9:00 a.m.
Shuhang and Soft Feather boarded the train bound for Jiangnan Region University Town. They were lucky—at 8:45, they arrived at J City's Black Elephant Station, just in time for a train departing at 9:00 sharp.
The journey was uneventful.
By the time they arrived at Jiangnan University Town, it was already noon.
"Would you like to come over to my place?" Song Shuhang asked out of courtesy. The moment the words left his mouth, he suddenly remembered that Soft Feather wasn't one of his old friends, but a girl he had only met yesterday. The question had been rather abrupt.
"Thank you, Senior. If I have the chance in the future, I'll definitely come visit you. But right now, I have to hurry home and contract this Spirit Ghost first. Besides, if I'm any later, Father might come back, and that would be troublesome." Soft Feather smiled sweetly.
Song Shuhang smiled. "Then goodbye. You can take a taxi from the station exit straight to Jiangnan Region Airport. You'll be fine on your own, right?"
"No problem. I already booked my return ticket, too. As long as I make it to the airport, I'll be able to get home safely. Oh, right, Senior, what's your mailing address? I still need to send you two boxes of medicinal ingredients!" Soft Feather suddenly remembered the promise she had made at the very beginning.
She was a girl who always kept her word. Once she promised something, she would absolutely carry it out.
"Forget about that for now. We can talk about it when there's time." Holding the Ice Pearl that was said to have a 'Spirit Ghost sealed inside,' Song Shuhang vaguely felt that the medicinal ingredients Soft Feather mentioned might not be as simple as he had imagined.
"Senior, please don't make me into someone who breaks her promises. The people of Spirit Butterfly Island always keep their word!" Soft Feather said seriously.
"Fine... I guess." Seeing that he couldn't refuse, Song Shuhang took out the notebook he carried with him, wrote down his mailing address, tore out the page, and handed it to Soft Feather.
Soft Feather carefully put the note away, then waved goodbye to Shuhang.
Song Shuhang watched her leave before finally letting out a sigh of relief.
"It's finally over. I suppose I won't have anything to do with this girl again, right?" Song Shuhang scratched his head and laughed. "I'm going home!"
Future Song Shuhang would definitely be grateful for Soft Feather's persistence today!
If she hadn't insisted on sending him those two boxes of medicinal ingredients, Song Shuhang's life would probably have been just like an ordinary person's: finish university, find a simple job, marry an ordinary wife, have a cute child, and live out a plain, ordinary life.
Because of Soft Feather's support today, Song Shuhang's life would undergo earth-shaking changes.
Nine Provinces Number One Group.
Northern River's Loose Cultivator: "Soft Feather, did you find Ghost Lantern Temple?"
Soft Feather of Spirit Butterfly Island (online via phone): "I found it. I completed the mission successfully, and I'm already on my way home."
"I went to the wrong place earlier and ended up in Luoxin District of Jiangnan Region. But I happened to run into a very formidable Senior Song from the group there. He helped me find the Luoxin District in J City and locate Ghost Lantern Temple. With his help, I completed the mission!"
"Senior Song from the group? What's that senior's Daoist title?" Northern River's Loose Cultivator asked. Song was a common surname, and there were several seniors surnamed Song in the group.
"Ah!" Soft Feather sent a tongue-sticking-out emoji. "I asked him for his Daoist title, but he didn't tell me. Later, I actually forgot to ask again. But I know that his secular name is Song Shuhang!"
"Song Shuhang? That name sounds a little familiar..." Senior Northern River thought about it, but couldn't remember where he had heard it. "Haha, in any case, congratulations on completing the mission successfully, Soft Feather."
After all, he had originally promised to help her, but in the end, he hadn't been able to do much. He felt somewhat guilty.
"Thank you, Senior Northern River. You helped me a lot, too!" Soft Feather said with a smile. "I'm boarding the plane now. See you later."
On the plane, Soft Feather turned off her phone and cast her gaze out the window.
The seniors in the group really were all very nice.
Especially Senior Song. He was truly a really, really good person.
A shining good-person card, despite being separated by thousands of mountains and rivers, still landed firmly on Song Shuhang's head.
＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊
The next day.
June 4, Tuesday. Sweltering!
