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That evening, Ye Lan arrived at the back mountain where Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong were training.
Before even reaching the training area, he could already hear Ning Rongrong's labored breathing.
Ning Rongrong lay half-collapsed under a large tree, her white dress soaked in sweat. Her face was pale, with a hint of lingering flush from heat and exertion.
Under the broad leaves of another tree, Zhu Zhuqing was continuously practicing with her sword, Dark Night, gracefully testing new techniques. Her left and right hands alternated between sword moves.
Under the shadow of her dark purple blade, falling leaves were sliced cleanly in two.
The split leaves were then blown about wildly in the air by the sword wind.
Watching Zhu Zhuqing's sword dance, Ye Lan momentarily lost himself in awe.
Zhu Zhuqing's talent in swordsmanship was exceptional. He hadn't expected her to grasp the basics of swordplay in such a short amount of time.
A flash of green light flickered in Ye Lan's palm, and a slender Blue Silver Grass emerged from it.
"Zhuqing, Rongrong! Have some grass," Ye Lan said, offering the Blue Silver Grass to them.
While Ning Rongrong looked puzzled, Zhu Zhuqing had already placed the slender blade of grass in her mouth.
Zhu Zhuqing gave Ning Rongrong a nod. After seeing her response, Ning Rongrong stuffed the Blue Silver Grass into her own mouth.
As soon as it entered, she hadn't even tasted anything before it quickly transformed into life energy. The green energy began restoring the cells depleted from training.
It was like a drought meeting a flood. The absorption rate was incredibly fast, and every cell in her body seemed to cheer in delight. A soft moan escaped Ning Rongrong's lips.
"Ahem ahem~" Ye Lan coughed deliberately.
Ning Rongrong immediately realized what she had done. Her cheeks flushed red, and she quickly stopped making sounds.
"What kind of grass is this?" she asked, trying to change the subject.
"A mutated Blue Silver Grass. It provides a small amount of life energy—just enough to repair the cellular damage caused by training," Ye Lan explained.
"So your spirit is also Blue Silver Grass? Yours looks so much better than Tang San's! His looks like a bunch of snakes," Ning Rongrong commented, examining the golden-veined, emerald-green grass in her hand.
"Of course! Teacher is unique!" Zhu Zhuqing said.
"Maybe it's because the 'spirit' follows the heart. Zhuqing, don't be fooled by Tang San's honest appearance. His body's full of hidden weapons—he's definitely not as innocent as he looks." Ning Rongrong shook her head, recalling Tang San's berserk expression.
At the Shrek Academy classroom, only four students were present today: Tang San, Xiao Wu, Dai Mubai, and Ma Hongjun.
"Boss Dai, what's going on? Where are the other three? Do you know why they're not here?" Ma Hongjun asked Dai Mubai.
Thinking of how cold Zhu Zhuqing had been to him recently, Dai Mubai replied impatiently, "How should I know?!"
"Fatty, are you going out tonight?" Dai Mubai asked.
"I was at it for a while last night. The evil fire's mostly gone now, so I think I'll stay in." Remembering last night's excitement, Ma Hongjun licked his lips, though his heart ached—his Spirit Master stipend just wasn't enough.
"Good. Watch the dorm for me. I'm going out tonight," Dai Mubai said, still irritated by Zhu Zhuqing's recent coldness. He needed to vent.
"Twin sisters again?" Ma Hongjun raised an eyebrow.
Dai Mubai gave a noncommittal shrug.
"Boss, take me with you! I don't need much—just give me your leftovers!" Ma Hongjun's evil fire stirred at the thought of the twins.
"How can I take you? They wouldn't be interested in you," Dai Mubai said helplessly.
But thinking about how Ma Hongjun was his closest friend at the academy, and that they shared similar interests, he decided to help him out. "Fine. Tonight it's on me. Don't worry about the cost—pick a good one."
Ma Hongjun jumped up excitedly, showering Dai Mubai with praise. "Boss Dai! You're the best! You'll always be my boss!"
