Chapter 47: A Different Shrek

After Ma Hongjun absorbed the whale glue, his physical fitness improved greatly. Flanders decided to rest for a few days before heading to the Star Dou Forest to hunt soul rings for Shao Xin, Oscar, and Ma Hongjun.

This time, the team would be led by Flanders and Zao Wou-Ki, with Lu Qibin and Li Yusong in charge.

Shrek Academy had fully embraced the elite route, enrolling soul masters every year. Its reputation was no longer that of a misleading institution.

The notion that one could earn the title of Viscount of the Empire upon graduation was a myth.

Flanders had simply listed the academy's outstanding students. In essence, as long as you were a genius, you were welcome at Shrek. Shrek only accepted monsters, not ordinary people.

Li Luochen still felt awkward about this. Did monsters really need training? But even though he saw through the façade, he would keep his thoughts to himself. After all, Shrek was his home and had corrected many of its faults. It was enough. Training monsters would also benefit Shrek.

Enrollment remained restricted to those whose soul power had reached level 25 or above by the age of twelve and who had the best soul ring configurations. Those who had achieved the level of Great Soul Master with two yellow soul rings before turning twelve were highly qualified, but Flanders would not accept them; instead, he would refer them to Blue Overlord Academy.

Especially this time, when they went to Tiandou, Flanders' relationship with Liu Erlong changed. Liu Erlong suggested that if Flanders' academy couldn't continue, he could join her at Blue Overlord Academy to open Shrek Academy there.

Flanders considered this. It was true that building a mimicry training room was costly. Shrek Academy lacked such a facility, which had actually hindered the improvement of the students.

Fortunately, Li Luochen had found a way to use whale glue to enhance his physical body. He could absorb soul rings above his level, and his soul power cultivation would not lag behind that of advanced academies. However, his normal cultivation was slower compared to advanced academies.

Thanks to Shao Xin's high-quality sugar beans, continuous sales had brought substantial funds to the college, allowing it to provide the students with high-quality medicinal baths.

Flanders had indeed considered merging with Blue King Academy, but it wasn't the right time yet. He planned to wait a few more years and bring a few more talented students to Blue King Academy.

In fact, Flanders had given 70% of his gold soul coins to Liu Erlong, asking her to upgrade the mimicry training room at Blue Tyrant Academy.

Due to the butterfly effect, Shrek Academy's graduate representatives Qin Ming and Mo Yu had written a letter expressing their desire to become teachers at an advanced soul master academy.

Flanders responded and suggested they join Lanba Academy in Tiandou City, where the dean was their master's wife, ensuring they would be treated fairly.

On the other hand, Qin Ming and Mo Yu had been traveling across the mainland for many years. Qin Ming was nearing the Soul Emperor level, and Mo Yu needed less than two years to break through. They were preparing to form a group to go to Tiandou Royal Academy, but Flanders had arranged a good position for them.

The two of them went to Blue Tyrant Academy in Tiandou City together. Since then, Blue Tyrant Academy had gained two young and powerful teachers.

One night at Li Luochen's home:

"Grandpa, you're here," Li Luochen said, standing up from his chair as he saw Li Yusong enter.

"Xiaochen, why did you ask me to come over at night? Only Lao Lu and Xiaoyan are left at the academy. Why the secrecy?" Li Yusong was puzzled by his grandson's actions.

"Hehe, this is a special treat for Grandpa. Here, Grandpa, this is the seventh-grade dragon ganoderma, which is highly beneficial for soul masters with dragon-attributed martial spirits. You're 57 now, and your cultivation will slow down.

This dragon ganoderma can directly increase your soul power and improve your dragon pattern stick," Li Luochen explained as he handed over the seventh-grade dragon ganoderma. There was a dragon pattern on the ganoderma, and Li Yusong felt an urge to consume it immediately, though he hesitated.

"Xiaochen, I'm old now. We shouldn't waste such precious herbs. I know my talent. I'm fortunate to be a Soul Saint in this life. You and Xiaoyan should keep it for yourselves," Li Yusong said, shaking his head in refusal.