At Jiangnan University Town, fourteen enormous fans spun wildly in the large classroom, but all they stirred up were waves of hot air, making everyone even more dizzy and sluggish.
The teacher giving the lecture was already drenched in sweat, and even his voice had weakened considerably.
Shuhang sat upright in the classroom. Yet despite the scorching summer heat, he unexpectedly felt clear-headed.
He had attended countless classes from childhood to adulthood, but this was the first time he had felt so relaxed. He only had to hear the teacher's lecture once to remember it all. He could even draw inferences from one point, quickly grasping the key concepts.
He still had enough energy to multitask, listening to the lecture while letting his mind wander about other things.
Beside him, a female classmate who had originally been sitting three seats away unconsciously moved closer and closer. In the end, she almost wished she could press her curvaceous body against Song Shuhang's. The faint scent of perfume kept drifting into his nose.
This wasn't because Song Shuhang's charm value had suddenly skyrocketed overnight. Rather, in the sweltering weather, wisps of cool air radiated from his body. He was practically a human air conditioner, making people wish they could cling tightly to him.
Shuhang secretly lowered his head and glanced at the bead hanging around his neck. It was the 'Soul-Sealing Ice Pearl' Soft Feather had given him yesterday. When worn on his body, the pearl automatically dispelled the heat around Song Shuhang, forming a layer of cool protection close to his skin.
Moreover, while wearing the pearl, Shuhang felt clear-headed and quick-minded. Even English words that had once taken him three or four repetitions to memorize could now be firmly engraved in his mind after a single glance and one hearing.
This... was a true academic cheat artifact! With this thing, dominating the school would be effortless.
Something like this had already gone slightly beyond the range of what science could explain.
The scene of Soft Feather 'sealing the Spirit Ghost' rose in his mind.
"Does it... really exist?" Song Shuhang murmured to himself. This miraculous Ice Pearl made him believe in the existence of cultivation a little more.
Was there really a Spirit Ghost sealed inside this Ice Pearl?
Was cultivation really not just a legend?
Did immortals who rode the clouds and mist truly exist?
Could people really move mountains and overturn seas?
One question after another surfaced in Shuhang's mind, filling his head.
If all these things existed... then were the people in Nine Provinces Number One Group really all immortals?
Never before had he been so eager to check Nine Provinces Number One Group, to see the conversations there and find another piece of evidence.
Why hadn't class ended yet? Hurry up and end!
Shuhang thought inwardly.
Ding-a-ling-ling~~
The bell signaling the break rang.
The students in the classroom cheered excitedly, rising one after another and leaving the steamer-like room to get some fresh air in the hallway.
Only the girl beside Song Shuhang was a little reluctant to leave—she felt that it was truly cool beside Shuhang, even more comfortable than air-conditioning. Unfortunately, she wasn't Song Shuhang's girlfriend, so it wouldn't be appropriate to cling to him once class ended.
What if I tried becoming Song Shuhang's girlfriend? She secretly glanced at Shuhang. Song Shuhang wasn't the type to show off in class, but he actually had quite a masculine charm. He's really attractive. If I could hug such a cool, icy man to sleep with during the blazing summer, he'd definitely make the best body pillow, right?
"Hello, is classmate Song Shuhang here?" A booming voice rang out from the doorway.
The voice was deafening and instantly held the attention of every student in the room.
Shuhang looked up and saw a burly man in a suit. His face was fierce and intimidating, yet he wore an awkwardly benevolent smile.
I don't know him.
He stood up and waved. "That's me. May I ask who you are? What do you need me for?"
"Haha, I'm from Harvest Express. Two huge express deliveries for classmate Song Shuhang have been sent here by expedited air freight, rushing over overnight. Since they were sent by a very important customer, you have to sign for them in person before the delivery can be completed." The suited man chuckled and respectfully handed Song Shuhang a business card with both hands.
Shuhang took the card and looked at it.
Harvest Express Group Co., Ltd., Sima Jiang!
It was a very simple business card. There was no position listed, only the company name and the person's name.
Even deliverymen have their own business cards these days?
Shuhang tucked the card away, puzzled. What kind of express delivery did I have that needed to be sent by air directly?
As he thought this, Soft Feather's bashful smile suddenly appeared in his mind.
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