Meanwhile, Xiao Wu, overhearing their conversation, wore an expression of disgust.
Still, she didn't say anything—as long as they didn't drag San-ge into it, it was fine.
Tang San also couldn't be bothered with their nonsense. Recently, he had been entirely focused on figuring out how to combine the Blue Silver Grass with the Clear Sky Hammer.
The last battle with Ye Lan had hit him hard. He was desperate to grow stronger but didn't know how. For now, his only idea was to integrate the Blue Silver Grass somehow.
However, since he couldn't summon both spirits at once, combining them seemed impossible, leaving him deeply frustrated.
The four of them waited for a while, and it wasn't until the second class period that the four-eyed owl, Flender, arrived.
The moment Flender entered and saw only four students, he was instantly furious.
Just yesterday, Zhu Zhuqing had questioned his training methods. He had reluctantly agreed to Dai Mubai and Oscar's pleas to let them stay at the academy…
And now those two didn't even show up?
He had some understanding of Zhu Zhuqing. Since entering the academy, she had trained diligently and participated in every Soul Battle on time.
Although she had challenged his methods, at least she had been working hard.
But Ning Rongrong? He had received a letter from Sect Master Ning himself and had even written back with a bold promise to return a transformed Ning Rongrong.
Now she was missing? Winning over the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan would be much harder if this continued.
This doesn't make sense!
He'd heard Ning Rongrong was being excluded by the others—shouldn't she be trying hard to fit in?
"Tang San, where's Oscar? Isn't he your roommate? Did he sleep in?" Flender questioned.
"No, he didn't sleep in. When I left, he was meditating. He probably made some progress in his cultivation," Tang San answered honestly.
"Go check on him," Flender ordered.
Just as Tang San was about to leave, someone rushed into the classroom—it was Oscar.
Oscar beamed as he looked at Flender. "Dean, I broke through!"
"Excellent! As expected of a Shrek Academy monster! You're the second new student to reach level 30!" Flender couldn't hide his joy.
The other four looked at Oscar in surprise. None of them had expected him to be the second to break through—especially considering how much harder it was for a food-type Soul Master to advance compared to battle-type ones.
Dai Mubai smirked. "I heard you got dumped? Don't tell me heartbreak actually helps Soul Masters break through?"
Oscar understood the joke. "Boss Dai, please don't tease me. I've been stuck at that bottleneck for a long time."
Oscar's mindset had indeed been shaken. His plan to isolate Ning Rongrong hadn't gone as expected—she hadn't changed at all.
Last night, as he sat on his bed thinking, he finally decided to walk the right path. He would train hard, fully unleash his talent, and rise above.
Maybe, as his spirit power grew, Ning Rongrong would take notice of him again.
Oscar also suspected something was off between Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing, but he dared not make jokes about it.
Dai Mubai was a fierce tiger; he was just a sausage.
Tang San, Xiao Wu, and Ma Hongjun all went up to congratulate Oscar.
Flender had originally planned to strengthen the unity of the Shrek Seven Devils today—but with the team incomplete, that had to wait.
He turned to Xiao Wu. "Xiao Wu, your dorm is near theirs. Did you see Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing this morning?"
"I actually went to their room to call them, but they weren't there. I thought they went to the cafeteria early," she said.
Flender rubbed his temples in frustration. Sect Master Ning… it's not that I'm not trying. I just can't handle her…
"Go run some laps on the field. I'll teach the final lesson once those two return." He figured they were probably at the Great Spirit Arena again.
As night approached and the sun was about to set…
Flender waited with the five students at the academy gates. Finally, two long shadows appeared in the distance.
"Zhuqing, you smell amazing! Tell me what you used after your bath!" Ning Rongrong leaned in, sniffing.
"Nothing special," Zhu Zhuqing replied, using her hand to push Ning Rongrong away.
