"Oh, that? It was my saliva."
The young man spoke calmly, leaving Wang Dong stunned, as though he had merely said he ate an extra egg that morning.
"Sa... sa-sa-saliva?!"
The child was so shocked she could barely speak properly.
"You're way too disgusting!"
The girl swiftly pulled the white stocking off her foot, tossed it onto the floor, and rubbed her tender bare foot against the bedsheet.
Looking somewhat aggrieved, the girl raised her head and glared fiercely at An Zhen with her dreamy eyes. "I didn't bully you before, did I? Why did you put a white stocking covered in saliva on my foot?"
An Zhen fell silent.
The little loli hurried forward and leaned close to Wang Dong'er's ear to explain in a whisper.
"Pervert!"
"An Zhen, you big pervert!"
The flushed girl loudly berated him.
"Think about it from another angle."
Teachers taught them to learn how to view problems from another perspective. As a good student, An Zhen often put that lesson into practice.
"You're the queen, and I'm your servant."
Wang Dong:?
Stepping on An Zhen and making him lick her feet like a puppy...
A glimmer flashed through her dreamy pink-blue eyes. That actually sounded pretty nice.
Seeing Wang Dong'er's mood improve, with a smug smile even appearing at the corner of her lips, while Brother An Zhen remained calm, Huo Yutong felt that Wang Dong had been talked into something by Brother An Zhen.
After soothing the young lady and setting up three NPC puppets to cultivate, An Zhen began changing the setting.
A beach, the sea, sunshine, beach chairs, parasols, school swimsuits...
"No, absolutely not!"
Wang Dong shook her little head like a rattle-drum. Though this was not technically her real body, there was no way—absolutely no way—she would wear something like that in front of An Zhen.
"Then wear the sportswear from before. I'll change its material so it won't absorb water."
"That works."
An Zhen did not insist.
After all, they had only known each other for a few days.
Perhaps certain special matters had made their relationship extraordinary in some respects, but the two girls were both proper unmarried young ladies.
"Even if it's fake."
Lying on a beach chair, An Zhen picked up a comic Wang Dong had bought.
By the sea, a beautiful girl with long pink-blue hair and a blue-haired loli happily jumped into the water. Their fair legs gently stirred the surface, while the cute little white rabbit bounced and swayed along with the girl's movements. Her long hair gathered into a single strand under the pull of water and gravity. Her agile body moved like a swimming dragon as her fair jade arms drew the little cutie into her embrace. The girls played and splashed about.
How wonderful.
Time passed.
The day before school began was spent in the carefree extravagance of youth.
"So sleepy."
Wang Dong'er yawned and contentedly set down the comic in her hands. As she moved casually, a patch of snowy white skin showed at the collar of her long dress, and her fingers gently patted her slightly numb, long fair leg.
"After staying up all night, I finally finished it."
Like a lazy big cat, the girl lay sprawled on the bed, her shapely rear raised as dreamy pink-blue hair scattered loosely around her.
"An Zhen, remember to bring me breakfast." Her voice was heavy with sleepiness.
"No."
The young man set aside another novel and rested his head on the blue-haired little cutie's thigh, gently rubbing against it.
"Yutong~"
The pitiful-looking girl crawled over, deliberately bumping her head against An Zhen's, then lay on Huo Yutong's other leg in a coquettish manner. "Bring breakfast too."
"I want some too. Put it on Wang Dong's tab," An Zhen said lazily.
"You really have no shame."
"Likewise," An Zhen replied politely.
Wang Dong'er rolled her eyes beautifully and turned her head away.
She could not outargue this guy.
"Alright, alright, stop arguing."
With one hand on each of their heads, the blue-haired loli softly soothed them. Though both of them were very mature in some matters, they were also incredibly childish in others.
"Oh, right."
The loli suddenly remembered something. "Brother An Zhen, are you in Newbie Class One too?"
Wang Dong opened one eye a slit.
"No."
"We got lucky and were assigned to Newbie Class Nine."
"Although you've eaten quite a few medicinal meals these past few days, Yutong, those things need to accumulate over time to take effect. Your Soul Power has broken through to Level Thirteen, but it hasn't improved your physical condition much."
Refreshing himself and full of energy, An Zhen stood up. "Your Class One teacher, Zhou Yi, has extremely strict requirements for ordinary students unless they're students she values. Her attitude could practically be called torture."
"If there are any activities that require physical strength, Wang Dong, help Yutong more."
"Of course." The refined girl proudly patted her chest. "Leave it to me."
"Mhm, Young Lady Wang is very reliable."
"Hehe."
For a moment, An Zhen seemed to see a tail wagging behind Wang Dong.
After getting up and using Reflection to check the three of their levels and conditions—
An Zhen headed toward the teaching building.
"Martial Soul Department Academic Affairs Office."
After confirming it was the right place, An Zhen gently knocked on the door.
Knock, knock, knock.
"Come in."
Inside the understated, classically styled office, a middle-aged man with dark green hair and a short beard turned his gaze toward An Zhen. "Student An Zhen, what can I do for you?"
The director of Shrek's Martial Soul Department Academic Affairs Office, an eight-ringed Soul Douluo—Du Weilun.
An Zhen was not surprised that Du Weilun knew him. Setting everything else aside, he had defeated Xu Sanshi, and Taotie Douluo had visited the Milk Tea Stall he endorsed. It would have been strange if Du Weilun did not know him.
"Hello, Director Du. My martial soul is rather special, and the conventional classroom model doesn't suit me very well. So I'd like to explain my situation and apply for permission."
"Oh?"
