Ma Xiaotao and Jiang Nannan's First Meeting

At night, a bright moon hung high in the sky, while countless stars shimmered with dazzling light.

Since the freshman assessment was tomorrow, the usually bustling night market was far less crowded than before.

"I heard the freshman assessment is tomorrow. How is it? Are you confident?"

Naturally, Jiang Nannan was the one asking. As soon as she learned the news, she immediately asked Li Changsheng out, hoping tomorrow's assessment would not be affected.

"Don't worry, it'll be no problem!"

Li Changsheng said with complete confidence, utterly unconcerned, "I can handle them with one hand."

"Confidence is a good thing, but you can't be too arrogant."

Jiang Nannan smiled sweetly and said softly, "As far as I know, the freshman assessments in recent years have all been more or less the same. If even I could pass, then you definitely won't have any problems."

"What, are you planning to come watch me compete tomorrow?" Li Changsheng asked.

"Can I? I've never gone before, so I don't know if it's allowed."

Jiang Nannan blinked her beautiful eyes. Her peerless face was full of surprise as she replied, "I'll ask tomorrow. If it's allowed, I'll come watch you. How does that sound?"

She had never worried about Li Changsheng's strength. Leaving aside the Heaven and Earth Profound Yellow Exquisite Pagoda's formidable defense, his cultivation as a three-ring Soul Elder and his one-purple, two-black soul ring configuration alone made him practically unmatched among this year's freshmen.

One had to remember that this was still with Li Changsheng being Innate Level Zero.

If he returned to normal and added those ten levels back, he would probably already be a Soul King by now.

A first-year student with such cultivation seemed never to have appeared in the entire history of the Douluo Continent.

"Sure!"

Li Changsheng did not refuse.

"By the way, did you take the Soul Ascension Pill I gave you that day? How was the effect?"

At that moment, Li Changsheng seemed to remember something and asked curiously.

"I took it. The effect was very good."

At the mention of the Soul Ascension Pill, Jiang Nannan's face immediately bloomed with a smile. She said excitedly, "My Soul Power was originally at level thirty-eight, but after taking the Soul Ascension Pill, I broke through to level thirty-nine in just one night."

"That's good. Looks like—"

Before Li Changsheng could finish speaking, a familiar cool voice rang out behind him. "Little Changsheng, you're here. I've been looking for you forever!"

"Sister Xiaotao? What do you need me for?"

Hearing this, Li Changsheng turned around. When he saw that the person who had arrived was none other than Ma Xiaotao, he asked in confusion.

It had only been a short while. Could Mu En and Yan Shaozhe be plotting something again?

"Of course, it's about that matter."

After answering with a smile, Ma Xiaotao shifted her gaze to the girl in the golden short skirt beside him.

"You must be Jiang Nannan. You truly are breathtakingly beautiful. No wonder Little Changsheng praised you so highly in front of us!"

A trace of surprise flashed through Ma Xiaotao's eyes as she praised, "Worthy of the title of the Outer Court's number one beauty. Seeing you today, your reputation is well deserved."

"You flatter me, Senior. May I ask what business you have with my Changsheng?"

Jiang Nannan's pretty face reddened slightly. She shot Li Changsheng a look before asking softly.

"That isn't convenient to reveal. In any case, Little Changsheng knows why."

With that, she took the lead and walked off into the distance.

"Explain yourself. How did you get to know her?"

Watching Ma Xiaotao's departing figure, Jiang Nannan's expression darkened, and even her tone turned strange.

How many days had it been since he enrolled? First there had been the Soul Ascension Pill, then a sizable amount of Gold Soul Coins, and now Ma Xiaotao, the so-called Flame Demon, had appeared.

Why did she feel like her home was about to be stolen if this continued?

At the thought, her originally peerless face was filled with worry.

"It was just an accident."

Li Changsheng shrugged and explained, "You know I have Twin Martial Souls, so I need to help her out."

"Help her? What do you mean?"

Jiang Nannan looked puzzled.

She had been at Shrek Academy for several years, yet she had never heard of anything Ma Xiaotao needed help with from an Outer Court disciple.

Li Changsheng did not hide anything, because the side effects of the Evil Fire Phoenix had already been extremely obvious ten thousand years ago.

"So that's how it is. But why didn't I know your second martial soul had that ability?"

Jiang Nannan nodded thoughtfully before continuing to ask.

"Isn't it normal that you didn't know?"

Li Changsheng rolled his eyes at Jiang Nannan and replied, "After all, from the very beginning, you never asked what my two martial souls could do."

"Seems like that's true!"

Jiang Nannan blinked. After thinking back for a moment, she said somewhat awkwardly, "All right, then. I'll head back first. See you tomorrow afternoon."

"No problem. I heard that to enter the Inner Court, you need an Inner Court Disciple's recommendation. I'll see if I can get Sister Xiaotao to recommend you."

"Ah, me?"

Jiang Nannan was greatly surprised and instinctively asked, "If I go in, what about you?"

"Don't worry about that. Do you think I wouldn't be able to get in?" Li Changsheng waved a hand, his immortal-like face utterly unconcerned.

Leaving aside Ma Xiaotao's need for him to suppress her evil fire, the conditions of the recent match and his Twin Martial Souls alone were enough for Mu En and Yan Shaozhe to personally recruit him.

Otherwise, why would Mu En not only give him a soul bone, but also intend to betroth Ma Xiaotao to him? It was practically a joke!

"All right."

Jiang Nannan did not press the matter further. She nodded obediently to show that she understood, then turned and headed toward the dormitories.

After saying goodbye to Jiang Nannan, Li Changsheng quickened his pace and came to Ma Xiaotao's side. "Sister Xiaotao, where do we begin?"

"Just find somewhere without people."

After answering, Ma Xiaotao's crimson eyes swept around the area.

In the end, she chose a patch of grass.

"Here will do!"

After speaking, Ma Xiaotao sat down cross-legged. As she circulated her Soul Power, she released her martial soul from within her body—the Evil Fire Phoenix Martial Soul that had produced a god ten thousand years ago.

"All right, no problem!"

Looking at the girl before him, Li Changsheng shook his head helplessly. Then white light burst from his eyes.

The next moment, the ice-element power from the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm continuously poured into Ma Xiaotao's body.