Since Qian Ran's departure to the Sun Moon Empire, nearly everyone around him had thrown themselves into their cultivation efforts.
In a way, his absence was a blessing. As long as Qian Ran was nearby, none of them could fully focus on their training.
Qian Ran had invested significant resources into their growth, artificially elevating their cultivation levels. However, they hadn't had the opportunity to truly consolidate and refine their gains at the time.
Once Qian Ran left, they shifted their priorities back to strengthening themselves. With the resources he had provided, their cultivation speed was several times faster than that of normal students.
The medicinal power of the rare immortal herbs they had consumed continued to integrate into their bodies, enhancing their training efforts further.
Their rapid progress stunned even the seasoned teachers of Shrek Academy. It was no secret that Wang Dong'er and her peers were already extraordinarily talented.
After all, as protagonists of their generation, even without Qian Ran's help, their natural abilities ranked among the best of the era. With Qian Ran supplying them with limitless resources and carefully planning their training paths, their growth was nothing short of meteoric.
For soul masters at the level of Soul Elder or Soul King, it normally took four to five months to advance a single rank. Yet for them, advancement took just over a month.
Their collective strength left even the venerable elders of Sea God's Pavilion speechless. These formidable figures understood that such progress wasn't solely a result of innate talent—it was a testament to the influence of the man supporting them.
In Shrek Academy's history, only Qian Ran himself had managed to ascend a whole tier of cultivation within a single year.
Gaining ten levels in a year, even at lower cultivation levels, was nearly impossible without external aid. That Qian Ran continued this pace into the Soul Elder and Soul King ranks defied belief.
With guidance from Xin Lin'er and Cai Mei'er, Dong'er and her peers had their own private training rooms. Cai Mei'er often offered personalized instruction, ensuring that as cultivators, they were among the most fortunate souls in the academy.
Inside these training rooms, familiar faces gathered: Xiao Xiao, Jiang Nannan, Ning Tian, Wu Feng, Zhu Lu, Lan Susu, Lan Luoluo, Cui Yajie, Nanmen Yuner... All of them had entered Shrek Academy the same year as Qian Ran and Dong'er. During Qian Ran's absence, they had grown increasingly radiant and beautiful.
This period of time, known as the golden age for a girl's development, was made even more impactful by Qian Ran's presence as a "physical catalyst." Having entrusted themselves to Qian Ran early on, they matured faster than girls their age typically would.
Though their ages were comparable to Tang Ya and Jiang Nannan when those two had first gained fame as outer court beauties, they now far surpassed their predecessors in maturity and poise.
Their figures? One could say they were all "impressive," though not in the exaggerated sense.
After adopting Qian Ran's aesthetic preferences, they understood how to accentuate their unique attributes. Each girl had cultivated her own distinct charm.
If physical allure were the measure, Zhu Lu stood out above the rest.
Zhu Lu's figure rivaled that of Zhu Ying and Cai Mei'er—astoundingly full for her age. At her current stage, she was already pushing D+. It was undeniably D+L.
Even considering the Zhu family's natural tendency for such voluptuous physiques, Zhu Lu was exceptional. Among her family, famous for their beauty, Zhu Lu's figure stood at the pinnacle.
The reason was simple. Typical Zhu family girls, like the legendary Zhu Zhuqing of Shrek's Seven Monsters from ten thousand years ago, often resented their overly developed figures. Displeased with their own "excessive" curves, they were unlikely to deliberately nurture them further.
Zhu Lu, on the other hand, recognized her advantage and leaned into it fully. She went out of her way to maintain her edge, consuming a carefully balanced diet of specialized nutritional meals daily. This dedication had made her stand out even among her family's already extraordinary beauty.
Zhu Lu understood that Qian Ran didn't necessarily have a preference for fuller figures, but she knew he appreciated a variety of charms. As long as she could maintain her unique appeal, how could Qian Ran ever forget her?
With Zhu Lu setting such a high bar, the others naturally refused to be left behind.
Take Lan Susu and Lan Luoluo, the twin sisters who usually received the least attention from Qian Ran. They had taken their identical appearances to the next level, coordinating their outfits and hairstyles to amplify their twin allure to its fullest.
Cui Yajie, who wielded a nine-tailed fox martial soul, had also made changes. Knowing that Qian Ran liked her with animal ears, she purchased a variety of accessories, including fox ears and tails. Previously, she had bound her tail with a belt, which wasn't visually appealing. Now, she had found a much more elegant way to showcase it.
As for Nanmen Yuner, she didn't strategize as extensively as the others, being a member of the low-profile Hibiscus Class. Instead, she focused on integrating herself into Dong'er's circle to avoid being sidelined. Having been friends with Ning Tian and Wu Feng beforehand made the process relatively easy.
Understanding the fierce competition among the girls, it became clear why Dong'er had chosen to keep Qian Ran's return a secret initially. She simply wanted a head start—a chance to enjoy a date with him first.
If Qian Ran showed up in the training room now, how could she possibly compete with the rest? At best, she might get one-tenth of his attention.
And this calculation only included the outer court students who had joined Shrek Academy the same year as Qian Ran. Adding in names like Tang Ya, Jiang Nannan, Ma Xiaotao, and Ling Luocheng...
Just thinking about those familiar names gave Dong'er a headache. Was it any wonder she harbored selfish desires?
That said, Dong'er didn't dare monopolize Qian Ran any further. Having already claimed him upon his return, any further selfishness would anger her friends. She didn't want to be ostracized.
Besides, she had experienced Qian Ran's overwhelming strength firsthand. His physique alone had shattered any notion of monopolizing him. How could they? Even if they had the heart for it, their bodies simply couldn't withstand it.
When Dong'er entered the training room, her battle-worn stockings and disheveled appearance immediately captured everyone's attention.
(End of Chapter)