Shrek's disgraceful and crushing defeat had severely dampened the morale of the Eight Monsters. Ning Rongrong, Yu Tianheng, Er Ming, and Xiao Wu didn't feel much about it, as they didn't truly understand the weight of this loss.
Only the four reincarnators knew the full implications. In their previous life, Shrek's legendary glory in team battles began with them and had continued undefeated for twenty thousand years. Had it not been for the anomaly named Huo Yuhao, that legacy would have endured even longer. Yet in this life, it ended before it had even begun.
After the match, Flender looked pained as he addressed the Eight Monsters:
"You lost—and in less than two minutes, you were driven off the stage. To lose so humiliatingly is partly due to the strength of your opponents, yes, but what about yourselves? Xiao Wu is the core of the Seven Monsters. She's capable of fusing her spirit with Yu Tianheng and Er Ming. So why didn't you let her participate?"
"Dean, I…" Tang San lowered his head, at a loss for words.
Er Ming spoke up: "Dean, before the match, Tang San made a bet with Yu Tianheng. He said not to let Xiao Wu enter the fight, and instead, they'd see which of them could eliminate more enemies. The loser would give up on Xiao Wu. That's what led to this defeat."
"You're saying it's all Third Brother's fault?" Ma Hongjun protested indignantly.
"Isn't it?" Yu Tianheng snapped, anger rising. "If I had teamed up with Xiao Wu for a Spirit Fusion Technique, so what if all their rings were thousand-year ones? We could've beaten them. If Tang San hadn't made that bet, would we have lost this badly?"
"Even if… Even if Tang San was in the wrong," Dai Mubai countered, "putting aside the facts for a moment, Yu Tianheng, do you bear no responsibility at all? If you hadn't accepted the bet, would this humiliating defeat have happened?"
"Exactly! Tang San made the bet, but you didn't have to agree, did you?" Oscar added.
The group had split into two sides: one pushing all the blame onto Tang San, the other seemingly defending him—but with their words, they had already framed the situation clearly.
Tang San acted out of emotion, made a reckless bet with Yu Tianheng, and refused to let Xiao Wu participate—this had directly caused their defeat.
As the argument went on, Flender, Yu Xiaogang, and the other Shrek teachers cast scrutinizing glances toward Tang San.
Yu Xiaogang stepped forward, with his usual self-righteous demeanor:
"Xiao San, how many times have I told you—at your age, you're in the prime stage of cultivation. And yet here you are, distracted by petty rivalries over a girl. This is utterly unbecoming. Regardless of anything else, this defeat is your responsibility."
Tang San: …
Flender continued:
"Xiao San, I have one question for you: where did your confidence come from? Even before the match began, you underestimated your opponents and were already competing with Yu Tianheng over who could eliminate more enemies. Even a lion uses full strength to hunt a rabbit—underestimating your enemy was your greatest failure in this battle."
Tang San lowered his head.
"…I'm sorry, Dean. It was my fault."
He clenched his fists tightly, lowering his head in shame, and admitted his mistake in humiliation.
"See that it doesn't happen again," Yu Xiaogang said sternly, ignoring how Tang San hadn't mentioned him once. He put on the posture of a strict teacher.
"Teacher," Ma Hongjun raised his hand and asked Flender, "why does the Spark Team have soul rings that all start at the thousand-year level?"
Flender didn't reply. Instead, he looked meaningfully at Yu Xiaogang.
Yu Xiaogang folded his hands behind his back, his eyes gleaming with "wisdom." He turned his back to the Shrek Seven Monsters, leaving them with the silhouette of a great man:
"Under normal circumstances, soul masters' soul ring configurations cannot exceed the upper limits I defined. For them to surpass those limits, they must be using some method of overdrawing their potential. Doing so may benefit them in the short term, but in the long run, it's like sacrificing tomorrow for today. Xiao San, as soul masters, your cultivation must be grounded and step-by-step. Only by building a solid foundation can you accumulate power and become true experts."
Yu Xiaogang had considered the possibility that they might be twin-spirit users. But then again, it couldn't be that all of them were twin-spirited, right? So he forced himself to continue explaining with this excuse.
In his mind, he imagined the Eight Monsters behind him looking at him with admiration. Unbeknownst to him, all they gave him were looks of contempt.
"Pfft—"
A laugh came from behind him. Yu Xiaogang frowned and turned to the usually quiet Ning Rongrong.
"What are you laughing at?"
Ning Rongrong said, "Yu Xiaogang, are you really a Master?"
"I'm a Spirit Hall–certified, undisputed Master of theory!"
Ning Rongrong seemed to recall how years ago Yu Xiaogang had been disqualified from the theoretical circles of soul masters due to plagiarism allegations. Her gaze grew even more mocking—like she was looking at a clown.
