Level Thirty-Nine! First Meeting with Ma Xiaotao!

One evening, half a month later.

Bai Lan sat cross-legged on the bed and slowly opened his eyes.

He exhaled a breath of stale air.

Yinye looked at him: "Master?"

Bai Lan did not answer.

He simply raised his hand, feeling the flow of Soul Power within his body.

Then, he smiled.

"Level thirty-eight."

Yinye's eyes lit up.

"Congratulations, Master."

Ice Empress also lifted her head, the corners of her mouth curling up slightly.

Bai Lan looked at the two of them, a surge of warmth rising in his heart.

For the past half month, they had stayed by his side.

From morning until night.

Never complaining.

"Thank you," he said.

Yinye shook her head.

"Master does not need to thank us."

Ice Empress nodded.

"We are Master's Contract Beast."

"Accompanying Master in cultivation is our duty."

Bai Lan looked at them and suddenly smiled.

"Then let's continue tomorrow."

Yinye nodded: "Alright."

Ice Empress nodded as well.

Outside the window, the setting sun sank low.

The golden afterglow spilled in, falling upon the three of them.

Time flew like a shuttle.

It passed very quickly.

Another half month went by.

Bai Lan sat cross-legged on the bed, eyes closed in cultivation.

Suddenly, he opened his eyes.

Yinye and Ice Empress looked at him simultaneously.

"Master?"

Bai Lan was silent for a second.

Then, he smiled.

"Level thirty-nine."

Yinye smiled.

Ice Empress smiled too.

"Congratulations, Master," the two said in unison.

Bai Lan stood up and stretched his shoulders.

One month, from thirty-seven to thirty-nine.

This speed was more than twice as fast as his own cultivation.

One must know that for every Soul Master, once they reach the Soul Venerable realm, their cultivation speed is forcibly slowed down.

Those with ultimate attributes are even slower.

Even so, Bai Lan had managed to break through two levels in a month.

What's more, this was the late stage of the Soul Venerable realm.

"In another month, I should be able to reach level forty."

"Since you both possess ultimate attributes, my cultivation speed has become extremely slow, and the amount of Soul Power energy required is also exceptionally high."

"Otherwise, if it had been given to someone else, they would likely be a Spirit Ancestor or even a Spirit King by now."

He said.

Yinye nodded.

"Indeed, there is nothing to be done about that."

"But it's not a big problem; in a month, we can go find the Snow Empress."

A glimmer flashed in the Ice Empress's eyes.

The Snow Empress.

The companion she had waited hundreds of thousands of years for.

Soon, they would meet again.

Bai Lan watched her expression, understanding in his heart.

"Rest assured," he said. "I won't make her wait too long."

The Ice Empress looked at him and nodded gently.

"I know."

Outside the window, the night grew deeper.

Bai Lan stood by the window, gazing into the distance.

In that direction lay the Extreme North.

The Snow Empress was waiting there.

Further away was the Star Dou Great Forest.

Tianmeng Iceworm was trapped there.

Five more years.

No—

Only four years and eleven months remained.

Of course, this guy wasn't necessarily his only choice.

After all, even though this fellow had a high age, its combat power was truly trash.

If there were a more suitable option, he wouldn't choose Tianmeng Iceworm.

Most importantly, if possible, he preferred to contract females.

As for males, he might have to consider it.

"Master." Yinye's voice sounded from behind him.

Bai Lan turned around.

Yinye stood behind him, her silver-purple eyes glowing faintly in the moonlight.

"It's time to rest," she said. "We have to cultivate tomorrow."

Bai Lan smiled.

"Alright."

He turned and walked back to the bedside.

He lay down.

He closed his eyes.

Yinye and the Ice Empress stood on his left and right, guarding him.

The moonlight spilled down.

Merging the silhouettes of the three into one.

Shrek Academy, Dean's office.

Yan Shaozhe sat behind his desk, holding a report that had just been delivered.

A knock came from outside the door.

"Come in."