Zhu Zhuqing didn't like displaying intimacy in public. Ning Rongrong, on the other hand, didn't care at all.
Ma Hongjun and Oscar kept sneaking glances at the beautiful scene, until Dai Mubai, annoyed, smacked the back of their heads—only then did the two rein themselves in.
Oscar pretended to look elsewhere, but his shifty eyes kept sneaking glances at Ning Rongrong.
Today, Ning Rongrong was especially lively and adorable. Dressed in a white sundress, she looked like the most beautiful little angel Oscar had ever seen.
Oscar began to regret what he had once said to her—that he wouldn't abandon an entire forest for just one tree.
But looking at Ning Rongrong now, not only would he give up a whole forest, he'd sell Shrek Academy itself if it meant pleasing her.
Flender had been waiting the whole day and was now visibly impatient. He'd assumed Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong would only spend a few hours fighting at the Great Spirit Arena. But the two had been absent all afternoon. Clearly, they'd spent the whole day wandering around in Soto City.
He stepped forward and stopped them at the entrance. "Where have you two been? Don't you know there are classes every day? Sure, attending them might be optional, but showing up to report in is still expected, right?"
Zhu Zhuqing remained silent. She didn't want to explain that they had met their teacher.
Ning Rongrong, who had little respect for Flender, answered bluntly, "Obviously we were out training. Or are you saying we spent the day playing around?"
Flender noticed neither of them had even a trace of sweat on their clothes, unaware they'd already showered.
"I say you did spend the day fooling around. Ning Rongrong, perhaps you don't know, but Oscar—also an auxiliary-type Soul Master—has already broken through level 30!" he said pointedly.
"As someone from the same class, how do you compare to him? You're only bringing shame to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan!" Flender scolded harshly.
Oscar couldn't help lifting his chin slightly, subconsciously basking in Flender's praise.
Having recently shaved his beard, Oscar felt confident in his appearance. With his advancement to level 30, he thought surely he could attract Ning Rongrong's attention now.
But Ning Rongrong didn't even spare him a glance.
Zhu Zhuqing, seeing Flender bullying Ning Rongrong again, stepped forward and said coldly, "Dean, Rongrong and I are both only twelve years old. Oscar is already fourteen. By the time Rongrong turns fourteen, she'll likely have passed level 30 as well."
Ning Rongrong felt comforted by Zhu Zhuqing's defense and immediately let go of her frustration.
Then she looked straight at Flender and said firmly, "So what if he's level 30? With my teacher's guidance, I will become the strongest auxiliary-type Soul Master!"
Zhu Zhuqing didn't deny Ning Rongrong's use of the word "teacher." Though she had hoped to monopolize Ye Lan's guidance, she knew the moment Rongrong received instruction from him, she too became his student.
In front of Flender, Ning Rongrong needed a justifiable excuse for skipping class.
"Teacher? What teacher?" Flender sneered. "You can't even keep up with my training. What teacher could possibly help you?"
"Hmph. I'm not afraid to tell you—my teacher is none other than the Green Sovereign, the one who defeated Tang San and Xiao Wu," Ning Rongrong declared proudly.
"Green Sovereign?" Flender and the rest of the Shrek group were stunned. How did the Green Sovereign become Ning Rongrong's teacher?
"You're training under a control-type Soul Master? I won't deny he has skills—defeating Tang San was no small feat. But he's only a level-23 control-type Soul Master and already fifteen years old. Tang San has the same Blue Silver Grass spirit, and at only twelve years old, he's already level 29!" Flender argued.
"What do you know? My teacher is teaching me theory specifically for auxiliary-type Soul Masters. Theoretical knowledge has nothing to do with his current strength. Besides, Tang San and Xiao Wu together still couldn't beat him," Ning Rongrong retorted.
Tang San clenched his fists as he listened.
A loss was a loss. No excuse would change that.
"What kind of theory could he teach you? He's only three years older than you. Do you even know who Tang San's teacher is?" Flender asked sharply.
