How Pretty Was It?

The story turned to another thread.

Qin He followed Lu Lin out of Xiao Jin's office, his face full of confusion.

Everything that had just happened felt like a dream to him—completely absurd.

As Qin He thought it over, he suddenly stepped forward, walked straight up beside Lu Lin, and pinched his arm.

Lu Lin was still lost in thought and didn't notice Qin He's move in time.

The pinch hurt. He turned around helplessly and swatted Qin He's hand away, his face dark. "What are you going crazy for?"

"Ahem, I just had to make sure this was real and not a dream."

Lu Lin rolled his eyes. "Then why didn't you pinch yourself?"

At that, Qin He puffed out his chest and answered righteously:

"Pinching myself would hurt, obviously. I'm not stupid!"

After saying that, Qin He leaned closer and looked Lu Lin up and down, still unsure. "By the way, are you really Lu Lin?"

"You weren't possessed by some Soul Beast that took over your body, were you?"

Lu Lin's mouth twitched.

What the hell was this about a Soul Beast possessing him?

He had been reincarnated into this world as a baby, for heaven's sake. "If you have time, focus on cultivating. I've caught up to you now. Read fewer of those ridiculous storybooks."

Qin He gave an awkward laugh, realizing that his guess was far-fetched.

He turned his head, his eyes darting around, then slung an arm over Lu Lin's shoulder and declared proudly:

"Lu Lin, you remember what I said when we first enrolled, right? I knew you weren't ordinary."

"Ah, as expected of me. I've got a great eye!"

"It's settled, then. You'll have my back from now on!"

"Even a golden-scaled creature isn't meant to stay in a pond forever???"

For some reason, when Lu Lin heard Qin He say that, the title of that infamous erotic classic flashed through his mind.

His expression immediately turned strange.

Lu Lin coughed and hurriedly shook the nonsense from his thoughts. "By the way, only you and Teacher Xiao should know that my Innate Soul Power Level is Ten. Don't tell anyone else."

Lu Lin had chosen to reveal this because he wanted to demonstrate some of his value and perhaps attract the attention of the Academy's higher-ups.

After all, Innate Full Soul Power was still quite rare in this era.

Among the students, though, it wasn't something worth bragging about.

He had no need to show off or prove anyone wrong. Revealing it would only bring unnecessary trouble.

Qin He immediately thumped his chest. "Don't worry. My lips are sealed tighter than anyone else's in the whole Academy. I'll take this secret to my grave. I won't let a word slip."

Your lips are sealed?

Lu Lin wasn't entirely convinced.

If Qin He really knew how to keep his mouth shut, he wouldn't have heard so much gossip. Lu Lin had no idea where he got it all...

Still, Lu Lin thought that although Qin He could be a little odd, he was a good guy. Someone worth getting along with!

And the kid was talented, too.

A Food System Soul Master with nearly Innate Full Soul Power would definitely be given special attention, as long as the Shrek Academy higher-ups weren't blind.

Lu Lin was naturally happy to build a good relationship with him.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have revealed that he had Innate Full Soul Power in front of Qin He.

Qin He, as the person involved, understood this as well. He knew Lu Lin genuinely considered him a friend.

"By the way, while I was away from the Academy this past month, did anything interesting happen?"

Lu Lin coughed and looked at Qin He with bright, expectant eyes.

"Anything fun?"

Qin He furrowed his brows and thought for a moment. "I don't think so..."

"Oh, half a month ago, a third-year senior named Ma Xiaotian got into a fight with a fourth-year senior. Does that count?"

Ma Xiaotian?

Could that guy be a descendant of Ma Hongjun?

Lu Lin had wondered how someone with the Evil Fire Phoenix Martial Soul, a legendary fixture at Shrek Academy, could possibly not be at the Academy.

"Hey, tell me about it. Why did they fight, and who won?"

Seeing Lu Lin ask, Qin He's eyes lit up, and he eagerly launched into the story. "Well, that's a long story. Let me start from the beginning..."

A little while later, Lu Lin returned to the dormitory, thoroughly satisfied.

The dormitory was quite quiet.

Two single beds stood against opposite walls, their bedding neatly folded.

Two desks and chairs sat in the middle of the room.

A cabinet stood quietly against the wall, holding their clothes and daily necessities.

The place wasn't luxurious, but it was simply furnished. Compared to the dormitory in Frostwind City, it was much better.

Long Chenyu still wasn't in the dormitory.