He knew that this little fellow before him had utterly crushed Xu Sanshi through an extremely strange method. Although he had heard that An Zhen had been seriously injured afterward, he was still a new student. What was more, Elder Xuan had personally named him for special attention, and he seemed to have entered the Sea God Pavilion's sights.
Yet aside from knowing that his martial soul was a world, everything else about it remained mysterious.
"My soul skill allows me to meditate and cultivate while remaining aware of the outside world, so it won't interfere with my studies. But it looks like I'm sleeping in class," the young man said somewhat bashfully.
So he had come to the office early in the morning just to apply for the privilege of sleeping in class?
If it had been anyone else, Du Weilun would have picked them up and thrown them straight out. But this one was someone Elder Xuan had specifically instructed him to watch closely.
"Do you have any way to prove it?"
"Not yet. I can't bring anyone else in for now. I'll have to wait until I obtain my third soul ring."
Du Weilun:?
Did that mean An Zhen already knew what ability his third soul ring would grant?
Feeling somewhat confused and unable to understand, Du Weilun took a book out where An Zhen could not see it.
"Although sleeping in class is rather absurd, our teaching philosophy puts students first. If you truly possess that ability, I can approve it." Adjusting his glasses, Du Weilun said seriously, "How about this? I have a book tucked against my chest. If you can tell me its title and what is on its first page, I'll believe you."
After all, martial souls came in every conceivable variety. It was understandable for some to possess unusual abilities.
"Alright."
An Zhen closed his eyes.
One minute later.
"Director, the book against your chest is a comic called The Domineering Young Master Falls for a Common Girl. Xu Sanshi's name is written on it. The first page contains an exquisite illustration, along with handwritten words—a love letter Senior Xu Sanshi wrote to Senior Jiang Nannan. Also, you have two Gold Soul Coins in your pocket."
An Zhen blinked and looked expectantly at the director.
"A very impressive ability."
Du Weilun now understood somewhat why this boy had prompted Elder Xuan to personally ask for special attention. With his cultivation as an eight-ringed Soul Douluo, he had not sensed even the slightest probe of Spiritual Power just now.
"Then, about me sleeping in class... ah, no, cultivating..."
"You may. I approve it. You're in Newbie Class Nine, right? When Teacher Mu Jin comes later, I'll inform her."
"Thank you, Director. Oh, right." An Zhen turned to look at the open window. "Someone outside the window is looking for you."
An Zhen closed the door and left.
Du Weilun was startled. Someone outside the window?
The next moment, a refined middle-aged man appeared in the office.
"Dean."
Du Weilun spoke respectfully.
"What a fine seedling!"
Yan Shaozhe's burning gaze seemed to pierce through the walls as he watched the departing figure.
And he was an orphan, too.
Newbie Class Nine.
When An Zhen arrived, there were only one or two people in the classroom. He found a seat near the window in the back row and sat down.
A while later, he accepted the breakfast Huo Yutong had brought.
"Classmate, is someone sitting beside you?"
A clear, pleasant voice rang out.
"No."
A small bag was placed on the desk beside An Zhen. He turned his head and looked at his deskmate.
She was a tall girl. Though her exquisite features could not compare to Wang Dong's, she was still no less beautiful than Tang Ya. Her short golden hair looked neat and capable, while her bright, lively eyes were intelligent. She gave An Zhen a friendly smile.
"Hello, I'm Ning Tian. Student An Zhen, I've heard so much about you."
The blonde girl extended a fair jade hand.
"Hello."
They shook hands, then released each other.
"Young Master!"
A red figure charged over at incredible speed.
"Feng Mei!"
The blonde girl called out softly.
The previously furious girl instantly lost her momentum. The wolf that had been baring its fangs turned into an obedient little dog. "Young Master."
"Alright, find a seat and sit down. Class is about to start," the girl said in a firm, almost commanding tone.
Her short red hair resembled burning Dragon Flame, and so did her eyes. Her features were exquisite, and her skin was as fair as jade, no worse than Ning Tian's at all. Her excellent figure far surpassed the still-youthful Wang Dong's. The phrase "big chest, no brains" seemed to be vividly embodied in her. (Comic version appearance.)
Honestly, compared to Ning Tian, An Zhen was more interested in this Wu Feng. He could not help it—she had pursued Ning Tian so fiercely in the early part of the original story, only for her role to reverse later from aggressor to receiver. In Qiankun Asking Love Valley, Ning Tian had been turned into a man.
What a complete reversal of the situation.
Tap, tap, tap...
Footsteps sounded as a woman with short, curly hair entered the classroom holding teaching materials. She stood at the podium and swept her gaze across the students below. After confirming that the number of students was correct, she said, "Class begins now."
"First, let me introduce myself. My name is Mu Jin. You may call me Teacher Mu or Teacher Mu Jin. Until the class placement assessment begins three months from now, I'll be your homeroom teacher. I hope we can get along well during this period. If you have any cultivation-related or daily-life difficulties, you can come to me."
Mu Jin paused, and the gentleness on her face turned serious. "First, I need to make your goal for the next three months clear: the freshman assessment. Every one of you is a little genius carefully selected from the three great Empires."
A hint of pride appeared on many students' faces. Every one of them had been among the best at their former junior academies, a genius among their peers.
"But there is no shortage of geniuses here. To give you a practical example, the upcoming freshman assessment will eliminate two-thirds of you new students."
Although they had learned about it before, hearing that terrifying number left most of the students present stunned.
"Do everything in your power to pass the freshman assessment and stay. Only students like that deserve to be called elites."
Before you continue