The sun dipped low in the west, painting the world in warm orange hues. After an hour of practice in the back mountain, Yang Yunhai finally let out a long breath. His limbs were sore, his body heavy, but his mind was strangely satisfied. He dragged his weary self back toward the dormitory, planning to wash up before heading to the cafeteria for dinner.
As he rounded the stairwell corner, he caught sight of Tang San descending from the upper floor.
'So, he just came out of Yu Xiaogang's room?' Yang Yunhai's thoughts spun. According to the original plot, Tang San, on the very first day after lunch, went to Yu Xiaogang's quarters to reveal his twin martial souls. Afterward, Yu Xiaogang suggested the path of a control-type soul master, one that specialized in poison. By tomorrow, they would head into the Soul Hunting Forest for his first soul ring.
Tang San, hearing the footsteps from below, looked down out of habit. He spotted Yang Yunhai. The boy's body was sweaty and clearly exhausted, but without signs of injury. Tang San's eyes flickered—he dismissed him as someone who probably slipped out, got intimidated by noble students, and had run back safely.
'Since he's unharmed, I don't need to pay attention.' With that, Tang San withdrew his gaze and continued down, heading straight for the dorm.
Yang Yunhai didn't mind. 'Tang San's been cold and distant even with kids from his own village. Why would he treat me any differently, when I'm nothing but a stranger he met today?' He gave a small shake of his head and walked on.
Back in the dormitory, only Tang San was lying on his bed with eyes closed. The others were still out, likely eating. Yang Yunhai kept quiet, not intending to disturb. He went to the bathroom, washed the sweat and dust from his body, and then made his way toward the cafeteria.
It was already late by the time he arrived. Most students had finished eating; only a handful of teachers lingered, chatting at the far tables. The large hall was nearly empty. For Yang Yunhai, this peace was a blessing. He quietly filled his tray and ate without interruption.
Afterward, he returned directly to the dormitory. His timing, whether by fortune or caution, seemed impeccable—no nobles appeared to harass him.
'For now, I'll keep things this way. Eat late, train hard, stay quiet, avoid attention. Lying low is the best choice.'
He knew his situation well. In his current state, he couldn't even handle an ordinary noble soul master, let alone a group. Picking fights would only lead to humiliation or worse. Survival demanded restraint.
'Without strength, even drinking water can turn into trouble. That's reality. I learned that the hard way back in my old life, working and scraping through society.'
He smirked faintly, recalling a certain line from the original novel.
"Not daring to cause trouble means you're mediocre." That was what Flender, the headmaster of Shrek Academy, once said.
'But the truth is, that line should have an addition: those who recklessly cause trouble are just idiots!'
He snorted silently. 'So you think you're powerful? Go mouth off in front of a Titled Douluo. Let's see if you survive a single slap. Without strength, without background, the only path is to hold steady, grow slowly, and wait for your chance.'
When he pushed open the dorm door, the others were already back. Most were resting on their beds, some sitting cross-legged, some lying down. Only Xiao Wu was restless, leaning forward across the two beds she and Tang San now shared, peering curiously at him.
"Hey!" she suddenly called, startling Tang San awake.
Yang Yunhai ignored the scene, stepping lightly toward his own bed in the corner.
"Xiao Hai, where were you this afternoon?" a roommate whispered as he passed.
"I walked around the academy to get familiar, then trained my body a bit," he replied.
"You really are hardworking." The boy nodded with admiration, then turned his gaze back toward Xiao Wu—after all, a cute girl was always more interesting than a sweaty boy.
Yang Yunhai settled onto his bed, found a comfortable position, and closed his eyes to cultivate. He believed in training his body first and then meditating on soul power—it mirrored the training logic Yu Xiaogang had once drilled into the Shrek Seven Devils. Although Yu Xiaogang's methods looked crude to him, the principle made sense: strain the body, then cultivate, and growth would accelerate.
Across the room, Xiao Wu grew restless again. "Tang San, let's go out for a walk."
"..." Tang San resisted at first, but eventually gave in, grabbing a simple coarse bun to fill his stomach before being dragged outside.
Yang Yunhai, already immersed in cultivation, barely noticed. When he finally opened his eyes again, deep night had fallen. The dorm was silent. Everyone was asleep, even Tang San and Xiao Wu, their breathing steady. The quiet pressed around him.