"My teacher…" Tang San murmured.
"His teacher is none other than the greatest theoretical master on the entire continent—Yu Xiaogang. I've received a letter from him myself. He'll be arriving at Shrek Academy soon to teach. When that happens, we'll have the best theory instructor here. You studying under some young control-type Soul Master is clearly a detour. If you turn back now, you might still be saved," Flender said, full of confidence in Yu Xiaogang's theories.
"Hmph. Let's talk again when this so-called theory master trains a student capable of defeating my teacher," Ning Rongrong shot back. She had complete faith in Ye Lan and didn't believe anyone else could surpass his theoretical understanding.
"Once Xiaogang gets here, you'll see what real theory looks like. You're just inexperienced. What can a 15-year-old control-type Soul Master possibly teach you?" Flender said, though he knew he couldn't really punish this little heiress.
"Dean… will my teacher really come?" Tang San asked hesitantly.
"He will. He should be arriving soon. Once he's here, you'll all benefit from much better instruction," Flender said.
Tang San nodded, but he felt lost. He had been following his teacher's plan step by step… yet the sudden appearance of Ye Lan now seemed like an insurmountable mountain in his path.
"Now listen up—all of you! We have one final lesson today. Only if all of you pass it will I take you to the Star Dou Forest for field training," Flender announced.
"Star Dou Forest? Are Da Ju and Bear Two still around?" Zhu Zhuqing recalled the two soul beasts.
"Sounds noble, but isn't this just about helping Oscar get his third ring?" Ning Rongrong remarked sarcastically. She knew full well that a newly advanced level-30 Oscar would need a new spirit ring, and the Star Dou Forest was the best place for it.
"Well, that is one reason. All Shrek students will be fully supported by our Soul Emperor, Soul Saint instructors, and even me, your Soul Douluo dean, when obtaining spirit rings," Flender explained, taking the chance to highlight Shrek Academy's perks.
So this is the treatment Shrek students get? Ning Rongrong thought. Back at Notting Academy, getting my second ring took a huge effort with just a Spirit Grandmaster's help. And now here, students get led by Soul Emperors?
"No more nonsense. Your final lesson for today is simple: all six of you must eat one of Oscar's sausages!" Flender declared.
"Huh? What kind of stupid class is that?" Xiao Wu was the first to protest, her eyes flicking toward Tang San in distress.
"Kill me first, I'm not eating that," Ning Rongrong snapped. Just yesterday Oscar had rejected her—now she was supposed to eat one of his sausages, made with those perverted incantations?
Zhu Zhuqing didn't say a word, but her silent step backward made her opinion clear.
"This is psychological training! The incantation doesn't matter. Oscar is a food-type Soul Master with innate full spirit power—his sausages are invaluable! If you're stuck in the wild without food, you'll be eating rats, cockroaches, or worms. In comparison, sausages are luxury!" Flender scolded.
"This is a test of your mindset. Shrek doesn't train normal people—we train monsters. If you can't overcome this tiny hurdle, how will you become a monster? I didn't say anything when you skipped class before, but if you can't pass this one, you might as well leave the academy now!"
"Oscar, begin!"
Oscar stepped forward energetically and shouted:
"I have a big sausage!"
"I have a small sausage!"
His eyes gleamed with sleaze, constantly sneaking glances at Ning Rongrong.
Despite his calm expression, Oscar's heart was burning with anticipation. If Ning Rongrong would just eat one of his sausages, he would feel immensely satisfied inside.
The moment she heard those filthy incantations, Ning Rongrong's skin broke out in goosebumps.
Then she caught Oscar's creepy look and immediately understood his disgusting thoughts.
"Keep them for yourself. There's no way in hell I'm eating that," she said with disgust.
"Dean, I've spent a long time surviving in the Star Dou Forest. If I ever run out of food, I'll eat rabbits, fish, or wild chickens. So no—I'm not eating it unless Oscar changes those gross incantations," Zhu Zhuqing said firmly.
