his chest rising and falling as he stared at Lev in disbelief.
The same could be said for Tang San, Dai Mubai, and Zhu Zhuqing.
After exhausting almost all of their spirit power and combining their abilities into what they believed to be their strongest assault, they still couldn't inflict even the slightest injury on Lev.
The difference between them was simply too great.
Tang San clenched his fists unwillingly.
Dai Mubai lowered his head with an ugly expression.
Even Zhu Zhuqing, despite having grown considerably stronger after Lev's guidance, couldn't help but feel frustrated.
They had fought together, coordinated their abilities, received Ning Rongrong's boosts, and even used Oscar's sausages to replenish their strength.
Yet none of it was enough.
In the end, they could only admit defeat.
Seeing the frustration written across their faces, Lev felt a faint sense of satisfaction.
He canceled the Vigorous Vajra Bear Spirit Avatar and returned to his normal appearance.
"Don't look so depressed. At least you tried."
Lev then raised his hand.
"Spirit Ability: Big Recovery Sausage."
A sausage appeared in his hand.
He tossed it toward Ma Hongjun before creating several more and handing them to the others.
"Eat these. You used up most of your spirit power."
Tang San and the others stared at the sausages in their hands for a moment.
Although they were still unwilling to admit defeat, they accepted them and began eating.
Not long after that—
Clap.
Clap.
Clap.
Clap.
A round of applause suddenly echoed across the training ground.
Tang San and the others immediately looked toward the source.
Only then did they realize that Yu Xiaogang, Flender, and Zhao Wuji had been standing nearby the entire time.
They had been so focused on the battle that they had completely forgotten about their surroundings.
Yu Xiaogang was smiling broadly as he applauded.
His expression was completely different from before.
After personally witnessing Lev's strength, all the doubts he had previously harbored after listening to Flender and Zhao Wuji's descriptions had completely disappeared.
Lev was far more extraordinary than he had imagined.
His ability to utilize different spirit abilities alone was already astonishing. His physical strength, combat instincts, adaptability, and seemingly endless collection of abilities made him an existence that Yu Xiaogang had never encountered before.
'This child...'
Yu Xiaogang's eyes shone with excitement.
'His potential is simply too astonishing.'
The more he thought about it, the more determined he became.
He absolutely had to make Lev his disciple.
"Good job, everyone."
Yu Xiaogang stopped clapping and looked at the exhausted students.
"I know all of you did your best, but there are still many areas where you need to improve. Your coordination was decent, but your battle strategy was too predictable. Once Lev understood your pattern, it became increasingly difficult for you to create any opportunities."
Tang San and the others listened quietly.
Yu Xiaogang then shifted his attention toward Lev.
"Especially you, Lev."
"Hm?"
Lev raised an eyebrow.
"I never thought you would be as powerful as Dean Flender described. Seeing it personally has given me a completely different understanding of your abilities."
Yu Xiaogang paused before continuing.
"However, you made one rather poor decision during the battle."
Lev tilted his head.
"What?"
"You allowed them to use Oscar's recovery sausages."
Yu Xiaogang's expression became slightly serious.
"Once they recovered their spirit power, the battle continued for much longer than necessary. If you had prevented them from using those sausages, the battle would have ended much sooner."
"Why did you allow them to recover?"
Lev shrugged casually.
"Well, it would've been pretty boring if the class ended that quickly."
"That..."
Yu Xiaogang's expression stiffened.
For a moment, he didn't know how to respond.
He had expected Lev to give him some profound explanation regarding battle strategy, yet the reason turned out to be nothing more than boredom.
'This child's attitude really is troublesome.'
Despite that thought, Yu Xiaogang still couldn't bring himself to become angry.
Powerful geniuses often possessed strange personalities, and Lev was clearly one of them.
"Just don't do it next time," Yu Xiaogang finally sighed.
Lev simply smiled. In fact, he was holding back a lot because if he wanted to, he could finish them off in just a blink of an eye.
Yu Xiaogang was about to continue when a figure suddenly stepped forward.
Zhao Wuji walked directly toward Lev.
His expression was unusually serious.
He stopped in front of Lev and stared at him.
"I want to ask you something."
Lev looked at him calmly.
