Return to the Academy and First Signs of Soul Skills

Leaving the Soul Hunting Forest went far more smoothly than entering it had. Perhaps because she now possessed her First Spirit Ring and felt more confident, Xiao Xiaoxiao found that even the forest's gloom seemed to have faded somewhat. Tang San was still holding her hand, and the warmth from his palm spread all the way to her cheeks. Her heart felt like it held a fluttering little bird.

Tang San seemingly did not think anything was amiss. His gaze vigilantly swept over the surroundings as he steadily led her around tangled tree roots and slippery moss. Master walked at the front, his back carrying a hint of ease and satisfaction.

It was not until they were nearly out of the forest, when the light gradually brightened, that Tang San seemed to suddenly realize something. He naturally released her hand, quickened his pace to catch up with Master, and acted as though it had merely been an unconscious gesture.

The warmth in her palm suddenly vanished, and Xiao Xiaoxiao felt a brief emptiness in her heart. Yet it was immediately filled with sweetness. She secretly clenched the hand that still retained his warmth and jogged after them.

By the time they returned to Nuoding Academy, it was already the afternoon of the next day. From afar, they saw a pink figure waiting eagerly at the entrance to Seventh Dormitory.

"Little Sanzi! Xiaoxiao! Master! You're back!" Xiao Wu charged over like a little cannonball. She first grabbed Xiao Xiaoxiao's arm in a hug and looked her over from head to toe. "Are you all right? Were you hurt? You scared me to death!"

Then she jumped in front of Tang San, her large eyes filled with concern. "Little Sanzi, how are you? Did you get your Spirit Ring? Is it powerful?"

Seeing her completely genuine concern, the tiny possessiveness Xiao Xiaoxiao had felt over holding hands instantly vanished, leaving only warmth in her heart. "We're fine, Sister Xiao Wu. Look, we're perfectly fine!"

Tang San nodded and answered concisely, "It worked."

Master smiled as well. "This went very smoothly. Both of them obtained Hundred-Year Soul Rings that suit them extremely well."

"Hundred-Year Soul Rings!" Xiao Wu cried out, drawing the attention of passing students. She quickly lowered her voice and excitedly tugged at the two of them. "Wow! That's amazing! Let me see! Show me your Soul Skills!"

Back in Seventh Dormitory, the other Work-Study Students crowded around them as well, chattering with questions about their experience in the Soul Hunting Forest. Their eyes were full of envy and curiosity.

Wang Sheng clicked his tongue. "Hundred-Year Soul Rings... The boss really is the boss! Xiaoxiao, you're amazing too!"

Surrounded by everyone, Xiao Xiaoxiao felt a little embarrassed, though she could not help feeling somewhat proud.

Unable to escape Xiao Wu's pestering, Tang San walked to the open space in the middle of the dormitory. "My first Soul Skill, Entangling."

With a thought, his Soul Ring lit up. Several Blue Silver Grass vines, now much thicker and marked with pale jade patterns, burst from the ground and spread rapidly like living vines. In an instant, they tightly wrapped around an empty bed beside them. A faint layer of light shimmered across them, clearly the effect of paralytic toxin.

"Wow!" The Work-Study Students exclaimed in amazement. This level of control was far stronger than ordinary Blue Silver Grass!

Xiao Wu's eyes lit up. She reached out to touch the Blue Silver Grass, immediately felt her fingertips go numb, and hastily pulled her hand back. "It's poisonous too! How sneaky! But I like it! Hahaha!"

Tang San withdrew his Martial Soul and looked at Xiao Xiaoxiao encouragingly.

Everyone's attention turned to Xiao Xiaoxiao.

Xiao Xiaoxiao took a deep breath, stepped into the middle, and nervously summoned her Phantom Moon Fox. A yellow Hundred-Year Soul Ring rose beneath her feet and slowly pulsed.

"My first Soul Skill, Mental Interference." She fixed her gaze on a wooden basin in the distance and focused her thoughts.

Her Soul Ring flashed. The hazy moonlight in the Phantom Moon Fox's eyes seemed to brighten for an instant, and an invisible ripple spread outward.

The space around the wooden basin seemed to warp slightly. Then the basin began to buzz and vibrate on its own, swaying from side to side as though drunk. It continued for roughly two or three seconds before stopping.

The dormitory fell silent for a moment.

This effect... did not seem as directly powerful as Tang San's Entangling?

Wang Sheng scratched his head. "Uh... Xiaoxiao, is your Soul Skill... making things dance?"

Several other Work-Study Students could not help snickering.

Xiao Xiaoxiao's cheeks reddened in embarrassment. She did not know what its actual combat effect would be either.

"That's not it." Tang San suddenly spoke, his calm voice drawing everyone's attention. "It wasn't dancing. At that instant, I felt my Spiritual Power being lightly touched. I was briefly dazed. If it were used on a person in battle, the effect should not be as simple as making an object sway."

Master nodded as well, approval in his eyes. "Xiaoxiao's Soul Skill is very practical. Mental Interference, as the name suggests, attacks the opponent's mental state. At best, it can make an opponent lose focus for an instant and distort their movements. At worst, it may even create brief illusions and interrupt the release of their Soul Skills. It will be extremely useful in team battles. The wooden basin's movement just now was merely an outward effect caused by Soul Power spilling over onto an ownerless object."

After Master and Tang San explained it, everyone finally understood. Their gazes toward Xiao Xiaoxiao became full of envy and respect. A Soul Skill that could directly affect the mind sounded incredibly powerful!

Xiao Wu threw an arm around Xiao Xiaoxiao's neck. "Wow! Xiaoxiao, you're amazing! From now on, you can interfere with them from the back while Little Sanzi and I rush in and beat them up! Perfect!"

The weight in Xiao Xiaoxiao's heart finally lifted. She gratefully glanced at Tang San and Master. Especially Tang San—he had actually sensed the true nature of her Soul Skill so sharply, and even spoken up to explain it for her.

"Mm! We'll work together from now on!" Xiao Xiaoxiao nodded firmly, sweetness filling her heart.

Having obtained their First Spirit Rings, the two officially became One-Ring Soul Masters. Their status within the academy invisibly rose a little. At the very least, when Xiao Chenyu's group came to provoke them again, there was now more wariness in their eyes.

In the days that followed, they focused on consolidating their cultivation and becoming proficient with their Soul Skills.

The three continued their morning training as usual. Tang San began teaching them more complex methods of exerting force and simple combat footwork. Xiao Xiaoxiao studied especially seriously. Although her physical qualities still could not compare to Xiao Wu's absurd flexibility, she had improved greatly from before.

She paid particular attention to practicing her first Soul Skill. Mental Interference consumed a great deal of Spiritual Power, so she needed to practice controlling its strength and duration, as well as locking onto targets more precisely.

She often asked Tang San to practice with her.

"Tang San, try again. I think I controlled it a little better this time." Xiao Xiaoxiao summoned her Martial Soul, her expression serious.

Tang San nodded and stood where he was. "Go ahead."

Her Soul Ring lit up, and an invisible ripple spread outward.

Tang San's body paused slightly. His gaze went unfocused for an extremely brief instant, nearly imperceptible, before returning to clarity. He nodded. "Better than last time. The interference lasted about half a breath. Keep practicing. Try to make it affect movement."

"Mm!" Encouraged by his approval, Xiao Xiaoxiao was full of motivation.

Sometimes Xiao Wu would clamor to try it as well. Yet her Spiritual Power seemed unusually resilient, and Xiao Xiaoxiao's interference had very little effect on her. Usually, it only made her pause for a moment before she laughingly pounced forward with a Soft Skill counterattack, leaving Xiao Xiaoxiao flustered.

The theory classes also began covering Soul Ring combinations, Soul Skill applications, and Soul Beast knowledge. With her "foresight," Xiao Xiaoxiao occasionally put forward some "unique insights" that even made Master glance at her. Though she always used the excuse that she had "just thought of them randomly," Tang San's thoughtful expression made it clear that he had taken them to heart.

The Work-Study Students' tasks remained demanding, but with Soul Power, they became much more efficient. Tang San's Blue Silver Grass could occasionally be used to tie up garbage or move small items. Xiao Xiaoxiao's Mental Interference... well, she had not yet found a use for it in cleaning.

Life seemed to settle into a busy yet peaceful rhythm. Cultivation, study, work.

Xiao Xiaoxiao was very content with this state of affairs. She could feel herself growing stronger every day, and her relationship with Tang San becoming increasingly natural and harmonious through their daily interactions and sparring.

She still secretly saved fruit for him, helped him take notes in class—though he did not need them—and handed him water after their practice sessions.

Tang San still did not speak much, but he accepted her kindness. He praised her whenever her Soul Skill practice improved, patiently explained theories she did not understand, and subtly helped her out whenever Xiao Wu went too far.

This gradual closeness made Xiao Xiaoxiao feel incomparably secure.

Of course, Xiao Wu remained her greatest "obstacle." This little rabbit clung to Tang San almost every moment, shared his food, monopolized his free time, and often hung from his back while acting cute.

But Xiao Xiaoxiao discovered that she seemed to be gradually getting used to it. Sometimes, seeing Tang San's helpless yet indulgent expression as he let Xiao Wu fool around even made her find it a little funny.

Besides, being friends with Xiao Wu was genuinely joyful. She was like a little sun, brightening the somewhat gloomy life of the Work-Study Students in Seventh Dormitory.

Xiao Xiaoxiao began to feel that perhaps she did not have to fight so desperately to intercept her. Slowly, step by step, entering Tang San's heart and making him grow accustomed to her presence and rely on her companionship did not seem so bad either.

After all, there was plenty of time ahead.

Watching Tang San outside the window spar with Xiao Wu, nimbly evading her Soft Skills with agile footwork, Xiao Xiaoxiao's lips quietly curved into a smile.

They had obtained their First Spirit Rings, and the path of Soul Masters had officially begun.

The next step was to work hard to raise their levels and prepare to enter Shrek Academy in the future!

Oh, right. She also had to find a way to earn more money. She had heard that Soul Master subsidies could only be claimed at the Soul Grandmaster level? Before then, life as a Work-Study Student would still be rather tight.

Xiao Xiaoxiao touched the few remaining Copper Soul Coins in her pocket and sighed.

The road to winning over her dream guy was long and arduous!