Life as a Bodyguard

The Soul King strength Lin Yi had displayed, along with that eye-catching Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring, had undoubtedly been like a boulder thrown into a still lake, sending ripples through the hearts of the proud young men and women of Shrek.

Several of them, who had previously thought of Ning Rongrong as something of a "spoiled young miss," had unconsciously begun to regard her a little differently.

After all, having a Soul King with a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring as her bodyguard was proof of how much the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect valued their little princess, as well as the unfathomable power behind her.

Just as the atmosphere was growing a little tense, a voice rang out, carrying a peculiar magnetic quality that could not quite conceal its slyness. "Oh? Our little run-down academy has some distinguished guests today, I see?"

Everyone turned. A middle-aged man with glasses, a hooked nose, and a lanky build stood at the edge of the clearing, though no one had noticed him arrive. His tailcoat was somewhat shabby. He was none other than the dean of Shrek Academy, Four-Eyed Cat Owl Flender.

Flender pushed up his glasses, his sharp gaze sweeping over Lin Yi from behind the lenses. It lingered for a moment on the jade pendant at Lin Yi's waist, which signified Soul King strength, and on the spot where the Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring had appeared. A shrewd glint flashed in his eyes.

"Dean Flender." Tang San, Dai Mubai, and the others hurriedly saluted him.

Ning Rongrong pursed her lips but said nothing.

Lin Yi stepped forward, still composed and respectful, and bowed slightly to Flender. "I am Lin Yi, a bodyguard of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. I have come at my sect master's orders to protect our young miss. I apologize for disturbing the academy's peace. I hope you'll forgive the intrusion, Dean."

Flender's face broke into a professional smile as he waved a hand. "Not at all, not at all. Sect Master Ning dotes on his daughter; that's perfectly understandable. But..." He changed tack and rubbed his fingers together. "As you can see, conditions at Shrek Academy are rather basic. There's the food, clothing, lodging, and transportation, not to mention some of the academy's unique training methods, which are more or less trade secrets. If an outsider stays here long-term and observes them, I'm afraid..."

The meaning behind his words could not have been clearer: he wanted money, or something of equivalent value.

Lin Yi chuckled inwardly. Just like in the original story, Flender was the sort who wouldn't cast his net until he saw a rabbit.

But he wore a suitably understanding look and took a Gold Soul Coin card from his robes, holding it out with both hands. "You're quite right, Dean. This is a small token of my appreciation, one thousand Gold Soul Coins in all. Please accept it as compensation for imposing on the academy, as well as payment for my room and board. As for the academy's training secrets, rest assured that I'm only responsible for the young miss's safety. I won't pry into or interfere with the academy's internal affairs. I'll keep my distance during her regular training."

One thousand Gold Soul Coins!

Even Flender, who had seen plenty in his time, was startled enough for his eyelid to twitch.

Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun, and the others behind him drew sharp breaths. They had a hard time earning Gold Soul Coins! Oscar stared at the Gold Soul Coin card until his eyes were practically shaped like coins.

Flender's expression transformed in an instant into one of boundless warmth. He snatched the card from Lin Yi as if afraid he might change his mind. "Oh, Guard Lin, you're far too generous! There's no need to be so formal! The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect certainly knows how to treat people! Don't worry, Shrek Academy is the most hospitable place around! Lodging, you say? No problem! As it happens, there's an empty room in the teachers' dormitory. It's a little plain, but it's absolutely quiet! From now on, it's yours!"

In just a few words, the deal was done. Flender tucked away the Gold Soul Coin card and looked at Lin Yi as if he were a walking mountain of gold, personally and enthusiastically escorting him to the so-called "fine room."

As for his earlier worries about "academy secrets," they had long since been cast to the winds.

Watching Flender's lightning-fast shift from haughty to obsequious, Ning Rongrong was furious. But when she saw the shock and faint envy in the eyes of the companions who had previously left her isolated, a little pride welled up inside her.

See? That's what people from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect are like!