"Just how can you use my spirit abilities?"
Zhao Wuji's expression became increasingly solemn.
"More importantly, how did you use my seventh spirit ability?"
The moment those words were spoken, everyone's attention immediately shifted toward Lev.
Tang San, Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun, Oscar, and Ning Rongrong were all curious about the same thing.
Even Yu Xiaogang was silently waiting for Lev's answer.
Zhao Wuji's seventh spirit ability was his Spirit Avatar—a powerful ability that represented one of the most important stages in a Spirit Master's development.
Yet Lev had used it as naturally as if it belonged to him.
It was simply too abnormal.
Lev looked at Zhao Wuji for several seconds before a faint smile appeared on his face.
"And you think you can get an answer from me?"
"Y-You!"
Zhao Wuji's face immediately reddened.
He had already been holding back his anger since the battle began.
Seeing someone use his seventh spirit ability right in front of him without even explaining how he had obtained it finally pushed his patience to the limit.
His spirit power surged.
The Vigorous Vajra Bear appeared behind him as his aura rapidly intensified.
He was just about to release his spirit rings when—
"Zhao Wuji."
Flender's firm voice suddenly rang out.
Zhao Wuji froze.
He turned toward Flender.
Flender's expression was serious.
"That's enough."
"But Boss—"
"I said enough."
Flender walked closer while looking at Zhao Wuji.
Even he was extremely curious about Lev's abilities.
However, curiosity was one thing.
Forcing Lev to reveal his secrets was another.
After everything that had happened, Flender was already convinced that there was something extraordinary behind Lev's existence.
His abilities were simply too abnormal.
And if Lev truly possessed some powerful backing, forcing him into a corner could bring consequences far beyond their ability to handle.
Flender didn't want to gamble the safety of Shrek Academy on satisfying their curiosity.
Zhao Wuji clenched his fists.
He was still unwilling to accept it.
But after staring at Flender for a moment, he finally recalled his spirit.
He then turned toward Lev and glared at him.
"I'll remember this."
Lev merely smiled.
Zhao Wuji snorted and turned around before walking away.
He couldn't shake the strange feeling in his heart.
It was one thing for someone to possess a powerful spirit.
It was another thing entirely for someone to casually use another person's spirit abilities.
But using his seventh spirit ability...
That was something Zhao Wuji simply couldn't accept.
Meanwhile, Lev watched Zhao Wuji's departing back with a faint smile.
He had no intention of explaining himself.
After all, the more mysterious he remained, the more difficult it would be for others to understand his true capabilities.
And for Lev, that was exactly what he wanted.
"I'm sorry, and please forgive his behavior this time. I promise that I will talk to him about his actions later."
Flender took the initiative to apologize before turning around and leaving.
Yu Xiaogang understood what was running through Flender's mind and completely understood his actions. He then looked at the students and said, "Your first class has now ended. Come back here again tomorrow. You're dismissed."
With that, Yu Xiaogang left the training ground with a faint smile on his face.
Ma Hongjun, who was still lying on the ground, looked toward Lev with admiration in his eyes.
"Lev, you really are powerful."
Tang San and Dai Mubai also looked at Lev.
They had to admit that Lev was far stronger than they had imagined. His strength had already reached a level that was difficult for them to comprehend, and the thought of how powerful he might become in the future even made them feel a little frightened.
However, that fear wasn't enough to erase the hatred they held toward him.
Their resentment was simply too deep.
Ning Rongrong and Oscar also looked at Lev with admiration. Ning Rongrong was about to take this opportunity to apologize and resolve the misunderstanding between them when Lev suddenly interrupted her.
"Zhuqing, let's go back."
Lev looked toward Zhu Zhuqing.
"Mmm."
Zhu Zhuqing nodded.
Without looking back at the others, Lev and Zhu Zhuqing then left the training ground together.
Tang San, Ma Hongjun, Oscar, and Ning Rongrong eventually followed, leaving Dai Mubai alone behind.
Dai Mubai remained standing there for several moments, his fists tightly clenched as he watched their departing figures.
"I need to become stronger."
His voice was low but filled with determination.
He then turned around and left the training ground.
He would become stronger.
Strong enough to defeat Lev.
Strong enough to reclaim what he believed was originally his.