Reunion, a Drafty Little Padded Jacket

With the right direction, they naturally moved much faster, and the three of them reached the riverbank before noon.

Following the river downstream, they could spot a striking sight from afar.

Rows of blue short dresses, thigh-high stockings, and long legs, including three pretty female mentors with fine figures.

The surrounding scenery was a little wrecked, though. The previously straight riverbed had been plowed into a small dam in the middle, while several paths had been carved through the woods on both sides.

Broken branches and felled trees littered the ground. Even the few towering trees left standing had been stripped of their bark, their bases splintered white.

"Good thing we ran fast yesterday." Shui Yue'er patted her chest in lingering fear as she looked at the devastation in the distance.

It really was quite a spectacle. Lin Manshan secretly sighed.

"Let's hurry over. They've already seen us." Shui Bing'er reminded them as she smiled and waved.

"Mm." Lin Manshan nodded and followed the two girls as they jogged over.

"Captain! Qi Yatou!" The girls held hands, sharing the joy of having survived the ordeal.

"And this is?"

Once the girls had calmed down, one of the mentors smiled and looked at Lin Manshan behind them.

"Oh, let me introduce him."

Shui Yue'er skipped to Lin Manshan's side, her face flushed with shyness. She looked just like a grown daughter bringing her male companion home to meet the elders. "This is A'man. If he hadn't saved us last night, Bing'er and I would really have been dead."

As soon as she finished, Shui Bing'er nodded as well. "That's right. We only survived because we met A'man."

As she spoke, all the women turned to look at him curiously, their peripheral vision drifting between the three of them as they exchanged meaningful glances.

Shui Bing'er might not have realized it, but Shui Yue'er's expressions and movements were obvious to anyone with eyes.

With her companions staring at her like that, Shui Bing'er could hardly bear it. Her face reddened as she lowered her head slightly.

Her companions' expressions immediately became even more animated.

The three mentors still had lingering fear on their faces. As they assessed him, the leader stepped forward and spoke gratefully. "Little brother A'man, we truly don't know how to thank you this time. If not for you, the three of us might not have had the face to return and explain ourselves to the Dean."

"It's nothing. I just happened to come across them." Lin Manshan replied modestly.

After some polite greetings, the leading female mentor glanced behind Lin Manshan and asked again, "Little brother A'man, are you alone?"

"Mm." Lin Manshan nodded.

Seeing the mentor keep asking questions, Shui Yue'er could not stand it any longer and quickly interjected.

"Teacher, let me tell everyone what happened. I'll introduce A'man properly while I'm at it."

Lin Manshan secretly sighed in relief.

"In that case, let's talk as we walk." The mentor nodded. "There's still quite a distance before we leave the Star Dou Great Forest, so we need to hurry. The sooner we leave the range where Thousand-year Spirit Beasts live, the safer the rest of the journey will be."

Clearly, she still had lingering fears over yesterday's beast tide.

The women nodded, packed up their things, and set off downstream under the mentors' lead.

Along the way, Shui Yue'er chattered away as she told the story. It was full of twists and turns, and everyone listened with rapt attention.

"A Thousand-year Phoenix Tail Cock's Comb Snake? A Thousand-year Leopard-type Spirit Beast! And they were poisoned!? The wounds got infected?"

"A'man's background is so pitiful..."

"What!? A'man's Martial Soul can't produce Soul Skills?"

"At such a young age, he actually created his own Soul Skills. A'man truly is a talented young man. What a pity our academy only accepts female students."

"..."

As she spoke, their gazes occasionally fell upon Lin Manshan, who humbly responded along the way, and their favorable impression of him grew.

Their eyes held lingering fear and gratitude, but above all, curiosity.

He had clearly been born a commoner and was even an orphan, with no background to speak of. He stood tall and was somewhat handsome. Although his Martial Soul was mutated, his Innate Soul Power had only been level three. Yet he was already a Soul Grandmaster. Such cultivation speed was clearly beyond their understanding.

More importantly, he had created two Soul Skills himself. One gathered Soul Power into his blade and flung out Blade Qi, while the other erupted with power in an instant to accelerate his movements.

At least, that was how A'man had described them.

He truly was a mysterious young man. Everyone thought the same.

Glancing at Shui Bing'er, who kept stealing looks at him with shifty eyes, and especially at Shui Yue'er, whose face was utterly lovestruck, their gazes became increasingly meaningful.

This girl clearly had feelings for A'man.

A life-saving favor could not be repaid, except perhaps by...?

"A'man, when can you come to Skywater City to see us?" After finishing the story, Shui Yue'er asked softly, her face red.

"???" Why did she say us? Could it be...? Everyone's faces immediately turned strange as their gazes shifted between the two.

Qi Yatou, have some restraint.

They all complained inwardly.

Let the Dean's family worry about this themselves. The three female mentors exchanged glances and silently reached a consensus.

They had quite a good impression of A'man, after all.

"I don't know for now, but I'll definitely go before the Continental Elite Soul Master Competition begins. Such a grand event is something I've longed to see, so I certainly won't miss it. Hmm, it should be within the next two or three years." Lin Manshan said with a smile.

Once Tang San went to Shrek Academy, he did not intend to keep wasting time there either.

Besides, once he was old enough to travel, Old Jack and Tie Shan's Family would not need to worry so much.

"Ah? Two or three years? That's so long." Shui Yue'er immediately pouted.

"It's not really that long. Cultivate well, and the time will pass quickly." Lin Manshan scratched his head and said seriously, "Besides, your Dad is a Soul Sage. I definitely can't beat him anytime soon, so I plan to use this time to cultivate diligently. By then, I'll try to rely on my own strength to find a team around Heaven Dou City and enter the competition, using it to temper myself properly."

"Maybe we'll even meet on the competition stage someday."

"???" What did he mean? Was he saying he was planning to beat up his future father-in-law? Everyone was utterly dumbfounded.

Was this his way of saying that if they refused, he would just steal the bride?

A'man, were you really this bold?

So he was doing it for me. Shui Yue'er immediately beamed and waved her little fist. "Then I need to cultivate hard too. When the time comes, I'll help you beat up my Dad."

"..." Everyone immediately shot Shui Yue'er sidelong looks, speechless.

They said daughters were their fathers' little padded jackets, but this one was obviously letting in a gale.

So virtuous. Full marks. Lin Manshan grinned foolishly and scratched his head, his steps unconsciously becoming lighter.

As they walked, evening arrived, and they had entered the outer region of the Star Dou Great Forest.

After resting for the night, they continued onward.

Near evening, they successfully arrived at the inn where they had rested before.

The moment Shui Yue'er pulled him through the door, he caught a faint fishy smell.

Someone in the inn had been poisoned?

Lin Manshan immediately turned to look.

Purple short hair, green pupils, and delicate features blended with a hint of heroism. A scaled chestplate connected to a blue miniskirt, revealing long, fair, supple legs. Her figure had fully matured, curvaceous in all the right places, possessing all the charm of a mature woman.

"Brat, what are you staring at?!"