Five Elements Armor? That Red Figure Has Arrived...

Jiang Nannan's eyes curved into crescents as she asked softly, her heart brimming with joy.

A gentle breeze swept along the winding paths through Shrek's woods. The branches and leaves swayed softly, and warm sunlight sifted through them, scattering into flecks of gentle light across their shoulders.

She stood leisurely with her hands behind her back, her figure slender and graceful. Her long, golden-brown waves rippled softly in the breeze. Her skin was smooth as jade, and a warm, sweet smile danced in her eyes. The reserve and tension she'd worn in the past had faded, leaving her full of a young girl's lively tenderness.

At a glance, it was clear that Jiang Nannan was sincerely delighted from the bottom of her heart.

She had always known how stubborn Jiang Yang could be. He'd always taken cultivation extremely seriously and never allowed himself the slightest slack.

At long last, the two of them had entered Shrek Academy together and could spend their days side by side. In countless idle moments, she'd secretly indulged in daydreams: asking him to stroll through the woods, eating side by side like the other couples at the academy, and chatting about everyday things.

But each time the thought arose, she worried about delaying his cultivation. So she would quietly press down those girlish feelings and hide them in her heart.

That was precisely why, on such a lovely, sunlit day, the chance to wait for Jiang Yang to invite her out had filled her heart with joy until it brimmed over.

"Cultivation's been a little dull lately. If nothing unexpected happens, I'll probably ask you to come here for a walk over the next few days."

"I don't know if you..."

"I'm free! I have time!! If it's you asking me, Big Brother Jiang Yang, I'll always have time!"

Before Jiang Yang could finish speaking,

Jiang Nannan eagerly cut in.

She was afraid that if she waited even half a beat, something might go wrong.

She knew it might make people think she was throwing herself at Jiang Yang, but Jiang Nannan didn't care.

Compared to having people think that,

she was more worried that Jiang Yang might reject her love—or, worse, fail to notice it.

"Don't be so nervous. In a few days, when I have some free time, I'll take you to the Treasure Appreciation Pavilion and buy you a birthday present."

"A birthday present? My birthday's still some time away, isn't it? Isn't it a little early for that...?"

"Last year's birthday present."

At those words,

Jiang Nannan's eyes instantly reddened.

Ever since the two of them had met, Jiang Yang had never once missed her birthday.

And he'd never failed to give her a birthday present, either.

Only last year, after Jiang Yang told her he was going to hunt a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast for a Soul Ring, he'd vanished as if he'd disappeared from the face of the earth.

It wasn't until a few days ago, when she decided to check the new students' enrollment information on a whim, that

she discovered Jiang Yang had enrolled at Shrek Academy.

After learning this, she'd lain awake all night, yet worried about disturbing Jiang Yang's cultivation.

She'd also been plagued by uncertainty, afraid that Jiang Yang had only used hunting a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast as an excuse to get away from her last year.

Fortunately, in the end, her feelings overcame her anxiety.

After making breakfast, Jiang Nannan chose to wait silently outside the new students' dormitory, hoping to see Jiang Yang appear.

Thankfully, everything had turned out perfectly.

Jiang Yang was still her Big Brother Jiang Yang.

"Why are you crying?"

"Are you blaming me for not celebrating your birthday with you last year?"

Jiang Yang asked.

"No, no! I'm just so happy!"

"I...I thought you'd already forgotten about it!"

Jiang Nannan looked at Jiang Yang with joy-filled tears, a little bashful.

"How could I? I went out of my way to swindle Dean Qian out of a million Gold Soul Coins. You can start thinking now about what kind of birthday present you want."

As he spoke, Jiang Yang casually took out the gold card he'd swindled from Qian Duoduo.

"Huh?"

"A million? Gold Soul Coins, no less!"

"Dean Qian loves money so much. How could he give you that much? No, no, I can't accept it!"

Jiang Nannan hurriedly waved her hands in refusal.

Her little head shook like a rattle, and even the two rabbit ears on top of it bounced with the motion.

She looked adorable.

"Do we really have to be so formal with each other?"

"Besides, a million Gold Soul Coins isn't that much. It's just one Ten Thousand Year Soul Bone."

"I can't use it anyway."

Jiang Yang wasn't lying. From the moment he'd walked out of Qian Duoduo's office, he'd no longer been short of the ten or twenty thousand in cultivation resources.

And after the Zhou Yi incident, Sea God Pavilion had given him an even greater privilege.

It wouldn't be much of an exaggeration to say that as long as his body could absorb it, if Shrek Academy had it, he could get his hands on it.

So to him, a million Gold Soul Coins was nothing more than an ordinary number.

Although Jiang Yang hadn't directly responded to Jiang Nannan's affection, that didn't mean he didn't like her.

He'd long since made Jiang Nannan one of those he'd claimed for himself.

It was just that

his strength was still too weak. To deal with God King Tang's looming threat,

he didn't have much time to spend on romance.

What's more, he planned to unify Douluo Continent someday. When it came to his core subordinates, loyalty had to come first.

After all, Jiang Yang wasn't worried about Jiang Nannan's personal strength, because he'd also promised to help his teacher restore the glory of the Armor Warriors.

And that naturally meant forging armor.

As long as she had the Five Elements Armor, there'd be no need to worry much about Jiang Nannan's personal strength.

Of course,

as long as Jiang Nannan remained as loyal to him as ever, Jiang Yang wouldn't let her stay weak.

For instance, today and the next few days, he planned to ask Jiang Nannan to meet him at Sea God Lake mainly so they could run into the rampaging Ma Xiaotao.

That way, he could reveal his second Ultimate Ice Martial Soul as quickly and casually as possible, earning himself even more benefits. And Jiang Nannan, who'd be with him, could also reap some rewards along the way.

It was a free reward, after all. He might as well take it.

Jiang Yang had originally wanted to invite Wang Dong along too, but then decided against it, since that didn't quite fit her character.

Besides, Wang Dong wasn't lacking in cultivation resources.

And Wang Dong's loyalty still needed to be observed.

There was no need to rush.

"Maybe you really shouldn't, Big Brother Jiang Yang. If I accept such an expensive gift, people will say I'm a gold digger..."

"Hm?"

Just as Jiang Nannan finished speaking, Jiang Yang sensed the red figure in the distance over Sea God Lake speeding toward them.

He couldn't help but smile faintly.

As expected.

Better late than never—and sometimes, the best things came right on time.

"Ah—!"

A woman's scream rang out.

A red figure wrapped in blazing flames suddenly appeared before Jiang Yang and grabbed him by the shoulder.

Within a hundred meters of Jiang Yang, the surroundings were almost entirely engulfed by scorching Evil Fire.

Countless plants withered to a scorched yellow.

At the same time,

the corners of Jiang Yang's mouth lifted slightly.

"Big Brother Jiang Yang!"

"Jiang Yang!!"