Not long after, Chu Chengzhou's storage soul device was loaded with three hundred pounds of rough Blue Coppertite ingots.
After leaving the Seven Treasures Merchant Guild, the night wasn't too late yet, and Xiao Wu still had energy for shopping, planning to continue her spree.
Suddenly, Ning Rongrong paused and said, "I forgot to tell Manager Wang something. Wait for me a moment~."
Without waiting for Chu Chengzhou and the others to react, Ning Rongrong rushed back into the Seven Treasures Merchant Guild.
The three of them: "???"
Inside the Seven Treasures Merchant Guild's hall, Wang Fugui, who had just seen off the young mistress, was secretly relieved when he saw Ning Rongrong rush back in.
Immediately, Wang Fugui tensed up and quickly approached.
"Young Miss!"
"Manager Wang, I have something to ask you to do!"
Ning Rongrong directly addressed Wang Fugui.
"Please give your orders, Miss."
Fortunately, there were no customers in the hall at the moment. Wang Fugui dismissed the nearby staff and prepared to listen attentively.
Although he was the head of the Suotuo City branch of the Seven Treasures Merchant Guild and not someone who ran errands, he couldn't refuse any request from the young mistress.
"Send someone to investigate my senior, Chu Chengzhou, and another senior named Xiao Wu. Remember, investigate carefully, especially regarding their ages.
By the way, I think they are from Nuoding City, which is under the jurisdiction of the Fasinuo Province."
Ning Rongrong whispered to Wang Fugui.
"Yes, Miss!"
Without hesitation, Wang Fugui agreed.
"Alright, that's all. I'll leave now!"
Waving her hand, Ning Rongrong left the Seven Treasures Merchant Guild.
Though she hadn't interacted much with Chu Chengzhou, Ning Rongrong was very curious about him, especially his age.
In five months, going from a Level 29 Soul Grandmaster to a Level 34 Soul Elder—based on Chu Chengzhou's displayed cultivation talent, unless he absorbed soul bones to boost his soul power, it didn't seem normal.
Moreover, Chu Chengzhou was not only invincible at the same level but even excelled across levels. With such a powerful True Spirit Flag martial soul and peerless combat strength, it didn't make sense for his cultivation talent to be lower than hers!
After all, throughout the continent's vast history, every soul master capable of challenging higher levels was undoubtedly one of the continent's prodigies.
Additionally, during an idle chat with Xiao Wu last night, Ning Rongrong learned that Chu Chengzhou and Xiao Wu had come to Shrek Academy halfway through last year and were admitted without examination.
Ning Rongrong remembered clearly that Shrek Academy's admission standards required students to be 12 years old, have soul power above level 20, and pass rigorous assessments.
Chu Chengzhou's cultivation talent, being a Level 29 Soul Grandmaster at 16, seemed comparable to a Level 21 Soul Grandmaster at 12. Compared to other students in the academy, his talent was lacking, and it didn't make sense for Principal Flender, with his shoe-horn face, to grant him direct admission without testing.
Moreover, soul masters developed physically faster than ordinary people. Xiao Wu, who claimed to be Chu Chengzhou's sister, experienced her first period at 17. This didn't add up!
Ning Rongrong couldn't help but suspect that they lied about their ages.
Of course, she harbored no ill intentions.
If the investigation results showed everything was normal, she would try to invite them to join the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, but without much pressure, maintaining a close friendship would suffice.
However, if the investigation revealed their talents were so extraordinary that they had to lie about their ages, then as the young mistress of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, she would spare no expense to recruit them.
Soul masters from influential families undoubtedly understood the importance of talented soul masters better than ordinary ones.
And the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, which relied on auxiliary-type soul masters, desired talented soul masters more than any other major power.
After all, talented soul masters represented future strength and were the greatest guarantee of a sect's continuity.
---
A week later.
In the morning, in the dining hall, except for Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun, who had stayed out all night and hadn't returned, Chu Chengzhou and the others were having breakfast.