"What's with that look? Can't you show a little respect to a master of soul theory?" Yu Xiaogang said angrily.
"Master~ ah!" Ning Rongrong mocked. "I just think you're a bit outdated."
"You say I'm outdated?!"
"What I mean is," Ning Rongrong replied sarcastically, "your soul ring configuration theory has already been broken through. First of all, the Body Sect has internal secret techniques allowing every disciple to absorb soul rings that exceed the theoretical limit. Secondly, according to investigations by our Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, even within the Spirit Hall, some geniuses have emerged who've surpassed the absorption limit for soul rings. That's why my father believes the soul master world is undergoing a revolution in soul ring absorption. Some forces seem to have already mastered methods to break through the age limit for rings."
"So, it's not strange at all that some soul masters now appear with base soul ring configurations that exceed traditional limits."
Yu Xiaogang was stunned. For over ten years, he had shut himself away in Nuoding City's Soul Master Academy, wallowing in past regrets. It wasn't until he accepted Tang San as his disciple that he saw a new light in life. He had thrown himself into teaching Tang San and knew almost nothing of the changes happening outside.
Now he realized:
His theory… was obsolete.
There really was a revolution happening in soul ring ages?
Not only Yu Xiaogang, but the four reincarnated Shrek members were also frozen in place.
But then—
They thought of one possibility:
Reincarnators!
Yu Xiaogang's voice trembled as he asked,
"Do you know how they absorb soul rings beyond the limit?"
He had already made up his mind—if Ning Rongrong knew the method, he would invoke Shrek's moral authority to force her to hand it over. He would use it for his disciple, Tang San. Then, he'd incorporate it into his "Ten Core Competencies of Martial Souls" theory.
When that time came, a thousand years later, the world wouldn't remember the first person who broke the soul ring limit.
They would only remember the person who wrote the theory—Yu Xiaogang.
Ning Rongrong shook her head and spread her arms, revealing three soul rings: yellow, yellow, and purple. Then, in a sarcastic tone, she said,
"Grandmaster~ If I had known this secret, do you really think my soul rings would look like this?"
It was only then that Yu Xiaogang realized: the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan had not mastered this mysterious technique.
"What about our clan?" Yu Xiaogang turned to Yu Tianheng.
Yu Tianheng also shook his head.
"As of now, only two forces have the ability to absorb soul rings beyond the limit: the Body Sect and Spirit Hall. Of course," Ning Rongrong added, "after today, we also have to include a new player—the mysterious Sparks Academy."
He tilted his buzzcut head up to the sky, recalling Bibi Dong, who now served as the Pope of Spirit Hall. He silently wondered: Should I go beg Bibi Dong once more?
Then he remembered Tang San's earlier analysis: Spirit Hall had already fractured from within. Bibi Dong no longer held absolute power. If he went there now, he'd undoubtedly be targeted by the Elder faction.
"I miss you so much. Feel free to visit the prison again anytime. Remember, this is our little secret. Don't tell anyone—got it?"
Thinking of Brother Scarface's words, Yu Xiaogang felt a sudden tightness in his… sunflower.
No, going to Spirit Hall recklessly was too dangerous. If he had to go, he needed to find the perfect opportunity—one that ensured a direct audience with Bibi Dong. He made a mental note of it.
Sigh—
Yu Xiaogang let out a long sigh and scolded,
"How can Spirit Hall be so selfish? They've completely abandoned their original purpose of benefiting all soul masters! Possessing such a technique, yet hoarding it selfishly—utterly despicable."
Was there any way to bypass Spirit Hall and still obtain this soul ring breakthrough method?
Suddenly, Yu Xiaogang's eyes lit up. He clapped his hands. Got it.
If everything went smoothly, not only could he gain access to the technique—he could also recruit a talented disciple!
After understanding the possible changes happening within the soul ring system, Shrek Academy also began discussing the origin of the Sparks Team.
They were completely puzzled by the team's background—starting with Ye Qingmei, who possessed both the Nether Cat and White Tiger martial souls. She could only be a princess of the Star Luo Empire, and a direct descendant at that.
But she didn't look old enough—perhaps an older sister or younger one? Even after racking his brain, Dai Mubai couldn't find such a person in the family genealogy. Nor did she appear in any of his memories from the previous life.
Meanwhile, both Yu Tianheng and Yu Xiaogang were trying to figure out Lin Chen's identity (Xiaogang had long forgotten this person was his first-generation disciple).
Ning Rongrong was also curious about Luo Xingqi's background, as well as Zhao Hengning's.