She remembered the grilled chicken and fish that Ye Lan had made before. With so many options in the wild, she would never resort to something so nasty.
"Zhu Zhuqing, don't you want to defeat Dai Mubai? If you can't even do this, how can you hope to surpass him?" Flender tried to push her into leading by example.
"Dean, eating his sausage has nothing to do with beating Dai Mubai. There are many food-type Soul Masters—not just Oscar. And besides…" Zhu Zhuqing thought of Ye Lan's life-giving Blue Silver Grass. But she would never reveal her teacher's secret.
Knowing he couldn't convince the Ning-Zhuqing duo, Flender turned to Xiao Wu.
But Xiao Wu dodged behind Tang San the moment she saw his eyes shift toward her.
What a joke! she thought. I'm Sister Xiao Wu—if I'm going to eat a sausage, it's definitely not Oscar's!
If she ate his sausage, how would San-ge look at her afterward?
Tang San himself found Oscar's incantations revolting. Seeing no one else was eating, he quietly turned away, pretending there was something fascinating in the distance.
Ma Hongjun watched the others refuse one after another and couldn't help groaning from hunger.
He'd wanted to eat as soon as the sausages appeared. If Flender hadn't insisted that the girls go first, Ma Hongjun would have devoured one right away—he was used to eating like this.
"Hey, Old Oscar, since they won't eat it, I will!" He grabbed a sausage, took a huge bite, and smacked his lips loudly.
As soon as Ma Hongjun snatched it, Oscar's embarrassment eased slightly.
Originally, Oscar had wanted Ning Rongrong to be the first to eat, but now he simply watched dejectedly as Ma Hongjun chowed down.
After Ma Hongjun finished, no one else would touch the sausages. Flender rubbed his temples in frustration—this class of freshmen was impossible to manage.
He'd warned them: if you refuse to eat, you must leave Shrek Academy. Now more than half of them had done exactly that. Should he just disband the whole academy?
Tang San, sensing Flender's predicament and recalling Yu Xiaogang's teachings on food-type Soul Masters, spoke up: "Dean, Oscar doesn't have to use such… unsettling incantations to make his sausages. After all, it's just a food-making soul skill. Changing the chant shouldn't be too hard."
Flender winced. He knew that Oscar's first soul skill had used this unsavory chant, and after eight years it had become a habit. Altering it would take time and might weaken the food's effect. The chant was the purest reflection of a food-type Soul Master's heart—only by putting one's heart into it could one create the best food.
Thinking of this, Flender glanced disparagingly at Oscar, Ma Hongjun, and Dai Mubai. What sin had he committed in his past life to end up with students like these? At least Yu Xiaogang's students seemed relatively normal.
"Oscar, listen to Tang San. Try to change your incantation. Your food's quality is great, but if no one's willing to eat it, what good is that?" Flender urged.
"I'll try…" Oscar murmured, opening his palm and experimenting with new chants.
"All right, that's the end of today's lesson. Oscar, you shouldn't need long to adjust your chant. You're dismissed—pack up. We leave for Star Dou Forest tomorrow. Any objections?" Flender scanned the group.
"I have one. Rongrong and I must stay in Soto City this month. I need to train with her, so we can't go to Star Dou Forest," Zhu Zhuqing said. She knew Ye Lan would remain in Soto City for only a month and wanted to spend that time with him.
Ning Rongrong nodded in agreement. "I only have a month to train with my teacher, so if you force me to go to Star Dou Forest, I'll withdraw from the academy."
"Rongrong!" Oscar blurted out, alarmed.
"Who are you calling?" Ning Rongrong shot back, disgusted. "Call me Rongrong again and see what happens."
"If Rongrong withdraws, I'm out too," Zhu Zhuqing said firmly. Their teacher hadn't required them to stay at Shrek Academy—once her strength surpassed Dai Mubai's, she could challenge him elsewhere.