It had to be said that the teaching atmosphere at Shrek Academy was truly lax.
On the second official day of school, Principal Flender introduced the new students, Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing, to the academy's teachers. After three more days of classes, Shrek Academy reverted to its usual state of having less than two classes per week.
With no classes to attend, the self-proclaimed charming prince Dai Mubai and the "Phoenix of the Brothel" Ma Hongjun naturally didn't return for breakfast.
If not for the fact that they came back once a day, Chu Chengzhou would have suspected that these two might have run out of money and been detained at the Black Horse Club to work as male models to pay off their debts.
Hmm, Dai Mubai has a good face; his business would be thriving.
As for Ma Hongjun, tsk~, perhaps wealthy, lonely widows liked his type?
"Oscar, did you find some money?"
While eating breakfast, Xiao Wu curiously asked Oscar, who looked elated, as if he had encountered something wonderful.
Anyone with eyes could see the excitement in Oscar's heart.
"Xiao Wu, haven't you noticed that Oscar's soul power has broken through to level 30? This makes him happier than finding money."
Chu Chengzhou laughed.
If he remembered correctly, in the original story, Oscar also broke through to level 30 around this time, though slightly later than in the original timeline.
Hmm, perhaps frequent visits to the Black Horse Club's hostesses affected his cultivation?
"Hehe, Big Brother Chu has sharp eyes! That's right, my soul power has broken through to level 30!"
Saying this, Oscar immediately straightened his back.
Instantly, Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing, who were eating breakfast together, looked at Oscar in astonishment.
Breaking through to level 30 meant that as soon as he added a third soul ring, he could become a three-ring Soul Elder.
Oscar was 14 years old. While 14-year-old three-ring Soul Elders weren't rare, the concept was different for food-system soul masters.
At least, neither Ning Rongrong from the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect nor Zhu Zhuqing from the Star Luo Empire's Netherworld Spirit Cat family had ever heard of a food-system soul master advancing to a three-ring Soul Elder at 14.
"A 14-year-old food-system Soul Elder, this is possible! Xiao Ao, among food-system soul masters, I, Chu Chengzhou, proclaim you the strongest!"
Chu Chengzhou gave a thumbs-up.
"Haha~, Big Brother Chu, stay humble!"
Good words were always pleasant to hear, and Oscar was no exception; his mouth almost split with joy.
"Come on, I propose we toast with porridge instead of wine for the future Sausage Lord!"
Chu Chengzhou raised a bowl of fragrant meat porridge he had served himself, gesturing to everyone.
'Sausage Lord?'
Xiao Wu and the other two revealed a strange smile and promptly raised their respective breakfasts: "Cheers!"
"Big Brother Chu, can you change the title? 'Sausage' sounds a bit vulgar."
Upon hearing this bizarre title, Oscar looked aggrieved.
"Xiao Ao, wake up! How many meat buns did you eat to get like this?"
Taking a sip of the fragrant meat porridge, Chu Chengzhou rolled his eyes.
You're not even a three-ring Soul Elder yet, and you're already thinking about titles?
However, Oscar's talent was indeed remarkable. A food-system soul master with full innate soul power had never been recorded in the continent's vast history.
Oscar: "..."
Near noon, Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun, who looked somewhat frail, returned to the academy.
During lunchtime at the academy cafeteria, after finishing lunch and seeing all of Shrek's students present, Flender scanned the group and then looked at Oscar with admiration, saying, "Oscar, you are the fourth student in the academy to reach soul power level 30. On behalf of the academy, I congratulate you!"
Then, Flender withdrew his admiring gaze and continued, "Since Oscar's soul power has broken through to level 30, we will start the next class.
Rest well today. Tomorrow morning, we will set out, led by Teacher Zhao Wuji to the Star Dou Forest to help Oscar obtain his third soul ring.
