An hour later, the sun dipped into the west, dyeing everything around in a warm orange hue.
Yang Yunhai finished his training and returned to the dormitory with a slightly tired body, planning to take a shower before heading to the cafeteria for dinner.
As he turned the staircase corner, he happened to catch sight of Tang San coming down from the upper floor.
Had he just come from Yu Xiaogang's room? In the original story, Tang San went to Yu Xiaogang's room right after lunch on the first day, revealed his twin spirits, and under Yu Xiaogang's guidance, confirmed the control system path that incorporated poison.
Then tomorrow, they would go together to get his first spirit ring... Yang Yunhai recalled the plot instinctively.
Meanwhile, hearing footsteps from below, Tang San looked down out of habit. Seeing that it was Yang Yunhai, who appeared tired and sweaty but bore no signs of fighting, he lost interest.
Probably went out alone, got noticed by some noble spirit masters, and had to flee back himself.
Since he seems fine, there's no need for me to intervene. Thinking this, Tang San turned back around and continued downstairs toward the dorm.
Yang Yunhai, a few steps behind, didn't say anything either. Tang San had ignored even childhood peers from the same village, let alone someone he had just met that day.
Shaking his head, Yang Yunhai also walked straight toward the dorm.
Inside, the dormitory was empty except for Tang San, who was already lying on the bed with his eyes closed, resting. The others were likely at dinner. Not wanting to disturb him, Yang Yunhai went straight to take a shower, then left the dorm for the cafeteria.
By the time he arrived at the cafeteria, it was quite late. Most of the students had already eaten. Apart from a few idle instructors chatting, the place was nearly empty. Yang Yunhai was glad for the peace and quietly picked up his food and sat down alone to eat.
Afterward, he returned directly to the dormitory.
Maybe his timing was good, as he didn't encounter any noble spirit masters trying to pick a fight on the way back.
"For now, I'll stick to this routine and avoid the noble spirit masters," Yang Yunhai thought to himself.
Given his current strength, getting into a fight with any random group of spirit masters would only end in a beating. Avoiding conflict was the only sensible choice.
Without power, even drinking water can become a mistake, anyone can take advantage of you however they please. That was reality, and a truth Yang Yunhai had learned through years of being trampled by society in his previous life.
"The ones who avoid trouble are cowards"? That quote from Flender, the headmaster of Shrek Academy in the original story, needed a footnote.
He added in his mind: "The ones who blindly stir up trouble are just plain idiots!"
If you're that tough, go curse in front of a Titled Douluo and see if they don't smack you to death!
No strength, no backing, the only way to survive is to lay low and grow strong. Yang Yunhai firmly believed in that.
With those thoughts, he pushed open the half-closed dormitory door.
Looking around, his dormmates were resting on their beds, either lying down or sitting up. Only Xiao Wu was lying between two beds, curiously peeking at Tang San. She called out, "Hey!"
That single word instantly woke Tang San.
Yang Yunhai didn't pay them much attention and quietly walked to his bed in the corner of the dorm.
"Xiao Hai, where did you go this afternoon?" a dormmate whispered as he passed by.
"I was walking around the academy to get familiar with it, then found a spot to work out," Yang Yunhai replied.
"You're really hardworking," the dormmate nodded admiringly, then turned his attention back to Xiao Wu.
Cute girls will always draw more attention than sweaty guys.
Yang Yunhai said nothing more. He sat down on his bed, found a comfortable spot, and closed his eyes to cultivate his spirit power.
After physical training, cultivating spirit power would produce faster results, this was something proven without needing further evidence. Even the training plans Yu Xiaogang made for the Shrek Seven Monsters in the original story demonstrated this point.
Although, in Yang Yunhai's view, those plans were rather rough and unrefined.
"Tang San, let's go out for a walk," Xiao Wu said, clearly restless.
In the end, Tang San couldn't resist. After eating some coarse bread to fill his stomach, he was pulled out of the dorm by Xiao Wu.
Yang Yunhai, already immersed in cultivation, didn't react. When he opened his eyes again, it was already late at night. Through the faint moonlight, he saw that everyone was asleep, even Tang San and Xiao Wu. The dorm was quiet.
