Sister Tang Ya, Don't Hold Me So Tight

(The original story had him meet Huo Yuhao in the fourth year.)

The male student was Bei Bei. He and Tang Ya were both third-year students, and this year it was their turn to welcome the new students.

His face had been quite gentle at first, but the moment he encountered Lin Yu, he could no longer keep it together.

Tang Ya had excitedly asked Lin Yu for his name and address, looking as though she planned to seek him out afterward.

Bei Bei felt a powerful sense of crisis. This Lin Yu was incredibly handsome, no less impressive than himself. Could Xiao Ya possibly run off with him?

Snow Empress in the Spiritual Sea of Consciousness could also tell that Bei Bei was scared out of his wits. "You, honestly. You scared him so badly his girlfriend is practically about to be stolen away by you."

Lin Yu said, "Not at all. I'm not some blond-haired pretty boy, and Tang Ya isn't even his girlfriend yet."

Snow Empress said, "What are you planning? Are you actually interested in Tang Ya?"

Lin Yu said, "She has a Tang Sect recommendation slot that can get me into Shrek Academy through an interview. How could I not be interested?"

He told Snow Empress his true purpose.

Snow Empress said, "So Tang Ya belongs to the Tang Sect. Shrek Academy gives them one interview admission slot every year."

Lin Yu said, "I didn't expect to run into her here either. But since I have, there's no reason I can't make use of this opportunity."

Lin Yu then told Tang Ya his name and address before returning to the inn.

That very night, Tang Ya indeed came to visit him in person, though Bei Bei followed closely beside her.

Tang Ya and Lin Yu immediately began chatting away. They had the feeling of meeting a kindred spirit over wine, and before they knew it, they had talked until midnight.

At last, Tang Ya could not help saying, "Junior Brother Lin Yu, would you like to join my Tang Sect? The Tang Sect specializes in researching weapons that require no Soul Power. I'm sure you'd be interested."

Lin Yu pretended to hesitate. "To be honest, Senior Sister, I do like Tang Sect weapons, but my sister wants me to test into Shrek Academy even more. When I approached you this morning, I only wanted to find out what Shrek Academy tested for. But I never expected us to hit it off so well. We've been talking so happily that we just can't stop..."

His emotions rose, and he looked as though he regretted not meeting her sooner and wished he could immediately throw himself into the Tang Sect.

Snow Empress said, "Haha, I know this trick of yours. You deliberately act honest to win their trust, and they end up liking and trusting you even more."

Sure enough, Tang Ya smiled. "So that's what you're worried about. That's easy, Junior Brother Lin Yu. To tell you the truth, the Tang Sect gets one interview admission slot at Shrek Academy every year. As long as you join the Tang Sect, you can enter Shrek Academy right away."

Lin Yu's expression froze. "Really? As long as I join the Tang Sect, I can enter Shrek Academy?"

Snow Empress said, "Your act is too convincing. If I didn't know you, even I would have been fooled."

Tang Ya had no idea Lin Yu was acting. She giggled. "It's truer than pearls, Junior Brother Lin Yu. You can trust me completely."

"Your senior brother beside you can testify to that, right, Bei Bei?"

Bei Bei's expression had already turned awful. He had watched the girl he liked chat with another boy deep into the night.

She had completely forgotten he existed the entire time, only remembering him in the end because of that other boy's matter.

Still, beneath Tang Ya's eager gaze, Bei Bei forced a smile at Lin Yu. "Xiao Ya is right, Lin Yu. I'm a member of both the Tang Sect and Shrek Academy. I know the Tang Sect has an interview admission slot."

But Lin Yu looked utterly unconvinced. "Your smile feels so fake. You're not trying to deceive me, are you?"

"Hm?" Tang Ya immediately looked suspiciously at Bei Bei's face.

Bei Bei panicked and hurriedly said, "Junior Brother Lin Yu, I'm not in great condition today, so my smile might not look very good. Sorry about that."

He quickly adjusted his expression and forced an even more sincere smile at Lin Yu.

Only then did Lin Yu smile and nod. "Senior Brother, I approve of that smile. That'll do. Sister Xiao Ya, I'm joining the Tang Sect." I'm lying to you.

"Yay!"

Unaware of Lin Yu's thoughts, Tang Ya jumped up excitedly and gave him a hug.

Bei Bei:...

Snow Empress:...

But Tang Ya was merely expressing her joy, and she soon released him.

Tang Ya smiled. "Junior Brother, tell me your age and Martial Soul. Tomorrow, I'll find someone to register you, so you can enter Shrek Academy without taking the exam."

Lin Yu answered honestly, "Sister Xiao Ya, I'm a little older already. I'm eighteen, and this is my Martial Soul."

He revealed his Heavenly Snow Woman Martial Soul.

As well as two Thousand-Year Spirit Rings.

Tang Ya and Bei Bei immediately cried out in shock.

"An Ultimate Ice Martial Soul, and you even have two Thousand-Year Spirit Rings!"

Even at Shrek Academy, where monsters were everywhere, very few people had Thousand-Year Spirit Rings as their first two rings.

Because no one could withstand them at all.

Only disciples from certain great sects, who frequently consumed things like Whale Rubber to strengthen their bodies, could endure them for their first and second rings.

Tang Ya and Bei Bei both assumed Lin Yu was one of those people.

Lin Yu said, "It isn't what you think. I absorbed these two Thousand-Year Spirit Rings only after two near-death experiences."

In Lin Yu's version of events, he had accidentally entered a Spirit Beast Forest and, in the midst of life-and-death danger, absorbed two Thousand-Year Spirit Rings to protect himself, paying a tremendous price.

This also explained why he was already eighteen yet only had twentieth-level Soul Power.

His talent simply was not good enough. By a stroke of luck, he had absorbed two Thousand-Year Spirit Rings through sheer willpower alone.

But it was not something just anyone could accomplish. Forcibly absorbing two Thousand-Year Spirit Rings was an incomparably painful ordeal, no matter who experienced it.

By the time he reached the moving parts about the danger, Tang Ya had already begun to cry. "Junior Brother Lin Yu, I never imagined you had such a difficult past."

Bei Bei had also felt great sympathy for Lin Yu, and even Snow Empress had been reminded of unpleasant memories from the past.

But then Tang Ya suddenly pressed herself against him and tearfully hugged Lin Yu.

Bei Bei:...

Snow Empress:...

"All right, Sister Xiao Ya. There's no need for this. What's past is past."

Seeing Tang Ya cry so sadly, Lin Yu instead comforted her. He had not done anything, but Tang Ya was crying too hard and clung to him, unwilling to leave.

Her soft, fragrant body in his arms carried a faint fresh scent. It really was not that he wanted to take advantage of her.

Bei Bei:...

Snow Empress:...

Fortunately, half an hour later, Tang Ya finally finished crying. She solemnly promised Lin Yu, "Junior Brother Lin Yu, after you enter the academy, you can come to me whenever you need anything."

"If you can't find me, you can also look for Senior Brother. He and I will both do everything we can to help you."

"Right, Bei Bei?"

In truth, Bei Bei was extremely unwilling, especially after seeing Tang Ya and Lin Yu embrace earlier. That was absolutely not something any normal boy would want to experience.

But beneath Tang Ya's eager gaze, Bei Bei could only force out a smile and say to Lin Yu, "Yes."

Lin Yu exposed him. "Senior Brother, your smile is so fake. You're not trying to deceive me, are you?"