Tang San was pondering Mu Yuanfang's identity—and the possible connections between the Angel Martial Soul and the Qian Clan.
Moreover, how could a group that had successfully combined the three top clans' martial souls—and their superior variants—also possess the angelic martial soul, as well as inherited ones from the Dai and Zhu Clans of the Star Luo Empire?
Sparks Academy's origins were indeed worth deep investigation.
Yet after much discussion, Shrek Academy reached one conclusion: no conclusion.
Flender warned the students to be cautious in future battles and then wrapped up the meeting.
Once the crowd dispersed, the Shrek Rebirth Group gathered again.
"Got any ideas, Tang San?" Dai Mubai asked.
"Assuming it's not a divine test or the Body Sect's second martial soul awakening, it could be due to whale glue… or a soul spirit system," Tang San said gravely.
"Looks like this reborn one possesses a vast amount of knowledge."
"If that's the case," Oscar asked with concern, "can we still succeed like we did in our previous life?"
This time around, Spirit Hall had changed, the Body Sect had changed, and a powerful new team had appeared—one that even had a dual martial soul user. The three elites couldn't help but lose a bit of confidence.
"What are you afraid of?" Tang San snapped. "Don't forget who I am. I'm the Chosen of Fate, the boy chosen by the Asura God!
These reborn people—living a second life, yet choosing to go against the tide of history instead of siding with what's right—are simply asking for death!"
Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun, and Oscar all relaxed at Tang San's words.
No matter how the world changed, as long as Tang San was the Chosen of Fate, the future would ultimately unfold as destined.
"By the way, since you've all been reborn, do you know how to contract soul spirits?" Tang San asked.
Oscar, Ma Hongjun, and Dai Mubai all shook their heads.
"After becoming gods, the soul spirit system didn't matter to us anymore, so we never really learned about it," Dai Mubai replied.
"Who would've thought we'd get reincarnated," Ma Hongjun added awkwardly.
Oscar said, "I was about to ask you—but I guess you don't know either."
Tang San could only sigh in frustration. Four reborn people… and not one of them understands soul spirits?!
Ye Qingmei was walking back to the base along the streets of Soto City when a tall, skinny buzzcut silhouette suddenly appeared in front of her, blocking her path.
She frowned and tried to go around him, but the buzzcut man stepped directly into her path.
"What do you want?" Ye Qingmei asked.
The man was Yu Xiaogang. He calmly replied,
"Young lady, I am Yu Xiaogang—certified Soul Master Theory Grandmaster by Spirit Hall."
"And?" she said coldly.
And? This was how she treated a Soul Master Theory Grandmaster?! Where was her respect?!
Yu Xiaogang was displeased, but remembering his objective, he suppressed his anger and continued:
"You possess both the Nether Spirit Cat and White Tiger martial souls—and you've even achieved a rare innate self-martial soul fusion. Your cultivation potential is nothing short of heaven-defying. However…"
Yu Xiaogang gave her a once-over, then sighed with regret.
"I see that you've strayed from the right path. No matter how gifted you are, if you follow the wrong cultivation method, you'll never become truly powerful."
"I happen to possess the secret method for training twin martial souls. It's an incredibly difficult path. Throughout history, only three twin martial soul users have ever appeared.
The first exploded from improper cultivation. The other two are connected to me—
One is an old acquaintance who, thanks to my crucial guidance, is now a Title Douluo and a renowned powerhouse.
The other is my current disciple, training under my supervision. He too is destined for greatness."
"So what exactly are you trying to say?" Ye Qingmei asked coldly.
Yu Xiaogang folded his hands behind his back and struck a pose of compassion.
"Fortunately, you haven't wasted too much of your talent yet. I can't bear to watch you go astray any longer. I've decided to pull you back onto the correct path—by giving you this precious twin martial soul cultivation method.
Of course, there's one condition… you must become my disciple."
This was exactly what Gangzi 's plan was. Ye Qingmei's martial spirit might not be the strongest in the Spark Team, but she possessed a twin martial spirit, and what's more — a rare self-martial spirit fusion. She could achieve spirit fusion alone, something two people usually needed to accomplish together.
The moment Yu Xiaogang saw that scene, he made up his mind to recruit Ye Qingmei as his disciple. If everything went well, he would have two twin martial spirit disciples. If he could train them successfully, his name would become famous across the world.
Moreover, Tang San had become increasingly disrespectful toward him. This made Yu Xiaogang feel deeply uneasy. For several nights, he'd been plagued by a recurring nightmare — in it, Tang San stood before him after achieving fame and pointed at his nose, saying:
"Gangzi, everything I have today was earned by myself, step by step. What does a level-29 trash like you have to do with it? What did you teach me? Nothing! And you still have the nerve to call yourself my teacher? From today on, you're no longer my teacher."