Oscar is your companion. Adding a soul ring isn't just his responsibility—it's also a training experience for all of you.
Before encountering soul beasts far stronger than you, Teacher Zhao won't easily intervene. Everything depends on you. Do you understand?!"
"We understand!"
Everyone responded.
"Alright, go do what you need to do~."
Waving his hand, Flender left the cafeteria.
"Big Brother Chu, you have many ideas. We're going to the Great Star Dou Forest tomorrow. What kind of soul ring should I get to maximize the auxiliary effect of my sausage martial soul?"
After Flender left, Oscar asked Chu Chengzhou.
In Oscar's view, when Chu Chengzhou previously suggested to Flender that he practice controlling his soul power to solve the problem of needing to chant a vulgar incantation to create sausages, he likely had a good suggestion this time too.
"There are thousands of types of soul beasts, and many soul rings suit you. We'll decide based on the situation when we encounter a suitable one.
However, if possible, the effect of your third sausage should ideally amplify all attributes or enable flight.
Attribute amplification from soul power food differs from attribute amplification skills; their effects can stack.
As for flight, you know the advantage flying soul masters have over ordinary soul masters before reaching the Title Douluo level and being able to fly for extended periods."
After pondering, Chu Chengzhou advised Oscar.
Oscar didn't have cheats. Unless he participated in divine trials in the future, his soul ring years couldn't increase. Without high-year soul rings, many fancy operations couldn't be done.
For example, Clone Sausage that could create clones, Training Sausage that increased soul power cultivation speed, Mirror Sausage that copied others' martial souls, Revival Sausage that reversed life and death, Fusion Sausage that formed a martial soul fusion skill when eaten, etc.
"All attribute amplification or flight?"
Oscar thoughtfully considered; this suggestion seemed pretty good.
---
Early the next morning, after breakfast, when everyone gathered on the playground, Zhao Wuji was already waiting.
Seeing Zhao Wuji, who was short but muscular and exceptionally sturdy, Chu Chengzhou thought that Zhao Wuji should thank him.
After all, if it weren't for him driving Tang Hao and his son out of Saint Soul Village, ultimately preventing Tang San from coming to Shrek Academy, according to the original storyline, on the night of the academy enrollment a few days ago, Zhao Wuji would have been beaten up by Tang Hao.
Avoiding a beating, shouldn't he thank him?
"Since everyone is here, let's go! Mubai, lead the way!"
Seeing everyone arrive, Zhao Wuji waved his hand and habitually assigned Dai Mubai to lead the way.
Dai Mubai nodded, glanced at Chu Chengzhou and Xiao Wu, who held significant hostility toward him, and Zhu Zhuqing, who acted indifferent like a stranger, and said, "The Star Dou Forest is fraught with danger, filled with numerous soul beasts, all extremely aggressive and not fond of humans.
Xiao Wu, being the strongest, should go in front. Oscar and Ning Rongrong, you two follow behind Xiao Wu. Fatty and Zhu Zhuqing, you two take the sides. Chu Chengzhou and I will stay at the back..."
As he spoke, Dai Mubai trailed off.
Because Chu Chengzhou manifested his True Spirit Flag martial soul, and his second and third soul rings lit up consecutively, summoning the Light Lion Little Bai (White) and the Fire Phoenix Little Hong (Red).
'Just lead the way, why so much nonsense?'
Of course, Chu Chengzhou didn't say this aloud, just gave Dai Mubai a disdainful look.
Jumping onto the Fire Phoenix's back, Chu Chengzhou said to everyone, "Xiao Wu, you three sit on Little Bai's back. Fatty and Xiao Ao, you two come with me. As for the formation, we'll follow Dai Mubai's instructions once we get to the Star Dou Forest."
Little Bai was over three meters long, not counting the tail, just from head to butt, with plenty of room for three people to sit comfortably. After all, neither Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, nor Zhu Zhuqing were tall, burly men but rather young girls.
