Cultivation very painfully slowed down after months and then years passed as I studied within Nuoding Academy.
My alchemy abilities mean that, in terms of practice, only become more potent as while I woudn't fail a refinement of pills and elixers even with a newly used formula. I could always improve on the formula that I got with my reincarnation.
Time... Time in a cultivation world was the most valuable thing in that universe, especially. It was by design a painfully thin resource that you could feel slipping between your fingers.
When I got my first soul ring, I shot up to rank sixteen in but a few months and then not even a year later I reached level twenty. And with Zhao Wuji's help again. He helped me and Tang Wutong get our second spirit rings with both of us getting thousand-year-old spirit rings.
Tang Wutong killed a two-thousand-year-old Moon Light Fairy, which made her spirit ring skill allow her to shoot blinding lasers from her large butterfly wings that came from her Martial Soul.
Likewise, for me, in wanting to expand my Dragon Triopod's Alchemy refinement abilities, I had Zhao Wuji's aid in getting a water Alchemy and combat-applicable Spirit Ring skill from a Yin Coldwater Serpent that had just over five thousand years of cultivation.
My second spirit ring allowed me to practise Water path alchemy which was a very different path from fire-based alchemy, in which you burn away impurities and fuse the medicinal products together to make pills or elixers.
Water-based alchemy was meant for elixers, pills, or refinements that didn't inherently have much or any impurities. Like for example, later on when we came across a bunch of heavenly herbs that didn't NEED any refinement.
I could use my water alchemy to refine the entire plant into multiple pills which would make it far more powerful with its original effects.
Like the immortal herb that Tang San gave to Ning Rongrong, which allowed her Martial Soul to evolve. With that same immortal herb along with water-based alchemy... Especially the yin-yang waters of the Yin-Yang immortal pool.
I would be able to make at least 10 pills that had the same level of effects as the immortal herb had that Ning Rongrong consumed for herself.
And the skill also worked not only in alchemy but also in combat as a stream of high-power cutting water jets that came from my summoned Dragon Tripod Martial Soul. Just like my own first spirit ring.
But... After reaching level twenty and going beyond, even with the extra spiritual power that came from having a five-thousand-year spirit ring. My cultivation slowed greatly, even with my alchemy.
There were three very important reasons for that.
One, Nuoding Academy didn't have any specialized methods of training soul masters, as the kids here were meant to go to noble academies and not combat academies.
Two, Yu Xiaogang himself wasn't a fighter... His fighting style was to literally disgust his opponents to death by his pig-shaped 'dragon' sharting on them so violently that weaker spirit beasts would just fucking keel over and die from the stench and horror of the foul fluids covering it.
And thirdly, and most importantly. I couldn't fucking practice my alchemy when I was dead broke and no one would trust six to ten-year-old to refine cultivation-enhancing medicine or just medicine in general...
But now at twelve years old, having spent six years of my life running around Nuoding Academy like a damned fool trying to barter and forage for herbs and treasures in the nearby forest, we were finally moving on!
"Haaa... I can't keep asking Wuji to keep coming over to help you all get your soul rings. It's time for you two, my disciples, to join an intermediate Academy. As I can't help you get your third soul rings." Yu Xiaogang said with a sigh before he looked at me awkwardly.
"Especially you, Xiao Tian. I can't help you at all with your plans to get a ten-thousand spirit ring for your third spirit ring." He said helplessly.
To which I shrugged and said calmly. Not putting any blame on my 'Grandmaster' as I was well used to him generally being mostly useless besides being a font of knowledge.
Like, he was an amazing encyclopedia for sure. Better then Google from my past life, as I didn't need to search through dozens of links when he could easily answer damn near any local questions I had for Soul Beasts and such.
But although Google could tell you how to butter your toast. This guy coudn't even get the right knife to butter his toast without cutting himself and then stabbing two women in the heart at the same time.
"Shrek Academy... It's kinda far from Nuoding City." Tang Wutong said softly as she looked back towards where we came as we entered the smaller Suotuo City.
But just to be contrary to Tang Wutong. Xiao Wu snorted and said happily. "It's got a lovely rustic air doesn't it Tian Long? Besides, it's not like we had any real friends we are going to miss back in Nuoding City!"
Yu Xiaogang cleared his throat and then said calmly. "Besides, you three monsters' inability to make friends with normal people. Here with Shrek, Xiao Tian will have the resources to accomplish his alchemy. Especially the Mind Veiling and Meridian Shielding pills he needs."
As getting a ten-thousand-year soul ring for myself wasn't going to be easy, even if I reached the Hearthfire Stage, the second stage of the Flame Emperor's Body. This made my physical body much stronger, along with making me very resistant to flames.
Those two pills that Yu Xiaogang mentioned would protect my mind from the soul shock of the stronger spirit beast when I absorbed it's soul.
And then more importantly, the Meridian Shielding pill would protect my body while also absorbing the excess Soul Energy from the spirit ring absorption, allowing me to cultivate faster afterward as I absorbed the extra energy.
Both pills however, required actual valuable herbs that were regularly consumed by the nobility and were thus... Very expensive and hard to find naturally.
Neither Xiao Wu nor I were strong enough to wander for days if not weeks, through the most untouched dense forests to find such things.
"Yes, my own friend Flender has grown strong as well over the years and even opened his own Academy! So with Zhao Wuji and my friend Flender, who is a Spirit Saint, Xiao Tian will be able to get the resources he needs!"
My face twitched as even having spent more than six years of my life here in this universe. I remembered all too well that Flender was notorious for being a miser.
"Where is Shrek Academy anyway?" Xiao Wu asked a bit impatiently.
And with a hum, Yu Xiaogang said thoughtfully. "Just outside the city. Frankly I had other plans to get setup but with three of you here, I thought it better if I escorted you there personally."
