The sun sank in the west, like a golden orange. Sea God Lake was tranquil and peaceful. A breeze rippled across the water, making it shimmer with golden light.
To be fair, Ice Empress had not treated Bai Cai poorly. Fresh fish, fresh meat, ice marrow, and sweet dew were all rare specialties of the Far North.
Priced in Gold Soul Coins, the daily cost exceeded a thousand. What was more, over half of these rare specialties could not be bought even at a high price,
The fresh fish came from the Ice Sea. It replenished vitality and nourished the body. The fresh meat came from thousand-year and Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts. It nourished yin, strengthened yang, and fortified the body.
Ice marrow and sweet dew that had existed for over ten years were rare treasures; those over a hundred years old were priceless rarities, and those over a thousand years old were heavenly treasures.
The meals served to core disciples of the Martial Soul Department paled in comparison. The flesh and organs of Hundred-Year Soul Beasts, paired with ten-year-old medicinal herbs, had little to recommend them beyond their rich flavor.
Of course, a last meal and everyday fare could not be lumped together.
As evening approached, Bai Cai, Wang Dong, and Xiao Xiao headed to the first-year cafeteria together for a meal.
"Captain, the class has been a madhouse these past five months."
The pretty young girl bounced along as she spoke. "Huang Chutian pursued Lan Susu and Lan Luoluo at the same time. The sisters couldn't take it anymore and announced they were leaving the team."
"Zhou Sichen confessed to Wu Feng, but she rejected him in front of everyone. Cao Jinxuan confessed to Cui Yajie, and Dai Huabin announced that Cui Yajie and Zhu Lu belonged to him."
"..."
Bai Cai was speechless. If even the core disciples were lost in romance and moonlight, what hope was there for ordinary students?
The idyllic, pastoral age of feudalism was drawing to a close. The feudal aristocrats of the Star Luo Empire, Heaven Dou Empire, and Dou Ling Empire, along with the bourgeoisie, were about to face the righteous judgment of the Sun Moon Empire's Soul Tool Corps.
The younger generation of the three empires was wallowing in pleasure, dreaming away their days beneath the flowers and moonlight. How could they protect their countries in the future?
Before they knew it, the three of them had arrived at the first-year cafeteria.
There was hardly anyone in line at the inner serving window. Xiao Xiao quickly showed her Badge and collected a meal. The dishes rotated on a fixed schedule each day, with no choices available.
Bai Cai and Wang Dong showed their Badges in turn and each collected a meal.
"Class monitor!" A clear voice came from the seats behind them.
A pretty girl with long blue hair picked up her tray, her eyes full of anticipation. "Can I eat with you?"
"Lan Susu?" Wang Dong hesitated.
Lan Susu and Lan Luoluo looked almost exactly alike. It really was hard to tell them apart.
"Lan Luoluo."
The pretty blue-haired girl seemed used to this. She asked, "Class monitor, may I?"
Bai Cai picked up her tray and left. Xiao Xiao's eyes lit up, and she quickly waved to signal her over. The two sat together and immediately dug into their food.
"Lan. Luo. Luo!"
Wang Dong gritted her teeth and enunciated each syllable. "Sit down!"
Lan Luoluo sat down in confusion. "Class monitor, what's wrong?"
Wang Dong smiled brightly and forcibly held Lan Luoluo in her arms, slipping her slender hands into the narrow gaps between the girl's uniform and trousers.
A chill spread across Lan Luoluo's waist and stomach. Her pretty face flushed red. "Class monitor, you can't!"
"Can't what?"
Wang Dong pretended not to understand and poked the girl's taut side. "This?"
"Stop, stop..."
Lan Luoluo trembled violently, squirming nonstop.
Wang Dong leaned close to Lan Luoluo, as if they were an inseparable couple, their cheeks nearly touching as they whispered sweet nothings. "Classmate Lan Luoluo, I'm really angry, you know."
"I'm, I'm sorry."
Lan Luoluo's voice took on a faintly tearful note. "Class monitor, haha, haha."
