Setting Off for Heaven Dou City

After coming to her senses, Xuewu scratched her head and said, "Uh... it's a good thing that Bing'er's brother can compete with us, but Dean, doesn't our academy refuse to admit male students? Shui Bing'er begged you for a long time back then, but you still didn't agree."

"Ahem..."

Hearing this, Shui Yueruo's old face immediately reddened. Somewhat embarrassed, she said, "Times have changed. If any one of you were promising enough to become a Soul King, I wouldn't have thought of having Wuchen serve as our backup."

Back then, she had indeed refused to let Shui Wuchen join Skywater Academy. First, Skywater Academy's rule was to admit only beautiful girls.

Second, she was worried that if a boy like Shui Wuchen—especially one so outstanding in both looks and talent—stayed at Skywater Academy, the girls in the academy might cause some sort of trouble.

Petty jealousy would have been one thing, but if there were nighttime raids, pregnancies, or suicides, Skywater Academy's reputation would be ruined.

Even Shui Wuchen's right to enter Skywater Academy to visit Shui Bing'er had only been granted by Shui Yueruo after observing him for a long time.

After hearing Shui Yueruo's words, Xuewu and the others pursed their lips. They were already Soul Ancestors; how much more promising were they supposed to be?

Were they really supposed to break through to Soul King in their early twenties?

If it were truly that easy to achieve, Soul Kings would not have been so rarely seen in previous Elite Tournaments.

Seeing this, Shui Yueruo knew her demands were too high, so she hurriedly changed the subject. "All right, since Wuchen is here, it's time for us to set off."

As she spoke, she looked at Shui Wuchen and tentatively asked, "Wuchen, um..."

"No. Articuno won't agree to it."

Before Shui Yueruo could finish, Shui Wuchen shook his head.

Back then, Shui Wuchen had begged for a long time before Articuno agreed to carry Shui Bing'er, much less take so many people at once.

With Articuno's proud temperament, Shui Wuchen did not need to think to know she would never agree.

"Grrr!!!"

Hearing that this person wanted to use her as transportation, Articuno on Shui Wuchen's shoulder immediately glared at Shui Yueruo with an unfriendly expression.

Shui Yueruo felt a chill run down her back. She smiled awkwardly and stopped bringing up the matter of having Articuno carry them.

At the same time, Shui Yueruo felt somewhat disappointed. What a pity. I thought I'd finally get my wish and experience what it feels like to ride Articuno.

Shui Wuchen rode such a beautiful Articuno around all day, so naturally she was very envious. Unfortunately, every suggestion had ended in failure.

Shaking her head to dispel that sense of disappointment, Shui Yueruo said to everyone present, "Then we'll take my carriage. My horses are fairly fast!"

Although everyone present could definitely run much faster than horses at full speed, a Soul Master's Soul Power and stamina were limited, and they could not maintain their full speed indefinitely.

Moreover, Skywater City was over a thousand kilometers away from their destination, Heaven Dou City. Traveling on foot would consume too much energy and would not be conducive to the battles ahead.

In comparison, specially selected horses were much more reliable.

Half an hour later, several luxurious carriages bearing Skywater Academy's emblem departed from Skywater Academy amid the cheers of its students and teachers, heading toward Heaven Dou City.

"Bing'er's brother, what realm are you at now? You should have broken through to Soul King already, right?"

Inside the carriage, Xuewu curiously asked Shui Wuchen.

A Soul Master's realm could not be discerned from appearance. Only when a Soul Master fought with all their strength and revealed all their Soul Rings could other Soul Masters judge their level based on their Soul Power fluctuations.

Shui Wuchen spent most of his time in Secluded Cultivation and rarely acted before others, so his exact level had always been a mystery to everyone else.

However, Xuewu had heard Shui Bing'er say that Shui Wuchen had broken through to Soul Ancestor long ago. Even if he had not reached Soul King by now, he could not be far from it.

Looking at the curiosity in Xuewu's eyes, Shui Wuchen gently nodded and said calmly, "I have."

"I knew it!"

Seeing Shui Wuchen admit it, Xuewu was instantly delighted. "That's wonderful! Skywater Academy has a Soul King overseeing us now."

Meanwhile, Shui Bing'er, seated beside Shui Wuchen, smugly thought, You're this surprised just because he broke through to Soul King? If you knew that Brother became a Soul King two years ago, Xue'er, I wonder how shocked you'd be!

As Shui Wuchen's younger sister, Shui Bing'er naturally knew even more clearly just how terrifying his cultivation progress was.

His rate of improvement was so fast that even Shui Bing'er, his sister, felt frustrated.

Is Innate Full Soul Power really that powerful? I was born with level 9.5 Soul Power too. We're only half a level apart.

Shui Bing'er muttered to herself.

Over the years, she had worked quite hard to catch up with Shui Wuchen. While her other sisters went shopping and played around, she was either meditating or training in the use of her Soul Skills. Otherwise, she could never have broken through to level forty-six at the age of sixteen.

Yet no matter how hard she worked, the distance between her and Shui Wuchen only grew wider. She had only just become a Soul Ancestor, while Shui Wuchen had already become a Soul King. It sometimes made her doubt whether she was truly the genius her teachers claimed she was.

"Brother, just how do you cultivate..."

Shui Bing'er wanted to ask Shui Wuchen how he cultivated, but found that he had already entered meditation. She swallowed the question she had been about to ask.

Now she knew how Shui Wuchen cultivated.

Thus, Shui Bing'er followed Shui Wuchen's example and began meditating as well, leaving only Xuewu and another female student staring at each other.

The carriage continued onward, and in the blink of an eye, four days passed. Shui Wuchen and the others had traveled a thousand kilometers, covering two-thirds of the journey.

During this time, the carriage Shui Wuchen occupied had fallen into cultivation because of him, forming a stark contrast to the lively atmosphere in the other carriages.

Rumble—

Just when everyone thought they would arrive safely at Heaven Dou City, the capital, a violent roar suddenly rang out. Then, a gale carrying sand and dust swept toward Skywater Academy's convoy.

At that moment, Shui Wuchen abruptly woke from meditation, grabbed Shui Bing'er beside him, and charged straight out of the carriage.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

After Shui Wuchen got out, Articuno followed closely behind, her two talons gripping Xuewu and another female student from Skywater Academy.

Immediately afterward, several figures rushed out of the other carriages with people in tow. The instant they escaped, the gale arrived and overturned every carriage.

Shui Yueruo, the dean, looked into the distance with a face full of shock.

"What exactly happened? How could there be such an intense energy fluctuation?"