Chapter 45: Three Spoons of Sugar

Before long, the drumstick Elder Xuan was munching on was finished, and he immediately reached for some chicken wings, as if he had an insatiable appetite.

"The two with the hair-based martial souls aren't bad, especially with their fusion skill. As for Xiao Yan, he's still lacking. Even though his first soul skill mutated into a mental detection ability, his first ring is only a ten-year rank. That's a flaw that can't be overlooked," Elder Xuan commented, taking a sip of wine to emphasize his point.

"But… his martial soul is his eyes!" Wang Yan sighed.

Elder Xuan shook his head, replying, "Do you know what's most important about a body-type martial soul? It's potential, the ability for the martial soul to evolve. Eyes as a body-type martial soul don't have much potential for evolution; even if they mutate, they're unlikely to gain offensive power. He may have decent physical qualities, but his spirit power level isn't sufficient for our needs."

"Besides, this boy's background is somewhat dubious."

Wang Yan frowned in confusion. "Elder Xuan, what do you mean his background is questionable?"

"The letter recommending his admission is forged. Recently, someone with an extreme ice attribute also managed to sneak into Shrek Academy. It seems Xiao Yan has some connection to that person." Elder Xuan said this as he rose to his feet, holding a chicken wing in one hand and his massive wine gourd in the other, wobbling as he made his way down from the viewing platform.

"What?" Wang Yan's eyes widened in shock.

"Don't worry too much," Elder Xuan's voice echoed back. "After all, this is Shrek City. No one can stir up too much trouble here. As long as he doesn't harm the academy's interests, I won't look into it further." In a flash, he disappeared from the assessment area.

Meanwhile, the referee's voice rang out from the stage, announcing, "Class 7, Xiao Yan's team, victorious!" along with Zhou Yi's snide remarks toward Mu Jin.

The newcomer assessment quickly progressed to the quarterfinals, with Xiao Yan's team needing only two more consecutive victories to claim the championship.

---

Time passed quickly, and by dusk, Xiao Yan headed to the cafeteria to buy his usual rabbit meat and potatoes, then made his way out of the academy grounds.

The flow of students at the gate had noticeably decreased, likely due to the assessment period, with everyone busy training in their dorms.

After checking his seasonings, Xiao Yan marinated the cleaned rabbit, threading it onto a skewer. He expertly started the fire, and soon, the coals in the grill were glowing red.

Next, Xiao Yan began preparing his signature "Heavenly Silkworm Potatoes." He washed and polished the potatoes, fried them until golden, then drizzled a homemade sauce over them, releasing a rich, savory aroma.

A few minutes later, a boy in a purple outfit walked over and asked, "How much for the potatoes?"

Xiao Yan smiled politely. "The potatoes aren't sold separately, but if you buy a grilled rabbit for ten copper soul coins, the potatoes come with it. Would you like one?"

The boy nodded and replied nonchalantly, "Alright, the rabbit smells good. I'll try one. By the way, I like a bit of sugar with my potatoes. Could you add some?"

Handing Xiao Yan the coins, he watched as Xiao Yan added two spoonfuls of sugar to the seasoning mix, then frowned slightly. "Why only two? Why not three?"

"Because three would…" Xiao Yan started to explain, but was interrupted by the flash of a gold soul coin clinking onto his grill.

A tall youth in a black school uniform had arrived, strolling over with a confident grin. "No need to give change; I'll take a big rabbit. If I can't win over Jiang Nannan, I can at least treat myself to some rabbit meat!"

Xiao Yan chuckled, "Brother Xu, rain or shine, you never miss a day for rabbit!"

Since he saw Xu Sanshi daily, the two had grown quite familiar. Xiao Yan had come to realize that although Xu Sanshi didn't have Bei Bei's gentle nature and could be a bit hot-headed, he was loyal and honest—a good friend.

Xu Sanshi slapped Xiao Yan on the shoulder and laughed. "What can I say? I love rabbit. Can't sleep well without it. I've tried grilled rabbit from plenty of places, but none compare to yours. Keep it up!"

"Oh, and good luck with your assessment. If you get eliminated, I'll lose my rabbit supplier!" To Xu Sanshi, Xiao Yan was just a modestly talented soul master.

"I'll do my best," Xiao Yan nodded with a smile.

---

While Xiao Yan was grilling his rabbit, a woman in a secluded chamber near the Sea God Lake at Shrek Academy regained consciousness.

"Mmm…" The red-haired woman stirred, instinctively supporting herself as she sat up, her vision hazy. "Where… where am I?"

"The Inner Court? Wasn't I just by the Sea God Lake?" Glancing around in confusion, she hopped off the bed, removing her mask to reveal a delicate but pale face.

"You're awake, Ma Xiaotao?" An elderly voice called out as a white-robed man appeared silently before her—it was Yan Shaozhe, the dean of Shrek Academy.

"Ma Xiaotao, your evil fire surged again, almost like last time. Fortunately, someone used an ice attribute to suppress it. Do you remember anything after you left the lake?"

"I… I'm not sure." Ma Xiaotao shook her head, looking dazed. "I just remember everything turning red, then a dark figure appeared in front of me, and then… I was frozen. Next thing I know, I woke up here."

Yan Shaozhe frowned, pacing before her. "Your evil fire is becoming uncontrollable, Ma Xiaotao. You should've told me sooner. Half a month ago, your fire surge accidentally killed two outer court students. Had they come from stronger backgrounds, the academy would be in a difficult position."

Hanging her head in shame, Ma Xiaotao muttered, "I didn't think it was this serious. I thought I could control it…"

Sighing, Yan Shaozhe patted her shoulder gently. "No need to blame yourself too harshly. What's done is done. For now, suspend your cultivation. Although you're the academy's top talent in nearly a century, we can't risk the academy's reputation for one person."

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