Time flew like an arrow. Two months passed in a flash. Oscar's soul power had reached the mid-twenty-three level.
When he had absorbed that whale glue, Oscar was just a thread away from breaking through twenty-three. After returning to the academy and meditating in seclusion for a week, he naturally broke through.
Ma Hongjun's soul power also went from early fourteen to late fourteen. Although he hadn't broken through to fifteen, his progress was still significant.
However, regrettably, after two months, Flender still hadn't found any news about whale glue. After all, in this era, this thing wasn't considered anything good, and no one knew its true value, so scarcity was understandable.
So Flender had already started thinking about taking Shrek Academy's teachers down to the sea. With their group of Soul Sages and Soul Emperors, getting a few pieces of whale glue shouldn't be a problem.
Today was Oscar's ninth birthday, which meant Oscar was only nine years old, yet his strength had already reached twenty-three levels.
This not only set a record in Shrek Academy's history but also a record for food-type soul masters, possibly even a record in the soul master world.
On Oscar's birthday, the teachers at the academy all put down their work and arranged a fulfilling birthday for Oscar.
In the morning, Shao Xin prepared a sumptuous breakfast, feeding Oscar beautifully.
After breakfast, Zhao Wuji gave Oscar a set of training combination punches.
That's right, training. This was Shrek Academy's tradition, making Oscar feel both pain and happiness.
When training ended, it was already noon. However, at noon, they didn't immediately go to the cafeteria to eat.
Only at this time did Oscar notice that Flender hadn't appeared all morning. Usually, on his birthday, Flender would prepare a gift for him. Today, he didn't know what was going on - Flender was nowhere to be seen.
And not just today, Flender had been missing for over half a month. Even on Oscar's birthday, he hadn't appeared. Who knew what he was doing.
When asking Zhao Wuji, he just gave vague answers saying he didn't know. But Old Zhao was worst at lying. He definitely knew what Flender was doing, just didn't want to say.
Just as Oscar was wondering, Flender returned. Beside him was a middle-aged man about his height but thinner.
This middle-aged man looked somewhat younger than Flender. With sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes, he was very handsome. Standing there, he gave people an indescribable feeling.
It was as if he was a sword - an icy sword.
Seeing this person, Zhao Wuji walked up to greet him, while the other teachers at Shrek Academy didn't know him.
"Brother Gai Yue, you're finally willing to come out of seclusion!" Zhao Wuji came to the middle-aged man and patted his shoulder.
Gai Yue nodded slightly to Zhao Wuji, "Brother Zhao."
Although Gai Yue didn't seem enthusiastic, Zhao Wuji didn't care, as if he was used to it.
This made Oscar even more puzzled.
Looking through the original story, he hadn't seen this person at Shrek Academy.
Gai Yue? Oscar carefully recalled, afraid he had missed something, but found there really wasn't this person.
However, knowing this person wasn't a teacher at Shrek Academy, perhaps he just didn't have any connection with the protagonist group in the original story, so the original didn't mention him. That was normal.
After all, the original was described from the protagonist group's perspective. Now that Oscar was in this real world, encountering some special people wasn't surprising.
Just as Oscar was thinking, Flender had already started introducing Gai Yue to Shrek Academy's teachers.
Gai Yue had a cold personality, even with Flender and Zhao Wuji who seemed to be his good friends. So the other teachers at Shrek just gave simple greetings.
Then Flender waved at Oscar, "Xiao Ao, come here."
Hearing Flender calling him, Oscar snapped back to attention and walked toward Flender.
Coming in front of Flender, Oscar discovered that this uncle named Gai Yue had been sizing him up, his gaze seeming to want to see right through him.
Oscar didn't like this kind of look, but the man was Flender's friend, so Oscar didn't make any extra moves, but still stood his ground.
"Dean, what's going on?" Oscar asked.
Flender smiled mysteriously, "Today is your birthday. I've prepared a birthday gift for you. But whether you can get it depends on your ability."
Hearing this, Oscar looked at Flender with doubt, meaning, "Where's the thing? At least bring it out before I can decide if I want it!"
Noticing Oscar's expression, Flender leaned close to Oscar's ear and whispered, "Didn't you want to practice the way of the sword? The man beside me, although not as good as that Venerable of the Sword Way, Chen Xin, is definitely outstanding in the sword way. If you can gain his recognition, then he can stay and become your swordsmanship teacher. You handle the opportunity well."
Hearing Flender's words, Oscar's eyes suddenly lit up. Now he finally understood why Flender had disappeared for over half a month. Perhaps, he had gone to find this man.
With Oscar's cleverness, it wasn't hard to think that Flender had specially found this swordsmanship teacher for him. Perhaps it was because of guilt toward Oscar? Or maybe care.
But regardless, honestly, at this moment, Oscar was truly touched.
Perhaps this was the real Shrek?
Why hadn't these things been shown in the original story? It only described how Shrek Academy had accepted so many monster students, and how many had died.
These genuine feelings were what Oscar felt most deeply about. Because everyone at Shrek, from Dean Flender to Li Yusong and Lu Qibin, were silently giving for Shrek's students.
Oscar nodded seriously, "Dean, don't you worry."
Then Flender whispered a few more words in Gai Yue's ear before directly giving the space to Oscar and Gai Yue.
Gai Yue glanced at Oscar, then said indifferently, "Is there a martial arts arena?"
Oscar nodded, "The academy has a fighting arena. I'll take you there."
Gai Yue nodded and didn't say more. Flender and Old Zhao watched Oscar take Gai Yue to the fighting arena at the square, pretending not to see. After the two figures disappeared, several teachers sneaked after them with Ma Hongjun.
Oscar walked in front of Gai Yue, without any stiffness of meeting for the first time. As he walked, he asked, "Senior, is the sword way you practice mainly about killing and attacking, or the speed-type agility attack?"
Although Oscar didn't understand the sword way, having read the original, he knew that the sword way in this world, because of martial souls, also had classifications.
For example, Chen Xin's Seven Kill Sword was mainly a killing sword. The Wind Sword Sect, one of the lower four sects, practiced the speed-type agility attack wind sword.
Hearing this question, Gai Yue behind Oscar was actually stunned. He hadn't expected that Oscar, a child just turned nine, would ask such a question.
But he still answered, "Killing."
The simple two words from Gai Yue's mouth completely satisfied Oscar.
The reason was simple: Oscar's Azure Spirit Jade Sword was actually more suited to practicing the killing-attack type of sword way, not agility attack.
As for cultivation level, Oscar didn't need to ask. Being invited by Flender and treated with such respect, he was at least a Soul Sage.
Although according to the original story, Soul Sages might not count for much, this wasn't the era twenty years later when Title Douluo were everywhere and Soul Douluo were worth less than dogs. A Soul Sage in this era still had significant influence.
And Oscar felt that a Soul Sage as his swordsmanship teacher was completely sufficient. After all, he couldn't really have Sword Douluo come teach him.