"Hey, the immortal herbs Yanzi and I consume are far superior to this. Grandpa, truthfully, Yanzi and I use much more valuable herbs. This seventh-grade dragon ganoderma is insignificant to us," Li Luochen said directly, pressing the dragon ganoderma into Li Yusong's hand. "Eat it quickly and refine it. Just chew and swallow it, then refine it on the spot. I believe it can at least increase your soul power by two levels."

Li Yusong didn't argue further. It would be rude to refuse a gift from his grandson, so he put the ganoderma in his mouth, chewed it, swallowed it, and then began to refine it immediately.

When Li Luochen came back that day, he also gave his grandfather the complete "Zhou Tian Wuji Gong."

Currently, only four people had practiced the complete Zhou Tian Wuji Gong: Dugu Bo, Dugu Yan, Li Yusong, and Li Luochen.

Others at Shrek Academy practiced only the rudimentary stages of the technique. While their cultivation speed was faster than meditation, the effects of each level of the complete technique varied.

As Li Yusong refined the seventh-grade dragon essence, he practiced the Zhou Tian Wuji Gong, breaking through the second level, then the third level... until reaching the fifth level.

Li Yusong, a powerful Soul Emperor, faced no bottleneck before breaking through the seventh level. With the aid of the dragon ganoderma, he achieved a significant breakthrough in his martial arts.

The fifth level of Zhou Tian Wuji Gong provided endless improvements, greatly enhancing Li Yusong's soul power reserves. His reserves were nearly half more than those of other Soul Emperors of the same level, demonstrating the power of the Zhou Tian Wuji Gong.

The complete Zhou Tian Wuji Gong made up for Li Yusong's soul ring configuration shortcomings. Provided a 50,000-year-old sub-dragon soul beast was prepared for his seventh soul ring, Li Yusong would be nearly on par with Soul Saints of the same level.

Even if Li Yusong's soul rings were ten years old, the maximum age for the seventh soul ring was fifty thousand years. Many Soul Saints had seventh soul rings of thirty thousand years. The older the seventh soul ring, the more powerful the martial soul avatar.

Li Luochen planned to help his grandfather acquire the next three high-age soul rings to assist in reaching a higher level.

By early morning, Li Yusong had completely absorbed the seventh-grade dragon essence. The breakthrough in his martial arts had increased his soul power by three levels. Li Yusong was now a level sixty-nine Soul Emperor.

Additionally, his martial soul dragon pattern stick had improved. The dragon pattern on the stick had become deeper and more lifelike, and the quality of the martial soul had reached the peak of high-level martial souls. With a well-chosen seventh soul ring, Li Yusong's martial soul could further improve.

"I didn't expect Grandpa could still improve at such an old age. Xiaochen, thank you," Li Yusong said emotionally.

After his grandson Li Luochen was born, his parents had been killed by soul beasts while hunting souls. At that time, Li Luochen was just a child, making him feel as though fate was mocking him.

Now, having come this far, his grandson was talented and had found a wife who was also helping his grandfather achieve breakthroughs.

"What are you talking about? Grandpa, without your care, I wouldn't be where I am today. You didn't abandon me when I was confused but took great pains to care for me. It's my duty to respect you. We're family, and we should always support each other!" Li Luochen said with heartfelt sincerity.

"Hahaha, okay, it's Grandpa who's lost his temper. By the way, when will you and Xiaoyan give me a great-grandson to dote on? I hope to see my great-grandson soon," Li Yusong said, shifting the topic to family matters.

"Um... it's too early for that. I'm not even thirteen yet. There's no rush. Grandpa, you're in good health now. You can live another sixty years without any problem. Besides, I want you to become a Titled Douluo. Titled Douluos have a longer lifespan," Li Luochen said, changing the subject. Indeed, discussing marriage and children was a significant issue.

"Hahahaha, Grandpa is eagerly waiting for your surprise. A Titled Douluo, huh?" Li Yusong said with a smile, clearly amused by his grandson's ambitions.