Tang Sui, feeling somewhat tired, shook her head. "I can still manage."
Tang San was worried, and the Master frowned as he watched. However, he didn't have Oscar give Tang Sui another sausage to recover. Instead, he looked at the silent Zhu Zhuqing and the others and said sternly, "Others, continue. After Ma Hongjun is Xiao Wu, then Ning Rongrong, and finally Zhu Zhuqing."
"Sui Sui, I want to see your limit without the aid of food-type spirit abilities for recovery. Can you hold on?"
The Master gazed deeply at Tang Sui. She let out a breath, straightened her back, her expression resolute. "Yes, I also want to test my limits."
"Very well, then, the fourth match, begin now."
At the Master's command, Ma Hongjun stepped out of the line, offering Tang Sui a sheepish smile. "Um, Sui Sui, can you… go easy on me?"
Tang Sui's response was two heavy masks flying towards him.
Ma Hongjun immediately began a frantic dodge and attempted counter-attack.
But unfortunately, Ma Hongjun was still a Great Spirit Master who hadn't broken through to Spirit Elder. In terms of both mental power and spirit power, he was far inferior to Tang Sui.
Soon, Ma Hongjun followed Dai Mubai's footsteps, being sent flying by a mask. It was only when Tang Sui used a spirit ability on him that he sat up from the ground with a groan. Under Xiao Wu's smiling gaze, he dejectedly covered his face and walked behind Dai Mubai, feigning tears.
"Brother Dai, I think my reputation is in tatters!"
The time he lasted under Sui Sui was even less than Little Ao.
It was too embarrassing!
"It's alright, Fatty. Everyone needs an adaptation period." Oscar, who approached to comfort Ma Hongjun with feigned sincerity, couldn't suppress the smug curve of his lips, causing Ma Hongjun to wail again.
The fifth match was against Xiao Wu.
To everyone's surprise, Xiao Wu, who launched a preemptive strike with her Charm, ended up facing Tang Sui's Ape Mask's Nightmare, after Tang Sui reacted with alarm.
Charm and Nightmare, this could be considered a novel way of combat.
But in the end, Xiao Wu, whose mental power was slightly weaker, failed her Charm. She was backlashed, coughed up blood, and then abandoned the shortcut. She flexibly employed her third spirit ability, Teleportation, to constantly employ hit-and-run tactics against Tang Sui. The match concluded in a draw, with Xiao Wu's spirit power depleted and Tang Sui's stamina exhausted.
Next was Ning Rongrong dodging under Tang Sui's masks, which also served as a de facto break and recovery time for Tang Sui. However, when it came to the final opponent, Zhu Zhuqing, Tang Sui's weakness as a support-type and with poor stamina was exploited by the agile Zhu Zhuqing. To the envious gazes of Ma Hongjun and Oscar, her stamina dropped to zero again. With the Ape Mask and Fox Mask unable to match Zhu Zhuqing's speed, she conceded defeat.
Today's total record: Four wins, two losses, one draw.
The previous day's battles and sparring had made everyone much more familiar with each other, and they had a general understanding of each other's strength.
At five in the morning, Tang Sui, with her eyes closed and a sleepy expression, was pulled by a yawning Xiao Wu. They joined Tang San, who had already finished his Purple Demon Eye training and was full of energy, waiting outside their dormitory. The three of them walked into the cafeteria, treading through the moist morning mist.
As soon as they entered the cafeteria, the rich aroma of food wafted towards them. Tang Sui, who had kept her eyes closed all the way, finally opened them amidst the scent of food, and a flicker of light shone in her clear blue eyes.
There was delicious food!
And the scent of meat!
In the cafeteria, the Master was moving back and forth in the kitchen.
As Tang Sui and the others entered, the Master took out freshly steamed meat buns, thin-skinned, tender, and perfectly presented on oval trays.
"You're here? Try my cooking. Everyone, sit down and eat."
The Master, who was in charge of the cooking, had a dark gray apron tied around his waist, stained with several drops of oil, indicating that the cooking process was not calm.
"Good morning, Teacher."
As Tang Sui took her seat, she also greeted the Master obediently.
Tang San and Xiao Wu did the same.
A smile flashed in the Master's eyes. He handed three steaming cups of soy milk to the three of them. "Drink some water while you eat, don't choke. If you finish the soy milk in your cups, there's more in the wooden barrel over there. I made a big pot. Oh, and Little San, come help me after you finish eating."
As for Sui Sui, he would let her rest a bit longer.
"Okay, Teacher."
Tang San sat on one side of the long table, close to Tang Sui and Xiao Wu.
The three had only just started biting into their meat buns when the cold-expressioned Zhu Zhuqing and a sleepy Ning Rongrong entered the cafeteria side by side.
It was important to note that in this world, there were no convenient alarm clocks; everyone had to wake up according to their own biological clocks.
Ning Rongrong had barely slept all night to make it to five in the morning.
This was the first time she had woken up so early. Even when they went to the Star Dou Forest before, Zhao Wuji had never asked them to gather so early for travel.
"Good morning, Master! Oh, Sui Sui, you guys are here early today too."
After greeting the Master, Ning Rongrong's gaze suddenly fell upon Tang Sui, who was already seated, and her whole person perked up considerably.
"Yes, you two sit down and eat too." The Master also served Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing two bowls of easily digestible millet porridge. He then turned and continued to busy himself in the kitchen. Su Dan Novel Network
Holding their bowls of hot millet porridge, Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong exchanged glances. In the end, the subtle, appetizing aroma of the millet porridge conquered them.
"It smells so good. Today's breakfast is more than twice as good as the food from the past few days."
Ning Rongrong looked at the rich spread of dishes that hadn't all been served yet and almost mistook it for dinner or lunch, not breakfast.
After sitting down, Tang Sui, with both cheeks puffed out from stuffing food, mumbled indistinctly, "Lao Si's cooking has always been good."
This taste was incredibly nostalgic.
Ever since she came to Shrek Academy, she hadn't had any special meals.
—Author's Note—
Sui Sui: A person who eats is a person of spirit, a person who eats is superior!
See you tonight~