As for Fu Qin, he not only had to leave him a magical herb, but also help him to get together with Ning Rongrong.
He patted Dai Mubai on the shoulder, his tone indifferent.
"Mu Bai, I know you're feeling bad right now, but you can't force matters of the heart. You should think carefully about what to do next."
Dai Mubai looked up at Tang San, his eyes filled with bitterness and resentment: "Little San, I..."
"No need to say anything more." Tang San interrupted him, his eyes full of meaning.
"What the team needs are partners who can fight alongside them, not people who hold them back. You'd better think about that."
After saying that, Tang San turned and left, leaving Dai Mubai standing there, stunned and feeling a chill in his heart.
He knew that Tang San had made his point very clear: if he couldn't resolve his issue with Zhu Zhuqing, he feared he would be kicked out of the team.
Fu Qin witnessed all of this.
The smile on his lips grew increasingly playful; he could more or less guess what Tang San was thinking.
However, this suited him perfectly.
The loss of power by Dai Mubai and Oscar will only benefit him, not harm him.
Ning Rongrong sensed Fu Qin's smile and looked up to ask.
"Brother Fu Qin, what are you laughing at?"
"It's nothing, I'm just a little surprised."
...
Three days passed quietly.
The square of Shrek Academy was already filled with people who were fully prepared and ready to go.
Yu Xiaogang was still wearing his greasy long gown, pointing with his slightly overweight finger at the dark stones piled up in the corner of the square, his voice resounding.
"The first phase of training is over. Your next task is to traverse the Devil's Path!"
He raised his hand and pointed to the rugged path hidden in the mountains behind the academy, his gaze sweeping over the crowd.
"This road is a full four hundred kilometers of abandoned mountain road from the academy to Soto City. It is rugged, steep, and overgrown with thorns. It would take an ordinary person three days to walk it, but you must arrive in Soto City before this evening."
As soon as he finished speaking, no one showed surprise in their eyes, except for Zhu Zhuqing, who had not yet regained her memory, who was somewhat shocked.
Four hundred kilometers of mountain roads, and you have to walk them all in half a day?
Although Ma Hongjun and Oscar have both been through it once, who would want to experience something like this a second time?
Dai Mubai frowned slightly, looking at the stones that weighed dozens of kilograms each, and felt his scalp tingle.
Ma Hongjun cried out in despair, "Master, this is too abnormal!"
Yu Xiaogang remained unmoved and said coldly, "Each person will carry a load corresponding to 30% of their body weight. Begin receiving the load now."
Fu Qin looked at the heavy stones, his gaze sweeping over Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing beside him.
Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing were fine, but Ning Rongrong, being a support-type character, was slender and would probably collapse before reaching the halfway point if she had to carry such a heavy load for 400 kilometers of mountain road.
He stepped forward and asked Yu Xiaogang, "Master, can we help each other? For example, share the burden?"
Yu Xiaogang paused for a moment, then nodded: "Okay, teamwork is part of what I'm looking for."
Having received permission, Fu Qin no longer hesitated.
Under the astonished gazes of Yu Xiaogang, Flander, and the others, he walked straight up to Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing. Before the three women could react, he scooped all the stones out of their baskets and placed them steadily into his own.
The already heavy basket instantly became even heavier, weighing over a hundred pounds, pressing down on his shoulders, yet he didn't seem to be struggling at all.
"Brother Fu Qin!" Ning Rongrong exclaimed, then smiled playfully at him, her eyes full of sweetness and dependence.
"Then I won't be polite!"
She naturally wouldn't stand on ceremony with Fu Qin, knowing his formidable strength and enjoying his unique care.
Moreover, in the past six months, she has spent a lot of time in bed helping her "good brother" Fu Qin relieve the pressure of cultivation.
Xiao Wu stepped forward, reached out her fair little hand and pinched his cheek, her voice soft and sweet.
"Brother Fu Qin, thank you so much! You're so kind!"
As she said this, she turned to look at Tang San not far away, winked at him playfully, and gave him a sweet smile.
Just like training a dog, she would occasionally give him a little treat so that Tang San would always harbor fantasies about her.
Tang San's eyes lit up, and his heart was filled with joy. He felt that Xiao Wu still loved him the most, and Fu Qin was just her younger brother.
He gave Xiao Wu a simple, honest smile, inwardly cursing himself for being such a scoundrel in his past life, for betraying such a wonderful Xiao Wu.
As Zhu Zhuqing watched Fu Qin carry her own stone over, a warm feeling welled up in her heart.
But she quickly composed herself, stepped forward, gently took her own stone from Fu Qin's basket, put it back in her own, and said firmly.
"Thank you for your kindness, but I cannot accept it."
She looked up at Fu Qin, a stubborn glint in her eyes.
"I want to become stronger, I want to rely on my own strength, and no longer place my hopes on anyone else."
Dai Mubai's betrayal had already broken her heart. Now she only wanted to rely on herself, or at least... she wanted to put up a fight.
Looking into her determined eyes, Fu Qin felt a surge of admiration and nodded.
"Okay, I respect your choice. If you get tired, just let me know."
Zhu Zhuqing gave a soft "hmm," her cheeks flushed slightly, turned around, shouldered her load, and took the lead in walking towards the Devil's Path.
That slender yet upright back exudes an indomitable spirit.
This scene, witnessed by Oscar, only fueled the flames of jealousy within him.
He stared intently at Ning Rongrong's sweet and dependent expression towards Fu Qin, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked.
In her past life, Ning Rongrong was clearly his wife and his partner who ascended to godhood alongside him. But now, she has fallen into Fu Qin's arms, relying on him completely while ignoring him!
The feeling of watching his wife being taken away drove him mad with jealousy, and his eyes were filled with resentment and bitterness as he looked at Fu Qin.
【Oscar's inner monologue: Fu Qin! You bastard! Rongrong is mine! She's my wife! How dare you steal her from me? I'll make you pay!】
His jealousy surged again, almost breaking through the defenses of reason. Only because of Fu Qin's strength and the gazes of the Shrek Academy members did he forcibly suppress the urge to attack.
Fu Qin felt Oscar's resentful gaze and a playful smile appeared on his lips.
He didn't take the Oscars seriously at all; this kind of clown can't cause any trouble.
"Alright, let's go." Fu Qin said to Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong as he shouldered the heavy load, which weighed over a hundred pounds.
His steps were steady, unaffected by the weight, as if the weight on his back was not hundreds of pounds of stone, but a feather.
Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong followed him on either side, chatting and laughing, their mood unaffected by the difficult task at hand.
Yu Xiaogang watched Fu Qin's retreating figure, a hint of amazement flashing in his eyes.
Carrying over a hundred pounds of weight is no easy feat for a Soul Master, yet Fu Qin did it with such ease. His strength and physique are truly astonishing.
Flander stroked his beard, grinning from ear to ear: "This kid, we've really struck gold!"