'So I actually cultivated all this time without noticing.' With a sigh, he lay down and slept.
The next day passed as expected. Tang San didn't attend the opening ceremony—he had already followed Yu Xiaogang into the Soul Hunting Forest to acquire his first soul ring. The rest of the work-study students weren't so lucky. They were rounded up by the headmaster, lectured, and then left to clean up after the ceremony.
Fortunately, the whole ordeal was brief, less than half an hour. They received their orders, cleaned, and were dismissed. At least the work-study students still received their wages for the day.
When it was over, they shared a simple lunch. Yang Yunhai returned to the dorm, tidied his things, then slipped out to the back mountain. The rest of the day was his, and he intended to spend it cultivating.
That evening, he repeated his routine: bathing, eating late when the cafeteria was nearly empty, and returning quietly. No nobles intercepted him.
Two days of this pattern passed, and the others began to notice.
"Xiao Hai really does train hard," one muttered.
He had earned himself a new title among them: the training maniac. His tireless efforts even started to rub off on the others, who began cultivating more diligently. Only Xiao Wu seemed unimpressed. She leaned back against her bedframe, gnawing on a carrot she'd pulled from her stash. She glanced at the boys cultivating and snorted, then kept eating.
On the third day, Yang Yunhai's schedule was the same—except for a brief turn sweeping the academy flower beds. Beyond that, he trained ceaselessly.
Several days later, while practicing his stance among the trees of the back mountain, raised voices caught his attention.
He set down the scarred wooden staff he had been using and strode toward the noise. Peering through a shrub, he saw Xiao Wu confronting Xiao Chenyu.
'So it's this scene again.' He instantly understood.
For a moment, instinct pushed him forward. They were his dormmates; he should help. But just as he took a step, his eyes flicked past them—and froze. Tang San was rushing from the distance, ready to intervene.
Yang Yunhai hesitated.
'The script is already set. Tang San will step in, Xiao Chenyu will lose, and Xiao Wu will rise as the academy's Big Sister. No need for me to ruin the flow.'
Quietly, he turned back, retreating into the trees. He resumed training until dusk fell. Only then did he head to dinner.
After eating, he made a small purchase—a sack of carrots. Cheap, durable, and always in stock at the cafeteria's kitchen stores, they were a common food. Cleaned and ready to eat, they were perfect for Xiao Wu.
Back in the dormitory, he walked straight to her bed, where she was chatting with Tang San. Dropping the sack at her feet, he spoke in a slightly self-conscious tone.
"Sister Xiao Wu, I bought these for you. I know you like carrots. Earlier, I heard about what you and Tang San did—defeating Xiao Chenyu, making sure we work-study students wouldn't have to clean in the afternoons, while still receiving pay. I didn't lift a finger, and yet I benefited."
"When I left the village, the elders told me: never be too greedy. Just being given afternoons free for cultivation is already a gift. So please, accept these carrots as my thanks. From now on, you two can take my share of the cleaning wages as well."
He smiled faintly. "No need to refuse. When I left, the village gave me enough money. I'll manage just fine."
He might not like Tang San and Xiao Wu, but he couldn't deny that their actions had indirectly helped him. He wouldn't owe anyone favors unnecessarily.
The truth was clear in his heart: from the moment he chose to join the Spirit Hall, he and Tang San were fated to be enemies. But enemies or not, favors had to be repaid.
"Xiao Hai, you little rich kid," Xiao Wu laughed, her pink eyes shining with delight as she spotted the sack. She leapt down, slapped him playfully on the shoulder, and declared, "You're a good one. From now on, I'll cover you."
'So he does know gratitude,' Tang San thought quietly. His impression of Yang Yunhai improved.
Yang Yunhai only smiled. "I'll get back to cultivating." He turned and headed to his corner bed.
"This guy really is a training maniac." Xiao Wu pouted, then immediately knelt by the sack, pulled out a carrot, and bit into it with a crunch.
"Xiao San, want one?" she asked between bites.
"No, you eat," Tang San replied, shaking his head as he sank into cultivation.
"Boring!" Xiao Wu muttered, gnawing happily.
The room filled with the sound of crunching carrots, while Yang Yunhai sat quietly in the corner, already immersed in soul power circulation once more.
(End of Chapter)
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