Three days later, at the Soul Fighting Arena.
The Soul Fighting Arena was hexagonal, with rows of seats rising tier by tier around it.
A gentle spring breeze blew beneath the brilliant sun, and the Soul Fighting Arena was nearly full.
Every member of the freshman assessment's champion team was a core disciple.
There were core disciples from the fourth year, core disciples from the fifth year, and ordinary first-year students.
Huo Yuhao's side had exploited a loophole in the rules to form a new team. The academy had tried to stop them, intervening from outside the arena.
After discussing it, Wang Dong, Bai Cai, and Xiao Xiao chose to continue their Soul Fighting match against Huo Yuhao's side.
Although Huo Yuhao's side had a high-ranked Soul Elder, and possibly even a low-ranked Soul Ancestor, Wang Dong's side still had a chance of winning.
Bai Cai had been missing for nearly five months. Not only had his Second Martial Soul awakened, but he had also become a thirty-third-level control-type Battle Soul Elder.
When he first enrolled, Bai Cai had yet to obtain his Second Soul Ring, and his true Soul Power Level was around twenty-two.
When the freshman assessment ended, Bai Cai still had not obtained his Second Soul Ring, and his true Soul Power Level was around twenty-four.
During the month he had been lost in the Far North, Bai Cai could not cultivate, and his true Soul Power Level remained stagnant.
After consuming six petals, his Soul Power had been purified, and his level had even dropped by two.
For three months, Bai Cai had let himself go and given up cultivating. Yet, with rare treasures piled high, his true Soul Power Level had still returned to twenty-four.
Ice Empress and Snow Empress had sacrificed themselves, and his Soul Power Level had surged by six, reaching the bottleneck at level thirty.
Ralts's Second Soul Ring had come from a Mirror Shadow Beast that was over five thousand three hundred years old. Ralts's Third Soul Ring had come from an Abyssal Demon Octopus that was over eleven thousand years old.
Snow Empress had ruled the Far North for hundreds of thousands of years and had countless loyal followers. The Ice Bear King had captured the Mirror Shadow Beast, while the Ice Sea Mermaid clan had offered up the Abyssal Demon Octopus.
At over five thousand three hundred years and over eleven thousand years old, they were close to the limits of what a Soul Ancestor and Soul King could bear when adding a Soul Ring.
After absorbing both Soul Rings, Bai Cai finally broke through to Soul Elder. His Soul Power Level reached thirty-three, and his foundation was exceptionally solid.
Unless Bei Bei and Xu Sanshi revealed their trump cards, Huo Yuhao's side was certain to lose.
The audience seats roared with noise as a middle-aged male teacher entered the Soul Fighting Arena to serve as temporary referee.
The referee announced loudly, "Bai Cai Team versus Huo Yuhao's team. The wager has been confirmed. Both sides, enter the arena!"
The audience burst into waves of cheers.
"Thunderbolt Bei Bei! Thunderbolt Bei Bei!"
"Eternal Defense! Eternal Defense!"
A handsome, blue-haired young man strode into the arena first. A dignified young man in black entered at the same time, followed by an ordinary-looking boy.
The dignified young man in black spoke calmly. "Bei Bei, let's get this straight first. No matter who wins, you have to put in a good word for me in front of Nannan."
"San Shi, don't slack off. If we get caught off guard and lose, we might not lose face, but Yuhao will have to kowtow in front of everyone."
The handsome, blue-haired young man reminded them again and again. "Yuhao, San Shi and I have to give it our all. We can't turn back to protect you, so be careful."
The Martial Soul Fusion Skill of Bai Cai and Wang Dong was no weaker than that of an ordinary Soul Ancestor, and could even rival a Soul King.
Although San Shi and I were far higher in Soul Power Level than Bai Cai and Wang Dong, with a gap of two or three Soul Rings between us,
Soul Power Level and the number of Soul Rings were not the only things that determined victory.
Bei Bei silently kept his guard up. Wang Dong and Bai Cai had refused the academy's intervention from outside the arena, so they clearly believed they could win.
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