The Great Master ladled two generous scoops from the pot—where the aroma of meat kept wafting—and handed the large bowl to Tang San. He then grabbed two steamed buns and two eggs from the side, arranged them on a plate, and set it before him.
"Eat. All of you are at the age where your bodies are still growing—you need proper nutrition. The body is the foundation of cultivation. Without a strong body, how could one possibly bear an immense amount of Soul Power? Yesterday, I spent considerable time reflecting on what happened to you in the Star Dou Great Forest, especially the fact that you absorbed the Human-Faced Demon Spider's Soul Ring beyond your own rank. Your success was certainly related to your iron will, but the robustness of your body played an equally vital role. Many Soul Masters focus only on cultivating their Soul Power and techniques, yet neglect the most fundamental, most essential physical training. It may not seem to matter in the short term, but over time, it will inevitably become a bottleneck for advancing to higher levels."
Tang San accepted the breakfast the Great Master offered, and his appetite surged immediately. The rich meat broth had clearly been simmering for a long time—the meat, cut into small pieces, had been stewed until it was completely tender, and a faint medicinal fragrance rose from within. The mere smell of it made his stomach growl audibly.
The Great Master's cooking was even better than he had imagined. The broth was rich, fragrant, and savory; the stewed meat practically melted on his tongue. Paired with the two steamed buns and two eggs, this was the most satisfying breakfast Tang San had enjoyed since arriving at Shrek Academy. A warm, pleasant feeling spread outward from his stomach through his entire body—an indescribable comfort.
Tang San had just finished eating when he heard Xiao Wu's voice from outside: "Something smells amazing! Looks like there's something good to eat today."
Two people walked into the dining hall—Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong, her roommate. Others might not know the Great Master's temperament, but how could Xiao Wu be unaware? As Tang San's senior sister figure of sorts, and having been around him for so many years, she had a fair understanding of the Great Master.
"Good morning, Great Master." Xiao Wu greeted him respectfully with a bow.
The Great Master nodded at her, but the smile he had shown Tang San was notably absent. In truth, aside from Tang San, very few people ever got to see the Great Master smile.
Ning Rongrong twitched her nose. She had been dragged out of bed by Xiao Wu and was still somewhat drowsy, but the rich aroma of the broth was gradually waking her up.
The Great Master handed each of them a bowl of broth, a steamed bun, and an egg—half the portion he had given to Tang San. After all, girls had smaller appetites.
"Eat up. If it's not enough, there's more."
The scent of the broth had whetted both Xiao Wu's and Ning Rongrong's appetites, and they immediately dug in.
Seeing Xiao Wu bring Ning Rongrong along snapped Tang San to attention. Of course—he should have invited Oscar as well. Oscar knew the Great Master even better than Xiao Wu did, which meant he understood that their teacher's temperament was far less mild than it appeared on the surface. His uncompromising nature was every bit as unyielding as his name suggested.
With that thought, Tang San hurriedly excused himself from the Great Master. He not only needed to fetch Oscar, but the other members of the team as well.
Thanks to Tang San's efforts, everyone got to enjoy that breakfast. If the ones he had woken up at first were a little disgruntled, that dissatisfaction evaporated after they tasted such a lavish meal. Everyone was full of praise.
Half an hour later, the class bell rang. It was time to assemble.
Sunlight bathed the land, its warmth bringing dryness and vibrant energy. All things stirred to life beneath the brilliant sun. A new day had begun.
The Great Master stood at the center of the training ground with his hands clasped behind his back, looking at the seven students lined up before him by age. He was the only teacher present today. Flandre had made it clear that all instructors at the academy would be working under the Great Master's coordination from this point forward.
His cold gaze swept over the group. "Tomorrow at breakfast time, I expect to see you in the dining hall even earlier. Food needs time to digest after it's eaten—one cannot jump into vigorous exercise immediately. I will have breakfast ready at dawn. If you haven't shown up within half an hour, don't bother eating at all."
The Great Master's commanding eyes passed over each student. He could obviously tell that some of them hadn't truly taken his words to heart, but he chose not to reiterate the point.
"I've already assessed each of your Martial Souls and abilities. Starting today, I will be putting you through an intensive training regimen. Dai Mubai, step forward."
Dai Mubai took a step up, his heterochromatic eyes flickering with light. His private life might have been a bit loose in the past, but when it came to class, he was absolutely a model student. The teacher's word was command to him.
The Great Master regarded the tall, powerfully built Dai Mubai. "Here is your task: from this moment on, without causing any broken bones or serious injuries, you are to defeat the other six—one at a time."
"What?" Dai Mubai froze for a moment, staring at the Great Master in shock.