After receiving guidance from Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang, Tang San finally let go of his inner anxieties. He no longer obsessed over the pace of his cultivation, choosing instead to trust in his path.
Meanwhile, Xiao Wu had kept true to what she once declared at the Lake of Life. Though she still loved to play, her dedication to cultivation had visibly intensified—so much so that even Qi Lin found himself surprised by her change.
But seeing this new side of her, Qi Lin was genuinely happy for her. He even began sharing some of his own insights into cultivation.
From Qi Lin's perspective, soul masters on the Douluo Continent relied far too heavily on soul skills gained from spirit rings. Their control and understanding of raw soul power were crude at best.
Drawing from knowledge of novels and anime from his previous life, Qi Lin experimented with his own methods to refine soul power. Unlike others who might flounder blindly, Qi Lin, guided by sheer luck and instinct, managed to devise a systematic approach.
He practiced water-stepping and tree-running to refine control, soul power compression and purification to enhance quality and soul skill potency, and trained in multitasking, soul power perception, and transformation techniques.
Though his methods were few in number, they required precise execution. Without a structured system, one could easily injure themselves. But now that Qi Lin had perfected them, he taught Xiao Wu without holding anything back.
To be honest, acting as a teacher and guiding her growth gave him an unexpected sense of fulfillment.
Time flew by.
In the blink of an eye, a year and a half had passed.
And today was a special day—
Qi Lin graduated!
As the academy's outstanding student representative, he stood proudly on the stage, addressing a crowd of hundreds. Gazing at the respectful and admiring eyes of the younger students, Qi Lin felt completely at ease. He even delivered a short, impromptu motivational speech.
To thunderous applause, he stepped down from the podium.
After the ceremony, Qi Lin, Xiao Wu, and Director Su chatted leisurely. Though age had crept up on Su, he still appeared as energetic as ever.
"Hard to believe," Su sighed, watching the two bright-eyed youths before him, "in just a blink, you two have already grown so much."
Qi Lin smiled warmly. "Director, thank you for taking care of us all these years."
Su waved his hand. "None of that now. If anything, the academy should be thanking you both. Your names alone attracted more talent from other cities than we could've hoped for."
After a few more pleasantries, Director Su asked, "So, have you decided which academy you'll be heading to next?"
Qi Lin and Xiao Wu exchanged a glance and shook their heads.
"No concrete plans yet," Qi Lin replied. "We'll see where the path takes us."
Su nodded thoughtfully. "With your talents, every academy on the continent would fight to recruit you."
What he didn't know, though, was that Qi Lin had no intention of becoming a student again.
At forty-eighth rank, why would he? Even the All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Tournament in two years didn't interest him. By then, he might already be at the sixties or seventies in rank, with a suite of overpowering soul skills.
It'd just be bullying rookies. What fun was that?
After Su left, Tang San approached with a calm smile.
"Xiao Wu, Qi Lin—any plans for what comes next?"
"Not yet," Qi Lin responded with a light grin.
Tang San's eyes lit up. "Then how about I recommend a place?"
Qi Lin's brow arched slightly. He already had a good idea of what Tang San was about to say.
Sure enough, Xiao Wu asked curiously, "You already picked an academy, San? Don't tell me it's some shady, no-name place!"
Despite her occasional naivety, Xiao Wu had grown more discerning after years at Nuoding Academy. She was clearly worried Tang San might get scammed.
But Tang San only smiled confidently.
"Don't worry. This place was recommended by my teacher himself. Not only are the instructors powerful, but the academy encourages individuality and personal growth. They believe in letting students explore and evolve freely."
His tone became more impassioned as he spoke.
"More importantly, every student there is a monster in their own right. Only true monsters are allowed to enroll."
Xiao Wu was clearly swayed by his words—his pitch carried a certain mystique, a sense of prestige that couldn't be ignored.
Still, she wasn't so easily convinced. "Do they have a Titled Douluo?"
Tang San's face darkened. Titled Douluo?
In a school?
What did she think, that Titled Douluo grew on trees?
But since it was Xiao Wu asking, he kept his temper in check and patiently explained:
"Xiao Wu, Titled Douluo are the peak of the continent. You can't expect to find them casually hanging around an academy. But I heard from my teacher that this school—Shrek Academy—has more than one Soul Sage."
That caught Xiao Wu's attention. Even one Soul Sage was rare enough; multiple was impressive.
After all, Nuoding Academy's headmaster was only a Soul Sect. His level wasn't even as high as Qi Lin's now!
She turned to Qi Lin, eyes expectant.
Qi Lin, on the other hand, had a complicated expression. He hadn't expected Tang San to market Shrek Academy like it was a dreamland.
Sure, the instructors were strong—but all that stuff about personal freedom and nurturing individuality? That just sounded like "do whatever you want" to him.
Soul masters went to advanced academies to learn. If everything was self-directed, then why bother going?
Qi Lin didn't really get Shrek's teaching philosophy. But he had to admit—they had ridiculous luck. Somehow, they actually managed to recruit several outrageously talented students.
Clearly, Flender had some serious dog-shit luck on his side.
Still, rather than rejecting outright, Qi Lin replied, "We'll visit Shrek Academy and take a look first. Then we'll decide."
He had no intention of enrolling, but checking the place out wouldn't hurt. After all, he'd crossed into this world—might as well meet the iconic characters in person.
That alone made the journey worth it.
Tang San, hearing this, smiled knowingly.
In his mind, Qi Lin's words already meant half an agreement. Once they saw Shrek for themselves, he was certain they'd join.
He hadn't been there yet either, but he trusted his teacher's judgment. Plus, he'd already met the principal—Flender. The man was stingy as hell, but his strength was undeniable.
Two months ago, Tang San had broken through to Rank 30 and, with Flender's help, ventured into the Star Dou Forest to acquire his third ring:
A 1,600-year-old Human-Faced Demon Spider.