And so, Lin Yi settled into Shrek Academy. He kept his promise. During the day, while Ning Rongrong trained with Tang San and the others in all sorts of "inhuman" exercises—running, weighted drills, sparring, and so on—he never went near them. He simply sensed Ning Rongrong's presence from afar to ensure her safety.

In his assigned room in the teachers' dormitory, he continued refining his Soul Power and familiarizing himself with the five Soul Skills of his Snow Lotus Martial Soul, especially his newly acquired fifth Soul Skill, "Pure Lotus Bloom."

At night, when Flender announced "special training"—real combat at the Great Soul Arena in Suotuo City—Lin Yi would appear and silently follow behind the group.

His presence was like an invisible barrier, and like a silent declaration.

The Soul Fighting Arena was a mixed bag, and it was inevitable that some unscrupulous Soul Masters, seeing Ning Rongrong's beauty and knowing she was an auxiliary type, would try to pick on her.

But whenever that happened, they would feel a calm yet bone-chilling gaze settle on them. It was as if something extremely dangerous had set its sights on them. Unease took hold, and they reined in their behavior.

After a few such incidents, the Shrek Seven Devils began to sense that with Lin Yi following behind them, things seemed to go more smoothly in the Soul Fighting Arena. At the very least, there was far less low-down harassment.

Ning Rongrong noticed a clear difference as well. Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun, who had previously ignored her or even thrown the occasional sarcastic remark her way, weren't exactly warm, but they had at least become more polite on the surface.

Xiao Wu argued with her less often, and Tang San would occasionally discuss with her how auxiliary Soul Masters should position themselves in a team and when they should release their Soul Skills. Even Zhu Zhuqing, the coldest of them all, no longer looked at her with nothing but aloofness when their eyes happened to meet.

Ning Rongrong knew that all these changes stemmed from the bodyguard who silently followed at the end of the group like an invisible man—Lin Yi.

His strength, his background, and the thousand Gold Soul Coins he represented had all raised her standing within the team without a word. The feeling was complicated. She enjoyed being "valued" a little, but she was also unwilling to accept it. Did Ning Rongrong really need a bodyguard to make her worth something?

That conflict of emotions spurred her on. She gritted her teeth and persevered through training, not wanting Lin Yi to look down on her, and even less wanting her companions to think she was nothing but a vase who relied on her family.

Lin Yi saw it all and understood. This was exactly what Ning Fengzhi and Sword Douluo wanted to see. A little pressure could help their young princess grow faster.

Time slipped by amid a rhythm of separate training by day and Soul Fighting Arena trials by night.

One day, Oscar, the team's food-type Soul Master, finally broke through to level thirty after enduring arduous training and the pressure of the Soul Fighting Arena!

Food-type Soul Masters had a much harder time cultivating than Battle Soul Masters. Oscar reaching level thirty at the age of fourteen was an astonishing display of talent.

All of Shrek Academy was thrilled. Flender waved a hand and decided to personally lead the group to the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt a third Soul Ring for Oscar.

The group once again entered the vast and dangerous Star Dou Great Forest.

Flender flew ahead to scout, while Zhao Wuji protected everyone from the ground. Lin Yi continued in his role as bodyguard, silently staying by Ning Rongrong's side with his aura restrained.

The search for a suitable Thousand-Year Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent did not go smoothly. They also faced attacks from other Soul Beasts along the way, but thanks to the teamwork of Zhao Wuji, Tang San, and the others, they got through each encounter without incident. Lin Yi barely lifted a finger throughout. Only after each fight, if someone had sustained a minor injury or lost too much Soul Power, would he quietly release his first Soul Skill, "Healing Light," or his area-of-effect "Extreme Cold Domain," activating only a faint healing boost to help everyone recover quickly.

His interventions were precise and discreet. The healing was remarkably effective, yet never drew too much attention.

After a few such occasions, even Zhao Wuji could not help taking a closer look at him. He privately marveled that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was indeed full of talent—even its bodyguards had such refined support abilities.

