Xu Xiaoyan (Seeking Follow-up Reads, Seeking Recommendation Tickets)

Time flies like an arrow, and as the years pass, Lin Chen stands before the Spirit Pagoda, waiting for the young girl.

Before long, Leng Yaozhu leads Na'er out of the Spirit Pagoda, where a soul-guided taxi has already been waiting for some time.

Lin Chen walks forward, his gaze landing on Gu Yuena as he says with a smile, "Let's go, Na'er."

Gu Yuena's eyes soften. After bidding farewell to Leng Yaozhu at her side, she walks over to Lin Chen. Leng Yaozhu watches the pair with a faint smile on her lips; after offering a few words of advice, she turns and heads back into the Spirit Pagoda.

The two climb into the taxi one after the other, and the vehicle pulls away smoothly toward the Shrek City soul-guided train station.

The atmosphere inside the car is relaxed. Gu Yuena tilts her head to look at the boy beside her and asks softly, "Lin Chen, how was your vacation?"

At these words, Lin Chen's face falls. He puts on a look of profound sorrow and sighs, "It was miserable. After the last time I took you out, the old man kept me confined to the Sea God Pavilion, forcing me to train with Uncle Zhuo Shi every single day."

Gu Yuena chuckles, "Isn't it a good thing to train with Uncle Zhuo Shi and the others?"

Lin Chen's face droops further, and he sighs repeatedly, "Sparring with him to polish my soul skills is fine, but I'm the one getting beaten up every day!" He lets out another heavy sigh, "I still think life at Eastsea Academy was better."

Gu Yuena's eyes curve into crescents, "School starts tomorrow. I imagine Teacher Wu will increase the intensity of the training again."

The warm afternoon sun spills onto the front of the dormitory. Tang Wulin and Xie Xie are sitting by the entrance chatting when they see Lin Chen and Gu Yuena approaching. Xie Xie immediately rushes over, brimming with excitement.

He stares at Lin Chen and asks curiously, "Captain, is that milk tea shop we visited before still there?"

Lin Chen raises an eyebrow, teasing, "Why ask that? Xie Xie, were you actually attracted to that weird uncle wearing a maid outfit?"

Xie Xie bristles instantly, "No way! I was just purely curious about how the milk tea tasted!"

Standing beside Lin Chen, Gu Yuena recalls the scene from before, and the corner of her mouth twitches slightly—it had truly been a bizarre experience.

As the group chats and laughs, a cold, aloof figure approaches slowly. Wu Changkong is dressed in a simple white robe, his posture tall and straight. Beside him walks a girl with blue twin tails; her eyes are bright and lively, and she appears to be about the same age as them.

Tang Wulin and Xie Xie drop their playful expressions, standing straight to greet him, "Teacher Wu."

Wu Changkong nods faintly and gestures to the girl beside him, "This is a new student joining Zero Class, Xu Xiaoyan."

Her blue twin tails sway gently as Xu Xiaoyan speaks, "Hello everyone, my name is Xu Xiaoyan."

Tang Wulin offers a warm smile, "Hello, we've met before. I'm Tang Wulin."

Xie Xie chimes in, "I'm Xie Xie, nice to meet you."

Lin Chen speaks up softly, "That guy with the Star Wheel Ice Staff must be your brother, right?"

Xu Xiaoyan's gaze lands on Lin Chen, and she thinks to herself in surprise, He's so handsome. She asks with a puzzled expression, "The guy with the ice staff? Is that a nickname you gave my brother?"

Beside them, Xie Xie and Tang Wulin's shoulders shake as if they are struggling to hold back their laughter.

Wu Changkong stands to the side and says coolly, "Alright, take some time to get to know each other. Don't be late for the opening ceremony tomorrow."

The next morning, students from every grade line up in order. Naturally, Zero Class stands at the very front. Gu Yuena, Lin Chen, Xie Xie, and Xu Xiaoyan stand in a row.

Lin Chen asks quietly, "Wait, where is Tang Wulin?"

Xie Xie replies, "Need you ask? He's late, obviously."

Just as the opening ceremony is about to begin, Tang Wulin comes running from a distance, his clothes slightly disheveled. He jogs into the formation and stands beside Xu Xiaoyan, "Sorry, I overdid it with my training."

Tang Wulin straightens his posture, and Lin Chen says calmly, "As long as you're here. Let's listen to the Dean's speech."

As he speaks, Lin Chen's mind wanders, and he secretly transmits his voice to Gu Yuena, "They hold this opening ceremony every single year. It was dry and unbearable last time, and it's just as boring this time around."