The door pushed open, and a fiery red figure walked in.

It was a girl of twelve or thirteen.

Her long, fiery red hair draped over her shoulders like flames, each strand seemingly burning with a faint light.

Her features were exquisite and bold, her brows and eyes carrying an innate pride.

The corners of her eyes were slightly upturned, and her lips were a pale vermilion.

Standing there, she looked like a burning flame.

But upon closer inspection, a trace of imperceptible exhaustion was hidden beneath that fire.

Ma Xiaotao.

The number one genius of the Shrek Academy outer courtyard.

Level 43 Soul Ancestor.

Evil Phoenix Martial Soul.

"Teacher." She walked to the desk and bowed slightly. "I have returned."

Yan Shaozhe looked up at her.

His gaze lingered on her face for a moment.

She had grown thinner again.

That evil fire was becoming increasingly severe.

"Sit and talk." He pointed to the chair opposite him.

Ma Xiaotao sat down.

Yan Shaozhe was silent for a second, then spoke:

"Xiaotao, how did you feel about this training session?"

Ma Xiaotao smiled.

There was a hint of bitterness in that smile.

"The same as always," she said. "When the evil fire flared up, I almost couldn't suppress it."

She raised her hand, and a wisp of flame appeared in her palm.

The flame was not a normal red, but carried a strange, dark crimson hue.

"Teacher said I could hold out until I was about twenty."

"But now, I feel... I might not be able to last that long."

She looked at the wisp of flame and said softly.

Yan Shaozhe fell silent.

He looked at the disciple before him, watching the exhaustion and struggle in her eyes.

Ten-something years old.

It should have been the most brilliant age.

Yet she had to fight the evil fire within her every single day.

"Xiaotao." He spoke.

Ma Xiaotao looked up.

Yan Shaozhe looked at her, his gaze earnest:

"There is someone who can help you."

Ma Xiaotao was stunned.

"Help me?"

Yan Shaozhe nodded.

"His name is Bai Lan."

"Seven years old, a student at Shrek Academy."

Ma Xiaotao frowned slightly.

Seven years old?

Could a seven-year-old child help her?

"Teacher," she began, her voice tinged with disbelief, "I know you have my best interests at heart, but a seven-year-old child..."

Yan Shaozhe waved his hand, interrupting her.

"Xiaotao, let me finish."

He briefly explained Bai Lan's situation.

Contract Book.

Contracted Soul Beast.

Ultimate Ice.

Ice Empress, seven hundred thousand years.

After hearing this, Ma Xiaotao stood there, completely stunned.

Seven hundred thousand years?

Ultimate Ice?

"Teacher..." She opened her mouth, not knowing what to say.

Yan Shaozhe looked at her.

"I know this is hard to believe," he said, "but it is the truth."

He stood up and walked to the window.

"Xiaotao, your evil fire needs Ultimate Ice to suppress it."

"And Bai Lan currently possesses seven hundred thousand years of Ultimate Ice."

He turned around and looked at Ma Xiaotao.

"Whether you can be cured or not depends on him."

Ma Xiaotao fell silent.

For a long time.

Then, she stood up.

"Teacher, take me to see him."

At the dormitory entrance.

Yan Shaozhe stopped and looked back at Ma Xiaotao.

"Wait here."

He knocked on the door.

"Bai Lan, are you in?"

The door opened.

Bai Lan stood at the threshold, looking at Yan Shaozhe.

"Dean?"

Yan Shaozhe nodded and stepped aside.

"Xiaotao, come here."

Ma Xiaotao stepped forward and stood beside Yan Shaozhe.

She lowered her head, looking at the boy before her.

Seven years old.

A head shorter than her.

He looked completely ordinary.

But those eyes.

Ma Xiaotao was stunned for a moment.

Those eyes were very calm.

So calm that they did not look like those of a seven-year-old child.

It was as if he were looking at an ordinary person, rather than the number one genius of Shrek Academy.

"Hello," Bai Lan said. "I am Bai Lan."