Soon enough, our carriage that Yu Xiaogang was driving reached the wonder that was Shrek Academy as we passed through a makeshift imperial gate that looked like it was made by Zhao Wuji, scratching the characters for Shrek Academy on a log that wasn't even truly flat.
Shrek Academy's own amenities also... Nonexistent, a couple of long apartment-style buildings that held student dorms, obviously, along with a half dozen small private houses for the teachers.
And besides that, there was a large, wide-open training field with several VERY home-made looking arenas. The only 'nice' thing that seemed to be made semi-professionally was the twenty-foot-tall stone walls that surrounded Shrek Academy.
As though to block out the sight of how poor Shrek Academy was.
But still, there was a good-sized line leading out of Shrek Academies' front reception section as a portly man with chef's hat was taking down admission information and smiled at seeing Yu Xiaogang and pointed behind him with a chuckle.
"Hello, Grandmaster, you can take your geniuses to the back. They can skip the first two tests with the information you provided previously."
A parent who just paid to have their children tested for their talent and bone age then complained loudly. "What the hell do you mean they get to skip the first two tests and don't even need to pay for admissions!? We paid good money just to have our children tested and we don't even get our money back if they fail your insane standards."
The chef snorted and then called out loudly.
"Dubai! We got more complainers! Send them out!"
A loud snort rang out, and from behind the large sign of general information came an older teenager with silver-streaked blond hair, and vicious tiger eyes that were filled with a hungry light.
"Shrek Academy doesn't accept losers and those without talent, so scram!" 'Dubai' roared as he activated his beast Martial Soul, with himself growing more tiger features and a fierce aura surrounding him.
And most importantly, having three spirit rings floating behind himself, which meant he was a Spirit Elder and in reality a teenager Spirit Elder was a great sign of talent!
The parents who were probably barely even Soul Masters if at all, cowered at the tiger like Dai Mubai.
Though I realized something with a face twitch. In canon Dai Mubai was supposed to meet Tang San and Xiao Wu in Suotou city and get into a fight over a hotel room.
The fight over the hotel room was because Dai Mubai had seduced a pair of civilian twins who he was trying to take to bed... But it seems that in this timeline, where Yu Xiaogang actually brought us to Shrek Academy we got to skip that interaction.
Then I had a thought... 'What if those twins come over and turn out to be pregnant? How would his 'fiancee' in Zhu Zhuqing react to that seeing as he probably got with them?'
I kept my face from twitching from the fantastic thought as I cleared my mind.
Still Yu Xiaogang cleared his throat and then said. "Very well, Shao Xin. How about we just head on now?"
To which the portly Spirit Master with a chef's hat nodded firmly and said. "That's good, you three go ahead with Dubai to the arena for the next test."
We thus went towards the back, where we quickly saw that we weren't the only people having been accepted, as there were two more ladies in the back.
I recognized both from canon, but I let Xiao Wu, the social bunny she was. Bounce forward and introduce herself.
"Hello! My name is Xiao Wu, rank twenty-eight Soft Boned Rabbit. And this is my best friend Tian Long here!"
All the while, not introducing Tang Wutong just to show off her 'fierce claws'.
"My name is Tang Wutong, rank twenty-nine Light Butterfly attack system." Tang Wutong introduced herself with a small nod as she checked out the two women with a thoughtful look.
The two women were our ages compared to Dai Mubai, who was three years older, though already with our Soul Master states. Our bodies matured much faster, so while the three of us were only twelve years old.
Our bodies had the development of civilian fifteen to sixteen-year-olds, and one of the two girls in front of us had already been hit by the puberty train... I wasn't being a weirdo for noticing it, but that was just how this universe worked.
"Zhu Zhuqing, rank 23 Hell Spirit Cat, Agility System." Zhu Zhuqing said with a slight frown to her face at being weaker than us. Zhu Zhuqing herself had dark, cold eyes and long black hair that went down past her shoulders.
Then came the other of the two in a girl who was very colorful as she wore a bright pink dress with long leggings that prevented any upskirt issues in this combat-heavy world.
"My name is Ning Rongrong! Heiress of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan! And obviously, I have the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda that is a bloodline Martial Soul of my clan!"
There was a pause before Xiao Wu grinned and asked. "Soooo what rank are you though, Ning Rongrong!?"
Ning Rongrong's face twitched,, and she said with a huff before she threw Zhu Zhuqing a look. "Rank 25. Not in last place at least."
Zhu Zhuqing just snorted before a loud voice rang out as Dai Mubai also made his way over towards us from the front area.
"Everyone! The third and fourth tests will be combined with your ample numbers this time!"
I looked over and Xiao Wu waved at Zhao Wuji, who huffed and didn't acknowledge the rabbit waving as he said seriously. "Shrek Academy only takes in genius's. And what is a genius who is unable to perform in combat in this world!?"
He nodded with him folding his large arms across his chest as he said bluntly. "Your next test is to form a team. All of you together, including yo,u Mubai to fight me for... Five minutes. You just have to keep standing, and you are free to go all out!"
I raised a hand, and at Wuji's nod, I smiled evilly and asked. "Sooo I can use poison or pills too?"
Zhao Wuji... Being VERY well aware of my alchemy actually swallowed and had to clear his throat before he cleared his throat and said firmly. "Only martial souls and normal weapons. None of your evil tricks, Tian Long."
I saw both Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong giving me a wary look as Zhao Wuji was actually a fairly famous Soul Master and well known for his strength.
Still, I shrugged, and then we turned to Dai Mubai for him to introduce himself as Zhao Wuji added. "I will give you all five minutes to talk and make a plan. So don't call me a bully for not giving you all the time to prepare, haha!"
To which I snorted and muttered. "A Soul Emperor is giving us a handicap. Oh joy."