Three Months Later

The days that followed were calm and routine.

Every morning, The Trio went to the Teaching Building together.

Xue Lingyun walked in the middle, with Huo Yuhao on his left and Wang Dong on his right, like they were clocking in.

They chatted on and off along the way. Occasionally, Wang Dong complained about the Canteen food, while Huo Yuhao quietly listened and Xue Lingyun occasionally chimed in.

At noon, the three of them went to the Canteen together. They used Xue Lingyun's Meal Card—a free card specially approved by Dean Yan. It did not matter how much they spent.

Wang Dong had initially felt a little embarrassed. After all, she was not that familiar with Xue Lingyun and was only borrowing his bathroom through Huo Yuhao.

After doing it enough times, though, she gradually relaxed.

After school in the afternoon, Huo Yuhao went to the Soul Guidance Department to study theory.

Sometimes Wang Dong returned to the dormitory alone. Other times, she followed Xue Lingyun over to the Soul Guidance Department to look around, and they parted ways at the entrance.

If Xue Lingyun also went to the Soul Guidance Department that afternoon, he would call Huo Yuhao along when he left, and the two would go eat together.

At first, Huo Yuhao was not used to being cared for like this. Gradually, though, he accepted it—not as something he was entitled to, but because he knew Bro Lingyun truly treated him like a younger brother.

After Huo Yuhao began going to the Soul Guidance Department, Wang Dong occasionally came by to borrow the bathroom on her own.

At first, she was still a little embarrassed. She knocked softly, barely spoke after coming in, and left as soon as she finished washing.

After coming more often, she slowly loosened up.

Later on, the signal was still the same "knock, knock, knock," but before she even entered, her voice arrived first—"This Great One is here!"

Xue Lingyun felt that her shout was more distinctive than her knocking.

Xue Lingyun later found an opportunity to give those two Mystic Water Pills to Huo Yuhao.

Together with the first pill that had violently cleansed his marrow, the three pills increased Huo Yuhao's cultivation speed by more than tenfold.

Xue Lingyun could only wonder just how slow Huo Yuhao had been before.

He was already Level 17, yet he was still marveling over it. Without those things, he would probably still be hovering around Level 12 or 13.

When Xue Lingyun handed him the pills that day, Huo Yuhao's eyes reddened again.

That look made Xue Lingyun uncomfortable all over. He waved his hand and said, "Alright, alright, hurry up and eat them. Stop being so moved here."

Wang Dong could not stop laughing beside them.

The three of them occasionally treated themselves to a good meal.

Xue Lingyun had a Storage Soul Tool and could take out pots, bowls, and cooking utensils whenever he wanted.

The Cultivation Room was empty anyway, so he made a few simple modifications and occasionally cooked something there.

If they wanted to make a big spread, they would borrow the Canteen kitchen, or simply find an unoccupied corner. The woods outside the academy worked too.

Shrek was vast and sparsely populated, so finding a secluded place to cook was not difficult.

Medicinal cuisine used inexpensive herbs boiled together with ordinary ingredients, meant for everyday nourishment.

Those without awakened Martial Souls could eat it, and so could those who had awakened them. As for the effects... High rank soul masters ate it mainly for the taste, but for people at their stage, it really was somewhat useful.

The first time Wang Dong ate it, she nearly chewed through the bowl.

Huo Yuhao was not much better. His eyes lit up.

Seeing the two of them looking like starving ghosts reborn, Xue Lingyun thought that if Xiao Bai were here, the two of them probably would not even get any soup.

After that, Wang Dong latched onto him, asking every few days when he would cook again.

Xue Lingyun could not be bothered to fuss with it every day. But whenever he occasionally agreed, she ran faster than anyone else.

One time, she even somehow got hold of a huge pot and carried it over on her back, saying they should make more.

Xue Lingyun said nothing. The ingredients did not cost him anything anyway, so making more was fine.

Wang Dong had also been cultivating more diligently lately.

She used to be inconsistent, but now she took at most one day off out of three.

Having a Soul Elder beside her every day probably put some pressure on her.

Xiao Xiao later ran into them at the Canteen several more times.

Each time, she greeted them with a red face and then ran off.

Xue Lingyun did not pay much attention to it. He simply nodded and continued eating.

Wang Dong made faces beside him, but he ignored her.

Tang Ya came by once and said that the Life Mark was still effective and that cultivation had become much smoother than before.

Xue Lingyun nodded without saying much. She did not stay long either, leaving after chatting for a few moments.

Ma Xiaotao was still the same, climbing in through the window every few days.

One time, she brought up Ling Luochen and said that Ice Clump seemed to have been treating her better recently.

"What do you mean, 'seemed'?" Xue Lingyun asked.

Ma Xiaotao thought for a moment before saying, "It's... better than before, but also really awkward. She wants to ask about you, but she doesn't know how to bring it up. When she talks to me, that expression... tsk, it's hard to explain."

Xue Lingyun fell silent for a moment, then said, "Sounds like plastic besties."

Ma Xiaotao froze for a moment. After thinking it over, she actually felt that it was quite fitting.

Whenever he went to the Soul Guidance Department, Xue Lingyun often discussed things with He Caitou.

Sometimes he asked for advice, while other times they discussed ideas for Soul Tools.

His level was not high, mainly because he lacked practical experience, but he had plenty of ideas.

He Caitou was talented and diligent in his training, so the two got along quite well in conversation.

Asking teachers for guidance was one thing; discussing things with peers was another.

Before long, they had grown closer.

Jiang Nannan also came looking for him once.

That day, he was walking along when he suddenly sensed someone sneaking up behind him.

His footsteps paused. When that person was about to get close, he suddenly spun around.

"Ah!" Jiang Nannan jumped back in fright.

Xue Lingyun looked at her without speaking.

Jiang Nannan patted her chest and glared at him. "How did you notice?"

"I've been practicing Anti-Stealth lately," Xue Lingyun said.

Xue Lingyun did not explain further.

He really had been practicing it lately—not merely sensing malice, but reacting to any deliberate gaze or approach.

Come to think of it, he had Jiang Nannan to thank for that.

After what happened last time, he realized he could not rely solely on warnings of malice. He needed to broaden the range of his perception.

After training for three months, the results were decent.

Jiang Nannan froze for a moment. Who knew what she thought of, but her face reddened. She tossed out a "I'm leaving first" and ran away.

Only Xue Lingyun was left standing there, not knowing what to say.

Xue Lingyun himself had changed as well.

He had risen one level, reaching Level 36.

It was not fast, but it was steady.

After level 30, cultivation with an ultimate attribute was already half as fast as that of ordinary people. On top of that, he did not devote all his time to raising his level, so gaining this level was already considered quick.

However, according to Xue Lingyun's plans, reaching level 40 before the second year should not be a problem.

Once both his physical condition and Soul Power caught up, he could try some more potent things.

That "Egg Yolk," after rising in level and receiving three months of continuous nourishment, had finally formed completely on its own.

It now formed a dual-core state with the Primal Heart. One pulsed on the left, while the other rotated in the center.

His Soul Power recovery speed was now more than twice what it had been, and his soul skill release speed had increased considerably as well.

Though it was still some distance from becoming a true Second Heart, it was already a qualitative leap.

That morning, the three of them headed to the Teaching Building together as usual.

When they reached the entrance, Huo Yuhao suddenly said, "The Freshman Assessment is tomorrow, right?"

Wang Dong nodded. "Yeah."

Xue Lingyun did not respond. He walked into the Teaching Building while pondering the assessment the next day.