In just half an hour, the three-meter-long rectangular dining table was filled with an array of delicious dishes!
Each plate exuded an enticing aroma that made one's mouth water.
Even Zhou Cheng, who was usually reserved, couldn't help but light up with excitement. He picked up a knife and fork, which he wasn't entirely accustomed to, and began to eat eagerly.
As for Fei Xue, though she tried to maintain some decorum, she too couldn't resist the temptation of the delectable food.
With Zhou Cheng eating so quickly beside her, she had no choice but to speed up her own pace.
For Xiao Tianyang, who had already eaten his fill, this scene held little interest. After all, no one had ever been indifferent to his cooking.
Unless someone harbored hostility toward him, who could possibly resist?
Leaning back in his chair with his legs crossed, Xiao Tianyang casually held a toothpick in his mouth and asked in a slightly muffled voice, "Teacher, now that you've eaten and drunk to your heart's content, shouldn't we get down to business?"
He then let out a yawn and added, "Besides, it's getting late. You aren't sleepy? We certainly are."
Hearing this, Miao Zhenshan finally remembered what he had intended to discuss.
He cleared his throat lightly and said, "Actually, the main reason I called you here is to train the two of them. Moreover, the competition is approaching, and you all need to get used to the pace."
"Is that all?" Xiao Tianyang's face showed a hint of helplessness. "In that case, why not head straight to Heaven Dou City?"
"Not only is it closer to the competition venue, but we can also utilize Shrek Academy's internal training facilities to improve our strength. To be honest, teacher, I think coming here for training is a bit of a waste of time."
"What if I told you there's a natural cultivation treasure here?" Miao Zhenshan replied, not at all angered, but instead wearing a faint smile.
"That's... somewhat acceptable," Xiao Tianyang conceded, his expression shifting slightly as he showed a hint of curiosity. "But I've never heard of any treasures in this extreme northern region. There are only two possibilities..."
Hearing Xiao Tianyang's readiness to analyze the situation, Miao Zhenshan couldn't help but feel a little surprised.
He had intended to pique Xiao Tianyang's interest, but he hadn't expected the young man to already have two possibilities in mind.
"Then tell me, if you guess correctly..." Miao Zhenshan began, intending to offer a reward.
But then he remembered that Xiao Tianyang already possessed numerous treasures, so his own reward might not hold much value. Still, he couldn't back down now.
How else would he maintain his authority in front of these four youngsters?
Suddenly, Miao Zhenshan recalled something and abruptly asked, "kid, Is your fourth soul ring from a ten-thousand-year soul beast? The 70,000-year-old Flame Magma Soul Beast, right?"
Xiao Tianyang, who had been waiting for Miao Zhenshan to continue, was caught off guard by the sudden question. "Yes. What about it?"
"A 70,000-year-old Flame Magma Soul Beast!" Miao Zhenshan exclaimed in shock.
Fei Xue, who had just taken a mouthful of spaghetti, froze in place, stunned.
Zhou Cheng's reaction was the most exaggerated—he spat out the food in his mouth directly toward Xiao Tianyang.
"Hey, what are you doing? That's disgusting!" Xiao Tianyang waved his right hand, releasing a burst of soul power that deflected the food remnants.
Now faced with a choice—either let the remnants fall on the dining table or return them to Zhou Cheng—Xiao Tianyang, adhering to the principle of not wasting food, chose the latter and sent the food flying back to its original owner.
Though his face was now covered in food, Zhou Cheng asked nonchalantly, "Senior brother, are you saying your fourth soul ring is from a 70,000-year-old Flame Magma Soul Beast?!"
"What, is there a problem?" Xiao Tianyang raised an eyebrow.
"Of course there's a problem!" Miao Zhenshan stepped forward, grabbed Xiao Tianyang's wrist, and frowned deeply.
"The Flame Magma Soul Beast is an extraordinary species among soul beasts. A 70,000-year-old one is comparable to a 100,000-year-old soul beast in strength. But that's not the most frightening part."
"Their soul rings have a backlash effect. Once absorbed, they can damage the soul master's origin, leading to severe consequences, even death. Do you still think there's no problem?"
Xiao Tianyang didn't know how to refuse Miao Zhenshan's concern, so he let the man check his pulse while explaining, "Teacher, I have a special physique that you're not aware of. Besides, I'm standing here in perfect condition. Does it look like there's anything wrong?"
Miao Zhenshan ignored him and continued his examination.
After a long while, he finally opened his eyes, his brows furrowed into a deep "川" shape, and his expression turned peculiar.
"Teacher, is senior brother alright?" Fei Xue asked anxiously as soon as Miao Zhenshan opened his eyes.
"Not only is he fine, but the quality of the soul power in his body is almost on par with mine..." Miao Zhenshan looked down at Xiao Tianyang and asked, "How did you manage this?"
Xiao Tianyang withdrew his hand and explained, "There was indeed a problem at first, but it resolved itself later."
Miao Zhenshan's tension eased, and he sat back down. "What kind of problem?"
"I slept for three days," Xiao Tianyang replied honestly.
He didn't hide anything except for the part involving Qian Renxue, explaining everything else in detail.
What he said could only be attributed to his extraordinary talent. First, he didn't lie—there was a part of it that, while seemingly absurd, was entirely true.
Second, Miao Zhenshan had witnessed his growth firsthand. For instance, his first soul ring had been absorbed right under Miao Zhenshan's nose—a thousand year old soul ring!
At the time, it had been hard to believe, but over time, Miao Zhenshan had grown accustomed to such feats. So now, while it was still surprising, it wasn't entirely unacceptable.
Of course, this explanation only applied to Miao Zhenshan.
If it were the other two, they would have been utterly dumbfounded. But then again, after learning about Xiao Tianyang's soul ring configuration, would they even care about a mere 70,000-year soul ring?
Even if it was from a Flame Magma Soul Beast, a soul ring considered nearly impossible to absorb?
After a long pause to digest this information, Miao Zhenshan finally said, "It seems the gift I had planned for you needs to be changed."
"I'm curious, teacher. What was your original plan?" Xiao Tianyang blinked, genuinely intrigued. "Were you planning to give me a soul ring?"
"Originally, yes. But now, your fifth soul ring must be at least 90,000 years old, and it must be one that suits you perfectly," Miao Zhenshan said after a moment of contemplation. "I'll help you take down a hundred thousand year soul beast years for your next soul ring!"
"There's no need to take it down for me. Just help me find a suitable target," Xiao Tianyang replied, first rejecting the offer.
…
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