Today's Sunset Was Pretty Nice, Huh?

Flender's heart stirred.

Talent like this would have made anyone a top prospect anywhere.

And judging by how generously this young man spent and how extraordinary his bearing was, he clearly did not come from an ordinary background—

Could he have heard of Shrek Academy's reputation and come specifically to enroll?

The thought made the corners of Flender's mouth lift slightly.

Though Shrek Academy's conditions were rudimentary and its reputation was hardly widespread, it upheld the principle of "only monsters, never ordinary people," and had gathered several promising students over the years.

If this young man had really come for the academy—

Yet over the next two and a half days, Flender deliberately waited by the academy gates for a while each day, hoping that young man would suddenly appear.

Unfortunately, he waited for nothing.

Jiang Bai had already left Suotuo City and set out on the road home.

After leaving Suotuo City, Jiang Bai summoned the Wind Dragon in an uninhabited area outside the city and flew south.

Two and a half hours later, the familiar outline of the plains came into view.

It was the Lima Plain, where Niuma Village lay.

It was dusk. Wisps of cooking smoke curled up from the village, sketching peaceful outlines beneath the setting sun.

Jiang Bai's heartbeat quickened uncontrollably.

Six years.

He had the Wind Dragon land in a forest clearing several miles away from the village, then recalled it into the tower.

Then he followed the dirt road from his memories, slowly making his way toward the village.

The familiar plains stretched along both sides of the road. Little wildflowers bloomed by the roadside, while herdsmen drove the last cattle and horses back to their pens.

Farther away, several dozen homes dotted the hillsides, most of them mud-brick houses or wooden huts with roofs thickly covered in thatch or tiles.

Everything seemed unchanged, yet everything also seemed different.

As Jiang Bai walked, the sound of cattle lowing came from ahead.

He looked up and saw a herd of yellow cattle slowly making its way back, numbering more than a dozen.

A boy who looked twelve or thirteen sat atop the back of a sturdy lead bull, waving a whip as he drove the herd toward the village.

The boy was dark-skinned and sturdy, dressed in coarse patched clothes.

His movements with the whip were practiced, but Jiang Bai keenly noticed an extremely faint fluctuation of Soul Power whenever it snapped through the air.

A whip Martial Soul?

Jiang Bai's thoughts stirred.

He studied the boy's face closely. Though he had grown darker and stronger, Jiang Bai could still vaguely make out familiar features in the shape of his brows.

Just then, the boy also noticed Jiang Bai on the road.

He froze for a moment, clearly surprised to encounter a stranger outside the village at this hour.

The boy jumped down from the bull's back, drove the herd to the roadside to graze, then jogged over.

He stopped several steps before Jiang Bai and gave a slight bow, respectful but not servile. "Honored Lord Soul Master, welcome to Niuma Village. May I ask, are you—"

Before he could finish, Jiang Bai stepped forward and reached out to support his arm, preventing him from continuing the bow.

"Xihai." Jiang Bai looked at the boy's wide, astonished eyes and smiled. "It's me. Jiang Bai."

Xihai froze.

He stared blankly at the youth before him, who was half a head taller, handsome and refined, with a bearing as steady as a mountain. His mind went blank.

Jiang—Jiang Bai?

"You—you really are Brother Jiang Bai?"

Xihai finally found his voice, his tone full of disbelief.

"The genuine article."

Xihai grabbed Jiang Bai's arm, his voice catching. "Brother Jiang Bai! You really came back! I thought—I thought once you went to the big city, you would never return to our little village—"

"Why wouldn't I?" Jiang Bai patted his shoulder. "This is my home."

Xihai nodded hard and wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. "Brother Jiang Bai, it's getting late. Come have dinner at my house tonight!"

"Sure. Sorry to trouble you all."

"Brother Jiang Bai, how long are you staying this time? Are you leaving again?"

"I'll stay a few days."

Jiang Bai did not give a definite answer. "I'll visit the old village chief, then go see my mother."

"Alright!"

"Come on, come on, let's head back to the village!"

Xihai took hold of a cow's reins and said to Jiang Bai, "My father will be overjoyed to see you back! And Grandma Village Chief has been thinking about you too!"

Jiang Bai smiled and nodded, helping Xihai drive the herd toward the village.

The setting sun stretched their shadows long across the golden plains.

In the village, women were already standing outside their homes, calling their children back for dinner. The cooking smoke grew thicker, and the scent of food drifted faintly through the air—

Star Dou Forest.

A golden figure darted through the dense forest like an agile leopard.

She was a girl who looked about twelve or thirteen, slender and tall, dressed in simple white fitted clothes with silver trim that outlined her proud curves.

Her dazzling golden hair was tied into a neat high ponytail, bouncing behind her as she ran.

Most striking of all were her eyes—she had a pair of crimson pupils!

The girl moved with incredible speed. With the lightest tap of her toes against tree trunks and rocks, she could leap several yards.

She knew this forest as well as her own backyard and could always find the most convenient route.

However, just as she was about to rush out of the forest's edge, a figure appeared silently before her like Gui Mei.

The girl abruptly stopped, her boots sliding a shallow mark across the ground.

She looked at the breathtakingly beautiful woman ahead, who stood with her arms folded and watched her with an amused smile. Feeling guilty, she took half a step back and gave an awkward laugh.

"Uh—haha, Sister Bi Ji, the evening today—was really nice, huh?"

Bi Ji looked at the Auspicious Beast before her. Though she had already taken human form, she still could not conceal her lively, mischievous nature. Bi Ji's emerald eyes were filled with helplessness and affection.

"Auspicious Beast—" she sighed softly. "Where were you planning to go?"

Three-Eyed Golden Lion blinked and gave her a fawning smile.

"I just—I just wanted to take a look at the human world! Look, I've already taken human form. I need to get used to being human, right?"

Bi Ji shook her head.

She had long expected this little one to be unable to sit still. When she sensed an energy fluctuation last night, she knew something like this would happen.

"The human world is complicated, and it is dangerous."

Bi Ji slowly walked up to Three-Eyed Golden Lion and reached out to rub her golden hair.

"Although you have taken human form, your cultivation has yet to stabilize, and you still need time to adapt to your abilities. Going out recklessly—"

"I'm not going alone!" Three-Eyed Golden Lion hurriedly hugged Bi Ji's arm and shook it coquettishly.

"Sister Bi Ji, come with me! By human standards, you're a level ninety-nine Peerless Douluo! With you there, who would dare bully me?"

Bi Ji could only look helplessly at her as she shook her arm, though a thoughtful look flashed through her emerald eyes.

She truly did not feel at ease letting the Auspicious Beast go to the human world alone.

"Sister Bi Ji~~" Three-Eyed Golden Lion drew out her voice, expectation written all over her mismatched eyes.

"Just treat it as accompanying me on some training! I promise I'll behave, won't run around, and won't cause trouble!"

After a long silence, Bi Ji finally sighed and nodded.

"Fine. I'll accompany you on this trip."

"Yay! Sister Bi Ji is the best!" Three-Eyed Golden Lion cheered and happily hugged Bi Ji.

Bi Ji smiled helplessly, but a meaningful glint flashed through her eyes.

The human world—