The transition from the loosely managed chaos of Dean Flender's leadership to the rigid, soul-crushing discipline of the Grandmaster, Yu Xiaogang, was like trading a summer breeze for a mountain of iron.
When the Grandmaster finally arrived at the gates of Shrek Academy, his eyes immediately fell upon the tallest figure in the village. Li Wei, standing at 6'7" with his silver-white hair catching the morning light, looked more like a monument than a student.
"Li Wei," Grandmaster said, his voice flat and devoid of emotion. "I see your physical growth has matched your cultivation. But speed without endurance is just a fast way to die. And wealth without strength is just a target for the strong."
Li Wei grinned, leaning against a weathered wooden post that groaned under his weight. "Good to see you too, Grandmaster. I see you still haven't found a tailor who likes colors. Don't worry—once I finish your training, I'll buy you a wardrobe that doesn't scream 'impending doom'."
The Grandmaster didn't crack a smile. "To the training grounds. All nine of you."
The Hell Training Begins: The Weight of the World
The first phase of the Grandmaster's "Hell Training" was deceptively simple: a run. But this wasn't a jog through the woods. Each student was given a bamboo basket filled with rocks.
"Mubai, you carry sixty kilograms. Tang San, fifty. Xiao Wu, Xiao Ling, forty," Grandmaster commanded. He then turned to Li Wei. "Li Wei. Since you claim to be the 'Speed Force,' and since your body is already dense with cosmic energy... you will carry one hundred and twenty kilograms. And you will not use your Speed Force lightning. If I see a single spark, you start the lap over."
Li Wei looked at the massive pile of rocks. At 29% Fusion, his natural Mass Strength made his body incredibly heavy and durable, but carrying a physical weight without the kinetic assist of the Speed Force was a different beast entirely. It was a test of raw, biological grit.
"A hundred and twenty?" Oscar squeaked, struggling to lift his own twenty-kilogram basket. "He's going to sink into the mud!"
"He'll be fine," Xiao Ling said, hoisting her basket with a determined grunt. She looked at Li Wei, her eyes meeting his. "Right, Wei?"
"Right," Li Wei rumbled. He hoisted the massive basket onto his broad shoulders. The straps bit into his muscles, but he didn't flinch. "Consider it a warm-up. Let's move, Shrek!"
The Long Road to Soto
The path from the Academy to Soto City and back was ten kilometers. They had to complete ten laps.
By the third lap, the sun was a punishing hammer. The "Shrek Nine" were no longer a group of cocky geniuses; they were a line of suffering teenagers.
Li Wei was at the back. Every step he took left a deep imprint in the dirt. Without his lightning, he couldn't "cheat" physics. He felt every ounce of the 120kg. His sweat turned the silver of his hair into a matted grey.
"Need a hand, Big Guy?" Ma Hongjun panted, his face purple from the heat.
"Focus on your own breathing, Fatty," Li Wei gritted out, his voice a low growl. "I've got... plenty in the tank."
But he was struggling. His 15-year-old soul was screaming for a break. This wasn't like a business deal or a quick arena fight. This was the grind. He looked ahead and saw Tang San, who was already turning back to help Oscar. He saw Xiao Ling, her scorpion braid damp with sweat, refusing to slow down.
I'm the Speed Force, Li Wei thought, his heart hammering against his ribs like a trapped bird. I am the energy of the multiverse. If I can't carry a few rocks, how am I going to carry the fate of these people?
He closed his eyes and reached inward. He didn't activate his lightning—that would be breaking the rules. Instead, he reached for the Cosmic Energy. He began to circulate the stellar radiation he'd absorbed through his marrow, using it to reinforce his bone density and muscle fibers. It was a 2% enhancement—subtle, invisible, but enough to turn his fatigue into a steady, burning flame.
The Bond of the Nine
By the seventh lap, the team was falling apart. Ning Rongrong had collapsed twice, her pride finally shattered by the sheer physical toll. Oscar was pale, his legs shaking.
"We do this together!" Tang San shouted, his voice raspy.
Li Wei stepped forward. He reached out and grabbed the edge of Oscar's basket with one hand, shifting his own 120kg weight to his other shoulder.
"I've got you, Sausage-man," Li Wei said, his 20% Hemsworth bravado replaced by a grim, brotherly resolve.
"And I've got Rongrong," Xiao Wu said, taking the girl's arm.
Xiao Ling moved to Li Wei's side, placing a hand on the small of his back. She wasn't pushing him—she couldn't move that much mass—but the warmth of her hand through his shirt gave him a second wind.
"We're almost there, Wei," she whispered.
They crossed the finish line of the tenth lap as the moon began to rise. All nine of them collapsed into the dirt, a tangle of limbs and empty baskets.
Grandmaster stood over them, his arms crossed. For the first time, there was a ghost of a nod in his stance. "You finished. Together. Li Wei, you carried nearly double the weight of the others and assisted a teammate. Your 'Cosmic' cultivation seems to have stabilized your core."
Li Wei lay on his back, staring at the stars. He could feel his Fusion ticking up to 30%. The breakthrough was silent, but he felt it—a sudden expansion of his mental processing speed. The "Small Star" space in his ring felt like it just birthed a new nebula.
"Grandmaster," Li Wei wheezed, a tired grin breaking through the dirt on his face. "Next time... can we just buy a carriage? I have the gold. I really, really have the gold."
"The gold won't save you from a Title Douluo," Grandmaster replied. "Go to sleep. Tomorrow, we go to the Arena. And this time, you fight as a team."
The Night of the Syndicate
While the others slept, Li Wei sat on the roof of the dorm. He pulled a small, jade-encrusted communication device from his ring—a prototype he'd funded through the Speed Force Syndicate.
"Report," he whispered into the device.
"Master Li," a voice crackled from the other side—his head of operations in Heaven Dou City. "The supply lines to the Star Luo border are secure. We've acquired the rights to the Spirit-Mushroom caves. Your net worth has surpassed the initial projections by fifteen percent this quarter."
"Good," Li Wei said, looking down at his hands. "Funnel ten percent into the 'Shrek Improvement Fund'. I want the best spirit-medicines and food delivered to the village under the guise of an anonymous donor. And get me a report on the Clear Sky Clan. I need to know where the power is shifting."
He cut the connection and looked at the moon. He was a Level 30 Spirit Grandmaster now. He was 30% fused with the most powerful force in existence. He was a billionaire.
And yet, as he felt the sore muscles in his legs, he realized he'd never felt more alive.
"Multiverse, huh?" he muttered, remembering his goal. "We've got 93 chapters to go, guys. Better get used to the running."
Current Status:
Chapter Count: 8/100
Level: 30 (Peak Grandmaster - Ready for the 3rd Ring)
Fusion: 30%
Wealth: Increasing (Secretly funding the Academy's logistics)
Team Synergy: 80% (The bond is forming)