Dai Mubai's expression turned dark. He realized Zhu Zhuqing hadn't come to see him after all, though he still didn't understand her purpose in joining the academy.
Flender, knowing that standing firm would cost him two prodigies, relented. "Fine. You two stay in Soto City. Once Xiaogang arrives, you can all train together."
"Tang San, Xiao Wu, Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun, Oscar—be ready. We leave for Star Dou Forest tomorrow."
"Yes!" all five responded in unison, sounding like a real team.
One week later, Soto City Great Spirit Arena.
"Let's congratulate the Seven-Treasure Spirit Cat duo on another winning streak!" the tuxedo-clad announcer exclaimed. His sales had exploded over the past two weeks: not only had the Green Sovereign achieved nine consecutive solo victories, but his familiar Seven-Treasure Spirit Cat pair had been unstoppable as well.
Ning Rongrong looped her arm through Zhu Zhuqing's, beaming as they walked toward Ye Lan waiting in the lounge. "Teacher, how did I do? Hee hee—I managed to hold off an ordinary Soul Master!"
Ye Lan nodded approvingly. "Very good. You've improved a lot since your first match."
Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing had mastered extreme soul-force augmentation faster than he had. Back when he'd begun training, his soul force reserves were small, limiting his practice time. They, however, only began training at Great Soul Master level. Although their physical gains weren't as dramatic as his early improvements, their learning speed was far greater.
More importantly, he hadn't had the benefit of the Extreme Life—Blue Silver Grass to heal his body. Their recovery now outpaced anything he'd experienced.
Still, their rapid progress validated his training methods. After praising Ning Rongrong, he began the lesson: "Rongrong, although you can barely restrain an ordinary Soul Master now, your battlefield positioning needs further refinement."
"Positioning?" Ning Rongrong asked curiously.
Zhu Zhuqing looked intrigued as well.
"In simple terms, use terrain," Ye Lan revealed.
"Terrain? Isn't the Great Spirit Arena just flat ground?" Ning Rongrong frowned.
"What else is there besides the ground?" Ye Lan countered.
"Me and Zhu Zhuqing?" she ventured.
"Exactly. In a one-on-one fight, that's hard to see. But in seven-on-seven team matches, your teammates become moving terrain. You can create a 'human wall' by positioning yourselves correctly."
"Oh!" Ning Rongrong's eyes lit up.
Zhu Zhuqing gazed at Ye Lan with stars in her eyes, filled with admiration.
"An auxiliary-type Soul Master is both the team's amplifier and its weak point. Zhu Zhuqing, in a seven-on-seven match, how would you end the fight quickly?" Ye Lan asked.
"I'd bypass the frontline and eliminate the opposing auxiliary Soul Master first. They're the weakest but also the team's core," Zhu Zhuqing replied without hesitation.
"Right—striking the auxiliary first is correct. The sniper—sensitive-attack—Soul Masters' role is to remove enemy units swiftly."
"Rongrong, if you were facing Zhu Zhuqing as the opposing sensitive-attack Soul Master in a team fight, what would you do?" he asked Ning Rongrong.
"I… I don't know. Zhu Zhuqing would quickly take me out," Ning Rongrong admitted. After all, she knew Zhu Zhuqing's undefeated one-on-one record, especially since she'd begun using Dark Night.
Ye Lan rubbed his temples—his hint had been so obvious, yet Ning Rongrong hadn't connected the dots. Perhaps Zhu Zhuqing's strength intimidated her into inaction.
"Rongrong, in a team fight, Zhu Zhuqing's first target is your team's auxiliary. Likewise, the enemy will aim for your auxiliary—you. If her tactic fails, you should use your 'friendly wall'."
"Mentally rehearse it: if a sensitive-attack Soul Master comes for you, run toward your control and heavy-attack teammates. If they still pursue, your control Master can bind them. Then you, the control Master, and the heavy-attack Master create a local three-versus-one. Meanwhile, your own sensitive-attack Master can then restrain their heavy-attack opponent."
