It Was Time to Get Out and See the World

The Mysterious Heaven Skill had accelerated Ye Qiu's cultivation.

The Purple Demon Eyes had taken Ye Qiu's perception to another level. Though he had to cultivate them in secret, they were proving remarkably effective.

"All right, Ye Qiu. I have so many Gold Soul Coins now. How about I treat you to a feast in the cafeteria?" Xiao Wu stood up and tugged on his arm.

"Sure. I haven't had lunch yet." Ye Qiu didn't refuse. He stretched and loosened up.

Xiao Wu beamed, took Ye Qiu by the hand, and the two headed out together.

It was noon.

There weren't many people walking around the academy, but the path to the cafeteria was crowded. Every student who saw Xiao Wu called out, "Sister Xiao Wu!" Of course, there were also plenty who knew better and called Ye Qiu "Boss."

As soon as they reached the cafeteria entrance, Ye Qiu and Xiao Wu spotted a familiar figure.

He wore pale blue clothes and a belt set with twenty-four pieces of jade. It was Tang San. He had just walked out of the cafeteria carrying food, and he'd clearly spotted Ye Qiu and Xiao Wu, too. Smiling, he headed over to them.

"Xiao San, how come you're alone today?"

Ye Qiu greeted Tang San first.

Tang San usually had lunch with Yu Xiaogang, then went back to his room with him afterward.

"Teacher isn't feeling well today, so I'm bringing him some food," Tang San replied with a smile. But his gaze had already turned to Xiao Wu, and he asked with concern, "Xiao Wu, how did it go? Was getting your third Soul Ring smooth?"

Xiao Wu clung to Ye Qiu's arm and nodded proudly. "Of course it went smoothly! I'm a bona fide Soul Elder now! You'd better keep working hard, Xiao San."

"Mm, I will." Tang San smiled awkwardly. He'd been working hard to catch up, too, but Yu Xiaogang's study assignments and the time he spent making his own Hidden Weapons had left him struggling to keep pace. He was only a level twenty-six Soul Grandmaster.

"Well, I won't keep you two," Tang San said, waving as he slowly walked past them. Seeing Xiao Wu holding Ye Qiu's hand tightly, a flicker of quiet disappointment passed through his eyes.

He didn't know when it had started, but Xiao Wu was even reluctant to spar with him anymore. He'd spent more time with her than ever. Couldn't they even be friends?

Ye Qiu glanced back at Tang San as he walked away, then led Xiao Wu into the cafeteria.

Over the past few years, the three of them had grown closer. At the very least, they still got along peacefully and could be called friends. But Ye Qiu didn't know how long that could last.

After all, Tang Hao wouldn't give up on the Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, and Ye Qiu wouldn't give up on Xiao Wu.

They were destined to be enemies.

Tang San still had something Ye Qiu had left inside him.

Ye Qiu couldn't push things too far, either. Otherwise, the Little Black Worm might be discovered.

There was only a month left until Notting Academy's break. It was time for Ye Qiu to head out and see the Soul Master World—and visit the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well!

Ye Qiu glanced back at Xiao Wu.

"Hee-hee."

Xiao Wu didn't know why, but she gave Ye Qiu a sweet, slightly silly smile.

Ye Qiu smiled back.

This silly rabbit was so easy to please. He took Xiao Wu's soft hand and gently squeezed it.

Xiao Wu's smile grew even sweeter.

Ye Qiu hardly ever took the initiative to hold her hand.

In just a quarter of an hour, Ye Qiu and Xiao Wu had left the cafeteria.

Xiao Wu walked lightly beside Ye Qiu. The sun was a little hot, but an occasional breeze made her short skirt flutter. With a piece of candy in her mouth, she watched Ye Qiu beside her. Even the breeze seemed sweet as she smiled at him.

"All right, we've walked around the academy once. Let's go back and cultivate." Ye Qiu looked up at the sky, turned, and headed toward Dorm Seven.

Notting Academy didn't schedule classes for the afternoon. So Ye Qiu often pulled Xiao Wu onto his bed, where they'd sit together for the whole afternoon.

"Oh? All right, then."

Xiao Wu paused, then nodded in disappointment. She didn't mind cultivating with Ye Qiu—in fact, she rather liked being able to communicate with him without any barriers and sense everything about him.

Watching Ye Qiu walk away with his hands in his pockets, Xiao Wu pouted, hurried after him, and slipped her arm through his. Together, they headed back to Dorm Seven.

Back in Dorm Seven,

a few students were scattered around the room, chatting in pairs and threes.

Xiao Wu waved away their greetings, then scampered forward and kicked off her shoes, sending them flying before climbing onto Ye Qiu's bed.

Ye Qiu rubbed his forehead helplessly.

"Can't you be a little gentler when you jump onto the bed, you rabbit?"

"I'm saving you time to cultivate. Hmph. And it's not like I'm asking you to pick up my shoes." Xiao Wu pouted, tossed her hair, and sat cross-legged on the bed. She held out a hand to Ye Qiu and said sweetly, "Come on."

"Even if you begged me to pick them up, I wouldn't. They might stink!" Ye Qiu rolled his eyes and fanned the air in front of his nose and mouth.

"Ye Qiu, you're talking nonsense. Sister Xiao Wu's feet don't stink!"

Xiao Wu covered her small, delicate feet so Ye Qiu couldn't see them, then bent down and sniffed. They smelled pretty much like they did after a bath. She glared at Ye Qiu indignantly.

"Hmph! You're always trying to make Sister Xiao Wu mad."

"All right, let's cultivate."

Seeing her embarrassed and annoyed expression, Ye Qiu smiled and reached out. Xiao Wu obediently placed her hand in his palm.

Three Soul Rings—yellow, yellow, and purple—rose beneath Ye Qiu's feet. The tadpole on his fingertip instantly melted, and his hand liquefied and shot onto Xiao Wu's face, earning a glare from the little rabbit.

Soon, Xiao Wu was covered in black. A row of white fangs unfolded from the back of her head, as if about to swallow her whole. A strange ripple spread out, and she and Ye Qiu completed their fusion. Their mental power and Soul Power connected.

At the same time, Ye Qiu's First Soul Ring flashed.

He copied Xiao Wu's third Soul Skill, Instant Transmission.

Only the two of them could hear their thoughts as they communicated.

"All right, stop thinking about all that nonsense and focus on cultivating."

"Mm, I know."

Xiao Wu's voice was soft and sweet.

Every time, she eagerly rummaged through Ye Qiu's memories, trying to sense what he really thought of her. Just seeing him praise her or show his approval was enough to make her happy.

She hadn't grown crooked, and Ye Qiu still wanted to eat her.

"I told you not to let your thoughts wander!"

Feeling the waves of embarrassment and excitement surging from her, Ye Qiu reminded her again, helplessly.