At last, after searching and waiting, they found their target: a six- or seven-meter-long Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent, with a bright red fleshy crest atop its head and a pair of pale red wings on its back, darting along just above the ground!

Just as Zhao Wuji was about to step in and subdue it, an unexpected turn of events occurred!

Two figures raced over from the other side of the forest. One moved incredibly fast. The snake-headed staff in her hand jabbed out, and a mighty surge of Soul Power struck the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent precisely at the base of its wing. It let out a cry and crashed to the ground.

The newcomers were an old woman and a young girl. The old woman looked to be in her sixties or seventies and carried a three-meter-long snake-headed staff. Six Soul Rings revolved around her—two yellow, three purple, and one black. She was clearly a Soul Emperor-level expert! The girl beside her was around Ning Rongrong's age. Dressed in practical clothes and holding a Snake Blade, she was pretty, with sharp eyes and Soul Power that was close to level thirty.

"Senior, why did you attack our Soul Beast?" Zhao Wuji asked gravely, stepping forward. His opponent was a Soul Emperor. He wasn't afraid of her, but he didn't want to make an enemy without good reason.

The old woman was none other than Snake Granny Chao Tianxiang. She gave a cold snort. "We clearly found this Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent first and wounded it. We've been chasing it all this way. How could it suddenly be yours?"

Each side insisted they were right, and the atmosphere immediately grew tense.

According to the rules of the Soul Master World, when something like this happened, the parties usually settled it by strength—or... let the younger generation decide who got the Soul Beast.

Snake Granny's granddaughter, Meng Yiran, stepped forward. With pride written across her pretty face, she proposed that the person who needed a Soul Ring face off against their opponent. The winner would get the Soul Beast.

Oscar was a food-type Soul Master, and his combat ability was practically nonexistent. Just as Flender and Zhao Wuji were at a loss, Tang San stepped forward.

"I'll fight in Xiao Ao's place," Tang San said calmly.

During the battle that followed, Lin Yi stood beside Ning Rongrong and watched in silence.

Tang San and Meng Yiran's match was less a clash of Soul Skills than a crushing display of Hidden Weapon techniques.

With the finesse of his Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track and the unexpected precision of his Hidden Weapon techniques, Tang San easily defeated Meng Yiran, whose Soul Power level was even slightly higher than his own.

Snake Granny Chao Tianxiang's expression darkened, but given her status and the rules, she could not make a scene. She merely gave Tang San a long look and left with the unwilling Meng Yiran.

The Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent's fate was thus settled. Oscar hurried forward and, with Zhao Wuji's help, finished off the Soul Beast and began absorbing its pale purple Thousand-Year Soul Ring.

Throughout the entire affair, Lin Yi remained a bystander.

He had seen Tang San display his remarkable skill with Hidden Weapons, seen Zhao Wuji and Flender stand up for their students, and seen the Shrek Seven Devils close ranks when faced with outside pressure.

The moment Snake Granny had appeared, he had even sensed a stronger presence concealed nearby. It was surely Dragon Duke Meng Shu.

If Zhao Wuji or Flender had tried to force the issue just then, they probably wouldn't have gotten away with it.

His mission was to protect Ning Rongrong, not solve every problem facing Shrek Academy.

Intervening too much would only disrupt the growth these people were supposed to undergo.

He simply restored their Soul Power in silence after they fought the Soul Beasts, making sure the team remained in good condition in case anything unexpected happened.

Lin Yi's gaze settled at last on Oscar, who was thrilled after successfully absorbing his Soul Ring and obtaining his third Soul Skill, "Rapid Flight Mushroom Sausage," and on the companions gathered around him to offer their congratulations.

She was happy for Oscar too, but deep in her eyes, there seemed to be a faint, hard-to-detect trace of envy and... loneliness.

Lin Yi knew that deep in the heart of this little princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, the desire to grow stronger and earn recognition was gradually being kindled.

His presence was a shield protecting her, but perhaps it would also become a source of motivation for her to strive toward.

He had been about to head back, but Tang San had broken through to level thirty!