"That's a simple bait tactic. Do you understand the auxiliary's strategy now?" Ye Lan asked.
Ning Rongrong ran through the scenario in her mind. Her eyes sparkled. "I get it! Use my teammates as bait. Even if they lock onto me, I lure them close enough that they're cut off and surrounded by my allies!"
Ye Lan nodded. "Well taught."
"What does 'well taught' mean?" Ning Rongrong asked.
"I'm complimenting you."
"Yay!"
Zhu Zhuqing, hearing Ye Lan's tactical breakdown for the first time, was stunned. Most seven-on-seven matches she'd seen were really just seven one-on-ones—rarely any true team strategy. She imagined being caught in the bait trap: the control Master restraining her, the auxiliary and heavy-attack Masters focusing fire—it would end quickly.
"Teacher, is there a tactic for speed-type Soul Masters?" Zhu Zhuqing asked softly.
"Of course. But since it's just the two of you now, I'll give you a simple duo strategy," Ye Lan said.
"Rongrong, in two-on-two, you can still use Zhu Zhuqing as your moving terrain," he continued. "In prior duels, you focused on holding one opponent so Zhu Zhuqing could amplify. As long as she eliminates one enemy before you're taken out, you effectively win two versus one, right?"
"Exactly! I'm much stronger now—I can hold out a long time," Ning Rongrong said proudly.
Ye Lan almost face-palmed. Sure—thanks to extreme soul-force augmentation and her secondary soul skill amplifications, she ran around the arena tirelessly. He'd given up on improving her melee skills; asking her to dodge in close combat was like teaching a cow to play piano.
"Very good. But in the future, leverage Zhu Zhuqing's speed." Ye Lan thought but didn't say, Her speed advantage is obvious—none of this close-range running nonsense.
"Her greatest strength is speed. She can strike and dash away. She also uses her 'Spirit Cat dynamic vision' to dodge attacks."
"So you can lead your opponent on a chase around Zhu Zhuqing. Once they're committed to your movement rhythm, their back will be exposed to her. She can abandon her immediate target, use speed to disengage, and then you amplify her for the finishing blow."
"That's using her speed to create a local two-versus-one," Ye Lan finished.
Ning Rongrong nodded rapidly, like a chick pecking grain, growing more worshipful by the second.
Zhu Zhuqing thought, Meeting my teacher was the luckiest thing in my life.
"Zhu Zhuqing, Rongrong—focus on the training I've assigned at Shrek. Come to my house each day for Blue Silver Grass—I can only prepare it for one day's use. I'll be busy refining my theory and won't have afternoons free for lessons."
"Theory? Ye Lan, are you going to publish your theory?" Ning Rongrong asked excitedly.
"Indeed. I've been competing in the Great Spirit Arena to fund its publication. I might even enlist the Seven-Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's merchants in a few days," Ye Lan said.
"When you publish, tell me. I want to help!" Ning Rongrong beamed.
Ye Lan pondered his platform. The Spirit Hall would work, but he didn't know the Soto branch master. In Notting City, he could rely on Grandmaster Matthew Notting. The Lily family's guild was too small. Ultimately, the Seven-Treasure Glazed Tile Sect made the most sense—it was nominally the top sect of the Spirit Empire but effectively above it. If the Spirit Hall ever ceased soul-hunting, the Glazed Tile Sect would remain neutral, using its wealth to maintain the balance of Douluo Continent.
Now that he was half a teacher to Ning Rongrong, word of his talents displayed in Hanhai City and the Great Spirit Arena would likely reach them. It was probable the sect's heir, Ning Fengzhi, would invest in him. Using the sect's merchant guild to build goodwill was the best way to cement that alliance.
Tang San felt a pang of jealousy—no matter how careful Ye Lan was, he dreaded the chance his true motives might leak. Making more friends was the only safeguard.
"All right—it's decided!" Ye Lan concluded.
(End of Chapter)