Coming Out of Seclusion

After packing some clothes, Shui Wuchen patted Articuno beside him and said, "Articuno, let's go to Skywater Academy."

"Woo~~"

Articuno let out a long cry, its body rapidly shrinking from around two meters back to its previous size.

Tap~

With his hands behind his back, Shui Wuchen gave a light push and deftly leaped onto Articuno's back, riding toward Skywater Academy.

Skywater Academy.

On a broad plaza, a group of blue-clad young women around twenty years old, radiating youthful energy, stood in a neat row. Their eyes were filled with reverence as they looked at the voluptuous married woman in a pale blue dress before them.

As the dean of Skywater Academy, Shui Yueruo looked at the young women before her and nodded slightly, a trace of satisfaction flashing through her eyes.

These were Skywater Academy's finest students. Before long, they would represent Skywater Academy in the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament and display the academy's splendor.

"You are the most outstanding class Skywater Academy has produced in decades. Not only have almost all of you reached the Soul Ancestor rank, but Bing'er successfully broke through to Level 46 several days ago. If this had been the previous tournament, you would even have been qualified to contend for the championship!"

Hearing Shui Yueruo's words, Shui Bing'er and the other girls before her all lifted their chins, clearly extremely pleased with their accomplishments.

Aside from Shui Yuer, who was still at Level 39, everyone else had already broken through to the Soul Ancestor rank. That was an exceptionally impressive achievement anywhere on the Douluo Continent.

At their current pace, they would be able to challenge the Soul Emperor rank in no more than ten years or so, even though they would only be in their thirties by then.

Not long ago, a teacher named Qin Ming at Heaven Dou Royal Academy had broken through to Soul Emperor at the age of thirty-four, and that alone had drawn the amazement of countless powerful Soul Masters.

They were confident that as long as they did not die in the future, their progress would not be much slower than Qin Ming's.

However, Shui Yueruo suddenly poured cold water over them. Looking at the girls coldly, her lips curled in faint mockery. "What? Feeling proud of yourselves?"

Seeing the change in Shui Yueruo's expression, Shui Bing'er, Xuewu, and the others were all stunned, unable to understand why Shui Yueruo had suddenly said such a thing.

"If this were the previous tournament, you would indeed be qualified to contend for the championship. But in this tournament, judging by strength alone, you probably cannot even make it into the top four!" Shui Yueruo sneered at the stunned girls.

"What!? We can't even make the top four? This..."

At those words, Shui Bing'er and Xuewu frowned. Their team was nearly entirely composed of Soul Ancestors. How could they possibly fail to make the top four?

Shui Yuer could not hold herself back any longer and protested, "Dean, you said we can't even make the top four. Then tell us, what teams could possibly be stronger than our Skywater?"

As soon as she said that, the other members of the Skywater Team all turned toward Shui Yuer, wanting to see how their dean would answer.

Seeing this, Shui Yueruo was overjoyed inside. That was exactly what I was waiting for!

On the surface, however, Shui Yueruo remained impassive and said sternly, "You want to know? Fine. Then I'll properly tell you what information I've learned."

"Let's start with the other three Elemental Academies you know well. Blazing Fire Academy and Lightning Academy have also recruited quite a few geniuses over the past few years. Their teams are nearly all Soul Ancestors as well, and they are not much weaker than Skywater Academy."

"As for Godwind Academy, they have truly produced something remarkable this time, because the captain of Godwind Academy's team is a Soul King!"

"A Soul King!?"

The moment those words came out, the girls were immediately shocked. A Soul King? It was actually a Soul King?

Soul Ancestor and Soul King differed by only one word, but their strength was worlds apart.

It was not simply a matter of several levels. More importantly, Soul Kings could often possess a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring, whose power far surpassed their Thousand Year Soul Skills.

Shui Bing'er was also greatly surprised. A Soul King? Wouldn't that make him about as strong as her brother?

Fortunately, her brother would be participating in the tournament with them. Otherwise, they truly would have had a hard time dealing with that Soul King.

As for whether Shui Wuchen could defeat him, Shui Bing'er did not have the slightest doubt. Everything that had happened since childhood had proven that her brother was the strongest!

"Then there is the Star Luo Royal Team of the Star Luo Empire. Every member is also a Soul Ancestor. Their captain, Dai Weisi, and his fiancée, Zhu Zhuyun, both have Soul Power Levels no lower than Shui Bing'er's. Moreover, they possess the Hell White Tiger, a Martial Soul Fusion Skill renowned across the continent."

"Spirit Hall's team is even more terrifying this time. Not only are all three members of the Golden Generation Soul Kings, but none of their other members have Soul Power below Level 45."

With every sentence Shui Yueruo spoke, Xuewu and the others' faces grew a shade paler. There were actually so many powerful opponents in this tournament.

Even Shui Bing'er, who believed her brother to be invincible, became serious upon hearing that Spirit Hall had three Soul Kings.

It was not that she worried Shui Wuchen could not defeat Spirit Hall's three Soul Kings. She worried that two of them would tie Shui Wuchen down while the remaining Soul King swept the field.

If it truly developed that way, things would become troublesome.

"Woo~~"

At that moment, a crisp bird cry rang out, and even the air around them seemed to grow several degrees colder.

Hearing that sound, Shui Bing'er was immediately delighted and hurriedly looked up.

At the horizon, a beautiful great bird seemingly formed from ice crystals soared gracefully through the sky. Wherever it passed, it left behind a colorful ribbon of snowflakes.

On the Ice Bird's back, the vague figure of a handsome young man could be seen standing with his hands behind his back as he rode toward them.

Without a doubt, it was Shui Wuchen and Articuno, who had just emerged from seclusion.

A moment later, Articuno carried Shui Wuchen above Skywater Academy. After sweeping his gaze around a few times, she descended onto the plaza where the girls stood.

Shui Wuchen jumped down from Articuno's back and greeted Shui Yueruo, "Dean, I'm here."

"Woo~~"

At the same time, Articuno's body rapidly shrank. By the time she flew onto Shui Wuchen's shoulder, she was only slightly larger than a sparrow.

"Wuchen, you're here."

Seeing Shui Wuchen's arrival, the frostiness on Shui Yueruo's face gave way to a trace of a smile.

Then, in a flash, she appeared beside Shui Wuchen, patted him on the shoulder, and said to the girls of the Skywater Team, "I forgot to tell you that Shui Wuchen is now also a student of Skywater Academy. Next, he will travel with us to Heaven Dou City and participate in the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament."

Shui Bing'er and Shui Yuer did not react much to this, since they had known about it long ago.

As for Xuewu and the others, who were learning of it for the first time, it took them quite a while to process what had happened.

"Ah????"