Xiao Wu heard the Heart Voice, and the corners of her lips curved up slightly before quickly settling again.
Over the past five years, she had learned how to respond to Lin Yi's Heart Voice without revealing anything, how to obtain information from him without arousing his suspicion, and how to change the course of her own fate.
"Haven't decided yet?" Xiao Wu tilted her head, looking innocent and carefree. "Then how about I give you a suggestion?"
"What suggestion?"
"Let's go to Heaven Dou City together." Xiao Wu pretended to think, then her eyes lit up. "I heard it's huge, with lots of fun places and lots of powerful Soul Master Academies. With our abilities, we should be able to get in."
Lin Yi's heart stirred at her words.
[This Little Rabbit wants to go to Heaven Dou City too?]
[But if we go there, I can't guarantee your safety.]
[How about... I ditch her somewhere while passing through the Star Dou Forest?]
[Mm, not a bad decision.]
"Heaven Dou City is indeed a good place." Lin Yi chose his words carefully. "But with my support-type Martial Soul, which academy would even want me?"
"How could that be?" Xiao Wu immediately retorted. "You're... you're Xiao Wu's good friend. If you come with me, who would dare refuse you?"
She had originally wanted to say, "You have Twin Martial Souls. Who would dare refuse you?"
Fortunately, she reacted quickly and changed her words in time.
Lin Yi did not notice anything unusual. He merely looked at her strangely.
But he could not see anything from her expression and simply rolled his eyes. "You make it sound like you're incredibly strong."
"Of course I'm strong." Xiao Wu lifted her chin, wearing a proud little expression. "I'm a Rank 29 Soul Grandmaster, second in the whole academy... um, third!"
She had originally wanted to say second, but then she remembered that Lin Yi had hidden his strength, as well as that terrifying second Martial Soul. First place was beyond question.
Tang San was also Rank 29, and his actual combat ability was indeed slightly stronger than hers, so she reluctantly changed her answer.
Looking at her like this, Lin Yi felt somewhat conflicted.
[Five years have passed, and she's still like this, as if she's completely forgotten that she's a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast in human form.]
[But sometimes, in the dead of night, she sits alone on the roof, staring blankly in the direction of the Star Dou Forest...]
[She actually knows everything, doesn't she?]
[She knows her identity is a hidden danger, knows how dangerous it is to stay with human Soul Masters, knows the future may be full of thorns.]
[Yet she still chose to follow me.]
[Forget it. I should find a chance to send her back to the Star Dou Forest.]
Lin Yi sighed. "We'll talk about it later. Maybe there'll be somewhere better to go by then."
Xiao Wu stared at him for several seconds, then suddenly leaned closer and lowered her voice. There was a trace of barely perceptible tension in her tone. "Hey, you're not planning to ditch me and run away on your own, are you?"
Lin Yi was startled inside and touched his face.
[How did she know?]
[Was I that obvious?]
"How could I?" Lin Yi gave an awkward laugh. "Where could I even run to?"
"It'd better not be true." Xiao Wu sat up straight, and her tone suddenly turned serious. "Lin Yi, don't even think about getting rid of me. Wherever you go, I'll go."
As she said this, her eyes looked straight into Lin Yi's. There was no joking, no coquettishness—only an almost stubborn determination.
Lin Yi felt uneasy under her gaze and looked away. "Suit yourself."
At the same time, Director Su had finished announcing the list of students receiving recommendation letters from the podium.
The students who received letters were beaming with joy. Those who did not were disappointed, but they had already prepared themselves for it.
After all, Notting Academy was only a junior academy. Recommendation slots were limited and had always been given only to the best students.
"Alright, students." Director Su clapped his hands. "That concludes today's proceedings. Those who received recommendation letters, please report to the corresponding intermediate academies according to the instructions in your letters. As for those who did not receive one, I wish you all bright futures."
The students rose one after another and left the classroom in small groups.
Lin Yi packed up his things and had just stood when Xiao Wu pressed close to him, naturally looping her arm through his. "Come on, let's go back to the dorm and pack."
She had done this for five years. It was as natural to her as breathing.
But today, someone could no longer stand watching it.
"Xiao Wu."
Tang San stood at the classroom door. His expression was somewhat complicated as his gaze fell on Xiao Wu's hand linked around Lin Yi's arm.
Xiao Wu paused, but she still did not let go. "Is something wrong, Tang San?"
Since third grade, Xiao Wu had changed from calling him Little San to Tang San.
Tang San had gotten used to it by now, but it still felt as though something had pricked his heart, leaving behind a faint ache.
Still, having lived two lives, he quickly adjusted his emotions and spoke gently. "Can we talk alone? About where we'll go after graduation."
Xiao Wu glanced at Lin Yi.
Lin Yi tactfully stepped back half a pace. "You two talk. I'll head back to the dorm first."
[It's finally here, the invitation from the original story.]
[According to the plot, Tang San should invite Xiao Wu to Shrek Academy, and Xiao Wu should happily agree.]
[But now... the plot has already gone completely off the rails.]
[Fine. Let them talk alone. Maybe things can get back on track.]
Thinking this, Lin Yi turned to leave.
"Wait." Xiao Wu stopped him, then looked at Tang San with a calm expression. "Say whatever you want to say here. Lin Yi isn't an outsider."
[Uh...]
[Does Xiao Wu mean Tang San is the outsider?]
[Tsk tsk, the protagonist has become an outsider. Is this still the Tang Clan Continent?]
Lin Yi mocked inwardly, while Tang San's expression stiffened for a moment.
Lin Yi was not an outsider?
Then who was?
He took a deep breath, suppressing the displeasure in his heart and trying to make his voice sound calm. "I plan to go to an academy called Shrek. My teacher recommended it. Although the conditions there are average, it only accepts monsters, and its teaching methods are very unique. I want to... invite you to go with me."
As he spoke, he kept his eyes on Xiao Wu, waiting for her reaction.
Based on what he knew of Xiao Wu, she liked novel and interesting things. Shrek Academy's reputation for "only accepting monsters" should appeal to her.
More importantly, although he had been busy cultivating over the past five years, he had never given up on winning Xiao Wu back.
He believed that as long as they could enter a new academy together and spend every day together, their relationship would surely return to how it had been before.
Xiao Wu remained silent for several seconds.
But those few seconds felt incomparably long to Tang San.
Then she spoke, her voice crisp and decisive. "I'm not going."
Three words, clean and final.
Tang San froze. "Why? It's very suitable for geniuses like us. Teacher said..."
"I have my own plans." Xiao Wu interrupted him. Her tone was polite but left no room for doubt. "Thank you for the invitation, but I've already made my decision."
"You've decided? Decided what?" Tang San pressed, his gaze unconsciously flicking toward Lin Yi. "To go with him to some ordinary Soul Master Academy?"
Xiao Wu did not deny it. "Maybe. We haven't made a final decision yet."
That answer made Tang San's heart sink to the bottom.
"Why?" Tang San's voice rose several degrees without his realizing it. "He's only a support-type Soul Master. His Innate Soul Power is only Rank 3, and he's only Rank 19 now. His future achievements are limited!"
"Xiao Wu, you're a genius. You should go somewhere better and grow alongside stronger people!"
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