"Cheers!"
After the day's matches ended, at Xiao Yu's suggestion, the five of them headed outside Jia Nan Academy for a camping barbecue.
"What's Xiao Se doing over there?"
Little Fairy Doctor took a sip of fruit juice and curiously looked toward Xiao Se, who was busy running back and forth.
"Hehe… take a guess."
Xiao Yu downed a cup of fruit wine in one gulp and grinned at the others.
"He's barbecuing," Xun'er said with a sweet smile, answering calmly.
"Huh?"
Xiao Yu froze in surprise. "Xun'er, you've eaten this before?"
"Mm."
Xun'er covered her lips with a slender finger, thought for a moment, then looked gently toward Xiao Se and smiled.
"I think… when I was very young, I ate it once."
"What?! But you clearly told me before that this was something unique to the Dou Qi Continent!"
Disappointment flashed across Xiao Yu's beautiful eyes.
Seeing her expression, Zhu Zhuqing couldn't help covering her lips and laughing softly.
"Actually, Yu'er, barbecue is very common in our hometown."
Hearing this, Xiao Yu was struck as if by lightning.
She instantly turned to stone.
—
On the other side, under Xiao Se's refined knife skills, a second-rank magical beast—a single-horned sheep—was cleanly dismembered in seconds.
Bones and flesh separated perfectly.
The unnecessary organs and hide were tossed aside, and with a casual flick of his hand, the Green Lotus Core Flame reduced them to ashes, returning them to nature.
After skewering vegetables and lamb separately, Xiao Se placed them on the grill and roasted them using his Heavenly Flame.
Almost instantly, a rich aroma spread through the air.
Drawn by the smell, the girls hurried over.
"Wow! Little pervert, what is that green flame?"
Xiao Yu stared in fascination.
"It's so beautiful—and it even forms lotus shapes!"
Before Xiao Se could answer, Xun'er spoke up with a smile.
"That's the Green Lotus Core Flame, a heavenly flame born from the world itself. It ranks nineteenth on the Heavenly Flame List."
"I… don't really understand."
Xiao Yu tilted her head blankly.
Clearly, the concept of Heavenly Flames was far beyond her understanding.
"Xun'er really is knowledgeable," Xiao Se said meaningfully.
"Hehe."
His praise made Xun'er's eyes curve into crescent moons.
"If those alchemists knew you were using the Heavenly Flame they dream of just to barbecue, they'd probably die of anger."
"A flame is meant to be used," Xiao Se shrugged casually.
"Alchemy, combat, barbecue—it's all the same. As long as it helps me, there's no need to overthink it."
As they spoke, the skewers were fully cooked.
"All done," Xiao Se said with a smile.
"I controlled the heat carefully—the iron skewers won't burn your hands."
"Then we won't hold back!"
The four girls immediately grabbed their favorite skewers and started eating.
Just then, a familiar system notification rang out in Xiao Se's mind.
[Ding. One month has passed.
Congratulations, Host, you have gained one exchange opportunity.
Congratulations, Host, you have gained one roulette draw.]
Xiao Se paused slightly, then said inwardly:
"System, open my personal panel."
[Host: Xiao Se
Gender: Male
Age: 14
Cultivation: Six-Star Dou Ling
Soul Level: Sixth-Rank Alchemist
Domain: Ice–Fire Domain
Sword Intent: 30%
Dou Qi Attributes:
Fire (with a trace of wood attribute), Ice
Cultivation Techniques:
— Flame Mantra (Earth Rank, Low Level)
— Guiyuan Soul Art (Rank Unknown)
Heavenly Flames:
— Green Lotus Core Flame
— Ice–Fire Dragon Flame
Battle Skills:
— Crimson Flame Sword (Earth Rank, Mid Level)
— Ethereal Smoke Step (High Xuan Rank)
— Roaring Lion Chant (High Xuan Rank)
— Qi Concealment Art (Rank Unknown)
— Eightfold Crash (High Xuan Rank)
Exchange Chances: 1
Lottery Chances: 1
System Storage:
— Inflatable Doll
— Heaven-Controlling Bottle
— Fox Spirit Matchmaker Travel Pass (Permanent)]
"System, use one draw," Xiao Se commanded mentally.
[Ding! Congratulations, Host.
You have obtained: Sword Dao Supreme World Travel Pass (7 days).]
"Sword Dao Supreme World?"
Xiao Se froze again.
That world…
It was perfect for sword cultivation.
Not only did it contain Sword-Shaped Grass that could directly strengthen sword intent, but also spirit stones that could be absorbed to greatly increase cultivation speed.
It seemed that after the Inner Academy Selection Tournament ended, he would need to take a trip.
While Xiao Se was lost in thought, Xiao Yu shoved a lamb skewer toward his mouth.
"Little pervert, what are you spacing out for? Eat!"
Xiao Se bit into the skewer and laughed.
"You guys eat first. I'll bring some food to two friends and come right back."
As he spoke, he took out a plate, loaded it with several vegetable skewers and lamb skewers.
His gaze then fell on the remaining intact lamb rib.
After hesitating for a moment, he placed his hand on it and spoke in his mind:
"System—exchange this rib."
The rib vanished instantly.
A new system notification echoed.
[Ding! Congratulations, Host.
You have exchanged for:
Tang San's External Spirit Bone — Eight Spider Lances.]
"Pfft—!"
Xiao Se nearly burst out laughing.
Barely holding it in, he covered his mouth, staggered a little, and hurried into the depths of the forest.
—
"Does Brother Xiao Se have friends inside Jia Nan Academy?"
Xun'er asked curiously as she watched his strangely hurried retreating figure.
Among them, only Little Fairy Doctor and Zhu Zhuqing were closest to Xiao Se.
Xiao Yu hadn't moved in with them, so she knew little of what had been happening around him lately.
Hearing this, Little Fairy Doctor and Zhu Zhuqing exchanged glances and nodded.
Mischievous smiles appeared on their faces at the same time.
They naturally knew that the "two friends" Xiao Se mentioned were Long Kui and Queen Medusa.
As for why they smiled like that—
It was because Xiao Se's staggering walk earlier made them believe he had just been bitten by Queen Medusa again.
—
At the same time—
Douluo Continent.
Soto City Great斗魂 Arena.
Under Yu Xiaogang's guidance, after more than three months of grueling training, just like in the original storyline, Shrek Academy arrived at the Soto Arena to participate in the team battle matches.
Their opponents this time were the Emperor Battle Team, led by Yu Tianheng and Dugu Yan.
Because Zhu Zhuqing was absent—and Dai Mubai's strength was far weaker than in the original timeline—the battle was extraordinarily difficult.
At this moment, Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun, Oscar, Ning Rongrong, Xiao Wu, and even a temporarily recruited agility-type Soul Elder had all been eliminated.
Only Tang San remained on the arena platform, struggling to hold on alone.
"Sigh… Xiao Gang, it still seems too forced,"
Shrek headmaster Flender sighed in the rest area.
Beside him stood a middle-aged man with unnaturally rosy skin.
Tall and thin, dressed in a coarse gray robe, his wrinkled face was pale yet flushed red. His brows carried not the slightest trace of masculinity, giving him an androgynous appearance.
Combined with that stiff, middle-aged face—
No matter how one looked at him, he felt unpleasant.
He was none other than Yu Xiaogang—
The man who, two years ago, had been tricked by Xiao Se in an "egg-for-egg" deal.
Now, because of his disciple Tang San, he had come to Shrek Academy to serve as an instructor.
(End of Chapter)
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