Gu Yuena keeps her gaze fixed forward, her lips moving slightly as she replies, "There's no helping it. We can't just sneak away halfway through. Just endure it for now."

Xie Xie, standing next to Lin Chen, notices the two acting strangely and tilts his head, trying to eavesdrop on their conversation. Wu Changkong catches his little stunt, and Xie Xie receives a sharp rap on the head from him.

Xu Xiaoyan covers her mouth to stifle a giggle, and Xie Xie becomes much better behaved after that blow.

The mind-numbingly boring opening ceremony finally concludes. The five of them return to the Zero Class classroom with Wu Changkong. Their seating has been rearranged: Xu Xiaoyan sits to Gu Yuena's right, while Lin Chen, Xie Xie, and Tang Wulin sit to her left.

Once everyone is seated, Wu Changkong, dressed in his white robes, stands before the podium. His gaze falls on Xu Xiaoyan as he says coolly, "Go ahead and introduce yourself."

Xu Xiaoyan quickly stands up, her twin tails brushing her shoulders, and says softly, "My name is Xu Xiaoyan. I am ten years old, my soul power is at rank 17, and my martial soul is the Star Wheel Ice Staff."

Hearing the words "rank 17 soul power," Lin Chen and Xie Xie exchange an instinctive glance. With a tacit understanding, they both turn their heads to look at Tang Wulin beside them.

Tang Wulin's mouth twitches, and he scratches the back of his head. His own soul power is currently lower than Xu Xiaoyan's, so he quietly lowers his head.

Wu Changkong nods, "For the next month, you need to prove your strength and demonstrate that you are fit to remain in Zero Class. We will decide whether you stay or go after one month."

Xu Xiaoyan replies obediently, "Understood, Teacher."

Wu Changkong nods slightly, the hem of his white robe fluttering as he turns and walks toward the classroom door, leaving behind one final instruction: "I'll give you half an hour to prepare. You've rested for a month; it's time to re-examine your physical condition and your combat techniques."

The subsequent check-up earns a nod of approval from Wu Changkong.

In terms of raw strength, both Tang Wulin and Lin Chen have seen further growth. The data they produce makes Xu Xiaoyan ask Xie Xie, "Are those two actually soul beasts in disguise?"

There isn't much to say about the others; Tang Wulin's spiritual power has reached 212, while both Lin Chen and Gu Yuena have broken through to the Spirit Sea Realm.

A flicker of satisfaction crosses Wu Changkong's eyes as he sternly sets the combat pairings: "We will begin the practical assessment immediately. Lin Chen and Gu Yuena will team up to face Tang Wulin, Xie Xie, and Xu Xiaoyan."

Xie Xie's face falls instantly as he wails, "You can't be serious, Teacher! Even if it's the three of us against the two of them, we don't stand a chance!"

Lin Chen smiles slightly and says slowly to reassure him, "Don't worry, we'll try to go easy on you."

Gu Yuena adds from his side, "Lin Chen also has healing abilities. If we hit too hard, he'll help treat your injuries."

Wu Changkong says coldly, "I never said you had to win. Do as I say. You have five minutes."

Xie Xie and Tang Wulin asked Xu Xiaoyan if her abilities were exactly the same as her brother's.

Xu Xiaoyan nodded, "They are the same—ranged attacks and control. However, my control is a bit better than his, and at night, my control becomes even more formidable."

Wu Changkong said in a deep voice, "The match begins. Give it your all."

As his words fell, Tang Wulin and Xie Xie's expressions turned grave. They activated their martial souls as if heading to their deaths, exchanging a glance that revealed the determination in each other's eyes.

Xie Xie spoke with a serious tone, "Wulin, Xu Xiaoyan, we need to prepare ourselves to face the mixed doubles beatdown from Lin Chen and his wife."

A flicker of confusion crossed Xu Xiaoyan's eyes. What wife? Although she had long since noticed that the relationship between Lin Chen and Gu Yuena was unusual, what on earth was this "mixed doubles beatdown"?

Xie Xie continued to speak with steady conviction. Upon hearing this, the corner of Lin Chen's mouth twitched, and he secretly pondered that he would have to properly discipline Xie Xie in the future.

A blush appeared on Gu Yuena's face beside him, and her ears grew slightly hot. "Lin Chen, you go and fight Tang Wulin and Xu Xiaoyan."

"Leave Xie Xie to me. Watch me smash his mouth for spouting such nonsense."