The appearance of Ye Qingmei brought a new ray of hope to Yu Xiaogang. He couldn't place all his bets on Tang San — he needed a double insurance policy. If Tang San ended up rebelling, as long as he could properly "train" Ye Qingmei, he would still achieve the fame and success he so desperately craved.
Besides, it would be easier to "train" a girl than a boy. Once Ye Qingmei cultivated to the Title Douluo level, Yu Xiaogang planned to use the identity of "teacher" to ask her to pass her cultivation to him, helping him break through the bottleneck of level 30. He also hoped to use Ye Qingmei's influence to find rare celestial treasures like the Golden Dragon Essence Fruit to improve his talent (though he had long passed the prime age for cultivation, Gangzi wasn't ready to give up. He believed he could still struggle a little longer).
Furthermore, Yu Xiaogang also wanted to extract the secret of exceeding spirit ring limits from Ye Qingmei and include it in his so-called "Spirit Mastery Theory," elevating his reputation even further. It was a classic case of killing two birds with one stone.
Of course, if Ye Qingmei didn't appreciate the offer, he wouldn't hesitate to be ruthless.
"If you don't become my disciple, then don't blame me for eliminating you early. A twin martial spirit user must become my disciple. Tang San already has — you're not getting away either," Yu Xiaogang thought viciously.
"Want to be my teacher?" Ye Qingmei beckoned to Yu Xiaogang with her finger.
"Then beat me. Prove you have the skills to teach me."
Yu Xiaogang was dumbfounded. His face stiffened as he replied:
"Actually, a good teacher doesn't necessarily need strength…"
Gangzi was cursing like mad in his heart. His greatest pride wasn't his strength — it was his intellect!
Why did everyone insist on evaluating a teacher based on strength?
Shouldn't it be about wisdom, knowledge, and cultivation of character?
"I believe strength is a basic requirement for a teacher," Ye Qingmei countered.
"When I reach Soul Sect level, will you have the ability to help me hunt a ten-thousand-year spirit beast?"
"…Well…" (a long section of Yu Xiaogang's sophistry was omitted)
Realizing he couldn't dodge the question, Yu Xiaogang pivoted — he began lecturing on the benefits of having a master who's a theoretical master of the spirit world.
However—
Ye Qingmei had no patience for his rambling.
Three spirit rings dropped down — purple, purple, purple.
She activated Spirit Possession: Spirit Cat, then strode toward Yu Xiaogang.
"W-what are you doing?!" Yu Xiaogang finally realized things were going south.
"I want to see if you really have what it takes to be my teacher."
Ye Qingmei extended her claw-like hand toward him.
"Noooo!"
A while later…
Yu Xiaogang lay on the ground, knocked out cold by Luo Sanpao's farts.
His body was covered in wounds, his face swollen and bruised, wheezing as the stench of Sanpao's gas enveloped him.
Ye Qingmei casually tossed the barely conscious Luo Sanpao right onto Yu Xiaogang's face, precisely aligning Sanpao's cannon mouth with Gangzi's mouth.
"So you're just a level-29 Grandmaster, huh?
Yu Xiaogang, what made you think I'd betray my real teacher to follow someone weaker than me?"
She stepped on Luo Sanpao and said with scorn.
"You…" Yu Xiaogang tried to move his mouth away from Sanpao's fart cannon, but Ye Qingmei pinned him down.
He gritted his teeth in frustration:
You already had a teacher and didn't say so?!
Ye Qingmei casually tossed the two lumps of trash into a nearby garbage bin, contributing to the cleanliness of Soto City, and then walked away.
At the Spark Team base…
Lin Chen approached Ye Qingmei.
"You're late."
"I ran into a buzzing fly on the road," Ye Qingmei replied.
"Let me guess — Yu Xiaogang?" Lin Chen asked.
"How'd you know?" Ye Qingmei was surprised.
Lin Chen smiled:
"I know him too well. He'll definitely look for a chance to approach you.
Yu Xiaogang's goal in taking disciples is always self-serving — he craves fame and glory.
Since he lacks the strength to achieve it himself, he hopes to rise through his students.
If he sees no value in a student, he'll abandon them without hesitation.
He tricked me once — used me as an experimental subject.
And when I was no longer useful, he pushed me into a soul beast's jaws to escape."
He paused, then asked:
"You didn't kill him, did you?"
Ye Qingmei shook her head:
"He's just annoying. I don't have a deep grudge with him — I only threw him into the trash."
"Good. That debt… I'll settle with him personally someday," Lin Chen said grimly.
Once all members of Team Spark were assembled, Snow Empress led them out of Soto City toward the Extreme North.