And Little Hong's wingspan was one and a half zhang wide, with ample space to carry Chu Chengzhou, Ma Hongjun, and Oscar.
Of course, letting the summons carry people was only suitable for regular travel. Once inside the Star Dou Forest, it was absolutely not feasible, or else in case of emergencies, they might not be able to react in time.
"Dai Mubai, why are you still standing there? Didn't Teacher Zhao tell you to lead the way?"
After everyone boarded the two summons, Chu Chengzhou frowned and said to Dai Mubai.
Dai Mubai: "..."
Zhao Wuji: "..."
"Xiao Wu, your brother is so mean~"
Sitting on Little Bai's back, squeezed between two people, Ning Rongrong whispered to Xiao Wu sitting in front of her.
Xiao Wu smiled and didn't say anything.
The scene was somewhat awkward, but Zhao Wuji had no intention of intervening in the minor conflicts among the students. Whistling, he walked out of the academy by himself.
Dai Mubai silently fumed for three seconds, then coldly snorted and ran out of the academy.
Not long after Chu Chengzhou's group set out for the Star Dou Forest to hunt for souls, a portly middle-aged man arrived at Shrek Academy.
"I'm Flender, who are you?"
Seeing a stranger enter the academy, Flender immediately appeared, somewhat surprised to see this middle-aged man looking around suspiciously in the academy.
"Greetings, Principal Flender. I am Wang Fugui, the manager of the city's Seven Treasures Merchant Guild. May I ask where my young mistress is?"
Wang Fugui asked respectfully.
Being in the business of big deals, Wang Fugui naturally knew the major local powers in Suotuo City.
He knew that the seemingly shabby Shrek Academy's principal, Flender, was a seven-ring Soul Sage, much stronger than him, a six-ring Soul Emperor.
"Ning Rongrong? You've come at an inconvenient time; she and the other students have gone soul hunting!"
Pushing his glasses, Flender said.
"My young mistress went soul hunting? Then I've disturbed you. Principal Flender, please inform my young mistress that I'm looking for her when she returns."
"Mm."
Flender nodded.
Subsequently, Wang Fugui didn't stay long at Shrek Academy and left directly.
His purpose in coming to Shrek Academy was to report to Ning Rongrong the intelligence he had gathered about Chu Chengzhou and Xiao Wu.
A week ago, Ning Rongrong instructed him to send people to investigate Chu Chengzhou and Xiao Wu. Wang Fugui didn't dare slack off and immediately arranged for clever subordinates to investigate.
This task wasn't difficult, especially since Ning Rongrong told him that Chu Chengzhou and Xiao Wu were from Nuoding City under the jurisdiction of the Fasinuo Province.
The Seven Treasures Merchant Guild backed the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, which was a staunch ally of the Tian Dou Empire. For non-critical confidential matters, borrowing the ally's intelligence system wasn't a problem.
Balak Kingdom bordered the Fasinuo Province, and Suotuo City wasn't too far from Nuoding City. The subordinate Wang Fugui sent wasn't stupid; he directly contacted the biggest local power in Nuoding City—the father of Xiao Chenyu, the city lord, to help gather information.
Coincidentally, the city lord might not remember others, but he had quite a few impressions of Chu Chengzhou and Xiao Wu.
Because Xiao Wu's innate soul power level was very high, possibly even innate full soul power, she became a formal soul master as soon as she entered school and even beat up his son. The city lord naturally wouldn't forget such a genius appearing under his jurisdiction.
As for Chu Chengzhou, although his talent didn't leave much of an impression, he knew that this boy was the grandson of Nuoding Academy's principal, Su Nan.
Even back when his son Xiao Chenyu bullied this boy, Su Nan had come to the city lord's mansion to demand an explanation!
Thus, Chu Chengzhou and Xiao Wu's concealed ages were immediately revealed.