Looks like I trained longer than I realized, he thought, lying down to sleep.
The night passed uneventfully.
As expected, the next day, Tang San didn't attend the opening ceremony but followed Yu Xiaogang into the Spirit Hunting Forest to get his first spirit ring. As for the rest of Dorm 7, they had no choice but to sit through the headmaster's inspirational speech. Thankfully, it didn't last long—less than half an hour. Afterwards, as work-study students, they were tasked with cleaning.
After finishing, they went to the cafeteria for lunch.
Returning to the dorm, Yang Yunhai quickly freshened up, then headed to the back mountain to resume training like the previous day. Since the morning's cleaning duties were done, the afternoon was free for cultivation.
By the time he returned to the dorm again, it was already evening.
He took a shower and timed his trip to the cafeteria perfectly to avoid crowds. After dinner, he safely returned to the dorm, rested briefly, and resumed cultivation.
"Xiao Hai really trains hard…"
After two days of this routine, the other dormmates were beginning to feel Yang Yunhai's dedication and passion. Encouraged, they too began to focus more on cultivating.
Only Xiao Wu leaned against her bed, holding a carrot. She glanced at the others, pouted, and started munching.
On the third day, Yang Yunhai's schedule remained the same except for a short cleaning task around the flowerbed in the afternoon.
Until a few days later, while practicing stance training in the back mountain, he suddenly heard a commotion nearby.
He put down the now-smooth, barkless wooden staff and strode toward the sound. Hidden behind a bush, he peeked outside.
"Xiao Wu… Xiao Chenyu?" Seeing the two facing off at the front, he instantly understood what was happening.
A familiar plotline was unfolding.
After all, they were dormmates. Yang Yunhai immediately stepped forward to help. But when he glanced at the rear, he stopped in his tracks.
From a distance, Tang San was sprinting over.
What followed happened just like in the original story, Xiao Chenyu was defeated by Tang San, and Xiao Wu became the dorm's queen bee.
After a brief pause, Yang Yunhai decided not to step out and instead returned to his training area. He continued training until dusk when the sky darkened, then left the mountain and went straight to the cafeteria.
After dinner, he bought a large bag of carrots.
Because carrots were cheap and easy to store, the cafeteria had stocked plenty, washed and ready to eat.
Back at the dorm, finding everyone cultivating, Yang Yunhai walked over to Xiao Wu, who was chatting with Tang San.
Under her puzzled gaze, he placed the bag on the floor and said somewhat sheepishly, "Sister Xiao Wu, I bought these carrots just now. I know you like them. I also heard on the way back that you and Tang San defeated Xiao Chenyu and helped us work-study students avoid cleaning this afternoon. We still get paid, too."
"I didn't do anything, not even show up to help. But I still benefited."
"My village elders used to say, 'Don't be too greedy.' I'm already very grateful you won me time to train. These carrots are my way of saying thanks. I won't take any more wages for cleaning, just take them for yourselves."
"No need to refuse. The elders gave me some money before I came to the academy. I can manage meals just fine."
No matter how he felt about Tang San and Xiao Wu personally, at least for now, their actions had helped him, even if unintentionally.
He didn't want to owe anyone.
In the future, they were bound to be enemies. That was determined the moment he chose to join the Spirit Hall.
"Xiao Hai, didn't expect you to be a little rich kid." Seeing the big bag of carrots, Xiao Wu beamed, jumped off the bed, and patted Yang Yunhai on the shoulder in a big-sisterly way.
"You're a good kid. I'll have your back from now on."
A kid who knows how to repay kindness... Tang San also felt a change of heart.
Yang Yunhai smiled faintly. "Then I'll go back to training."
With that, he turned and left.
"What a training maniac," Xiao Wu muttered as she watched Yang Yunhai return to his bed to meditate.
Then she crouched, dug through the bag, took out a carrot, and hopped onto her bed, munching away while turning to Tang San.
"San, want one?"
"No, you eat," Tang San shook his head and also began cultivating.
"Boring!" All that was left was the crunching sound of carrot munching in the quiet dorm.
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