Ning Tian cradled the Snow Lotus and murmured, "I was the one who missed my chance with you. I can't believe you even picked a Snow Lotus. Have you given one to anyone else?"
Yu Daoyun's mouth twitched. He'd never imagined there would be a second test.
So he said, "I was training in the Extreme North. Do you know how terrifying the Soul Beasts there are? I was chased by several Ice Jade Scorpions, then by a Titan Snow Demon. I nearly died out there, and now I've barely made it back to the academy before you misunderstand me."
Ning Tian panicked at once. She lowered her head in silence and said softly, "I was wrong. I shouldn't have said things without thinking."
"Then promise me you won't do that again," Yu Daoyun said.
Ning Tian blinked her lovely eyes. "A written promise? I know what those are. Whatever kind you want, I can promise you."
She was delighted, her eyes curving into crescents. She thought it was a little flirtation between boyfriend and girlfriend.
As the Young Lord of the Nine Treasures Glazed Sect, Ning Tian had learned about such things at an early age.
Yu Daoyun recalled a recording he'd heard on some platform in his previous life. Then he broke into a devilish smile and leaned close to Ning Tian's ear to whisper it to her.
Two minutes later, Ning Tian had heard him out, but her pretty face had turned red all the way to the tips of her ears. Gritting her teeth, she said, "No way! That's so embarrassing! I've never said anything like that. Who writes a promise like this?"
Yu Daoyun sighed. "Tomorrow, I'll have to throw myself back into grueling training."
At that, Ning Tian clenched her little fists and punched him hard, both embarrassed and angry.
The nerve of this jerk, pushing his luck! When being nice didn't work, he'd gone straight to playing the sympathy card.
Who cared whether he trained or not? Honestly, he was impossible.
So Ning Tian gave in and said sweetly:
"Meow, meow~ I'm my master's silly little piggy. I'll make my master a promise: I won't let you lose. If I make you cry again, I'll turn into a silly little piggy."
"I won't make you angry again. My Yunbao is the best. Meow, meow, meow~"
After finishing her promise, Ning Tian felt so mortified she could dig a three-bedroom apartment into the ground with her toes.
As the Young Lord of the Nine Treasures Glazed Sect, she'd never made such an embarrassing promise before—especially not to a boy she liked.
Ning Tian was screaming inside.
Why did her Instructor Brother have to make her say something so embarrassing?
I'll beat you to death! Beat you to death!
After hearing her promise, Yu Daoyun affectionately patted Ning Tian on the head.
Ling Luochеn, look at this. If you won't tell me a story, someone else will.
If you don't behave, you won't get so much as a Snow Lotus.
The little kitten, who'd been bristling just moments before, instantly turned docile. She raised her head with a sweet smile and enjoyed her master's caress.
Ning Tian seemed to be saying, "Pet me! Pet me more!"
Two hours later, the Outer Court's afternoon classes were about to begin. Yu Daoyun turned and left the Outer Court, heading back to keep tempering his body. He wanted to master the Indestructible Body as soon as possible and fight the alluring demon for three hundred rounds.
Back where she stood, Ning Tian gazed after her Instructor Brother. A haughty little princess's smile appeared on her pretty face as she hummed, "Once I've got you in my hands, I'll make you pay me back tenfold. I'll make you call me 'Master' a hundred times."
I'll make you kneel at my feet and wash them, too. I'll humiliate you proper, meow, meow, meow..."
After indulging in her fantasies, Young Lord Ning Tian carried the Snow Lotus back.
The Inner Court, several days later, during training camp.
Yu Daoyun had been back for some time. Every day, he did nothing but cultivate, completely lost in his training and intent on mastering the Indestructible Body.
But an Indestructible Body wasn't easy to master. He'd made only a little progress.
That day, a large number of Inner Court students returned. Yan Shaozhe organized a training camp and summoned every Inner Court student who met the tournament requirements to gather on Lake Heart Island.
Yu Daoyun was naturally summoned as well.
In the Inner Court's Mimicry Training Ground, Ma Xiaotao, Dai Yueheng, Ling Luochеn, Gongyang Mo, Chen Zifeng, Yao Hao Xuan, Xixi, and the others had all arrived.
Yan Shaozhe stood at the front with one hand clasped behind his back. In a grave voice, he said, "I'd like to inform all of you Inner Court students that the Continental Advanced Soul Master Tournament will begin before long. Every one of you meets the requirements to compete this year."
"After discussion, the elders decided that everyone will compete fairly for a place on the roster. Only seven of you can become starting team members, and only one can be captain."
"So the academy will hold a selection tournament. The strongest student will become captain, and the starting team members will be chosen according to their ranking."
His words stirred the students. They rubbed their fists and readied themselves, even turning against friends they usually got along with.
The reason was simple: Shrek's ten-thousand-year glory meant a great deal to them.
Winning the tournament would earn them the respect of Soul Masters wherever they went to work—or if they stayed at the academy. It represented absolute strength and the title of the strongest genius.
Now, anyone competing with you for a spot was an opponent. They'd turn on you in a heartbeat.
Dai Yueheng rubbed his fists, ready to throw himself into the fight.
He was already a Six-Ring Soul Emperor. Among his peers, he feared no one but Ma Xiaotao.
Ma Xiaotao lifted her chin, looking down on everyone.
She had the highest Soul Power and the highest-quality Martial Soul. The captain's position could only be hers.
Chen Zifeng, Yao Hao Xuan, Gongyang Mo, and the others all believed they could become starting team members, defend Shrek's ten-thousand-year glory, and bask in that glory themselves.
Yu Daoyun, however, wasn't pleased. Or rather, he didn't want the burden of ten-thousand-year glory on his shoulders.
Wouldn't that make him Shrek's ten-thousand-year-glory lapdog?
He was going to become the Sea God Pavilion Master. He had no desire to be a puppet bound to glory.
Shrek's burden was too heavy. It pressed down on people until they could barely breathe.
So Yu Daoyun said, "Dean Yan, may I make a request that isn't too unreasonable?"
Yan Shaozhe smiled. "Go ahead. I'll consider it."
Yu Daoyun said seriously, "I want to form my own team for the tournament."
The students' expressions changed at once.
Did Yu Daoyun mean he didn't want to carry Shrek's ten-thousand-year glory?
Why turn down such an honor? He was strong enough to become a starting team member. Other than Dai Yueheng and Ma Xiaotao, he had the greatest strength and the most terrifying explosive power.
Mu En's disciple had a serious rebellious streak.
Yan Shaozhe's expression changed as well. He hadn't expected Yu Daoyun to make such a request.
Without Yu Daoyun, the team's strength would take a serious hit.
And if Yu Daoyun formed his own team, it would surely be eliminated. He'd have everything to lose.
Would Mu En agree to this?
But then again, without Yu Daoyun, the team led by Xiaotao—the one carrying Shrek's ten-thousand-year glory—would win the championship.
Yan Shaozhe suddenly felt that the future was bright.
The elders would all praise him for cultivating a genius.
As for Yu Daoyun, since he didn't want to make something of himself, he could sit on the bench for a while.
Without the Inner Court elites and Xiaotao's help, he wouldn't win the championship.
With that thought, Yan Shaozhe said gravely, "I can agree to your request, but there's one condition."
Before you continue