However, since Xiao Wu became the big sister of Nuoding Academy, no one dared challenge her authority, and she hadn't made a move again. Chu Chengzhou remained low-key, and outsiders didn't know their specific strength levels.
Additionally, the Suotuo City Seven Treasures Branch hadn't previously collected public intelligence on the two. Including Wang Fugui, no one knew their current soul power levels. After discovering their ages, it didn't cause much shock, merely treated as ordinary intelligence collection requested by the young mistress.
Suotuo City was located in the southeast of Balak Kingdom, not too far from the Star Dou Forest.
The Fire Phoenix summon and Light Lion summon traveled fast, or rather, Dai Mubai traveled fast. With more than three hours until nightfall, the group reached the Hunter Town on the outskirts of the Star Dou Forest.
However, although it was still early, there was still a long way from Hunter Town to officially entering the Star Dou Forest. By the time they entered, it would be dark, and it wasn't suitable to continue. Chu Chengzhou had Little Hong descend from mid-air to meet with Xiao Wu and the others.
"Rest in the Soul Hunting Town tonight and continue tomorrow morning."
Glancing at Dai Mubai, who was panting heavily, and then at Chu Chengzhou and the other five, who were full of energy, Zhao Wuji addressed the group.
Zhao Wuji had figured it out: the academy's seven students were divided into two factions.
The three girls formed one faction, Chu Chengzhou, Ma Hongjun, and Oscar formed another, and Dai Mubai was alone in his own faction.
Because Xiao Wu had a very good relationship with Chu Chengzhou, the first two factions could be seen as one, while Dai Mubai was subtly excluded.
Of course, even with factional differences, with Zhao Wuji following along, the other students still provided assistance as Dai Mubai ran over.
Ning Rongrong gave him agility boosts, and Oscar provided some recovery sausages. Otherwise, running over four hundred kilometers in half a day, even as a three-ring Soul Elder, would have been impossible for Dai Mubai.
Nodding, everyone followed Zhao Wuji into the Soul Hunting Town.
The Great Star Dou Forest was dangerous. If one didn't have the strength to traverse it confidently, it was best to avoid spending the night in the forest.
Although this wasn't Chu Chengzhou's first time hunting souls in the Star Dou Forest, last time Flender took him directly into the forest. The Soul Hunting Town outside was his first visit.
It was busier than expected. The town wasn't large, roughly three times the size of the village where Shrek Academy was located, but aside from lacking solid walls, it resembled a small city, with shops lining both sides of the streets offering all kinds of goods.
Chu Chengzhou carefully observed that, aside from food and lodging, most shops in the town catered to soul masters.
For instance, some specialized in selling weapons, armor, antidotes, hemostatic potions, and even clothing stores sold special outfits with lots of pockets for carrying various items, suitable for soul masters venturing into the wild.
"Zhuqing, earlier I was almost squished flat by you!"
Walking down the street in Soul Hunting Town, Ning Rongrong complained to Zhu Zhuqing.
Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing rode Little Bai together, with Ning Rongrong squeezed in the middle, behind Zhu Zhuqing, who had a broad chest.
Beast mounts were always less stable than railway trains. When Little Bai moved, its back swayed a lot, making Ning Rongrong uncomfortable in the middle.
If it were Chu Chengzhou, needless to say, he would have enjoyed it immensely, considering it a great privilege. He might even have made Little Bai sway more to enjoy it further.
But Ning Rongrong wasn't Chu Chengzhou and didn't share his unique preferences, so she didn't want to enjoy this privilege.
"Rongrong, you're going to kill me!"
Zhu Zhuqing glared at Ning Rongrong, somewhat embarrassed and angry.
"Tsk~, Zhuqing, who knows whose big treasures will benefit... mmm..."
Ning Rongrong looked at her own and then at Zhu Zhuqing's, envying them as she spoke.
Being called "big treasures" by a close friend, especially with others around, made Zhu Zhuqing blush. She immediately covered Ning Rongrong's mouth, preventing her from continuing.
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