Sea God Island, Soul Tool Department Vice Dean's Loft.
At that moment, Fan Yu sat in front of the loft, his face full of worry as he looked at the flowers and plants that had just been watered.
Looking at the slightly wilted flowers and plants,
Fan Yu didn't know why, but he felt a little as if he could relate to them.
It was as if he were one of those wilted flowers, pondering his future with a sense of confusion.
The reason he had been so confused lately was his wife, Zhou Yi.
For some reason, he felt as though his wife had been testing his sincerity lately.
Fan Yu understood that his wife was only a Soul Emperor, and that being with a Soul Douluo like him must put a lot of pressure on her.
But having her test his sincerity every night with the appearance she'd have decades from now was just too much to bear.
"Fan Yu, what are you thinking about?"
Speak of the devil, and he appeared.
A pair of youthful, fair hands came to rest on Fan Yu's shoulders from behind, and a warm head pressed against his ear.
If not for that aged face, those hands alone would have made anyone mistake her for a beautiful young girl.
But when that aged face brushed against Fan Yu's skin,
he actively hypnotized himself.
It's a disguise. It's a disguise.
Only then did the strange stirrings in his heart calm down a little.
Fan Yu took hold of those fair hands and said gently, "Yi, is something bothering you again? You can tell me."
Zhou Yi was first overcome with emotion, then with a sigh of admiration. She really hadn't misjudged him.
Her face looked much younger now than it had just after she first disguised herself. That was because Zhou Yi had stopped disguising herself and had started showing people her real face. It made no difference whether she disguised herself or not anymore.
"It's nothing. Do you remember that boy I told you about?"
Fan Yu nodded and said confidently, "I believe in you. You'll definitely help the Soul Tool Department truly flourish."
Zhou Yi smiled and looked at the Teacher System's virtual screen in front of her.
[Mission: Become Someone's Disciple.] [Mission Success Reward: Instantly gain 10 levels of Soul Power, along with compatible Soul Rings.] [Mission Failure Penalty: Moon Transformation Technique, a transformation technique that can only be reversed when the moon appears.]
This mission still revolved around Xuanyuan Sheng.
But with the mission she'd received last time, completing both would instantly raise her by 20 levels, bringing her to the same level as Fan Yu. There was a good chance her face would return to normal as well.
This time, Zhou Yi had learned her lesson. She wouldn't go out of her way to approach Xuanyuan Sheng again.
That kid's favorability toward her was negative. What if she showed up rashly and was immediately told the game was over?
So this time, Zhou Yi decided to follow Xuanyuan Sheng and wait for a chance to help him when he ran into trouble, earning some favorability in the process.
She had to get his favorability into positive territory before even thinking about the system mission.
As for an insurmountable crisis, Zhou Yi didn't believe there was any such thing.
As dean of the Soul Tool Department, Fan Yu could surely design a Soul Tool specifically for her that would let her perform beyond her usual capabilities. Any problem would be solved with ease.
She couldn't help looking forward to it.
This time, she'd be careful with her words and actions. That so-called penalty definitely wouldn't fall on her.
Mimicry Cultivation Ground.
Inside the Simulated Martial Arts Arena.
Boom—
A huge crater appeared in the center of the arena. As the dust slowly settled, a figure revealed her true appearance.
A violent little loli slowly lifted her hand from the cracked hole in the ground.
The two purple Soul Rings around her stood out brightly as Xiao Xiao slowly put away her Violent Gloves.
When this third Martial Soul disappeared, the two purple Soul Rings vanished along with it.
"Hehe, I'm level 30 now."
Xiao Xiao smiled happily. She'd never imagined she could cultivate so quickly.
As long as she focused on cultivating with the unusual third Martial Soul, the Violent Gloves, Xiao Xiao felt that she was cultivating four or five times faster than before in this arena.
That was why she'd already reached level 30. Once she found a good teacher, she'd be able to obtain her third Soul Ring.
"If Xiao Sheng were here cheering me on, I'd cultivate even faster," Xiao Xiao thought dreamily.
[Stop daydreaming about romance, you useless girl. Not a single thing I taught you has been used properly. Could you at least pay attention to how your wingman is teaching you?]
"But I think that was already the perfect time to flirt. Strike while the iron is hot and use every trick at once. Xiao Sheng's favorability toward me would definitely skyrocket."
Xiao Xiao put her hands on her hips and answered with complete confidence.
[Enough. You've got a mission.] [Mission: Become Someone's Disciple.] [Your crush already has someone in mind as his teacher. Work hard, young lady, and try to become fellow disciples with your crush so you can begin a sweet romance.] [Mission Success: A thread of good fortune in love.] [Mission Failure: Tell Xuanyuan Sheng every embarrassing thing you've done since childhood.]
"What... Xiao Sheng already has someone he wants to become a disciple of?"
The little loli sounded disappointed. She'd wanted to ask her teacher to take Xiao Sheng on as well after she became his disciple.
Looks like she didn't need to spend time finding a good teacher after all.
Xiao Xiao pumped her little fists, cheering herself on.
As for the punishment, she'd never let herself be separated from Xiao Sheng.
At the same time,
a familiar voice sounded in Ma Xiaotao's mind on Huxin Island as well.
[Here comes a mission made just for the sweet, older girl next door!]
She was talking with Yan Shaozhe, but couldn't help turning her head at the voice.
[Mission: Become Someone's Disciple.] [As the older girl next door, you should be mature and dependable, and guide the younger boy next door. Become the younger boy's one and only senior sister.] [Reward: Ultimate Ice (can be equipped to keep the Evil Fire sealed in ice. If Ultimate Ice is lost, the Evil Fire will erupt.)] [Penalty: As the girl next door, you must put the lady of the house in her place and make the younger boy see you in a new light (reward: a loving beating).]
Ultimate Ice?
That was pretty important to Ma Xiaotao. After all, she hadn't been given any more days of Evil Fire suppression.
"Xiaotao, what are you smiling about? You look so happy."
Yan Shaozhe looked at the smile on Ma Xiaotao's face, puzzled. He hadn't told a joke, so why was she grinning so much?
Ma Xiaotao shook her head.
Her teacher was still pretending. He just loved acting as though he didn't know anything in front of his disciples.
If that was what he wanted, then Ma Xiaotao would graciously play along.
"Nothing. I'm just so happy thinking about the surprise you've prepared for me, Teacher."
He'd gone all the way to the Outer Courtyard to find a promising student and take him on as a disciple, all because he was worried that she'd be lonely. Now she'd have someone to keep her company.
He'd chosen the right person, but his way of teaching was wrong. Xiao Sheng needed to be kept by her side at all times to make it work.
As for the person involved?
Whenever Ma Xiaotao remembered telling several hundred people in the Simulation Hall that Xuanyuan Sheng was so good, she wished she could've dug a hole and hidden in it right then.
Before you continue