Come to think of it, Lu Lin found Long Chenyu rather mysterious.

He couldn't help wondering if Long Chenyu was a disciple of some Sea God Pavilion elder.

Lu Lin walked over to his desk, pulled out the chair, and sat down.

His fingers tapped lightly on the tabletop, his gaze thoughtful.

His main body's Soul Power Level had now reached twenty-six.

He could leave Ji Ming's incarnation alone for the time being.

Now he only needed to keep cultivating steadily. Once his Soul Power Level reached thirty, he could unlock a new incarnation.

According to Lu Lin's plan, he naturally hoped to send Incarnation No. 2 to the Sun Moon Empire.

That way, not only could he pursue the path of Soul Tools, he could also investigate Tang Fozi's whereabouts.

But whether things would go the way he hoped was another matter...

It was strange.

So many years had passed, yet there still wasn't a single trace of Tang Fozi. It was as if he had vanished from the face of the earth.

The others were one thing. Tang Fozi was different.

Lu Lin was determined to kill him with his own hands.

Of course, with his current strength, even if he found Tang Fozi, he'd only be serving himself up as an extra dish.

He still had to keep a low profile and grow stronger.

He also needed to visit the Blacksmith Association. After all, he had taken one of their Mysterious Water Pills.

He owed them a considerable favor.

Lu Lin pondered for a while, his eyes shining.

The night passed without incident.

The following day, Class Two's new students gathered for class.

Lu Lin's return to school after nearly a month away caused a small stir in class.

After all, Lu Lin was the Vice Class Leader.

During the "election" at the start of the school year, the quiet, frail-looking Lu Lin had pulled off something extraordinary without a word.

He had given every new student except Dai Xichen quite a shock.

So although Lu Lin wasn't very active and, apart from Qin He, hardly ever spoke with anyone, his sudden absence had naturally caught the attention of quite a few students.

Xiao Jin had merely explained that Lu Lin had taken leave to go out. He hadn't given a specific reason.

That led to all sorts of speculation.

Now that Lu Lin had returned, the rumors were flying again.

Still, they only talked among themselves. None of them dared approach Lu Lin and strike up a conversation.

After all, Lu Lin's performance back then had been genuinely unnerving.

They all felt he wasn't an easy person to get along with.

On the other hand, they were all convinced Lu Lin deserved to be Vice Class Leader.

Although his level wasn't high, his strength was undeniable.

Xiao Jin was still teaching the class.

Xiao Jin had a strong grasp of theory, and Lu Lin listened attentively.

Soul Masters needed to learn quite a lot.

For instance, Soul Ring combinations, Soul Beast species and age.

There were also the different Soul Master specializations: Strength Attack, Agility Attack, Control, and so on.

Cultivation wasn't simply a matter of shutting oneself away and training.

Lu Lin didn't notice, though, that Xiao Jin's gaze toward him was somewhat complicated.

Xiao Jin had naturally learned about Lu Lin's background from the Pavilion Master.

No wonder the boy had worked so hard at cultivation. After learning about his background, Xiao Jin couldn't help feeling sympathy for him.

On the other hand, Lu Lin's transformation into an Innate Full Soul Power genius wasn't without its benefits for Xiao Jin.

If Lu Lin entered the Inner Court in the future, then as his homeroom teacher, Xiao Jin would share in the glory.

The morning classes ended.

The lunch break lasted three hours.

After eating in the cafeteria, Lu Lin headed to the Mimic Forest to cultivate, as he usually did.

The Mimic Forest was especially suitable for Plant System Soul Masters.

Lu Lin was a regular visitor, but he wasn't the only student there.

Fortunately, the forest was large enough.

Lu Lin had a spot he particularly liked.

It was in the far western corner of the forest—a place he had picked the first time he came here.

It was somewhat remote, but the surroundings were peaceful and quiet, and no one would disturb him.

A month had passed since Lu Lin last visited. When he stepped into the spot again, he froze.

Someone had gotten there ahead of him.

She was a beautiful young woman with exquisite features, dressed in elegant clothes. Her skin was fair and delicate, and she had an ethereal air about her.

The sky was clear, and the clouds drifted by.

A breeze rustled the leaves as the girl sat on the grass with her eyes closed, resting like a scene from a painting.

Lu Lin frowned, wondering whether he should find somewhere else.

Then a very pleasant voice drifted softly into his ear:

"Is it pretty?"