…Yan Shaozhe led the three of them back to Shrek City overnight.
Morning.
The vast Shrek City was already in motion. Hawkers pushing handcarts jammed the roads from the south of the city to the north, and the storefronts lining the main streets were a dazzling assortment.
In a small courtyard in the south of the city.
Elder Zhuang looked at Jiang Nannan's mother on the sickbed, then shot a surprised glance at Yan Shaozhe and the expectant Jiang Nannan. "Shaozhe, you called me over for something this simple?"
"Elder Zhuang, this one's a bit special…" Yan Shaozhe's lips moved; he sent a thread of sound straight into Elder Zhuang's ear and gave a brief explanation.
Jiang Nannan was actually the banner of Shrek Academy's transformation—commoners.
As an academy, not a royal house, the ones it ought to recruit and cultivate most are commoners. That "commoners" category includes small families without background or power, and, in the truest sense, commoner geniuses like Jiang Nannan and Su Wen.
If anything, the latter are even more important.
In fact, quite a few elders of the Sea God Pavilion are of commoner origin. It's just that, after they rose to high positions and lived in comfort for so long, few remember it.
So he would hold high the banner of Jiang Nannan to attract many commoner geniuses to apply to Shrek Academy…
But there were many chronic ailments in this.
For example, few commoners across the continent undergo martial soul awakening, since unlike ten thousand years ago there's no Spirit Hall doing compulsory awakenings. And even if they are awakened, those commoners' first choice is the sect or power that performed the awakening for them, not Shrek Academy. The local sects are gripping commoner resources in a deathlock. Even with Shrek's prestige, it doesn't dare rashly break that delicate balance.
He'd also wanted to send the Martial Soul Department around the continent to awaken martial souls for commoners, but every time he brought it up, the elders strongly opposed it. Their reason: that was what the Spirit Hall did—doing it now would be letting Spirit Hall rise from the ashes. He wanted to abolish the City Lord's Letter of Recommendation, and the elders said ancestral rules must not be changed.
Only at the end did he understand.
As Yan Shaozhe explained, Elder Zhuang's expression cleared; he became more serious.
He extended his palm. A surge of verdant green welled up, a fresh sprout burrowed out, then quickly grew stamens; petals expanded visibly. Elder Zhuang tore off three tender pink petals and handed them to Jiang Nannan.
"Swallow one each day. In three days, the illness will be gone."
"Thank you, thank you…"
Jiang Nannan's beautiful eyes were filled with excitement.
"If you want to thank someone, thank that little fellow. If not for him, the Academy wouldn't have known your mother was gravely ill." Elder Zhuang shook his head.
"Sister Nannan, give it to Auntie to take."
Seeing Jiang Nannan shoot him another grateful look, Su Wen changed the subject and urged her.
"Okay."
As Jiang's mother swallowed it, her face visibly regained its glow; the complexion that had been wan and sallow from illness became all the more radiant.
Well, think about it—Jiang Nannan is a top-three beauty in the original story; her mother's genes wouldn't be bad either.
…
Days passed.
Aside from daily cultivation, Su Wen would occasionally visit Aunt Jiang, cultivate the Two ultimate of Ice and Fire with Ma Xiaotao in the bathtub, and discuss the essence of the ice element with Ling Luochen.
In the blink of an eye, half a month had gone by.
Inside the Golden Tree's treehouse.
Su Wen let out a long, turbid breath.
His face was full of joy. "Finally broke through to rank thirty-two. One level in just over a month—still not bad…" With the Golden Tree's aura buff, his three pet beasts growing stronger by devouring soul beast flesh, plus elixirs and various heavenly materials and earthly treasures, his cultivation speed was getting faster and faster. Back in the teens, it took one or two months to raise a level. Now, at the Soul Elder realm, the time to go up a level was about the same.
Although Little Gold, the Ice Emperor, and Gale were soul beasts and thus improved slower than humans, by devouring soul beast flesh—the equivalent of humans taking heavenly materials and earthly treasures—they'd also advanced. Over half a year, their bodies had grown a fair bit.
But today winter break ended; a batch of new students would rise to second year.
Su Wen stood up, got dressed, and headed for the outer court.
…
Beast-Fighting Zone.
Gray walls like a fortress isolated the soul beasts from the academy.
Normally not too crowded, the Beast-Fighting Zone entrance was packed today with first-years. They would meet their second assessment here—facing soul beasts. Compared to the cruelty of the first assessment (group three-on-three elimination), this one was much gentler. As long as they weren't completely hopeless, chose a hundred-year soul beast, or even if they performed poorly, they generally wouldn't be pressed too hard—would be allowed to pass normally…
"Elder Gong, it's their competition today. Why'd you call me over?" From afar, Su Wen saw the white-haired little old man. He greeted him, then asked curiously.
"Had you come take a look…" Elder Gong slanted a glance at Su Wen.
"Just how much your soul beasts can eat!!!"
Su Wen: "…"
Seriously? Half a month and you can't handle it?
Your grand Beast Arena eats up a third of the Academy's revenue, at least many tens of millions of gold soul coins each year. You can't afford to feed my mere three little fellows?
Stingy nag…
Su Wen curled his lip.
"Hey, don't you get indignant." Elder Gong bristled.
He tugged Su Wen over to an artificial hill.
There lay Little Gold, sprawled comfortably. Next to him was a hill-like heap of meat. He picked up a piece with a bear claw and stuffed it into his mouth. Elder Gong's eyes were nearly spitting blood. "That's all ten-thousand-year soul beast flesh! Your soul beast is damn picky—below ten thousand years it won't take a bite! And even among ten-thousand-year beasts, it wants quality cuts! Its appetite alone rivals several ten-thousand-year soul beasts! In just half a month, I've spent at least three million gold soul coins! And that's not counting that Wind Baboon and the Ice Jade Scorpion Emperor!"
Su Wen: "…"
The corner of his mouth twitched.
No wonder his cultivation was advancing quickly. Turned out this guy was carrying the load.
At this rate, Elder Gong wasn't wrong. The three soul beasts' annual expenses were probably in the tens of millions of gold soul coins. Saying they could eat the entire Beast Arena dry wasn't an exaggeration.
Nothing to be done. That's how it is when humans do the feeding. Let them loose in Star Dou Forest and it wouldn't cost a cent—but it might attract the attention of the Bear Lord, Di Tian, even the Silver Dragon King. Before his strength rose, better to keep a low profile…
Still, relying on just soul beast flesh isn't a solution. Wonder if there's something like Ten-thousand-year Profound Ice Marrow—treasures that store vast energy. Give the pets a taste, and that'd keep things steady for a while.
"Alright, Elder Gong, I'll just take them away, then." Su Wen waved a hand.
"Hey, wait, what's the rush? Help me get through this round, give those snot-nosed brats a lesson." Elder Gong grinned.
"You were just complaining my Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear eats too much." Su Wen raised a brow.
"I'll cover another half month of their food!" Elder Gong gritted his teeth.
"Deal~" Su Wen grinned.
<><><>>><><><><><><><>
Advanced chapter here: p-atreon.com/Sajaboyzzz
<><><><><>><>>><><><><>
Keep the Chapters coming - Support with Power Stones!
Every 200 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter!