Beibei

After settling the matter of Lin Yi obtaining a Lightning Attribute for his Third Soul Ring, Mu En sent Lin Yi away.

His disciple's high talent and excellent comprehension were certainly gratifying, but having too many ideas was equally headache-inducing.

Returning to Sea God Pavilion, Mu En went straight to his room, with Yan Shaozhe following behind him.

"What else is it?"

Having finally seen hope for resolving his disciple's Martial Soul flaw, Yan Shaozhe was in an exceptionally good mood and did not mind Mu En's brusque tone.

"Teacher, Beibei should be close to breaking through to Soul Grandmaster, shouldn't he?"

Mu En had not expected Yan Shaozhe to suddenly mention Beibei. He paused, a hint of warmth flashing through his eyes as his voice softened. "Yes. He's already at Rank 19. At most, he'll break through within two months."

"Teacher, bring Beibei to Sea God Island as well."

"Hm?"

"That would be against the rules."

"Teacher, this isn't just for Beibei and you. It's also for Junior Uncle-Master."

"Xiao Yi? What does this have to do with him?"

"Junior Uncle-Master is alone in the Inner Court. Every day, he just shuts himself in the Library Pavilion to read, then returns to his room to cultivate after he finishes. When he gets bored, he can only play with those Starfall Unicorns. He looks rather pitiful. If Beibei comes over, the two children can keep each other company, and you can save yourself some trouble as well."

Glancing at Yan Shaozhe, Mu En could guess what he was thinking.

To put it plainly, what had happened today had shown Yan Shaozhe Lin Yi's attitude toward Shrek Academy. He had some attachment to it, but not much.

If Shrek's interests ever conflicted with Lin Yi's own, Lin Yi would undoubtedly choose to protect himself.

There was nothing inherently wrong with that, but to Yan Shaozhe, who regarded Shrek as more important than his own life, it was absolutely unacceptable.

Thus, bringing Beibei over was meant to help the two children form a good relationship. That friendship would then provide an additional safeguard for binding Lin Yi firmly to Shrek's ship.

Yan Shaozhe had not bothered concealing such thoughts, so Mu En naturally saw through them at a glance.

Mu En sighed inwardly. In the end, Yan Shaozhe still lacked a certain breadth of mind.

"Shaozhe..."

"Yes, Teacher."

"I know what you are thinking. But remember this, Shaozhe: relationships between people are not all about interests. I can tell that Xiao Yi is a child who values affection. As long as we treat him well, he will naturally contribute to the academy in the future. Acting as you have only lowers you."

Yan Shaozhe lowered his head in silence.

After decades as master and disciple, how could Mu En not know that Yan Shaozhe had not truly taken those words to heart? A temperament formed over decades could not possibly be changed simply by going into seclusion for a while.

With a soft sigh, Mu En said, "I will bring Beibei over. In any case, it won't be long before he is due to enroll. I shall abuse my authority just this once."

Delight immediately appeared on Yan Shaozhe's face.

Mu En looked at his most prized eldest disciple. "Shaozhe, from today onward, you will enter closed-door seclusion. You are not to emerge unless you either comprehend the true meaning of light or break through to Rank 97. Other than a life-or-death crisis for the academy, you are not permitted to leave seclusion."

Yan Shaozhe's expression changed, but he still nodded.

"What about Xiaotao...?"

"I will personally look after her. What, are you afraid I cannot teach your disciple properly?"

Yan Shaozhe hurriedly smiled. "Of course not. With you watching over Xiaotao, this disciple can rest assured."

After speaking, Yan Shaozhe knelt on the ground and respectfully kowtowed three times. "Teacher, this disciple will now enter seclusion."

"Go. I hope that this time, you truly come to understand."

Yan Shaozhe turned and left. Mu En reclined in his lounge chair, looking out the window. The sun was slanting westward, and dusk was near.

Beneath the Golden Ancient Tree, Lin Yi looked at Ma Xiaotao, who had been following him, and sighed helplessly.

"Martial Niece Xiaotao, you've followed me all this time. Is there something you need?"

"Nothing. I just wanted to see what someone more talented than me looks like."

"After staring for so long, have you seen enough? If there's nothing else, I'm going to dinner."

"I only looked at you a few times. Why are you being so stingy?"

Lin Yi's face darkened. A few times, my ass! Do you know you've been following me for a whole hour?!

"If you have something to say, say it. Stop doing pointless things. If you keep this up, I'll have no choice but to be rude."

Ma Xiaotao immediately laughed. "With your two-ring Cultivation Level, you want to be rude to me?"

Lin Yi gave Ma Xiaotao a glance and said calmly, "I wonder who it was that got restrained by a mere two-ring Soul Grandmaster earlier and couldn't move at all."

"I... that was an accident! I was careless and didn't dodge. And you ambushed me..."

Lin Yi's eyes shifted slightly at those words. Teacher Ma, is that you, Teacher Ma?

His expression remained unchanged, however, as he merely said, "Oh."

Seeing his reaction, Ma Xiaotao's face flushed red with anger. "If you have the guts, let's have a proper fight. I'll show you how formidable I am!"

Lin Yi looked her up and down. Ma Xiaotao felt somewhat uncomfortable under his gaze. "What are you looking at?"

"Nothing. I just didn't expect Shrek to have students who bully the weak and prey on the young. It's quite a novelty."

"You..."

"You seem to still be an Outer Court student, right? I seem to remember a rule stating that Outer Court students may not remain on Sea God Island without cause. What, do you have special privileges because you're Dean Yan's disciple?"

The person Ma Xiaotao respected most was her teacher. Lin Yi's words thoroughly enraged her. Her pale pink eyes began to shift toward red, Soul Power boiling as the temperature around her gradually rose.

Lin Yi merely said, "The academy seems to have a rule against private fighting as well, especially on Sea God Island, doesn't it? And the Golden Ancient Tree is right here. What if you accidentally damage it..."

The moment Lin Yi spoke his first sentence, Ma Xiaotao had already calmed the fluctuations in her Soul Power. She merely glared at him.

Under Ma Xiaotao's gaze, Lin Yi's voice gradually trailed off.

Ma Xiaotao suddenly broke into a radiant smile. Her pretty face, which had originally carried a trace of chill, became breathtakingly beautiful beneath that smile. Especially those pale pink eyes—Lin Yi realized for the first time that someone's eyes could be so beautiful.

"Junior Uncle-Master, I'll remember you. We'll meet again."

After saying that, Ma Xiaotao did not wait for Lin Yi's response. Possessed by her Evil Fire Phoenix Martial Soul, she did not fly. Instead, she kicked off the ground, and after several leaps, vanished into the thin mist of Sea God Island.

Lin Yi watched Ma Xiaotao's figure gradually disappear, but those pale pink eyes remained in his mind.

Only when the Golden Crow sank in the west and the Moon Rabbit rose in the east, when the evening wind carried a faint chill, did Lin Yi come back to his senses.

Dinner that night was as lavish as ever, but Lin Yi found it tasteless.

That night, Lin Yi forced himself to calm down and finally entered a cultivation state, though it took several times longer than before...

The next day, as the Golden Crow rose in the east, Lin Yi left Sea God Pavilion and saw a little boy standing outside.

The boy looked eight or nine years old. He was slender and upright, with long dark-blue hair that gleamed like gemstones beneath the Golden Ancient Tree's radiance. His overall bearing was refined and elegant, though the lazy smile on his handsome face somewhat spoiled that impression.

Most importantly, the light told Lin Yi that this boy felt strangely familiar.

Without much hesitation, Lin Yi walked over to the boy, only to realize that perhaps calling him a big boy would be more appropriate. The boy was actually a head taller than him!

The boy was also curiously looking at Lin Yi, secretly astonished. Who is this child? How did he come out of Sea God Pavilion?

"What is your relationship with Mu En, Elder Mu?"

Lin Yi asked.

"Hm?" The boy still wore a faint smile, but he was inwardly startled. Who exactly is this child? How did he guess my relationship with Great-Grandfather?

"You seem... a little flustered. Why?"

How does he know how I'm feeling?

Faced with this strange child who had emerged from Sea God Pavilion, the boy was momentarily at a loss. At some point, a bead of cold sweat slid down from his temple...

"It seems you two have already met."

An elderly voice filled with amusement came from behind Lin Yi.

Lin Yi turned around and saw Mu En slowly approaching.

"Master."

"Great-Grandfather."

"Great-Grandfather?"

"Master?"

The two children spoke one after the other, then both questioned the other's form of address in surprise.

"Haha." Mu En laughed. "Let me introduce you."

He pointed at the boy. "Xiao Yi, this is my great-grandson, Beibei."

Then he pointed at Lin Yi. "Beibei, this is your great-grandfather's newly accepted personal disciple, Lin Yi."

The two boys each nodded, considering that their greeting, then fell silent again.

Mu En looked at the two children helplessly. "Beibei, you are a few years older. Say hello."

"Hello, I'm Beibei."

"Lin Yi."

"Have you eaten?"

"Yes. You?"

"I have too."

Another stretch of silence followed...

Mu En had a headache. He could not help blaming Yan Shaozhe inwardly. You said bringing Beibei here would help them get along. Look at them now—do they look like they can get along?!

The atmosphere was far too awkward, and Mu En could not bear it any longer. Why did he have to suffer like this at his age?

So he left them with a sentence. "You two get along well. This old man will not disturb you any longer." Then he entered Sea God Pavilion, headed straight to his room, and collapsed happily onto his lounge chair...

The two beneath the Golden Tree remained.

Lin Yi asked curiously, "What is your Martial Soul? Is it also the Light Holy Dragon?"

Beibei shook his head. "My talent cannot compare to Great-Grandfather's. My Martial Soul is the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon."

"The continent's number one Assault System Beast Martial Soul." Lin Yi nodded, but then changed his tone. "But that shouldn't be possible..."

"What shouldn't be possible?" Beibei asked curiously.

"Your Martial Soul. If your Martial Soul is the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, I shouldn't be able to sense your condition."

Seeing Beibei's confusion, Lin Yi explained, "I have an External Soul Bone that allows me to sense certain things about Soul Masters with the Light Attribute. But you have the Lightning Attribute, so logically, I shouldn't be able to sense you—unless..."

Beibei had initially hesitated, since this concerned the secret of his own Martial Soul. But Lin Yi had already told him about possessing an External Soul Bone and even its Soul Bone Skill. Besides, Lin Yi was his great-grandfather's disciple, and he had already figured it out, so Beibei did not conceal it any longer.

"That's right. My Martial Soul has a hidden bloodline of the Light Holy Dragon."

"I knew it!" Lin Yi pumped his fist hard.

As he looked at Beibei, Lin Yi's eyes burned with excitement. He had read so many books in the Library Pavilion, yet had never had a subject to study. Ma Xiaotao had been a good option earlier, but the timing had not worked out.

Besides, compared with resolving a Martial Soul flaw, studying a Martial Soul like Beibei's that could awaken a hidden bloodline was far more appealing!

Faced with the sudden change in Lin Yi's gaze, Beibei was somewhat bewildered. What was wrong with this person? How had he become like this after only a few sentences?

"Do you have any plans next?"

"Not really."

"Then come with me!"

"What do you want to do?" Beibei instinctively became wary.

Too lazy to explain further, Lin Yi directly activated the Blue Silver External Soul Bone. Several vine-like leaves rapidly emerged from his left hand, and within moments, Beibei was tightly bound.

"Help—"

Just as Beibei was about to call for help, spreading leaves sealed his mouth shut.

The tightly binding leaves left Beibei completely unable to resist. The sudden turn of events also made him forget to circulate his Soul Power, allowing Lin Yi to take him away with ease.

This was Lin Yi and Beibei's first meeting. Perhaps it was not a pleasant one, but it was certainly unforgettable...

This was just a meme. There was no intention to disrespect Teacher Ma. I personally have great respect for Teacher Ma's character and integrity.